The trials and tribulations of being a Sheffield United supporter, eh? Everything you wanted bottled up in another somewhat frustrating, baffling, breathtaking afternoon at Bramall Lane today.
Only just managed to catch the kickoff so the final lineup was somewhat of a mystery to me until I could see who was on and where they were playing. But straight away I could see we were fragile in places. Timu Pukki, unlikely rascal that he always was was always anyone's target in yellow and always therefor had that ability to use his international acumen to close down on the hapless Davies taking far too much time to get a deserved opener. Also, think that the ball backwards was played by Egan onto his left. Wes isn't in goal any more feller. the backline and Davies should already know which foot the keeper needs a backpass on. It doesn't forgive the fuckup mind. All keepers should be able to swing both feet at a backpass. Into touch is better than in the fucking net.
We still failed to shut Norwich down entirely despite moving forward though. They still had the break to count on and an uncertain back three into which to activate Pukki who frankly terrorised them into conceding the second with again, a shot Davies should have had covered with his dive. With the crowd now muttering and complaining we pressed further forward but we still display that lack of basic connectivity. Poor passing, hopeful punts up the pitch, crosses (mainly from Osborn) which just found unpressured Norwich defenders and the obligatory Norwood boot into the BLLT left me feeling that in the next 45 minutes we could concede more without even warming their keepers hand, albeit he'd kept a goal out from an Osborn deflected shot right on the whistle. It was a scrappy. unproductive and somewhat negative first half redolent of a team on the slide and definitely underperforming
Second half we brought on N'Daiye and fucked McAtee off back to Citeh, hopefully. Immediately there we a robustness and a willingness to play further up the pitch that was absent in the first half. That wasn't to say we couldn't be caught out by the marauding, cheating fucking shithead Cantwell who was doing what our midfield should be doing namely carry the ball up the pitch and laying it off and running on into space. I feared another early goal and with us 0-3 behind the sound of plastic seats whacking up into the stowed position from three sides of the ground would have been deafening. But N'Daiye started to own the ball more and 'run at them'™, a new concept whereby a player uses movement and skill to bypass opposition players en route to goal. Norwich sensed a rebellion against their pretty mediocre mastery and started shutting the game down with shithousery and diving, helped in process by a pretty bollocks referee. Suddenly Bramall Lane was on fire and we surged forward egged on with a mixture of encouragement and anger. Eventually some impressive and relentless pressure gets a cross to Billy who squares to Osborn who clips in a deserved goal. Game on. Now we are in third gear at last and picking up momentum, if without product. Most crosses find the first man (Doyle this time from a promising free kick) or again centred into the Norwich defence (Osborn again) or balls up the pitch end up nowhere. Then suddenly everything clicks pleasingly into place and McBurnie on for Brewster, on for is at the far post to squeeze it in. Game on again.
Norwich, and this time moreso the shoddy referee conspired to shit in our snaptin as we pushed on to kill the fuckers off. Stupid injuries, trainers on, questionable yellow cards and a raft of daft decisions slowed our suddenly residcovered mettle. With more and more determination we tried and failed, McBurnie heading at the keeper or wide of Osborn hitting flailing defenders. Then to confound the evangelists, Norwich are up the other end, Baldock puts in a terror tackle outside the box, ball comes to a Norwich player who is going past a static Egan, he hangs in a leg and they have an undeserved spot kick. With Pukki on a hat-trick, the pressure is all on him in front of the impressive Norwich following and he hits a tame but needing saving free ick to Davies's left which he palms out. Game on once again.
The game finished with us inn their half knocking on the door with Khadra on the pitch but in fairness, had we won I'd see it as a dirty win whatever, given we played like fucking amateurs in the first 45 and were deserved losers going in for a Hacky bollocking, something that over the past six games must just be routine by now. Fortunately we once again salvaged a point from zero but against a side provenly vulnerable but with definite capability. Had we been sat in twentieth at the moment we'd be grateful for that draw. It's to me the reality of our potential versus the actuality of our situation. Still reckon we are going nowhere with the majority of this squad. They aren't good enough now to stitch 2 x 45 minute performance which dominates an opposition and gets a deserved win
Davies 4/10: Shocking stuff early on and then for their goal but rescues a point with his penalty save
Baldock 5/10: His typical heart on sleeve performance if somewhat shackled in his ongoing war with Cantwell. Wouldn't have been surprised to see him straight redded for an over the top, two footer on the alice-banded honeychild wanker. In fact, I'd have cheered.
Anel 6/10: Although he has class way above what the rest of the squad has, he's sometimes pulled down by that very factor. Always involved and active, today he however didn't touch the parts other players can't reach
Egan 5.5/10: I still think Egan is way below what his best is, almost three seasons since O'Connell left us. Today he was vulnerable and exposed and his penalty gift was simply bad defending
Basham 5.5/10: A better performance from Bash if not still at his 'does nowt wrong' situation/normal game. Past few games he's been second to the ball and not as composed. Much better today
Osborn 7.5/10: With everyone ready to kill him off last week, Osborn comes out this week and shows us what Hecky sees what we can't. Uncharacteristically good game for him out wide even if at times he crossed into the box straight to their players. Well taken goal.
Fleck 4/10: Another pointless pick-him-for-shits-and-giggles and begging for Doyle. Can't think what the fuck he did which merited the shirt for an hour. He's done, Hecky. Stop trying to be charitable
Norwood 6.5/10: Good match for him, even if in the first half he was the only reliable midfielder on the pitch. Some noteworthy interceptions and tackles and put a shift in where the two outside him were lacking
McAtee 2/10: Little lad in a big boys league. Send him back please. We've seen enough. As Carlts said on shoutbox, 'McWoodburntee'
Sharp 5.5/10: He's clearly coming to the end of the road now but still works his socks off but there's a certain sad fading of his turn-and-shoot capability which is now tragically leaving his feet. Laid off Osborns goal and maybe should step back from the politics of the game on the pitch and be the club captain. It, I suppose, is a measure of how much he loves this club, bless him
Brewster 5/10: Spent a lot of time fetching punts up the pitch from the channels and not much ability to chase at their defenders with the ball at her feet or arrive in the box to score
N'Daiye 7/10: Once again our only attacking outlet moving forward and showed exquisite deftness of touch bringing the ball down to pass and run. Quite why he wasn't starting is a mystery
Doyle 7.5/10: The real story of our second half. Once we'd rid ourselves of the suitcase of bricks that Fleck has become, Doyle added that youthful grit and determination and willingness to commit and commit again. He did, once again, a huge amount of midfield spadework today which suddenly rendered Norwich's midfield a bit redundant
McBurnie 8/10: A great substitution and made a huge difference to how we pursued the game onward to a possible victory. Picks up a whole point for not shithousing and using sarcasm for shit refereeing. Great, determined effort to score his goal and yeah, should have buried his header later and it showed in his face because had he won us the game with that, would have had a 10/10
Khadra 5/10: Not sure still about what he can bring to our side. Runs at defenders to press but seems strangely invisible or unsighted at times. Jury's still out.
HJ&SMcC 5/10: rescued a draw from a loss, second game in a row and last six reads DLLDLD, with us now still on the slide. Today, being a game of two halfs, was lost in the first before we clawed it back in the second. Yeah, an odd term but think about it. Had we started with the same bite we finished with, we could have been 4-0 winners. This is down to the backroom team and not 'injuries' and 'bad luck'. Some areas today showed us pleasingly good, but consistency is the trademark of a winner, and once again, our first inconsistent 45 was why we only have one point and lie in no mans land now with a widening points gap opening up until soon, we will be two wins, possibly more from automatics.
pommpey
