Deadbat
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No podcast as no one could be bothered to meet up! Match report below…..
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United and Watford shared the spoils on Boxing Day at a wet Bramall Lane. The side who started the day on the bottom of the Premier League, came and defended well and got a breakaway goal through Gerard Deulofeu but United levelled thanks to Ollie Norwood’s penalty after George Baldock had been tripped by Will Hughes. After this United were the more likely to net the winner but a wonder save from Ben Foster denied John Fleck and the Blades had to settle for a point.
United brought John Fleck back in after suspension with Luke Freeman dropping back to the bench. Abdoulaye Doucoure was suspended for the Hornets so Nathaniel Chalobah came in. Skipper Troy Deeney was not back starting after a long run out through injury. The game was delayed for ten minutes due to operational issues as the sold-out home fans entered Bramall Lane in dire weather conditions.
The game began with little action and both teams feeling each other out but eventually United started to get a foothold and with the overlapping centre back O’Connell advancing down the left almost profited. His cross was turned instinctively goalward by McBurnie but Foster made a great reaction save and McGoldrick could not turn the rebound home. Soon after the Scottish striker had a headed chance but Foster made this save more comfortable after the effort came in from the penalty spot area.
Basham then was smartly able to make a tackle and clearance at the other end as Watford tried to break using the quick wide players Sarr and Deulofeu. United did have the ball in the net as Fleck turned home a Basham cross but with the flag up, the checks confirmed that it was indeed offside despite many in the crowd hoping that finally a decision might go for United for once but to no avail!
Against the run of play the visitors took the lead. The set up was simple in its execution with a long ball nodded on by Chalobah and DEULOFEU got in between Stevens and O’Connell and steadied himself before drilling in at the near post.
United tried to respond but Watford were sitting even deeper now and United were struggling to break through with the front two often getting crowded out and the Norwood diagonal and Baldock driving run, the main sources of a comeback. So it proved when United got level on 36 minutes.
Baldock got to the ball just inside the box and Hughes upended him. There were few appeals from the Watford team who seemed angrier with their own player for his stupidity. The VAR check so the spot kick confirmed. NORWOOD took it and drilled it low into the left-hand side of the net giving Foster no chance.
The final stages saw an Egan header saved comfortably and a few other moments where the home team probed but could not find an opening.
Sarr had struggled just before the break going down with an injury and had to come off to be replaced by Pereyra.
United did look to up the pace and an attack down the left saw Stevens ball fall to Lundstram whose fierce volley flew over. Then O’Connell’s low cross just evaded the front two and was cleared. United were now definitely forcing the pace. Fleck hit a low shot at the keeper and then McGoldrick was offside as he shot against the post a long time after the attack had been thwarted.
Mousset came on for the ineffective McBurnie just after the hour mark and soon the French striker was in on the action and he sprinted away from two men and put over an inviting cross that seemed perfect for Fleck but his effort from point blank range was superbly saved from Foster. It was a wonder save and stopped another goal for the United midfielder in a prolific season for him by his normal standards.
Stevens had a low shot saved by Foster and United won a series of corners but had to be alive on the break to any threat from some dangerous attackers. Watford were mostly now sitting in but United were struggling to create much of anything clear cut after the Fleck chance and a number of corners were cleared or fouls took place to stem any momentum.
Gray took the place of Deeney as Watford looked for fresh runners to help keep the ball up the field despite the home side looking more likely. The game entered the final 5 minutes and a rare Watford break saw O’Connell’s soft foul give away a free kick chance for Deulofeu whose floated effort went narrowly wide of the post with Henderson rooted to the spot.
Chalobah was booked for taking an age to go off as Watford threw another defender on in Dawson as their intentions were quite clear in terms of getting a point. United kept going and Egan had a header blocked before Mousset was blocked out of things on the angle. It was not quite happening and despite an additional 5 minutes of stoppage time, Watford actually had a free kick on the angle that came to nothing before time ran out on United as they sought one last final surge with the full-time whistle coming as United advanced. The heads on the hands of the home players showed how disappointed they would be with the result and performance but also shows how far we have come in such a short time at the top table of English football.
United – Odd one to describe as were not awful but were not brilliant. It was quite an average performance really that saw quite a few individuals not quite at it and the team as a whole not having the tempo, consistency of passing or attacking impetus to win the game. We had more of the ball, more chances and more corners. If anyone deserved to win, it was us but not sure we quite did enough really. We started the game sloppily and they then scored on the break not long after McBurnie had two efforts and we had a VAR goal ruled out (well it did go to a check!). It was such a basic goal to let in and this made it really hard as they would defend even more then. We did get level though quite quickly and felt we would really up it second half. Not sure it really happened and even though we did step it up, it was still too slow with too many touches and the final ball/moments not good enough. The front two were ineffective throughout and the service behind them not really good enough. We huffed and puffed and Norwood and Baldock kept probing but too many others did not take responsibility as Wilder said.
I also thought we misjudged the conditions at times. The ball was sticking a bit and we kept trying to pass it and this meant it slowed down even more. When Mousset came on we should have gone more direct and played it in and behind the top. He showed on one move he could cause them problems but then oddly we started going wide more then? We took way too many touches to do basic things and they just got men round the ball and we did not put hardly any crosses in of quality. Still for all that we still had much more of the ball and pushed them back more than they did to us but they will take the draw of course and feel Foster made one great save either half and that was it really. They did not make Henderson make a save the other way though and on another day those chances go in.
Foster made one stunning save but can’t remember any other really clear chances and they came closest to winning it with the free kick just past the post at the end. It was a frustrating afternoon but you kind of just take the point and move on. A few weeks ago, Watford would have not got anything but now are well organised and resolute and did enough to get a draw. For United, they have to do better in such games and ensure we play the game at a higher tempo and can go through the middle more as it became very predictable with the angled crossfield balls and we struggled to get overloads like we have done. I was surprised we did not make many more than one change. Still it’s another draw and we move on. If we had drawn at Brighton and won today everyone would have said what a great return from the two Xmas games. We now have two really tough games now away from home where we get anything and we will be delighted and maybe now with the pressure off and teams coming at us more, that may suit us better than the defensive set up of teams like Newcastle and Watford where they did not attack much and we had to try and break them down. I do think we are a better away team than at home and the record proves that but we will have to come up with a phenomenal performance to get anything at the Etihad.
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United and Watford shared the spoils on Boxing Day at a wet Bramall Lane. The side who started the day on the bottom of the Premier League, came and defended well and got a breakaway goal through Gerard Deulofeu but United levelled thanks to Ollie Norwood’s penalty after George Baldock had been tripped by Will Hughes. After this United were the more likely to net the winner but a wonder save from Ben Foster denied John Fleck and the Blades had to settle for a point.
United brought John Fleck back in after suspension with Luke Freeman dropping back to the bench. Abdoulaye Doucoure was suspended for the Hornets so Nathaniel Chalobah came in. Skipper Troy Deeney was not back starting after a long run out through injury. The game was delayed for ten minutes due to operational issues as the sold-out home fans entered Bramall Lane in dire weather conditions.
The game began with little action and both teams feeling each other out but eventually United started to get a foothold and with the overlapping centre back O’Connell advancing down the left almost profited. His cross was turned instinctively goalward by McBurnie but Foster made a great reaction save and McGoldrick could not turn the rebound home. Soon after the Scottish striker had a headed chance but Foster made this save more comfortable after the effort came in from the penalty spot area.
Basham then was smartly able to make a tackle and clearance at the other end as Watford tried to break using the quick wide players Sarr and Deulofeu. United did have the ball in the net as Fleck turned home a Basham cross but with the flag up, the checks confirmed that it was indeed offside despite many in the crowd hoping that finally a decision might go for United for once but to no avail!
Against the run of play the visitors took the lead. The set up was simple in its execution with a long ball nodded on by Chalobah and DEULOFEU got in between Stevens and O’Connell and steadied himself before drilling in at the near post.
United tried to respond but Watford were sitting even deeper now and United were struggling to break through with the front two often getting crowded out and the Norwood diagonal and Baldock driving run, the main sources of a comeback. So it proved when United got level on 36 minutes.
Baldock got to the ball just inside the box and Hughes upended him. There were few appeals from the Watford team who seemed angrier with their own player for his stupidity. The VAR check so the spot kick confirmed. NORWOOD took it and drilled it low into the left-hand side of the net giving Foster no chance.
The final stages saw an Egan header saved comfortably and a few other moments where the home team probed but could not find an opening.
Sarr had struggled just before the break going down with an injury and had to come off to be replaced by Pereyra.
United did look to up the pace and an attack down the left saw Stevens ball fall to Lundstram whose fierce volley flew over. Then O’Connell’s low cross just evaded the front two and was cleared. United were now definitely forcing the pace. Fleck hit a low shot at the keeper and then McGoldrick was offside as he shot against the post a long time after the attack had been thwarted.
Mousset came on for the ineffective McBurnie just after the hour mark and soon the French striker was in on the action and he sprinted away from two men and put over an inviting cross that seemed perfect for Fleck but his effort from point blank range was superbly saved from Foster. It was a wonder save and stopped another goal for the United midfielder in a prolific season for him by his normal standards.
Stevens had a low shot saved by Foster and United won a series of corners but had to be alive on the break to any threat from some dangerous attackers. Watford were mostly now sitting in but United were struggling to create much of anything clear cut after the Fleck chance and a number of corners were cleared or fouls took place to stem any momentum.
Gray took the place of Deeney as Watford looked for fresh runners to help keep the ball up the field despite the home side looking more likely. The game entered the final 5 minutes and a rare Watford break saw O’Connell’s soft foul give away a free kick chance for Deulofeu whose floated effort went narrowly wide of the post with Henderson rooted to the spot.
Chalobah was booked for taking an age to go off as Watford threw another defender on in Dawson as their intentions were quite clear in terms of getting a point. United kept going and Egan had a header blocked before Mousset was blocked out of things on the angle. It was not quite happening and despite an additional 5 minutes of stoppage time, Watford actually had a free kick on the angle that came to nothing before time ran out on United as they sought one last final surge with the full-time whistle coming as United advanced. The heads on the hands of the home players showed how disappointed they would be with the result and performance but also shows how far we have come in such a short time at the top table of English football.
United – Odd one to describe as were not awful but were not brilliant. It was quite an average performance really that saw quite a few individuals not quite at it and the team as a whole not having the tempo, consistency of passing or attacking impetus to win the game. We had more of the ball, more chances and more corners. If anyone deserved to win, it was us but not sure we quite did enough really. We started the game sloppily and they then scored on the break not long after McBurnie had two efforts and we had a VAR goal ruled out (well it did go to a check!). It was such a basic goal to let in and this made it really hard as they would defend even more then. We did get level though quite quickly and felt we would really up it second half. Not sure it really happened and even though we did step it up, it was still too slow with too many touches and the final ball/moments not good enough. The front two were ineffective throughout and the service behind them not really good enough. We huffed and puffed and Norwood and Baldock kept probing but too many others did not take responsibility as Wilder said.
I also thought we misjudged the conditions at times. The ball was sticking a bit and we kept trying to pass it and this meant it slowed down even more. When Mousset came on we should have gone more direct and played it in and behind the top. He showed on one move he could cause them problems but then oddly we started going wide more then? We took way too many touches to do basic things and they just got men round the ball and we did not put hardly any crosses in of quality. Still for all that we still had much more of the ball and pushed them back more than they did to us but they will take the draw of course and feel Foster made one great save either half and that was it really. They did not make Henderson make a save the other way though and on another day those chances go in.
Foster made one stunning save but can’t remember any other really clear chances and they came closest to winning it with the free kick just past the post at the end. It was a frustrating afternoon but you kind of just take the point and move on. A few weeks ago, Watford would have not got anything but now are well organised and resolute and did enough to get a draw. For United, they have to do better in such games and ensure we play the game at a higher tempo and can go through the middle more as it became very predictable with the angled crossfield balls and we struggled to get overloads like we have done. I was surprised we did not make many more than one change. Still it’s another draw and we move on. If we had drawn at Brighton and won today everyone would have said what a great return from the two Xmas games. We now have two really tough games now away from home where we get anything and we will be delighted and maybe now with the pressure off and teams coming at us more, that may suit us better than the defensive set up of teams like Newcastle and Watford where they did not attack much and we had to try and break them down. I do think we are a better away team than at home and the record proves that but we will have to come up with a phenomenal performance to get anything at the Etihad.
