The oft used phrase that 'football is a funny old game' was very apt in describing the fortunes of Sheffield United this past week. On Tuesday evening the Blades played relatively well and controlled most of the game but somehow found themselves on the wrong end of a 4-0 walloping to Scunthorpe. Today United were probably second best for much of the contest but thanks to the goalkeeping of Steve Simonsen and a free kick from Ched Evans 13 minutes from time; the Blades were able to enjoy victory in a far less convincing performance than the one given days earlier.
The Blades brought back skipper Chris Morgan who replaced Nyron Nosworthy in the central of defence but otherwise had an unchanged side keeping faith with the goal shy three pronged attack of Evans, Cresswell and Ward. Portsmouth had failed to win all season but began with a strong line up featuring a core of players who had played in the Premier League last season with Dave Kitson and David Nugent up front and former Blade Michael Brown in the centre of midfield. Captain Aaron Mokoena also was able to shake off injury and take his place in the Pompey defence.
United kicked towards the Kop in the first half but were under pressure as Nugent nearly fed in Utaka and Bartley was at full stretch to poke the ball away. United had not been able to keep possession of the ball and Jordan's wretched cross field ball put his fellow defenders under pressure and Utaka beat Calve before his shot was palmed away by Simonsen. Lawrence's corner nearly dropped for Rocha but a teammate actually got in his way preventing him from getting a shot away when well positioned. It had been a strong start from the visitors who looked determined to finally notch that first league win of the season. United tried to get some crosses into the box but both Calve and Ward's deliveries were too strong and keeper Ashdown remained untroubled.
United then had to make a change when skipper Morgan pulled up clearly having tweaked his hamstring. The defender instantly signalled for a change and Nosworthy came on to see the backline restored to the same five that had started the two previous games with mixed results. The dangerous Utaka again got away from United's backline and left Bartley for dead but his cross just evaded Nugent at the far post.
Referee Hegley had erred on the side of leniency when Kitson clobbered Britton and then when the same man committed another indiscretion but once again the yellow card remained in the referee's pocket. Soon after though he was cautioning a United player, Ertl, whose crime was being hit by a free kick which was taken instantly after the award giving him no chance to move away from the ball. Moments later Nugent threw the ball away right under the referee's nose but he was allowed to escape without a card. The inconsistency of the officiating actually seemed to spark the previously quiet crowd and the home side who finally enjoyed some moments of territory. Britton was getting on the ball at every opportunity but former Blade Brown was doing all he could, both legal and illegal, to prevent the source of much of United's attacking threat. One such late challenge saw Brown enter the referee's notebook and Britton had to go off for medical attention.
Pompey continued to create chances though and Nugent's header hit his own man when it seemed a good opportunity but the home side finally broke to create a chance when Evans held the ball up well and pulled back a clever cross but Ertl's shot was screwed wide under pressure. Despite two stoppages for injuries the referee adjudged there was to be only one minute of stoppage time to be played but this passed without incident.
United had been lacklustre in the first half but they did not improve in the early stages of the first half as Portsmouth began strongly once again. Utaka the source of much of Pompey's attacks once again skipped around Calve but his shot was blocked. Hesitant defending from the Blades again saw another opportunity created as Nugent stole in at the back post but Simonsen flung across to deny him at point blank range. The home side were beginning to get frustrated as poor passing and lack of options in the final third meant it had been a poor performance. However, unlike Tuesday evening they were still very much in the game and manager Speed opted to try and increase his attacking options as he replaced Montgomery with Quinn who instantly went wide left as the Blades switched to a 4-4-2 formation with Cresswell operating more centrally. However, the momentum remained with Pompey and after neat build up Lawrence's low drive was goal bound but Simonsen got down well to save with his left hand. Moments later Bartley's foul on Lawrence saw the former Stoke man presented with an opportunity from a free kick right on the edge of the area. His curled effort was tipped round the post by the keeper who was having an excellent afternoon. Nugent then shot well wide before Ward and Calve nearly combined to create an opportunity.
Despite not creating any real clear cut chances the Blades were given a good opportunity 13 minutes from time when after nice approach play Evans tried to play in Ward but Dickinson blocked with his arm giving the home side a free kick from 25 yards out. United had Yeates stripped and ready to come on with Evans the likely man to make way as Speed confirmed after the match but opted to give the Welsh striker the chance to strike the free kick. After the ball was touched EVANS stepped up and hit a low fizzing drive that hit the inside of Ashdown's post and nestled into the net. Evans celebrated the vital breakthrough as the Portsmouth's players slumped to the turf stunned that they were behind despite their positive performance. The Blades striker would surely reflect on how his fortunes had changed from the Scunthorpe game when the same post had been rattled but the ball had bounced away to safety.
Portmouth created another chance when Nugent split the United defence with a through ball but Kitson when well placed fired high and wide. The United scorer finally did depart and was given a warm round of applause for his crucial striker as Yeates took his place. Kanu came on as Pompey tried to salvage something but now gaps were appearing as the game had really opened up with the visitors throwing men forward. Twice United should have sealed the game but Cresswell could not convert Yeates' cross and then Quinn ought to have done better when he cut in unopposed but only found Ashdown with men well positioned inside the box.
Kanu's effort was saved comfortably by Simonsen as the game had entered the decreed additional 4 minutes stoppage time but united saw out time without too many further concerns and could celebrate the vital three points.
United - I felt today was United's worst performance under Speed. Granted I was not at Derby but all I have heard was that it was a very good performance. At Boro we were not great but deserved a point. In the home games we played some lovely football versus Preston but did not have an end product in terms of created chances and were a tad fortunate to win. We were actually pretty good against Scunthorpe in terms of the football and style but could not score and then made basic mistakes at the back. Today I felt we did not pass the ball well, did not create chances at all and were very, very lucky to win the game. We never started the game and never got a foothold in the game. It just was a really poor performance. We looked very slow, unimaginative and pretty clueless in all areas. I am afraid it was no better than under Blackwell today and the patient ball retention was completely missing. We conceded several chances with the two full backs in particular not having a good day and never really looked like creating let alone scoring a goal. We had one shot on goal and scored and only one other shot all game; the Ertl effort.
The goal when it came was completely out of the blue but was a well taken effort from Evans. After that we did make chances and could have scored more but Pompey were chucking men forward. It is strange but I felt more optimistic after Tuesday then I did after today! I felt the players almost reverted to type and maybe the defeat has knocked the confidence as they went long again and stopped believing in what they had been trying to do in recent weeks. By not keeping the ball we did not give ourselves a chance of ever getting on top and I actually said that it would have been a good point before we scored as if anyone looked like scoring it would be Portsmouth.
Simonsen was excellent and made 2 or 3 very good saves. The one low down from Lawrence was a match winning save as I thought it was in all the way when he hit it. Aside from him the rest of the defence were not great. Bartley was the best of the lot and he gave away too many free kicks and also got pulled about, even if he did make a few decent blocks/tackles too. Defensively we were not close enough to our men all day right from the start. Morgan going off did not help but even before that we looked very open at the back with the full backs too far off their men and the central defenders not close enough together leaving big gaps all this area. In midfield Britton did alright again but was constantly being harassed by Brown which meant it was hard for him to dominate the ball like he has been doing. Montgomery actually was better than Ertl today in my opinion as I felt the big Austrian had his worst game for the Blades but Monty was not great so either could have been taken off. Not sure it works with the pair of them playing, certainly at home.
Up front we had utterly nothing. Granted the service was poor but Ward, Cresswell, Evans never looked like really doing anything. A couple of decent bits of play by Evans and maybe one run from Ward, apart, the forward line were completely ineffective. It is so one paced on the whole with little creativity, no aerial threat, power or subtlety. We really need something different in the final third of the pitch and fast because at the moment we are barely averaging a goal per game and the other night apart (when we did not score ironically!) we don't look like scoring.
We need to somehow get back to the recent improvements in terms of football/passing and hope today was a one off. I am glad we won though as the other night I said we just needed to get some points and at least be around the middle of the league. It is just proving hard to combine a good result with a good performance at the moment. It seems to be one or the other!
A few tough away games at Leeds and Forest will be hard but part of me thinks the formation we employ and the personnel are actually better suited away from the Lane. Of course that will probably be the kiss of death and we will lose both comfortably!
Simonsen 8/10 - His best game of the season and without him we would have lost today. He has had a few uncertain moments in previous games and he has perhaps been at fault for one or two of the goals we have conceded but today he got back to the standards he set at the end of last season. Made 2 or 3 very good saves with the two from Lawrence standing out at a vital stage of the game.
Calve 5/10 - Not his best today. Barely got forward all game and had a really tough time against Utaka who beat him on more than one occasion. He was not tight enough to Utaka and gave him way too much room. He needs to concentrate more and do the basics then show his undoubted ability on the ball; which he showed with a few decent balls in the second half.
Jordan 5/10 - I thought he had a really poor start to the game with his touch and distribution off but more than that his basic defending was not good enough today. He was way off Lawrence and seemed slow to react to danger that came his way. Two awful balls led to clear Pompey chances. Like the rest of the team just had an off day.
Bartley 6/10 - The best of the defence but not convincing either. He did make one or two decent tackles and blocks but he too was slow to react to danger right from the start. He is very naive and gives away needless free kicks but trying to win balls he cannot win instead of jockeying and just holding his ground. At least he kept going and never shirked from challenges but needs some coaching on when to attack the ball and win it and when to just keep position and keep the shape of the defence/team intact.
Morgan - He won a few headers but he too was caught out with a few through balls early on when we started the game so slowly. However, I was glad to see him back and his injury is a blow. Hopefully he may be back next week but usually with hamstrings it can be 2-3 weeks at least. It seems he had not shrugged off the previous hamstring injury but as Ward found last season it is difficult to always know when it has fully healed and sometimes can keep recurring.
Montgomery 5/10 - Still struggling with the new formation and approach (even though the football was poor today). Twice he made good blocks in one spell in the first half and then threw himself into two further tackles which showed his commitment and heart which no one doubts. However, his passing again was poor and he did not seem to quite know where to go in terms of his position with Britton now clearly more effective just in front of the back four. Came off again for the second match running. It would not surprise me if he does not start some games in the coming weeks.
Ertl 5/10 - He has done well for me so far this season, winning the ball, acting as a shield and keeping the ball when passing it. He has not been flashy but solid. Today he was poor. He is very slow of course and really immobile and looks clueless when running with the ball but even the qualities I have alluded to were missing today as he failed to break play up and also gave the ball away. Had a nightmare spell early in the second half when he constantly tossed possession away.
Britton 7/10 - Despite being kicked from pillar to post by Brown (and others) and given little time on the ball he still looked our best outfield player showing his desire to get on the ball, his range of passing and his work rate. After being kicked three times in a 10 minute spell in the first half including a particularly crude one from Brown, he did not hide and kept wanting to get on the ball. Hopefully if we can add some 'different' attacking threats his skills can be utilised even more.
Cresswell 4/10 - Cresswell is lucky to keep his place as for all the criticism Evans has had and a lot of it justified I feel, Cresswell has don't next to nothing right this season; save for the goal at Derby. His touch, passing and overall contribution has been poor and he looks languid and off the pace completely. He looks a player that is coming towards the end of his career and we may regret giving him the additional 2 year contract we gave him in the summer. I am unsure if he will even be any more effective in a striking role as his lack of pace and basic touch/hold up play means the same problems will exist as when he is out wide. If the ball is not played right to his feet he struggles as he is so sluggish. I am not doubting his work rate, I just do not feel he is offering anything to the side currently.
Evans 6/10 - He was not much better than the other two forward players despite a few decent touches (run and cross to Ertl chance) and seemed to be forever outside the box or out wide which is frustrating as he is picked as the 'central' striker. It was another poor performance with little in terms of hold up play, efforts on goal or flashes of quality until the goal but he did try and work harder for the team and did not hide despite his touch and end product mostly not being there. He can certainly hit a ball well and I am disappointed he does not have more shots on goal as all the coaches/players rave about his fierce shooting but he rarely 'has a go.' Hopefully the goal will boost his confidence and he can go on from this but then I thought that after he scored at Cardiff. He is not effective as the head of a three up top and either needs a partner or needs to be employed differently.
Ward 4.5/10 - He was poor today and never really did anything of note. His touch was off and he did not combine with other players. Seemed to drift from right to left and then back again without really having any impact on the game. He seems to have lost half a yard of pace from when he first joined Untied and maybe the injuries he has suffered have affected him more than we think. Twice he pushed the ball down the flank and you thought he would have left his man but on both occasions the defender kept up with him or got ahead of him.
Subs -
Nosworthy 5/10 - A real mixture when he came on. Often he seemed to be daydreaming and let Kitson and Nugent in on more than one occasion. He tried to overplay again and also two or three wretched clearances with his arms and legs flailing everywhere were made when he was under no pressure whatsoever. I will say he did make one or two decent blocks and tackles and was solid for the final stages of the game but overall he has not convinced since returning. I think it is fair to say most fans do not know what he is going to do next which is not what you want in your centre back. He clearly thinks he is better than he is. Surely if you have been dropped when you have already been loaned out to a club in a lower league that should be a sign that you need to sort yourself out but Nosworthy's body language to me suggests he just seems to think 'I am better than all of this.' Maybe I am being harsh but that is how it looks.
Quinn - I did not think he was great when he came on but do feel it was right to bring him on and try and offer something different. He went left at first, then switched to the right and then drifted around to the centre without having much of an impact. Twice he also could have picked out players for goals after we took the lead but telegraphed the cross on each occasion.
Yeates - Came on and was involved instantly in two or three attacks down the left. Showed his touch and direct running again. I do feel he deserves a start at the expense of Cresswell as at least he offers a smidgeon of pace and can cross a ball. However, I would acknowledge that his performances in a United shirt suggests that he has done pretty well when he does come on but sadly often when he has started he has not done it.
Portsmouth - I am surprised that despite all the problems off the pitch that they have had such a poor start. They have kept a fairly decent nucleus of players and many have Premiership experience. Steve Cotterill has proven to be a decent manager at this level and still has a squad that should be nearer the top then the bottom.
Today it proved. They created 4 or 5 good chances, played fairly well in terms of stopping our main threats (Britton, Ward) and also playing very openly for an away side. They did not look like a side that just came for a point and were trying to go forward at every opportunity. They will be stunned how they lost the game really and must feel that everything is going against them. I still think they will be around the middle of the league by the end of the season.
Up front they have two players that have been signed for fees in excess of 10 million pounds I believe but both are in a similar situation to Evans. Both Nugent and Kitson are not scoring and have barely scored for the last few seasons and confidence wise they do not look the same players that scored freely for Preston and Reading a few seasons ago. On the face of it they should be prolific; certainly at this level but they are not doing it yet. Maybe they will come good.
Utaka was their best player and was a threat all afternoon. He made chances and had a few efforts on goal too. He has pace, is tricky and is direct. I think Lawrence will prove once again to be a good player at this level and had a few good efforts on goal in between moaning to the referee all afternoon. I would have liked him at the Lane though. Mullins is a functional midfielder in the same sort of mould of Ertl who makes blocks, tackles etc and keeps it simple. I felt Brown was really poor today. Of course he is not the same player that he was when he was at Untied and he is a defensive midfielder/stopper but it is sad to see how his game has regressed. I certainly would not advocate signing him back now and today probably puts a final end to those still clamouring for his return. All he did all afternoon was kick Britton and generally pull/push/trip anyone that came near him. Their defence looked cumbersome and clumsy with Mokoena and Rocha but we did not pressure them whatsoever. Ward and Dickinson were not really threatened or turned round to face their own goal enough. It was hard to tell if Dickinson; who was linked with us all summer, would have been an upgrade on Jordan; despite the Blades' man's poor performance today.
Officials - Grant Hegley. Two words. Hopelessly inconsistent. Most will remember Hegley from the Reading game sometime ago when he denied us a stonewall penalty when Keith Gillespie was felled at the Madjeski in a top of the table clash. I have seen him since officiating other games since not featuring the Blades and he has been particularly poor. The trend continued today. He was hopeless from start to finish and how no control over the game. I felt he was poor for both sides and it was unclear what decisions he may make from one moment to the next. How he failed to book Kitson for 8 fouls in the game including 1 really bad one; I do not know. How he booked Ertl when it was obvious what Brown was doing (firing free kick at him instantly before he had time to retreat) and then did not book Nugent for throwing the ball away on purpose is also beyond me? Brown could have walked for numerous niggly fouls especially after his crude lunge on Britton which was as bad if not worse than the one Lowton was sent off for on the opening day. He gave a free kick against Britton when he was pushed by Brown, so Britton pushed him back (should have been either our free kick first or play on) which also was ridiculous. I have highlighted decisions that went against us but they were a number that went against Pompey too. When both sets of fans boo the referee off at half time you know you have had a bad game. Wanted to be the star of the show and was forever stopping things often needlessly when he could have played on. A very 'robotic' referee who I would be glad to not see at the Lane again for some time.
Crowd - Not great in size (20,000) again and very quiet but the home fans had little to shout about all afternoon. Pompey did not bring as many as they normally do (granted it is a fair trek but they are usually very well supported wherever they play!). The crowd only real got into it when the bizarre refereeing decisions riled them. Overall it was a poor game and a poor performance from the home side. The only solace is of course is the Blades fans at least went home relatively happy due to the all important win.