Deadbat
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It was a frustrating afternoon at the Lane as a big, physical Birmingham side used a combination of organised defensive work mixed in with the dark arts to hold the Blades to a draw. United were far from their best in the least fluent home performance of the season and never really had control of a scrappy game. Credit to the visitors who did not sit back and in the end, they did deserve a draw with Deeney scoring to equalise after McBurnie’s hot streak had threatened to keep the home winning streak going. Too many key men were not really at it for United but they still had a golden chance at the end to win it but Sharp was denied by Ruddy.
With Ahmedhodzic confirmed as being out, Heckingbottom opted to start Khadra on the left but it remained to be seen if he would begin as a wing back or to the left of a 3 in a 4-3-3 formation. Doyle came in for Brewster in the only other chance. Davies and Bogle were on the bench and in a matchday squad00 for the first time this season. Birmingham had experienced duo Deeney and Hogan up front with Manchester United loanee Chong in midfield.
The game started and it seemed when the Blades were in possession, Khadra was more an orthodox wide man right up with McBurnie and Ndiaye but out of it he was more withdrawn but it did not seem quite like the normal 5-3-2/3-5-2 that has been the set up for the season. United had plenty of the ball early on but Birmingham were pressing and very competitive and it meant there was little space for creative talents like Berge and Ndiaye.
Baldock twice was caught out as Birmingham were not sitting back but the game was devoid of any clear chances so far. The tempo was quite slow with Blues happy to play on the break but a chance came when Khadra sent a dangerous cross which flicked off a defender and behind with Ruddy motionless.
At the other end Hogan looked to get on the shoulders but it was Chong who nearly got in before Norrington Davies got his foot in. Longelo was booked for chopping down Doyle who had started well before the same man hit a free kick that kissed the top of the bar as he looked to whip one in from the angle.
Berge had the best effort of the first half as he showed deft feet to come inside and his left footed effort was just the wrong side of the post. Ndiaye and McBurnie were struggling to get into it and Khadra’s selection had not really paid off. Neither keeper had a save to make so far and it was not a huge surprise when the half time came with no goals.
The second half came with a few skirmishes as Birmingham players going down at every opportunity and the physios being allowed on way too much. McBurnie and Bielik were booked for pushing each other before a decent ball from Baldock saw Ndiaye glance wide. United tried to increase the pace but there was never a really sustained period of pressure.
Hogan nearly got into Deeney’s flick as the game was certainly not all one-way traffic even if United were looking the more likely to create something. Bogle and Brewster came on for Khadra and Doyle and it was not long after the deadlock was broken.
A free kick came over from Norwood and the ball was not properly cleared and as it sad MCBURNIE turned and swivelled to hit a superb rising half volley right into the top corner giving Ruddy no chance. It continued the excellent run of form the striker as he broke the stalemate in a tight game. Mejbri came on for Bacuna as Birmingham tried to look to respond.
After a few more lusty challenges going in, Bond called both captains together before McBurnie was replaced by Sharp but soon after the visitors got level.
The ball bounced out and it seemed it came off a Birmingham player but the corner was given and it proved costly as after the resulting kick was not cleared it was played back in and a flicked header from Bielik saw DEENEY completely clear and beating the offside trap. United’s defence stood and watched as the experienced striker picked his spot to finish easily past Foderingham.
Norwood was booked for a foul on Chong and the physio came on three more times as Hall relaced Chong who had clearly been fine a few minutes before despite rolling around for some time before McAtee replaced Ndiaye. Referee Bond deemed there would be 7 minutes of stoppage time and inside this period Brewster had one effort over after good work from Bogle before an even better chance came soon after.
Berge had not been a factor but ran forward and slipped in Sharp but the striker maybe took too long and Ruddy came out and spread himself to make the save. There was still time and ended up being almost 100 minutes of play (due to the visitors attempts to take the sting out of the game) but United ran out of time and could not force a winner.
United – A draw was about right. We cannot win them all and it was unrealistic to expect us just to destroy everyone at home. We have had comfortable wins every home game with superb performances and goals. Today we met a physical, hard working and well organised Birmingham team. They were big and awkward and did time waste/milk injuries and went down and did that they had to not helped by a weak referee at times (he was ok in general play). However, they definitely deserved a draw. They did not just sit back and defend and had some chances on the break and got men forward when they could. United had the better of the opportunities with a few half chances and the Berge effort but 2nd half even though we improved, not sure we had any fluency and it was all a bit stop start. We did not get enough out of Ndiaye and Berge, the two men we expect to unlock teams as both flattered to deceive and looked leggy (maybe the travelling/games last few weeks took their toll?) and in the end when we scored, I was a bit surprised as not sure I felt it had been coming for either side.
We then need to just see it out and take the scruffy 1-0 but poor defending (was it a corner before?) saw us lose a header and some came out and some stayed back and the marking was terrible. It was a gift of a goal. After this I felt for a spell, they looked as likely as us even if there were not many chances but then Brewster and Sharp (with a very good one) had chances at the end. It would have flattered us as I thought Birmingham as horrible and niggly as they were, they were very competitive and got in our faces. However, for all that we had lots of the ball and did not move it quick enough and the tempo was way too slow.
Tactics wise, many seem convinced it was just Khadra in a wing back but not sure it was. Baldock was further back in the shape and Khadra was more pushed right up down the left. He seemed more of a winger in a 4-3-3 – certainly when we had the ball. Not sure he ever came back into our defensive half? Whatever the formation was intended – his selection did not work and he was extremely poor losing the ball and not really offering us anything. He looks woefully unfit to me and might be best as an impact sub.
All in all, I am not too down. We were not fantastic at Swansea and Preston either and could argue the points we took from there were maybe more than we deserved. Both games quite even on the whole. Today we did not create very much at all against a lowly side and too many were just not quite at it. We lacked zip and energy and the tempo was way too slow. Yes, the tactics of them to slow and spoil down was annoying but we need to be better – we need to move it quicker and get it into areas to hurt them. It was all a bit safe really.
Still, it’s not a disaster. We hopefully will come back with a bit more purpose and it might have given them a bit of a kick up the backside. I felt a few were a bit sluggish and just expected things to happen today and if teams come and compete at this level, then you will not just blow teams away. We will have more games like that at the Lane I am sure but we need the players to be better than they were if we expect to put sides like that away. We were not terrible by any means but it was a very average performance and not enough to win the game.
It was a frustrating afternoon at the Lane as a big, physical Birmingham side used a combination of organised defensive work mixed in with the dark arts to hold the Blades to a draw. United were far from their best in the least fluent home performance of the season and never really had control of a scrappy game. Credit to the visitors who did not sit back and in the end, they did deserve a draw with Deeney scoring to equalise after McBurnie’s hot streak had threatened to keep the home winning streak going. Too many key men were not really at it for United but they still had a golden chance at the end to win it but Sharp was denied by Ruddy.
With Ahmedhodzic confirmed as being out, Heckingbottom opted to start Khadra on the left but it remained to be seen if he would begin as a wing back or to the left of a 3 in a 4-3-3 formation. Doyle came in for Brewster in the only other chance. Davies and Bogle were on the bench and in a matchday squad00 for the first time this season. Birmingham had experienced duo Deeney and Hogan up front with Manchester United loanee Chong in midfield.
The game started and it seemed when the Blades were in possession, Khadra was more an orthodox wide man right up with McBurnie and Ndiaye but out of it he was more withdrawn but it did not seem quite like the normal 5-3-2/3-5-2 that has been the set up for the season. United had plenty of the ball early on but Birmingham were pressing and very competitive and it meant there was little space for creative talents like Berge and Ndiaye.
Baldock twice was caught out as Birmingham were not sitting back but the game was devoid of any clear chances so far. The tempo was quite slow with Blues happy to play on the break but a chance came when Khadra sent a dangerous cross which flicked off a defender and behind with Ruddy motionless.
At the other end Hogan looked to get on the shoulders but it was Chong who nearly got in before Norrington Davies got his foot in. Longelo was booked for chopping down Doyle who had started well before the same man hit a free kick that kissed the top of the bar as he looked to whip one in from the angle.
Berge had the best effort of the first half as he showed deft feet to come inside and his left footed effort was just the wrong side of the post. Ndiaye and McBurnie were struggling to get into it and Khadra’s selection had not really paid off. Neither keeper had a save to make so far and it was not a huge surprise when the half time came with no goals.
The second half came with a few skirmishes as Birmingham players going down at every opportunity and the physios being allowed on way too much. McBurnie and Bielik were booked for pushing each other before a decent ball from Baldock saw Ndiaye glance wide. United tried to increase the pace but there was never a really sustained period of pressure.
Hogan nearly got into Deeney’s flick as the game was certainly not all one-way traffic even if United were looking the more likely to create something. Bogle and Brewster came on for Khadra and Doyle and it was not long after the deadlock was broken.
A free kick came over from Norwood and the ball was not properly cleared and as it sad MCBURNIE turned and swivelled to hit a superb rising half volley right into the top corner giving Ruddy no chance. It continued the excellent run of form the striker as he broke the stalemate in a tight game. Mejbri came on for Bacuna as Birmingham tried to look to respond.
After a few more lusty challenges going in, Bond called both captains together before McBurnie was replaced by Sharp but soon after the visitors got level.
The ball bounced out and it seemed it came off a Birmingham player but the corner was given and it proved costly as after the resulting kick was not cleared it was played back in and a flicked header from Bielik saw DEENEY completely clear and beating the offside trap. United’s defence stood and watched as the experienced striker picked his spot to finish easily past Foderingham.
Norwood was booked for a foul on Chong and the physio came on three more times as Hall relaced Chong who had clearly been fine a few minutes before despite rolling around for some time before McAtee replaced Ndiaye. Referee Bond deemed there would be 7 minutes of stoppage time and inside this period Brewster had one effort over after good work from Bogle before an even better chance came soon after.
Berge had not been a factor but ran forward and slipped in Sharp but the striker maybe took too long and Ruddy came out and spread himself to make the save. There was still time and ended up being almost 100 minutes of play (due to the visitors attempts to take the sting out of the game) but United ran out of time and could not force a winner.
United – A draw was about right. We cannot win them all and it was unrealistic to expect us just to destroy everyone at home. We have had comfortable wins every home game with superb performances and goals. Today we met a physical, hard working and well organised Birmingham team. They were big and awkward and did time waste/milk injuries and went down and did that they had to not helped by a weak referee at times (he was ok in general play). However, they definitely deserved a draw. They did not just sit back and defend and had some chances on the break and got men forward when they could. United had the better of the opportunities with a few half chances and the Berge effort but 2nd half even though we improved, not sure we had any fluency and it was all a bit stop start. We did not get enough out of Ndiaye and Berge, the two men we expect to unlock teams as both flattered to deceive and looked leggy (maybe the travelling/games last few weeks took their toll?) and in the end when we scored, I was a bit surprised as not sure I felt it had been coming for either side.
We then need to just see it out and take the scruffy 1-0 but poor defending (was it a corner before?) saw us lose a header and some came out and some stayed back and the marking was terrible. It was a gift of a goal. After this I felt for a spell, they looked as likely as us even if there were not many chances but then Brewster and Sharp (with a very good one) had chances at the end. It would have flattered us as I thought Birmingham as horrible and niggly as they were, they were very competitive and got in our faces. However, for all that we had lots of the ball and did not move it quick enough and the tempo was way too slow.
Tactics wise, many seem convinced it was just Khadra in a wing back but not sure it was. Baldock was further back in the shape and Khadra was more pushed right up down the left. He seemed more of a winger in a 4-3-3 – certainly when we had the ball. Not sure he ever came back into our defensive half? Whatever the formation was intended – his selection did not work and he was extremely poor losing the ball and not really offering us anything. He looks woefully unfit to me and might be best as an impact sub.
All in all, I am not too down. We were not fantastic at Swansea and Preston either and could argue the points we took from there were maybe more than we deserved. Both games quite even on the whole. Today we did not create very much at all against a lowly side and too many were just not quite at it. We lacked zip and energy and the tempo was way too slow. Yes, the tactics of them to slow and spoil down was annoying but we need to be better – we need to move it quicker and get it into areas to hurt them. It was all a bit safe really.
Still, it’s not a disaster. We hopefully will come back with a bit more purpose and it might have given them a bit of a kick up the backside. I felt a few were a bit sluggish and just expected things to happen today and if teams come and compete at this level, then you will not just blow teams away. We will have more games like that at the Lane I am sure but we need the players to be better than they were if we expect to put sides like that away. We were not terrible by any means but it was a very average performance and not enough to win the game.
