Deadbat
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Pod and report below
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Another week, another loss and the car crash of a season for Sheffield United continues. A few weeks ago, despite not being able to pick up a win, many others were also struggling at the bottom of the table. Now others have slowly started to get points and United are well and truly stranded on the embarrassing figure of one point from eleven games. Now not only is relegation looking likely but the record of being the worst ever top flight team (not just Premier League) in history is also a possibility unless the Blades can somehow break this long run of games without a victory. Going back to last season, United now have not won 15 games (league and cup) and have lost 14 of these. It is a wretched run and albeit it at the highest level, no United fan will have seen this in their life time. After the two games against West Ham and West Brom heralded two more defeats and no more goals, many United fans probably feared the worst against a Leicester side due a big performance but it was a different kind of heart break this time that saw the Blades do down to defeat with Wednesday fan Jamie Vardy scoring the last-minute winner.
Surprisingly after such a horrendous run, manager Wilder kept faith with 10 of the starters from last week with just Lundstram coming in for Norwood. McBurnie kept his place up front. Mousset was injured yet again so Sharp was given a place on the bench. Enda Stevens and Ethan Ampadu were still not fit. Leicester started with Vardy up top and had Maddison back starting. Right back Pereira was not risked despite coming back in the week and Soyuncu was also injured and not available. Leicester still packed plenty of experience and quality to start the game and indeed on the bench.
United began the game winning two corners that came to nothing but the away side started to take control of things with their pass and move play starting to dictate the tempo. Lundstram gave it away twice in close succession so even when the home side had it, they gave it away. Leicester were moving it side to side and back to front quickly and starting to find holes and from one such chance, Vardy beat the offside trap and was in on the angle and hit a powerful shot that cannoned off Ramsdale’s near post. It was a real let off inside 10 minutes.
Maddison’s cross was cleared away for a corner as Leicester dominated the play and Ramsdale then made a mistake that saw him knock the ball out for a corner. Lowe then committed a foul that saw Maddison try and outrageous free kick but he got it all wrong and it drifted well wide. Vardy was then offside as Leicester continued to look dangerous and the possession stats were frighteningly one sided.
Lundstram gave it away again but Basham got in to intercept before a rare chance for United saw Berge finally get in the game and drive through and McBurnie’s clever through ball fed Burke but the striker, as he did last week, made a horrible mess of the chance and fell over before he could even get a shot away.
This was a rare moment of promise for the Blades but was to prove costly as more patient build up saw Leicester deservedly take the lead. The ball was moved across and with no pressure on the cross it came over and Egan mistimed his jump and did not get enough on his header. Lowe was miles off Albrighton who hit a shot that deflected off Lowe and no United defenders reacted and PEREZ smashed home via the palms of Ramsdale who had little chance from such close range.
However, the Blades responded instantly and got level. They won a corner and Lundstram put it in a good area and MCBURNIE got up and powered his header into the corner of the net. It clearly was a big relief for the big front man.
After this United got stuck in and started to make it more of a contest for a spell after being second best up to the two goals but slowly Leicester started to take control again with more patient football and they often beat the press with one pass and were in on goal. Lowe was yellow carded for trying to stop one such break and then a ball from the right was eventually cleared after it ricocheted around. Berge then made a crunching tackle but Lowe gave it away when well-placed and the break was on the other way again. Basham then had to clear after more patient play from the Foxes nearly led to them being in on goal.
Lowe was then vert lucky not to be sent off after another cynical trip as Leicester threatened to get in on goal. He must have had his heart in his mouth but the referee Attwell opted to give him a final chance. The free kick saw a shot blocked by McBurnie who had done well at the defensive end on a few occasions but United had another let off when Maddison came inside and from a similar position to Vardy’s shot crashed another effort against the same post. The half time whistle came at a good time for United who were hanging on somewhat.
After the break, Osborn came on for Lowe with Wilder concerned he may lose his man through foul means and got him off before he was probably sent off. A neat move from Burke, Baldock and Lundstram nearly got United in on a rare moment of possession play. Leicester were moving it around well but looking a bit clueless this half and were not the same threat early on.
Berge was dis-possessed and this led to a corner for Leicester which McBurnie did well to clear with his head. Leicester still had more of the ball but were not having the control of the game they had although Justin nutmegged Basham and Osborn had to get across to make the interception. Fleck and Berge then both gave it away too easily but Perez ran into trouble. United did have a half chance as Osborn fed McBurnie and his cross was cleared with Lundstram trying to get in at the near post.
The game ticked over the hour mark and it had been a better spell for United with few chances of note at either end. Lundstram burst through two tackles in a rare moment when a Blades player ran at his man and was chopped down leading to a booking for Fuchs. Oddly, straight after this Lundstram who had improved 2nd half was taken off for Norwood. His first contribution was a poor cross which he repeated moments later. Basham’s cross was deflected wide for a corner and this led to a chance for McBurnie but his header was over when he was well placed.
At the other end Leicester then had a flurry of half chances with Ramsdale involved in many of them with some poor moments. He dropped a corner that led to Tielemans firing goalwards but Ramsdale at least got back to save although cut his lip in the melee.
Mendy and Perez came off to be replaced by Ndidi and Iheanacho before Ramsdale’s poor kick nearly led to a chance but Basham made the interception before the keeper nearly spilled another cross soon after in an indecisive spell for the keeper. However, Ramsdale came out well and headed away after Fleck’s poor cross saw the Foxes break.
The game ticked into the final 15 minutes and Fuchs long range shot was well over before Burke did well at other end to win a tackle but then strayed offside. This was his last moment as Brewster came on but the striker was caught offside twice not long after he took to the pitch. He did have an effort when Berge put the ball through and he tried a chip but it was off target.
The game became mired in midfield for a spell and seemed to be drifting to a stalemate with few chances created either way but a bad mistake was to prove costly right on 90 minutes.
With no danger imminent, Fleck mis controlled and dithered and Maddison got on the ball and played a lovely ball through that dissected the Blades defence. VARDY got goal side of Egan and was onside and the United man was probably concerned he may get sent off again and chose to let him go. The striker finished with aplomb away from Ramsdale. The striker darted away and broke the corner flag in his celebrations and was booked but would not have cared.
The kick off saw Baldock win a free kick after he tried to salvage something and then late on in the three minutes of stoppage time, United won a corner and Ramsdale came up but this was cleared and the final whistle went soon after. It was another defeat but a real gut wrenching one to lose it in such a way.
United – Heart-breaking way to lose at the death and inevitable Vardy would get it and for a long time it looked like we would get a point. We were certainly right in the game second half and they did not have the control or chances they had first half. Not sure we created much either but it seemed to be drifting to a draw and at least a point but then another mistake and it’s in our net again. People will say it sums up our luck and our season but I disagree. It is happening every week that we make mistakes that lead to goals and cannot score more than one at the other end. Every week. It’s not luck. Today we had lots of luck with the red card that should have been not given and they hit the post twice. Ramsdale dropped it a few times and it did not fall to them. Luck was nothing to do with us losing again. We lost as the other team had better players and moments of quality when it mattered in a second half where both cancelled each other out.
Yes, there was an error in midfield but why did we have such a ridiculously high line v Vardy? It was nonsensical tactics and deserved everything it got. 1-1 and 90th minute and our defence are so high v quick attackers. Still if Fleck can kick a ball then we do not concede. Ditto with Berge last week. People not doing their jobs every week. Ramsdale will get pelters again. McBurnie did last week and other before but Berge and Fleck have made two terrible mistakes. Away from this teams get through us routinely and another day we lost 4-1 today if those shots go the other side of the post. Overall, the other teams play better football, make less mistakes, concede less and score more than us. They have better athletes, technicians and quality. Every team. Even West Brom technically looked better. Today that same team got hammered 5-1. People will say we could have done that but we did not as we are not good enough to do that. That is why we are comfortably the worst team in the league.
The first half they were much better despite our goal and had all the play and chances. We were fortunate to be level at the break and were chasing shadows for long spells. Still even with us being better second half we still did not do enough to come close to winning the game. 1-2 was about right really and Leicester definitely did enough to win the game. They were the only team that wanted and tried to play football and go through the thirds. We for the most part relied on set plays and long balls hoping for second balls or something would drop. There was little actual quality all game save for maybe a few brief moments that normally ended with a crap cross or final ball. Second half even though we did better I am not sure other than one McBurnie header we threatened and we only had one shot on goal all game and Schmeichel did not have one save to make.
I cannot fault out endeavour in terms of trying but I will say we simply do not have the legs or mobility in the midfield. This means teams go through us easily. One pass and they are in. Our midfield has been wretched this season. Absolutely putrid. Everyone talks about the keeper (dodgy again I will say today but not at fault for the goals) and the defence and the strikers but we have nothing in the middle of the field. Nothing. For all the plaudits Berge gets, he is not influencing games. Lundstram was appalling first half and then got better second half and then was taken off. Norwood was really poor when he came on and Fleck was appalling all game on and off the ball. Norwood and Fleck two key men for the last 3-4 seasons look completely shot. They look like lower league players and are offering nothing on and off the ball. It is sad to see. No idea why they have lost form so badly. Both have fell off a cliff. I am not sure the defence did that badly today – Lowe apart and McBurnie played really well. Burke was not great but again had no service. The midfield was the major reason we lost the game as simplistic as that sounds as no one got on the ball – too many hid and it was easy for their players to pick passes/run through.
Another week and another defeat. More questions will come about Wilder’s future – most Blades will not entertain a change (me included) but it will heighten nationally with each loss as no manager normally survives such a run. Even Farke and Norwich were not this bad last year. Ditto for Watford who started the season so badly. It will be a horrible way for his tenure to end and I for one do not want it to happen as do not see the point of a change. If we do down, which looks likely we may as well give him the chance to take us back up.
At the moment relegation looks a formality sadly. People will say we could go on a run and are only a few points behind but at the moment we are losing every week. Every week. It might be fine margins but again today we did not deserve anything from the game and the WBA game apart we simply do not look like we can score goals. There were some positive and some things to be optimistic about but the bigger picture is we lost again and again did not do enough good things to win a game.
I had a quick glance at stats for the worst team in football for points and we are going to have to go some to beat it! The fewest points in a season (2 points for a win): 8, joint record: Loughborough (Second Division, 1899–1900) / Doncaster Rovers (Second Division, 1904–05). The fewest points in a season (3 points for a win): 11, Derby County (Premier League, 2007–08). These seem a long way off at the moment!
With two away games at Southampton and Brighton sandwiched between Man Utd at home, I am not sure where the next point is coming from and we face the real possibility of being on one point as we head into Christmas. We are now going from being crap and having had a bad start to being a laughing stock. I am not sure what the answer is. I do not believe we should change the manager but then the personnel week in, week out or making mistakes. We have a few who do well one week, then crap for weeks (McBurnie, Ramsdale, Berge casing points) and we have not had one game this year where more than 2 or 3 have played well in one game. Today we saw McBurnie play well and the defence did ok but individually and collectively we were not great to watch and for the huffing and puffing, not sure we did enough to win the game or even draw it, despite the horrible way we lost it. I am almost bored of everyone talking about team selections and individuals. The reality is everyone has had a good go at things (in terms of playing) and none of them individually or as a team have done enough to score enough goals, not concede goals and win enough games at all. It is painful to watch. The late goal today did not shock me at all. It almost had a sense of inevitability about it when it came.
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Another week, another loss and the car crash of a season for Sheffield United continues. A few weeks ago, despite not being able to pick up a win, many others were also struggling at the bottom of the table. Now others have slowly started to get points and United are well and truly stranded on the embarrassing figure of one point from eleven games. Now not only is relegation looking likely but the record of being the worst ever top flight team (not just Premier League) in history is also a possibility unless the Blades can somehow break this long run of games without a victory. Going back to last season, United now have not won 15 games (league and cup) and have lost 14 of these. It is a wretched run and albeit it at the highest level, no United fan will have seen this in their life time. After the two games against West Ham and West Brom heralded two more defeats and no more goals, many United fans probably feared the worst against a Leicester side due a big performance but it was a different kind of heart break this time that saw the Blades do down to defeat with Wednesday fan Jamie Vardy scoring the last-minute winner.
Surprisingly after such a horrendous run, manager Wilder kept faith with 10 of the starters from last week with just Lundstram coming in for Norwood. McBurnie kept his place up front. Mousset was injured yet again so Sharp was given a place on the bench. Enda Stevens and Ethan Ampadu were still not fit. Leicester started with Vardy up top and had Maddison back starting. Right back Pereira was not risked despite coming back in the week and Soyuncu was also injured and not available. Leicester still packed plenty of experience and quality to start the game and indeed on the bench.
United began the game winning two corners that came to nothing but the away side started to take control of things with their pass and move play starting to dictate the tempo. Lundstram gave it away twice in close succession so even when the home side had it, they gave it away. Leicester were moving it side to side and back to front quickly and starting to find holes and from one such chance, Vardy beat the offside trap and was in on the angle and hit a powerful shot that cannoned off Ramsdale’s near post. It was a real let off inside 10 minutes.
Maddison’s cross was cleared away for a corner as Leicester dominated the play and Ramsdale then made a mistake that saw him knock the ball out for a corner. Lowe then committed a foul that saw Maddison try and outrageous free kick but he got it all wrong and it drifted well wide. Vardy was then offside as Leicester continued to look dangerous and the possession stats were frighteningly one sided.
Lundstram gave it away again but Basham got in to intercept before a rare chance for United saw Berge finally get in the game and drive through and McBurnie’s clever through ball fed Burke but the striker, as he did last week, made a horrible mess of the chance and fell over before he could even get a shot away.
This was a rare moment of promise for the Blades but was to prove costly as more patient build up saw Leicester deservedly take the lead. The ball was moved across and with no pressure on the cross it came over and Egan mistimed his jump and did not get enough on his header. Lowe was miles off Albrighton who hit a shot that deflected off Lowe and no United defenders reacted and PEREZ smashed home via the palms of Ramsdale who had little chance from such close range.
However, the Blades responded instantly and got level. They won a corner and Lundstram put it in a good area and MCBURNIE got up and powered his header into the corner of the net. It clearly was a big relief for the big front man.
After this United got stuck in and started to make it more of a contest for a spell after being second best up to the two goals but slowly Leicester started to take control again with more patient football and they often beat the press with one pass and were in on goal. Lowe was yellow carded for trying to stop one such break and then a ball from the right was eventually cleared after it ricocheted around. Berge then made a crunching tackle but Lowe gave it away when well-placed and the break was on the other way again. Basham then had to clear after more patient play from the Foxes nearly led to them being in on goal.
Lowe was then vert lucky not to be sent off after another cynical trip as Leicester threatened to get in on goal. He must have had his heart in his mouth but the referee Attwell opted to give him a final chance. The free kick saw a shot blocked by McBurnie who had done well at the defensive end on a few occasions but United had another let off when Maddison came inside and from a similar position to Vardy’s shot crashed another effort against the same post. The half time whistle came at a good time for United who were hanging on somewhat.
After the break, Osborn came on for Lowe with Wilder concerned he may lose his man through foul means and got him off before he was probably sent off. A neat move from Burke, Baldock and Lundstram nearly got United in on a rare moment of possession play. Leicester were moving it around well but looking a bit clueless this half and were not the same threat early on.
Berge was dis-possessed and this led to a corner for Leicester which McBurnie did well to clear with his head. Leicester still had more of the ball but were not having the control of the game they had although Justin nutmegged Basham and Osborn had to get across to make the interception. Fleck and Berge then both gave it away too easily but Perez ran into trouble. United did have a half chance as Osborn fed McBurnie and his cross was cleared with Lundstram trying to get in at the near post.
The game ticked over the hour mark and it had been a better spell for United with few chances of note at either end. Lundstram burst through two tackles in a rare moment when a Blades player ran at his man and was chopped down leading to a booking for Fuchs. Oddly, straight after this Lundstram who had improved 2nd half was taken off for Norwood. His first contribution was a poor cross which he repeated moments later. Basham’s cross was deflected wide for a corner and this led to a chance for McBurnie but his header was over when he was well placed.
At the other end Leicester then had a flurry of half chances with Ramsdale involved in many of them with some poor moments. He dropped a corner that led to Tielemans firing goalwards but Ramsdale at least got back to save although cut his lip in the melee.
Mendy and Perez came off to be replaced by Ndidi and Iheanacho before Ramsdale’s poor kick nearly led to a chance but Basham made the interception before the keeper nearly spilled another cross soon after in an indecisive spell for the keeper. However, Ramsdale came out well and headed away after Fleck’s poor cross saw the Foxes break.
The game ticked into the final 15 minutes and Fuchs long range shot was well over before Burke did well at other end to win a tackle but then strayed offside. This was his last moment as Brewster came on but the striker was caught offside twice not long after he took to the pitch. He did have an effort when Berge put the ball through and he tried a chip but it was off target.
The game became mired in midfield for a spell and seemed to be drifting to a stalemate with few chances created either way but a bad mistake was to prove costly right on 90 minutes.
With no danger imminent, Fleck mis controlled and dithered and Maddison got on the ball and played a lovely ball through that dissected the Blades defence. VARDY got goal side of Egan and was onside and the United man was probably concerned he may get sent off again and chose to let him go. The striker finished with aplomb away from Ramsdale. The striker darted away and broke the corner flag in his celebrations and was booked but would not have cared.
The kick off saw Baldock win a free kick after he tried to salvage something and then late on in the three minutes of stoppage time, United won a corner and Ramsdale came up but this was cleared and the final whistle went soon after. It was another defeat but a real gut wrenching one to lose it in such a way.
United – Heart-breaking way to lose at the death and inevitable Vardy would get it and for a long time it looked like we would get a point. We were certainly right in the game second half and they did not have the control or chances they had first half. Not sure we created much either but it seemed to be drifting to a draw and at least a point but then another mistake and it’s in our net again. People will say it sums up our luck and our season but I disagree. It is happening every week that we make mistakes that lead to goals and cannot score more than one at the other end. Every week. It’s not luck. Today we had lots of luck with the red card that should have been not given and they hit the post twice. Ramsdale dropped it a few times and it did not fall to them. Luck was nothing to do with us losing again. We lost as the other team had better players and moments of quality when it mattered in a second half where both cancelled each other out.
Yes, there was an error in midfield but why did we have such a ridiculously high line v Vardy? It was nonsensical tactics and deserved everything it got. 1-1 and 90th minute and our defence are so high v quick attackers. Still if Fleck can kick a ball then we do not concede. Ditto with Berge last week. People not doing their jobs every week. Ramsdale will get pelters again. McBurnie did last week and other before but Berge and Fleck have made two terrible mistakes. Away from this teams get through us routinely and another day we lost 4-1 today if those shots go the other side of the post. Overall, the other teams play better football, make less mistakes, concede less and score more than us. They have better athletes, technicians and quality. Every team. Even West Brom technically looked better. Today that same team got hammered 5-1. People will say we could have done that but we did not as we are not good enough to do that. That is why we are comfortably the worst team in the league.
The first half they were much better despite our goal and had all the play and chances. We were fortunate to be level at the break and were chasing shadows for long spells. Still even with us being better second half we still did not do enough to come close to winning the game. 1-2 was about right really and Leicester definitely did enough to win the game. They were the only team that wanted and tried to play football and go through the thirds. We for the most part relied on set plays and long balls hoping for second balls or something would drop. There was little actual quality all game save for maybe a few brief moments that normally ended with a crap cross or final ball. Second half even though we did better I am not sure other than one McBurnie header we threatened and we only had one shot on goal all game and Schmeichel did not have one save to make.
I cannot fault out endeavour in terms of trying but I will say we simply do not have the legs or mobility in the midfield. This means teams go through us easily. One pass and they are in. Our midfield has been wretched this season. Absolutely putrid. Everyone talks about the keeper (dodgy again I will say today but not at fault for the goals) and the defence and the strikers but we have nothing in the middle of the field. Nothing. For all the plaudits Berge gets, he is not influencing games. Lundstram was appalling first half and then got better second half and then was taken off. Norwood was really poor when he came on and Fleck was appalling all game on and off the ball. Norwood and Fleck two key men for the last 3-4 seasons look completely shot. They look like lower league players and are offering nothing on and off the ball. It is sad to see. No idea why they have lost form so badly. Both have fell off a cliff. I am not sure the defence did that badly today – Lowe apart and McBurnie played really well. Burke was not great but again had no service. The midfield was the major reason we lost the game as simplistic as that sounds as no one got on the ball – too many hid and it was easy for their players to pick passes/run through.
Another week and another defeat. More questions will come about Wilder’s future – most Blades will not entertain a change (me included) but it will heighten nationally with each loss as no manager normally survives such a run. Even Farke and Norwich were not this bad last year. Ditto for Watford who started the season so badly. It will be a horrible way for his tenure to end and I for one do not want it to happen as do not see the point of a change. If we do down, which looks likely we may as well give him the chance to take us back up.
At the moment relegation looks a formality sadly. People will say we could go on a run and are only a few points behind but at the moment we are losing every week. Every week. It might be fine margins but again today we did not deserve anything from the game and the WBA game apart we simply do not look like we can score goals. There were some positive and some things to be optimistic about but the bigger picture is we lost again and again did not do enough good things to win a game.
I had a quick glance at stats for the worst team in football for points and we are going to have to go some to beat it! The fewest points in a season (2 points for a win): 8, joint record: Loughborough (Second Division, 1899–1900) / Doncaster Rovers (Second Division, 1904–05). The fewest points in a season (3 points for a win): 11, Derby County (Premier League, 2007–08). These seem a long way off at the moment!
With two away games at Southampton and Brighton sandwiched between Man Utd at home, I am not sure where the next point is coming from and we face the real possibility of being on one point as we head into Christmas. We are now going from being crap and having had a bad start to being a laughing stock. I am not sure what the answer is. I do not believe we should change the manager but then the personnel week in, week out or making mistakes. We have a few who do well one week, then crap for weeks (McBurnie, Ramsdale, Berge casing points) and we have not had one game this year where more than 2 or 3 have played well in one game. Today we saw McBurnie play well and the defence did ok but individually and collectively we were not great to watch and for the huffing and puffing, not sure we did enough to win the game or even draw it, despite the horrible way we lost it. I am almost bored of everyone talking about team selections and individuals. The reality is everyone has had a good go at things (in terms of playing) and none of them individually or as a team have done enough to score enough goals, not concede goals and win enough games at all. It is painful to watch. The late goal today did not shock me at all. It almost had a sense of inevitability about it when it came.
they had a taste of the money got lucky with a few signings and suddenly think their 08 Barcelona we’ve had more years in 1st tier than them as a collective and their a 1 club city I hope one day we become rich and overtake them or they demise because they’ve defiantly forgot where they came from some of their fickle fans
