Ratings:
Ramsdale 7/10 – Little to do first half. Few standard saves and then the penalty. One moment of indecision when he was off his line. Second goal had no chance with a great strike and once again given no protection. He made a good save from Adams on the angle as he came inside and another from Redmond as our defence just went missing. Made a few other saves as we left him badly exposed again. Might have been our Man of the Match just by the fact he was not as bad as everyone else. One of the few bright spots recently.
Baldock 5/10 – Tried his best and one of the few to make some blocks/cover or look alert. However, he gave some silly fouls away. Not sure he is a right centre back as he got into some poor positions and there were gaps down that side. The penalty for instance where was he? He did make some interceptions but on both goals he was too far up the field. On the goal his clearances was not the best as he barely got to the edge of the box but then Lundstram made a mess of it of course. After this felt Adams outmuscled him twice and they nearly got in again. We barely saw him as an attacking force from his new position.
Bryan 6/10 – One of the better defenders and has still worse than the other night and was slow to deal with certain situations or got in mix ups with fellow defenders. He struggled with the quick players and movement but he did keep going. They kept picking us off way too easily and there was no pressure on the ball from the defenders who did not get there first like they did the other night. He made a few interceptions but then near the end lost it to Adams once and nearly gave him another on a plate. The defence looked all over the place at times not winning the tackles or making the clearances they had done the other night.
Amapadu 5/10 – Yet another terrible error. He has been much better post Xmas and really good the other night but what a mistake again. He makes these a lot and they are costing us every other week seemingly. Too far up the field and then an awful lunge and tackle. Stay on your feet man! He and the rest of the defence did not offer much attacking wise despite them saying we had to or were trying to push forward but weirdly left huge gaps at the back too. They could have scored loads of goals really.
Stevens 2/10 – He is getting worse. Seems to have no confidence at all anymore. He started the game with two horrific passes and then it caried on from there. Defensively he nearly gave them a goal from a bad mistake and going forward he continued to make bad decisions. Sliced one into the upper tier and put another few into the first man. Carried on with his awful passing and decisions. Such as the awful ball straight at the defender to start the second half. They broke and scored from this after the corner although there was a long way to go, he was too far up the field when they crossed from the right-hand side before the goal. He got forward a fair bit but nothing came other than one decent cross which I think was the Bogle chance? Needs to be taken out. How can Lowe or Osborn do any worse? It is doing him no good to keep picking him. Looks more like a League 2 player at the moment than a Premier League one. Completely lost it.
Bogle 5/10 – Barely saw him as an attacking force at all and defensively struggled to keep up with the movement of Tella. Silly booking and then finally got forward and he tried to con the ref which was disappointing. Second half he was ball watching as the cross came over for the 2nd and then a few moments where he attacked, he did not make anything happen. He then tried to buy another free kick and they broke and nearly scored again. Do not like that at all and he did it twice. He did have one chance but missed this badly. They carried on causing issues with power and running and not sure he did enough to get back when he was not doing much attacking wise Ambled around too much today but at least does try and get on it.
Lundstram 1/10 – Appalling again. I gave him 1 just for a couple of passes to our shirt and he made one run forward where he nearly got in! Now for the rest of the shambles….I watched him carefully first half but to be honest not until 20 minutes as did not even realise, he was playing till then. I then saw him walking, yes walking twice as they came through. He never really got on the ball or made anything happen at all. He just ambled around. Second half he made the error on the goal and then gave it away a few times straight after that. Then he just stood on the ball and almost burst it before falling over and then fouling his man. Looked drunk. Gave it away a few more times after that. He may have good stats for running around but it is aimless wandering. He does not bust a gut when it matters and to me looks disinterested I everything. Absolutely hopeless at the moment. How he is getting picked at the moment I do not know? Be really interested in all those clubs that are wanting to sign him. Lower Championship is the best he will get for me.
Fleck 5/10 – Had a few moments to begin the game and tried to dribble and run with it and at least was busier than the other two but as the game went on, he seemed to also struggle to get involved as much. Second half he was tasked with too much to do with Lundstram anonymous and then us not really having a midfield for the final period as we chased the game (apart from him!). He did try and at least get on but looked a bit full stretch and desperate due to us having fewer men in here. He then gave the bad foul away at the end. Really stupid and could have really hurt Adams. If that is the other way around, we are slamming an opponent. Could easily have got sent off. Yes, it was not high but it was late and cynical.
Norwood 4.5/10 – Quiet first half. Not really involved that much. He sent a few crosses into no one and took some deep corners to no one. He did his usual foul as he grabbed someone and often did not bother running back when players went through. We never had control of the midfield at all.
McGoldrick 4/10 – A day to forget really. He did try and kept moving around to get on it but nothing really worked. Given him lots of plaudits this season but he had a shocker today with the ball when he did get it. Misplaced passes, poor control, bounced off him and then when he had the chance tried to chip a giant keeper. Carried on poor form second half with ball not sticking or wrong decisions. He actually could have been hooked long before he was. Sadly there were others as bad or worse today!
Brewster 6/10 – Actually he was one of the few who put some real effort in today. He won a few challenges and got us up the field with his effort. Not sure he always gets int front of his man and his touch is not great but today he nearly played in a chance for McGoldrick and at least looked busy. He kept plugging away I suppose. I am not sure he was great but he was better than he has been and did ok. Came off but that was because he only really had strikers on the bench who may change things a bit (they did not). I would have kept him on. He needs game time. Still despite his improvement does not ever look remotely like scoring a goal – yes, I know we will say he has no service but sometimes you have to show a bit of something to make something (Adams showed this and Watkins a few times the other night).
Subs –
McBurnie 4/10 – Had one header wide but not really in the game as they actually continued to dominate. He won a few flick ons and tried to link a bit and maybe did a bit more than McGoldrick but not by much really. Then decided to start making stupid fouls or trying to get in a fight. Rather see it in challenges or moments that matter in the game. At the end he could have got sent off like Fleck with stupidity as he charged at his man after being booked.
Mousset 2/10 – Ran around like a headless chicken or should that be like a headless Burke as we saw a different inept striker this week from the bench. They mentioned his dreadful scoring record (1 in 30 something was it but he has barely played even in those games – 10 minutes here and there due to appalling fitness or injuries). He bumbled around and had a dreadful shot wide. At least he did not get injured today. Surely, he will be moved on at the end of the season. Not sure we will get much for him and take a massive loss. We will do well to get more than a million quid for me. Cannot stay fit, involved in stuff off the pitch and not sure he is the sort of player you want in a physical Championship where most weeks there is two games per week.
Sharp – Got offside a few times which was laughable as they came from when they had some attacks. Game had gone by this stage but he did not much as they attacked far more than us.
Manager Wilder 3/10 – Got the plaudits for a plucky and fighting performance the other night as the players really fought for him. Today whether we were fatigued or just did not have it, we lost easily and limply. It was a really sub-par performance and an easy win. First half we were in the game I suppose but they were still better than us and deserved to lead but McGoldrick had a good chance. After the break he made the change and many will say it made us worse but we never could tell as we gave up the second goal soon after and that was it. All his changes after this were rotating the chairs on the Titanic. However, I would rather we changed tactics. Go long, get it to McBurnie and get men round him. Play the balls down the sides. We literally had no idea but kept doing the same things. We never got hold of it. Go back to basics and put a struggling side under pressure? No we just knocked it about and then lost it and they then threatened to run riot on the bench as they have pace and power and skill. Things we can only dream of. We looked like we were feeling sorry for ourselves and did not even put up a fight. For all the talk of us going out the front door, today we shuffled out the tradesman’s entrance and nobody even noticed us leave.
To be fair his interview after the game I have just seen was really honest and summed up everything I thought. He was quite measured and just said we were not good enough and did not really put up a fight and said as I did that we looked like they were feeling sorry for themselves. Interesting that he says he would move some out now if he could? I do wonder who they are as he is picking some when he has others like Lowe, Osborn etc who could come in?
Some more reports of course come out this week that he will walk if the Prince goes ahead with a rumoured plan to bring in a Director of Football. Also referred to delays in the training ground (new building). It was the Daily Mail so take it with a pinch of salt but there are too many stories and rumours doing the rounds to not be some truth to a degree. It is also clear from some of Wilder’s sideswipes at the hierarchy things are all not well. Adding fuel to the fire is his best mate constantly spouting spurious tweets. If I was Wilder whether I agreed with Wit or not – I would be telling him to shut up. Yes, he is a fan and entitled to his opinion but if my best mate was slagging off my boss constantly I would be having a word. Abdullah is still his boss even if he/we would not be where we are without the fantastic things Wilder has done. Maybe he just agrees and is happy for him to be a conduit for his more strongly thought opinions he can only really deliver in riddles but as I say not helpful at all.
With the DOF things, I would not want Wilder to lose control of the first team set up and be the man that ultimately gives the green light to signings but not sure why (if he is) Wilder would be so antsy. He was happy with his pal Mitchell identifying signings and giving him names etc. Now he does not want that or he does not want that as we may bring someone else in that is not his man who may be crap but may be good and may have great links abroad etc (an area we are sub-standard in and clearly along with Burnley the only club that seemingly does not tap into the whole world for signings and remain UK based largely). Wit saying he is guaranteed to be crap also is a bit pathetic – how does he know? He might improve us. Also, the constantly banging on about how Wilder will be on the terraces in years to come, the Prince won’t be. We get it but neither will many other chairman/owners. They are businessman. The Bladey Blade thing is a bit tired at times. I love Wilder and he has been the best thing to happen to the club and I really want him to sort things out and remain but I also think we need to recognise certain things need to change.
I am not saying we have to bring a Director of Football per se but we do need to look at the set up. We do not have funds (not sure that is Abdullah’s fault) so we need to do things slightly differently and cleverer for me. I also am not sure that Wilder will always work for a club where he can only bring his own men in from top to bottom? Most clubs these days have a director of football too?
Don’t get me wrong I want Wilder to stay and want him to lead the come back and build again but am concerned he is a it stubborn and is almost his way or no way. If I had a choice I still would rather Wilder and the way we are doing things than the unknown of a new manager and DOF and the unrest that may come towards the board but longer term we have to evolve. Surely Wilder realises that we cannot run the club with just his pals from Sheffield (no offence to Mitchell who has found some gems on the journey but Wilder said if it did not work out he would then have to go back to bricklaying where Wilder picked him up from – seems a bit Sunday League again). Granted United have never had a structure like that being mooted but our small-time mentality traditionally has held us back. I am not saying go totally the Brentford way and I think a combination of the traditional and innovative can work. Be interesting time ahead but it seems there is a real doubt if he will remain. I have said before I expect him to leave and when someone said the decision had already been made, Wit even remarked that ‘he is waiting to pay him up when he is not on Premier League wages’ yesterday which is again not helpful. Maybe I should not take his pals opinion as such a clear gage of what is/may happen but it is worrying times.
Southampton – Last season they ended well after the managerial change and started excellently this season and were top for a spell. I actually tipped them as a surprise team before the season and thought I was going to be proved right! They had another hammering (odd for a side that has been mid table twice they have got destroyed in two games – even we have not had that happen to us!).
They have dropped off quite a bit and were in really bad form and before today were 14th and only 7 points off Fulham but I expect them to get enough results and too many teams below them. I think they will have another spell and finish just below mid table but will have been disappointed after the start they had not to push on.
Hasenhutl is a manager I like and think has done really well. Not sure they have spent a fortune but with the superb academy they have and some shrewd buys will be around the mid table at worst I feel for years to come. Not sure I can see them getting sucked into a struggle any time soon. They have some solid players that do not get attention – defenders like Bednarek, Walker Peters and Betrand. In midfield they have solid performers too with the really underrated Ward Prowse, Romeu and Armstrong and then up top they have some flair in likes of Redmon and Djenepo. Of course, Ings gets a lot of the credit and is a very much poor man’s Harry Kane in he works hard, leads the line and makes/takes good goals. An excellent footballer and striker. However, Adams has really improved steadily and is now a solid top-level striker. I saw some Blades saying that they would not have him back last season! He is better than anything we have got and by some distance. Today they changed it round a bit. Minamino had not really shown much in his time at Liverpool but still seemed a bit of a coup for them to get him I thought and has shown flashes down there.
They did what they had to today to win and probably could scarcely believe how easy it was. They controlled the ball and even though they were not fantastic and made errors (like with the McGoldrick chance) they really were the only team that looked like scoring and they caused us problems with pace and power. The keeper had not had a hard save to make all game (only the one mentioned above and that was like a back pass) and the defence won’t have had an easier game all season – actually they did when they beat us at home. The last three games they have seen us off easily and they are not even that great a side.
Opponent Man of the Match – Take your pick. Adams or Tella for me. The latter caused us all sort of problems first half and Baldock and Bogle could not live with him and then Ampadu chopped him down. We had 2 bookings for fouls on him and numerous fouls. Adams then took over the mantle and was superb second half with a brilliant goal and could have had more. Once or twice he just outmuscled and out skilled several of our players. It was like it was not fair how much better and stronger he was.
Opponent Weak link – All steady really. We did not test the keeper. Ward Prowse was only average today but still better than any of our midfield. The other lad Diallo was quiet and Walker Peters not a threat attacking wise but fine defensively. They were all 6-7/10 performances really and a few 8’s in Adams and Tella. The lad Vestergaard is a bit of a brute but gets the job done and we could do with someone like him.
Referee/Officials – Paul Tierney. Fine. He booked 4 of ours and 3 of theirs. I think we were far dirtier with several cynical fouls. Bogle got booked and then dived twice. Fleck’s tackle was not great and then McBurnie was charging into players after being booked for a daft tackle. A number of ours were grabbing and chopping men down when they got past. I was cringing at how cynical and dirty we were. The penalty was an awful challenge too. Cannot think of many decisions when I was like that is really against us. We tried to con and cheat a few times too. We slam the refs/VAR when we do not get decisions but today the loss had nothing to do with officials.
Coverage – Nice to hear Daniel Mann again – as he gave us come great moments/commentaries in the Promotion season. Maybe they are giving him some of our games to re-acquaint himself with us ready for next season! Rob Green was irritating and offered nothing at all but cliches and tired statements. I did not listen or watch pre or post game. It is bad enough watching the game!
