Sheffield Utd (A) - Verdict thread, 14/09/20

[Elephant Pyjamas]

I'd struggle to form as strong an opinion on things as you if I'd only watched half an hour.

Full game is now being repeated on Sky.

 

[MARKakaJIM]

Well my opinion is of the last half an hour. I don't think they closed that period out with the composure that was ever present in recent years, something that has been the case for 6 months or more.

Just because they had a good first half shouldn't mean the whole game is blanketed with praise.

 

[sycophantia]

As I say I only saw 30 minutes in isolation but I wouldn't say it painted a picture of a team in complete control.

Barely strung a passage of play together in that time, few individual breaks from Traore but generally doing little more than clearing lines. Sheff Utd laying it on heavy with the overload down Wolves' left and Billy Sharp pulling an invisible man act running off Boly several times. Didn't really make any clear cut chances to make Wolves pay but some fairly average individuals got themselves into worrying positions where better players would've taken advantage, that happened a little too often for me to say Wolves were bossing it.

The whole thing just doesn't appear quite as slick as it did 12-18 months ago.

All this is true... for 30 minutes. Luckily matches are 90 minutes not 30.....seems a strange view point

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Well we hit the post twice, Raul missed a (difficult) open goal, and Saiss should score another from a corner.

As for them, we restricted United to 1 shot on target in each half, they did also hit the post with a good effort when we were lax down our right and Saiss headed off the line an effort that Rui may well have saved anyway, I think that was it in terms of genuinely good chances?

I thought we looked pretty solid, the two other occasions where the ball was played around Boly, Coady was there to cut out the cross anyway.

I understand what you're getting at, I just don't think it applies to this game where a lot of United's attacking play came from balls into the channels and set pieces.

 

[PuntsWolf]

First half was great, we were really good. Very fluid up front, players finding pockets, good link up, quick passing. Was very pleasant to watch and effective.

Mark is right on last 30 mins though. Podence and Neto didn’t touch the ball and when they did gave it away, Traore and Boly weren’t dealing with the attacks down our right well and the midfielders were panicking a bit with aimless hoofs. This meant we were under pressure, but without any chances as Sheff Utd just hoof the ball in the box.

First game with no preseason though, maybe we just weren’t fit enough to do it for 90. Still on the counter and set pieces we could have scored another 2, but they hit the post and had one cleared off the line too

 

[jlo]

I don’t think Burr will ever start a PL game for us.

I predict a forum uproar in 12 months time when he is sold for only £15m to a London club...

 

[Dennisons Wrong Foot]

Saiss makes Garth Crooks TOTW:

"Saiss: This was an outstanding performance by Wolves - and in particular Romain Saiss - at Sheffield United on Monday.

The Moroccan defender scored a fabulous header and had another flash by the post with Aaron Ramsdale beaten. He then joined a breakaway attack and forced the Sheffield United keeper to push a terrific shot on to the post - before heading off the line at the other end to deny the Blades a certain goal.

The Wolves defender had a great game.

Did you know? Goalscorer Saiss registered a joint-team high 45 passes in the win at Bramall Lane, completing 89% of them (40)."

 

[Gonby's Games Gone By]

Crooks always picks goalscorers for all positions except goalkeeper.

Saiss definitely MOTM, though.

 

[t3ch]

saiss had a really good game

I'm happy to see a neto/podence flanking raul up top, both really good players who give us something more than the 2d play of jota/traore

all of their attacks went through the right side, mostly through boly's positioning. he had some stinkers at the end of last season, hopefully just rust and not a continued trend

 

[Jabbawolf]

I don’t think Burr will ever start a PL game for us.

Hopefully not, though he tightened up that flank last night, and is a better option than Traore until we get someone better in.


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[Loki]

I`d put most of their attacks down the right down to them trying to exploit Traore not being a wing back. I thought some of his positioning was questionable.

 

[sycophantia]

Well my opinion is of the last half an hour. I don't think they closed that period out with the composure that was ever present in recent years, something that has been the case for 6 months or more.

Just because they had a good first half shouldn't mean the whole game is blanketed with praise.

Don't think anyone blanketed the whole game with praise, most think we could have retained the ball better 2nd half. We were under the cosh a bit but we defended very well and still created the better chances on the break.
Lets not forget Sheffield are an excellent side, they were never gunna just lie down. Over the whole game we fully deserved the win but yes there's still work to be done....not surprising considering we only had about 3 days to prepare....plus we had Traore at rwb

 

[Paul]

The only worry I had was that as frustrations grew t'Blades reverted to type and someone got hurt and how often 54year old Billy Sharp would break our defensive line (not all Bolys fault as he was trying to cover the whole right hand side of the pitch on his own).

 

[Boozad]

Can’t stop watching the first goal. Moutinho’s pass to pick out Podence was sublime. Podence’s turn of pace to leave Lundstram on his back was amazing, then when I was waiting for the cutback to Neto he puts in an inch perfect cross to Raul. And that finish is just sensational. You’re not going to get a better start to a game than that, it was perfection.

 

[Tony Towner]

The only worry I had was that as frustrations grew t'Blades reverted to type and someone got hurt and how often 54year old Billy Sharp would break our defensive line (not all Bolys fault as he was trying to cover the whole right hand side of the pitch on his own).

In the second half they found that space outside of Boly time and again. Better teams than Sheff Utd will make us pay for that. Saying we need a new RWB isn't telling anybody anything they don't already know though

 

[Norman Deeley]

Can’t stop watching the first goal. Moutinho’s pass to pick out Podence was sublime. Podence’s turn of pace to leave Lundstram on his back was amazing, then when I was waiting for the cutback to Neto he puts in an inch perfect cross to Raul. And that finish is just sensational. You’re not going to get a better start to a game than that, it was perfection.

Plus Neto's pass to Mout and then his sprint upfield. Two minutes into the season and that could well be Team Goal of the Year

 

[Boozad]

Plus Neto's pass to Mout and then his sprint upfield. Two minutes into the season and that could well be Team Goal of the Year

Definitely a very early contender for goal of the season for me. It’s mesmerising.

 

[pacamac]

Really good performance killed off the game early on, kept compact and managed the game in the second half so that it never really looked like anything but a 2-0 win was coming.

Saiss, Coady and Jimenez stand outs for me.

Also thought Marcel looked very good but will certainly need a more attacking option down the left for certain games.

Still need a RWB though, Traore was painful to watch in that position at times he's no RWB its a waste of his talent and also puts us at risk defensively.

 

[prawnking]

Considering Leeds got smoke blown up their arse for losing I think it's churlish to be over critical of that performance, result was perfect and it was a fitness exercise as much as anything for some of our squad. Utd are also a good team and we can't expect to dominate them all game. We showed we can still defend well on top of being an attacking force.

Nuno tried out a different front three, made some big calls with Neves and Marcal, shored us up with the Adama change in the second half and had options to spare.

 

[BGreenWolf]

I like the front three of Raul, Neto and Podence an awful lot. Really offers something different to the usual Raul/Jota/Traore combo- I might even prefer it.