Professional Development League
Tuesday 11 January 2022
Played at Bramall Lane
SUFC 2021/22 Game #38
No Beer Day. So, if that's the content you're here for you're luckless. Sorry.
One O'Clock kick off at The Lane. Of course, Carrier Bag Firm Twitter LIT UP at 12:49. With the club announcing Michael Collins has been promoted (?) to U23s Lead Coach, Aidy Boothroyd has been appointed as a coach mentor and consultant at the Academy. And Del Geary has been promoted to Academy Manager. I'll be corrected, but that's the position held by Nick Cox, Travis Binnion & Jack Lester. Running the whole shooting match.
Now. I'm NO expert. Self-Proclaimed or otherwise. (winks - am). But I picture the Academy Manager as someone with knowledge of strategy, structure, policy. And, I always pictured Travis & I'll now allow myself to say Del as Hands On Coaches. And, I think there's a difference. And I'd imagine the step up from hands on coach to head honcho is a, well a big fucking step. So, Del can benefit from my good luck with that face.
I think it's interesting how much promotion from within is going on. I'm very, very inclined to that. But, Aidy Boothroyd will divide opinion. Aidy has sort of been my manager before. I was in Italy & San Marino in 2019 for the disastrous England campaign at the U21 EUROs. But, I also saw his England U21 team win the Tournoi Maurice Revello in 2018. What I'm going to hang onto at the moment is - isn't he supposed to be coaching the coaches, not the players. Given what I've said about Del, and the promotion from within difficulties, I think Boothroyd is an intelligent appointment. Although, I know I may have to concede in the future - right job, wrong person.
Del sat in the stands. Collins prowled the dugout area. Boothroyd put his bins on and stood in the tunnel next to the dugout, occasionally putting pen to paper as an idea arrived. At one point, during the game, Collins came over to him for an in depther.
I'm not sure what to make of that team put out by Michael Collins. Mad time of the year innit? Shop Window. Get Match Fit. Get Game Time. What do you reckon? The misfits were Jake Eastwood, Adlène Guedioura and Rhian Brewster. Surely it's get match fit for Rhi? Maybe it's game time for Adlène? Maybe it's game time for Jake?
If there's an offer to Adlène from another club, maybe we'll let him move on. He just doesn't fit the M.O. now Jokanovic has been binned. Of course, as a 36 year old in an Under 23 side, Adlène had the Carrier Bag Firm digging out their best Who Do Think You Are skills. He's 36, Brooks, Seriki & Osula among the starting XI are half his age at just 18. Love owt like that.
I'm thinking they're thinking of persevering with Eastwood at the moment. For the rest of the season, they'll need three spongy glovers. Verrips is off. One will be Olsen if he stays, one might be someone else if Olsen goes. Jake could play an important (maybe non starting) role.
So. A good battling win for the Blades. Probably just about deserved. But it took a Leo Gaxha winner on 89, after Barnsley had equalised on 85. (Great to see Leo back btw). I thought there were periods when United were well on top. When Barnsley couldn't get anything to work going forward. But, once the Subs Twilight Zone kicked in, Barnsley did have a bit more of it.
Ange Cappello kept up his streak of seeming to alternate between up top & (today) left wing back. Femi Seriki was wide right wingback. Starbuck, Belehouan & Gomis across the three. Guedioura playing deep in midfield. Very willing to point & tell others what to do while watching players ghost past him. Not really a criticism. That's the nature of this particular beast. Hassan Ayari & Andre Brooks making up the rest of midfield. Rhian & Will Osula up top.
I'm going to single out Ayari. Who had a much better game than recently. I wondered whether he just benefitted from having Guedioura looking after everything behind him. And Brewster making all the runs & shapes in front of him. The Carrier Bag Firm had the - good players play better with good players - chat.
As early as 4, Guedioura fed Hassan who fed Rhian. I thought he was a bit greedy with his shot. Good. Love a greedy striker, me. Guedioura had a shot of his own go just wide a couple of minutes later.
I've known what I thought about Brewster from way back when. Impressive kid. Lot to like. Think he works hard. Man, needs to be absolutely brutal when he gets a chance in the box, but often looks like they just pass him by. For eg, great move down the right on 18, great cross, but Rhian just seemed to hang a leg at it. Two minutes later, Andre Brooks on the left put a great ball to the penalty spot. Maybe Rhian didn't have the confidence to hit it first time. But, by stopping it & turning, he gave the Barnsley defender time to block.
And. Wouldn't you know it. United conceded a sloppy goal on 22. A great Barnsley move down the right. A lovely low cross. Clumsy to no marking, Jake seemed rooted & static. The kid has knocked it in.
Maybe the next Young Blade I'm going to single out is Femi Seriki. He looks like he's getting back some of that strong, surging forward vibe. Deffo suited to being part of a five. I still think he runs out of ideas a bit at times when he gets up there. Hassan fed Femi on 27 & he was able to cut inside & get his shot off. Probs on target, but deflected over the top.
Great equaliser on 28. Ange took a left footed corner from the right. Brewster arrived at the near post for Plan A, and put a calm, accurate header home. United were really pressing in the period up to half time.
On 34, Osula showed great control & fed Cappello on the left. I felt he made a bit of a bollocks of the cross. Looked too deep. But Ayari didn't give up on it. With great one touch skill, he made to knock it back into the box. But it hit a Barnsley hand.
I think Hassan (correctly) pulled a bit of U23 rank on Rhian as they debated who was going to take it. Maybe falling short of fuck off back to the first team. But, no doubt as Hassan rifled it to the keeper's right for 2-1.
Barnsley got it together a bit after HT. All rather cagey for a bit. The subs came on 60. Guedioura & Brewster off. Staniland & Gaxha on. There was a great chance on 65. A flowing move down the left. Cappello had one shot, and Ayari had two, the second just wide. Despite that, I thought we were nowhere near as bright, lively & solid following those subs. Eastwood made a great save on 77 to keep us in it. Good strong wrists to palm away a free kick from the edge of the box.
And. It all went to shit on 85 for the Barnsley equaliser after a good deal of pressure from them. Clumsy defending, followed by clumsy from Eastwood. He seemed to have already smothered the man with the ball, but got tangled and brought him down. Penalty. Converted.
But. Let's finish on a HIGH. Just as the Carrier Bag Firm were cranking up the Geary Outs, lovely little Leo Gaxha has stamped into it. Solo. From wide right. Wriggling an' a Weaving. Has a glorious go at a tight angle shot.
And. Wins. It.
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