Deadbat
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Sheffield United made it eight wins in succession as they saw off playoff contenders Peterborough at Bramall Lane. United made several changes but still were able to win relatively comfortably with home keeper Mark Howard barely making a save all night. Two excellent goals courtesy of loanee Ben Davies from a free kick and then Chris Porter with his now customary goal when he comes on from the bench won it. United were solid throughout and played neat stuff with it but perhaps even more so were organised and resolute without the ball and showed why they have kept so many clean sheets.
Manager Clough made more changes than even many home fans would have imagined as six went out. Some were forced with Murphy and Brayford deemed not fit but also out (rested) were Scougall, Harris, Baxter and Flynn. In came Paynter, Miller, McGinn and more surprisingly Kennedy and the previously out of favour McFadzean.
Peterborough had been scratching around for form and also changed things around with leading scorer Britt Assombalonga surprisingly left out and Connor Washington brought in for his first start.
The game began with Davies at right back and Kennedy alongside Collins. Paynter was up top on his own flanked by McFadzean and Miller although in the early stages these two did keep switching sides. Miller had one half chance but miskicked whilst the busy Coady nearly fed Paynter. At the other end ‘Boro had a spell but the best they could muster was a McQuoid chance that was off target. United had been the more likely in the early stages and Miller’s cross shot after good work from Coady was somehow hacked over his own bar from Little when it easily could have gone into his own goal.
McFadzean had an effort deflected narrowly wide as United looked to turn the screw but soon the young winger was departing. It was after only 20 minutes when he was taken off and replayed by Flynn. It seemed to be a change by choice/tactics rather than injury but it was not totally clear and the young winger did not seem happy as his brief return to the side did not last long.
The better football was being played by the home side with Coady and Doyle controlling midfield. A few neat moves almost saw Miller in but soon after they were very unfortunate not to in front.
McGinn hit a low raking shot that beat the keeper but hit the post and when it came out Paynter could not convert hitting it straight at the keeper although it was unclear whether he would have been ruled offside if he had converted. Miller then fired over after a run following more good work from Coady.
United had the better chances and had been the more likely but the half ended without a goal.
The second half saw United make their superiority pay instantly as they won a free kick after Miller was baulked. DAVIES grabbed the ball and walked over and after the wall was taken further back; the Derby loanee ran up and hit an absolute beauty as his curled effort went in with pace and precision leaving Olejnik motionless. It was a tremendous free kick.
After the goal United had a spell where they sat back for a period but they kept a good shape and barely a chance came from Posh. Indeed Paynter’s good control and pull back saw a chance for McGinn but he shot over.
McGinn had been struggling and was hobbling for a few minutes before he was replaced by Scougall. The signing from Livingston was straight into the game as his all action play was shown as he went on a run from half way before being blocked out.
Peterborough won a number of corners in quick succession but none of them really came to anything and Ferguson shuffled his pack and made a double change with
Assombalonga and Bostwick coming on and Newell soon after also came on.
A gut busting run from Flynn nearly led to a chance as it fell to Miller who was just blocked out after patiently taking his time to bring down and it led to a United corner.
Porter was brought on for the home side for Paynter and was soon flicking the ball on but Flynn could not quite get on the end of things.
The pattern of the game was the visitors having the ball but doing little with it as United’s defence commanded well by Collins and the quietly effective Kennedy restricted them completely. In front of them Doyle was also having a very good game and with Coady energetic and enterprising on the ball, United were still good value despite conceding territory.
The minutes ticked away but despite more corners coming; no chances came and United were actually looking just as dangerous on the break and so it proved.
Coady’s performance had been high quality throughout and his performance was punctuated when he made another run forward and a delightful through ball that put PORTER in the clear. The striker was in on goal and clinically drilled it past Olejnik to effectively seal the game in front of the delighted Kop.
The visitors finally had a chance right at the end; just before the four minutes of stoppage time; as they got in down the left hand channel as Newell drilled just wide.
United – Another solid and well organised performance. We were the better side and deserved the win. We probably had less of the ball than them, had less corners and overall sat and played a disciplined shape for long spells. However for all this we had better chances, played neater football and looked more incisive in the final third. We hit the post, had 2 or 3 other efforts deflect just wide and scored two very good goals.
That with a much changed side and players brought in that have barely played. The game plan worked perfectly as Clough seems to have United playing and set up a certain way that is making it incredibly hard to score goals against us (the clean sheets we are keeping is testament to that – 1 goal conceded in 7 games and 4 straight clean sheets).
We are restricting teams to many chances (at least clear ones) and just keep solid lines making teams frustrated so they inevitably just give the ball away or become impatient.
When we had it we did well and whilst we still lacked cutting edge up top, excellent play from likes of Doyle, Coady, Flynn and latterly Scougall made sure we still played neat triangles and some quick and quite incisive stuff. First half we had the better chances and could have been winning at half time. Second half we got in front thanks to a cracker from Davies and then even though we had a spell of sitting back and they had a lot of the ball, we kept our discipline and made sure we did not go chasing and only won it when we could. When we got it we made others covered for anyone that went for the tackle or tried to intercept. They hunted in packs at times and made sure they all helped each other.
The pattern of play with and without the ball means others that come in know what is expected. Add in a better fitness level (never felt we were that fatigued tonight and finished stronger than them!) and we are becoming tough to beat. Long may it continue.
We clearly need a few more better players in the long run to add to the new found shape and system (and you can still see weak links particularly up top for me) but we have some players doing really well and we are getting there and Clough clearly knows what he is doing. Just a shame we started the season so badly as despite many thinking we have a chance; we would have to go on another run like this one before the end of the season to make up the gap for me. Peterborough were poor but will still win a fair few games between now and the end of the season. It is annoying when you see how poor the 6th team was made to look though tonight and we may just run out of games.
Also, we do have some tough games to come; particularly at the Lane but we have nothing to fear. Now at least whatever happens with regards small chance of top 6; we should be safe (closer to top 6 on points than the bottom 4) and can now forget the league for a week and really have a go on Sunday. Hopefully Maguire and Murphy will be fit and with Harris and Baxter back along with Scougall and Flynn starting. Not sure about Brayford as not sure he will be ready – maybe a few weeks from what I have heard and will be a big loss but today proved even with players coming in, we are full of confidence and can have a real go at Charlton.
Manager Clough made more changes than even many home fans would have imagined as six went out. Some were forced with Murphy and Brayford deemed not fit but also out (rested) were Scougall, Harris, Baxter and Flynn. In came Paynter, Miller, McGinn and more surprisingly Kennedy and the previously out of favour McFadzean.
Peterborough had been scratching around for form and also changed things around with leading scorer Britt Assombalonga surprisingly left out and Connor Washington brought in for his first start.
The game began with Davies at right back and Kennedy alongside Collins. Paynter was up top on his own flanked by McFadzean and Miller although in the early stages these two did keep switching sides. Miller had one half chance but miskicked whilst the busy Coady nearly fed Paynter. At the other end ‘Boro had a spell but the best they could muster was a McQuoid chance that was off target. United had been the more likely in the early stages and Miller’s cross shot after good work from Coady was somehow hacked over his own bar from Little when it easily could have gone into his own goal.
McFadzean had an effort deflected narrowly wide as United looked to turn the screw but soon the young winger was departing. It was after only 20 minutes when he was taken off and replayed by Flynn. It seemed to be a change by choice/tactics rather than injury but it was not totally clear and the young winger did not seem happy as his brief return to the side did not last long.
The better football was being played by the home side with Coady and Doyle controlling midfield. A few neat moves almost saw Miller in but soon after they were very unfortunate not to in front.
McGinn hit a low raking shot that beat the keeper but hit the post and when it came out Paynter could not convert hitting it straight at the keeper although it was unclear whether he would have been ruled offside if he had converted. Miller then fired over after a run following more good work from Coady.
United had the better chances and had been the more likely but the half ended without a goal.
The second half saw United make their superiority pay instantly as they won a free kick after Miller was baulked. DAVIES grabbed the ball and walked over and after the wall was taken further back; the Derby loanee ran up and hit an absolute beauty as his curled effort went in with pace and precision leaving Olejnik motionless. It was a tremendous free kick.
After the goal United had a spell where they sat back for a period but they kept a good shape and barely a chance came from Posh. Indeed Paynter’s good control and pull back saw a chance for McGinn but he shot over.
McGinn had been struggling and was hobbling for a few minutes before he was replaced by Scougall. The signing from Livingston was straight into the game as his all action play was shown as he went on a run from half way before being blocked out.
Peterborough won a number of corners in quick succession but none of them really came to anything and Ferguson shuffled his pack and made a double change with
Assombalonga and Bostwick coming on and Newell soon after also came on.
A gut busting run from Flynn nearly led to a chance as it fell to Miller who was just blocked out after patiently taking his time to bring down and it led to a United corner.
Porter was brought on for the home side for Paynter and was soon flicking the ball on but Flynn could not quite get on the end of things.
The pattern of the game was the visitors having the ball but doing little with it as United’s defence commanded well by Collins and the quietly effective Kennedy restricted them completely. In front of them Doyle was also having a very good game and with Coady energetic and enterprising on the ball, United were still good value despite conceding territory.
The minutes ticked away but despite more corners coming; no chances came and United were actually looking just as dangerous on the break and so it proved.
Coady’s performance had been high quality throughout and his performance was punctuated when he made another run forward and a delightful through ball that put PORTER in the clear. The striker was in on goal and clinically drilled it past Olejnik to effectively seal the game in front of the delighted Kop.
The visitors finally had a chance right at the end; just before the four minutes of stoppage time; as they got in down the left hand channel as Newell drilled just wide.
United – Another solid and well organised performance. We were the better side and deserved the win. We probably had less of the ball than them, had less corners and overall sat and played a disciplined shape for long spells. However for all this we had better chances, played neater football and looked more incisive in the final third. We hit the post, had 2 or 3 other efforts deflect just wide and scored two very good goals.
That with a much changed side and players brought in that have barely played. The game plan worked perfectly as Clough seems to have United playing and set up a certain way that is making it incredibly hard to score goals against us (the clean sheets we are keeping is testament to that – 1 goal conceded in 7 games and 4 straight clean sheets).
We are restricting teams to many chances (at least clear ones) and just keep solid lines making teams frustrated so they inevitably just give the ball away or become impatient.
When we had it we did well and whilst we still lacked cutting edge up top, excellent play from likes of Doyle, Coady, Flynn and latterly Scougall made sure we still played neat triangles and some quick and quite incisive stuff. First half we had the better chances and could have been winning at half time. Second half we got in front thanks to a cracker from Davies and then even though we had a spell of sitting back and they had a lot of the ball, we kept our discipline and made sure we did not go chasing and only won it when we could. When we got it we made others covered for anyone that went for the tackle or tried to intercept. They hunted in packs at times and made sure they all helped each other.
The pattern of play with and without the ball means others that come in know what is expected. Add in a better fitness level (never felt we were that fatigued tonight and finished stronger than them!) and we are becoming tough to beat. Long may it continue.
We clearly need a few more better players in the long run to add to the new found shape and system (and you can still see weak links particularly up top for me) but we have some players doing really well and we are getting there and Clough clearly knows what he is doing. Just a shame we started the season so badly as despite many thinking we have a chance; we would have to go on another run like this one before the end of the season to make up the gap for me. Peterborough were poor but will still win a fair few games between now and the end of the season. It is annoying when you see how poor the 6th team was made to look though tonight and we may just run out of games.
Also, we do have some tough games to come; particularly at the Lane but we have nothing to fear. Now at least whatever happens with regards small chance of top 6; we should be safe (closer to top 6 on points than the bottom 4) and can now forget the league for a week and really have a go on Sunday. Hopefully Maguire and Murphy will be fit and with Harris and Baxter back along with Scougall and Flynn starting. Not sure about Brayford as not sure he will be ready – maybe a few weeks from what I have heard and will be a big loss but today proved even with players coming in, we are full of confidence and can have a real go at Charlton.
