Bookings may be an issue also; we picked up another today – Norwood and Stevens both have 7 and a ban (2 games is it for 10 could be a worry for 2 key men). We had numerous other cards. Other teams do not seem to pick them up. Today we deserved them all though and were quite late I felt.
Swansea – Not in the game first half but dominant second half. It repeated much of the game at Bramall Lane. Ridiculous they are so low with the attacking players and talent they have. Bit embarrassing really. Maybe the likes of Routledge, Fer, Celina, Dyer only turn up when they play us but really, they should be doing much better. They have some pace and also some dribbling ability who can unlock doors. They could have scored more goals if it was not for Henderson and O’Connell as they had lots of chances.
They played that ball through the middle that dissected the United midfield and this caused us problems. However, it was the pace down the flanks 2nd half that caused us problems and they did us on the overload a lot. The midfield completely dictated things in the second half and they had all the ball and carved us open quite a few times. We did not get our foot in and slow it down and they seemed to have an extra man or two in the second half. Sharp and McGoldrick saw none of the ball, Duffy was not in it and the midfield two and wing backs were losing every battle individually.
Opponent man of the match – They had the best two players on the pitch in Fer and Celina but Leroy Fer was the man of the match. We do talk about Norwood and Fleck etc but he was the best midfielder on the field. Duffy played well for the opening spell but he controlled things with his passing and vision and showed that he should be playing higher up. Dyer was very good 2nd half too and did some really good things. James also made a difference with his pace and running too.
Weak link – Not sure anyone was awful. We did not test the defence at all. Carter Vickers has shown to be error strewn but we never tested him at all. They improved after Routledge went off who held onto the ball too much and James was more direct and moved it quicker.
Henderson 7/10 – Nothing to do at all first half. Did not have a shot to save at all for the first hour. They scored with the first real shot and then after that they had numerous chances and he saved a few including one excellent save. They could have sealed the game
Baldock 6/10 – First half he was decent on the ball and got forward and was on the front foot. He was one of our main threats and got into some really good positions. 2nd half was totally different and they got round him and forced him back. Made some poor tackles and could have been booked long before he was. I still felt he used the ball better than most and kept going. He was one of the few whose energy levels did not drop. On the goal he got done quite easily by Dyer but not helped by other players.
Stevens 6/10 – First half very involved in everything well we did and got up and down. Another who makes poor challenges at times and commits himself a bit too much often when he does not need to. Got booked and that meant he had to take it easy. Made some poor passes 2nd half as everyone else did. He was stretched out and forced back and both wing backs did not affect the game positively at all really.
Egan 7/10 – Steady enough but first half he was dominant but 2nd half he was turned round and he and the other struggled with the pace and running. We were badly exposed and they were given no protection as the midfield did not get a tackle in or run back to support. Not sure he made any big errors but it was hard as at times they had so many extra men and were lining up to score at times.
O’Connell 8/10 – Our best player by a mile. Made countless blocks, ***** tackles and covers. He alone saved at least one or two certain goals. I felt he had little protection from the midfield. He used the ball well and was able to cover for others who were making mistakes.
Basham 6.5/10 – Did ok defensively and first half he was good sending us forward and using the ball quickly. 2nd half he was not as involved and forced back. Some of his attacking attempts 2nd half were a bit embarrassing as he stumbled around or aid on the floor and wriggled around! His crossing was also poor.
Fleck 5/10 - Sloppy from start to finish. Had a couple of drives and neat passes but gave it away a lot and was slow to react to things. Even in the first half he got caught out twice also. On the goal he was so slow to react to the ball that came to Van Der Hoorn and never closed it down. He was taken off as he was not in the game at all. I think he has been decidedly average this season. We do not see the driving runs and creativity that we have seen before with few assists to chances at all.
Norwood 5.5/10 – Will get called for this but thought he was very ill disciplined today. He was decent first half with the ball and switched it left and right but his final ball was poor. His set plays were also not great. He hit the wall with a free kick and overplayed another. 2nd half he was really poor along with the rest of the team. He did not affect the game at all and Fer ran things. Did not get on the ball but also did not do the little things stopping runners or picking up balls at all. Does pick up silly bookings by diving in. the best two players on the field were Celina and Fer. These were directly up against our main midfield two. 2nd half until the last 10 minutes when we were pumping it forward cannot recall us keeping it in their half for more than 2 or 3 passes at all.
Duffy 7/10 – Excellent first half. The best player on the field by a long way and most things went through him. He assisted on the big McGoldrick chance and was involved in all our good play. He got on it and made us tick. I loved the way he linked things and helped move the ball on. They got tighter on him second half and he was not in at all.
Sharp 5/10 – Missed a really good opportunity and never recovered from that. He was slow to react and the two centre backs gradually won the battle. Had no service whatsoever at all. Second half we did not really give him anything and he was chasing back a lot.
McGoldrick 5/10 – Not his night. Missed a big chance. Was not able to link as well as he has done and I felt him and Sharp were too far apart. We did play some decent stuff he was involved in at times first half but 2nd half he and Sharp were starved of the ball although both needed to work harder for me.
Subs –
Madine – Did quite well, won a few headers, used his chest well and played in others. Some good build up from difficult balls to control. He looked a threat and a handful.
Clarke – Came on with 10 to go. I would have left McGoldrick on personally even though he was not in the game at all. Always so slow to the ball and never seems to get up with the pace of it.
Dowell – Needs to wake up. May have only been playing u23 games but he looks half asleep. Not sharp at all. He has offered very little in the games I have seen. He is slow and does not have any real acceleration. I heard people raving about him when we signed him but he needs to do much more to convince. We looked even worse when Duffy went off. Had one run but overplayed the ball to Clarke and then one decent through ball.
Madine – Did really well and held it up and played people in. Used his chest and head well and linked things. McGoldrick and Sharp been brilliant but they were not at it today. They will start for a while yet but I am sure Madine may be used in weeks to come.
Wilder 5/10 – A game we should have been in control of and ahead after a good first half performance saw us not take the chances and then 2nd half we were abject and Potter completely has Wilder’s number. Twice he has changed the formation and tactics and twice they have turned round games they were 2nd best in to win. Sure our players did not play but they stepped things up and Wilder did nothing. It was way too late to change it when he did. He needed to have changed it; not just formation but personnel long before he did. I would have put Coutts on as we were not keeping the ball – the change was just like for like. It was pointless as Duffy was not seeing any of the ball at all anyway. We needed to stiffen up the midfield and give the defence some protection also. The other changes were fair enough as we had to try something up top but frankly it was all a bit desperate. The damage was done and so hard to change the turnaround when the tide had turned. They played 10 yards higher up, won the ball, pressed us and used the wings to force our wing backs backwards. Wilder just let it drift for 20 minutes. You could see the goal coming. It was reminiscent of other games; Derby away. We seem to have no answer when other teams change things up. Wilder rightly gets plaudits for doing a fantastic job and he has worked miracles but also deserves criticism for things also – today I felt he was not proactive at all. Course the players lacked intensity and individually were poor but the whole shape changed of the game. He needed to make that chance
Referee – Wilder criticised him but all the bookings were yellows. They were all cynical fouls or had intent (Norwood does dive in a lot). Both us and them had penalty appeals but neither were for me. I would have been incensed if they had given hand ball against us for the one at the end but it was not much different to Bash’s the other week really.