It was a better performance but once again lacked punch as a powder puff United attack rarely looked like scoring against an ordinary Dons side. The best chance came 20 minutes from the end when substitute Jonathan Forte was denied by visiting keeper McLoughlin. United huffed and puffed and had most of the play and the ball but were indecisive and lacked courage in the final third. The Blades remain second but must show more urgency and idea at home if they want to avoid the lottery of the playoffs for another season.
United brought back Jamie Murphy for Dominic Poleon and started with Robson just off the front man Kitson. MK Dons brought back Alan Smith from suspension and had a trio of players with connections from the other side of the city, in the form of Darren Potter, Ryan Lowe and the on loan Chris Lines. The game began with United being forced to kick towards the Kop as the rain lashed down on a miserable afternoon. United did start better and after winning a few early corners, Kitson nodded straight at the keeper. Robson had a shot that was spilt by McLoughlin but the ball was finally gathered. United were knocking it about well and Doyle was able to keep it moving despite a rugged late tackle by former Leeds man Smith who drew the bird from the home crowd. MK Dons had been on the backfoot and Murphy had a run that saw the ball just get away from him. The game then became scrappy and the visitors benefitted from some strange decisions. One such award was that of a goal kick after an offside flag. Most of the crowd seemed bewildered by what was going on!
United were the team in the ascendancy and after Murphy advanced United won another corner. However there had been few chances or moments of note in the first half until a flurry of incidents saw Maguire booked for scything down Chicken when no danger was apparent and then Robson flicked over from his head after Kitson and Murphy chased down Lewington. The half time whistle came soon after this.
The second half began with the game mired in midfield with a number of fussy decisions or moments when the referee decided he wanted to chat with players for what seemed like an age without ever booking anyone! Kay had a header over after poor marking from a set play but this was a rare opening for the visitors who for long spells seemed to be content to delay and dither over any goal kicks or throws ins but with a weak referee you could not blame them.
Forte came on for Murphy and operated in the same position with Robson remaining just behind Kitson. Soon after this he managed to get in on goal after McDonald knocked a ball over the top. Forte raced through and beat the offside trap but as he advanced one on one, his shot hit the legs of keeper McLoughlin and went the wrong side of the post from United’s point of view. The resultant corner came to nothing and Forte held his head knowing he had missed a big chance.
A rare break saw substitute Bamford, who had replaced Smith, dart into the box and go down and many United fans may have feared the worst but the referee felt the Chelsea loanee went down too easily and cautioned him for simulation. At the other end almost instantly Flynn then was down in the box but that too was waved away. It would have been surprising if he had pointed to the spot after just waving one away at the other end.
Poleon came on for Robson and Forte moved inside and soon after he came on, he nearly got onto a through ball and as the ball span clear from his challenge with the keeper, Forte over hit the ball and it went out for a throw in. McLoughlin injured himself in the tackle and needed treatment but was deemed fit to continue. Gleeson came on for the away side and pulled a low shot wide.
United pumped themselves up for one last push with the crowd behind them and won two late corners in the additional three minutes of stoppage time but nothing came from either of these with the final chance from a free kick, a Collins header glanced well wide. The final whistle came soon after and United were held at home once again but the reaction from the crowd was more of muted applause than the criticism that came after the previous stalemate against Orient.
MK Dons – They will argue they deserved a point in that they were right in the game and never totally dominated. Their keeper made one good save near the end but other than that they coped with us from an attacking point of view fairly easily. They may saw they surrended a lot of possession but what did we do with it? I will say from an attacking point of view they were very negative as surely being so far behind they needed to attack more and go for the win but they timewasted a lot and were quite negative. They had a few half chances but played one up top, Lowe and the other front men, Powell (before he went off) and Bowditch were quite withdrawn. They kept it ok at times and played some decent stuff but like us, it never seemed to hurt us and I felt their best chance may come from catching us on the counter when we overcommitted. However we never did this so the game played out to a chess like stalemate for long spells.
Smith played central midfield and was his usual charming self trying to ref the game, leaving his foot in and arguing constantly. A player that looked no better than Doyle. That says it all how far from grace he has fallen. At the back they kept Kitson and others quiet and both centre backs; Chicken and Kay did well but were given little pressure and would have surely struggled if we had injected pace a lot earlier. Lewington is a player that I have always thought is a stand out at this level but got lucky with a handball and also dithered when we nearly scored near the end of the first half. I can’t remember Lowe, Potter or Lines doing anything really in terms of the ex Wednesday connection and the game passed them by.
Robinson complained about the penalty but we had 2 appeals as strong, if not stronger and he moaned and groaned about every decision from his technical area. He seemed to forget some nasty late tackles that got unpunished (when ref played on and then did not bother going back to book them).
I had them down to win the league at the start of the season and whilst they have had a few players out injured (Gleeson and Chadwick for instance) they have really underachieved and to be mid table with a fairly experienced and good collection of players they have had a poor season. I cannot see them making the playoffs and with such poor crowds; I am unsure the chairman will continue to bankroll the side and they may have missed their best chance of going up.
United – It was much better than the Orient home game but again for a home side at the top of the league to not score and barely have a chance is still not good enough for all the improvements and control we had of the game. It is a difficult one as I felt we were the better team on balance and had more possession, more of the ball in key areas and more efforts on and off goal. Sadly we only really had half chances right up towards the end when the one clear chance fell to Forte and we missed it. Robson had a shot saved that was not really a clear chance and flicked a header over but in the first half I cannot recall a decent effort from us that really worried them. Second half was much the same. The only positive was they had no efforts of note on goal all game and I really cannot remember Long making a save all game.
As for the possession we did keep it better and I felt pressed up better thus winning more loose ball and were tighter at the back than recent home games. We won the ball more in midfield and seemed to have control of the ball and game for long periods. Sadly we did not do enough with the ball and it was too slow to come forward. Our forwards were never really a threat and other than a couple of runs from Murphy we had little out wide with Flynn abject. McDonald too often went sideways or backwards and I still felt no one really took responsibility and thought ‘right I am going to drive into the final third and make something happen.’ For an improved home performance the away keeper will say he only had one save to make and that they coped with us fairly comfortably.
United did keep the ball better and were more patient but at times too patient and this was the problem. Without a change of pace and with such a one paced plodding front 6; it means we rely on a precision ball or a set play I feel.
With everything done at a snail’s pace it meant it was all too predictable and teams seem to have figured out how to frustrate us and stop us creating anything; sit deep and pack the midfield and stop the ball getting into Kitson. Teams do this and they will generally stop us as we have no pace and no real creativity (outside of the odd flash from Robson or McDonald). We now have to hope they are well backed away and that the run can go on away from the lane. If we do not keep our away form up; then automatic is not going to be achieved by the way we are playing at Bramall Lane as we do not look like scoring most games. I think he may have to bite the bullet and play Forte with Kitson up top and Robson wide left (taking Flynn out). We need some more pace and creativity and often our play just gets squeezed out at the moment. We do not look a side that I can honestly say this team will go up and I feel it is a side that if it does not start to show some urgency and realise games are for the taking if they up the pace by 20%; then they will probably just limp into the play offs and then we know what normally happens. We are making things hard for ourselves and putting big pressure on us for the away games (Crewe will be tough as they showed at the Lane) and with the next home game a real hard one, v Brentford, it is going to be an interesting and crucial few weeks.
Long 6/10 – He had very little to do in terms of shots (did they have an effort of note on goal all game) but his handling was a bit iffy and he spilt a few early on before gathering and then he punched away a corner when it was an easy unopposed take. Still he had kept 6 clean sheets on the bounce which is very good and gives us a good platform.
McMahon 7/10 –He was ok defensively and cannot recall them getting past him too much but they did not really play with a winger and their formation should have seen him get forward more. Often when he had it he did not really drive on and I felt at times there were acres in front of him. Had one half chance and blazed badly over. Arguing ridiculously at the end of the first half and getting involved in stuff that he did not need to is something that seems to be part of his game.
Collins 7/10 – Solid performance where he did the basics in terms of heading it and clearing it. He faced little in the way of attacking threats with the diminutive Lowe being the only real out and out striker with Bowditch and Powell dropping back and being more wide. He did ok and at least tried to come out with the ball at times.
Maguire 7/10 – I thought he played quite well and read the through balls and stepped out when he could. Cannot remember many mistakes other than a stupid wild challenge that rightly earned him a booking. To be honest the only real criticism of the defence the last few weeks (not conceding) is they are too slow to start attacks and we thus then become predictable.
Hill 7/10 – A steady ish game but a few wild slices and clearances blotted his copy book a bit. He is very solid defensively and rarely gets out of position but he offers little to nothing going the other way. I still think he is a better option than Higginbotham due to his better mobility/pace and covering ability.
McDonald 5.5/10 –I felt he was quite poor for long spells and was sloppy in a lot of things he did. He showed some neat touches at times but mostly played it sideways and backwards. When he did try and go forward he often gave it away or lost it. The one time he did go forward he almost made a goal (pass to Forte). He is too pedestrian as a player and although he undoubtedly he has so much talent; he does not use it anywhere near enough. Whatever happens to us, he will be consigned to the lower leagues unless he starts getting a grip of games, starts upping his effort and showing a greater desire to affect games.
Flynn 4/10 – Really poor. Never in the game from start to finish. When he got it he wanted rid of it and the ball was like a hit potato. As I have said before he is a winger that cannot get decent crosses in, does not beat a man and often the games just passes him by. He should have come off but somehow survived where as the more dangerous Murphy went off.
Doyle 6.5/10 – Better than he has been and got in and won a few loose tackles and balls. He still gives the ball away too much and tries to do more than he is capable of. Also he continued his annoying habit of going to the floor when we are defending, thus putting himself out of the play. Still he kind of did his job today and I felt the wide men and McDonald + Kitson did very little. Our central midfield has not been good enough in recent weeks at home and too often we are not dominating this key area and the play is so slow and predictable from this area.
Murphy 6.5/10 – Showed some promise with a few runs at the full back and unlike Flynn at least he kept the ball and tried to get the defenders going the other way. He overran it or hit the first man but there was some effort there. He seemed one of few who wanted to go at the defence. I think he has some promise but still looks a little lightweight and needs to get stronger and fitter as he was taken off and was tiring second half (still would have left him on over Flynn).
Robson 7/10 – Thought first half he was decent and one of our better players; always looking to get on the ball and move it both left and right. However some of his set plays were not quite as good today and I felt he tired badly after the break. I am not sure up top suits him (or just off) and he should have been moved inside or dropped back into the centre. Sadly he still looks woefully lacking in fitness and as a result is knackered after an hour of the games he has played.
Kitson 5.5/10 – Thought he was poor today. He controlled a few balls through or breasted some down but he was off the pace and often behind the play. At times he was stood still (due to lack of fitness and pace) and it meant as critical as I have been of the midfield for slow play; they had no one to hit. Things at least lifted when Forte was put inside (finally!). Sadly when we are relying on a player like Kitson as our main talisman it says it all. Yes he has a good touch and gets the odd goal but he is blowing out of his behind after 10 minutes of most games (as is Robson and McDonald!) and is really out of shape.
Subs
Forte – Was brought on but oddly played wide left and even though his pace gave us some different impetus it was wasted out wide. Why he was not given the central role was beyond me. He was finally put up there when Robson went off but it was way too late. He then had the big chance when he broke the offside trap but could not score when one on one. It was the only real clear chance of the game and he blew it.
Poleon – Came on near the end and almost got onto a through ball when the keeper got injured and the ball span away. He maybe should have been given longer as we looked far too predictable.
Referee/Officials – Utterly dire. I will start with the linesmen who got quite a few offsides wrong (got the one with Forte onside right – about only one) and missed the ball going out several times (including one on the South Stand side which was out by 2 yards!). They gave an awful referee no help when he needed some! The one where it somehow ended up being a goal kick when it had originally been an offside which was just baffling.
Now onto the referee; Mr Boyeson, deary me. He wanted to be the star of the show. He stopped things constantly but then when he kept having a word he never booked players (both ways) and seemed to just want everyone to look at him. He got so many free kicks wrong (again both ways) and seemed so picky most of the game. Alan Smith and Doyle took it in turns trying to ref the game and he seemed to have no control over what was happening. There were so many poor decisions throughout (fussy little ones mostly) that it just made the game stop start and it was like we had come to watch him as he continually wanted to talk to people but not book them and not allow the game to have any kind of flow. Kitson got penalised for winning a fair tackle and then again for having his foot a yard up from the ground (gave a foul for dangerous play as player headed it from nearly the floor).
He got Maguire’s booking right (it was nearer a red than a yellow it was that late and wild) but then I felt he could have booked a few of theirs for wild swings when advantage was played and then he went back and had a word but did not book them. He let the keeper get away with blatant time wasting at the end
As for the penalties; we had on clear one when Lewington handled the ball in the first half. There was not much of a reaction but it looked clear to me. Even Karl Robinson said it was a penalty.
As for the other two near the end; I felt they were two things he did get right on balance. The one for them was not a penalty. I felt the booking for diving was harsh to be fair as I have seen them given and he there was some contact. Ryan Flynn’s also there was some contact but after not giving the other one you could see why he would not give it. Some refs may have given both but I cannot criticise the referee too much for these. The rest of his performance left a lot to be desired.
Crowd - Nearly 18,000 there which was good considering they brought only a couple of hundred. Thought the crowd were fairly supportive and did not get on the backs at all. They were really positive. It was a much better performance than the Orient game and I felt to say there were few chances or real excitement, they stayed with us and kept behind the team. A few groans came second half but nothing really clear cut that the team could say would really affect them. The main frustration was the lack of urgency and no real sense of trying to speed things up. It was a decent performance and the crowd saw that I still felt they tried to will us on and even when we had a few corners at the end they were trying to will the ball in but sadly when Ryan Flynn cannot kick a corner higher than a foot then what can the crowd do? Hopefully they will be well backed at Crewe and we can pick up another away win but the home form is now very worrying. Decent crowds are coming and barely seeing a chance let alone a goal or a win.
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