United 4 Fulham 5 - report

[Stretch]

Some brutal scores in their Deadbat, can't say I agree with all of them but as ever an enjoyable read and thanks for taking the time out.

God knows how you see all this happening and remember it.

 

[stringer]

No write off Lundstram gets a 6.5 pretty competant display

OP gave him 4.5

 

[stringer]

So come on mate . Give us your view , give your marks so that we far away Blades may have an alternative constructive opinion. After all it is about opinions isn't it

Absolutely. Fleck was far and away United’s best player, Clarke an obvious second, Duffy and Sharp were off it, Stevens wasn’t great, Lundstram’s biggest crime it seems is not being Coutts but he worked his balls off to get United going in the way Coutts does, a great challenge led to Clarke’s second.

He isn’t the quickest, like Coutts, but has the passing ability and can also put his foot in where Coutts perhaps doesn’t. As someone else pointed out, he’s gone from the main man and skipper at Oxford to a squad man, still getting used to the system and players around him and the jump in standard, too.

To try and put it succinctly, Coutts came good after two seasons. Lundstram’s being written off after four games. Patience has never been plentiful at the Lane but it’s needed here

 

[I should coco]

Lundstram 4.5/10 – May seem harsh as a mark as he won a tackle for the 2nd goal but other than that, he played a few long-range diagonal balls but did little else. On the ball he takes an age and takes 5 or 6 touches to do something simple. He does not carry it forward and lacks pace to move with the ball. They just sat off him and he ended up being a centre half and then ended the game in the right back area where he got horrible exposed on last two goals where they beat him for pace and skill. He just slows out play down. I would rather him give it someone else than take 4 or 5 touches and then play it sideways. He reminded me of gulp…Dean Hammond. Ok, maybe not that bad but the way they just passed it round him and he clutched at a shirt or grabbed a quicker, more skilful player. Cairney made him look a fool several times. We have got where we have with pressing, closing off the ball and quick, fluent football. His play affects both adversely. People will say it’s too early but I have seen him at QPR, Forest and home v Ipswich and tonight. We have won one of those games he has started and he has done little to impress in any of them really.

Plenty of ammo there DB for the boo boys to use. Exepcts some "I told you so"s over the coming days. he was slow and didb't have a great game but the movement was not showing for him due to their pressing. I don't see that Coutts would have been that effective last night either and Lundstram is definitely a better defender.

Despite Clarke being very good and getting another hattrick, I had Fleck as MoM. He did two jobs (his and Coutts) as best he could and was immense. The only criticism we could make was that there were at least 7 or 8 blades of grass he never covered.

Thanks for the report though.

 

[Plan B]

I’d give Sharp 2/10, thought he was beyond hopeless last night. Wish we’d had one of Fulham’s nippy forwards up front with Clarke.

 

[Trafford]

Only 8 for Clarke. OK... Eight goals in three matches. Billy Sharp had no service so the low mark is unfair. No mention in your report about the endless sideways back sideways back passing. .

Two points - the poor service didn't seem to affect Clarke (Billy just had a bad game, it happens, we don't need to make excuses for him) and we've been playing it sideways & back all season, it's very effective when a space is finally created by the the midfield / forwards. The difference last night was that there didn't seem to be anywhere near as many options from midfield, possibly due to Duffy also having an off-night, so it often went sideways, backwards, hoof rather than having a pass to feet at the end of it.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

Lundstram 4.5/10 – May seem harsh as a mark as he won a tackle for the 2nd goal but other than that, he played a few long-range diagonal balls but did little else. On the ball he takes an age and takes 5 or 6 touches to do something simple. He does not carry it forward and lacks pace to move with the ball. They just sat off him and he ended up being a centre half and then ended the game in the right back area where he got horrible exposed on last two goals where they beat him for pace and skill. He just slows out play down. I would rather him give it someone else than take 4 or 5 touches and then play it sideways. He reminded me of gulp…Dean Hammond. Ok, maybe not that bad but the way they just passed it round him and he clutched at a shirt or grabbed a quicker, more skilful player. Cairney made him look a fool several times. We have got where we have with pressing, closing off the ball and quick, fluent football. His play affects both adversely. People will say it’s too early but I have seen him at QPR, Forest and home v Ipswich and tonight. We have won one of those games he has started and he has done little to impress in any of them really.

Lundstram written off after four games, blimey. Even some of our more esteemed posters would be proud of that!

I have included deadbats comments about Lundstram because it is what a number of us feel about Lundstram. Not convinced anyone is writing Lundstram off but asking him to play the Coutts role (IMHO) is plain daft and I will continue to write it until proven wrong because the team will suffer. As posted before I don't have a problem with Lundstram playing but I have a big problem how he was ASKED to play last night - he simply can't do it and agree totally with deadbats assessment. It's nothing personal to Lundstram and not convinced Sami can do it either and totally against Basham trying too.

Without doubt for me and with Coutts out until next season, CM is now a must for the JTW - unless CW & AK wants to tweak our style to accommodate Lundstram. If we don't and the wheels start coming off, the criticism now will by 1000 times worse from some.

UTB

 

[Jehovah]

Lundstram offers nothing for me. Woefully slow and aimless balls assuming he doesn't dither for 30 seconds to just make a sideways pass.

 

[SB_90]

Weirdly by full time i was ok with that perfomance. ok admitally i was moaning a bit through the 1st half screaming near half time. can we have the defence weve had for over the past yr back please, because that defence for the 3 goals were uncharacteristically shambolic with poor attention span & lax marking. Where we all but handed fulham 3 goals on a plate. which you cannot do at any level nevermind last yr championship play off semi finalists with some good technical players. i thought cairney, obviously sessengon & there no11 were very impressive but Leon Clarke deserved so much more after 2 brilliantly taken goals. really if were being honest it took fulham to the 5th for them score a goal we didn't either give them or shoot ourselves in the foot. 4th goal i think is forgivable as i think wilder was spot on because at the time i thought going for equaliser was correct decision there was always consequence it would left us exposed maybe in hindsight maybe we went gung ho too early. but i cant complain

i thought the ref was very weird with some decision gave us nothing at 3-2 just advantanges but everything at 4-2 Free kicks left right & centre. he affect the match as j thought we had 2 very good shouts for penalty at 3-2 & 4-2 down for sharp & brooks. then there was 1 cleared off the line, Fulham go up the other end & finish. mightve my gripes from tonight. but the team still made me very proud with there never give up attitude, because admitally i thought 4-2 we could 5-2 was a bridge too far. but so proud of them to still giving 100% even at 5-2 down & be shattered at the end. so like i said despite the problems still deserved the huge ovation for their efforts & like we always have to remember still got a few injury issues might be wrong but isnt Brentford & Barnsley only 2 home games with full strength team. utd still only been outclassed once despite few losses that was cardiff Away. if pre or even post Brentford someone had said youll be 4pts clear in 3rd come the final game of november. i would have been chuffed to bits

 

[Baaaaaaa Blades]

think Lundstram will come good BUT it may well take time ..

he has only been here since the summer from the lower leagues and i cant imagine Wilder thought he would have to unfortuately cope without Coutts for so long
i agree with deadbat that he looks too slow and a little over weight for our style of play ,

You cannot compare him to Coutts really as that is unfair as Coutts is one of the best playmakers in this league

but Landstram needs to be quicker, more decisive and fitter , things that will come but he needs time to get up to speed with the other guys who have mostly been here for 16 months together and are used to each other

for me i would maybe see how curruthers does in that role , he has been here longer , seems fitter and leaner this season and also not afraid to go forward with the ball ,
think having Bash back at RCB and Baldock back would also make a huge difference

 

[broomhillblade]

I can't understand all the hype over Brooks. Yes, he's an exciting prospect, but he's got a long way to go.

 

[Woodwardfan]

think Lundstram will come good BUT it may well take time ..

he has only been here since the summer from the lower leagues and i cant imagine Wilder thought he would have to unfortuately cope without Coutts for so long
i agree with deadbat that he looks too slow and a little over weight for our style of play ,

You cannot compare him to Coutts really as that is unfair as Coutts is one of the best playmakers in this league

but Landstram needs to be quicker, more decisive and fitter , things that will come but he needs time to get up to speed with the other guys who have mostly been here for 16 months together and are used to each other
,
for me i would maybe see how curruthers does in that role , he has been here longer , seems fitter and leaner this season and also not afraid to go forward with the ball ,
think having Bash back at RCB and Baldock back would also make a huge difference

"Overweight"?! How can a 23 year old lad, player of the season and captain of his old club last year, highly rated by Wilder and Knill, publicly backed by them time and again, managers who emphasise day to day commitment and dedication to the cause, possibly be "overweight".

Our skipper has been labelled 'overweight', " fat lad from Sheffield" for years and years. Absolute nonsense. 'Barrel-chested' maybe, overweight, no way.

We Blades fans should know better after all that re Billy Sharp.

 

[Baaaaaaa Blades]

"Overweight"?! How can a 23 year old lad, player of the season and captain of his old club last year, highly rated by Wilder and Knill, publicly backed by them time and again, managers who emphasise day to day commitment and dedication to the cause, possibly be "overweight".

Our skipper has been labelled 'overweight', " fat lad from Sheffield" for years and years. Absolute nonsense. 'Barrel-chested' maybe, overweight, no way.

We Blades fans should know better after all that re Billy Sharp.

ok perhaps over weight is not the right choice of word but i would stand by saying he needs to get fitter/sharper ( up to our standards which is very high these days ) , i am not stating he is rubbish nor that he will not come good but merely needs to get up to speed with how incredibly fit the team is this will come i am sure of this , compare how Coutts use to be when he first came into the team under CW and how he was up until last Friday

he had increased his fitness , enegry levels and looked allot quicker than when he first came in ,
ofcourse this did all come with time and having a long run in the team so maybe that is the way to go with Lundstram as as you say the management rate him very highly so that might be what will happen

 

[Grecian2000]

think having Bash back at RCB and Baldock back would also make a huge difference

Me too. I think we can get away with Bash at RWB and CCV at RCB only for odd games. You lose enough in each position for it to become noticeable after a couple of games.
Baldock (or Freeman) adds extra to the wide position and Bash is a huge upgrade on CCV in the RCB role. CCV is then (usually) slightly better than Wright in the middle.
Add to the mix that no-one can replace Coutts in the "taking it from/being available for" role which adds extra comfort to the back three/five as a whole and all these tiny "losses" start to add up.
It's tough to overcome injuries and we've done it magnificently this season, but every now and then, it will take its toll.

Anyway, we move on. Once again, even though we've lost, the bigger picture is still clear. We're a fucking good team at the moment.

 

[Lane Ender]

OP gave him 4.5

No way

 

[Lane Ender]

I’d give Sharp 2/10, thought he was beyond hopeless last night. Wish we’d had one of Fulham’s nippy forwards up front with Clarke.

Soon forgot about Burton then scored two and run his bollocks off.

 

[Booker4]

I wasn't aware that Coutts had an amazing engine and pace, since presumably he must have since Lundstram has been criticised for not having these qualities and has clotted into Coutts place? Coutts was criticised for over a year for been slow, passing it sideways/backwards and for not working hard - all current criticisms of Lundstram. We need to be patient with Lundstram and I've no doubt he'll adjust to the speed of the team. As I said on Coutts, he never runs all over the place and he has little pace, but is able to dictate a game. Given time, I see no reason why Lundstram can't do the same. Its whether we have the time to give for Lundstram to get up to match the performances of Coutts. If he can't then I'm sure Tufty will look for a replacement in January.

We lost last night because we made errors at the back. Not from the midfield but from the defence. I fail to see how Coutts playing would have prevented any of the goals to be honest, but we'll never know. I love Coutts, like everyone else, but lest give Lundstram some slack, as he has come up a league and is giving his best efforts, and he clearly has potential. If that's not enough, then as I said, Wilder will sign a replacement come January.

 

[Woodwardfan]

Soon forgot about Burton then scored two and run his bollocks off.

Wilder has rested Sharp and Duffy a couple of times when we had 3 games in 8 days. It didn't pay off in those two games but there has to be an issue there for these two players; something to do with age, the busy roles they play, their stamina levels etc. This week there was an extra day for us with the Friday evening kick off so he was tempted to play them. Looking at Vickers and Stevens they may have slowing batteries just now after all these games and maybe Wright too though it doesn't show that much with him.

Stearman is now fit, Lavery, Baldock close and they will help.

 

[Woodwardfan]

I wasn't aware that Coutts had an amazing engine and pace, since presumably he must have since Lundstram has been criticised for not having these qualities and has clotted into Coutts place? Coutts was criticised for over a year for been slow, passing it sideways/backwards and for not working hard - all current criticisms of Lundstram. We need to be patient with Lundstram and I've no doubt he'll adjust to the speed of the team. As I said on Coutts, he never runs all over the place and he has little pace, but is able to dictate a game. Given time, I see no reason why Lundstram can't do the same. Its whether we have the time to give for Lundstram to get up to match the performances of Coutts. If he can't then I'm sure Tufty will look for a replacement in January.

We lost last night because we made errors at the back. Not from the midfield but from the defence. I fail to see how Coutts playing would have prevented any of the goals to be honest, but we'll never know. I love Coutts, like everyone else, but lest give Lundstram some slack, as he has come up a league and is giving his best It puzzles me efforts, and he clearly has potential. If that's not enough, then as I said, Wilder will sign a replacement come January.

Agree with that but why does he play Coutts slightly behind Fleck and yet plays Lundstram in front of Fleck?

 

[LoughboroBlade]

Hanson – Surprise sub but we had nothing to lose. He put himself about; nearly scored an I felt was ok when he came on. He is alright when we are chasing a game as allows us to get off his knockdowns but not sure he has much of a long-term future and expect Lavery and Evans to be ahead of him when fit.

Hanson’s Championship debut. He very nearly dropped back to League 1 before the deadline – I expect him to be moved on in Jan, but good to see he may have some use till then from the bench.

 

[Keen Blade]

I’d give Sharp 2/10, thought he was beyond hopeless last night. Wish we’d had one of Fulham’s nippy forwards up front with Clarke.

Quite right. Leon is miles ahead of him in workrate & effectiveness.
Billy is good at sticking the ball in the net , which puts him in the scoring stats and in our hearts.
But in some games we have to move with pace or fail.
In those games Billy is barely involved.
So he wastes his time picking ridiculous "off the ball" fights with big mobile CBs and gets booked.
CW has claimed he won't be sentimental when picking the team.
Well , Chris , it's time to start resting your captain in certain games - Billy should not have started last night.
And to Tyler and all the Billy men , all I am asking is that our captain be judged objectively.
Making a striker the captain was inspired at the time , but it was always going to come home to roost at some future point.
Another thorny problem for Chris to manage in what will be his most challenging month since August 2016.