Post by deadbat on May 17, 2022 23:47:13 GMT
Podcast to come tomorrow. Report below….
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The Blades season ended at the City Ground tonight as Nottingham Forest advanced to face Huddersfield Town at Wembley a week on Sunday for a place in the Premier League. United recovered from a poor first leg defeat and going a further goal behind to Johnson again to mount a remarkable second half comeback to turn the tie around. Gibbs White and Fleck scored the goals after excellent work from Berge and Baldock respectively. United then looked the more likely for spells and Forest looked shellshocked but the game went into extra time. It went back and forth after this and either side could have won it with Ndiaye’s late chance seeing Samba deny him again – as he did earlier in the game. The game then went to penalties and for United they could never recover from missing their first two as Samba was the hero saving three out of five penalties taken from United. Forest go into the Wembley final but the Blades can be proud of their efforts and will rue a poor first leg performance. They showed tonight they could cause Forest a whole manner of problems and in the end could easily have gone through, after such a poor showing at the Lane, United tonight were the far better side in a role reversal of the previous game.
Heckingbottom made two changes from the first leg with Stevens out injured and Osborn also dropping out. In came Baldock and Norrington Davies in the wing back positions. There was still no place for skipper Sharp in the side or on the bench. Forest named an unchanged side from the victory at Bramall Lane.
The Blades started well and got stuck in with Berge and Norrington Davies committed before Robinson hurled a long throw in that was cleared away. United were the dominant force and seemed determined to force Forest back and get closer to the opposition. They won another long throw and this one saw Egan unmarked power it not far wide in the first chance.
However, soon after the Blades had a golden chance to lead when Gibbs White played in Ndiaye who beat the offside trap but he hit it early and Samba’s outstretched arm pushed the ball away. It was a big save and a big opportunity missed.
Forest had not been in the game but Fleck nicked the ball off Johnson leading to a corner which United dealt with. The Blades were moving it about confidently and the Forest fans were getting frustrated but as they did on Saturday, they scored with their first break. It was the same type of move that led to the chances at the Lane as the ball was played down the channel and Surridge ran off Basham and was down the side. He sent over the cross to the completely unmarked JOHNSON who once again finished well but the defending was appalling with Basham and then Robinson not tracking their men. A simple break and cross led to another easily converted goal.
Forest fans celebrated Surridge had a break and was blocked before Garner had an opportunity that was curled wide and United had to stay in the game.
The next spell was poor as the sting was taken out of the game before Ndiaye came onto a ball and curled a ball straight at the keeper. A few niggly moments with Johnson going to ground under minimal contact twice frustrated United as did the time Spence was taking over throws but Heckingbottom was foolish to thrust the ball into his chest and this led to a melee with even McBurnie getting involved with his cast on!
Forest had a break down the left but Johnson’s ball was poor and overhit before Norrington Davies had to be alert to cut out danger down the left. Norwood tried a long ranger that whizzed not too far over before the half time whistle went and United knew they had a mountain to climb. They had performed better than Saturday but out of the two big chances, Forest had taken theirs and United missed theirs.
The second half saw the Blades come flying out of the blocks and within two minutes they were level on the night. Ndiaye got in initially but the ball was not cleared and Berge sent over the cross and GIBBS WHITE was able to poke the ball home and the Blades fans had new hope!
After this United won a corner and Robinson got a header across but it hit Ndiaye before United won two more consecutive corners and the comeback was most certainly on. Forest seemed shell shocked and the Blades penned the home side back. Norwood nearly played in Baldock before Ndiaye and Gibbs White nearly linked up again.
Robinson was booked for a late foul on Johnson but this was a brief foray into the Blades half as the momentum was all with the team in black. United continued to move the ball forward and Gibbs White was again driving forward and causing problems for a worried Forest rear-guard.
The game did go quiet for a spell around the hour mark but Forest did win a corner and had half hearted appeals for a penalty for a handball on Basham when it clearly hit his midriff. Lolley came on for Zinckernagel and Davis for Surridge but the Blades took the lead and levelled it on aggregate on 75 minutes. Ndiaye was caught as he turned his man and the ball round the corner but the advantage was played and Baldock was in down the right. The wing back came inside but went back down the outside outfoxing Colback before sending over a driven cross that FLECK diverted home from close range. The turnaround was complete and the Blades fans behind the goal were going ballistic!
United sensed they had Forest on the racks and Gibbs White then nearly fed Ndiaye before McKenna’s back pass was terrible and had Samba worried as it went out for a corner.
Davis’ pace and power caused problems for United and he saw off Basham and Norwood before his cross was sliced wide by Norrington Davies before Egan miskicked leading to a chance for Davis again but United got a block in. Gibbs White then whipped in a cross that saw Ndiaye shin the ball over when well place – whether he would have been flagged offside was debatable.
It was end to end stuff with United trying to attack and then Forest and with fatigue now clearly a factor. At the death Garner had a shot deflected wide before the corner was cleared and the full-time whistle went.
The first period of extra time saw Ndiaye break the offside trap but his shot was hit at the keeper at the near post before Johnson worked some space and found a cross that Davis poked towards goal but Foderingham gathered in a rare save for the keeper. Baldock then won a corner but Robinson could not quite angle his header.
Forest won a free kick that was cleared before Ndiaye sent a dangerous ball in that Samba claimed. Gibbs White took a knock right on half time, in extra time, but was able to carry on.
The second period of extra rime began with a Robinson error and Johnson sat a Blades player down before finding Lolley who made a mess of the shot and it squirmed into Foderingham’s hands. United made changes for the first time in the game as Osborn came on for Baldock and then Hourihane for Fleck. Cook then brought down Gibbs White for a yellow card before Berge had a shot deflected wide. With 7 minutes to go, United had the big chance as Gibbs White flicked the header on and Ndiaye was in but his shot from close range was once again smothered from Samba. It was a great chance to win the tie.
Forest came out of this and Lolley had a shot that drifted wide before Hourihane’s cross was just away from Gibbs White. Forest then came again and Davis’ power was once again a bit threat as he slalomed through the field but was finally crowded out. The additional two minutes was played out and the contest was to be decided on penalties.
After United won the toss and decided to go first, Norwood went forward very early as the ref was still talking to the keepers and after a long delay, added to be Samba’s gamesmanship, Norwood’s first kick was well struck but too close to the keeper and saved. Johnson scored sending Foderingham the wrong way. Hourihane was next up but opted to go down the middle and Samba deflected it up and onto the bar and away. Cafu hit his kick hard but Foderingham got a hand on it but it went into the net. Forest were 2 up after 2 each and almost there. Berge took the next and scored easily before Lolley then blazed an awful kick miles over the bar and United were back in it but Gibbs White still had to score and his effort after a delayed run up was poor and Samba saved easily.
Forest were through 3-2 on penalties. The Blades had given it a really good go but ultimately came up short after a superb effort in the second leg. The fans swarmed onto the pitch to celebrate (with a disgraceful assault on Billy Sharp by one fan sadly) and Forest could look forward to a date against Huddersfield a week on Sunday for a place in the Premier League. For the Blades they have to regroup and look to go again next season.
United – Absolutely gutted but proud. I thought we would limp out and be well beaten after how we played and thought Forest had our number and were the much better side. They really should have been out of sight of course but the late goal gave us hope. We started really well tonight and seemed up for it. The two wing back changes meant they could not be as high up due to the aggressiveness and pace of the incoming players and we had more of the ball and looked up for it. We created an Egan chance and then Ndiaye had a great chance and you felt this was a big miss. Forest had not been in the game but scored with their first chance – exactly the same sort of goal sadly. The ball down the the channel to turn the Blades defence and with Basham sleeping and then Robinson just completely losing his man and being too high up and you felt that was that. United still had lots of ball and continued to be better in possession but Forest’s threat on the break remained but at half time you could not see a way back.
We came out fighting and was really inspired. Gibbs White gets the goal back after Berge did well. We then won a number of corners and they seemed really worried. I thought we had them on the ropes but then it got a bit scrappy and they had a few corners but both teams were not fluent at this stage and seemed tired. We seemed to be more threatening than them though and our forwards were turning them round more this game. Forest seemed nervy and then Baldock does brilliantly and Fleck gets in the box and scores. I thought we had them and they started making mistakes (the back pass) and I thought we could go on and finish it but maybe we were that tired from the efforts coming back that we did not mount too many more clear chances in normal time. Forest had an out ball and threat in Davis and it was more even for the next spell.
It went into extra time and both teams had chances. Forest actually seemed to come on strong again in the second period but we then had an unbelievable chance and Samba makes the save that in the end probably stopped us going through. It went to penalties and you thought we have to start strong especially going first but we missed the first two and that is it really even though Gibbs White missed the final one, we were never going to recover from missing the first two (two poor pens) and then scoring their first two. We are crap on penalty shoot outs and crap in the playoffs so the combination of those two means when it went the full distance with us having no recognised strikers, I was concerned. Also, Samba had more to do in the game and had played well, whereas Foderingham had nothing to do really. I think Norwood should have waited instead of standing on the spot. You can argue Samba was off his line on quite a few but without VAR, keepers will always chance things. It was a crap way to lose and I felt for the Blades. We really gave it a good go and I thought almost to a man they tired their guts out. We showed a lot of heart and spirit. We pushed Forest back and they wilted. On another day we may have got the third and won it.
Over the two legs, they were much better at our place and we were much better at the City Ground. Overall, a draw was about right and the game ends up going to penalties where we did not execute our kicks very well at all and handed them the initiative. It was disappointing as we showed Forest, they are maybe not the great side that everyone seemed to think and the media love in seemed to stop for a good part of the game as we pushed them back and gave them a real fright.
It's too raw to talk about next season or even reflect on this season. Heckingbottom spoke brilliantly after the game and was clearly proud and got one big performance out of the lads who gave it everything. It was a shame we did not have more forward options as you sense just one senior striker to change it and we would have won. You can also argue he picked the wrong wing back at the Lane but it’s often ifs and buts and you can examine every bit of detail. They could say they should have been 4 or 5 up at the Lane. In the end we go out but I feel a sense of pride and achievement at getting up the league and getting in the playoffs. The worries about losing MGW and Berge (and maybe a couple of others) and if we can sustain a promotion challenge next year with little funds and cut backs to be had, is something that we all worry about but as I say that is for another day.
Tonight, is time to just say ‘Well Done United!’ That sounds weird when the overarching narrative is of a penalty shoot out defeat and a ninth playoff defeat out of nine but strangely, I feel a lot better about the loss tonight despite being devastated at the time, than many other limp and pathetic playoff defeats. We actually gave it a good go tonight and, in the end, it simply came down to a few kicks. I cannot really have a huge go at anyone (yes, they were 3 crap penalty kicks and poor defending on their goal and Ndiaye could have had a hat trick) but overall, the effort and work ethic was superb and we played some good stuff. We did everything we could to make a game of it and in the end a night I thought would be a comfortable Forest win on the night and in the tie, ended up in almost a gallant defeat as odd as that sounds. We did not go out with a whimper but had a right bloody go and showed a lot of the qualities I love in a United side. Against the odds with injuries, down on the night and on the tie, we nearly completed the impossible. Yes, it is another cruel defeat and we may look back in a few years and think ‘if only’ but then 3 months ago we were going nowhere so you have to say we finished the season superbly with a great win since Xmas and 4 wins out of 5. Hocky did a great job and the players for the most part really turned things round since that awful start under Slav and the hangover from last season.
Ratings:
Foderingham 7/10 – No chance on the goal with his first and only attack he had to deal with on goal. They had another go wide or get blocked but was so badly exposed again. After this not sure he had much to do really. A few routine efforts at him but cannot recall any brilliant saves at all or ones that he had to really move much to make a save. The penalties he gets a hand to one but cannot keep out and I suppose Samba saved three but our pens were shocking in comparison.
Baldock 8/10 – First half he seemed almost terrified to cross it or pass the ball forward as he constantly comes inside. He did ok defensively first half as they attacked more down the left but his effort was good. Second half he played like a man possessed and was all over the place. Finally got down the side and got a great cross in and was a constant threat down that side. He played his heart out and defended well as well as being the threat attacking wise. Looked like the Baldock of old.
Norrington Davies 8/10 – Thought he got stuck in and did quite well to begin and was determined and committed. He also got forward ok and helped out. I do think Robinson did not help him a few times when they went down that side. He continued to stick to his task well and was able to get to the ball first and won so many tackles. He was great tonight and showed that he has to make the shirt his own next season. Thought despite Johnson scoring, that he was not really in the game.
Basham 6.5/10 – Started ok but then the same ball exposes his lack of pace and they are in and score. He did ok in other defensive moments but we rarely saw him as an attacking force. He did ok with some clearances and did the basics ok but at times when Davis drove forward, he was able to cause him problems and he made a few mistakes as he shook him off a few times. Not sure he has been fully fit since he came back in and expect to see him back to full strength next season.
Robinson 6/10 – Seemed up for it and the fans were giving him some hammer but then after a few early long throws then he seemed to lose his head and was badly out of position on the goal – terrible to be in so high up against pace and then started to do some silly things. He came and pushed Johnson in the melee was stupid too. He got better after the break and was able to win some tackles and also a threat in the box. A stupid booking from a wild tackle and then I hated that dive when he was lucky not to be sent off. Why did he not try and stay on his feet and score? Thought he looked poor tonight and one of our weaker players but his effort and commitment was good despite the errors.
Egan 7.5/10 – Ok in the first half but did he have to go to the ball on the goal when Surridge was so wide? Maybe I am being harsh but he does get drawn to the ball too much rather than the danger. Outside of this he was ok but then after the break he started to win more and impose himself and we came onto the ball and it was all us for a period. Surridge did little after the break and they only improved after Davis came on. He definitely gave a much better showing than Saturday and restored a lot of pride.
Norwood 7.5/10 – Started ok with some neat touches but then after spreading it about well, he started to fade and was not able to influence things and have the ball away a few times or started to punt it. He then second half had a really good showing and won tackles, got his foot in and was able to dictate play and move it around. He was running things and we completely dominated this area for the start. Became a bit scrappier for a period and we got tired but he still makes some good interceptions and blocks. His penalty was poor and rather telegraphed it – should have waited for me or stayed on half way – the wait was too long and on him as the ref had not blown his whistle and was talking to the keepers which he has to do (although waste of time as Samba was off his line on most!)
Fleck 7/10 – Odd game as some really annoying things and bizarre moments but then he also showed some of the old Fleck driving and running through. This was mixed in with some poor and loose passe and his touch kept coming off. Second half he did improve and started to get in the box and scored his goal and then he seemed to have new life with some good touches and involved in a lot of good things. He needs to improve his conditioning over the summer as not sure we can play Norwood and Fleck every game together or we need some help with more legs in this area.
Berge 7/10 – Not in the game to start with. One foul early and a few tussles but not sure he had many or any runs of note and I thought he looked a bit disinterested tonight to begin but then he grew into it and second half he started to run at them and cause problems and set up the first. He then started to drift about and had a few good runs and a shot that deflected wide. He was an influence again but tired as the game went on but so did everyone by this stage. Will that be his last game for us? Probably I feel but at least he has shown a run of form in the end. I believe if we get a decent bid with few saleable assets (certainly of the money we will need to recover) then he will go.
Gibbs White 8/10 – Another superb performance where he worked hard and was involved throughout. Great ball to Ndiaye early on and he was a constant threat. Ran at them when he could, linked with others and his work ethic was phenomenal. Yes, as often happens some flicks do not come off but a lot do and the worried defenders drawing fouls and committing them as he turns them round. Scored the goal and then nearly set up a few more. Yes, he penalty was poor but he has been brilliant for us and I am for one am going to miss him – like with Dean Henderson – it has been a special connection with the player and fans and vice versa.
Ndiaye 7/10 – Misses a big chance and then started to make poor decisions or give it away rather than be secure with his link up but huge credit to him he kept his head up and kept going. He worked for the team and was able to last not just 90 minutes but 120 minutes. He was a threat and he got in behind and was involved in both goals. The main knock is he missed three chances and the one at the end was gutting as it would have put us through. He needs to show more composure in these moments.
Subs –
Hourihane – Actually did ok with a few neat passes and one great ball that MGW nearly got on. His penalty was awful though.
Osborn – Came on towards the end but at this point it was all a bit scrappy.
Manager: Heckingbottom 8/10 – Came out and his belief we could come back was proved. After another sloppy goal, we came out 2nd half and forced them back and completely turned the game round. He believed in the players even when I and many others may have been asking for subs (maybe he needed to change a few right at the end or early in extra time?). The two wing backs he brought in were arguably our 2nd and 3rd best player after Gibbs White.
Forest – I have to say whilst Fulham have been streets ahead of the rest, in terms of teams we have faced, Forest have been by far the most dangerous side. They have a mixture of pace, youth and athleticism has been impressive and Cooper seems a top manager that maybe we should have gone for last summer? Tonight, though they got away with it – like we did Saturday. We had a right good go and made it even harder after going 3-1 behind on the tie. However, I never felt Forest played lots of great football over the two legs. They played the channel ball a lot and turned us round but after we scored and got level, they started to panic and made mistakes and looked quite ordinary. We are the only side other than Liverpool this calendar year to win there. After the second I felt we would go fore the jugular and they were really worried and probably fortunate we did not have fresh legs to put on up front. I think if Sharp is fit, we go on and win the game. They looked a bit ragged. They came again in extra time but in the end, we still had the best chance and their keeper has saved them again.
Of course, they took 2 decent penalties but also took 2 poor ones (Cafu’s lucky to go in) which will be forgotten but I am not even sure as much as the keeper will get all the credit it was down to him – they were shocking efforts form our three lads. Still, they get through but think tonight showed they are maybe not the all-conquering side some of us thought (might include myself) and not sure the final will be easy either. Credit to them for the turnaround under Cooper and have some good young players (bit arrogant Spence and Johnson – who seems to be a Premier League player in waiting judging by the number of times he is on the floor feigning injury as well as his talent) but would need a lot of investment to stay up – they are inferior to Norwich and Watford who came up last year and look at them this season so might be a bit of a rude awakening for them next season if they finish the job. That is not sour grapes – just reality of the league above. Still, they won the tie and in the end the keeper got them through but it was not an easy night and they sort of scraped though in the end after it seemed it was going to be a procession at half time.
Opponent Man of the Match – Samba. Easy really. Both keepers of the home team been man of the match in both games. Bizarre really. He made two fantastic saves in normal time and then three penalty saves of course. Davis was a menace when he came on and Johnson showed flashes but was quiet second half. Cook kind of held the defence together that was struggling and threatened to get overrun.
Opponent Weak link – Thought that the forwards were not as dangerous outside the goal actually but the midfield Garner and Yates struggled to get hold of the ball and actually our two ran the 2nd half after not doing that at the Lane. The big lad Worrall made some poor errors too and looked a bit cumbersome. Thought Spence had a poor game and never tested us at all.
Referee/Officials – Michael Oliver. Superb performance from start to finish. People may nit-pick on the penalties but it is assistants that look for encroachment off the line. Also, he was clearly talking to the keepers and Norwood should never have gone forward. Samba’s antics were annoying but Wes maybe needed to do the same? It goes on sadly but in the game itself Oliver was excellent, he played the advantage rule as well as any ref I have seen, got all the cards right and was just very sensible and in complete control without us seeing him much. He should have sent Robinson off for a ridiculous dive but then you could argue Johnson was going to floor every time too for little contact.
