Deadbat
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The oft used phrase that ‘football is a funny old game’ was very apt in describing the fortunes of Sheffield United this past week. On Tuesday evening the Blades played relatively well and controlled most of the game but somehow found themselves on the wrong end of a 4-0 walloping to Scunthorpe. Today United were probably second best for much of the contest but thanks to the goalkeeping of Steve Simonsen and a free kick from Ched Evans 13 minutes from time; the Blades were able to enjoy victory in a far less convincing performance than the one given days earlier.
The Blades brought back skipper Chris Morgan who replaced Nyron Nosworthy in the central of defence but otherwise had an unchanged side keeping faith with the goal shy three pronged attack of Evans, Cresswell and Ward. Portsmouth had failed to win all season but began with a strong line up featuring a core of players who had played in the Premier League last season with Dave Kitson and David Nugent up front and former Blade Michael Brown in the centre of midfield. Captain Aaron Mokoena also was able to shake off injury and take his place in the Pompey defence.
United kicked towards the Kop in the first half but were under pressure as Nugent nearly fed in Utaka and Bartley was at full stretch to poke the ball away. United had not been able to keep possession of the ball and Jordan’s wretched cross field ball put his fellow defenders under pressure and Utaka beat Calve before his shot was palmed away by Simonsen. Lawrence’s corner nearly dropped for Rocha but a teammate actually got in his way preventing him from getting a shot away when well positioned. It had been a strong start from the visitors who looked determined to finally notch that first league win of the season. United tried to get some crosses into the box but both Calve and Ward’s deliveries were too strong and keeper Ashdown remained untroubled.
United then had to make a change when skipper Morgan pulled up clearly having tweaked his hamstring. The defender instantly signalled for a change and Nosworthy came on to see the backline restored to the same five that had started the two previous games with mixed results. The dangerous Utaka again got away from United’s backline and left Bartley for dead but his cross just evaded Nugent at the far post.
Referee Hegley had erred on the side of leniency when Kitson clobbered Britton and then when the same man committed another indiscretion but once again the yellow card remained in the referee’s pocket. Soon after though he was cautioning a United player, Ertl, whose crime was being hit by a free kick which was taken instantly after the award giving him no chance to move away from the ball. Moments later Nugent threw the ball away right under the referee’s nose but he was allowed to escape without a card. The inconsistency of the officiating actually seemed to spark the previously quiet crowd and the home side who finally enjoyed some moments of territory. Britton was getting on the ball at every opportunity but former Blade Brown was doing all he could, both legal and illegal, to prevent the source of much of United’s attacking threat. One such late challenge saw Brown enter the referee’s notebook and Britton had to go off for medical attention.
Pompey continued to create chances though and Nugent’s header hit his own man when it seemed a good opportunity but the home side finally broke to create a chance when Evans held the ball up well and pulled back a clever cross but Ertl’s shot was screwed wide under pressure. Despite two stoppages for injuries the referee adjudged there was to be only one minute of stoppage time to be played but this passed without incident.
United had been lacklustre in the first half but they did not improve in the early stages of the first half as Portsmouth began strongly once again. Utaka the source of much of Pompey’s attacks once again skipped around Calve but his shot was blocked. Hesitant defending from the Blades again saw another opportunity created as Nugent stole in at the back post but Simonsen flung across to deny him at point blank range. The home side were beginning to get frustrated as poor passing and lack of options in the final third meant it had been a poor performance. However, unlike Tuesday evening they were still very much in the game and manager Speed opted to try and increase his attacking options as he replaced Montgomery with Quinn who instantly went wide left as the Blades switched to a 4-4-2 formation with Cresswell operating more centrally. However, the momentum remained with Pompey and after neat build up Lawrence’s low drive was goal bound but Simonsen got down well to save with his left hand. Moments later Bartley’s foul on Lawrence saw the former Stoke man presented with an opportunity from a free kick right on the edge of the area. His curled effort was tipped round the post by the keeper who was having an excellent afternoon. Nugent then shot well wide before Ward and Calve nearly combined to create an opportunity.
Despite not creating any real clear cut chances the Blades were given a good opportunity 13 minutes from time when after nice approach play Evans tried to play in Ward but Dickinson blocked with his arm giving the home side a free kick from 25 yards out. United had Yeates stripped and ready to come on with Evans the likely man to make way as Speed confirmed after the match but opted to give the Welsh striker the chance to strike the free kick. After the ball was touched EVANS stepped up and hit a low fizzing drive that hit the inside of Ashdown’s post and nestled into the net. Evans celebrated the vital breakthrough as the Portsmouth’s players slumped to the turf stunned that they were behind despite their positive performance. The Blades striker would surely reflect on how his fortunes had changed from the Scunthorpe game when the same post had been rattled but the ball had bounced away to safety.
Portmouth created another chance when Nugent split the United defence with a through ball but Kitson when well placed fired high and wide. The United scorer finally did depart and was given a warm round of applause for his crucial striker as Yeates took his place. Kanu came on as Pompey tried to salvage something but now gaps were appearing as the game had really opened up with the visitors throwing men forward. Twice United should have sealed the game but Cresswell could not convert Yeates’ cross and then Quinn ought to have done better when he cut in unopposed but only found Ashdown with men well positioned inside the box.
Kanu’s effort was saved comfortably by Simonsen as the game had entered the decreed additional 4 minutes stoppage time but United saw out time without too many further concerns and could celebrate the vital three points.
United – I felt today was United’s worst performance under Speed. Granted I was not at Derby but all I have heard was that it was a very good performance. At Boro we were not great but deserved a point. In the home games we played some lovely football versus Preston but did not have an end product in terms of created chances and were a tad fortunate to win. We were actually pretty good against Scunthorpe in terms of the football and style but could not score and then made basic mistakes at the back. Today I felt we did not pass the ball well, did not create chances at all and were very, very lucky to win the game. We never started the game and never got a foothold in the game. It just was a really poor performance. We looked very slow, unimaginative and pretty clueless in all areas. I am afraid it was no better than under Blackwell today and the patient ball retention was completely missing. We conceded several chances with the two full backs in particular not having a good day and never really looked like creating let alone scoring a goal. We had one shot on goal and scored and only one other shot all game; the Ertl effort.
The goal when it came was completely out of the blue but was a well taken effort from Evans. After that we did make chances and could have scored more but Pompey were chucking men forward. It is strange but I felt more optimistic after Tuesday then I did after today! I felt the players almost reverted to type and maybe the defeat has knocked the confidence as they went long again and stopped believing in what they had been trying to do in recent weeks. By not keeping the ball we did not give ourselves a chance of ever getting on top and I actually said that it would have been a good point before we scored as if anyone looked like scoring it would be Portsmouth.
Simonsen was excellent and made 2 or 3 very good saves. The one low down from Lawrence was a match winning save as I thought it was in all the way when he hit it. Aside from him the rest of the defence were not great. Bartley was the best of the lot and he gave away too many free kicks and also got pulled about, even if he did make a few decent blocks/tackles too. Defensively we were not close enough to our men all day right from the start. Morgan going off did not help but even before that we looked very open at the back with the full backs too far off their men and the central defenders not close enough together leaving big gaps all this area. In midfield Britton did alright again but was constantly being harassed by Brown which meant it was hard for him to dominate the ball like he has been doing. Montgomery actually was better than Ertl today in my opinion as I felt the big Austrian had his worst game for the Blades but Monty was not great so either could have been taken off. Not sure it works with the pair of them playing, certainly at home.
Up front we had utterly nothing. Granted the service was poor but Ward, Cresswell, Evans never looked like really doing anything. A couple of decent bits of play by Evans and maybe one run from Ward, apart, the forward line were completely ineffective. It is so one paced on the whole with little creativity, no aerial threat, power or subtlety. We really need something different in the final third of the pitch and fast because at the moment we are barely averaging a goal per game and the other night apart (when we did not score ironically!) we don’t look like scoring.
We need to somehow get back to the recent improvements in terms of football/passing and hope today was a one off. I am glad we won though as the other night I said we just needed to get some points and at least be around the middle of the league. It is just proving hard to combine a good result with a good performance at the moment. It seems to be one or the other!
A few tough away games at Leeds and Forest will be hard but part of me thinks the formation we employ and the personnel are actually better suited away from the Lane. Of course that will probably be the kiss of death and we will lose both comfortably!
The Blades brought back skipper Chris Morgan who replaced Nyron Nosworthy in the central of defence but otherwise had an unchanged side keeping faith with the goal shy three pronged attack of Evans, Cresswell and Ward. Portsmouth had failed to win all season but began with a strong line up featuring a core of players who had played in the Premier League last season with Dave Kitson and David Nugent up front and former Blade Michael Brown in the centre of midfield. Captain Aaron Mokoena also was able to shake off injury and take his place in the Pompey defence.
United kicked towards the Kop in the first half but were under pressure as Nugent nearly fed in Utaka and Bartley was at full stretch to poke the ball away. United had not been able to keep possession of the ball and Jordan’s wretched cross field ball put his fellow defenders under pressure and Utaka beat Calve before his shot was palmed away by Simonsen. Lawrence’s corner nearly dropped for Rocha but a teammate actually got in his way preventing him from getting a shot away when well positioned. It had been a strong start from the visitors who looked determined to finally notch that first league win of the season. United tried to get some crosses into the box but both Calve and Ward’s deliveries were too strong and keeper Ashdown remained untroubled.
United then had to make a change when skipper Morgan pulled up clearly having tweaked his hamstring. The defender instantly signalled for a change and Nosworthy came on to see the backline restored to the same five that had started the two previous games with mixed results. The dangerous Utaka again got away from United’s backline and left Bartley for dead but his cross just evaded Nugent at the far post.
Referee Hegley had erred on the side of leniency when Kitson clobbered Britton and then when the same man committed another indiscretion but once again the yellow card remained in the referee’s pocket. Soon after though he was cautioning a United player, Ertl, whose crime was being hit by a free kick which was taken instantly after the award giving him no chance to move away from the ball. Moments later Nugent threw the ball away right under the referee’s nose but he was allowed to escape without a card. The inconsistency of the officiating actually seemed to spark the previously quiet crowd and the home side who finally enjoyed some moments of territory. Britton was getting on the ball at every opportunity but former Blade Brown was doing all he could, both legal and illegal, to prevent the source of much of United’s attacking threat. One such late challenge saw Brown enter the referee’s notebook and Britton had to go off for medical attention.
Pompey continued to create chances though and Nugent’s header hit his own man when it seemed a good opportunity but the home side finally broke to create a chance when Evans held the ball up well and pulled back a clever cross but Ertl’s shot was screwed wide under pressure. Despite two stoppages for injuries the referee adjudged there was to be only one minute of stoppage time to be played but this passed without incident.
United had been lacklustre in the first half but they did not improve in the early stages of the first half as Portsmouth began strongly once again. Utaka the source of much of Pompey’s attacks once again skipped around Calve but his shot was blocked. Hesitant defending from the Blades again saw another opportunity created as Nugent stole in at the back post but Simonsen flung across to deny him at point blank range. The home side were beginning to get frustrated as poor passing and lack of options in the final third meant it had been a poor performance. However, unlike Tuesday evening they were still very much in the game and manager Speed opted to try and increase his attacking options as he replaced Montgomery with Quinn who instantly went wide left as the Blades switched to a 4-4-2 formation with Cresswell operating more centrally. However, the momentum remained with Pompey and after neat build up Lawrence’s low drive was goal bound but Simonsen got down well to save with his left hand. Moments later Bartley’s foul on Lawrence saw the former Stoke man presented with an opportunity from a free kick right on the edge of the area. His curled effort was tipped round the post by the keeper who was having an excellent afternoon. Nugent then shot well wide before Ward and Calve nearly combined to create an opportunity.
Despite not creating any real clear cut chances the Blades were given a good opportunity 13 minutes from time when after nice approach play Evans tried to play in Ward but Dickinson blocked with his arm giving the home side a free kick from 25 yards out. United had Yeates stripped and ready to come on with Evans the likely man to make way as Speed confirmed after the match but opted to give the Welsh striker the chance to strike the free kick. After the ball was touched EVANS stepped up and hit a low fizzing drive that hit the inside of Ashdown’s post and nestled into the net. Evans celebrated the vital breakthrough as the Portsmouth’s players slumped to the turf stunned that they were behind despite their positive performance. The Blades striker would surely reflect on how his fortunes had changed from the Scunthorpe game when the same post had been rattled but the ball had bounced away to safety.
Portmouth created another chance when Nugent split the United defence with a through ball but Kitson when well placed fired high and wide. The United scorer finally did depart and was given a warm round of applause for his crucial striker as Yeates took his place. Kanu came on as Pompey tried to salvage something but now gaps were appearing as the game had really opened up with the visitors throwing men forward. Twice United should have sealed the game but Cresswell could not convert Yeates’ cross and then Quinn ought to have done better when he cut in unopposed but only found Ashdown with men well positioned inside the box.
Kanu’s effort was saved comfortably by Simonsen as the game had entered the decreed additional 4 minutes stoppage time but United saw out time without too many further concerns and could celebrate the vital three points.
United – I felt today was United’s worst performance under Speed. Granted I was not at Derby but all I have heard was that it was a very good performance. At Boro we were not great but deserved a point. In the home games we played some lovely football versus Preston but did not have an end product in terms of created chances and were a tad fortunate to win. We were actually pretty good against Scunthorpe in terms of the football and style but could not score and then made basic mistakes at the back. Today I felt we did not pass the ball well, did not create chances at all and were very, very lucky to win the game. We never started the game and never got a foothold in the game. It just was a really poor performance. We looked very slow, unimaginative and pretty clueless in all areas. I am afraid it was no better than under Blackwell today and the patient ball retention was completely missing. We conceded several chances with the two full backs in particular not having a good day and never really looked like creating let alone scoring a goal. We had one shot on goal and scored and only one other shot all game; the Ertl effort.
The goal when it came was completely out of the blue but was a well taken effort from Evans. After that we did make chances and could have scored more but Pompey were chucking men forward. It is strange but I felt more optimistic after Tuesday then I did after today! I felt the players almost reverted to type and maybe the defeat has knocked the confidence as they went long again and stopped believing in what they had been trying to do in recent weeks. By not keeping the ball we did not give ourselves a chance of ever getting on top and I actually said that it would have been a good point before we scored as if anyone looked like scoring it would be Portsmouth.
Simonsen was excellent and made 2 or 3 very good saves. The one low down from Lawrence was a match winning save as I thought it was in all the way when he hit it. Aside from him the rest of the defence were not great. Bartley was the best of the lot and he gave away too many free kicks and also got pulled about, even if he did make a few decent blocks/tackles too. Defensively we were not close enough to our men all day right from the start. Morgan going off did not help but even before that we looked very open at the back with the full backs too far off their men and the central defenders not close enough together leaving big gaps all this area. In midfield Britton did alright again but was constantly being harassed by Brown which meant it was hard for him to dominate the ball like he has been doing. Montgomery actually was better than Ertl today in my opinion as I felt the big Austrian had his worst game for the Blades but Monty was not great so either could have been taken off. Not sure it works with the pair of them playing, certainly at home.
Up front we had utterly nothing. Granted the service was poor but Ward, Cresswell, Evans never looked like really doing anything. A couple of decent bits of play by Evans and maybe one run from Ward, apart, the forward line were completely ineffective. It is so one paced on the whole with little creativity, no aerial threat, power or subtlety. We really need something different in the final third of the pitch and fast because at the moment we are barely averaging a goal per game and the other night apart (when we did not score ironically!) we don’t look like scoring.
We need to somehow get back to the recent improvements in terms of football/passing and hope today was a one off. I am glad we won though as the other night I said we just needed to get some points and at least be around the middle of the league. It is just proving hard to combine a good result with a good performance at the moment. It seems to be one or the other!
A few tough away games at Leeds and Forest will be hard but part of me thinks the formation we employ and the personnel are actually better suited away from the Lane. Of course that will probably be the kiss of death and we will lose both comfortably!
