Stevenage on t'push iron: Olle's day art in Herts (MATCH REPORT)

[Ollessendro]

First thing to say, and I may get some stick for this, but I have to say there has been a fair bit of scoreline journalism on here since 5pm yesterday. We were not very good yesterday, but the scoreline did not reflect the game. Just like when we beat County 4-1 in the JPT earlier in the season, 4-0 was not fair. Stevenage had the rub of the green and things just went their way.

Before anyone poo poo’s me, I state categorically that Stevenage were the better team. They were fitter, stronger and more up for it. They worked harder and wanted it more. Most importantly they were clinical and ruthless. They counter attacked excellently and took their chances well. They thoroughly punished us for the mistakes we made.

The match

Stevenage came out of the blocks pretty fast. They got stuck into us and put the pressure on. They had a few half chances in the first few minutes and Long had to make a couple of (routine) saves. The Blades players looked sluggish and not at the races. Perhaps they had turned up like the fans, thinking that this one was already won.’ Stevenage have lost 6 on the bounce, they are not the team of last year and we can go top today’. They were in for a shock.

However after quarter of an hour the Blades started to gain ascendancy. K Mac and Doyle started to win the battle and were finding space in midfield. Stevenage were breaking though and causing problems on the counter attack. Flynn had a good chance and should have scored. He was out through by McDonald and he blasted the ball down the keeper’s throat. It was a one on one and he should really have buried it. Kitson was sent through by an absolute peach of a pass by Doyle, but he miscontrolled it. He was in on goal and a player of his quality should have scored. United were in complete control, but had not created enough and had not been clinical enough with the chances they created.

The goal came against the run of play. It was a routine attacking throw in, sent to Lopez’s feet. Yet Collins allowed himself to be turned and the Spaniard was in on goal and finished well. It was a soft goal. The usually excellent Collins got outmuscled and it was poor defending. All of a sudden Stevenage were a different team. They really had their tales up and finished the half the stronger team. They suddenly looked more confident and had more belief. They were attacking us and shooting from anywhere.

Wilson really seemed to have put a rocket up the players arses and United stared the 2nd half well. The Blades had the early pressure and should have scored. MacFeazden was causing problems, but there was no one to get onto his crosses. A corner from Robson saw Maguire’s header well saved. It was an excellent save from the big Stevenage keeper. It was flying in, just under the bar, and their keeper acrobatically tipped it over. From the resulting corner another United player headed it goalwards and with the keeper beaten, the defender cleared it off the line. It was right on the line and there were some half hearted appeals. The linesman was right in line and shook his head. It was not over the line (imo) but it was desperately unlucky and some top notch last ditch defending.

All of a sudden Stevenage were 2 up. Again, against the run of play Lopez punished terrible defending. An attacking set piece was cleared and the ball was hopefully dinked over the top. Lopez was in and he controlled and finished cooly. Somebody must have played him on, or not followed him in. He was in acres of space though and it was a sloppy goal to concede.

United continued to dominate, passing the ball around well and controlling possession, but created little. This was the story of the afternoon. A lame United attack resulted in Robson softly giving the ball away. Stevenage broke and an excellent counter attacking move was finished with a cracking shot. Long should maybe have saved it at his near post, but it was a good goal. Stevenage then added a fourth, which seemed like poor defending and suspect keeping. To sum up United’s afternoon, Forte went clean through and should have buried it. Yet he opted to wait and pass to Kitson, who’s shot was blocked.

Football matches can be won and lost on fine margins

We had 2 excellent chances at 0-0, yet failed to take them. This was against a team lacking in confidence that had lost 6 on the bounce. Either of those go in and United go on to win easily (imo). At 1-0 their keeper made a good save and they cleared of the line. It goes in and we have a completely different game.

However we were taught a lesson in finishing. We should look at how ruthless Stevenage were and take note. Fuck all this possession, be clinical in front of goal.

Wilson/tactics

I thought he started with the wrong formation. There is an argument to playing 4-5-1 away from home, but we should be looking to use Forte (or Poleon or Murphy) up top. Against a team in mid table, that hae lost 6 on the bounce, we should have attacked them early. We should have gone on to try and win early doors. To be fair to Wilson he changed it early. At half time he took off Flynn, brining on Forte, and went 4-4-2. I would have taken off Robson, but many fans were giving Flynn a hard time.

I do not actually blame Wilson that much for yesterday. He got it wrong initially, but tried to change things. He clearly gave them a rollocking at half time, but that did not work. He was let down by the players. Wilson cannot legislate for his attackers missing chances and his defenders acting like clowns. The players were to blame for yesterday. They were 2nd best in almost every department.

Man of steel

The only one to shine yesterday was young MacFeazden. He was like a breath of fresh air. He attacked his full back, got crosses in and short heart and commitment. He got to the by line and constantly took on his man. He was by far our best player.

Crimes against football

Where do I start? Barry fucking Robson is a good place. He was woeful yesterday. Up front (or in the holding role) he did nowt and he constantly gave the ball away, did not support Kitson and offered no attacking threat. 2nd half, when he was on the wing, he was gash. He drifted inside and continued to be terrible in possession. Maguire and Collins were like a comedy double act. Like clowns at a child’s birthday party. Their act yesterday was chasing the shadow of the impressive Lopez. K ac and Doyle also deserve and mention for losing the battle against a couple of hungrier and fitter players, who had less ability.

Crimes against hoof

Stevenage. Their counter attacking football was excellent. The soaked up our pressure and hit us on the break. They were quick and fit. They wanted to win more and that was that.

Day out

I got up at 5 and set off on the push iron. It was damp and cold, as I whizzed through London at 6am. I got up to Barnet at around 8 and was outside the M25 and in Hertfordshire by 8am. I shot through the lovely countryside passing some nice quaint towns (Potters Bar, Tewin, Burnham Green, Bull’s Green and Dawshed) before passing Knebworth and then arriving at Stevenage at half 9. The weather was pretty terrible, but I had a strongly South Westerly wind behind me. I was bastard freezing when I arrived at the swimming bath’s. A quick swim and stretch was followed by a 20 minute heavenly hot shower. I was out of the bath’s and over to the station to meet Papa Luigi for half 10 and then go for a greasy fry up at the classy Stevenage café. We wondered down to the Our Mutual Fried pub for just after midday. Plenty of beer and banter was only ruined by an hour and a half of footy. We got chatting with some Stevenage fans after and had a good laugh. Taxi to the train station for 8pm, stuck Olle senior on the train to Donny and took the train back to London.

Ale

The Our Mutual Fried was excellent, with friendly locals and a good selection of real ales. The bar staff were friendly and there was a nice atmosphere. It was full of Blades. We had a nice beer from Ilkley that was quite dark (red-ish) and had a real toffee/caramel taste. We had a pint of the excellent Landlord. They had a nice hoppy, light amber ale from Trig called ‘let the sunshine’ in. There was a Brain’s beer that was one of the nicer one’s too. My dad had a nice stout, that ran out early on. Cannot remember where from, but it was a relatively strong liquorice tasting stout. There was a decent pale ale from Redemption, with a real kick. It was hoppy, but strong (more than 5%) and a tad spicy. So in my search for real ale and proper football, once again I just found the former (unless you count Stevenage FC in that).

Overall

Just a quick report from me, as I was out all day yesterday and then cannot let our lass see me on the forum for a long time. Yesterday we were poor, but the scoreline was harsh. However we were beaten by a team that wanted it more. They were better in every department, particularly finishing. Like last season when we travelled to Broadway Hall, they were stronger, fitter and hungrier. It was a really disappointing performance and we got exactly what we deserved. Let’s hope it was a wake up call and not a sign of things to come.

 

[Greenwich Blade]

Pretty much as I saw it Olle; when my dad phoned up at 4-0 to ask how rubbish we were, I said we were no worse than we have been in other recent defeats, and I said to him that we had indeed started the second half much the better side, but then a soft goal and the defence imploded.

But then listening to the doom and gloom afterwards and reading the same on here, I began to wonder if I really had just seen the worst performance for 40 years etc etc.

And then I read on here where Born On Shoreham Street questioned whether it really was worse than Yeovil at home, and I honestly don't think it was anywhere near as grim as that.

 

[Princess Annes Dog]

Thanks Olle, great report and as usual a great day out is spoiled by 90 minutes of turgid shite.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

read on here where Born On Shoreham Street questioned whether it really was worse than Yeovil at home, and I honestly don't think it was anywhere near as grim as that.

In fairness, I wasn't at the Yeovil or Hartlepool defeats, so my comment that it was the worst performance I've seen us put in under Wilson might not be anyway taken as it being the worst one.

I think Olle is being quite generous by saying there were fine margins involved. That may be true with the end result, but the defeat was far more down to our own ineptness. We did have a 5/10 minute spell before the opener where we could have scored. But this only came after what was a dreadful opening where we barely got out of our own half - and when we did couldn't string more than a pass or two before tonking it down into the corner for nobody, repeatedly.

Their opener came from a throw-in where we had gifted them possession from Long's goal-kick. We didn't win the first ball, didn't win the second, gave away the throw, and then failed to deal with some routine defending. We had a good start to the 2nd half (I was amazed to see a substitution before an hour in) with an improved tempo, but again wasted what we had. McFadzean's cleared effort wasn't really due to excellent defending - it should have been a comfortable header away and their defender misheaded it upwards onto the bar.

What was most concerning was the manner of our capitulation after the second and third went in, which has screwed up our goal difference advantage over teams not called Swindon. We aren't a team that scores plenty at the minute, so this is unlikely to be gained back. We're also a team with fairly brittle confidence - when things go wrong they can linger into a string of games as we saw last season and at the turn of the year.

Adding to the embarrassment from my own point of view, yesterday was the first time I've taken two friends of mine to see United - one Brighton fan, the other a Southampton fan. They are both fairly neutral, and support teams playing a style of football we are trying to aspire to. They've obviously caught us on a particularly poor day, but they hit the nail on the head with some of their assessments of us yesterday in my opinion:

- we frequently in the first half had everyone in our own half, as Kitson seemed intent on not staying up front and Robson always falling deep. This kept inviting pressure
- we seemed completely devoid of ideas once we approached the final third and had an overly-relaxed tempo, with nobody taking any initiative
- at 3-0, the Saints fan asked who our captain was, saying she'd been trying to work it out all game but couldn't see any evidence of anyone trying to rally the team and wrestle some control on the situation

Since piling on the praise for Kitson at Bournemouth, he's looked poor in the games I've seen since. If we're playing 1-up, it's rather important for that 1 to actually be the furthest forward. Otherwise, to state the obvious, there's zero up front. Beattie used to do this at times - neither have the pace to move around the pitch that much.

Our 3 people in the middle need to have a serious talking to. McDonald isn't doing enough, and he needs to try and dictate things more. He has the ability - at the minute, he's hiding quite a lot. Robson isn't hiding, but is trying to be too involved in my opinion. On so many occasions he ballsed up attempted passes - simple passes. Wilson is clearly changing our shape to suit him - he needs to be justifying that. At the minute, he isn't. Games like yesterday are also the sort where you can see who has influence on the team - Doyle visibly does not, and after this season we need to actually bring in a leader. Seeing the mini-spat between Doyle and Robson at 1-0, Robson clearly thinks that's him. For me, Robson looks like a slightly whinging centre-of-attention sort (who falls over a lot looking for free-kicks). Neither strike me as the type you'd really want to lead you into battle. We simply haven't effectively replaced Morgan, and we need to sort that out properly this summer.

 

[Ollessendro]

I agree with a lot of what you say LoughboroBlade, but think that you have fallen for a bit of scoreline journalism. I can see that we will not agree on this, but I think (as with many Blades) that the result has hampered your judgement. I think that we were very poor yesterday and have clearly stated that. There is nowt generous about saying it would have been a completely different game if we had taken the lead. We should have. However our key players let us down and missed the chances. It is a fact that Flynn and Kitson missed sitters. Even at 1-0 we missed a great chance. Whether it was good or bad defedning matters little, we should have scored. That would have lead to a completely different outcome. The defending was piss poor and we only have ourselves to blame. But in my opinion, on the balance of play, 4-0 flattered them. Not to say, they were not better mind.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

we should have scored. That would have lead to a completely different outcome. The defending was piss poor and we only have ourselves to blame. But in my opinion, on the balance of play, 4-0 flattered them.

Don't get me wrong, 4-0 did flatter them. But it could have stayed at 2-0 and my assessment of that match would have been precisely the same - the poorest I have seen under Danny Wilson.

Normally I'd be in the camp of saying if Flynn or Kitson's efforts had gone in it would have been different, and I'm not someone that thrives on being negative. But the altogether lack of professionalism displayed across the game makes me doubt whether that would have made a difference on the end result. We were that all-over-the-place.

 

[Bladesway]

Lets be honest the defeat yesterday isn't what will cost us promotion. Losses at home against Hartlepool and Yeovil combined with 0-0 affairs at home against MKD and Orient have damaged us far more deeply.

 

[Ollessendro]

We were never going to win all our remaining home games. As disappointing as the result was, it is still in our hands. We simply have to beat Brentford and Swindon at BDTBL (as well as the other games). No excuses. The players need to pull their fingers out and beat our main contenders. It's ridiculous that we are still in a good position, after a couple of turgind performances. Next week is absolutely vital now.

 

[LA Blade]

Cheers Olle'

 

[philb]

Thanks Olle, good report. You made good time up there on the bike, esp in that weather. (mind you did anyone watch Milan- San Remo today, that was proper bike racing - Cavendish and Stannard did great ride, Cav would have won that if his team had got themselves organised)
Have to say it was the worst I've seen the Blades, although I've not the same recent experience as most on here.
I drove up with the lad. We ended up eating in a Harvester in a crappy retail park across from the ground. It was his fourth match and he's shaping up to being a proper unitedite, he loves them despite never having been to Sheffield (yet) and in the four matches we've been to only seeing one United goal in open play (Crystal Palace when we went down from Championship, last year at Wembley, Bournemouth a few weeks ago and yesterday). Hoping to get tickets to Portsmouth when they go on general sale and we've tickets on the Shoreham Kop for the Preston game, last time I was there it was still a terrace!

 

[Ollessendro]

Thanks Olle, good report. You made good time up there on the bike, esp in that weather. (mind you did anyone watch Milan- San Remo today, that was proper bike racing - Cavendish and Stannard did great ride, Cav would have won that if his team had got themselves organised)

It was a steady ride. I was not stamping on the pedals or owt, just had a medium to high gear and kept the rythem going. I only stopped for a couple of piss stops and to check my map, though I did lose 10 mins when I had to check my phone (no signs and was not sure which direction to take at a rounabout). There was a strong South Westerly wind which pushed me along. Beautiful route and not much traffic for the most part. Nice ride, bar the weather. I was perishing when I arrived and could not feel my feet. The hot shower was heavenly after I'd had a quick swim.

The Milan San Remo was some race. That German fellow rode it perfectly. Letting Sagan and Cancellera do all the chasing, then blasting them at the finish. To blow two brilliant riders like that out of the water was sumert special. Great effort from Stanard and the French fellow, but the last thing you want is a chasing pack with Cancellera and Sagan in it. Cracking race that sorted the men from the boys. An exciting finish too. I am starting to look forward to the season ahead now.

 

[philb]

Agreed Ciolek played it perfectly and deserved the win. Still think Cav did one of the best rides though and he must be frustrated, to get over the Poggio with the front group going at that speed was a big ask for him. Stannard did a huge ride but for me he did a bit too much in the last few km's and should have held back for one last big attack when the others were busy looking at each other, easy for me to say though!
Never ceases to amaze me just how tough pro cyclists are, it was bitterly cold and snowing for much of the race.

 

[Bergen Blade]

Views from Stevenage, nicked from BM:

"I bet 99% of our fan base would have predicted an away win today, 8 defeats in our last 9, against a side who haven't conceded in 6 matches, throw in the fact our performances have been as bad as our recent results suggest and logically there would have only been one winner. I have absolutely no idea where that performance came from but I'm not complaining!
We totally outclassed Sheffield United today,"

"how much did we all lose betting on United to win?"

"I was expecting the worst today if I'm honest two maybe two or three nil but at the moment it's hard to know which BORO team will turn up ..
Plesently surprised today with the best performance of the season against one of the best teams"

"Campaigning for the manager out on a day we win 4-0 against the biggest club in the league and bigger than half in the league above shows that things aren't as bad as some want to make out."

"Sheff Utd for a team in 3rd looked very very poor, was very suprised but then again, just shows how poor this league is this season."

"Fair play to Danny Wilson for not having sour grapes and making up a pathetic excuse, always liked him as a manager and seems a decent bloke."

"Shef Utd where piss poor today, boy are their team slow"

"They were poor because we were good."

"Absolutely slaughtered them! We were the better team in both halfs and always had them under pressure. to beat a team like that 4-0 when they have only lost 2 away games all season is incredible. Wow that's Sheffield Wednesday 5-1 and now Sheffield united 4-0! Get in there!"

"I read someone earlier said that Sheff Utd were very slow... I would take a reasonable guess that that may have had quite a big influence on N'Gala's ability to have a good game."

"What I couldn't understand is how Sheffield utd are 3rd in the league? I thought there all round game was lacking in all departments especially goal keeper(was he a reserve?)"

"This is a very average league and they have been pretty consistent unlike most clubs. That is how."

"Sheffield based goalkeepers dont seem to do well in Stevenage do they!"

"NO one could have predicted that. Out of nowhere"

"Nice to see us put 4 past a side who had not conceded in ages. We seem to love playing the Sheffield clubs here."

"Took 2 minutes to remember how much i despise their fans today."

"I'm out on the lash in my adopted home town of Sheffield tonight, will be having a few extra for the boys tonight. Won't be celebrating with ********* fans though, the dirty twits."

"They can stuff their club up their arses... Chengdu Blades had to bribe and fix matches, people went to jail... all to end their connection with Sheffield Untied."

"Blades fans who left early were trying to pick fights along BHW.
******s!"

"One of them Called my 13 year old a cockney c##t. Victory is sweet."

"I remember on the coach home from Sheffield last season I attempted clapping their fans and they gave me very rude hand gestures.
I hope they stay down again this year. Theyre the Luton of League One."

"There was 2 of them in my local in the Wade at about midday that were ****faced. Could barely manage a game of pool between them. One of them called me Pal though which was nice."

 

[Ollessendro]

Some of them any ruad. A couple of nesh buggers (Nibali for one) dropped out. Cav rode well and it is a shame that he had no support. Perhaps there was a case for Chavenal to drop back and help him on the Poggio, but I can understand the Frenchy wanting to stay up top. I thought Sagan showed his inexperience again, and cost himself the race, by charging after Stanard at every opportunity. Mind you, he was flicking his elbow but no other bugger wanted to do work. And he is some rider the Slavakian. To get over the hills like he does (for a sprinter) is incredible. He got out powered at the end, but I think a lot of that was that he was knackered. Ciolek played them like a fiddle though. The commentators on EuroSport where saying with 5k to go that he looked fresh, was riding and canny race and was their favourite. He basically shirked all the work and then blasted them. Excellent tactics and a worthy winner. But fook me it was close on the line with 3 very fast riders all within half a yard of each other.

 

[JohnDenver]

"boy are their team slow"

Ha! I heard the first half on the radio as I drove away from Sheffield, and two things didn't bode well...

Firstly, Keith Edwards kept saying how poor Stevenage were, despite the fact we were playing worse. Secondly, he said they had pace in the team, but were too poor to use it.

It was inevitable that if they scored first we'd in trouble.

 

[Ollessendro]

here is the map of my route if anyone is interested https://maps.google.com/maps?q=http...1&display_custom_marker_flag=1&last_updated=3

 

[Hartley Hare]

I still can't believe we got turned over by a team who had lost 8 of their previous 9 games. Particularly given our good away form and recent defensive record. Beggars belief.

I hope the timing is right, and this defeat might serve as a wake-up call ahead of the big match at the weekend.

HH

 

[philb]

Looks like an allright route that Olle, setting out the time you did London must have been pretty dead.
Boonen was another one complaining about the weather on Sunday, a few true 'Lions of Flanders' must have had a laugh at that!
Funniest thing I saw though was a tweet from Cav's misssus Peta Todd "Lets all stay safe on these coming descents please" WTF!!!
I'll never forget watching Milan San Remo with an Irish mate when Kelly descended the Poggio like a madman to catch Moreno Argentin, Kelly caught him with about 1k to go and there was a gasp of despair from the Italian crowd, Argentin gestured for Kelly to come through but Sean just stared back stony faced shook his head ever so slightly and promplty did for him in the sprint. I think it was Kelly's last big win. A true hardman of the old school.