A das Booting

Sheffield United 0 v VfB Stuttgart 3 

Friendly 

Saturday 5 August 2023 

SUFC 2023/24 Game #5 

Derby County 1 v Sheffield United 3 

Friendly 

Saturday 29 July 2023 

SUFC 2023/24 Game #4 

The beer adventure between that standard but unconvincing win at Derby and that oh so disappointing das Booting at The Lane was at the CAMRA Great British Beer Festival in Olympia, West London. (Waves - alright Craig).

Seven Hundred and Forty Four beers from Twenty One different, all over the gaff, countries. Beers from UK breweries on both Cask and Keg. One off Cask specials from around the world, particularly the US. Kegs from Europe, Australia & New Zealand. Bottles galore. Cider, Perry, Gin, Wine if that's your boat floater.

"What's the plan, Phil? Are we going to start with Abbeydale, Black Mass and work our way methodically through to Zötler, Korbinian Dunkel?"

"No, we are fucking not. Sure, we'll start with a plan. But we'll have to develop our game play in running. Think of it as Darren Ward adjusting the defensive set up at corners after the oppos have slung a few across and made some subs."

Oli McBurnie was the best centre zone man in the Championship last season. And, you'd have to go a long way to find a better front screen than Oliver Norwood. Neither were playing against Stuttgart. Indeed, nor were recent zone stand-in Daniel Jebbison, nor recent screen Harrison Neal. Darren has had to dig deep. New signing Anis Slimane screened (set a little deeper than normal, almost a quasi-zone). He cleared the very first corner Stuttgart had. Old Hander Sander zoned. He cleared the very second corner Stuttgart had.

Firstly, we look for lower abv Pale Ales. We find and execute half a dozen. Including;

Siren Craft Brew (Wokingham), Mesmerist, Pale Ale on Cask at 3.4%

Superb. Rich, hoppy smells. All that survives into a punchy hop flavour. Underpinned by growing bitterness. Very soft in your gob.

The 2023 Champion Beer Of Britain is due to be announced at 3pm on the first day. One of the Carrier Bag Firm is dutifully sat there with an empty glass "well ahead" of the announcement. So she can sprint to the zone where the winner is being poured as soon as she hears the first bars of the announcement.

Greene King, Abbot. Wetherspoons stalwart. Is announced as the Silver Medal. She's wavering now. I remind her.

"These are BLIND TASTINGS. No one knows it's Abbot when they're trying it. It's come second, out of North of 700 beers, because it tastes goooooood."

"I'm still not fucking having it…"

She's unrepentant.

Elland Brewery, 1872 Porter on Cask at 6.5%. Gold Medal. Champion Beer Of Britain 2023. By the time we get to the pump, they're already restricting it to Thirds and Halfs. No Pints. To give everyone a good go at this worthy winner. 

The CBF BatPhone lights up. One of the West Yorkshire outpost Baggers is absent from the Festival without plausible excuse.

"Just had an email from Calderdale CAMRA stating that 1872 has been voted best beer."

You know what they're like in Yorkshire West. So little going for them, they shout everything from a dilapidated, slates missing, moss covered, bird shitted, rooftop. Salute.

Superb. Just sugar sweet enough for my taste. Port and/or Sherry coming in. Chocolate bitterness.

We adjust our plans to have a crack at medalists in the categories various.

Bragdy Twt Lol (Pontypridd), Dreigiau'r Diafol, IPA Gold Medal, on Cask at 5.5%

My sort of beer. Absolutely riddled with Waimea, Green Bullet, Southern Cross and Sticklebract Hops. 

"What's the plan for Day Two, Phil?"

"Today … we drink beers from the extremities of Bountiful Brewery Britain. Get the fucking maps out."

Monty's Brewery in Powys (we sat with the owner on Day One), Swannay Brewery in Orkney, and Ards Brewing in County Down were all visited. As well as;

Big Hand Brewing (Wrexham), Seren, Pale Ale on Cask at 3.7%

Lovely. Yes, yes, yes I know. We missed that on low abv day. Citrus and soft.

Day Three. Carrier Bag Firm numbers are dwindling. What to do? Fuck me. It's only CRAFT KEG DAY!!!

NorthDown Brewery (Ramsgate), Tidal Pool, Hazy Pale Ale on Keg at 4.6%

Fresh as owt. Proper zingy pale. Moreish.

The final tape showed 29 beer ticks across the Festival.

What do we take out of that Stuttgart game. Well, see above for my excellent and insightful zone and screen analysis. New guy Traoré and Osooooola pressed hard and in a pack for the first three fucking minutes. Then that was it for intensity. Across the lot, static and lacking intensity. From High Press to No Press. Three minutes to eighty seven minutes.

Stuttgart were great at hitting fast, accurate balls to their players running towards goal. United were great at underhitting telegraphed balls to our players running towards the passer, with their back to goal. Very little attempt to play through the lines. 

We were counter attacked at pace. Back three stretched, particularly on the left. All of them having to fill in for each other at times. We have to develop a plan for that. Is it as simple as - don't send all three of them up for corners?

I presume the recruitment plan is to bring in more players who we don't know are any better than what we've already got.

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Stats 

I have now Blogged from 1,291 games in 3,273 days 

What Has Dicko Done Wrong?

Wombwell Main (Step 7) 1 v Worsbrough Bridge Athletic (Step 6) 4 

Friendly 

Wednesday 26 July 2023 

Rotherham United 1 v Sheffield United 0 

Friendly 

Tuesday 25 July 2023 

SUFC 2023/24 Game #3 

Wombwell Main's Hough Lane ground, not one inch of fucking cover, in the pissing rain, is the 440th different ground tick I've watched football on.

Long, long ago I promised myself I would not complain about the trains. Simply because this is the train system and service The Big We decided we want. The Big We've got it, what The Big We wanted. And, now, The Big We are being told they don't want staff at stations.

"Phil, riddle me this. How do you know a train service is a train service?"

"Easy. Because people fucking work on it."

AnyRoadUp. I promised myself not to complain. I'll let the picture at the top of the Blog speak for itself.

In those circumstances, I couldn't risk a Hop Stop (say at Elsecar). Or I'd still fucking be there now. So, it was straight to the only plausible show in town.

The Horseshoe

30 High St, Wombwell, Barnsley S73 0AA

The Wombwell 'spoons.

Lymestone Brewery (Staffordshire), Stone Faced, Bitter on Cask at 4%

Nice, easy drinking beer. Not oversweet. Nice balance. Moreish.

I've blogged before about the end of last season shoot out in the Sheffield & Hallamshire County Senior League. Swinton Athletic and Dodworth Miners Welfare going head-to-head, winner (Swinton) takes the title. In the shakedown, Wombwell Main finished second. But, I've also BlogSplained that it was fifth placed finishing, near neighbours Wombwell Town, who were promoted. Promoted through a combination of facilities & ambition. And here we are at the wet, but lovely, Hough Lane. No seats, no tin shed, no roof, very little hard standing, no floodlights. No chance of Step 6 grading.

As I made my way in, I was greeted by some of the (wider) Carrier Bag Firm sheltering from the rain in the dugout until the teams and staff came out. They declined the option of trying to shelter under the trees with me. They have done DETAILED analysis. And, they reckon you get wetter through the big drips off the leaves and branches, than you do just by fucking standing out in it!!!

Anyway, despite the scoreline, Main gave a very good account of themselves against the higher ranked Briggers. A frantic start, with Worsbrough scoring in the first minute. Then an equaliser on 8. Then Worsbrough went 2-1 on 11. Once it all settled down a bit, Main certainly had their chances. They hit a post. There were goalmouth scrambles. And kicked off the lines. And hit your own player else it'd have gone ins. But, two goals in the damp gloom of the second half killed it all off.

So, what have we learned from that run out at Rotherham. Well, firstly a question.

"What has George Dickinson done?"

(I think he was the only unused outfield sub. Everyone else getting a run.)

The approach is clear. In the first games, players get 45 minutes. In the next phase of games, players get 75 minutes. Derby County away & Stuttgart at home to go. There'll be more 90s and maybe, just maybe, an eleven close to that which will be shirting and booting against Palace.

In those circumstances, young players get on, and get a chance to show something. Unless you're George D.

Harrison Neal looked assured and confident. At times, he was doing the Quarterback Norwood role, even when Norwood was still on. Then, Harrison "conveniently clattered" Norwood to try to cement his place.

Don't forget about 'dre. It's a bit one dimensional. But, a left footed player, out on the right, and coming inside, has its merits.

And, four at the back KLAXON.

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Stats 

I have now Blogged from 1,289 games in 3,263 days 

Knife Edge Football

Sheffield United 0 v Rotherham United 1 

The Championship 

Tuesday 8 November 2022 

SUFC 2022/23 Game #29 

Sheffield United Community Foundation U19 1 v Chesterfield FC Youth Academy U19 0 

National Football Youth League, North Central Championship 

Wednesday 9 November 2022 

Played at Handsworth 

SUFC 2022/23 Game #30 

Sheffield United Community Foundation C 3 v Stoke City B 3 

Community & Education Football Alliance League, North Central 2 

Wednesday 9 November 2022 

Played at Handsworth 

SUFC 2022/23 Game #31 

Difficult to sum up that Rotherham defeat. After a rip roarer on Saturday against Burnley. I think I just feel - it's all knife edge stuff. Catch a break. Get some gee up. Confidence grows. The players think they can do anything. If they're on the other side of the knife edge - they think they can't do a thing. 

Sure, the other teams want to win as well. Sure, they work on things to nullify us. We can be a bit one dimensional. That game just felt pedestrian. None of the relentless recycle and repeat phases. Very little build between the lines. Relying too much on Norwood cross field pingers to the wing backs. No one trying to slip anyone in. We had chances. But, it felt like we were barely in the box.

Pedestrian sums it up.

So, that was a nice recovery session the day after up at Handsworth. No rain. A bit of sun. Double header with just long enough in between to be driven to the Chip Shop to grab lunch. Sat in the stand between 10:40 & ten past three. Talking bollocks with the CBF. 

"What do you do with your time, Phil? I'd get bored"

"No time to be bored Kiddo"

Great way to spend a day.

As "keen" readers may recall, I'm currently on a Minimal Ale Schedule. And Blogging about my health. Or rather … I've not felt as healthy as this for years … so, I'm Blogging about what I fuel with.

My name is Phil, I'm a Type II Diabetic.

My BMI is 25.3.

I have not eaten any biccies, sweeties or cake since my last Blog.

I've completed Run 2 of Week 8 of Couch to 5k - essentially a 28 minute run.

My 7 day average units of alcohol is ZERO.

My 30 day average units of alcohol is Twenty Fucking Two. And, that is the problem we are working with.

I will be drinking at Cardiff City away.

Stay Tuned.

You can find ALL my previous Blogs at

www.ball-sup.blogspot.com

Would you please consider subscribing (free) to have my Blog delivered to your email inbox (via Substack). Thank you

You can find me on Social Media

Twitter @ball_sup 

Untappd ball_sup 

Stats 

I have now Blogged from 1,169 games in 3,004 days 

S60 to N17 Beer Off

Rotherham United 2 v Sheffield United 2
The Championship
Saturday 24 November 2018

SUFC 2018/19 Game 41

May to May Brewery Visits - 65

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It's been a while. Hold the Front Page. We've had a Beer Off. Love 'em. Two beers. Something similar going on. But a twist in each. Cask v Keg. Same Malts, different Hops. Same Hops, different Yeast. Buy 'em. Sip 'em. Compare ‘em.

The game was in S60. The drinkypoos was in N17, Tottenham Hale. Taproom at Pressure Drop. Great place. Bit of a rush. It seems to be only open 2pm to 8pm on Saturdays. Worked perfectly for that 12:30 kick off. You have to walk past, and sneer at them if you feel the need, Beavertown Brewery to get there. Beavertown now part owned by Big Bad Beer in the guise of Heineken. Anyway. Little merch & tins stall by the Pressure Drop door. Lots of trestle tables. Brewkit over on the left. With special effects lights on the Fermentation Vessels - nice touch. Bar at the back. Nice, big place. I made it ten of their own on keg. I had four. THREE of those were absolutely outstanding. Right up there, gorgeous.

AnyRoadUp let's start with the Beer Off. Two seven percenters. Same Hops - I'm hearing. But, different IPA Styles.

Pressure Drop, Breaking Out Of My Tomb, Brut IPA (claimed) at 7%.
Pressure Drop, Show Of Hands, New England IPA (claimed) at 7%.
The information I have is - Citra, Ekuanot, Mosaic.

They both looked very similar. Orangey, rather than tan. Both bubbly, opaque & inviting. If I'm honest, if they'd both been billed as New England IPA - I'd have thought - OK, about right.

The Breaking Out, Brut IPA was nice & smooth. But, unlike some other utterly pointless Bruts I've had recently, this one still packed a gloopy Hop punch. It did go nice and clean in the finish. It dried to a hint of tobacco. It was a lovely rich & serious beer.

The Hands, New England IPA leaned towards big orange juice flavours from the off. The bitterness comes in, just as the OJ is about to get too much. There is a powerful Hop bombing flavour all through it. It was absolutely superb. Two strong contenders. Both deserving. But, the Show Of Hands, NEIPA WINS it.

And, don't forget, from Left Field. Pressure Drop, Mimic IPA, at 6.2%. The info said RYE. When I was served it, I thought - he's done the wrong one. Identikit orange gloop. Not a hint of approaching redness. I even looked at other photos on Untappd to check the Provenance. Put all that to one side.  I didn't detect anything in the taste to suggest rye. But, that was a glorious hop bombing IPA. In anyone's language. A lovely, resinous bitterness fills in & stays for Bed & Breakfast. Deffo just better than than the Breaking Out Of My Tomb. And, a hairsbreadth behind the Show Of Hands. Man, I'm coming here again…..

In all honesty, it's a bit far from Rotherham away. I could use some gratuitous shite along the lines of - the further away from that game, the better. But, that's not me. Another game. Enjoyed it. I like going to watch Utd. One nil up. Two one up. Couldn't get it over the line. I have no Rogering Idea what was chicken and what was egg. Did The Miller's do a number on us? And, not allow us to play? Or, were we just at a different racecourse - thus allowing Rotherham to get right at it. Either way. I couldn't fault Rotherham. They weren't defensive. They weren't all bluster. Sure, they were lovely and physical & shithousing up top. Sure, they were a bit direct at times. I felt they closed us down quickly, on the right angles & high up the pitch. That meant a lot of passes didn't find their man & we were giving the ball away a lot. That just seemed to spiral out of control at times. Almost as if they'd forgotten how to pass.

Add to that the lack of options to change it, a few defensive frailties and an increasingly confident opposition. Difficult day.

748/1558

Bring your gloves

Rotherham United 1 v Sheffield United 2
(Billed as First Team)

Pre Season Friendly

Friday 21 July 2017

Twitter @ball_sup

Right. We have a Goalkeeping Dilemma. Simon Moore went off injured very early on. It didn't look particularly good. He tried to get up after treatment at least once. And looked in a fair bit of trouble. He went off on the stretcher. I think I saw him sat back on the bench late on. But, I couldn't see whether he was using crutches/ski boot. Presumably, he'll have a scan & prognosis. The first league game is still two weeks ago after all.

Jake Eastwood came on. Readers will know I'm unlikely to say negative stuff about Development players. That aside. I thought Eastwood did OK. Indeed, he'll be pissed off not ending with a clean sheet. He made a couple of good saves from accurate long range shots. Ooohhh strong wrists as well. Push it well out, no rebounds to tap in. I love that. He dealt well, but more importantly, confidently with crosses. Seemed to be switched on & well organised. (I thought he had a fairly poor game at Matlock on Wednesday).

I've seen a lot of him at Development level. I have to say. It'll be a tall ask & a risk if he has to start v Brentford. Not because he hasn't got the skills. But, because he's just a young lad, inexperienced. But, they'll still play with a ball & a goal 8 yards wide. If he has to be chucked in, so be it. No complaints from me.

There are two (nominal) first team games v Stoke & v Eastleigh next week anyway. I know Wilder's phone will be red hot with Goalies Agents pitching their fella - “he's got his own gloves an’ all”. But, surely Eastwood will start against Stoke. Unless I've misjudged Moore’s injury.

So. We might as well have a list. And. The rest are.

Behind Simon Moore. We've got GEORGE LONG on loan at AFC Wimbledon. He was an unused substitute tonight as Wimbledon beat Burton 3-0. Long is 23 now. He's had two shaky and brief periods as SUFC number 1. Under both Adkins & Wilder. Once Wilder bought Moore, Long was effectively sub Goalie for the rest of the season. Received wisdom is that he can't be recalled from his season long loan a ground stealing cuckoo club AFC Wimbledon.

Then we have the aforementioned JAKE EASTWOOD. He is 20.

Behind Jake, and a regular in the 2016/17 U18 Development team, is HUGO WARHURST. I think Hugo started at Worksop last Tuesday. Maybe he also started v Scarborough last Saturday. Sorry, I'm not sure.

And. Currently a heartbeat from the Championship Bench. If Moore can’t make it, if Long is at Wimbledon all year, if Eastwood pulls up lame, on the Bench behind Warhurst is MARCUS DEWHURST - First Year Scholar this year. I actually saw Marcus start the game v Sheffield FC on 11 July. The SUFC webpage says he was actually an outfield player up until age 14. Make of that what you will…….

Maybe that's Wilder’s preferred starting XI. It's certainly his Legacy XI. Stearman slips in for Ebanks-Landell. The Brooks thing cropped up again. United were struggling to get anything going & were a bit flat. I’m not going to say he changed the game immediately. But, I am going to say - the game did change immediately. He made crucial passes for both goals which made it 2-0 at that stage.  For the first, he held the ball up in the box on our right. He could/should have gone down that right channel. But, instead, he waited for Basham (ffs). And just gave him a little left foot slip pass. Basham banged it across. And in the kerfuffle, it went in as an OG. For the second, Brooks did a little left foot under it lift pass into the area. Really the keeper & defender should have dealt with it. But didn’t. Allowing Stevens to nip in and slide it home. Defenders don’t like what Brooks does. Runs at ‘em. Dinks it. Chips it, Lifts it. Even though he might not score. Even though he might not get a direct assist. He/it just creates worry, panic, uncertainty. Enough of that & somebody will cash in. They did here……….

The Cutlers’ Arms. Chantry Brewery outlet. Eight of their own on cask.
Blue Moon on cask at 4.2%. Great beer. Lots of citrus, but quite gentle.

505/1067
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