Deadbat
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After the euphoria of securing a victory against the odds against Aston Villa, United came back down to earth and the imminent inevitability of relegation now looms ever closes after the latest defeat. Facing a Southampton side that had been struggling recently and had not won in 9 games, United simply could not get going today and were beaten with strikes from Ward Prowse and former Blade Che Adams.
In the end the Saints were too strong for the Blades and beat them for the fourth successive game since United came back up to the Premier League.
For the third came in the week at home, the Blades had to shuffle the pack again. United made one enforced change as Phil Jagielka was suspended after his extremely harsh red card on Wednesday evening. Surprisingly, Jayden Bogle came back earlier than expected from injury. It was uncertain if Bogle would play left or right wing back and which of the normal starters in these positions would come inside to the three central defensive positions.
There was no place for former Blade Che Adams as the visitors started with Minamino up front alongside Danny Ings. Nathan Redmond, a player that has also caused problems for the Blades also dropped to the bench.
As the game started, it seemed Bogle was right wing back and Baldock right centre back for the first time I could recall in a Blades shirt. Stevens gave it away twice under no pressure but Armstrong’s shot was blocked from Ampadu. Fleck tried to find space but again it was crowded out. United then started to give away a series of unnecessary free kicks on the left with Tella starting to cause problems. Ward Prowse tried to catch Ramsdale out but it was well wide.
Brewster won a corner but it was too long and over everybody before at the other end Bogle was the next to give away a silly free kick. Ings picked up a knock on 11 minutes and had to hobble off with Adams coming on to replace him.
Southampton had edged a poor game and the first 15 minutes the Blades had struggled to put a move together of note in a poor beginning. Brewster at least had been involved more and showed good physicality that led to a chance for Stevens to put the ball in but he fired it wildly wide.
United continue to struggle to keep it and Southampton were controlling the flow of the game and midfield. Good play by them nearly got them in but ironically the Blades broke and had a two on one but McGoldrick tried to be too clever playing a reverse ball instead of the easier one and it went back to Forster.
United at least had a spell of the ball further up the field for a period but there was no real chances created at all and the corners they won came to nothing with the continual tactic of the ball to back post not working. Brewster was penalised for a foul on Forster as McGoldrick tried to help it back.
On 24 minutes Stevens made another error in another really difficult afternoon for the struggling left wing back as he cleared into the centre with his wrong foot as Ramsdale came out and Tella should have done better but hit his effort over with the goal gaping. He had more time in reality.
Baldock then made a block from a shot as Southampton broke through as they upped the tempo again but on the half hour, they took a deserved lead. The ball over the top was route one but United’s defence was too far up and Ampadu was caught out. He ran back but made a wild and stupid lunge chopping his man down. For the second consecutive game a United defender made a cynical and desperate foul. Once again really poor defending but this time the decision for a penalty and the subsequent colour of the card, yellow, could not be argued. WARD PROWSE took it and sent Ramsdale the wrong way.
Bogle then was the next to let Tella run past him and brought him down and he too was booked. United’s players had been incredibly lazy and Norwood was the next to not bother trying to run back but just hacked at his man. The performance was sluggish to say the least on and off the ball and a far cry from the determined efforts of the week.
Tella had a shot at Ramsdale after the defence made a mess of a clearance again. United did have a chance as Fleck tried to send in an early cross but McGoldrick went too early and was offside although Forster made the save anyway. The few times the Blades did attack the strikers often had been caught offside.
Bryan and Ampadu got in a mess with the latter heading into the path of a Southampton player but Baldock got back to retrieve the situation. As good as the defence had been in the week, we saw a disorganised effort where we were not able to clear up and were making poor errors all over the field with basic passing and touch off.
Despite this, United did end the half well although Bogle was a bit desperate to try and win a penalty and maybe a bit foolish when he was already on a yellow. At the end of the two minutes stoppage time, there was a great chance when Brewster played McGoldrick in but the chip was ill judged against a giant striker and was easily clutched. It was a really good opportunity with the striker being one on one. The half time whistle came soon after this.
After the break, Norwood was withdrawn for McBurnie and McGoldrick dropped back into a number 10 role. Stevens got down the left but fluffed his lines hitting the first man and the corner was incredibly wasteful straight to Forster. At the other end, Southampton had a chance when the ball was played down the right-hand side and nobody went to the ball, it came over and Adams was unmarked. He had time to pick his cross and as it came over Baldock did not get enough on his clearance but it fell to Lundstram who just smashed it against a Southampton defender and it was breasted down into the path of ADAMS who smashed an unstoppable shot past Ramsdale and it was 2-0 and effectively game over. More appalling defending from United with so many opportunities to clear the ball.
United tried to force something back but it was all too desperate and Bogle could not get his cross over. McBurnie had a flicked header wide but the game was easy for the visitors who were just too comfortable. United won a corner but it was cleared easily. The game became mired in midfield but the home side had no zip or drive and the urgency was not there. It seemed to be just petering out.
Mousset came on for the disappointing McGoldrick as United tried to find something to get back into the game. However, Southampton looked more likely to score again and Tella came inside and took a low shot that Ramsdale did well to make the save and turn it round. It was again too easy for a player to get away and get his shot away.
Sharp came on for Brewster and United had a chance when the ball came over from the left and Bogle got to it but made a mess of it, slicing it wide with the best chance United created the half. At the other end it should have been 3-0, as Bertrand got away from Bogle with ease and pulled back but Minamino sidefooted wide. He should have scored. Once again the defending was lousy as the chance and finish was without any kind of challenge.
Armstrong was booked for a crude tackle on Lundstram as the game entered the final 20 minutes. The Blades midfielder’s shot was miles wide after the ball dropped from the free kick. Bogle then tried to win another free kick but the ref was not falling for it and Southampton broke. Adams was in on the angle with Stevens and Ampadu nowhere to be seen and Ramsdale made a good save with his feet.
Southampton broke again as Redmond who was on for Tella, got down that left hand side again but his low shot was saved by Ramsdale again. The corner came out to Minamino but this shot was blocked. The game ticked over to 80 minutes and Forster had not had a save to make in the second half and United barely had an attack of note after the break, outside of the Bogle chance.
Armstrong then weaved inside several players and his shot was narrowly wide and the Saints were now looking to score more goals against a hapless United side. Adams then barrelled his way past three United players to set up another half chance. Southampton were having several opportunities to extend the lead but Mousset had a half chance but blazed well off target before another break after another Lundstram give away saw Baldock and Bryan again get outbattled before Ramsdale and Adams tussled but the ball broke away.
The additional stoppage time saw little of note happen until a bad Fleck tackle saw him booked as Adams was caught really late. There was a skirmish as finally United showed some fight in some capacity and McBurnie and Vestergaard were cautioned as part of the melee. McBurnie then smashed into a player soon after and was treading thin ice. The Blades were not only well beaten but were losing their discipline as the game finished with 7 players booked.
United – We showed lots of fight and effort the other night and gave it a real go. Today I thought for the most part we were dire. We did ok in spells first half but were still second best and deservedly trailed. We did not have any efforts on goal outside of the McGoldrick chip. They did not have loads of chances but had more of the ball, looked more dangerous and controlled things. We made mistakes at the back and kept giving free kicks away. We were just careless in everything we did and did not win the 50-50’s let along do anything with the ball. Still McGoldrick had that one chance and we could have been level after another stupid mistake and foul for the pen.
Second half not sure the change helped and we got worse. We never got going and it was a disorganised mess. They scored early after more horrific defending and it was done after this. We made more subs and huffed and pugged but never looked like getting back into it. They actually could have scored 4 or 5 more goals really and Ramsdale and bad finishing kept the score down. Yes they were all on the break but it’s not like we created much or the men we put forward caused them issues. The defence and keeper had nothing to do at all second half. We just seemed to lose all motivation and belief and the players did seem to be just going through the motions after it went 2-0. I am not saying they gave up but they had no belief at all. We had a few half chances but only Bogle’s was a decent chance. Conversely, they had 4 or 5 clear ones. Possession says we had 51%! I am not sure how as we did little to nothing with it. They may have been more direct with one ball but they knew that was all they needed to get in.
It was night and day (literally) from the other night and we just saw nothing today from the side to suggest they are going to get many more points. They may flash the odd showing like Villa but let us not kid ourselves we have had several games like that where it had not been about fine margins as Wilder says but we have been second best all over the field in the basics of passing, movement, pressing, tackling, attacking, defending, you name it. There have been lots of games like today where we have been well beaten – even games by single goals. Today it was done by 48 minutes and they may as well have blown the whistle. For me it was so boring. No one tried to get amongst it, make things happen and there was no bravery or attempt to get down the sides, to link. The build up was all too slow and when they had it, they got through us too easy. We simply looked inferior in every way I felt. Some may say I am being too harsh and that Southampton were not great but they did not have to. A side falling quicker than anyone in the league and we turn up and give them the confidence boost they need. As ordinary as they were, if they take their chances it is 4 or 5-0. Not much more to say. The changes did not work individually or collectively. Baldock at centre back did not work. The wing backs were poor. Bryan was ok but still worse than the other night and made mistakes. Ampadu mistake ridden also. The midfield had no control and Stevens and Lundstram were appalling again. With Didzy off it, Brewster had to work off scraps and tried hard. The subs made no impact whatsoever. A thoroughly poor and depressing afternoon. To think we have 10 (+ 1 in the cup) of these is actually depressing. I love watching my team play normally but at the moment it is a chore and you can actually argue you could be doing much better things. That is how bad it has been much of the season. I can see what many may not watch the run in or games as it is simply gone now.
Surely, he has to take out some of the woeful performers now and give others a go. There is nothing to lose. He cannot keep persisting with two in particular. Trouble is he cannot even rest the so-called key men for Chelsea as we have no midfielders to bring in but I would not play McGoldrick or Fleck next week. Give them 2 weeks to get ready for Chelsea. That is the only thing we have left now but without Ampadu and the rest that will be hard unless Bash can come back somehow?
At least we have a week until the next one but for me the games can’t be completed quick enough now. We just have to hope the supposed fall outs behind the scenes get sorted or if it continues to play out publicly then it could turn nasty – the trouble with the Premier League is you have to do these pre and post match conferences and Wilder will always say what he thinks (no issues with that) but inevitably is going to lead to more questions and probable unrest.
