Post by deadbat on Sept 15, 2021 19:36:33 GMT
Sorry for the late report (day late I know!) – Work/life stuff got in the way!
Pod links
soundcloud.com/tufty-club/tufty-club-reaction-21-22-preston-home
open.spotify.com/episode/3O20balhBY0bDjqV6LKGLo
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/id1508158343?i=1000535348841
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After the tremendous free flowing and scoring performance from Saturday, it was more a typical grind it out Championship game against Preston North End. The Blades led twice but could not see out the game against another physical, direct side and more poor defending at the death cost them as United once again conceded in the final minute of stoppage time, just as they had done against Huddersfield at the Lane. United’s inability to deal with direct long balls/throws into the box continues to haunt them and unless they become better at this aspect of their defensive game, then they will continue to give away sloppy goals and not be able to put a run of results together. The Blades probably played the better football and at times still showed some promise attacking wise but it was not as threatening as the weekend and too many loose touches and inability to make balls theirs meant they could not have full control of the game. In the end despite Berge’s last strike, United gave away a stupid late free kick and could not defend a ball into the box. It was most definitely a case of two points thrown away.
Manager Jokanovic made 2 changes from the wide at the weekend with Olsen in for Foderingham for his league debut and Freeman for Osborn who was ill. Sander Berge was back on the bench. Preston started with former Blade Ben Whiteman but Ched Evans was not involved for the visitors.
The game began with rain swirling around the S2 area and started in quite scrappy fashion with neither side really asserting any clear dominance but United were always look to be progressive with a patient passing game from the back. It was from one such move where the Blades took the lead. Freeman worked some space and sent a cross over that Ndiaye could not quite turn goalward but the ball fell perfectly for GIBBS WHITE who reacted quickly to slide in and sent it into the far corner giving Iversen little chance.
The Blades could have doubled their lead soon after when Norrington Davies sent over an inviting cross but Sharp mistimed his leap and the header drifted well wide. Emil Ris Jakobsen went in very late and seemed high on Norwood and on another day may have seen red rather than a yellow card. Preston had not really been in it but they had a few balls over the top that had beaten the offside trap according to a hesitant assistant referee but one such ball was clearly onside. Norrington Davies failed to react to JOHNSON who nipped in and his first touch was superb but it was anyone’s guess what Olsen was doing so far out and in a horrible position. After the Preston midfielder’s touch, he then had the simple task of tapping it into an empty net to stun the Blades crowd.
United tried to respond with a Norwood shot over the bar but the game now became much more even and Maguire nearly got in and the same man then took a shot that Olsen had to save. Preston were starting to win the loose stuff and United were nowhere near the fluency of Saturday. Ndiaye did forge an opening with some neat skill but Sharp could not quite get on the end of it. Freeman had a great chance to restore the lead after a lovely move involving Ndiaye, Norwood and Baldock but the former QPR man side footed well over the bar.
Norwood was then given a yellow card for a poor foul on Earl with the North End fans this time calling for an early bath. The half time whistle came not long after. United had failed to build on a good start and Preston had been very competitive and workmanlike but also showed a threat in behind the United defence with runners from deep.
The second half and United came out the aggressor. Sharp had an effort blocked and then Ndiaye headed wide as the Blades looked to really up the tempo. Ndiaye showed some more quick footwork but could not get his shot away. At the other end Robinson continued his stuttering form and was beaten for pace and skill by Emil Ris Jakobsen but fortunately it went across the goal.
The next phase of the game saw little in the way of action and Preston started to take the sting out of the game with some slow play in terms of retaking free kicks/set plays and the physio coming on more than once. Gibbs White had a free kick lofted over a foul on Ndiaye 30 yards from goal but United were not penetrating a well organised back line.
Berge came on for Freeman as the Blades tried to find something going forward but Preston then were nearly in as Emil Ris Jakobsen again got away but was cynically chopped down by Norrington Davies for a yellow card. Brewster came on for Ndiaye after he went down with cramp again and could not continue. Potts came on for Maguire for the visitors.
Two chances came in quick succession when Fleck picked up the ball and as Preston tried to play for offside, the Scottish midfielder burst through and suddenly only had the keeper to beat but perhaps tried to be too clever and his chipped finish was saved by Iversen. The action then went to the other end and a through ball dissected Egan and Robinson leading to a one on one for Emil Ris Jakobsen but Olsen made a great save flicking it over the bar.
Hourihane came on for Norwood and United tried to remain patient with some switches of play but chances were now proving elusive despite the Blades controlling possession almost exclusively by this stage.
As the game ticked into the final 10 minutes, Berge won a corner with a driving and then with the next attack, the Blades got what they thought would be the winner on 84 minutes. Gibbs White and Fleck were involved and as the ball came across Sharp’s shot was blocked but fell into the path of BERGE who drilled it low under Iversen and into the net. The Norwegian slid on his knees in front of the jubilant Kop.
The Blades had opportunities to maybe score again but towards the end of stoppage time opted to take it into the corner but Hourihane lost it and Preston broke and hit the ball forward. As the game ticked over to the 95th minute and, Sharp fouled his man on half way; a silly foul and Preston had a final chance to put it into the box. The ball should have been cleared but Robinson mistimed his jump and flicked it on and Storey was able to send it back into the six-yard box.
JACOBSEN was able to control and lash it home to spark wild joy with even the keeper coming up to celebrate. There was barely chance for United to mount another attack and the home side had been denied points at the death again with more sloppy defending.
United – Nowhere near Saturday which no one really thought it would be. Hard to consistently create and score so many chances/goals. Still, I thought we showed some glimpses tonight even though it was a scrappy game that was hard work. I felt Preston were much more robust, organised and dangerous as an attacking force than Peterborough. Preston got stuck in, got amongst us and got far closer to the ball. United made an ideal start and a well taken goal from Gibbs White but Sharp missed a chance and then it became scrappy. I felt we were much crisper and moved it quicker and it became a bit slow and easy to defend against. We saw bits and pieces from Ndiaye and Fleck made some decent runs but I am not sure we created too much and Preston slowly grew into it. Olsen was not convincing on a high ball and early on their main tactic seemed to be high balls into the box or the long ball behind to exploit Emil Ris Jakobsen pace and power or Johnson’s movement. They nearly got in a few times and the left side of the defence continued to be a concern. The goal that came was laughable. Of course, the goalkeeper is in an awful position. No idea why he came out so far? Maybe he was trying to read it but also Norrington Davies had just lost his man – not sure if he is playing offside but it was way too easy and a terrible goal to let in. Freeman then missed a really good chance after one of the few fluent moves of the first half. Gibbs White was quite for much of the game but did show some nice touches and flicks. I thought we slowly started to not win as many of the loose balls and too many times the ball came off our players and it got very scrappy.
After the break we were the better side no doubt but did not create loads. They started to sit back more and time waste somewhat but not sure we really created much. Ndiaye had a few flicks and there was some nice interchange and whilst United were pretty on the eye, it was almost like every pass/touch had to be perfect to create whilst Preston were more basic, they still looked as dangerous on the break. Twice they got past Robinson for strength and pace and easily could have gone in as balls went across the goal. Fleck then misses a glorious chance as did Emil Ris Jakobsen for them with both keepers making really good saves but I did feel we then started to have a good spell and force them back and Berge was causing real issues with his strong running. The goal was a bit fortunate how it fell but he took it well and the build up before it dropped was good.
We should have seen it out but as has happened already this season we either lack mental strength and desire to make the big headers/clearances or are just not physical enough when the balls come into our box. We had multiple chances to kill the last minute – Hourihane in the corner, Sharp stupid foul and then Robinson with another rick as he headed it into the path of the Preston man. Even after it comes back, we are all over the place and the organisation is shambolic and the lad had an age to take a touch and rifle it home. I worry that we will concede every time a high ball/throw comes into our box and the keeper tonight for a big lad had a worrying debut for me. We are going to have to find a way to deal with such tactics and teams (there are lots more to come everyone just like these Brum, West Brom etc) but without height/physicality (yes Robinson is rubbish but will Davies be the answer to dealing with this threat after seeing him outmuscled quite a bit in games so far when he did play?) I am concerned how. The easy thing it to use your skilled players and football to score more goals and then the last minute is irrelevant but the way the forwards we have introduced play, teams will sit back and just ask us to break them down and continue to cause issues on the break as our defence is erroneous and has been all season with goals conceded all over the place from a variety of basic errors. We need a big kick it and head it centre back but we have not got one. Lopata is a young lad and is asking a lot but I think we will still see the same concerns even if Davies or Basham come in as we saw last season, we struggled with crosses at Premier League level.
I came away massively disappointed as we tossed the game away but then I am not sure we really dominated. We had more clear chances and technically were better but it does not matter how you score. Looking at Preston’s huge line up compared to our diminutive side, I was very concerned on set plays but was hoping keeper would take charge more. We are relying on Egan solely to win headers. McBurnie for all his awful form is effective at the end but we had used all our subs at that point.
After watching last night, I also feel that we will see us win some games with enterprising football and some lovely interchange but also, we do not score enough of the easy goals/percentage goals and at the other end teams score these too much against us. Thus, we will continue conceding due to the aforementioned weaknesses and our poor mental strength to see out games. Last night needed one big challenge or clearance and we had 2 or 3 chances and no one could execute. I worry that after seeing the sides so far and us (albeit improved offensively and the new players have helped) we will see a real mixed set of results. I expect us to beat the sides who lack that physicality but against the QPR/Middlesbrough/Cardiff and others it will be a real struggle to not concede chances and goals. I honestly foresee us just being a mid-table side mostly because without us stopping such basic threats as alehouse as it is then we will not be able to put together a run of wins as every other week a strong, powerful team will take advantage. A lot pointed to the failure to sign wingers but the lack of a dominant centre back will prevent this team from being anywhere near the top 6 in my opinion. Clearly it will take Slav time and he knows all the pretty football you play; you cannot be a soft touch but we are at the moment as the goals conceded and how/when we concede proves. With only one loan left if all the other play maybe he can address it in January. Maybe Davies, Stevens come in and we get Berge back in the side firing and Mousset gives us a cameo here and there but none of those players will address the obvious weakness in the side.
We go to Hull and if we win there it will be a good week of course but we really should have been celebrating three points and sadly the players got what they deserved as the decision making and desire meant we threw it away so only had ourselves to blame.
Ratings:
Olsen 5/10 – A very ropey debut to say the least. He had not had much to do but one corner came in and he did not get there and asked for a foul. The goal was a real rick. Norrington Davies errored too of course in letting him get away but no idea why he was so far out and then he’s not even in the right position to intercept the ball and it ended up being a tap in. After this he punched a few out but he was at full stretch and was risky really. He also took a few poor kicks and one straight to a Preston man. I am not sure he is someone who catches balls from high balls from the punches thrown it! He did make a great save at 1-1 that should have been vital. Not sure he had much chance on the late goal as the ball came back and his defence were all over the place. Hope it was a case of first game jitters and he will get better.
Baldock 6/10 – Not sure he had the best of nights really but still one of the better defenders. I felt early on he gave his man too much room down that side but both full backs did this. He always competes and got better defensively but not sure he offered too much going forward save for one good run and cross to Freeman. Second half he got into good positions a few times as he finally got into the final third but that pathetic scooped cross behind when he had all the time in the world summed him up. Love his effort but his lack of quality when he goes forward is telling.
Norrington Davies 4/10 – I thought he endured a really difficult night overall. He started with a few poor touches and they got down that side a couple of times. Positionally, he seems all over the place when teams do break and, on the goal, he has let his man get away from him too easily and then the confusion with the keeper occurs. He did keep trying to get forward but no end product at all other than the one cross to Sharp that was decent. He kept trying to run Johnson and clearly did not have the pace or strength to do that. When he had the chance to cross, he hit his first man 2nd half time and time again. Horrible foul too when again in a really bad position and was beat easily and had to rugby tackle his man. I have seen some say they have been impressed with him but I thought he was ok Saturday and did well in the first half v Luton but he has been decidedly average to me. Defensively I worry when teams break down that side and that is a concern. I am asking hoping Stevens comes back soon but of course he has been wretched for some time.
Robinson 1.5/10 – He had another appalling game. He won a few headers early on and I thought he was on his game but slowly he started to unravel. Once he lost it and they broke and then he kicked it straight to them but I suppose first half he was more a 5/10 but then 2nd half he was abysmal and everything he did was a mistake. He got ran past twice down both sides. Outmuscled again showing how weak he is. Outpaced showing his slow he is. He kicked one straight to them and then let them get behind him for a one on one when he played them onside. Then the coup-de-grace as the final ball came into the box and he jumps too early and sets the lad up for the cross and equaliser. He put his head to his hands again (as he did Saturday) and knows he cost us a goal (not totally him but another mistake) as he did Saturday. Yes, he is left footed but surely Basham, Lopata, Gordon or anyone else must be a better option. The young kids might make mistakes but at least have a chance of improving. This guy is getting worse. He is a lower league player who does not concentrate, is technically poor, weak, slow and just everything you do not want in a centre back. Should not near the squad and one we must look to move on the first chance we have.
Egan 6/10 – He was ok but again not sure he wins anywhere near enough headers or dominates and that is my point. He really should be the secondary dominant aerial player (barely 6 foot and not sure he wins/is assertive enough). The little striker Maguire won a lot against him and he just does not impose himself. At the end I almost wanted him to go and attack that last free kick (bit of a rover like Morgan used to be). He often gets away with any criticism in reports and people say it’s always Robinson or someone else but actually I am not sure Egan has been that great this season. He is the main man at the back at too often teams win headers/set plays or are running through us. He is ok but all that talk of him being a 15–20-million-pound centre back now is fairly laughable. He is a bog-standard decent Championship centre back and what we paid was about right. I think he has regressed the last few years and whilst he is steady- he is not really excelling in any one key part of being a centre back. Sure, I will get criticised for this opinion and not sure he has many awful games but how many really good dominant games has he had in the last 12 months? He needs someone alongside him no doubt to help him but he also needs to do more.
Norwood 6.5/10 – I thought he was ok generally. Too slow at times to do things and a few wasted crosses (two in the 2nd half where he had ages to line up crosses and messed them both up) but he did some decent things and switched play quicker than he had earlier in the season. Involved in one attack that led to the Freeman chance, had a shot over and then 2nd half he was still helping us move it forward albeit very slowly at times but it did become quite congested. Took a big whack early but then booted someone back! Came off for Hourihane but not sure that chance really changed the result/game in any way.
Fleck 7.5/10 – Not at the standards of Saturday but for me one of our better players again. He was busy and involved and other than the previous game, we have not seen this consistently. Taking the ball on the half turn and driving more and trying to link. His touch seems better and he is just playing with more urgency. Not everything came off but I thought him and Norwood with the ball were ok. I felt off it we got ran through a few times and we started to lose some 50-50 challenges but then he had a second wind. Great run for the chance but he has to score – maybe he could have squared it to Brewster but in that position, you expect him to shoot. Definitely some real shoots of improvement.
Freeman 5.5/10 – I saw some say they thought he was really good. I have to be honest I saw what I always see, a few neat stepovers and touches but he lacks pace, dynamism and from where he played, he is a link player rather than someone who will run or create. He lacks fitness and cannot get up and down in that position but then not sure where he plays as his lack of mobility (looks overweight to me) and speed means he will not do much defensively. To compensate for that, I expect more but there is little end product although he did put a good cross in for the goal. Missed an excellent chance to score before the break and then faded after the interval and was taken off rightly. I do not see him being a regular at all and think it will be bits and pieces before he is released next summer. Not been the signing we hoped and wanted and all this positional talk or formation not suiting him is baloney. Good players (Gibbs White) can make things happen and influence games no matter where they play.
Gibbs White 6.5/10 – I actually seen some who thought he was our best player but I cannot agree. He scored a well taken goal and some nice flicks and touches but not sure he was anywhere near as involved as Saturday or you would like him to be. Clearly a clever footballer with a good touch but the scrappy, stop start game and physical element of the Preston defenders meant he could not build up a head of steam. I thought other than a few little flicks 2nd half he did not really cause too many problems.
Ndiaye 7/10 – As above, he was not as involved in the game as Saturday but he did show those odd moments where he got on it and made a dribble, played a one two or made defenders commit. Has lovely balance and technically looks excellent. A few times he lost it or he made the wrong decision, getting crowded out but he kept going and never hid but against giants it was hard and we struggled to have the same fluency. Is it a concern he cannot last games as he cramped up again – he has not played many games but is not a kid? Hopefully he will get stronger physically but it maybe he does not play every game at first to put too much pressure on him.
Sharp 6/10 – He worked hard and tried to run the channels and was always looking to get in behind and came off to link again with Gibbs White and Ndiaye. His work away from goal was good but he missed a header badly and then actually got lucky as he fluffed his chance just before the Berge goal. His foul on halfway was really stupid and totally unnecessary and led to the leveller.
Subs –
Berge 7/10 – Thought he was decent when he came on. He drove at his man and won a corner, did that again and forced a chance and then put a cross in. He linked well with Baldock and then of course drilled home what should have been the winner. I know people (including me) will pick faults out of his game but to me he still does enough at this level that he should play ahead of the likes of Freeman and Osborn (granted he did well Saturday) as he will still make more happen.
Brewster 5/10 – Still not convinced by him at all. I am more surprised when he does something decent than not. He looks like a headless chicken. He ended up wide left and did a few ok things but just seems to want to shoot whenever he gets it. No idea what the long-term plan is for him? He does not score and never looks like scoring; he is not a set up man and does not run down the sides. He is just a nothing sort of player and in a year he has not improved. I really would consider sending him out on loan in January and moving Burke and McBurnie if we can and changing the options up top. Those three have for a whole season been total rubbish (not sure that is unfair), do not score goals or even offer a nuisance value. I saw a Preston fan talking about how we had 70 million in reserve but in reality, now you might get 15 million for Berge at a push but the other two you would struggle to get 5 million apiece.
Hourihane – I thought he made a few neat headers/touches and was neat but then a daft moment in the corner when he let them get out led to the free kick.
Jokanovic 6/10 – Some good things but the same defensive concerns. Attacking wise we showed flashes and played some decent football at times but it was still too slow and ponderous. I think we were too cautious at 1-1 and maybe that is due to the defensive worries but want us to go for teams and push them back as we did Posh. Penetrate, run at them, get men forward and turn defenders. We made it a bit easy at times and they were able to see us out but then we score. After this with him having used all three subs (no issues with these at the time as he wanted maybe Brewster’s pace to try and get down the side) we were always struggling with their land of the giant’s team. He will feel it is a going to e a struggle to get a run of results without us not making basic mistakes. Concerning he keep picking Robinson. This obsession with a left sided centre back needs to end. We need a big lad who win’s headers – who cares what foot he uses!
Preston – Thought they had a go at times and did try and get men forward. They were not all defensive but gave up an early goal but gradually came back into it. They got a decent goal that was well taken and after this it was an even first half. I thought 2nd half they sat back and United had most of the play but still had chances on the break. They were a very big side but still had some decent technical players too. They went behind but showed character to level even if the goal was basic – the lad who pulled it back showed good composure when he could have panicked. McAvoy said they deserved a draw which was not really accurate. On possession, clear chances and football we shaded it I felt but, in the end, we did not do enough to see it over the line. Preston were huge all over the side in comparison to us and we were always struggling on set plays/high balls.
I do think they will be nearer the bottom than top. They lack quality, goals and squad depth but showed they will compete and were fairly well organised. They had a few missing like us but were a typical workmanlike Championship side. If you compare their resources to ours and how much our bench cost, they will say they are doing fantastic to compete with us.
Opponent Man of the Match – Always like Johnson and he took his goal really well but realty impressed with Ris Jakobsen. Strong, powerful and direct. He did cause us some problems all night. Nearly scored with a few chances including one he should have done better and then calmly scored the late goal.
Opponent Weak link – Thought the centre back Bauer looked a bit clumsy and the quicker players for us caused the defence a few issues. Maguire was quiet up front too and I am not even sure I knew Whiteman was playing till I saw the line-ups after the game. No one was terrible and like us a lot of 5 and 6’s out of 10.
Referee/Officials – Weak and inefficient. The ref was never up with play and was out of shape. He the kept getting in the way. He got most of the bookings right although the one early on Norwood was a really bad one and close to a red card – the United man could have made more of that and he might have walked. Norrington Davies’ foul was crude. I hate fouls like that as players know they won’t be red but are blatant and cynical. Norwood also was late himself. I thought that he was just inconsistent – at times letting physical stuff go and then stopping it for little things. Johnson pulled Ndiaye back and was not booked, then time wasted by walking along the pitch when he was injured when he should have come off on the goal line before taking an age to come off. Preston did time waste a fair bit and then ironically score right on the end of the time added on for such timewasting! The assistant on the South Stand side was even worse. He looked like he had won a raffle to be involved. No idea on offsides, never in line and just guessed most of the time. Officials are really weak and allow games to be scrappy and stopping all the time with drinks or the ball out and teams taking forever. He allowed a wall to be a yard over his own sprayed white line! Also a few blatant foul throws too!
Crowd / Match Day experience – Thought the Lane was really quiet and you could hear the 500 or so Preston fans more than ours. It was eerily quiet and you could players shouting and I sit midway up the South Stand. It became one of those flat, drab Championship grinds and the days of the razmataz of the Premier League seemed a distant memory. Credit to the Preston fans for coming as £33 is absurd and the club need to look at this. Indeed, the match day prices for all fans are way too much for such a game. If United do not sell as many Season Tickets next year (which it will drop off if we fail to go up and will continue each season) then if we persist with such pricing, then the crowds will slowly fall.
A word on the issues pre game. Many were left queuing outside and the turnstiles were locked and the shutters came down inside. Apparently, a fire alarm but no one seemed to know – not even the stewards. It was bewildering that we have tannoys outside the ground and turnstiles but nothing was said to calm people or let them know what was happening? Surely a bit of communication does not hurt? I felt fans were quiet patient really considering.
