Classic Chaos Creator

Bristol City 1 v Sheffield United 0
The Championship
Saturday 15 September 2018

Sheffield United U23 2 v Nottingham Forest U23 2
U23 Professional Development League
Monday 17 September 2018
Played at Stocksbridge Park Steels

SUFC 2018/19 Games 23 & 24

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Absolutely Hold The Front Page Of The Blog game for the U23s up at Stocksbridge. I’d written them off. The Young Blades (plus Disruptors) scored on 70 & 80. Had enough of the ball to win it after that. But, it took a great end of his fingers diving save by Jake Eastwood to keep out a Forest free kick right at the death. Forest had been dominant in the first half. United just couldn’t get anything going. At one stage, my notes simply say, “at times, they’re running through United at will”. The turnaround really started with a set of second half subs. Harry Sheppeard came on for (centre back) George Cantrill on 54. That put Jake Bennett from right wing back to left centre back (love that, Trav). Allowing them to push Daniel Lafferty a bit further forward down the left.

On 66 they swapped battering ram & target man centre forward David Parkhouse for run the channels man Simeon Oure. That had an immediate impact. Looking more lively, with a bit of movement, Oure created a chance for Jake Bennett. But, he blazed over.  Generally, I have sympathy for Parkhouse. He often seems to end up in an XI where he’s a lone striker. He’s a CCC - Classic Chaos Creator - he needs his mates to pick up the pieces & capitalise. He was bang at it from the start. The Foresters whining to the Ref at his every challenge. He does start at 100 mph. But, the lone striker caper takes it out of him. He quickly becomes isolated. He’ll end up with the ball out wide left, looking to cross it to the big man in the middle. Only to realise he is the big man, and he’s not in the middle. Nightmare.

Anyway. They looked immediately better with Lafferty pushed forward & Oure doing the bits. That paid off within five minutes of the substitution. Lafferty got free in the inside left channel. Brought it down & swivel poked it home. Whether at conventional left wing back or pushed further forward, Lafferty had a really good game. Under 23 games can be frantic. He played at pace, but you always felt he’d stopped the ball, had a look & gone with his best option. Composed. As it happens, Jake Bennett just shaved it for my Man Of the Match. At right wing back, he’s a marauder, a surger. Pace & power. In waves, time & time again. And, then, when called into the back three/four, he was strong & consistent (and still got forward at times).

Jordan Doherty dropped from his normal Coutts role to the middle of a back three in order to let some other fella have a go. So, now would be a good time for Coutts Watch. He lasted the full ninety minutes. Which I assume was the plan. He didn’t really seem to tire & there were no hints of limps or aches & pains. He didn’t stand out as having a great game. But, he didn’t do much wrong. And, he wasn’t coasting. The Forest front men & midfield were pressing him strongly, denying him space, and making him hurry at times. He was having to come very deep to get the ball. Occasionally taking it as a back pass from the centre backs. When he was further forward at the back of the diamond, it seemed to be bouncing all over the place & he couldn’t get it down. That was typical in the first 25 minutes. Forest were on top. United were putting a lot of effort in, but getting nowhere. We had glimpses. A long pressing set of passes on 35 minutes. Over to the left. Over to the right. Control. Making yards. Coutts must have been involved 6 or 7 times. Each time, 5 yards further forward than the last. Glimpses. At times, he was looking for the killer ball over the top. Never found it. He was better when his long balls were out wide to either Lafferty or Bennett. PPP - Pin Point Pinged - rather than hopeful.

That draw leaves us third in the table. (at the end of the season, the top two qualify for the play offs). Played 6. Won 3. Drawn 2 - for 11 points. Only behind second placed Birmingham on Goal Difference. It’s all very tight mind. If we get beat by Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough on Friday, they’ll leapfrog above us from 7th.

Bristol Breweries

On Saturday, I was able to tick off two more Brewery visits. To bring me up to 32 for the year since mid May. The standout was Wiper & True, out in St Werburghs in Bristol. The format was a bit annoying - it only opened at 1pm. Fierce & Noble Brewery is just down the street. That was worse. 2pm - impossible. Bit of a hurry up to get to Ashton Gate in time even from Wiper & True. Anyway, that felt a bit like a pilgrimage. I’ve rarely had a bad Wiper & True. Trestle tables & a street food gazebo out the front. Small bar frontage to the left as you walk in. Yet more trestles. Shiny brewing kit all roped off. Great business model. Low upholstery costs. Only one bog to clean. All keg. All keeps. Are you listening The Sentinel? Six on. I plumped for Wiper & True, Bristol Crush (Tropical Pale Ale) on keg at a keep your head 3.8%. The smell was very fresh, if a little neutral. It glowed golden bright, but opaque. Lovely. Lots of just right tropical hop bitterness running through it all. Great beer.

718/1490