National Football Youth League
North East Premier
Wednesday 23 February 2022
Played at Handsworth
SUFC 2021/22 Game #55
Sheffield United 1 v Blackburn Rovers 0
The Championship
Wednesday 23 February 2022
SUFC 2021/22 Game #56
Today's Blog features a Screen Grab. I know. Making a bid for a Blogging award or some shit. I sit in the Bramall Lane upper corner. Looking right down the touchline. Piss poor for judging offsides. But, it it goes out for a throw in, I'll fucking know. That view also gives a particular perspective on likely substitutions. You can see McCall waving subs back from the corner flag warm up. You get a bit of a view of them peeling off various layers of polyester training kit, sponsored by companies you have never heard of.
And, on 66 minutes, I had a down the line view of the Charlie Goode incident. Firstly, it just looked bad, even in real time. Whatever the merits on replay (where I thought it looked fucking worse), you can see why he's Reded him. But, I then had a forensic view of who had come from where to have their say in the aftermath.
Here's the grab timed at 66 minutes. Baldock in separatist negotiations. Goode himself taking it all in. Norwood patrolling the periphery. And, Oli McBurnie with the red mist.
Here's the social media timed 12 minutes later at 78. That social media is announcing McBurnie actually coming ON as a Sub, despite his earlier "intervention".
One for the ages that one.
Incidentally, there's a dilemma the defensive line players face when doing their thang after a bad tackle. Goode goes through him. Gets to his feet and surveys the scene. There's like a frozen second. Then all hell breaks loose as Blackburn players start arriving. Gibbs-White in particular spreads his arms, stops/grabs three players from getting to Charlie Boy. Instinct. Protect your mate. Of course, if he lets them through, there's every chance they'll do summat crazy. And could be in the book (or worse) themselves. In the crazy world of football, Gibbs-White has sort of done the Blackburn players a favour by stopping them.
People often ask me…
"Phil, what do you see as the main differentiating characteristics & requirements between a Central Defensive Midfielder & a Wide Attacking Midfielder?"
Until today, I have tried, politely, to get over the point that I couldn't give two fucks. But, back to that view from the BLUT. Uninterrupted & diagonal. Corner Flag to Corner Flag. Now I get it. WhatSorryPardon. Are you now asking - "in what sense do you get it?"
Because, I kept pointing and shouting…
Sander Berge has fucking started with it over there!!!
And now he's still fucking got it down here!!!
That, Brothers, Sisters, Others is your current Wide Attacking Midfielder. Superb.
I see that Rovers are still managed by Tony Mowbray. Appointed February 2017. I see that Kyron Gordon wears #34 for Sheffield United. He was on the Bench. With Basham's injury being number one on the rumours chart. And with Goode suspended. Kyron's first team pathway has been swept clean a little. But, I wonder if either Mowbray or Gordon remember a previous time their planets aligned.
On 27 August 2019, Mowbray's Rovers were trailing 2-1 to The Blades at the Lane in the EFL Cup. Chasing the game, Tony was getting Royally pissed off at United's Ballboys/Ballgirls holding on to the spherical & not returning it quick enough. His patience broke & he "had a word" with one of the Ballboys & was booked for it. That Ballboy was Kyron Gordon. There was a bit of Social Media & Fans Forum chatter at the time about Mowbray gobbing off to a 12 year old. And, Mowbray was called all the names under the Sun. And some under the fucking Moon as well.
I pointed out at the time that "12 year old" had in fact captained our U18s many times & was now a regular for the U23s. The very day before, I had witnessed that same Kyron Gordon/Ballboy chase a referee across the pitch, while playing for SUFC U23s - demanding to know why the ref was "chatting shit" to him. Anyway. Tony say Hello to Kyron (again).
The pre match was in the Ecclesall Ale Club (again). It's got a LOT going for it. Great & changing beer range. Right side of town for me. But, not necessarily for many others going to The Lane. Means it's usually possible to find a seat. However, tonight it felt a bit cliquey. At one stage, I was convinced that everyone in the pub knew everyone apart from me. Barstaff & Customers seemed indistinguishable & interchangeable. All constantly disappearing out the front for a fag. At one stage, each time the door opened, I'd taken to giving a cheery "hi mate" to whoever came in, in the hope I'd be inducted. Anyway. Cliquey in an OK, I'm not complaining, way. Good luck. (It would be nice to know who are the actual barstaff though).
With games coming thick n fast. And a joyous United team that it's difficult to tear out of your head. My alcohol units are drifting, drifting I tells ye. So, I am currently celebrating South of 4% hoppy table beers.
Vocation Brewery (Hebden Bridge), Low Altitude, on Keg at 3.4%
The Bumph says Simcoe, Sabra & Talus Hops. It was super. Lots of tropics. Orange Juice and Pineapple. Full of flavour. But, came up a bit short on bittering.
Redwillow Brewery (Macclesfield), Nelson Dip Hop, NZ Pale on Keg at 4.1%
Nelson Sauvin Hops. Some stuff about Hop Dipping claimed. Shrugs. Dipping Hops into the beer? Shrugs (again). Very grapey. Shocks you at first. But it calms down once you get used to it. There's a sort of tobacco and/or biscuit thing going on as well.
(Later. In the Rising Sun, Fulwood Road)
Abbeydale Brewery, Unbeliever Apricot Gose on Keg at 4.4%
The barstaff tasted it "with me" as I ordered it. Fair to say - divided opinion. I didn't find it too sharp, nor too sour. It was one of them alchemy beers. How do they make it taste like that from where they started? Alchemy. Maybe even balsamic in the smell. The taste is all about those apricots though. Salt comes through more & more as you attack it. That salt works exceedingly well.
Twitter @ball_sup
www.twitter.com/ball_sup
Untappd ball_sup
Stats
I have now Blogged from 1,065 games in 2,745 days
No comments:
Post a Comment