Post by deadbat on Aug 7, 2021 23:37:15 GMT
It had been seventeen months to the day since most Blades had set foot in Bramall Lane as the new season started. A different division and a different manager were significant changes that most fans would not have envisaged possible when they left the Lane on March 7th, 2020 when United were pushing for Europe at the top end of the Premier League. As the ground was close to capacity again finally after what seemed like an eternity, the home side entertained Lee Bowyer’s Birmingham City.
Most fans go into the new season with renewed optimism and even after a dreadful season last time out, United’s supporters were no different even under a new leader. However, after a preseason that had been somewhat under cooked, the reality hit home as the Blues shocked one of the promotion contenders on opening day. The Blades had 75% possession but visiting keeper Sarkic barely had a save to make and in the end Maxim Colin’s header was enough to take the three points. In truth the best chances of a tight game fell to Birmingham as United continued to lack creativity and idea even at a lower level. Birmingham were direct, physical and niggly but with a weak referee they did what they had to. United will meet many similar challenges at this level of this type and need to sharpen up in terms of pace of their passing and adapt to the new manager’s ideas with more alacrity than they showed today; albeit after very limited time under him.
Slavisa Jokanovic’s first league line up featured the same personnel that came down last season but despite speculation they retained Aaron Ramsdale and Sander Berge and both started. Up front it was Mousset, Burke and McGoldrick. There was no place for Chris Basham with Jack Robinson starting in a 4-3-3 formation.
Before kick off the new manager was introduced in his first game at the Lane and got a rousing reception just before the Greasy Chip Butty song was sang loudly and proudly by the returning fans. The Lane had close to 30,000 inside it and the atmosphere was electric as the game kicked off. The visitors settled quicker and forced United back. Roberts’ long throws were a feature early on and Chong was lively, having a shot blocked by Egan. United were playing it out from the back with even Ramsdale key to this possession early on but were struggling to make much headway. They coughed up possession on more than one occasion as the patient approach did not always work. McGoldrick tried to get on the ball from an unfamiliar left side position but United had not really worked any openings where as the ball spent more time in the Blades box, even if it was form balls from throws and long diagonals.
On 19 minutes though, City produced a real moment of quality. No one closed down Bela and he came inside Baldock and sent over a cross to the far post. Osborn was sleeping and full back COLIN got in and headed down and beyond Ramsdale into the corner at the Kop end. The Blades were stunned but City had started the game well and were rewarded for their positive approach.
United almost had an instant reply as Berge played the ball down the right channel. Burke was on the angle but nearly shocked Sarkic at his near post as it bounced off his near post and back into play but fell kindly for the visiting side. United then had another chance down the right side but Mousset’s shot was pulled wide.
United continued to try and pass it around and draw Birmingham on but now the visitors, buoyed by their goal, were just putting 10 behind the ball and United were too slow to move it on. They struggled to penetrate and in the end after a lot of passes, normally it was a direct ball that caused more issues for Birmingham. This was the case when Mousset was sprang down the right and his cross seemed perfect for Fleck but he went with his left foot as it came across and Colin made a timely block. Osborn blazed over from a corner not long after this.
Jutkiewicz’s power caused Robinson to have to clear for a corner before the busy Chong nipped in and nearly got his shot away. For all the ball United had, Birmingham still were causing problems when they turned it over.
Berge had been quiet but his power saw him get away from Pederson who cynically chopped him down and was rightly booked. The set play was wasted from United. Norwood’s shot went wide as United ran out of time as the half time whistle went soon after. United had controlled the ball but had not tested the keeper and really got the Birmingham defence turned.
United started the second half with some intent and at least the forward were getting more involved. McGoldrick’s shot was easy for Sarkic before a better chance came when Burke got down the right and sent over a cross that was just too far ahead of Mousset. Sadly, the striker pulled up lame in trying to get on the end of the cross, possibly slipped in the incident and signalled straight away he could not carry on – continuing his record of never completing 90 minutes in English football.
Brewster was on in his place to encouragement from the crowd despite his poor record so far in a Blades shirt and early on he showed some pace to nearly get in down the left. McGoldrick came inside and hit a curling effort but it was wide of the far post. At the other end Birmingham then had a flurry of chances and despite sitting back for the most part, they managed to find more opportunities in a 5-minute spell than the Blades had all game.
Firstly, Jutkiewicz should have done better but headed over when well placed before a cross from the left from Chong who had acres of space, saw the ball headed home by Colin but the referee spotted a push. An even better chance came when another cross came in and once again Jutkiewicz won the initial header but opted to head across goal and it seemed certain Hogan would score but he hooked over.
United than had two penalty kick appeals. The first seemed an excellent one as the ball dropped for Fleck and his shot hit the hand of Gardner who seemed to move his hand towards it. Referee Robinson was well placed but opted not to give it. Replays shows the midfielder was very fortunate and his attempts to pretend he was hit in the chest after were quite laughable really but he tried to kid the referee and maybe it worked! Berge then drove forward but Chong got just enough on the ball as the midfielder was grounded.
Sharp came on for Fleck but it was confusing what formation or whom was playing where but United had four strikers on the field. Leko came on for Hogan for the visiting side. Colin was booked for a foul on Brewster as Ramsdale’s long early kick nearly got him in.
Woods was booked for another cynical foul as he could not hold up the powerful Berge and then soon after his replacement Castillo suffered a similar fate as the midfielder started to really run at the Birmingham backline. Brewster was booked in between for a late tackle on the touchline for United.
The game entered the final 10 minutes and McBurnie was the final United change with Burke departing. Osborn wasted another chance hitting another effort a long way over before Berge drove forward again but there was no end product. The game became stop start with Robinson particularly weak at preventing blatant time wasting but he did adjudge 6 minutes to play. United huffed and puffed but McGoldrick was well off target with an ambitious effort and finally one Osborn cross was not far off McBurnie. Birmingham felled Berge again on full time but it was too late and the final whistle was blown signalling a familiar losing feeling for the Blades
United – Not the start we were looking for. On the surface we have not lost any players and have a strong squad but a new manager who needs time to get his ideas across combined with an awful pre season with no games and a trip to Spain where covid swept the camp.
Today we had a lot of the ball but it was totally bereft of any kind of attacking idea and purpose. It was out from the back and went sideways and backwards and then back. I get that is how he wants us to play but we have to do it much quicker. I also am concerned we have the players to play the way he wants us to play. We lack dynamism all over the side and it is a very slow side. On another day Burke’s shot goes in or we get a penalty but then Birmingham had the much better chances. We never worked the keeper at all and I felt it was way too predictable and very much like last season in all these strikers we have simply not being in the game as all the play was in our half due to the slow build up.
I am not sure the players seemed to know how he wants them to play or in some cases where they were meant to be playing? We had Norwood wide left of midfield, Fleck wide left (wrong footed), Berge centre and then they swapped about a bit after half an hour. Up top, McGoldrick seemed to be wide left and Burke wide right and Mousset in the middle but again this moved about. Some may argue that it is fluid and that is why it worked at Fulham and Watford, but not sure tonight the fluidity worked at all. The players seem befuddled how they were meant to play it. We would often pass, pass, pass and then go back and see no way through (we never played through midfield) and then play a long ball down the side (ironically, we caused more issues doing this to Burke or Mousset) but overall, we did not create much at all for the strikers. We never got the ball in the box all game and Birmingham actually saw it out quite comfortably. The goal we conceded was simple. A cross and header. We conceded lots of headed goals last year and will do the same again unless we improve our physicality at the back – Robinson and Osborn are weak and slow – they are not good enough to start for a side with ideas about promotion – that sounds harsh but no sure anyone can really argue? I saw Robinson get ragged about several times early and winced as long throws/balls came in and Egan was the only man I felt confident to win headers. We will continue to ship stupid goals unless we can win headers and deal with balls coming in.
After this we were unlucky to hit the post but not sure we did much else. We had a few long shots and Berge showed his power (they were cynical but cleverly shared the bookings around) and as well as he played there is rarely ever any product. Fleck and Norwood continued poor and slow form from last season. I felt a bit sorry for the strikers but again at times the movement was not there. I felt we could have played another half an hour and not scored -I never felt they were under loads of pressure. We simply do not get defences turned or put the ball in the box. Maybe his philosophy is to keep it, and bring teams on and then break the press but we don’t have the legs in the side (particularly midfield) to run through sides. Berge did it a bit but teams will just do what they did today to him. I was surprised how lacking in ideas we were all game to break down a side that were right at the bottom of the league. So, for all the strikers we have, unless we move it at a quicker pace and play with more urgency/tempo then we are going to see lots of teams spoil, defend and just break things up and we will need something different.
I have been really concerned that we have not signed or moved anyone out. People may scoff and say well it’s good we kept most of the squad but I am not sure. We have been a team in a losing run for a long time and I feel that we needed to freshen things up with 2 or 3 going and 2 or 3 coming in (granted glad Ramsdale and Berge are still here). I am sure people will point to Norwich and Watford struggling and bouncing back but they had players with pace, energy and youth – I just feel we needed an injection of enthusiasm. I said this on my pre season pod before people say you are just reacting to one game. I think we needed to move some first teamers out and some in- not all but at least 3 or 4 in and 3 or 4 out. Just my opinion. Some things/players come to the end of a natural cycle and I am concerned likes of Fleck, Norwood may have come to their end with us but I might be wrong. They don’t seem to have the hunger they once had in my opinion. Too many have been very average to poor for a long time and we need some freshening up. Today saw a performance albeit with the ball with the same lack of thrust and attacks of note that may lead to goals.
Of course, it is very early and we will wait and see. I did worry we may struggle with the poor preparation and of course we now have two away games to come – both tough. Be interesting to see how the crowd are in 4 or 5 weeks if we have a bad start? Already today you heard murmurings of ‘gerrit forward.’ I would say that under Wilder and Heckingbottom to a degree, the football was slow and predictable (down the wings/playing for overloads) with nothing coming in the box and limited chances/goalmouth action. So, in that respect it was no different! Maybe today might not have been the worst thing as can see where the limitations of this squad are if he wants to play this way. I personally think some players will adapt to his style and get better but a few I am sceptical. There will be some casualties, I am sure. Just disappointing that after all the build up we saw a game and a performance that lacked any kind of attacking idea or excitement after so long away and this against a pretty average side.
Ratings:
Ramsdale 6/10 – Had little to do really. No chance with the header due to poor defending although seen some say he was static but it was well placed and went down and in – it would have took some save! Played out with his feet a lot. Their other chances were misses from Birmingham. One punch away and then one good kick that nearly got Brewster in.
Baldock 5/10 – He got the start over Bogle but continued his so-so form from last season. Defensively he gave men way too much time and did not stop the cross for the goal (his man). Second half constantly he was nowhere to be seen when the ball came over to that side. Attacking wise he did get forward well with one shot blocked first half and then second half he was in a really advanced area but I felt took too many touches and not once did a positive cross come in or did, he drive into the box. He is too hesitant to do things attacking wise. I think Bogle may come in for him over time as he has to offer more offensively.
Osborn 3.5/10 – Poor match. Badly at fault for the goal as he switched off and did not see the run or even put a challenge in as the player scored rather easily. Him and Robinson struggled at times as they attacked a fair bit down this side and won corners or loose bits from them not being alert. He then had a woeful shot miles over. He repeated this second half at the Kop end. Will not use his right foot at all. He did improve a bit defensively but often just kicked it out when he had it. One good cross near the end was one of the few decent moments in a game he did not really press a claim to be our regular left back. Not sure he is a defender or orthodox left back at all as shown tonight.
Robinson 4/10 – Started the game in hesitant fashion. He often loses 50-50 and for a biggish lad is quite weak. Lacks pace too. He seemed to get the start over Basham just as he is left footed. I would rather Bash play myself. Or ideally a new left sided centre back. Him and Robinson struggled when players ran at them and I worried every time it went down that channel. 2nd half did a bit better but when they had chances he was often nowhere to be seen.
Egan 6/10 – Steady-ish game against a tough centre forward who wins a lot of headers. Our best defender and at least won a few or made a few blocks. Not sure the midfield helped him as they came giving it him in daft areas. He is not a ball player and that might be a worry if the manager wants us to play out of the back. Should be a solid defender at this level but needs some help in terms of physicality as there will be lots of teams like Birmingham that get crosses/corners/throws into the box. We lack any kind of presence outside of him (Berge is big but awful in the air).
Norwood 4.5/10 – Carried on from last season really. Safe passing, a few ok diagonals but all so predictable and when pressed he just moved it back as lacks pace/drive to carry it forward. Ended up often playing almost as a centre back when in possession. His set plays were dreadful all night and wasted a number of corners/free kicks. We had so much of the ball but it was so slow and deliberate. His passing stats may be high but they were all in our half or just cross field passes. He was better than Fleck but that is all I can say.
Fleck 3.5/10 – Thought he was largely anonymous. One good tackle early on where he moved it on apart, not sure he did anything of note all game really. Nearly got in from one Mousset cross but would have been better using his right foot maybe as it came in? After this not sure I saw him at all and we never went through midfield. It was knocked around defence and then normally when no one showed or they realised they could not go through the middle, they just knocked it down the line. He looked like he had no idea where he was meant to be or where he was meant to be playing?
Berge 7/10 – Some may say he was better – some may saw he was worse. I will start with the positive – second half he made 2 or 3 great driving runs and they had to chop him down or wrestle him back. Great running and strength. He was our main threat at getting forward or possibly getting a chance second half. Can glide across the deck and at times quick feet and lovely touch. When he shows these bits of quality you think wow – he is way too good for us. The negatives, first half he was non existent really and I also thought he took too long at times – twice they robbed him second half where he dithered and they nearly scored on both occasions. Also, for all his quality we never see any end product. Granted they felled him and stopped him by illegal means but I also think on other occasions he does not know when to release it or when he does there is never that moment of quality, a shot, cross or pass that leads to a clear chance. It is all stuff that does not hurt teams. Maybe that is harsh but the flashes we see are too infrequent and actually rarely leads to us scoring or creating things. He certainly has some class of course and has all the attributes to play for a better team than us – I also felt he played within himself tonight (which shows how good he is but also maybe shows that he may not want to get injured too!). Undoubtedly our best player though and not sure anyone else really stood out.
McGoldrick 5/10 – Mixed bag for me but he has had better games for sure and not sure he offered much more than the other strikers albeit all had to come searching for the ball - the same as last season. Some moments of class where he got on and came inside and tried to get it moving but then other moments when he sort of took too long or was predictable. Had our only real efforts of note 2nd half – the shot at the keeper and the shot wide – before a late poor one wide. He kept going and tried to link things but unsure he knew his role (like many others) at this stage.
Burke 5/10 – Usual promise where he shows his pace and running but often runs out of play or into men. He had a decent shot of course that hit the post (good effort) and then another moment where he showed neat skill to drift inside and run at the defence but then took too long. Second half he sort of ran out of steam and with little service he did not get in or behind at all. I am not sure he was close to our worst player and felt the strikers were not given much service really.
Mousset 5/10 – Started enthusiastically and first half he was trying to get on the ball but it came forward too slowly and he started to become less involved. He got down the wings a few times and had a few cross shots or balls across (the one to Fleck where he got down the wing and crossed was decent) but he cannot stay fit and again he hobbled off – will he be out for weeks/months now. It seemed completely innocuous again this one as he just seemed to slip and then was holding his hamstring? Maybe it was unfortunate but happens too often and he has abysmal conditioning for a pro footballer.
Subs –
Brewster 6/10 – I actually thought he did a few ok things- one run earlier where he showed some pace and won a corner as he came down the side and then another where he got a player booked after getting onto a Ramsdale kick. Bit petulant to get booked for a late tackle. He did not do much in the closing stages but seemed to have to keep moving positions due to the changes. He was ok today and felt showed a bit of life but as with all our strikers if we do not get if into the box or play them passes in then they will not score many – that will be the same at this level.
Sharp – Few bits and pieces of link play but not really anything of note chances wise and had to go hunting outside the box. Near the end I looked and we had no one in the box as we had it half way almost, but that was because the strikers naturally came back as the ball kept being passed back time after time.
McBurnie – As above but with less time really. Nearly got on the end of one late cross.
Jokanovic 4/10 – A defeat at home to a side that nearly went down is not the start any relegated side from the Premier League wanted. Also, albeit with limited preparation not sure that the players got how he wants us to play. It seemed confusing to the naked eye. Sure, we kept it well but we never went forward and eventually it ended up being a ball down the wings after 10-15 passes going nowhere. Near the end him and the coaching staff were furious when we were hitting it long so fans wanting this approach better get used to how it is going to be. He will not change how he wants to play I do not think and it will still be this possession stuff but to win games, you have to create chances and to create chances you have to get the ball in the box. I am not sure we have the players to move it through the thirds or even down the wings, like Fulham did. Not that they are far inferior (think we do have talent) but they lack the pace and mobility to be able to break presses. Teams will just sit in and sit back and ask us to break them down. Today we could not do that at all. It is very early as I say and we need to wait to properly assess but fans surely want excitement and goals and attacking football. Today we did not see any of that really and whatever way he plays he has to find a way to get chances. To play a side that were no great shakes and not make the keeper make a save all game is poor however you dress it up.
Birmingham – Bowyer did a great job in keeping them up and improved them quite dramatically in a short spell last season. He had done pretty well at Charlton in difficult financial circumstances and is well thought of at St Andrews from his playing career. He has made some decent signings this summer and quietly improved them to the extent that I cannot see them struggling and indeed if they get a decent start may even push for the upper places (top 6). They have a nice blend of experience and youth and some forward players that are always a handful at this level.
They have signed well from the league above with Premier League loans like Sarkic (Wolves), Castillo (Chelsea), Chong (Man Utd) and Sanderson (Wolves).
Today they actually started well and forced us back early. They got a goal and then defended pretty well and sadly quite comfortably. Had a few let offs with the shot off the post and the penalty but will say they had chances to win 2-3-0 in the end too with the clear misses. They will say that they protected the keeper, restricted us completely and scored a good goal so will argue it was a deserved win despite having little of the ball. They were cynical and dirty in the way they stopped Berge, time wasted and did the little niggly things but that is up to the referee and he was quite weak all game in this regard.
Opponent Man of the Match – The match winner Colin. Great headed goal where he was well forward – and then made a key block on Fleck. In terms of others, Jutkiewitz won a lot of headers and is always a handful. He wins knock downs and holds the ball up well. The lad Chong was decent and got into some good areas too.
Opponent Weak link – I thought Hogan was ineffectual and missed a big chance. The lad Woods I used to rave about but he never got on the ball and was slow and also dirty in the way he kept bringing men down.
Referee/Officials –Tim Robinson. Weak. Weak. Weak. The game was stop start and he never kept up with play either. You could argue he had no choice but to only yellow card the Brum players for the Berge fouls (they spread them around) but I also thought he was poor in that they kept fouling him and fouling him and he was offered little protection with even little pulls/kicks on him even away from the cynical haul backs. He never stopped the constant rolling around and time wasting either. Also made up his own rule as he sprayed a line near Brewster on a throw. You can stand right near the line if you want to? This was odd. He played 6 minutes at the end and it actually should have been more. Birmingham were a bit of a side in Bowyer’s image, niggly and irritating but Robinson and his officials kind of let them get away with it.
The main change is of course no VAR but how long will it be before people bemoan a decision if we ‘had VAR!’ Well, we got one today with the handball from the Fleck shot and handball. I do feel it will offer more benefits than not but still will mean we get some bad decisions going for and against us. The main fact is we can celebrate goals again is huge and the spontaneity of football can kind of return. Of course, we have to score first!
Crowd / Match Day experience – Felt very strange to be back. In some ways seemed longer than a year and a half but in other ways not that long. Working in education I have been surrounded by people (no choice) for most of the time since covid hit (save for the two big lockdowns) so was less nervous than I might have been and others may have been going into large crowds. I have been surrounded by 200 kids on busy corridors so the Lane was not really any different. I have kind of started to get on with things anyway (being sensible still due to my wife’s condition/also today my uncle who goes has had cancer – so you just want to be safe for those around you). It was an interesting experience attending today though.
I was worried about the masks things – not in my own choice to wear as I went in (I opted to wear in the concourse and toilets for the minute I was down there but not in my seats) but how people would react to those wearing after personal experience at the cricket of being shouted at for having a mask on. I did not hear anyone criticised for the few that chose to wear but as I say I kind of moved in quickly. The concourses were jammed with people (just like before really) so I tried not to hand around. I do feel that people would surely be better just staying in their seats to chat – suppose not everyone sits together but as my Uncle remarked – recovering from cancer and also being careful – he said it was not great in terms of the social mixing down in the concourse – not sure what the answer is – suppose those that go just have to deal with the risks.
I was also concerned about the knee and the possible reaction from fans to it but Gary Sinclair maybe wisely put the GCB song on as the players went down so you could not tell any negative reaction. Probably played a blinder here actually! Sad if or the club had to do this though for fear of anything negative.
As for the crowd, it was bigger than I anticipated. Birmingham brought a full allocation despite saying they were appalled at the prices (rightly as it is way too much but they have charged a similar amount for Stoke next week I see?) but we have heard that before with Blades fans (Bolton in League One) and normally first day it will always get filled. There were more walk up (again prices/TV/holiday season thought would limit these) than I anticipated but again it is the first chance to go for a long time in normal-ish circumstances. I do wonder if the novelty and excitement may wear up and, in a month, or so it will be mid 25k at most. A lot of away teams may not bring more than 1,200 most weeks – we do not have the big clubs we had at this level last time and not many local ones either.
In terms of support, the manager had been eagerly awaiting the noise and a full house and the fact it is under the lights always adds to the atmosphere. It started noisy and loud but actually I felt quite quickly became fairly quiet and the Birmingham fans were excellent. I heard them much more than ours for much of the game from the middle of the South Stand (where I sit). The United fans tried to be encouraging for spells 2nd half but it was a bit flat in the end as we struggled to create much at all – so do not blame the fans totally if nothing was happening. Hopefully we may see some actually goalmouth action and chances (and goals) soon to bring the noise up!
