loss to Sheff. Utd in the reserves

oskarutd

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1-2 Gray scored.
Smith played his best game so far.
Seemed interested and did his best.
Jonah was better offensively, but played many bad passes and the whole team played badly in the first half. But was very dominating in the last 20 mins. Burns missed a penalty. Kuzsczak played well.
 
oskarutd said:
1-2 Gray scored.
Smith played his best game so far.
Seemed interested and did his best.
Jonah was better offensively, but played many bad passes and the whole team played bad in the first half. But was very dominating in the last 20 mins. Burns missed a penalty. Kuzsczak played well.
Click to expand...

Team: Kuszczak, Gray, Lea, Cathcart, Shawcross, Rose, Lee, D. Jones, Smith, Burns, Barnes

Subs: Mullan (3), Heaton, Marsh (10), N'Galula, Brandy (12)

Mullan went off in the 76th min with a hamstring injury. United had looked much better when he came on. As Oskar said....very poor first half better in second. Smith actually played half-decent but is still a long way off.

Burns' penalty was a terrible effort!

Bloody freezing night in Chesterfield!!!! About 2,500 crowd though!
 
Think Sheffield United's extra experience and physical presence was key early on, we just couldn't get into it until Mullan came on and sparked us into life. Could have been interesting if Burns had tucked the penalty away, half an hour or so to grab an equaliser when dominating would have been very achievable.
 
I could have gone in the end, as the child I was to work with cried off sick just 30 minutes before I was due to pick him up. I know I could have got to Saltergate on time, but had organized to cook tea for my mum, as a way of watching the match on the box.

So my opinions, the defense held tight for the best part of the first half, as Sheff Utd came out all guns firing. Cathcart, whilst not getting the mentions from the commentators played exceptionally well throughout the game, and was matched by Kuszczak. The midfield let the team down badly last night and one person who needs singling out for this is the boy of the moment, Keiron Lee. For me that's the worst game I've seen him play. He kept drifting in off the wing and that caused all the Utd attacks in the first half to go down the left, which made us very predictable.

I was a little suprised to see Lea taken off for Mullan, I was expecting the other Lee, but Mullan did his bit. Burns didn't contribute much at all whilst on the pitch and I was a little shocked to see him ahead of Marsh, even with his hat-trick in the last game. I didn't have any confidence in him taking the spot kick.

Smith looked a little like the Smudger of old, all be it slower. He's getting back to where he should be, but he isn't ready to take over from Ole in the first team yet. That I fear is going to be down to Ronaldo or Giggs. Whilst playing against a much more experienced side, I don't really think there was much between the teams, which was promising to say the least. Had we had some width all the way through the game we'd have won the game I'm sure.
 
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