United – For most of the game we were superb again. We controlled the game on and off the ball. It was relentless from the off with the ball being zinged about, players bombing forward from all over the place and us pinning back Reading. We played some super stuff and it was a joy to watch. As a team we pressured and harried and won the ball back and chased in packs. Reading could not keep the ball and it seemed like most of the game was played in their half, so dominant we were. When we had it, we played as a team also, getting men close to the ball and playing lovely little triangles.
We scored two superb goals, of different types admittedly but both special goals. The only complaint is we did not create tons of chances in the game despite the domination and maybe even overplayed a bit in the last third! Still it was all United and the first half was as good as anything we saw last season or this. It reminded me of the Scunny/Bolton games last year where the opponent was just out footballed into submission.
The effort players put in when they did not have it was phenomenal with Clarke leading the way in terms of sheer toil. Reading had no answer and they just kept coughing up possession. United’s intensity of play was a joy. The defence came onto the ball and were surging out, Coutts and Fleck controlled midfield, Duffy was buzzing around, Sharp was busy and the two wing backs were effectively extra strikers playing as wingers. Despite tricky conditions, United played great football and were picking off Reading all over the pitch and then turning defence into attack very quickly. For sheer weight of play and possession, United should have been out of sight at half time but as I say did not maybe create the chances to match their domination.
Second half we were still on top and if Sharp scores it goes onto to be maybe 4 or 5 but we still worked hard and knocked it around well. A few players tired and we made changes but Reading slowly came back into it and started to force United back in the last 15 minutes. They were always going to have a spell and United became a bit sloppy but as a I say I think they had just put so much effort in that they started to flag somewhat. Reading got a sloppy goal from United’s point of view and then threw men forward and had a lot of the ball and pressed us back. You feared for all the domination that they may nick a ridiculously undeserved point but despite lots of balls into the box, United held firm and managed to prevent any clear chances. Indeed, Brooks and Clarke had chances on the break to make it more comfortable. You can nit-pick the last 10-15 minutes and say we gave it away too much or sat back but credit to Reading for finally having a go after being completely second best for most of the game.
It was another well-deserved win for United. Currently watching the side is really enjoyable. You cannot wait for the games to come and that is testament to how Wilder has got them playing. They are beating sides and outplaying them for long spells. There is no let up at all and if they keep this level of intensity up (a challenge I will admit) then United will remain up near the top. I think the key is to get to 50 points and see where we are in January and then there may be some pressure on the board to add 2 or 3 real quality players (I don’t mean Devante Cole) in key areas, centre back and centre forward for me despite how well the players are doing in this area. Some may say you would leave it if they are doing well and don’t change things that are working but some real pace and goal scoring up top would make us even better for me. That is for further down the line though; the current attitude must be just to think about the next game. Leeds in front of a big crowd, on TV and under the lights will be tough but I have seen Leeds a few times and they are a real mixed bag and can be very good or very bad. If United play like they have been doing, I have no fear we can go there and get a result. We then have games against mid to lower sides in QPR, Hull and Burton. All games where if the performance levels carry on we can get more points.
Currently things are going great at the Lane. Things can change and an injury or a bad defeat that knocks confidence could happen, but I think as fans we just need to enjoy what is happening at the moment and revel in the moment. It is brilliant at the moment and long may it continue. Wilder has done something that I never thought would happen with a group of players that has not cost that much and many from the lower leagues; he has got us winning and playing superb football with an intensity of effort I have not seen at the Lane for a long time; maybe ever in my lifetime.
Reading – They were awful for 70 minutes but United made them look so bad and giving so much of the credit to the Blades for them being so poor. We pressed them back and won every individual battle. They were second to the ball and could not get out. The brightest thing about their performance was their kit which was fluorescent orange. They must have changed the formation at last 4 or 5 times. They seemed to match up with us at first, then went to a four, then back to a five and then had a 4-3-3 and then some weird 4-3-2-1 formation -this last one actually worked but too late! Teams are coming and changing formations to match up with us and this is happening every week. They are petrified of being over worked in midfield and putting a three in the middle but this is still not working. The positive for me is teams are preparing for us as they will do (Stam talked about having watched us all week and being prepared for us and how we play but then he admitted after the game they were not ready for what we did and did not match what we did!) but we are still surprising teams with effort and play.
They tried everything but it did not see them having any more control of the ball and to be honest the game should have been done long before the late comeback. When they scored, they chucked men forward and were knocking it about well and United were nervous but it would have been daylight robbery if they had got anything from the game. 2-1 flattered them really in a game they were second best by a long way. To see Reading players slumped to the floor at the end was funny as they looked gutted too have lost and the body language seemed to be that of players who sensed they felt hard done by not to get anything but the reality was that they were battered for most of the game and the late comeback made it seem more of a game than it was.
The first half really was so one side and it was incredible how they just kept getting the ball taken off them and just kept backpedalling towards their own goal. Stam kept to his principles and they kept trying to play it out but it was not working. They could not handle the pressure and intensity of United’s play. We looked fitter, hungrier and better footballers. That last point is key. It is not just about pressure and effort but when we have it we are outplaying teams.
They of course made the playoff final last year which was a bit of a surprise as Jaap Stam did a remarkable job to get them into the top 6 and very close to the Premier League. They of course were fancied as one of the front runners again this year and had most of the same squad bar the keeper who moved on and the defender Williams who went to Huddersfield. However, they brought in an experienced keeper in Mannone and the Icelandic striker Bodvarsson. They also signed Aluko from Fulham for a lot of money and have lots of experience in the side. They started the season badly and have not quite got going. Their win at Leeds was much needed as talk was Stam is under pressure which seems ridiculous after the season they had last year. Sometimes when you surpass expectations it creates extra pressure the season after. They still will probably move away from the bottom places and I feel will finish around midway.
Opposition Man of the Match: I thought he fouled a lot and was outplayed first half but the lad van den Berg actually was a decent footballer when he got on the ball. I also thought Aluko looked lively at times but no one really looked interested for the first 70 minutes or so. They then started playing and everyone improved. Beerens who scored, started to get into little pockets and players wanted the ball but it was too little, too late. However, their best player was maybe the lad Swift who came on, got on the ball and changed the way the game was going for them. He looked excellent.
Opposition Weak link: Take your pick from an abysmal first half performance where they constantly gave the ball away, barely got in our half and looked clueless how to deal with an excellent United side. The defence kept trying to play it out despite it playing into our hands. The lads at the back were given a torrid time; Ilori and Blackett were maybe the two stand outs for ineptitude. Moore was also poor. Some of their experienced players like Edwards and Gunter were also passengers for long spells.