Cully wrote:Well that's really comforting, LLLLDL :arrow: Period
So we're not allowed to take positives out of defeats? Reductivism is pointless - we weren't the best team in the world when we were winning a month ago and we're not the worst team in the world when we're losing now. The frustrating thing about last night is that it tells us nothing about the ongoing issues we have around our strikers and formation. Playing with 10 men for 75 minutes is hardly the best way to evaluate a performance in those terms, which is why it is strange that people are so quick to add last night as another reason why the wheels have fallen off/we need to sign a big man/Smith's gorra goo etc etc.
Have to say I rather enjoyed myself :shock: . Great curry beforehand, excellent support, good bantz (OAP taunting Walsall fans is carried out on a stretcher past the away end and continues to berate us. "We can see you sneaking out". OAP returns after treatment, waves stick at us and makes Galatasaray-style throat slitting gestures. "We can see you sneaking in". OAP carried out again ten minutes later, this time apparently asleep/unconscious/dead. Great fun.
Blades keeper should have been sent off - no question. Grigg got to the ball first and the lad went through him. The save from Grigg (that almost trickled over the line) added insult to injury. We had one chance in the second half - Cuvelier played in by a poor defensive header but he shot wide from a difficult position. They had one chance second half - Darlow saving after Miller went through. Blades booed off by their own fans, Saddlers given a standing ovation by the faithful. Fancy!
Darlow 7 - not much to do to be fair. Couple of slightly dodgy kicks but a good save from Miller second half.
Taylor 8 - don't know what that Blades fan is on about, I thought he had a good game. Couple of great tackles and used the ball well. I like him a lot.
Butler 8 - Very good game. He thrives on this sort of backs-to-the-wall performance but he really was excellent. Kitson resorted to manhandling him and even tripped him off the ball at one point, for which he was booked.
Holden 4 - Put in a horrible position for the Blades' goal. Down the far end so would like to see a replay - nobody would have blamed him if Kitson had scored but he had to make a decision and it seemed a clear penalty and sending off.
@Taundz 7 - Eat it haterz, I thought he did well. Seems more composed on the ball and even though there were a few misplaced passes he was generally tidy.
Paterson 6 - Shocking mistake for the goal and he struggled to get into the game after that. Not sure he deserved the cheer when he got subbed though.
Baxendale 5 - No time to make an impact before being sacrificed. Agree that it was a toss up between him and Paterson for who got subbed but keeping Paterson on the left and switching Cuvelier right made sense in our 4-4-1. Felt sorry for the chap from Donny who came to see him!
Featherstone 7 - Business as usual. Uses the ball so well and reads the game brilliantly.
Cuvelier 8 - By far our biggest threat. Ran at the Blades defence almost single-handedly and it would have been a fabulous assist if Grigg had scored from his pinpoint pull-back. Faded late on and saw little of the ball on the right in the last 20 minutes.
Chambers 9 - Back to his best. Like Butler he seems to thrive on adversity and he did a great job of breaking up play. He also used the ball well and he has a much better first touch than people give him credit for - that's important in our system. His return will be crucial in allowing Cuvelier to get forward more.
Grigg 6 - Did well to recover from the appalling challenge by their keeper. Did everything right for our best chance of the game - hit the target with a first time shot but keeper did well to get a hand to it. Saw little of the ball second half.
Subs
Downing 7 - Actually rather impressed. Slightly hesitant in challenging for a few headers but made some important blocks and looked composed. He's a unit too, which helps.
Bowerman 6 - We created little for the frontmen in the second half and Bowerman had little chance to impress.
Hemmings 5 - Looked the least technically gifted of our players on the pitch in the time he had. Couple of miscontrolled balls and wayward passes.
It's easy to see why Sheffield United haven't scored many goals this season - they simply don't create much. They remind me of us in the way they try to play, but not as good! Good in possession but lacking penetration. They rarely resorted to hoofing it and fair play to them for that. Williams is a cracking attacking left back at this level and Doyle does a good job in the 'Featherstone' role for them. Dave Kitson, however, was absolutely woeful. No wonder he's the secret footballer - I wouldn't admit to being Dave Kitson after a performance like that. Butler loved the scrap and Kitson (who is actually a lot bigger than I imagined) spent all game either trying to manhandle him or moan to the ref. When they brought Miller on they instantly looked more likely to score.
As I say, plenty of positives to take out of this game in terms of spirit and defensive organisation. I know it's slightly different defending as a team when you're down to ten men but ironically that was probably one of our best defensive performances of the season.
All aboard the He'sGorraGoo bus to Bury!