Everyone is at it

C S Marítimo 0 v Sheffield United 1

Pre Season Friendly
Played at Estádio Municipal Bela Vista, Parchal

Thursday 12 July 2018

SUFC 2018/19 Game 2

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That was the 207th different ground I’ve seen a Sheffield United XI play on. And, that felt like a proper workout. Competitive, without getting niggly. The Marítimo lads behaved well I thought. Very few histrionics from either side. There were elements of groundhog season. A fair bit of the ball. Committed & pressing. But, not many chances created. It turned out to be Evans C who put the winner away.

Understandably, it looked like United were working on the core. Henderson, Basham, Stearman & O'Connell played the full 90. There was not much False Five overlapping Centre Back stuff going on. But, the wingbacks (Baldock/Freeman & Lafferty/Stevens) were pushed all the way - ahead of midfield on occasions. One thing I particularly noticed was that, as a simple three, Basham & O'Connell were often very, as in hugging the touchline, wide. Maybe they felt they could set like that because of the way Marítimo were set up. Maybe it was just a deliberate ploy to find a way of getting the ball down the flanks.

I'll tell you who has done himself a few favours there. Ricky Holmes. Hardworking & tenacious. Alright, in patches, I'll grant you. But, it was noticeable. I'm giving him the benefit. He knows he's got to impress. He knows how the team works. He looked like he was trying to make an impression. Good on him. On 38, he robbed a defender, and turned that into a good close range chance on goal. And, he got a longer range shot in towards the end of the first half.

Early on, Sharp & Clarke were combining well. Sharp was working his socks off at times. Showing, running, tracking back.

Currently, for the Carrier Bag Firm, that is as good an overseas pre season game as we can expect. A real team, famous even, with a UEFA pedigree. On a ground you'd recognise as a ground. Not a park. Not out the back of the hotel. Wilder seems to like Camps. Quite early in the process. On dates very, very early for foreign leagues. So, we'll be begging & choosing. In those circumstances, Marítimo, on The Algarve, as good as it gets.

When we left Manchester Airport, some Wrexham fans sat near us in the bar, also on their way to Faro for a game. As, I was queuing for the Ale, I was speaking to four Everton Academy staff (on their way to La Manga). Carrying the Ale back to the table, I walked past half of the Rotherham United team. When, I got on the Jet2 plane, a large group of Sheffield Wednesday Academy lads were sat at the back. And, as I arrived at Faro to fly home, Aston Villa were just checking in. Everyone is at it.

And, for United fans, it's becoming a bit of a thing. La Manga. “Malaga” last year. And now The Algarve. Turning up in their droves. The club website estimates 850 out here. On one level, that is mental.

When the tally has been tallied by the tallier, that's 19 different Portuguese Beer Ticks. And, not an Industrial Macro Sugar Water in sight. There are little signs that show the vibrancy of a country's craft/micro set up.

Firstly, availability where you might not expect it. Lidl. Got six belting bottles from Cerveja Bolina & Oitava Colina to get me out of the starting blocks. Secondly, collaborations. That shows that other brewers, often in other countries, are looking in. And sniffing.

Freakshow IPA. Dois Corvos vs Magic Rock
Bamboleo Session IPA, Musa vs Gipsy Hill
Catedrale, a lovely and serious malt bomb. Tastes of honey & currants & verily fizzes in your mouth. That one was out of Letra vs Cervezas Domus (Spain).

Natch, there were misses. The hotel was very close to a fairly mad brewery & vineyard taproom. Mad because someone has chucked a lot of the kitty at that. And it's spectacularly posh & well appointed. And, it's just round a blind bend, on a dead end, take a left after the middle of fucking nowhere. Called Dos Santos. They had three of their own on - Pilsner, Lager, Amber. The Amber, what? Nothing physically wrong with it. But surely the Brewer has got distracted & forgotten what has/hasn't already gone in. It was a best forgotten, identikit, nowt going on Blonde Ale. Taking the piss & dribbling out of a tap marked “Amber”.

So. Lidl. Dos Santos. And, the real find. Hamburgueria B&B (I think for Burgers & Beer) in Portimao. Eight pukka Portuguese Micros on keg. Lovely core Portuguese bottle list. Special, and rotating, Portuguese bottle list. Super Bock hidden around the corner in case some of your mates ain't Cool.

Eeeny. Meeny. Miiney. The Outstanding Beer Of The Trip Award goes to;
Cerveja Artesanal Marafada, India Pale Ale. On keg from Hamburgueria B&B. Lovely rich and intense bitterness, that didn't overpower some peach & apricot sugar. Thick & chewy. But slipped down very easily for a seven percenter.

680/1423