Deadbat
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After the high drama of the weekend and the eight goal thriller at the National Stadium, United were involved in a dire game of football on Good Friday at Bramall Lane. An own goal by John Mousinho was the only thing between the two sides in a desperately poor game. The home side never really got going but did enough to nose the visitors; that are now are on the verge of dropping down to League Two. United know they still have a slight hope of the playoffs but in reality they are now turning their attentions to the next campaign after Sunday’s cup defeat effectively ended their season.
Manager Clough maybe surprisingly named an unchanged side as he went with his strongest line up in a bid to return to winning ways albeit it in a different kind of environment and atmosphere to that of Wembley Stadium. Murphy did begin up top with Baxter out wide in a tweak to the positional line up as United began on the front foot. Coady nearly was in after some neat touches before Baxter had a shot parried away from Day. It had been a relatively quiet opening but after some neat football United were ahead.
Baxter played a clever ball into the path of Murphy who drew his man and went down the left side and drilled a very dangerous cross which saw MOUSINHO knock the ball past his own keeper and into the net. It was a difficult cross to defend and thus you could have some sympathy for the Stevenage player.
United continued to be the better side without really creating too many clear chances. Murphy was causing problems with his running and saw one cross cleared before hesitancy at the back nearly led to a chance. Stevenage had created little with one long range shot from Zoko all they could offer in respite. Murphy was clnsily bundled off the ball right on the edge of the box but the referee strangely did not even see a foul and played on.
Doyle had been able to control the centre of the field and from two tackles he won in quick succession, United got in the last third but two over played balls saw the danger averted. The half time whistle came soon after. United had edged the first half without been totally convincing.
The second half saw a decent run from Scougall but he was blocked before Doyle was cautioned after a foul on Heslop. The free kick summed up Stevenage’s attacking attempts as they somehow got in each other way and the ball was cleared.
Hill came on for the stricken Harris who had seemed to have pulled a muscle and the experienced defender had to be alert to see of a dangerous attack.
Brayford’s sloppy play nearly led to a chance by Freeman’s shot was blocked via Howard before Jones’ header was kicked away right on the line from Baxter.
Paynter replaced Baxter and was immediately involved giving United a more physical presence before he was floored and needed treatment with physio’s from both teams rushing on fearing a more serious injury than fortunately it proved to be.
Davies replaced Scougall as United tried to get some kind of foothold again in a really poor game of football. Freeman drifted inside Hill and had a powerful shot but fortunately it was straight at Howard. Akins then had a shot blocked as the away side were now asking all the questions against a tired looking United side.
United were now struggling to keep the ball and Stevenage came for one final time as the game entered five minutes of stoppage time. However, Freeman’s shot was deflected over and the corner was cleared. Soon after the full time whistle came to signal a Blades victory; where certainly the result will be remembered more than the performance.
United – Really poor tonight sadly and it was in simple terms a horrible 1-0 win. We started ok, scored a decent goal, well made by Baxter and Murphy and controlled things without having many chances. The half kind of came and went with little happening but we had been the better side without dominating really. We had been sloppy with the ball and too slow to get into good areas but had little problems defensively.
Second half we were even worse than the ordinary to lacklustre stuff we had seen in the opening 45 minutes. We became even sloppier with the ball, sat back and never got on the front foot. We created next to nothing after the break and the visitors had some half chances and it would not have been a total shock if they had equalised even though they never looked totally convincing themselves. We just never kept the ball, never got in good areas and created nothing.
Defensively we were sloppy and sat back and they had a few half decent chances it not clear opportunities and it was a game where you kind of just wanted to get it over and get the win. We did that but it showed we are still a long way off being a side that will blow teams away as eve if you temper the fatigue etc, we still struggled mightily to see off quite an abject and pretty much relegated side.
Murphy showed some good bits and Doyle was industrious but the defence was sloppy, the rest of the midfield careless and lacking bite. We had little up front all game and created very few chances. Overall we just looked a tired and slow side that seemed still somewhat hung over from Sunday. You felt if they had stepped up 10-15% they would have gone on to get more goals and could have won at a canter but it never really happened and it looked like we were running in treacle most of the game. Fortunately the side they were against were even worse than us and we kind of limped over
the line.
We looked a side that wants the season to end and all the talk about us needing to finish strongly simply did not happen today as we were poor. I was in favour of them playing the strongest side and we did that but they never got going and it was an awful game to watch.
Manager Clough maybe surprisingly named an unchanged side as he went with his strongest line up in a bid to return to winning ways albeit it in a different kind of environment and atmosphere to that of Wembley Stadium. Murphy did begin up top with Baxter out wide in a tweak to the positional line up as United began on the front foot. Coady nearly was in after some neat touches before Baxter had a shot parried away from Day. It had been a relatively quiet opening but after some neat football United were ahead.
Baxter played a clever ball into the path of Murphy who drew his man and went down the left side and drilled a very dangerous cross which saw MOUSINHO knock the ball past his own keeper and into the net. It was a difficult cross to defend and thus you could have some sympathy for the Stevenage player.
United continued to be the better side without really creating too many clear chances. Murphy was causing problems with his running and saw one cross cleared before hesitancy at the back nearly led to a chance. Stevenage had created little with one long range shot from Zoko all they could offer in respite. Murphy was clnsily bundled off the ball right on the edge of the box but the referee strangely did not even see a foul and played on.
Doyle had been able to control the centre of the field and from two tackles he won in quick succession, United got in the last third but two over played balls saw the danger averted. The half time whistle came soon after. United had edged the first half without been totally convincing.
The second half saw a decent run from Scougall but he was blocked before Doyle was cautioned after a foul on Heslop. The free kick summed up Stevenage’s attacking attempts as they somehow got in each other way and the ball was cleared.
Hill came on for the stricken Harris who had seemed to have pulled a muscle and the experienced defender had to be alert to see of a dangerous attack.
Brayford’s sloppy play nearly led to a chance by Freeman’s shot was blocked via Howard before Jones’ header was kicked away right on the line from Baxter.
Paynter replaced Baxter and was immediately involved giving United a more physical presence before he was floored and needed treatment with physio’s from both teams rushing on fearing a more serious injury than fortunately it proved to be.
Davies replaced Scougall as United tried to get some kind of foothold again in a really poor game of football. Freeman drifted inside Hill and had a powerful shot but fortunately it was straight at Howard. Akins then had a shot blocked as the away side were now asking all the questions against a tired looking United side.
United were now struggling to keep the ball and Stevenage came for one final time as the game entered five minutes of stoppage time. However, Freeman’s shot was deflected over and the corner was cleared. Soon after the full time whistle came to signal a Blades victory; where certainly the result will be remembered more than the performance.
United – Really poor tonight sadly and it was in simple terms a horrible 1-0 win. We started ok, scored a decent goal, well made by Baxter and Murphy and controlled things without having many chances. The half kind of came and went with little happening but we had been the better side without dominating really. We had been sloppy with the ball and too slow to get into good areas but had little problems defensively.
Second half we were even worse than the ordinary to lacklustre stuff we had seen in the opening 45 minutes. We became even sloppier with the ball, sat back and never got on the front foot. We created next to nothing after the break and the visitors had some half chances and it would not have been a total shock if they had equalised even though they never looked totally convincing themselves. We just never kept the ball, never got in good areas and created nothing.
Defensively we were sloppy and sat back and they had a few half decent chances it not clear opportunities and it was a game where you kind of just wanted to get it over and get the win. We did that but it showed we are still a long way off being a side that will blow teams away as eve if you temper the fatigue etc, we still struggled mightily to see off quite an abject and pretty much relegated side.
Murphy showed some good bits and Doyle was industrious but the defence was sloppy, the rest of the midfield careless and lacking bite. We had little up front all game and created very few chances. Overall we just looked a tired and slow side that seemed still somewhat hung over from Sunday. You felt if they had stepped up 10-15% they would have gone on to get more goals and could have won at a canter but it never really happened and it looked like we were running in treacle most of the game. Fortunately the side they were against were even worse than us and we kind of limped over
the line.
We looked a side that wants the season to end and all the talk about us needing to finish strongly simply did not happen today as we were poor. I was in favour of them playing the strongest side and we did that but they never got going and it was an awful game to watch.