Post by deadbat on Sept 14, 2020 20:57:14 GMT
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The Blades had an absolutely disastrous start to the new season when Wolves completely blew them away at Bramall Lane. In a game that brought back nightmares from the 2003 Playoff final where quick goals simply ended the game before it started, goals inside 2 and 6 minutes from Jimenez and Saiss effectively won the game. It was United’s first ever defeat on the opening day of a Premier League season and is now four losses on the bounce going back to last season.
United began with the usual defence with Aaron Ramsdale replacing Dean Henderson and Lundstram got the nod over Berge who maybe had an injury doubt. Sharp partnered McBurnie in attack. United had Burke, Ampadu, Foderingham were on the bench but no place for Mousset with reports he had damaged ligaments in his toe emanating before kick-off. Wolves opted to go with the tried and trusted with many expensive newcomers signed from the continent on the bench waiting in reserve including Fabio Silva, the record signing at only 18 years of age and newly signed this weekend, Machado Ferreira.
In bright sunshine, Wolves made the early running and were ahead within two minutes. Podence got away from Lundstram who rashly dived in and suddenly it was three on three. Neither Baldock or Basham reacted and as the cross came over and Stevens and O’Connell were ball watching. The ball sat up to JIMENEZ who smashed home beyond Ramsdale and high into the net. Maybe the keeper was a bit flat footed but questions again more had to be asked of the marking who let the free header come in. He had no chance and with effectively his first touch he was picking the ball out of the net.
Soon after Wolves were away again and a cross came and Jimenez hit another rasping shot that Ramsdale had to tip over. It was one-way traffic and from the corner it was 2-0. The delivery came in and reminiscent of the Egan header against Wolves, conceded as a few men got blocked off as Wolves bunched up and as O’Connell pushed his own man, SAISS headed home and away from Ramsdale. It was a disastrous start for the Blades who were 2-0 down before they had barely been in the Wolves half.
Wolves were moving it about at pace and were too good and quick with and without the ball against a shell shocked United side. A cross blocked was all the home side could offer and then Traore ran past Stevens at pace and Wolves nearly got in again. They seemed to have extra man all over the field and were swarming all over United in possession. A team that had a much shorter break seemed much sharper and the Blades carried on the dismal end to the last season and seemed stuck in quicksand.
A few poor looping crosses and Sharp being caught offside twice was the sum of the home team attacks and then Egan was booked for a poor challenge as Jimenez continued to cause the United defence all sorts of issues.
Both Baldock and Stevens had struggled but the midfield were sloppy with the ball too. A corner was won and McBurnie looped a header straight at Patricio which was relatively easy but at least an effort on goal. The striker than was the next to try and stop Jimenez by legal means. He too was booked for a late tackle.
Wolves were able to nip in and win balls and turn it over quickly and one moment summed up the game. United took 7 or 8 passes that were done slowly and behind players who had to keep going to fetch it and eventually Wolves got a foot in and were off. Two balls and they were in and won a corner which United cleared. The efficiency of this attack summed up the difference in ability and sharpness of mind and feet to execute such counter attacks.
The half time whistle was probably more a relief for the Blades than Wolves such was their control and domination.
United did have a chance to start the second half when McBurnie won a header and Stevens got in but blazed badly over when well placed.
Egan then dived in late again and was given a talking to when he was on a booking and Norwood was spoken to by Mike Dean to almost say it was his final warning.
On 50 minutes United had a real chance to get back into the game as Stevens played in Fleck whose shot was driven on the angle and caromed off the post. The ball fell for Baldock whose rebounds deflected wide for a corner. It was an agonising moment for the home side.
At the other end, Saiss then nearly made them pay as he got away from McBurnie and Egan to head down and just wide with Ramsdale struggling to get across again.
United had improved in the second half with Basham further advanced and Baldock getting further up the pitch too. However, Baldock took too long to execute and then had to give away a foul. United then had a chance when Sharp was played in but he oddly tried a high ball that was too far away from Lundstram who was offside anyway.
United were having more of the ball but the keeper had still not had a save to make so far with the Fleck effort the only real chance to get back in the game. Wolves continued to look dangerous on the break. Sharp had a chance on the angle twice but his crosses were rather telegraphed and Coady cleared quite easily. Another poor corner from Norwood was cleared away and Wolves broke out.
The game entered the final 20 minutes with Wolves being given a sterner test but still looking quite comfortable. Buur came on for Neto. Norwood played a poor ball which saw Wolves in and Saiss was through and his shot was tipped superbly onto the post by Ramsdale and the rebound missed somehow by Jimenez. It was an open goal. Once again United had been carved open.
McGoldrick came on for Basham as United changed the shape. Baldock got in down the right but his cross was behind Sharp who tried to improvise but got his feet muddled up.
Traore fired over after a solo run as Wolves still looked the more likely to score again. Berge replaced Norwood but it did not seem to stem much of a change and after a better 10 minutes to start the half, Wolves were now seeing things out easily.
United kept plugging away and Sharp won a corner but in truth United looked well out of ideas after a better start to the half and Wolves had now got complete control of the game with 10 minutes to play, Wolves had a solid base and were still good on the break. Traore completely skinned O’Connell with outrageous skills and got away his deflection went just wide with Ramsdale wrong footed. From the corner Jimenez got away from the defence and McBurnie again ball watching and the ball hit the post and went beyond.
Vitinha came on for Moutinho for the visitors as the game entered the final few minutes. United did win a corner but it was cleared. In the final 5 minutes of stoppage time Berge put in a good cross but McBurnie’s header was cleared off the line from Saiss with the keeper beaten. The final whistle came a few minutes after this with a deserved win for the visitors.
United – Well beaten by a far superior side. Tactically, ability, preparation and attitude. They were far better than us and 2-0 probably flattered us. We looked sluggish from the off and whilst Wolves looked like scoring when they attacked, we did not in contract. They did things in 2 or 3 touches after countering and it took us forever to even make a chance as we have no pace or counter at all. It is a real struggle for us to create much at all for the whole game but even saying that; we never gave us a chance at all.
I felt the lockdown we never really got going save for a couple of games and looked sluggish, unfit and mentally wrong and sadly tonight was just the same. Take away the two home games v Spurs and Chelsea and we were actually wretched after we come back. That may seem harsh but the brilliance of those two games covered for 7 really bad games and I really mean bad. I thought we would come out and be firing, fit and sharp but we looked totally unprepared which is what Wilder will surely be most angry about. The goals were pathetic really but they could have had more.
We literally chucked the game away in 6 minutes. Like some of the lockdown games before (Man Utd and Leicester we did not look ready or prepared). They came roaring out and were 3 on 3 on a number of attacks. We had no shape or pattern and never gave ourselves a solid bade to build from at all. It was a game of basketball to begin with and you can’t have that opening day at home. Get a foothold in the game, win some tackles, get up the pitch. It was just schoolboy stuff. From the wild dive in from Lundstram to the ball watching, to the second goal where we got beat to an easy header. They could have had more. It was very one sided and took nearly 20 minutes for us to mount an attack of any note and even then, it was looped crosses or corners cleared.
We improved second half and had a decent spell and if Fleck scores who knows but the header from Sass, two efforts from Traore, Jimenez with an open goal and they had more chances again with only a McBurnie header at the end. I felt 2-0 flattered us really and it was more a 3 or 4-0. They defended well but they did not have to as we never stretched them at all really save for the Fleck chance. I was really disappointed how bad we were defensively though. The game v Wolves recently we were not doing much attacking wide but defended well and had a good shape. Tonight, Wolves swarmed all over us and were higher up the field. They penned us back and got the goal and then it was a routine win. I was really disappointed with United in not necessarily the attacking sense as we got what we have had for most of last season (I do worry where the goals will come from still) but defensively and midfield we did not press, we gave space and it was chance after chance. A lot will be made about Ramsdale and yes maybe he should do better on the second but you know what there were 7 or 8 other good chances where they were through on goal and could have scored. It could have been even more.
Second half we did no more and got into good areas but the final ball from Sharp, Norwood, Lundstram, Baldock all was appalling really. Nobody tried to find a man – it was just hit and hope. Without pace, power and individual brilliance, it will be hard to score lots of goals so we need to put better crosses in and balls. Tonight, was more of most of what we saw after the lockdown save for two games. It was the sort of game where I felt we could have been playing all night and not really scored. It was huffing and puffing but we never stretched them as they got across to cover. We in contrast always looked at full stretch whether it be the first minute or the last.
Not sure anyone individually came out with much credit and every player probably came out second best against their respective opponent, but our area of the field, defence, midfield and attack came out second best too.
We have some competition now but the concern is we have brought no one in better than the eleven that started the bulk of the games to end last season. Yes, it would cost a lot to do that but I do worry by not addressing the forward line that we have left ourselves short. We don’t want to be playing catch up.
So not the start we want and we go to Villa who have the first game of the season against us. I did have some concerns over the start – felt Wolves owed us one after two games we were better last season – Villa having more time off and then Leeds who are new to the league and showed what they can do. It is not an easy opening at all even though none of them maybe are teams you see as a top 6 necessarily. We seem to often struggle to start seasons and once again we have a poor beginning and have now lost 4 games going back to the end of last season. People may see that is daft as they are different seasons but the turnaround was so quick, I don’t see it like that and is a concern. Saw lots of neutrals saying we knew our season last year was a one off and we would not carry it on and it would be a struggle and we would be down near the bottom. Maybe we might but I would say that now it means it is a wake-up call for many of the players who just came out and looked like deers in headlights. Maybe it was a case of Wolves just being better and that is what happens but we compensated for ability shortcomings with our organisation and spirit and shape. Tonight, we saw none of that. We showed some fight second half but it was too late. People will say it was just two bad goals but it wasn’t. They could have had 4 or 5 in the first half hour and we were wide open. I felt they won the game at a canter and it will be a concern how they went through us at one end and saw us out relatively comfortably at the other. There is not too many positive I can take other than we stayed in the game and it did not become a rout it could have been. A lot of things for Wilder to think about.
Ratings:
Ramsdale 6.5/10 – At first I thought he had no chance with the goals in the first half and he was just badly exposed. the first was a good hit but the second was poor. Reminded me of Mark Bunn. It went in middle of the goal and 3 feet under the bar. He had to move quicker and save that. He did make one good save in between but his confidence must have been rock bottom after that start. He would have thought he would have a better backline and less to do but had shots reigning in on him. He made another good save between the goals and then second half made a great save flicking onto the post. Left badly exposed all night as they had countless chances and one on ones.
Baldock 4.5/10 – Really struggled to start as they got down the side with the three runners. He was not tight enough to his man at all and they caused him real problems. Going forward not sure he offered much and when he had the chance he dithered or did not do it quick enough. Fouled his man a lot and looked well off the pace. Poorest our two full backs have played as a pair defensively for a long time. He never got to grips with things and going the other way had no confidence he could deliver a decent ball.
Stevens 5.5/10 – Carried on his end to the season with a poor start. The first goal him and O’Connell did not react and a few other moments this happened where he just was way off his man. On it he moved it too slow or behind his man. Second half he had the shot over and one run that led to the Sharp effort but then did not see much of him after this. No issues Traore running past him but concerned with his sharpness, touch and general pace of his play which has carried on in the same sluggish fashion. He did get better and actually over the course of the game I felt that Baldock was poorer than him.
Basham 5.5/10 – Never saw him as an attacking threat and they got down that side and we struggled to hold them up. He did not make any real blocks or tackles and they ran off the defence unopposed time after time. Did see more of him second half going forward but it was a bit of a non game. Least involved I have ever seen him in a game for a long time.
O’Connell 5/10 – Thought he struggled with the movement and pace early on and not sure we had the physical presence we normally had. I thought we got bullied and that does not happen much. He pushed his own man Stevens on the goal too. He never won headers or tackles and just seemed static all night. All those raving about him for England will look a bit daft tonight as he would be up against players like Jimenez and he ran us ragged most of the game.
Egan 5/10 – Started the game not tight enough to his man and this continued as Jimenez caused him all sorts of problems. Our back line did not have an answer and could only resort to fouling him. He was teetering on the edge after a yellow and another foul. Normally him and O’Connell are dominant aerially but not tonight as they won a lot of set plays and held things up easily. He continued to get buffered and moved off on corners as they saw him as key man and won a number of headers. Just felt the domination our defence normally had was not there in open play and even more worrying on set plays too.
Norwood 5/10 – Not everything came up but he never hid and at least tried to get on the ball I suppose but they pressed him and he struggled as he often does. Its an odd one as seen a lot criticise him but felt he was only one getting on the ball and passing it forward ahead of players. Everyone else was playing it behind or slow. He at least tried things. Ironically, he then near the end gave awful ball nearly led to a third. His delivery was awful but I felt he was the best of the midfield three but all three were poor. Seen a lot criticising him but he had no one to pass to. They pressed him and rarely other than a 10-minute spell did Fleck or Lundstram come off wide or show for a pass to give him an angle. Ditto with the wing backs. He was not helped at all tonight. People will disagree but if
Fleck 5/10 – Non-existent first half as their midfield won every loose ball and ran through us. We never got close to them. He did not influence things at all. He did improve second half for a spell and had our one good effort but then kind of faded out. At least he did get on the ball and make things happen more but not sure we saw many of the driving runs we saw in his great spell last season. Our midfield were just overrun at times and they looked more composed in possession. All of their players made things easy where as we took so many passes to move it to the same position they did in a few. He has to do more than 10 minutes of a game though and we need him at it from the start. He can’t have these slow starts after breaks and needs to be bang at it for next week not waiting and seeing other midfields dominate us.
Lundstram 4/10 – Really poor. Moronic challenge that led to the break away for the first goal and his game carried on from there. Looked slow, sluggish and not arsed. Every ball as slow or behind his man. He just looked disinterested. Kept coming back and stopping things. I felt he was one of chief culprits of constantly slowing things down. I actually think he looked totally not bothered about taking any responsibility. He constantly kept giving it back or to someone else. He did a bit better second half but rarely played a forward pass or made a run that took a man. His body language looks poor. Not sure where he thinks he is actually going to get a move to? He is not going to have lots of Premier League players queueing up for him.
McBurnie 6/10 – We were 2-0 down before I could really question anything the front lads did but it was night and day comparing the two forward lines. Pace, movement and skill. We looked slow and sluggish and lacking movement. He did try hard but he is not quick or strong enough. Gave away cheap fouls and even though he had two headed efforts they were not powered in. He linked well with Stevens once but often hid behind his man when the ball went wide. He needs to show more or be more determined to get in. Coady won the ball time after time. Needs to bust a gut. I am not sure it helps having Sharp alongside him and tonight the crossing/service was poor but he lacks genuine quality for me to create things or make things happen. A grafter but don’t see this 12-15 goals this season others do as he has to create more for himself to do that (like Ings etc) and he is not that sort of player.
Sharp 4.5/10 – I am concerned if he is a starter to begin the season as it shows our paucity of attacking options. Today it proved. Yes, he held it up a bit but he was offside constantly and slows things down a lot. He made poor choices when well positioned and even though he tried gamely, he lacks the pace and athleticism to make an impact. Two or three telegraphed crosses. He made one decent run and won a corner but then looked shattered after that. I am not sure he is good enough to play more than a bit part. It is hard to watch him doing his best but clearly a step off the level required. Sad really but he needs to be well away from the first team. Expect McGoldrick to be back in but if Mousset is injured (saying ligament in his toe) then we literally only have one back up striker (maybe Burke) but that is not enough especially when three we have are not good enough or don’t score enough as it is.
Subs –
Berge – Might have been our best player even for the small spell he was on. Looked composed, intelligent and put in a few good balls. Sure to start next game if he is fully fit.
McGoldrick /10 – Never really got into it and his touch was poor. He came deep but it all got a bit crowded and not sure he influence the game at all. One driven shot blocked but can’t recall much he did at all.
Manager Wilder 5/10 – For whatever reason the team was so slow out of the blocks on and off the ball and were beaten before the game was even started really. He will be frustrated but it was worrying the whole team was off it. We used to swarm round teams to start, even at this level last year but non done this much for a while now really and seem to be backfoot to start. We need to be the aggressor Sadly we never gave ourselves a chance. Tonight, sadly looked like the team Nicol and co predicted as we had 3 on 3’s to start a game. It was naïve to say the least and we just were beaten and then never really looked like getting back in it – maybe if the Fleck ones goes in but then they had two that hit the post. He will demand a reaction but it is concerning the performance was not too dissimilar to the ones that ended the season. We have signed a few but how many of them do you think he is going to be a regular starter outside of the keeper? The front of the pitch is a major concern – you only have to look at the stats and if the defence drops off, we are going to be in for a struggle. That is obvious. I am confident he will get a reaction but at the moment - you worry if we let goals in where we will score at the other end. I think after the bad start and losing battle we got stuck and the effort was there. They just were better players and that combined with winning the first stuff means the quality will take over. We have to compensate for not having that out and out individual flair/ability by always winning our races, headers, tackles as he says. We did not do that and then they have more skill/pace. A bad combination.
Wolves – Last season we were better than in the two individual games and were not far off them overall but were miles off tonight. They do have better players and a better team individually and collectively but did not look like that last season but tonight it did. They started the game superbly and swarmed all over us and got the early goals. They could have had more and completely controlled the first half. They went in 2-0 up and this was definitely fair. We barely had an effort of note and despite improving they snuffed us out with the way they attacked and made sure they forced us back.
We struggle with three forwards that pin us back and make us sit further back and this proved again. They had men right against the wide centre backs but also had wing backs high up. They played us at our own game but with better players/pace. They won all the loose stuff and then excellent passing and technique saw them break on us easily with a few passes getting through us. We did not have the pace or movement to do the same and looked very mechanical in contrast.
Second half they had a let off with the post chance but then they hit the post twice too and missed 3 or 4 clearer chances than the couple we missed. They still looked more like scoring than us and defended well when they had to – although the crossing was easy to clear really and they never got properly tested.
A professional and fairly dominant away win and one where sadly they look to be going in a different trajectory to us (no shame in that – I see them competing for top 6 – I don’t see that off us). They have a solid defence (that can be got at still I feel) but some lovely technical players in midfield and with Traore and Jimenez, two players that would get in most sides at this level. They also have lots of good, young talent they have signed. They are a good side to watch and I quite like the manager. They have bucket loads of cash of course and the agent connection to help but they are a long way from where we can dream of really in terms of types of signings/infrastructure. Shame though as last season we matched them but not sure we can get close to that again without getting close to their level of investment/wages.
Opponent Man of the Match – number played well. Traore had a poor first half but got much better and caused us all sorts of problems after the break. Coady made some good blocks and did everything our defence did not. Neves and Moutinho controlled things and they had runners going the other way when they broke. The best player on the pitch was Jimenez though. His movement, skill, hold up and link was too much for any of our defence. Scored one and could have had more. Involved in everything good about them and a complete centre forward’s display. Superb and a wake-up call to our much-vaunted defence.
Opponent Weak link – No one played that badly but not sure they were really tested. Not sure Boly is always that great but even he had an easy game although even Sharp ran by him once. Maybe him just for that!
Referee/Officials/VAR – Mike Dean has done well in our games and tonight he was fine. No issue with the bookings our lads had for poor fouls. He booked Marcal de Oliveira for a foul after he played on. Egan was a bit daft but he managed this well. Felt Traore could have been booked for two poor fouls (cynical) but overall, he was fine in an easy game to ref. He spotted a few foul throws too. There was a lot going on in the box on corners but he managed to just use common sense. He gets laughed at for his antics but he is one of the top refs around actually.
Coverage – Neville/Carragher rightly panned our defending. The coverage was fair. Wolves were much better than us. I have to say overall, I have found it really hard to get excited by the new season though. Not saying that as we lost – just hard to get really motivated and ‘into’ it. With the cases rising and no sign of even proper trials/test events; we aren’t going to be at games I feel for a long time. Certainly, till into next year (2021) I sense and if Winter does see cases rise and more hospitalisations as many Scientists predict attendance could be off the agenda till even 2021-22 which I got called for when I have said before but feel sadly, I may be right. It is depressing but does mean it becomes hard to really get into it. The same way as losing and playing crap does not fill me with doom as much as it used to, winning is not the same. None of it feels like being a normal football fan. I hate it and by Jan/Feb if still like this; I wonder if interest with many will wane. Football is about attending and the mingling with mates and going home or away. To think it could be another year till that happens is really depressing. How many others just shrugged after tonight? It felt odd. Like I am more detached than ever; even from the end of last season. It is like this is how football is and will be for a good while now and it means I just don’t feel part of it – the delight or the pain depending on the result seems less heightened.
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Report here….
The Blades had an absolutely disastrous start to the new season when Wolves completely blew them away at Bramall Lane. In a game that brought back nightmares from the 2003 Playoff final where quick goals simply ended the game before it started, goals inside 2 and 6 minutes from Jimenez and Saiss effectively won the game. It was United’s first ever defeat on the opening day of a Premier League season and is now four losses on the bounce going back to last season.
United began with the usual defence with Aaron Ramsdale replacing Dean Henderson and Lundstram got the nod over Berge who maybe had an injury doubt. Sharp partnered McBurnie in attack. United had Burke, Ampadu, Foderingham were on the bench but no place for Mousset with reports he had damaged ligaments in his toe emanating before kick-off. Wolves opted to go with the tried and trusted with many expensive newcomers signed from the continent on the bench waiting in reserve including Fabio Silva, the record signing at only 18 years of age and newly signed this weekend, Machado Ferreira.
In bright sunshine, Wolves made the early running and were ahead within two minutes. Podence got away from Lundstram who rashly dived in and suddenly it was three on three. Neither Baldock or Basham reacted and as the cross came over and Stevens and O’Connell were ball watching. The ball sat up to JIMENEZ who smashed home beyond Ramsdale and high into the net. Maybe the keeper was a bit flat footed but questions again more had to be asked of the marking who let the free header come in. He had no chance and with effectively his first touch he was picking the ball out of the net.
Soon after Wolves were away again and a cross came and Jimenez hit another rasping shot that Ramsdale had to tip over. It was one-way traffic and from the corner it was 2-0. The delivery came in and reminiscent of the Egan header against Wolves, conceded as a few men got blocked off as Wolves bunched up and as O’Connell pushed his own man, SAISS headed home and away from Ramsdale. It was a disastrous start for the Blades who were 2-0 down before they had barely been in the Wolves half.
Wolves were moving it about at pace and were too good and quick with and without the ball against a shell shocked United side. A cross blocked was all the home side could offer and then Traore ran past Stevens at pace and Wolves nearly got in again. They seemed to have extra man all over the field and were swarming all over United in possession. A team that had a much shorter break seemed much sharper and the Blades carried on the dismal end to the last season and seemed stuck in quicksand.
A few poor looping crosses and Sharp being caught offside twice was the sum of the home team attacks and then Egan was booked for a poor challenge as Jimenez continued to cause the United defence all sorts of issues.
Both Baldock and Stevens had struggled but the midfield were sloppy with the ball too. A corner was won and McBurnie looped a header straight at Patricio which was relatively easy but at least an effort on goal. The striker than was the next to try and stop Jimenez by legal means. He too was booked for a late tackle.
Wolves were able to nip in and win balls and turn it over quickly and one moment summed up the game. United took 7 or 8 passes that were done slowly and behind players who had to keep going to fetch it and eventually Wolves got a foot in and were off. Two balls and they were in and won a corner which United cleared. The efficiency of this attack summed up the difference in ability and sharpness of mind and feet to execute such counter attacks.
The half time whistle was probably more a relief for the Blades than Wolves such was their control and domination.
United did have a chance to start the second half when McBurnie won a header and Stevens got in but blazed badly over when well placed.
Egan then dived in late again and was given a talking to when he was on a booking and Norwood was spoken to by Mike Dean to almost say it was his final warning.
On 50 minutes United had a real chance to get back into the game as Stevens played in Fleck whose shot was driven on the angle and caromed off the post. The ball fell for Baldock whose rebounds deflected wide for a corner. It was an agonising moment for the home side.
At the other end, Saiss then nearly made them pay as he got away from McBurnie and Egan to head down and just wide with Ramsdale struggling to get across again.
United had improved in the second half with Basham further advanced and Baldock getting further up the pitch too. However, Baldock took too long to execute and then had to give away a foul. United then had a chance when Sharp was played in but he oddly tried a high ball that was too far away from Lundstram who was offside anyway.
United were having more of the ball but the keeper had still not had a save to make so far with the Fleck effort the only real chance to get back in the game. Wolves continued to look dangerous on the break. Sharp had a chance on the angle twice but his crosses were rather telegraphed and Coady cleared quite easily. Another poor corner from Norwood was cleared away and Wolves broke out.
The game entered the final 20 minutes with Wolves being given a sterner test but still looking quite comfortable. Buur came on for Neto. Norwood played a poor ball which saw Wolves in and Saiss was through and his shot was tipped superbly onto the post by Ramsdale and the rebound missed somehow by Jimenez. It was an open goal. Once again United had been carved open.
McGoldrick came on for Basham as United changed the shape. Baldock got in down the right but his cross was behind Sharp who tried to improvise but got his feet muddled up.
Traore fired over after a solo run as Wolves still looked the more likely to score again. Berge replaced Norwood but it did not seem to stem much of a change and after a better 10 minutes to start the half, Wolves were now seeing things out easily.
United kept plugging away and Sharp won a corner but in truth United looked well out of ideas after a better start to the half and Wolves had now got complete control of the game with 10 minutes to play, Wolves had a solid base and were still good on the break. Traore completely skinned O’Connell with outrageous skills and got away his deflection went just wide with Ramsdale wrong footed. From the corner Jimenez got away from the defence and McBurnie again ball watching and the ball hit the post and went beyond.
Vitinha came on for Moutinho for the visitors as the game entered the final few minutes. United did win a corner but it was cleared. In the final 5 minutes of stoppage time Berge put in a good cross but McBurnie’s header was cleared off the line from Saiss with the keeper beaten. The final whistle came a few minutes after this with a deserved win for the visitors.
United – Well beaten by a far superior side. Tactically, ability, preparation and attitude. They were far better than us and 2-0 probably flattered us. We looked sluggish from the off and whilst Wolves looked like scoring when they attacked, we did not in contract. They did things in 2 or 3 touches after countering and it took us forever to even make a chance as we have no pace or counter at all. It is a real struggle for us to create much at all for the whole game but even saying that; we never gave us a chance at all.
I felt the lockdown we never really got going save for a couple of games and looked sluggish, unfit and mentally wrong and sadly tonight was just the same. Take away the two home games v Spurs and Chelsea and we were actually wretched after we come back. That may seem harsh but the brilliance of those two games covered for 7 really bad games and I really mean bad. I thought we would come out and be firing, fit and sharp but we looked totally unprepared which is what Wilder will surely be most angry about. The goals were pathetic really but they could have had more.
We literally chucked the game away in 6 minutes. Like some of the lockdown games before (Man Utd and Leicester we did not look ready or prepared). They came roaring out and were 3 on 3 on a number of attacks. We had no shape or pattern and never gave ourselves a solid bade to build from at all. It was a game of basketball to begin with and you can’t have that opening day at home. Get a foothold in the game, win some tackles, get up the pitch. It was just schoolboy stuff. From the wild dive in from Lundstram to the ball watching, to the second goal where we got beat to an easy header. They could have had more. It was very one sided and took nearly 20 minutes for us to mount an attack of any note and even then, it was looped crosses or corners cleared.
We improved second half and had a decent spell and if Fleck scores who knows but the header from Sass, two efforts from Traore, Jimenez with an open goal and they had more chances again with only a McBurnie header at the end. I felt 2-0 flattered us really and it was more a 3 or 4-0. They defended well but they did not have to as we never stretched them at all really save for the Fleck chance. I was really disappointed how bad we were defensively though. The game v Wolves recently we were not doing much attacking wide but defended well and had a good shape. Tonight, Wolves swarmed all over us and were higher up the field. They penned us back and got the goal and then it was a routine win. I was really disappointed with United in not necessarily the attacking sense as we got what we have had for most of last season (I do worry where the goals will come from still) but defensively and midfield we did not press, we gave space and it was chance after chance. A lot will be made about Ramsdale and yes maybe he should do better on the second but you know what there were 7 or 8 other good chances where they were through on goal and could have scored. It could have been even more.
Second half we did no more and got into good areas but the final ball from Sharp, Norwood, Lundstram, Baldock all was appalling really. Nobody tried to find a man – it was just hit and hope. Without pace, power and individual brilliance, it will be hard to score lots of goals so we need to put better crosses in and balls. Tonight, was more of most of what we saw after the lockdown save for two games. It was the sort of game where I felt we could have been playing all night and not really scored. It was huffing and puffing but we never stretched them as they got across to cover. We in contrast always looked at full stretch whether it be the first minute or the last.
Not sure anyone individually came out with much credit and every player probably came out second best against their respective opponent, but our area of the field, defence, midfield and attack came out second best too.
We have some competition now but the concern is we have brought no one in better than the eleven that started the bulk of the games to end last season. Yes, it would cost a lot to do that but I do worry by not addressing the forward line that we have left ourselves short. We don’t want to be playing catch up.
So not the start we want and we go to Villa who have the first game of the season against us. I did have some concerns over the start – felt Wolves owed us one after two games we were better last season – Villa having more time off and then Leeds who are new to the league and showed what they can do. It is not an easy opening at all even though none of them maybe are teams you see as a top 6 necessarily. We seem to often struggle to start seasons and once again we have a poor beginning and have now lost 4 games going back to the end of last season. People may see that is daft as they are different seasons but the turnaround was so quick, I don’t see it like that and is a concern. Saw lots of neutrals saying we knew our season last year was a one off and we would not carry it on and it would be a struggle and we would be down near the bottom. Maybe we might but I would say that now it means it is a wake-up call for many of the players who just came out and looked like deers in headlights. Maybe it was a case of Wolves just being better and that is what happens but we compensated for ability shortcomings with our organisation and spirit and shape. Tonight, we saw none of that. We showed some fight second half but it was too late. People will say it was just two bad goals but it wasn’t. They could have had 4 or 5 in the first half hour and we were wide open. I felt they won the game at a canter and it will be a concern how they went through us at one end and saw us out relatively comfortably at the other. There is not too many positive I can take other than we stayed in the game and it did not become a rout it could have been. A lot of things for Wilder to think about.
Ratings:
Ramsdale 6.5/10 – At first I thought he had no chance with the goals in the first half and he was just badly exposed. the first was a good hit but the second was poor. Reminded me of Mark Bunn. It went in middle of the goal and 3 feet under the bar. He had to move quicker and save that. He did make one good save in between but his confidence must have been rock bottom after that start. He would have thought he would have a better backline and less to do but had shots reigning in on him. He made another good save between the goals and then second half made a great save flicking onto the post. Left badly exposed all night as they had countless chances and one on ones.
Baldock 4.5/10 – Really struggled to start as they got down the side with the three runners. He was not tight enough to his man at all and they caused him real problems. Going forward not sure he offered much and when he had the chance he dithered or did not do it quick enough. Fouled his man a lot and looked well off the pace. Poorest our two full backs have played as a pair defensively for a long time. He never got to grips with things and going the other way had no confidence he could deliver a decent ball.
Stevens 5.5/10 – Carried on his end to the season with a poor start. The first goal him and O’Connell did not react and a few other moments this happened where he just was way off his man. On it he moved it too slow or behind his man. Second half he had the shot over and one run that led to the Sharp effort but then did not see much of him after this. No issues Traore running past him but concerned with his sharpness, touch and general pace of his play which has carried on in the same sluggish fashion. He did get better and actually over the course of the game I felt that Baldock was poorer than him.
Basham 5.5/10 – Never saw him as an attacking threat and they got down that side and we struggled to hold them up. He did not make any real blocks or tackles and they ran off the defence unopposed time after time. Did see more of him second half going forward but it was a bit of a non game. Least involved I have ever seen him in a game for a long time.
O’Connell 5/10 – Thought he struggled with the movement and pace early on and not sure we had the physical presence we normally had. I thought we got bullied and that does not happen much. He pushed his own man Stevens on the goal too. He never won headers or tackles and just seemed static all night. All those raving about him for England will look a bit daft tonight as he would be up against players like Jimenez and he ran us ragged most of the game.
Egan 5/10 – Started the game not tight enough to his man and this continued as Jimenez caused him all sorts of problems. Our back line did not have an answer and could only resort to fouling him. He was teetering on the edge after a yellow and another foul. Normally him and O’Connell are dominant aerially but not tonight as they won a lot of set plays and held things up easily. He continued to get buffered and moved off on corners as they saw him as key man and won a number of headers. Just felt the domination our defence normally had was not there in open play and even more worrying on set plays too.
Norwood 5/10 – Not everything came up but he never hid and at least tried to get on the ball I suppose but they pressed him and he struggled as he often does. Its an odd one as seen a lot criticise him but felt he was only one getting on the ball and passing it forward ahead of players. Everyone else was playing it behind or slow. He at least tried things. Ironically, he then near the end gave awful ball nearly led to a third. His delivery was awful but I felt he was the best of the midfield three but all three were poor. Seen a lot criticising him but he had no one to pass to. They pressed him and rarely other than a 10-minute spell did Fleck or Lundstram come off wide or show for a pass to give him an angle. Ditto with the wing backs. He was not helped at all tonight. People will disagree but if
Fleck 5/10 – Non-existent first half as their midfield won every loose ball and ran through us. We never got close to them. He did not influence things at all. He did improve second half for a spell and had our one good effort but then kind of faded out. At least he did get on the ball and make things happen more but not sure we saw many of the driving runs we saw in his great spell last season. Our midfield were just overrun at times and they looked more composed in possession. All of their players made things easy where as we took so many passes to move it to the same position they did in a few. He has to do more than 10 minutes of a game though and we need him at it from the start. He can’t have these slow starts after breaks and needs to be bang at it for next week not waiting and seeing other midfields dominate us.
Lundstram 4/10 – Really poor. Moronic challenge that led to the break away for the first goal and his game carried on from there. Looked slow, sluggish and not arsed. Every ball as slow or behind his man. He just looked disinterested. Kept coming back and stopping things. I felt he was one of chief culprits of constantly slowing things down. I actually think he looked totally not bothered about taking any responsibility. He constantly kept giving it back or to someone else. He did a bit better second half but rarely played a forward pass or made a run that took a man. His body language looks poor. Not sure where he thinks he is actually going to get a move to? He is not going to have lots of Premier League players queueing up for him.
McBurnie 6/10 – We were 2-0 down before I could really question anything the front lads did but it was night and day comparing the two forward lines. Pace, movement and skill. We looked slow and sluggish and lacking movement. He did try hard but he is not quick or strong enough. Gave away cheap fouls and even though he had two headed efforts they were not powered in. He linked well with Stevens once but often hid behind his man when the ball went wide. He needs to show more or be more determined to get in. Coady won the ball time after time. Needs to bust a gut. I am not sure it helps having Sharp alongside him and tonight the crossing/service was poor but he lacks genuine quality for me to create things or make things happen. A grafter but don’t see this 12-15 goals this season others do as he has to create more for himself to do that (like Ings etc) and he is not that sort of player.
Sharp 4.5/10 – I am concerned if he is a starter to begin the season as it shows our paucity of attacking options. Today it proved. Yes, he held it up a bit but he was offside constantly and slows things down a lot. He made poor choices when well positioned and even though he tried gamely, he lacks the pace and athleticism to make an impact. Two or three telegraphed crosses. He made one decent run and won a corner but then looked shattered after that. I am not sure he is good enough to play more than a bit part. It is hard to watch him doing his best but clearly a step off the level required. Sad really but he needs to be well away from the first team. Expect McGoldrick to be back in but if Mousset is injured (saying ligament in his toe) then we literally only have one back up striker (maybe Burke) but that is not enough especially when three we have are not good enough or don’t score enough as it is.
Subs –
Berge – Might have been our best player even for the small spell he was on. Looked composed, intelligent and put in a few good balls. Sure to start next game if he is fully fit.
McGoldrick /10 – Never really got into it and his touch was poor. He came deep but it all got a bit crowded and not sure he influence the game at all. One driven shot blocked but can’t recall much he did at all.
Manager Wilder 5/10 – For whatever reason the team was so slow out of the blocks on and off the ball and were beaten before the game was even started really. He will be frustrated but it was worrying the whole team was off it. We used to swarm round teams to start, even at this level last year but non done this much for a while now really and seem to be backfoot to start. We need to be the aggressor Sadly we never gave ourselves a chance. Tonight, sadly looked like the team Nicol and co predicted as we had 3 on 3’s to start a game. It was naïve to say the least and we just were beaten and then never really looked like getting back in it – maybe if the Fleck ones goes in but then they had two that hit the post. He will demand a reaction but it is concerning the performance was not too dissimilar to the ones that ended the season. We have signed a few but how many of them do you think he is going to be a regular starter outside of the keeper? The front of the pitch is a major concern – you only have to look at the stats and if the defence drops off, we are going to be in for a struggle. That is obvious. I am confident he will get a reaction but at the moment - you worry if we let goals in where we will score at the other end. I think after the bad start and losing battle we got stuck and the effort was there. They just were better players and that combined with winning the first stuff means the quality will take over. We have to compensate for not having that out and out individual flair/ability by always winning our races, headers, tackles as he says. We did not do that and then they have more skill/pace. A bad combination.
Wolves – Last season we were better than in the two individual games and were not far off them overall but were miles off tonight. They do have better players and a better team individually and collectively but did not look like that last season but tonight it did. They started the game superbly and swarmed all over us and got the early goals. They could have had more and completely controlled the first half. They went in 2-0 up and this was definitely fair. We barely had an effort of note and despite improving they snuffed us out with the way they attacked and made sure they forced us back.
We struggle with three forwards that pin us back and make us sit further back and this proved again. They had men right against the wide centre backs but also had wing backs high up. They played us at our own game but with better players/pace. They won all the loose stuff and then excellent passing and technique saw them break on us easily with a few passes getting through us. We did not have the pace or movement to do the same and looked very mechanical in contrast.
Second half they had a let off with the post chance but then they hit the post twice too and missed 3 or 4 clearer chances than the couple we missed. They still looked more like scoring than us and defended well when they had to – although the crossing was easy to clear really and they never got properly tested.
A professional and fairly dominant away win and one where sadly they look to be going in a different trajectory to us (no shame in that – I see them competing for top 6 – I don’t see that off us). They have a solid defence (that can be got at still I feel) but some lovely technical players in midfield and with Traore and Jimenez, two players that would get in most sides at this level. They also have lots of good, young talent they have signed. They are a good side to watch and I quite like the manager. They have bucket loads of cash of course and the agent connection to help but they are a long way from where we can dream of really in terms of types of signings/infrastructure. Shame though as last season we matched them but not sure we can get close to that again without getting close to their level of investment/wages.
Opponent Man of the Match – number played well. Traore had a poor first half but got much better and caused us all sorts of problems after the break. Coady made some good blocks and did everything our defence did not. Neves and Moutinho controlled things and they had runners going the other way when they broke. The best player on the pitch was Jimenez though. His movement, skill, hold up and link was too much for any of our defence. Scored one and could have had more. Involved in everything good about them and a complete centre forward’s display. Superb and a wake-up call to our much-vaunted defence.
Opponent Weak link – No one played that badly but not sure they were really tested. Not sure Boly is always that great but even he had an easy game although even Sharp ran by him once. Maybe him just for that!
Referee/Officials/VAR – Mike Dean has done well in our games and tonight he was fine. No issue with the bookings our lads had for poor fouls. He booked Marcal de Oliveira for a foul after he played on. Egan was a bit daft but he managed this well. Felt Traore could have been booked for two poor fouls (cynical) but overall, he was fine in an easy game to ref. He spotted a few foul throws too. There was a lot going on in the box on corners but he managed to just use common sense. He gets laughed at for his antics but he is one of the top refs around actually.
Coverage – Neville/Carragher rightly panned our defending. The coverage was fair. Wolves were much better than us. I have to say overall, I have found it really hard to get excited by the new season though. Not saying that as we lost – just hard to get really motivated and ‘into’ it. With the cases rising and no sign of even proper trials/test events; we aren’t going to be at games I feel for a long time. Certainly, till into next year (2021) I sense and if Winter does see cases rise and more hospitalisations as many Scientists predict attendance could be off the agenda till even 2021-22 which I got called for when I have said before but feel sadly, I may be right. It is depressing but does mean it becomes hard to really get into it. The same way as losing and playing crap does not fill me with doom as much as it used to, winning is not the same. None of it feels like being a normal football fan. I hate it and by Jan/Feb if still like this; I wonder if interest with many will wane. Football is about attending and the mingling with mates and going home or away. To think it could be another year till that happens is really depressing. How many others just shrugged after tonight? It felt odd. Like I am more detached than ever; even from the end of last season. It is like this is how football is and will be for a good while now and it means I just don’t feel part of it – the delight or the pain depending on the result seems less heightened.
