Deadbat
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Podcast and Match Report below……
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The FA Cup has been providing United with a boost in a really poor season and after wins against League One opponents in Bristol Rovers and Plymouth, a higher-level side from the same part of the country did not offer a particularly sterner test and the Blades eased through. United were not fantastic but did enough to win the game with a Billy Sharp penalty after Alfie Mawson departed for a hand ball that denied a goal for McGoldrick. United are now in the quarter final draw to be made tomorrow evening.
Wilder made two changes to his line up and brought back Ethan Ampadu into the back line and opted to play David McGoldrick in front of Lundstram and Fleck. Rhian Brewster started with Billy Sharp up top. The two Oliver’s, Burke and Norwood dropped to a bench that included the returning Lys Mousset and 17-year-old Frankie Maguire, who was the latest youngster to sample first team life on a match day.
Dean Holder also made some tweaks to his personnel with five changes from their 2-0 defeat by Cardiff, with Ryley Towler, 18, making a debut in midfield. Max O'Leary, Taylor Moore, Zak Vyner and Jamie Paterson were the other changes. Two former United nemesis’, Diedhiou and Wells started up front. Jamie Paterson also began the game, another player that has caused problems for the Blades before.
Playing again under the lights at the Lane for the third time in just over a week, the pitch had seemed to hold up remarkably well despite some terrible weather with days of snow and rain. Bristol City started with a 5-3-2 formation to try and counter the Blades line up. United started the game the better side but Brewster and Ampadu gave the ball away cheaply.
The first effort came when Bristol City gave it away – Lundstram fed McGoldrick whose shot was deflected over for a corner. Fleck gave away a silly foul with a push and City had the first effort on target as Lowe’s header was poor from the free kick. The ball dropped to Kalas whose low shot was pushed out by Ramsdale and United were able to clear the subsequent loose ball.
On 8 minutes, the Blades nearly took the lead. Good work from McGoldrick again played in Bogle and his cute ball was took on by Lowe with a good first touch but his finish was too high and clipped the bar. It was a really good chance that saw both wing backs involved.
United were the better side but the ball was not sticking up top and Sharp and Brewster were both guilty of not holding it up. Twice they had a chance to link but it bounced off them and away. Williams then went on a good run and was brought down by Bogle after McGoldrick had tried to do the same earlier in the move. The free kick was wasted and then at the other end Sharp won a corner but tow poor crosses saw the visitors also clear with ease.
United were having all the ball but it was very slow and deliberate and Bristol City were just banking up and making the Blades shuffle it side to side. There was a decent move when Sharp fed Lowe whose cross was decent but Bogle’s header was straight at O’Leary. The other wing back should have done better on this occasion but it was pleasing to see them high up the field and linking up well.
On the half hour mark, there was a penalty check for a handball on Ampadu but was rightly waved away quickly as it fell from his body and maybe did not even hit his hand on the second touch. Bogle had continued to be a threat and he once again linked with McGoldrick but Sharp stayed offside before his ball came in.
Lundstram executed his turn that we see so often to try and work some space but his shot was straight at the keeper before on the next attack Bogle came inside again and took a touch but blazed well over with Sharp not happy he did not get the pass.
The game had been poor standard and was summed up when a rare Bristol City break saw Lundstram miscue a clearance but Wells executed a similarly shambolic kick and also miskicked straight after, failing to capitalise.
McGoldrick was constantly trying to get on the ball but the movement around him was poor with the front two showing little movement. The build-up was really slow and ponderous and this was summed up when after several passes across the field, Ampadu’s pass was too heavy and Lowe could not make anything of a cross on the stretch.
A few silly fouls from Fleck and Lowe gave Bristol City the chance to take the string out of things but in truth, even though United had most of the ball, O’Leary had made a few easy saves and United had created little. The best effort of the game probably came from the visitors in a really lacklustre contest.
The second half began with a break and Wells was in down the left but went for goal rather than passing and Ramsdale made the save on his near post as it was straight at him.
Sharp gave away a foul as United tried to get into the box but a few minutes later McGoldrick did well down the left and put a good low cross in but Brewster was a bit on his heels and the defender cleared it for a corner. Sharp committed another foul as it came over.
A move soon after saw Sharp down the left but he took too long to get it away but the next move saw Lowe get in down the left after good football but his cross evaded both Sharp and Brewster- it seemed to go through the latter’s legs. McGoldrick then came inside and had curling effort wide as United at least were now upping the tempo.
Bogle was next to go on a run but he took too long and his ball was threaded through with Sharp offside.
The next spell saw the game mired in midfield as the snow started to come down but United still were not really forcing the pace in a continually slow-paced game where Bristol City were coping quite easily with the slow build up and lack of attacking threat. Nagy came on for Williams.
The game ticked over the hour mark and the snow started to come down but on 66 minutes the moment of the match occurred. Sharp had the ball in the box and took a touch before patiently crossing for McGoldrick, who in turn took his time and hit a pierce shot that hit Mawson and onto the bar. The ball came back and Lundstram then fired goalward but his shot was cleared off the line too. Amidst the drama with the ball somehow staying out, there were appeals for a penalty for the first clearance. Referee Jones was told to look at his monitor, a sure sign that there had been wrongdoing. The replay showed that Mawson had used his hand to nock it onto the woodwork and it had been going in. The penalty was given and the defender was given a red card for denying the goal.
SHARP took it and despatched it into the corner despite O’Leary going the right way. it was Sharp’s third penalty success this season.
Immediately after this Bristol City coughed up the kick off and United were on the attack again. McGoldrick jinked inside but got the ball stuck under his foot a bit and it lacked power but O’Leary seemed to tip behind despite a goal kick being given.
Basham then got in as United really looked to put the game away and make use of the numerical advantage but his cross was taken off the toes of the waiting Sharp.
On 72 minutes, the skipper and scorer Sharp departed for Norwood as United opted to go more solid whilst Bristol City threw on Massengo for Wells and then soon after a double change with Semengo and Palmer on for Paterson and Diedhiou.
United appealed for another fed card on 77 minutes as O’Leary came out and seemed to use his hand outside the box but replays showed it came off his chest and through his hands farther fortunately for the keeper.
The visiting team had not really looked like creating since that early Wells chance and losing a man had not helped. They had a spell of possession but Egan and Basham marshalled them away before Burke come on for the disappointing Brewster on 83 minutes.
Decent play from Lowe twice down the left won two corners as the game ticked into the final minutes but despite United giving it away a few times, City could not really force anything.
Three minutes of stoppage time were to be played and the only real highlight was Burke using his pace to get in round the keeper but opted to go for goal from a narrow angle and the defender cleared. The square ball to Fleck may have resulted in another goal but it did no matter as a few minutes later the final whistle went. It was a safe and relatively comfortable passage for United, albeit in a poor contest.
United – We won. We deserved to win. It was a dreadful game. We were not great by any stretch but Bristol City were even worse. Granted they had a few out and also brought some younger players in but they were quite negative. They had one shot first half saved and the Wells effort but outside of this not sure they were that adventurous but will say they kept us out quite easily and we only had half chances first half. We were way too slow and deliberate and I felt (a bit like WBA a few weeks ago) we just let them bank up and we could not get through. Not sure the front two did enough and outside of the wing backs and Didzy, the rest lacked dynamism and urgency. I thought it was all a bit safe and whilst we had lots of it, I felt they were there for the taking if someone took responsibility and did things with pace or urgency and committed to get into the box either running with the ball or a quicker forward pass.
I am not sure we had many issues defensively outside those two chances and I suppose 2nd half we had a number of crosses or closer moments as the ball came across a few times and then the penalty came when somehow it stayed out/we missed two chances. After this, we had a man advantage and had already dominated possession, so was going to be hard for them. We did not quite get a second and then just kind of saw it out. It remined me a bit of teams versus us, where the better side just kept the ball for the most part (some daft give aways/fouls granted) and did what they had to. Bristol City did not seem to be capable or want to really go for it and the red card meant it was hard but even at the end not sure they gambled really despite a plethora of subs. It was quite a comfortable win and 1-0 (maybe 2-0) was about right. We gave it away a bit but they gave it away even more, often under no pressure. I think if we had stepped up or could have done, then it may have been a 3 or 4-0 win but in the end we just won the game and I felt although the game was boring we did what we had to.
Thought McGoldrick was decent and Bogle all action but many others were average really and outside of those two I am not sure anyone can say they were very good. We saw bits from Lowe at times too but the rest were very mediocre but did not need to do any more as the opponents could not take advantage of slow play, poor passes or silly fouls.
The two midfielders were slow and deliberate and lacked zip and drive. The defence did what they had to but the wide centre backs were also too ponderous to move forward with and without it. Sharp scored but had a frustrating night and Brewster really struggled to make any kind of impact. It must be worrying how poor he is looking. This is the sort of team he will face regularly next season and still did not really look like scoring and his general play is sub-standard. He may be young but has to do much more or we simply will not play him. We cannot keep playing him and hoping he starts to work harder or does the basics. Maybe he is trying too hard but I think actually maybe the opposite and he needs to chase/harry and do things that show a good work ethic and then the touch/passing/link and even goals may come. At the moment he is waiting for things to happen and not reading anything really. He looks completely lost. I should feel sorry for him but this guy cost 23 million and looks really poor sadly so far.
So, we go through although nearly all Premier League teams left now (outside of Bournemouth – hope we get them at home) and you worry that our run will not go on much longer. Be fantastic to get to another semi and Wembley even if we are not there but my concern is, we now draw a better team which they 6/7 are and we go out now. Still keeps the interest going for another month or so.
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The FA Cup has been providing United with a boost in a really poor season and after wins against League One opponents in Bristol Rovers and Plymouth, a higher-level side from the same part of the country did not offer a particularly sterner test and the Blades eased through. United were not fantastic but did enough to win the game with a Billy Sharp penalty after Alfie Mawson departed for a hand ball that denied a goal for McGoldrick. United are now in the quarter final draw to be made tomorrow evening.
Wilder made two changes to his line up and brought back Ethan Ampadu into the back line and opted to play David McGoldrick in front of Lundstram and Fleck. Rhian Brewster started with Billy Sharp up top. The two Oliver’s, Burke and Norwood dropped to a bench that included the returning Lys Mousset and 17-year-old Frankie Maguire, who was the latest youngster to sample first team life on a match day.
Dean Holder also made some tweaks to his personnel with five changes from their 2-0 defeat by Cardiff, with Ryley Towler, 18, making a debut in midfield. Max O'Leary, Taylor Moore, Zak Vyner and Jamie Paterson were the other changes. Two former United nemesis’, Diedhiou and Wells started up front. Jamie Paterson also began the game, another player that has caused problems for the Blades before.
Playing again under the lights at the Lane for the third time in just over a week, the pitch had seemed to hold up remarkably well despite some terrible weather with days of snow and rain. Bristol City started with a 5-3-2 formation to try and counter the Blades line up. United started the game the better side but Brewster and Ampadu gave the ball away cheaply.
The first effort came when Bristol City gave it away – Lundstram fed McGoldrick whose shot was deflected over for a corner. Fleck gave away a silly foul with a push and City had the first effort on target as Lowe’s header was poor from the free kick. The ball dropped to Kalas whose low shot was pushed out by Ramsdale and United were able to clear the subsequent loose ball.
On 8 minutes, the Blades nearly took the lead. Good work from McGoldrick again played in Bogle and his cute ball was took on by Lowe with a good first touch but his finish was too high and clipped the bar. It was a really good chance that saw both wing backs involved.
United were the better side but the ball was not sticking up top and Sharp and Brewster were both guilty of not holding it up. Twice they had a chance to link but it bounced off them and away. Williams then went on a good run and was brought down by Bogle after McGoldrick had tried to do the same earlier in the move. The free kick was wasted and then at the other end Sharp won a corner but tow poor crosses saw the visitors also clear with ease.
United were having all the ball but it was very slow and deliberate and Bristol City were just banking up and making the Blades shuffle it side to side. There was a decent move when Sharp fed Lowe whose cross was decent but Bogle’s header was straight at O’Leary. The other wing back should have done better on this occasion but it was pleasing to see them high up the field and linking up well.
On the half hour mark, there was a penalty check for a handball on Ampadu but was rightly waved away quickly as it fell from his body and maybe did not even hit his hand on the second touch. Bogle had continued to be a threat and he once again linked with McGoldrick but Sharp stayed offside before his ball came in.
Lundstram executed his turn that we see so often to try and work some space but his shot was straight at the keeper before on the next attack Bogle came inside again and took a touch but blazed well over with Sharp not happy he did not get the pass.
The game had been poor standard and was summed up when a rare Bristol City break saw Lundstram miscue a clearance but Wells executed a similarly shambolic kick and also miskicked straight after, failing to capitalise.
McGoldrick was constantly trying to get on the ball but the movement around him was poor with the front two showing little movement. The build-up was really slow and ponderous and this was summed up when after several passes across the field, Ampadu’s pass was too heavy and Lowe could not make anything of a cross on the stretch.
A few silly fouls from Fleck and Lowe gave Bristol City the chance to take the string out of things but in truth, even though United had most of the ball, O’Leary had made a few easy saves and United had created little. The best effort of the game probably came from the visitors in a really lacklustre contest.
The second half began with a break and Wells was in down the left but went for goal rather than passing and Ramsdale made the save on his near post as it was straight at him.
Sharp gave away a foul as United tried to get into the box but a few minutes later McGoldrick did well down the left and put a good low cross in but Brewster was a bit on his heels and the defender cleared it for a corner. Sharp committed another foul as it came over.
A move soon after saw Sharp down the left but he took too long to get it away but the next move saw Lowe get in down the left after good football but his cross evaded both Sharp and Brewster- it seemed to go through the latter’s legs. McGoldrick then came inside and had curling effort wide as United at least were now upping the tempo.
Bogle was next to go on a run but he took too long and his ball was threaded through with Sharp offside.
The next spell saw the game mired in midfield as the snow started to come down but United still were not really forcing the pace in a continually slow-paced game where Bristol City were coping quite easily with the slow build up and lack of attacking threat. Nagy came on for Williams.
The game ticked over the hour mark and the snow started to come down but on 66 minutes the moment of the match occurred. Sharp had the ball in the box and took a touch before patiently crossing for McGoldrick, who in turn took his time and hit a pierce shot that hit Mawson and onto the bar. The ball came back and Lundstram then fired goalward but his shot was cleared off the line too. Amidst the drama with the ball somehow staying out, there were appeals for a penalty for the first clearance. Referee Jones was told to look at his monitor, a sure sign that there had been wrongdoing. The replay showed that Mawson had used his hand to nock it onto the woodwork and it had been going in. The penalty was given and the defender was given a red card for denying the goal.
SHARP took it and despatched it into the corner despite O’Leary going the right way. it was Sharp’s third penalty success this season.
Immediately after this Bristol City coughed up the kick off and United were on the attack again. McGoldrick jinked inside but got the ball stuck under his foot a bit and it lacked power but O’Leary seemed to tip behind despite a goal kick being given.
Basham then got in as United really looked to put the game away and make use of the numerical advantage but his cross was taken off the toes of the waiting Sharp.
On 72 minutes, the skipper and scorer Sharp departed for Norwood as United opted to go more solid whilst Bristol City threw on Massengo for Wells and then soon after a double change with Semengo and Palmer on for Paterson and Diedhiou.
United appealed for another fed card on 77 minutes as O’Leary came out and seemed to use his hand outside the box but replays showed it came off his chest and through his hands farther fortunately for the keeper.
The visiting team had not really looked like creating since that early Wells chance and losing a man had not helped. They had a spell of possession but Egan and Basham marshalled them away before Burke come on for the disappointing Brewster on 83 minutes.
Decent play from Lowe twice down the left won two corners as the game ticked into the final minutes but despite United giving it away a few times, City could not really force anything.
Three minutes of stoppage time were to be played and the only real highlight was Burke using his pace to get in round the keeper but opted to go for goal from a narrow angle and the defender cleared. The square ball to Fleck may have resulted in another goal but it did no matter as a few minutes later the final whistle went. It was a safe and relatively comfortable passage for United, albeit in a poor contest.
United – We won. We deserved to win. It was a dreadful game. We were not great by any stretch but Bristol City were even worse. Granted they had a few out and also brought some younger players in but they were quite negative. They had one shot first half saved and the Wells effort but outside of this not sure they were that adventurous but will say they kept us out quite easily and we only had half chances first half. We were way too slow and deliberate and I felt (a bit like WBA a few weeks ago) we just let them bank up and we could not get through. Not sure the front two did enough and outside of the wing backs and Didzy, the rest lacked dynamism and urgency. I thought it was all a bit safe and whilst we had lots of it, I felt they were there for the taking if someone took responsibility and did things with pace or urgency and committed to get into the box either running with the ball or a quicker forward pass.
I am not sure we had many issues defensively outside those two chances and I suppose 2nd half we had a number of crosses or closer moments as the ball came across a few times and then the penalty came when somehow it stayed out/we missed two chances. After this, we had a man advantage and had already dominated possession, so was going to be hard for them. We did not quite get a second and then just kind of saw it out. It remined me a bit of teams versus us, where the better side just kept the ball for the most part (some daft give aways/fouls granted) and did what they had to. Bristol City did not seem to be capable or want to really go for it and the red card meant it was hard but even at the end not sure they gambled really despite a plethora of subs. It was quite a comfortable win and 1-0 (maybe 2-0) was about right. We gave it away a bit but they gave it away even more, often under no pressure. I think if we had stepped up or could have done, then it may have been a 3 or 4-0 win but in the end we just won the game and I felt although the game was boring we did what we had to.
Thought McGoldrick was decent and Bogle all action but many others were average really and outside of those two I am not sure anyone can say they were very good. We saw bits from Lowe at times too but the rest were very mediocre but did not need to do any more as the opponents could not take advantage of slow play, poor passes or silly fouls.
The two midfielders were slow and deliberate and lacked zip and drive. The defence did what they had to but the wide centre backs were also too ponderous to move forward with and without it. Sharp scored but had a frustrating night and Brewster really struggled to make any kind of impact. It must be worrying how poor he is looking. This is the sort of team he will face regularly next season and still did not really look like scoring and his general play is sub-standard. He may be young but has to do much more or we simply will not play him. We cannot keep playing him and hoping he starts to work harder or does the basics. Maybe he is trying too hard but I think actually maybe the opposite and he needs to chase/harry and do things that show a good work ethic and then the touch/passing/link and even goals may come. At the moment he is waiting for things to happen and not reading anything really. He looks completely lost. I should feel sorry for him but this guy cost 23 million and looks really poor sadly so far.
So, we go through although nearly all Premier League teams left now (outside of Bournemouth – hope we get them at home) and you worry that our run will not go on much longer. Be fantastic to get to another semi and Wembley even if we are not there but my concern is, we now draw a better team which they 6/7 are and we go out now. Still keeps the interest going for another month or so.
