My thoughts albeit from the sofa….could not get a ticket or if I could I probably decided £42 was too much (kind of regret that now) so I sat and watched at home with the family.
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I woke up this morning quite nervous…probably more so than I had for a game for a long time including even some recent big game at the end of the last season and Playoff games. Maybe it was the wait between the last derby game; I don’t know but I was very apprehensive but also strangely confident all mixed into one. I just wanted us to play like we have the last 12 months and prove to them we were not a battling, scrapping in your face side but much more than that and a good footballing side, that played as a team but have some cracking individuals too.

I settled down and saw the team and was concerned. We could make the case we had 5 starters (Moore, Stearman, Freeman, Donaldson and Sharp missing) and I was not sure what would happen. I had no idea really and just hoped we would play like we can.

Well, the start was a dream. Brooks solo run and Fleck’s superb free kick sent our house into raptures and then we nearly had a second as Clarke got in. Soon after it was 2-0 with the Wednesday defence all over the place. We looked in complete control and we were in dreamland. After this we dominated and could have had more. Brooks was looking like he would run riot and Clarke was on the shoulders. Coutts and Fleck were dictating. They had a few moments but nothing major. We just had to see out the half but then a sloppy goal let in gave them hope.

They carried this momentum on after the break and you feared the worse as we sat back deeper and deeper and the lad Joao made a difference too. Hooper nearly got in and they had a few corners and we suddenly looked under pressure but Brooks broke out and nearly scored but blazed over. Duffy came on for Wright and we changed things around with Basham dropping back more. They then got back level when a decent move saw Reach cut through our defence and Joao smashed home. At this stage, I would have probably taken a draw in a game we had been far better but now as the home fans did that ridiculous bounce I was worried. I should not have doubted Wilder and the Red and White Wizards. Back up they went and Duffy turned his man inside out and smashed home in front of the Leppings Lane. The bounce killer. 3 and a half sides silenced instantly. Back in front!!!

After this Brooks showed some superb skill to beat both Hunt and then Reach in two separate incidents but Clarke fired over on the first and then Westwood saved from Brooks on the second. Bannan fired not far wide and you sensed the next goal was coming. The Blades got it. Brooks touched forward and poor defending saw Clarke steal in and dink the ball over Westwood and into the far corner via the post. Jubilation in the away end and in my lounge!!!

After this Wednesday heads dropped completely. Hooper had one header at Blackman but other than a few corners/free kicks the home side never looked like scoring again. Lundstram came on for the superb Brooks. The away fans sang ‘Sheffield Wednesday’s f****d it up again!’ and serenaded Chris Wilder with a ‘Happy Birthday!’ song. United saw time out rather comfortably and all that was left was for the final whistle to be greeted by large boos from the furious home fans….well those that were left. Many had long gone. Wilder gathered the players together in a post match huddle and then let them take the acclaim from the jubilant following from S2. Wilder’s punches to the air were each signalled by huge cheers from the Blades fans!

United – Excellent but used to saying this most weeks. Other than a bit of sloppy defending on half time and a 10 minutes spell after the break where we got too deep and stopped marking we were the better side from start to finish. Two big moments for me. The way we started the game was fantastic. A great goal from Fleck and then we kept attacking. We never stopped. We ought to have had them out of sight at the break and I was furious we had let them back in it. If they had not scored that it would have been comfortable for me. Second half they had a bit of a go and they pegged us back but the second big moment came after they got level and we went forward and attacked straight away and scored the goal of the game. Superb! After this we got some kind of control again and we had as many chances if not more. It could have been more again. The Clarke goal pretty much sealed it and we saw it out professionally after this.

So many great individual performances, Brooks, Fleck, Coutts, Clarke stood out but as a team we were together. We fought in packs, played nice football when we could and got rid of it when we had to. We won tackles, harried and then played it simple when we had to but let the flair players above cause problems. Wilder had us swarming all over them. They had no answer and had to make tactical and personnel changes to compete. All this with so many key players out! It was great to watch. So many big games we have not turned up over the years. Today we did and then some. It would have been a travesty if we had drawn or lost the game and the scoreline was about a fair reflection in the end. Love the way we kept attacking and with a bit more poise up top would have got more goals. As I say a few sloppy moments at the back apart; it was almost a perfect performance. So proud of the team and the manager! To go to your city rivals back yard and dump them 4-2 is tremendous. We have well and truly shut them up for a while. The phone ins, local press and social media will be superb the next few days; as will work tomorrow (although work with more Blades than Owls)

It is a result to saviour certainly and won that will not be forgotten for a long time as many make themselves Blades legends on that one game alone! We now have a few days break and hope we can use the euphoria and confidence to take on a very good Wolves side (will be a much better side than Wednesday – nothing arrogant about saying that) in the week. If we get a result there we can go to a poor Forest side and try and make it a great week and could even end for the International break on top! Dream stuff but main thing is we keep playing like we have done. If we do that and we get some players back fit we have nothing to fear and should be looking to finish a lot nearer the top than the bottom.



Wednesday – Already the message boards and radio phone ins are full of Owls saying it was them that were so bad and they never turned up and blaming tactics, formation etc. You know what, they were poor and looked slow but we made them look poor. Quite a lot seem unable to give us any credit. They started slow I agree but we were flying out of the blocks. They gave it away a lot but we pressed them all over the field. Their defence was awful but were under pressure. I agree they were ragged at times but we made them look ragged. This is a side that has not lost at home all season and barely conceded any goals and we went there and looked like scoring so many. We could easily have had 7 or 8 goals. United were as good as Wednesday were bad.

I keep hearing how much better their players are and granted they had a few out but we had more out! I am not so sure I agree at all after today. All this clap trap about how they would not swap any of our players for one of theirs and ours are all battling no marks who are lower league is tripe. Today has proved that. We have some good players and Coutts and Fleck proved how good they are. I also saw how slow they were. I often feel United’s lack of pace (running pace) is one area we are weak in but my word we were miles quicker than them to tackles, passes and basic stuff today. It shows it is not just about running past players or break neck speed.

Back to Wednesday and today proved they are probably a long way off promotion. I would say they have gone backwards in two years and for all the money they have spent I am not sure they will be anywhere near the top two. They will be in and around the top 6 I feel although I see around a dozen sides who could make the same claim (including us maybe). Many fans want the manager sacked which is ridiculous. He has spent some money but they have got to the playoffs two years and are not far off the top this year. They really are like spoilt children at times. He is one of the few who shows any dignity down there. He says some odd things and is a bit bizarre at times but actually is quite hard to hate. He is a fairly decent bloke (for an Owl). Still they seem to think he makes appalling tactical decisions and personnel choices and if they lose a few more in a row they will get their wish probably. He was out thought tactically and preparation wise today of course but Wilder is doing that routinely against other managers mot weeks so nothing to be ashamed of there.

Opposition Man of the Match: Not even close. Hooper was the only player who I really feared. Bannan did a few bits and pieces but Hooper was always a threat. Came off the front and got into good areas scored a decent goal and had a few other decent attempts. He is a really good player and to think they spent 10 million quid approx. on Rhodes when they did not need him. Joao who came on looked good running with the ball and scored, also had a trick or two. Aside from that I cannot recall many of their players playing that well – maybe Wallace showed a few flashes but some of their better players simply did not turn up or rather we made them look ordinary.