Tuck That Shirt In

Sheffield United U23 3 v Sheffield Wednesday U23 0 

U23 Professional Development League 

Monday 1 November 2021 

SUFC 2021/22 Game #22 

A great crowd at The Lane for a Monday night U23 game. Naturally, United didn't have stuff in place to deal with that. Long queues to reach either the Steward handing out tickets to Season Ticket Holders or the Steward handing out tickets to Three Quid. Stories that they actually ran out of the pre-printed tickets as well. Young lady behind me was mesmerised by the Wednesday striker who was apparently wearing different coloured boots on each foot. But, you know the Carrier Bag Firm mantra - all welcome (no runners).

Efficient and deserved win for the Young Blades. I felt it was a bitty & scrappy game for large parts. A good bit of effort. A fair amount of endeavour. But, all a bit rushed at times. A neat and tidy affair at the back. With Grant & Gordon seemingly able to deal with anything thrown at them. I remain unconvinced by the Hackford - Cappello partnership up top. Sure, they put a shift in, but it rarely feels like they're getting anywhere. The main attacking threats still come from the powerful, skilful & all running midfield. Plus the odd marauding full back.

Marcus Dewhurst in goal tonight. The becoming the norm back four system. Tonight that was - Starbuck, Gordon, Grant, Gomis. A very fluent middle four. Essentially all of them popping up in one position or the other at different times. But, let's go with … Harrison Neal at the base, Maguire wide right, Slater wide left, Brooks set up for the fetching & carrying. And the aforementioned Antwoine & Ange up top.

Harrison is on loan at Kettering Town. And we ain't seen him for a bit. Nicksoen has fairly recently gone on loan to Bradford Park Avenue. Both were back with us temporarily tonight. There used to be a system of Academy loan players coming back to Shirecliffe once a week (Mondays I recall) for assessment & mentoring & general how's it going. Maybe that's still going under the newer regime, and they wanted to have a look in a game.

Anyway. Those two were the standouts for me. Neal was one I rated when he was younger. I thought he stalled a bit, and a loan move was the right thing for him. Simple assessment - he's definitely not got worse. Retaining the Carrier Bag Firm pleasing Shirt Tucked In look, he was busy and involved all night. Strong defensively. Always looking to win the ball.

Nicksoen has played a lot of his U23 football in a back three. Strapping, tall fella. He's from Centre Back Central Casting. As we transition to a back four club (FFS), they tried him as conventional left back tonight. Wednesday were not much of a threat if I'm honest. So, he had an easy night of it. But he was strong all night & was able to maraud forward, coming inside off his wing occasionally. I'm not going to lie, sometimes getting it caught in his feet & not completely sure what to do next, but very involved.

Regan Slater. Aaarrrggghhh. But, you've heard all that before. Because of his experience & skill, he's great in the roving attacking midfield role the U23s are increasingly using him in. But, he's not going to get in the first team in that role. Fingers crossed for him in January. He scored a beaut of a goal on just 8 minutes. I'm not going to say - lucky. But, I am going to say - oooohhhh, everything has fallen just right there. Maguire & Starbuck combined very well down the right. Frankie put him in oceans of space. A stand up cross from Starbuck deep into the penalty area. Does he pick Slater out? Well. Yes. In the sense of it's fucking bang on his right foot. But, winks, does he really pick him out deliberately? And then it's a weird, but obvs perfectly weird, curling right sidefoot volley thing from Reags into the opposite corner. That'll look superb on the highlights reel.

Early in the second half, Maguire got a kick on his head deep in his own penalty area. It looked worse than it apparently was. As Frankie dusted himself down & got up. A few of his muckas looked concerned and even suggested he might wanna stay down. In the next phase, he's popped up wide right. Hackford did really well to hold the ball up and work it inside to Maguire. He's come off the right, with the ball stuck to his left foot and curled a superb strike around the keeper to make it 2-0.

On 74, Angelo Cappello hunted down the Wednesday keeper, closed the angle intelligently, kept looking at the action & took the blow on his right tit. The ball pinged back over the line for the third. Look. I've slagged Hackford and Ange earlier on. I still feel they were lightweight & ineffective. But, they've both been centrally involved in goals three & two. That's their job I acknowledge. Well done lads.

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