Another desperately disappointing performance from Sheffield United saw them maintain their unbeaten home run but unable to see off lowly QPR in a game that will not live long in the memory banks. Two poor sides struggled to put together any kind of cohesive football all afternoon and as former colleagues Warnock and Blackwell managed to serve up a pretty dreadful game of football. United now seem no nearer to making any kind of late push for the playoffs with injuries, suspension and poor form all the fore.
The game began with more changes for United with Seip, Camara, Yeates and Quinn coming in for Bartlett, Ward, Evans and Williamson. United had the kick off but as is the case for much of the season they managed to play the kick off straight into touch yet again! This led to QPR being on the attack and forcing an early corner. Taarabt sent over two dangerous crosses and indecision in the backline led to another corner being conceded. The first chance came after Morgan could not clear and Ephraim's pass put Taarabt through but Bunn came out and saved well at his feet.
United had offered little so far but had a rare chance when Yeates found Camara who blazed wildly over the bar when he ought to have done better. QPR were still looking the more likely and Ephraim's low ball, which may have been a cross, beat Bunn and hit the far post and bounced away to danger. Cresswell looked to have been bundled over by Stewart but the award went against the United striker and then the same man nearly got in after a poor back pass by Gorkss but only managed to collide with the keeper as the ball was cleared. United had their first effort on goal as Stewart's grass cutter trickled into Ikeme's hands drawing sarcastic cheers from four sides of the ground.
Rangers than had another excellent chance when Ephraim was clear after Nosworthy's mistake; but Bunn saved his second one on one with the striker's finish weak when he should have really scored. This golden chance would come back to haunt QPR when out of the blue the Blades took the lead right on half time.
Yeates first cross was not effective but the winger's second effort was much better and it found a stooping CRESSWELL who did tremendously well to arch backwards and power a header into the top left hand corner of Ikeme's goal. It was a rare moment of quality with the cross and header both contributing to a well taken goal. Bunn still had to make another good save from Simpson as Rangers tried to get back into the game instantly.
After the interval Yeates cross just evaded Cresswell but immediately after this Rangers were able to draw level from a very soft goal from United's point of view. A long ball forward was missed initially by Morgan but it seemed like Seip had a chance to clear but dithered and then was outmuscled by TAARABT who strode through and from Rangers' third one on one; finally they made no mistake as the Tottenham loanee finished comprehensively. The same man then nearly scored again after Morgan was booked for a clumsy foul on him. Taarabt took the free kick and Bunn sprang to his right and flicked over the bar acrobatically. United did not have much cohesion and the belief seemed to have sapped out of the team and the fans. Henderson came on for Harper and United seemed to switch Quinn inside and Cresswell wide left. Henderson instantly won a free kick when he got involved in a tussle with Stewart and he came away with his shirt ripped down the middle showing the severity of the defenders challenge! United now at least had territorial advantage and won a number of free kicks and corners but did not create much. Camara, who had been very quiet, had a rare moment when he got on the ball and cut in but his shot on the run was high and wide.
Little came on to try and add further creativity and urgency. The veteran winger was instantly involved and this led to QPR being pressed further back. This led to United's best chance of the half as Little's ball found Cresswell whose cross went straight through the waiting Henderson with the goal gaping. The wily Warnock made 2 changes late on to try and slow things down and ensure they went home with at least a point but in reality they were holding on comfortably and actually looked as likely to score themselves. The referee accrued a further 3 minutes of additional time to be played but United failed to muster even shot and indeed in the entire second half they had not mustered an effort on goal; making for two shots on target in a total of three games of football. The boos that greeted full time said it all about the performance and game the fans had witnessed.
United - It was not good. Not good at all. We played little football of note, lacked cohesion, organisation and thought. I think we had maybe 2 shots on target all game (if you count the effort from Stewart) and a couple of other wayward efforts miles off target. Against 3 of the struggling sides regardless of changes we have had to make to create maybe 2 or 3 shots on goal in these 3 games is not good enough. We did not even really look like having efforts on goal let alone scoring and the goal we did score came out of the blue (well worked as it was). QPR were the better side for the first part of the game and probably shaded the first half and certainly had more chances. We did get in front and after they equalised and had another strong spell to start the second half we actually probably shaded things for the final stages without actually looking like scoring or doing anything of note.
At the moment there are very few players coming out of games with any real credit or even looking like they will be able to turn around this malaise we have found ourselves in. It is hard to be optimistic about the rest of the campaign as I cannot see any improvements with the team we have and the manager's approach/tactics. A quick scan through the side today reveals a worrying situation that leaves little hope or chance to progress without us almost starting again which is now probably needed. We have players in a number of categories; either not good enough but we are stuck with into next season (Quinn, Stewart), players who are on loan or who in all reality won't be back as are out of contract (Bunn, Seip, Nosworthy, Harper, Monty, Camara, Little) and steady eddys who can keep us around the middle of the league but don't possess quality to take us any further (Morgan, Cresswell, Yeates, Henderson). We may only still be 3 points off the playoffs but the reality is we know we are not going to get in the top 6. The recent performances and results prove this.
The season is primed to just peter out and now we need to start looking at next season. I would be half tempted to terminate the loans of nearly all the players and start playing the ones who are going to still be here to give them chance to develop some kind of understanding and see where we need to add (probably 8 or 9 players!). It seems daft keeping some of above players and other loans when they are not going to figure for us after end of season. We can also look at some young players like Lowton, Roe, Brown, Foster etc. You never know one might take advantage and could be the next Naughton or Walker. Certainly why another could not be on the bench today is disgusting when they could receive valuable match day experience instead of us naming just 6 subs. I think the fans would be more patient to players like these than Stewart or Harper who fans now realise are just journeymen taking a good wage and not really contributing.
Granted we have injuries but the players brought in since the summer on the whole have not been good enough or have been injury prone. Blackwell has to take responsibility. It is alright saying they are the best he could get (an awful way to man manage them by the way regardless of what we think of the) with the resources he had but surely he could bring in better players than Stewart, Harper, France, Little, Reid, Evans etc? There are lower division players who are young and hungry that would have been better options and on cheaper wages thus less risk. His recruitment/selection/scouting of players has yielded a very low success rate and whilst I accept the wage bill had to be lowered and Blackwell is in many ways the fall guy who has to be the one that does this; he still could have found better players than the ones he did and for the fairly decent wages we will still be paying the ones above. Regardless of personnel, the level of football is still pretty dire to watch and the number of people who have stated they will not renew is frightening. It is clear that next year we will be back to crowds of around 16-18,000 most weeks unless suddenly there is a change of approach to the management and new investment in the side that brings a higher quality of player rather than average journeymen looking for their last pay outs.
Another forgotten point and often ignored is United's disciplinary record this season. Morgan is now out for a further two games suspended but whilst Blackwell can moan about this; this is Morgan's (and his) fault and ill discipline has cost us dear. Henderson could easily have been suspended for another 3 games when he came on and instantly got involved. We have had more bookings than any other team in the Championship this season which Blackwell seems to forget when he talks about enforced changes with injuries. How many games have we lost key players to suspensions? The things is we are not even physically effective in that we rattle teams or impose ourselves in the way that a Stoke or Blackburn can do. We pick up bookings and give away fouls but do not win individual battles all over the field. The cautions are because players are too slow or not smart enough.
QPR - Not much better than us really. They at least had 3 or 4 clear chances and shots on goal; which was more than us but they looked poor too. They had one or two players who showed some nice flashes of skill and were too clever for a few of our players but their passing/ball retention was as bad as ours at times. At least they occasionally did try and pass it or create things for the forwards and did have better chances than us. Out of the football that was played it was Rangers that played it.
They were the better side for the first 20-25 minutes but then we kind of had more control without creating much. The goal was a bit harsh on them but they came out fired up for the second half and scored straight away. After this they looked like they would get on top and win the game but it kind of petered out with few chances for either side in an appalling contest. Surprised Warnock did not put on Buzsaky and Cook earlier as I felt the game was for the taking for QPR if they had gone for it but they kind of seemed to settle for a point. Those two would have made things happen and probably showed that bit of quality that may have led to a winning goal. It showed when Little came on for us that a bit of creativity could suddenly lead to something happening.
Rangers generally did enough to earn a point from the game which on the surface looks a good result but I really do feel they could have beat us if they had actually showed more conviction. Their keeper had nothing to do really all game; the centre backs and full backs were put under no pressure and in midfield Leighertwood did his best Montgomery impression (won ball a lot but gave it away a lot) but they had other players like Ephraim and Faurlin that showed some decent touches. Up front Simpson and Priskin both had a few good chances and wasted them. Taarabt floated in and around midfield, both flanks and got deep into United territory. He was easily the best player on the pitch and another day could have had a hat trick. It seems off that we were told we could get the pick of Spurs young players on loan as part of the Walker/Naughton deal but just like the Leeds (friendly/young players) deal years ago when Blackwell/Riddle left it seems like that statement may have been offered just to placate the fans.
They will finish just below mid table and Warnock will probably push them onto greater things next year. They actually have a few decent players but also like United have some really ordinary ones likes Gorkks, Stewart and Leigertwood. They need to improve to push for the top 6 but they are certainly no worse than us and have been right down near the bottom which shows the parity in this really poor division.
Bunn 8/10 - He was one of our better performers without doubt. Made quite a few decent saves on one on ones and from a free kick and had little chance with the goal. Offered little protection in front of him and I actually felt sorry for him.
Nosworthy 5/10 - Another odd performance where he showed some moments of intelligent and sound defending mixed in with overplaying and mistakes that nearly led to goals. In the first half in particular he managed to put us in trouble twice. Frustrating how he reads a situation well, controls the ball and then suddenly decides he has to take more touches or dribble more when an effective clearance is all that is required. He did this on a number of occasions.
Stewart 4/10 - He is simply not good enough. His actual defending is poor most of the time but his inability to even do the simple things are what leaves many fans so startled how poor he is. I lost count of the number of times when he had a reasonable amount of time and managed to just punt the ball out of play. Strangely he actually got a bit better second half and did a few things right. He could not get any worse!
Morgan 5/10 - A strangely out of sorts performance I thought. He let his man get away from him on a number of occasions that led to one on ones or chances and was partly culpable initially on the goal we conceded. Just seemed caught up with the general confusion and lack of organisation at the back. It seemed like no one knew who they were meant to be picking up which was worrying.
Seip 5/10 - His first half performance was probably a 7 or even 8 but his second half performance was the worst he has played in a red and white shirt. He errored badly for the goal and was generally indecisive and mistake ridden. Strangely for a fairly well built defender he got muscled off the ball by smaller opponents on a number of occasions. The positives from early in the game saw him defend sensibly and intelligently but then it all changed second half.
Harper 4/10 - Thought he was anonymous today. He was constantly behind the play and always chasing his opponents. He was careless in possession and often his only contribution was waving his arms around or holding his arm up to acknowledge another mistake. Why he looked so mad to be taken off I don't know. His legs look as if they have gone to me and Reading clearly knew this. At least he is not contracted to us after the end of the season.
Montgomery 5/10 - Not great. He won tackled and covered ground but his passing and touch once again was not up to the standard you would expect of a Championship midfielder.
Quinn 6.5/10 - Probably the best of a bad bunch and he was not very good! At least he put some effort in and did not shirk challenges. Sad indictment that a player who just put himself about (did very little with the football) was probably our best midfielder and maybe our best outfield player.
Yeates 5.5/10 - Another new player who probably had his worst game in a United shirt thus far but even he did a few things of note which were more than many of the others. He put in an excellent cross for the goal but outside of this he failed to create anything from open play and gave the ball away in bad areas but for me the main negative was his corners and free kicks (which we continued to let him take all game) which were terrible. Most of them were just floated into the keepers arms or too short and did not beat the first man. He is in my opinion an inferior talent/player to Cotterill which makes the decision to offload him and bring Yeates in puzzling.
Cresswell 6/10 - Worked hard without affecting the game too much. Took his goal very well but other than that I cannot remember too much involvement other than cross he put in for Henderson which was a good ball. He never gave up and was still chasing the defenders/keeper down much of the game which is more than Camara did. He is basically a workmanlike/journeyman centre forward that will get the odd goal but is indicative of where we are at the moment if he is one of our more consistent players and only real goal threats.
Camara 4/10 - Not very good at all. Constantly offside, failed to show much of a threat going forward and when he did get the ball in a decent position he failed to make much happen or was too selfish. His head went down second half a
Subs -
Henderson - Came on and seemed to just want to fight the centre back Stewart. Got involved instantly and although the QPR player was the perpetrator Henderson reacted stupidly and raised his arms. He easily could have been sent off 30 seconds after returning from a 3 game ban. It was apparent Warnock had told the defenders to try and rile him and it nearly worked as Henderson spent most of the time he was on the pitch just grappling and pulling with opponents. Oh, he did miss an absolute sitter when Cresswell set him and Henderson failed to even make contact with the ball.
Little - Only played for 5 minutes (probably cannot last much longer than this these days) but showed more guile and thrust in that time than anyone else in a home shirt. He made 2 good runs and opened up the defence with one cross field ball and generally looked interested in making things happen and getting defenders turning and going backwards.
Referee - Nothing really to referee I felt. He rightly booked Morgan for a series of niggly and then cynical fouls. He should have booked Stewart (and possibly Henderson) for their skirmishes in the final third of the game. However, there was a barely a bad tackle all game and thus was an easy one to referee.
Crowd - Very quiet and a very depressing atmosphere all around. There was little of note to get excited about and the fact that fans cheered sarcastically when Stewart had a weak shot on goal (our first shot on target for 3 games) says it all. To see quite a lot of fans streaming out even when the game was 1-1 well before the game confirms what a poor game it was with little entertainment offered up at all. One of the main highlights of the game seemed to be the white pigeon that offered more movement, conviction and life that most of our players. He kept disappearing from view and then he would swoop back into the ground. I wonder how many fans seemed as mesmerised by that bird as me or was it just the football in front of us was so bad! I don't know why the bird kept coming back; he could have surely found better places to spend his Saturday afternoon. At least it was quiet!