Underhit to someone too slow

Sheffield United U23 0 v Burnley U23 3
U23 Professional Development League
Monday 30 September 2019
Played at Bramall Lane

SUFC 2019/20 Game 29

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Well beaten. Burnley Under 23s are still unbeaten this season. Although they have had a bundle of draws. I haven't got the stats. But, "every" long, hopeful, cross field pass from the Young Blades sailed out for a throw in. Behind the man. Ahead of the man. Or, the old simple favourite - over the man. Likewise, "every" short ball, between the lines, for the man coming towards the ball, was underhit, in the general direction of someone too slow off the fucking mark anyway.

It's telling that we had a brief better spell. Immediately after half time. Once Harry Boyes had replaced Stephen Mallon & Callum Gribbin had replaced Ravel Morrison. Briefly, that injected a bit of energy into things. Briefly.

We continue to ring the changes at U23. And, I'm broadly supportive of that. We have a crop of players, young players, at this level. Rotation seems a sensible thing to do. Nominally, there were Four Fringers out there. Michael Verrips - obvs Third Keeper. A difficult & important role. One twisted ankle, or Howler Hendo can't play v Man U, away from the first team bench. Kieron Freeman trying to get it all together over on the right. Both the villain & the victim of those booming cross fielders I mentioned earlier. Kieron had a difficult game. Burnley 7 (Ne-Jai Tucker) seemed to be knocking him over a lot of the time.  Kean Bryan played on the left side of a back three. He had a mixed game if I’m honest. He has a simple game about him. Reasonably well organised. Looking good positional sense. A bit of speed over a short piece of ground. He wasn’t shy overlapping in true Blades Stylee. But, I felt he was lucky to stay on after a horror tackle on 55 mins. Looked a diving in ankle snapper to me, a long way down the left touchline, in an attacking position, not defending. He got Yellow. And, there was only a bit of complaining from the Burnlarians. So, maybe it wasn’t quite as bad as I saw it. And, from my angle in the South Stand, it looked like he was simply outjumped by Rob Harker (Burnley 9) for their first. As I replay it in my head, maybe Harker just lost him a bit & got in front of him. Same point. Only five minutes gone. A good high & deep cross. Clean, banging header into the roof of the net.

Ravel Morrison didn’t come out for the second half. I think that was probably planned. Just getting miles in those legs. He was composed & competent. But, he was really just a turntable. Take the ball. Safely. Give the ball. Safely. He very rarely moved it quickly. On occasion, he seemed oblivious to Wingbacks & Centre Backs overlapping. Preferring to slow it down & bring it back into the middle. Callum Gribbin at least livened it up for a brief spell. Coming through the line. Moving at pace with the ball at his feet. On 68 minutes, Gribbin switched the ball - left foot, right foot, moved it along the edge of the box & got a good right foot shot off, which flashed wide. Don’t get me wrong. That didn’t last long either.  Maybe the nippers best chance was as late as 78 minutes. The ever marauding Harry Boyes (unsubstantiated unpopular opinion - he’s going to be a better player than Rhys Norrington-Davies) was fouled on the edge of the box. Gribbin’s free kick was palmed away by the Brunlea keeper. Iliman Ndiaye headed the rebound narrowly wide.

Burnley 9 Harker was a real handful all afts. He lost/outjumped Bryan for the first header. And, he poo-poo’ed any Young Blades comeback on 62 mins. This time, a good deep corner from the right. There was some blocking. But, even more defensive confusion. And Harker got a strong downward header which bounced in.  While we’re at it. Those two goal assist crosses from Burnley contrasted with United’s crosses. George Broadbent’s in particular were shit, into the first man, all game. 

I’ve reviewed the video posted by Burnley for the second goal on 14 minutes. By eye, in real time, it looked like Freeman was outfought in his right channel. Lost that battle. And, then just stopped. The fella has made ten yards. Squared it & his mate has rocketed it in from all of 30 yards. On the video, you can see Freeman static. (Which I think looks appalling). But, he does wake up a bit & get a fruitless chase in.

Burnley pressed more, looked stronger, fitter, quicker & switched on. United had low effort & low energy in lots of areas. Backing off the ball constantly.

For these home U23 games at Bramall Lane, everyone is accommodated in The Platinum Suite. A few tables are left out for you to sit at. The bar is open. They'll bang out tea, coffee, hot chocolate etc over there. And, you can then trot up the stairs to a padded seat. All of which gave some Don, wearing a mismatched set of old SUFC Shell Suit parts, and assorted merch, a unique Ball Supping opportunity. I've gone out early. To eyeball the warm up. And I've gone a long way up the Platinum Seats. Into the hills. To avoid all the discussions by the Carrier Bag Firm Paper Aficionados about who has got more Teamsheets than whom. Just before kick off, Shell Suit Don waddles up the steps. He even goes higher than me. Yet, he's carrying a real glass, a branded chalice glass with a stem, a proper pint glass of Birra Moretti lager. He sits in the row behind me. Surveys his Pint lovingly. And starts on it as the match kicks off. Took a good five minutes for The Steward to catch on. Explain to him he's bang out of order. And shadow him down the steps. So he can miss some of the game drinking his Pint out of view of the pitch.

I went down the more traditional route of Wetherspoons Monday Club. In The Sheaf Island. A few Bob knocked off the price of a cask ale. Last day of the September CAMRA 50p vouchers as well. Makes a pint £1.49.

Loch Lomond Brewery, Lost In Mosaic on cask at 5%. I really enjoyed that one. Surprised a little how good it was. Lovely bitterness off the hops. Piney & Citrus. The bitterness grew a bit into yet more richness.

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