Sheffield United vs Portsmouth

EFL Championship Matchweek 31 - Saturday 8th February 2025 - 15:00 - Bramall Lane
Please keep all discussion related to the match within this thread.

Player Ratings:
Matchday Stats/Player Ratings - https://www.s24su.com/forum/match-day/match/sheffield-united-vs-portsmouth.728/

Officials:

Referee: Oliver Langford
Assistants: Mark Stevens and Ian Cooper
Fourth Official: Andrew Kitchen

Coverage:

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Live TV Coverage:

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[Esteban Cambiasso]

This should be an easy game for a side chasing the top 2 places but it won't be.

 

[lazyfecklessblade]

Is this the David Kitson derby, or the Johnny Ertl derby?

 

[Uganda Blade]

Or the Michael Brown derby?

 

[munksyb]

They have named Marks Stevens & Ian Cooper as Assistant Referees (or linesmen as we used to call them )
Do they actually do anything during a game
They don’t seem to see anything that happens on the pitch
They often don’t flag which way the throws should go, and wait for the ref to intimate this.
When the ref gets a decision wrong they don’t pull him up on it
They do flag offside (very late) & often reluctantly

Having been a Sheffield & Halamshire ref also running the line myself, I really see no point in linesman nowadays

BTW
This is not a call to get rid of assistant refs , on the contrary, it is a call to give them a bigger responsibility.
If they see something the ref hasn’t, they should flag, and the ref must go and have a chat with them , if they are not miked-up
The 4 officials should be a team working together, otherwise what is the point ?

 

[Jimmy Fleck]

These got a point at elland road, will make it horrible and scrappy. We need to take control early and not let them dictate what sort of game it’ll be.

 

[Maltby_blade]

This should be an easy game for a side chasing the top 2 places but it won't be.

A bit like Sunderland’s easy game at home to Plymouth?, no game will be easy against teams fighting to stay up.

 

[blade too long]

wouldnt want to be leeds going to plymouth on the last day if Argyle need a draw to stay up and a win to be sure

talking of leeds , just realised how bad Farkes prem record is

Premier League p 49 w 6 d 8 L 35 PTS 26 0.53 PPG

that equates to a 38 game prem season yielding 19 / 20 points

 

[Cappy]

BBC journo’s have done well there, again

 

[Sheffsteel]

A bit like Sunderland’s easy game at home to Plymouth?, no game will be easy against teams fighting to stay up.

There’s a difference. Sunderland play open attacking expansive football. It’s really difficult to get success from that style because it’s difficult to be consistent.

Every match Sunderland play, the opposition have chances and Plymouth has the better chances on the day deserving at least a draw.

However is a Burnley can have off days and still win. The task for Wilder is to be more expansive whilst keeping the back door firmly shut.

 

[Bladezz]

Im hoping we go out an attack them

Campbell and Cannon would be really effective I think.

 

[Sheffsteel]

Really looking forward to today, mainly to see the starting line. It’s like attending the 1st game of the season to see how the new payers gel. Cannon and BBD should be more up to speed now.

Think Wilder will give loads of players game time. We have a difficult match Wednesday against Boro so he’ll have one eye on that one. Suspect load of subs will be made on 60 and 70 minutes. I’m not exaggerating by saying we’ll have the strongest subs bench I’ve seen us have in years, far far stronger than last season in the Prem.

Expect Rob Holding to start, as it’s ideal to be introduced against weaker opposition so he shouldn’t be under massive pressure.

Will be interesting to see if Hamer starts on the left wing, right wing or central?

My prediction 2-0 win but it’s about time we have a convincing 4-0.

 

[ilovesufc]

Anyone's ticket still on Hull??

 

[Alex Cheeseright]

This should be an easy game for a side chasing the top 2 places but it won't be.

It's as easy as we want to it to be

 

[Sheffsteel]

We

We don’t have any fast attacking players, it will be more of the same slow turgid pass sideways and backwards
Scrape a 1-0

Are you feeling alright?
Can’t believe you’ve predicted a win. Must be the 1st time this season.

Welcome aboard the positivity train

 

[Davalon]

They have named Marks Stevens & Ian Cooper as Assistant Referees (or linesmen as we used to call them )
Do they actually do anything during a game
They don’t seem to see anything that happens on the pitch
They often don’t flag which way the throws should go, and wait for the ref to intimate this.
When the ref gets a decision wrong they don’t pull him up on it
They do flag offside (very late) & often reluctantly

Having been a Sheffield & Halamshire ref also running the line myself, I really see no point in linesman nowadays

Ins and outs

 

[jono_t2000]

 

[Davalon]

Strong looking bench now

 

[jono_t2000]

Looks more like 4-3-3 than 4-2-3-1

 

[Uganda Blade]

Looks like a front four of:
BBD - Hamer - Campbell
Cannon
?

 

[Thrice]

Surprised to see O'Hare benched, but we'll probably see more rotation now.

 

[Thrice]

Looks like a front four of:
BBD - Hamer - Campbell
Cannon
?

My guess is a 4-4-2 with BBD on the left and Hamer on the right, or vice versa.

 

[Ldn_Rd_Blades]

Looks more like 4-3-3 than 4-2-3-1

Hamer in the middle, BBD on the right , Campbell on the left, Souza and Choudry behind

 

[Uganda Blade]

My guess is a 4-4-2 with BBD on the left and Hamer on the right, or vice versa.

Could be.
Hopefully Cappy will be along soon to confirm how they're lining up in the warm-up.

 

[Ldn_Rd_Blades]

Bench is looking sexy

 

[Aston max]

Surprised to see O'Hare benched, but we'll probably see more rotation now.

Tbf the lad does always put a shift in , he probably deserves a rest ( though I bet he took some convincing )

Agreed as mentioned we don't seem to have much width but I'd actually like to see cw bring the new Peruvian lad onto the bench when he's settled in

 

[SwitchBLADE Smiles]

Looks a much stronger first 11 than recent games. Still not quite 100% on Souza / Choudhury in the middle, but having Hamer back in the side should give us some much needed creativity that we lacked at Derby. Can see Hamer in the number 10 role with Campbell in (what I think) is his strongest position on the right. Reckon it would make us miles more balanced especially having Clarke supporting attacks down the right - can see this being a big game from Cannon as he should (in theory) get much more to work with than in previous weeks.

Blaster aside, I reckon this is probably our strongest 11 right now.

Good options from the bench too. Going for a 2-0 Blades.

 

[Aston max]

Looks a much stronger first 11 than recent games. Still not quite 100% on Souza / Choudhury in the middle, but having Hamer back in the side should give us some much needed creativity that we lacked at Derby. Can see Hamer in the number 10 role with Campbell in (what I think) is his strongest position on the right. Reckon it would make us miles more balanced especially having Clarke supporting attacks down the right. Blaster aside, I reckon this is probably our strongest 11 right now.

Good options from the bench too. Going for a 2-0 Blades.

Could mean vini gets to push a bit further forward

 

[3Cheers4Ramirez]

OHare presumably dropped so he's fresh to do the defending vs Boro

It's probably the line up I'd want

A rampant 1-0 or 2-0 win is within our grasp today

 

[SB_90]

how quick things change. from a threadbare squad. to having the option of o'hare, peck, JRS & Brooks on the bench. wow

 

[AnstonBlade1]

We

We don’t have any fast attacking players, it will be more of the same slow turgid pass sideways and backwards
Scrape a 1-0

Are you feeling alright?
Can’t believe you’ve predicted a win. Must be the 1st time this season.

Welcome aboard the positivity train