Deadbat
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Report below…..and brief Podcast review here too
The Blades suffered back to back home defeats (only the second time in their Premier League history) as they lost by a single goal to Southampton at Bramall Lane. It was a game where decisions went against United with a goal ruled out for offside on the VAR system and club captain Billy Sharp sent off for a late tackle at the end of the game to compound a bad day.
United did have chances in the game but also gave opportunities away in an end to end contest. It could have gone either way but the away side were ruthless to score an excellent individual goal after an error and then United missed opportunities at the death to take a point.
United made changes with Fleck and McGoldrick in for Freeman and Robinson. Southampton were without Nathan Redmond but former Blade Che Adams started.
The game began with the visitors seeing more of the ball and they forced an early corner but they did not create much other than a tame header Henderson fielded. United came out and won a corner of their own but this came to nothing. The game was quite even but the away side were looking more controlled with the ball and Romeu was key to many of their moves.
From a swift attack, the ball fell for Adams who hit a crunching shot that hit the post. United cleared and moments later had an even better chance as McBurnie played in McGoldrick but one on one he hit Gunn when he should have scored. Fleck had two chances with a header wide and then an angled shot off target before Hojberg shot wide at the other end. United had struggled to keep the ball and the Saints then went down the right and the deep cross was headed down and seemingly goalwards by Adams but Henderson made a great save with the ball possibly coming off the post as he saved. It was a real let off for United.
The next spell saw United keep it better but they could not create any clear chances despite Norwood’s superb diagonal balls nearly putting Baldock in twice. The half time whistle came after O’Connell headed over from a corner.
United needed to play higher up the field and did this in the second half with McGoldrick coming deeper and linking well with Fleck twice. Vestergaard smashed into Baldock and United had a free kick. Norwood put it over, Egan seemed to miss it or just help it on and McBurnie put the ball in. The goal was given but eventually after a delay the VAR system adjudged that McBurnie was offside and for the first time this season a significant moment went against the Blades with the new system.
After this United lost their shape somewhat and Adams shot at Henderson and Boufal went on a run before shooting over. Sharp came on for McBurnie but only moments later the deadlock was broken. Norwood telegraphed a ball to Lundstram and DJENPO seized on it and broke away. Norwood and O’Connell tried to bring him down but he went past both of them and the final man Egan before slotting expertly in the corner. A great goal but really poor defending from the initial pass and the inability to stop the player either by fair or legal means.
Fleck shot wide as United tried to get back in the game but Mousset came on for Lundstram. He instantly got involved having a shot blocked for a corner before Fleck had a great chance blocked and then Gunn saved from McGoldrick. Robinson then came on for Basham as United really went for it. Sharp chased down a Southampton player but his tackled was late and high and he was given a straight red by Mason. This disrupted United and Southampton controlled the final stages. Six minutes of stoppage time were put up and even though Henderson went forward on two set plays, United did not create a further chance and slipped to the disappointing loss.
United – It was a good game. We had chances. They had chances. Things did not go for us. However, I have said I do not think we had control of the game and a number of people have jumped on that but for a home side; we gave the ball away so much and they cut through us too many times. We maybe could have a point on another day but we were not good enough where it mattered. That is what this league is all about and as Wilder says we have to ‘wise up’ or will see many days like this at this level.
Wilder takes about 17 chances but 3 or 4 of those were at the death when we were really going for the salvage job. They had far more shots on target and the better chances over the game really hitting the post twice. I cannot recall more than the one brilliant McGoldrick chance in the first half up to the point they scored- taking away the goal disallowed and then second half they were blocks or off target not clear sitters.
We huffed and puffed first half but I felt the better play and chances came from them really – they controlled large swathes of midfield. Cannot agree with Wilder and other fans who said we were the better side first half. Felt they edged it on play, composure and overall opportunities. 2nd half we started well and the disallowed goal did not help but we then seemed to lose our way. They scored a good goal but was a give away from us and poor attempts from 2 or 3 to stop the man getting in a shooting space. After this we threw men forward and did have chances but it was all a bit desperate. McGoldrick missed another one and then Fleck had one blocked but the keeper did not really have a save to make. I cannot recall many guilt edged chances at all. Then Sharp gets sent off and that was it really.
It was not a particularly one-sided game for either side and both teams had chances but I was disappointed that against one of the weaker sides at this level, that technique and composure they edged it I thought. I am not sure we managed many great moves of note. There were more balls to the channels and then get on knock downs and we did not really play through the thirds very much at all. It was all a bit hit and hope save for a couple of Norwood tremendous diagonals that Baldock fluffed again when in great positions. United were not awful but it just seemed a bit last ditch and ragged at times and we lacked shape and composure. Southampton had maybe the best 3 players on the field in Romeu, Hojberg and Ward Prowse. They seemed to have a lot of control of the ball for an away side and in midfield we never really kept it secure enough. Worrying a team like them can counter attack and go through us pretty routinely.
They played a high press and our flat three means we cannot really move further up the field. It took us ages to get up the field where as they did it quicker with more mobile player. We went too long for me and it is concerning a team like this ran through us quite a bit. Most of our chances came from balls out wide and knock downs (save for the one Didsy chance). We are not working the ball through teams like we did last season. This is down to the level we are at of course but we also seem to have gone away from trying to play through teams. We are playing a lot of percentage stuff and long diagonal balls. If teams press us, we just are asking Norwood to hit those diagonal balls. Outside of that a couple of Baldock overloads not sure where we are creating much really.
I will agree it is a game of slim margins and McGoldrick takes the chance and we lead and it becomes different but I thought that they pressed us higher and more aggressively than the other way round. I thought McBurnie was ineffectual and that the midfield was very careless in keeping the ball. It was not until the final stages until the wing backs got up the field. We did ok at times but our lack of pace individually and collectively makes it difficult for us to be secure at the back or create tons the other way.
As I say I may get criticised but if we play like that most weeks at this level we will go down. We lacked quality where it mattered for me and snatched at things in key areas both with passing and shooting. It was very basketball and if we don’t take chances, we are always there for the taking. It is how we play and risk and reward but if we are not good enough in the two boxes and don’t keep hold of the ball then we will lose most games.
I felt the away team did just enough to win the game just for composure and keeping a good shape and discipline for an away side. We have to start games better as that is 5 games now and we have been second best in my opinion first half for many of them.
It’s not all doom and gloom and there have been some strange results such as the Norwich result v Man City which is certainly is eye opening. However, I felt today was a big day. If we had won it would have been a great start, a draw and it is ok but now with two very tough games coming up we could be in the bottom three in a few weeks and it looks a poor start. It was really important we did not get beat today. We said to make the Lane a fortress but we have lost 2/3 at home already and not played any of the so called big 6 down here which is disappointing. We need to be careful with the games coming up we don’t go into the next break with say 3 losses as we would then be entrenched in the bottom three and it becomes a scrap already.
The Blades suffered back to back home defeats (only the second time in their Premier League history) as they lost by a single goal to Southampton at Bramall Lane. It was a game where decisions went against United with a goal ruled out for offside on the VAR system and club captain Billy Sharp sent off for a late tackle at the end of the game to compound a bad day.
United did have chances in the game but also gave opportunities away in an end to end contest. It could have gone either way but the away side were ruthless to score an excellent individual goal after an error and then United missed opportunities at the death to take a point.
United made changes with Fleck and McGoldrick in for Freeman and Robinson. Southampton were without Nathan Redmond but former Blade Che Adams started.
The game began with the visitors seeing more of the ball and they forced an early corner but they did not create much other than a tame header Henderson fielded. United came out and won a corner of their own but this came to nothing. The game was quite even but the away side were looking more controlled with the ball and Romeu was key to many of their moves.
From a swift attack, the ball fell for Adams who hit a crunching shot that hit the post. United cleared and moments later had an even better chance as McBurnie played in McGoldrick but one on one he hit Gunn when he should have scored. Fleck had two chances with a header wide and then an angled shot off target before Hojberg shot wide at the other end. United had struggled to keep the ball and the Saints then went down the right and the deep cross was headed down and seemingly goalwards by Adams but Henderson made a great save with the ball possibly coming off the post as he saved. It was a real let off for United.
The next spell saw United keep it better but they could not create any clear chances despite Norwood’s superb diagonal balls nearly putting Baldock in twice. The half time whistle came after O’Connell headed over from a corner.
United needed to play higher up the field and did this in the second half with McGoldrick coming deeper and linking well with Fleck twice. Vestergaard smashed into Baldock and United had a free kick. Norwood put it over, Egan seemed to miss it or just help it on and McBurnie put the ball in. The goal was given but eventually after a delay the VAR system adjudged that McBurnie was offside and for the first time this season a significant moment went against the Blades with the new system.
After this United lost their shape somewhat and Adams shot at Henderson and Boufal went on a run before shooting over. Sharp came on for McBurnie but only moments later the deadlock was broken. Norwood telegraphed a ball to Lundstram and DJENPO seized on it and broke away. Norwood and O’Connell tried to bring him down but he went past both of them and the final man Egan before slotting expertly in the corner. A great goal but really poor defending from the initial pass and the inability to stop the player either by fair or legal means.
Fleck shot wide as United tried to get back in the game but Mousset came on for Lundstram. He instantly got involved having a shot blocked for a corner before Fleck had a great chance blocked and then Gunn saved from McGoldrick. Robinson then came on for Basham as United really went for it. Sharp chased down a Southampton player but his tackled was late and high and he was given a straight red by Mason. This disrupted United and Southampton controlled the final stages. Six minutes of stoppage time were put up and even though Henderson went forward on two set plays, United did not create a further chance and slipped to the disappointing loss.
United – It was a good game. We had chances. They had chances. Things did not go for us. However, I have said I do not think we had control of the game and a number of people have jumped on that but for a home side; we gave the ball away so much and they cut through us too many times. We maybe could have a point on another day but we were not good enough where it mattered. That is what this league is all about and as Wilder says we have to ‘wise up’ or will see many days like this at this level.
Wilder takes about 17 chances but 3 or 4 of those were at the death when we were really going for the salvage job. They had far more shots on target and the better chances over the game really hitting the post twice. I cannot recall more than the one brilliant McGoldrick chance in the first half up to the point they scored- taking away the goal disallowed and then second half they were blocks or off target not clear sitters.
We huffed and puffed first half but I felt the better play and chances came from them really – they controlled large swathes of midfield. Cannot agree with Wilder and other fans who said we were the better side first half. Felt they edged it on play, composure and overall opportunities. 2nd half we started well and the disallowed goal did not help but we then seemed to lose our way. They scored a good goal but was a give away from us and poor attempts from 2 or 3 to stop the man getting in a shooting space. After this we threw men forward and did have chances but it was all a bit desperate. McGoldrick missed another one and then Fleck had one blocked but the keeper did not really have a save to make. I cannot recall many guilt edged chances at all. Then Sharp gets sent off and that was it really.
It was not a particularly one-sided game for either side and both teams had chances but I was disappointed that against one of the weaker sides at this level, that technique and composure they edged it I thought. I am not sure we managed many great moves of note. There were more balls to the channels and then get on knock downs and we did not really play through the thirds very much at all. It was all a bit hit and hope save for a couple of Norwood tremendous diagonals that Baldock fluffed again when in great positions. United were not awful but it just seemed a bit last ditch and ragged at times and we lacked shape and composure. Southampton had maybe the best 3 players on the field in Romeu, Hojberg and Ward Prowse. They seemed to have a lot of control of the ball for an away side and in midfield we never really kept it secure enough. Worrying a team like them can counter attack and go through us pretty routinely.
They played a high press and our flat three means we cannot really move further up the field. It took us ages to get up the field where as they did it quicker with more mobile player. We went too long for me and it is concerning a team like this ran through us quite a bit. Most of our chances came from balls out wide and knock downs (save for the one Didsy chance). We are not working the ball through teams like we did last season. This is down to the level we are at of course but we also seem to have gone away from trying to play through teams. We are playing a lot of percentage stuff and long diagonal balls. If teams press us, we just are asking Norwood to hit those diagonal balls. Outside of that a couple of Baldock overloads not sure where we are creating much really.
I will agree it is a game of slim margins and McGoldrick takes the chance and we lead and it becomes different but I thought that they pressed us higher and more aggressively than the other way round. I thought McBurnie was ineffectual and that the midfield was very careless in keeping the ball. It was not until the final stages until the wing backs got up the field. We did ok at times but our lack of pace individually and collectively makes it difficult for us to be secure at the back or create tons the other way.
As I say I may get criticised but if we play like that most weeks at this level we will go down. We lacked quality where it mattered for me and snatched at things in key areas both with passing and shooting. It was very basketball and if we don’t take chances, we are always there for the taking. It is how we play and risk and reward but if we are not good enough in the two boxes and don’t keep hold of the ball then we will lose most games.
I felt the away team did just enough to win the game just for composure and keeping a good shape and discipline for an away side. We have to start games better as that is 5 games now and we have been second best in my opinion first half for many of them.
It’s not all doom and gloom and there have been some strange results such as the Norwich result v Man City which is certainly is eye opening. However, I felt today was a big day. If we had won it would have been a great start, a draw and it is ok but now with two very tough games coming up we could be in the bottom three in a few weeks and it looks a poor start. It was really important we did not get beat today. We said to make the Lane a fortress but we have lost 2/3 at home already and not played any of the so called big 6 down here which is disappointing. We need to be careful with the games coming up we don’t go into the next break with say 3 losses as we would then be entrenched in the bottom three and it becomes a scrap already.