Deadbat
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It was a point on the road for the Blades as they could not fashion the big moment to beat a determined Rotherham United at the New York Stadium. The Blades have failed to score against their South Yorkshire neighbours in both games this season and whilst they shaded the game, it will be a concern how little they created in another showing where United were not awful but a long way from the free flowing form we had seen at times before the World Cup break. The result is far from a disaster and with still a sizeable gap on the teams below but the concern is the lack of fluency going forward and if one of their big players does not create a moment of magic, the Blades currently struggle to dictate games or have a secondary plan to get the chances and goals to win games.
The Blades were much changed from the tie at the Racecourse Ground but were able to start with Oli McBurnie in the league for the first time. Foderingham, Lowe, Robinson, Berge and Ndiaye returned but there was no place for Tommy Doyle with Ben Osborn moving into midfield. Ciaran Clark was back on the bench in some positive news of a returnee.
The Millers had been busy in the transfer window and brought 7 new players in. 4 of them started at the New York Stadium with Coventry, Hjelde, Hugill and Fosu Henry in the side. Former Blade Conor Washington was on the bench. They had of course lost skipper Dan Barlaser to Middlesboro which was a blow to counter the incomings.
It was a sold-out stadium with United travelling in good numbers for the short trip across South Yorkshire. The Blades started well with some neat football as Bogle was well advanced but the first chance came on 5 minutes when the ball down the left channel saw Ogbene in but Foderingham smothered on the angle. The long throws of Peltier were a feature early on and for the second game the Blades had to deal with a succession of balls coming in from such a source.
Ndiaye got caught high up as he got there before a defender but there was no real malice and after treatment the forward could play on. The Blades then enjoyed a good spell as Bogle tried to get in twice but overplayed before he overhit his ball to Ahmedhodzic. Good possession saw Berge play it into Bogle but his cross looped into the hands of Johansson.
Rotherham players were going to ground too easily and three times they went to floor in the box under virtually no contact but they were pressing United and for a spell forced them to go long. A decent move saw McBurnie, Ndiaye and Ahmedhodzic involved before Berge hit a low taking shot the keeper had to hold. It was the first effort of note for the visitors.
United then tried to use their own long throw weapon and Robinson forced Johansson twice to punch away less than convincingly. The Blades won two corners but could not fashion a chance from either before Egan then found himself on the left wing but his attempted skill ended with Rotherham winning the ball back before Robinson made the tackle.
Osborn’s twice failed to get over a cross and then compounded it by letting his man skip away and it was not long after this, the Millers fashioned the best chance of the game. The ball came in with no pressure on the crosser and Odoffin had a free header. Foderingham did well to spring to his left and push the ball away. How he was left completely unmarked was anybody’s guess. Buoyed by this Rotherham had a period where they were winning loose balls and a piece of skill from Odoffin was reminiscent of Bergkamp at Newcastle, as he turned his man and went the other way. Ndiaye had to get back to concede the corner.
Bogle was looking United’s most dangerous attacking outlet but he was overdoing things and led to good breaks not materialising in a chance. A few tackles came in both ways and Ndiaye was caught on half way but Scott chose to keep his cards in his pocket before drawing a half, poor on quality and of limited chances, to an end.
The second half started with Osborn’s poor game compounded when he took his own man out Ahmedhodzic and the defender came off worse but was able to play on.
The same player then was at the other end and got on the end of a Berge cross but headed over on the stretch. Berge then got down the left but his cross was hit too hard and away from everyone. Rotherham then had a cross come over but it span off Robinson and into the arms of Foderingham. Osborn gave the ball away and this led to Rathbone having a shot well wide.
Ahmedhodzic was cautioned for a soft challenge that barely seemed worthy of a foul before Scott compounded this as Berge was hacked down with far more contact and he played on! Ogbene won a corner after he ran onto a through ball forward and soon after Hugill hit the deck three times, and committed two hand balls and a clear obstruction but referee Scott waved play on as players kicked at each other and the ball in the melee.
Ndiaye showed good control and quick feet but Berge’s cross was cleared before Berge then crossed over and the ball dropped to Bogle but he smashed miles over. The offside flag was up countering any appeals for a handball in the build up to the chance. Norwood and Berge linked well and Bogle was well placed again but blazed over again.
The first changes came from Rotherham as Wright and Washington came on for Hugill and Hall but one of the incomers, Wright was down with an injury and had to go off with a head injury not long after he had come on!
McAtee and Sharp came on for Osborn and McBurnie and United had a better spell as Rotherham retreated and seemed to be settling for a point. Sharp nearly got in after an excellent ball from Berge but could not get the ball out of his feet – the ball came back to him and Sharp’s cross was poor and flipped behind from the keeper.
Egan got turned on halfway from Washington but Robinson did well to cover for his teammate. McAtee then ran past his man after a lovely turn before being tripped by Rathbone and the yellow card was an easy decision.
United were having much more of the ball and enjoying the lions share of the match in the Rotherham half but were creating little with Berge and Ndiaye not quite getting the vital piece of quality to create an opportunity. A ball in hit a combination of Robinson and Berge but dropped into Johanssen’s hands before another piece of interchange saw United move it around well but it would not drop for Sharp or Ndiaye and was bundled clear.
Ferguson came on for Fosu Henry as Rotherham ended the game with just a solitary striker but twice Norwood’s balls were overhit and then Sharp unwisely took on the shot from the angle that was easy for the keeper. The game ticked into 5 minutes of stoppage time but a Bogle effort that went into the side netting with the keeper having it covered was as close as United got and in the end the home side saw it out to get the point that they would have been happier with.
The Blades were much changed from the tie at the Racecourse Ground but were able to start with Oli McBurnie in the league for the first time. Foderingham, Lowe, Robinson, Berge and Ndiaye returned but there was no place for Tommy Doyle with Ben Osborn moving into midfield. Ciaran Clark was back on the bench in some positive news of a returnee.
The Millers had been busy in the transfer window and brought 7 new players in. 4 of them started at the New York Stadium with Coventry, Hjelde, Hugill and Fosu Henry in the side. Former Blade Conor Washington was on the bench. They had of course lost skipper Dan Barlaser to Middlesboro which was a blow to counter the incomings.
It was a sold-out stadium with United travelling in good numbers for the short trip across South Yorkshire. The Blades started well with some neat football as Bogle was well advanced but the first chance came on 5 minutes when the ball down the left channel saw Ogbene in but Foderingham smothered on the angle. The long throws of Peltier were a feature early on and for the second game the Blades had to deal with a succession of balls coming in from such a source.
Ndiaye got caught high up as he got there before a defender but there was no real malice and after treatment the forward could play on. The Blades then enjoyed a good spell as Bogle tried to get in twice but overplayed before he overhit his ball to Ahmedhodzic. Good possession saw Berge play it into Bogle but his cross looped into the hands of Johansson.
Rotherham players were going to ground too easily and three times they went to floor in the box under virtually no contact but they were pressing United and for a spell forced them to go long. A decent move saw McBurnie, Ndiaye and Ahmedhodzic involved before Berge hit a low taking shot the keeper had to hold. It was the first effort of note for the visitors.
United then tried to use their own long throw weapon and Robinson forced Johansson twice to punch away less than convincingly. The Blades won two corners but could not fashion a chance from either before Egan then found himself on the left wing but his attempted skill ended with Rotherham winning the ball back before Robinson made the tackle.
Osborn’s twice failed to get over a cross and then compounded it by letting his man skip away and it was not long after this, the Millers fashioned the best chance of the game. The ball came in with no pressure on the crosser and Odoffin had a free header. Foderingham did well to spring to his left and push the ball away. How he was left completely unmarked was anybody’s guess. Buoyed by this Rotherham had a period where they were winning loose balls and a piece of skill from Odoffin was reminiscent of Bergkamp at Newcastle, as he turned his man and went the other way. Ndiaye had to get back to concede the corner.
Bogle was looking United’s most dangerous attacking outlet but he was overdoing things and led to good breaks not materialising in a chance. A few tackles came in both ways and Ndiaye was caught on half way but Scott chose to keep his cards in his pocket before drawing a half, poor on quality and of limited chances, to an end.
The second half started with Osborn’s poor game compounded when he took his own man out Ahmedhodzic and the defender came off worse but was able to play on.
The same player then was at the other end and got on the end of a Berge cross but headed over on the stretch. Berge then got down the left but his cross was hit too hard and away from everyone. Rotherham then had a cross come over but it span off Robinson and into the arms of Foderingham. Osborn gave the ball away and this led to Rathbone having a shot well wide.
Ahmedhodzic was cautioned for a soft challenge that barely seemed worthy of a foul before Scott compounded this as Berge was hacked down with far more contact and he played on! Ogbene won a corner after he ran onto a through ball forward and soon after Hugill hit the deck three times, and committed two hand balls and a clear obstruction but referee Scott waved play on as players kicked at each other and the ball in the melee.
Ndiaye showed good control and quick feet but Berge’s cross was cleared before Berge then crossed over and the ball dropped to Bogle but he smashed miles over. The offside flag was up countering any appeals for a handball in the build up to the chance. Norwood and Berge linked well and Bogle was well placed again but blazed over again.
The first changes came from Rotherham as Wright and Washington came on for Hugill and Hall but one of the incomers, Wright was down with an injury and had to go off with a head injury not long after he had come on!
McAtee and Sharp came on for Osborn and McBurnie and United had a better spell as Rotherham retreated and seemed to be settling for a point. Sharp nearly got in after an excellent ball from Berge but could not get the ball out of his feet – the ball came back to him and Sharp’s cross was poor and flipped behind from the keeper.
Egan got turned on halfway from Washington but Robinson did well to cover for his teammate. McAtee then ran past his man after a lovely turn before being tripped by Rathbone and the yellow card was an easy decision.
United were having much more of the ball and enjoying the lions share of the match in the Rotherham half but were creating little with Berge and Ndiaye not quite getting the vital piece of quality to create an opportunity. A ball in hit a combination of Robinson and Berge but dropped into Johanssen’s hands before another piece of interchange saw United move it around well but it would not drop for Sharp or Ndiaye and was bundled clear.
Ferguson came on for Fosu Henry as Rotherham ended the game with just a solitary striker but twice Norwood’s balls were overhit and then Sharp unwisely took on the shot from the angle that was easy for the keeper. The game ticked into 5 minutes of stoppage time but a Bogle effort that went into the side netting with the keeper having it covered was as close as United got and in the end the home side saw it out to get the point that they would have been happier with.