Deadbat
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It is a dismal 2 point from 12 at the Lane for United as another lacklustre showing saw the Blades huff and puff but never look particularly likely to beat a surprisingly poor MK Dons side. To add insult to injury, the visitors who were quite content with a point; actually snatched all three points as Delle Alli scored from a ricochet from a late free kick.
United had probably shaded the contest but in truth never totally convinced and most of the noise from the crowd came due to an equally unsatisfactory performance from the officials. The late goal added to the chagrin of the home fans who in truth will be fuming at the side tossing away three home games in a row without a victory to speak of.
United gave a debut to Chris O’Grady up top and also started with Flynn at right back and Basham back in midfield. MK Dons had the luxury of resting hat trick hero Benik Afobe who began on the bench.
The visitors started better and were pinging it around confidently as United struggled to get a foothold. Still they created little other than a few corners and a Spence header at Howard and slowly United began to get into the game. A Basham long ranger was straight at the keeper. Scougall then hit badly wide before a decent move saw Harris played in by Doyle and the ball across just evaded Basham.
A blow for United came when O’Grady had to depart; his debut only lasting 20 minutes as McNulty came on as the loannee limped off holding the back of his calf. McCarthy headed over and Campbell Ryce’s cross shot was saved before a series of strange decisions from the referees with Harris feeling he should have got a free kick right in front of the assistant. Soon after two yellow cards came for challenges that seemed innocuous by comparison with Alli and Hodson booked.
United had enjoyed the better of the second part of the first half after MK had started the better but there had been no real clear chances for either sides.
The second half saw United start at a better tempo and Campbell Ryce continued to threaten running at his men. Scougall had a fierce shot well saved and then McNulty hooked wide after a corner but still United were struggling to create much other than half chances.
MK had been less of an attacking threat but Afobe came on and Kay had a header cleared off the line (which was as good a chance as anything United had) and then Murphy had a shot at Martin at the other end.
More yellow cards followed with both centre backs being booked and Kay could have walked for a clumsy foul on McNulty, McFadzean committed a series of niggly fouls and also was fortunate to escape with just one yellow card.
From a set play United got the ball in the net but McCarthy’s finish was ruled out. It was difficult to tell if it was for the original header from Basham or the follow up but there were not too many complaints on this one from United.
Baxter came on for Scougall and then after McEveley’s clumsy foul gave MK a free kick. McGahey came on for the injured Basham. From the resultant free kick in a really good position, the ball was hit hard and true from Green but although Howard save the ball ricocheted off another MK player and ALLI reacted to the loose ball and turned it into the empty net. It was a fortunate deflection but the visitors reacted first. Karl Robinson’s reaction on the goal showed what it meant as they had turned a workmanlike point into seemingly all three points.
United now threw on McGahey up top as they desperately tried to force a late goal. They won a few late corners and had a few shots blocked but the only real drama came when finally the referee sent off an MK Dons player with Green dismissed for second yellow right at the death. Soon after the final whistle came and signalled another desperately disappointing outcome for Clough’s Blades who are now rapidly losing ground on the top sides.
United – We had three home games on the bounce and many felt we could maybe get 6-7 or even 9 points. We got 2. Tonight daft as it sounds we were better than the previous two home games in that we had some semblance of control of the game and were better than MK Dons for long spells BUT we created sod all most of the game and it was so powder puff. They were cynical and the ref was poor but we have to do better than that. We have to be able to break teams down, get into the box, create chances, get men forward.
We did none of these things other than a smattering of occasion. It shows how poor we are when our main outlet and threat is a journeyman winger (who can’t cross). We lost O’Grady but with him/without him looked unlikely to ever get in decent positons as did not have numbers or support for the long striker. Everything was at a slow tempo all game and we never really hurry the visitors. We had a few long range shots on target and one decent cross from Harris Basham nearly got and then a disallowed goal from a set play. Outside of this I am struggling to remember many clear chances (McNulty hooked one wide) and their keeper did not make a significant save of note all game. I do feel we could have played another couple of hours and still not scored.
What irked me is they were quite poor and looked there for the beating with two slow centre backs who both could have been sent off and would have been if we had put them under more pressure. They did not really look to attack us and wanted a point but for the most part we could not break them down. We did not change the tactics or approach. We also kept with the same formation with Baxter for Scougall much of a likeness. It was actually boring. More than being poor, it was that devoid of any kind of excitement, skill or bravery from players to take chances and gamble in the last third. It was rigid, boring and simply set us up to try and snatch a 1-0 at best. I hear some saying we will come good and we will get it right but playing this way we will not. We will stay around 5th-10th all season and at best may sneak into the playoffs but we are not good enough way we are playing to go up. Sure we could sign 3 or 4 more players but even if he gives him the funds not sure what the point is if he sets teams up in such a pedestrian and limited fashion? Tonight actually showed even though some of players are not maybe good enough; most did their jobs tonight to varying degrees. There was no real lack of effort but the unwillingness to support the striker with another or to say to a midfielder you run forward with the ball and not go backwards or sideways. It seems we are setting up not to lose but we are losing so we might aswell go for it. At least we might get entertained. At the moment it is desperately dull to watch. Sure we could have drawn 0-0 but that was not much better really. We did not deserve to lose tonight and were not awful but we were average and that really sums us up. Bang average and boring to watch allied to that does not make for much to be positive about.
There is still time to turn it around with incoming players and a change of approach from him but if he does not change the latter then we may aswell forget promotion.
MK Dons – They started the game well and we struggled to get it off them for the first 5-10 minutes but then after that they regressed and the game became really scrappy. We then got control without being totally on top and they became quite poor. Felt they were niggly all game and picked up a lot of bookings and gave away some quite cynical fouls (could have had a few more given too). However they will say they defended well I am sure. I will disagree and say they were put under absolutely no pressure. When we did attack them they looked poor and I felt with more attacking intent they could have buckled. They did little going up front and seemed to have settled for a draw and in the second half barely mustered an attack.
The free scoring side of Saturday was missing and they tried to dig in and just get a point.
Then at the death they steal a goal (bit fortunate but got men in the box and capitalised- if it had happened at other end doubt we would have followed it up sadly). Bit of a smash and grab but they will also argue that we did not create much or have many clear chances. Yes they were cynical and niggly and stretched things with gamesmanship but will argue they kept a clean sheet, got a late goal and that sense was a perfect away performance. We have done things like them away in game and will again.
Horrible to watch and at times they bordered on cheating but we have to be better to beat such teams. They also have strikers such as Grigg and Afobe in reserve who are much superior to McNulty and Higdon who we have. They have shown at home they can blow teams away and can dig in away like tonight when they were not at best to get the result. We sadly have got some tonkings away (got better recently) but don’t look remotely like hammering teams or even winning comfortably at the Lane. The recent home record and our goals scored compared to theirs shows why they look far more like promotion contenders at current time.
I have to say they were not great tonight and I expected much better. They had an off night and still coped with our toothless attack fairly easily and still won the game. Says it all.
United had probably shaded the contest but in truth never totally convinced and most of the noise from the crowd came due to an equally unsatisfactory performance from the officials. The late goal added to the chagrin of the home fans who in truth will be fuming at the side tossing away three home games in a row without a victory to speak of.
United gave a debut to Chris O’Grady up top and also started with Flynn at right back and Basham back in midfield. MK Dons had the luxury of resting hat trick hero Benik Afobe who began on the bench.
The visitors started better and were pinging it around confidently as United struggled to get a foothold. Still they created little other than a few corners and a Spence header at Howard and slowly United began to get into the game. A Basham long ranger was straight at the keeper. Scougall then hit badly wide before a decent move saw Harris played in by Doyle and the ball across just evaded Basham.
A blow for United came when O’Grady had to depart; his debut only lasting 20 minutes as McNulty came on as the loannee limped off holding the back of his calf. McCarthy headed over and Campbell Ryce’s cross shot was saved before a series of strange decisions from the referees with Harris feeling he should have got a free kick right in front of the assistant. Soon after two yellow cards came for challenges that seemed innocuous by comparison with Alli and Hodson booked.
United had enjoyed the better of the second part of the first half after MK had started the better but there had been no real clear chances for either sides.
The second half saw United start at a better tempo and Campbell Ryce continued to threaten running at his men. Scougall had a fierce shot well saved and then McNulty hooked wide after a corner but still United were struggling to create much other than half chances.
MK had been less of an attacking threat but Afobe came on and Kay had a header cleared off the line (which was as good a chance as anything United had) and then Murphy had a shot at Martin at the other end.
More yellow cards followed with both centre backs being booked and Kay could have walked for a clumsy foul on McNulty, McFadzean committed a series of niggly fouls and also was fortunate to escape with just one yellow card.
From a set play United got the ball in the net but McCarthy’s finish was ruled out. It was difficult to tell if it was for the original header from Basham or the follow up but there were not too many complaints on this one from United.
Baxter came on for Scougall and then after McEveley’s clumsy foul gave MK a free kick. McGahey came on for the injured Basham. From the resultant free kick in a really good position, the ball was hit hard and true from Green but although Howard save the ball ricocheted off another MK player and ALLI reacted to the loose ball and turned it into the empty net. It was a fortunate deflection but the visitors reacted first. Karl Robinson’s reaction on the goal showed what it meant as they had turned a workmanlike point into seemingly all three points.
United now threw on McGahey up top as they desperately tried to force a late goal. They won a few late corners and had a few shots blocked but the only real drama came when finally the referee sent off an MK Dons player with Green dismissed for second yellow right at the death. Soon after the final whistle came and signalled another desperately disappointing outcome for Clough’s Blades who are now rapidly losing ground on the top sides.
United – We had three home games on the bounce and many felt we could maybe get 6-7 or even 9 points. We got 2. Tonight daft as it sounds we were better than the previous two home games in that we had some semblance of control of the game and were better than MK Dons for long spells BUT we created sod all most of the game and it was so powder puff. They were cynical and the ref was poor but we have to do better than that. We have to be able to break teams down, get into the box, create chances, get men forward.
We did none of these things other than a smattering of occasion. It shows how poor we are when our main outlet and threat is a journeyman winger (who can’t cross). We lost O’Grady but with him/without him looked unlikely to ever get in decent positons as did not have numbers or support for the long striker. Everything was at a slow tempo all game and we never really hurry the visitors. We had a few long range shots on target and one decent cross from Harris Basham nearly got and then a disallowed goal from a set play. Outside of this I am struggling to remember many clear chances (McNulty hooked one wide) and their keeper did not make a significant save of note all game. I do feel we could have played another couple of hours and still not scored.
What irked me is they were quite poor and looked there for the beating with two slow centre backs who both could have been sent off and would have been if we had put them under more pressure. They did not really look to attack us and wanted a point but for the most part we could not break them down. We did not change the tactics or approach. We also kept with the same formation with Baxter for Scougall much of a likeness. It was actually boring. More than being poor, it was that devoid of any kind of excitement, skill or bravery from players to take chances and gamble in the last third. It was rigid, boring and simply set us up to try and snatch a 1-0 at best. I hear some saying we will come good and we will get it right but playing this way we will not. We will stay around 5th-10th all season and at best may sneak into the playoffs but we are not good enough way we are playing to go up. Sure we could sign 3 or 4 more players but even if he gives him the funds not sure what the point is if he sets teams up in such a pedestrian and limited fashion? Tonight actually showed even though some of players are not maybe good enough; most did their jobs tonight to varying degrees. There was no real lack of effort but the unwillingness to support the striker with another or to say to a midfielder you run forward with the ball and not go backwards or sideways. It seems we are setting up not to lose but we are losing so we might aswell go for it. At least we might get entertained. At the moment it is desperately dull to watch. Sure we could have drawn 0-0 but that was not much better really. We did not deserve to lose tonight and were not awful but we were average and that really sums us up. Bang average and boring to watch allied to that does not make for much to be positive about.
There is still time to turn it around with incoming players and a change of approach from him but if he does not change the latter then we may aswell forget promotion.
MK Dons – They started the game well and we struggled to get it off them for the first 5-10 minutes but then after that they regressed and the game became really scrappy. We then got control without being totally on top and they became quite poor. Felt they were niggly all game and picked up a lot of bookings and gave away some quite cynical fouls (could have had a few more given too). However they will say they defended well I am sure. I will disagree and say they were put under absolutely no pressure. When we did attack them they looked poor and I felt with more attacking intent they could have buckled. They did little going up front and seemed to have settled for a draw and in the second half barely mustered an attack.
The free scoring side of Saturday was missing and they tried to dig in and just get a point.
Then at the death they steal a goal (bit fortunate but got men in the box and capitalised- if it had happened at other end doubt we would have followed it up sadly). Bit of a smash and grab but they will also argue that we did not create much or have many clear chances. Yes they were cynical and niggly and stretched things with gamesmanship but will argue they kept a clean sheet, got a late goal and that sense was a perfect away performance. We have done things like them away in game and will again.
Horrible to watch and at times they bordered on cheating but we have to be better to beat such teams. They also have strikers such as Grigg and Afobe in reserve who are much superior to McNulty and Higdon who we have. They have shown at home they can blow teams away and can dig in away like tonight when they were not at best to get the result. We sadly have got some tonkings away (got better recently) but don’t look remotely like hammering teams or even winning comfortably at the Lane. The recent home record and our goals scored compared to theirs shows why they look far more like promotion contenders at current time.
I have to say they were not great tonight and I expected much better. They had an off night and still coped with our toothless attack fairly easily and still won the game. Says it all.
