BFTG Sheff U FB

[Rax]

We were very good and bang up for it. Cannot really fault anything.

Kevin Friend is an utter shambles and a prick.

Prem ref for Prem clubs, his "performance" was shocking.

How was there over a minute of added time in ET first half? It's utter old school tie ballocks!

[URZZZZ]

Yeah at the moment I'd definitely take Pele over Ejaria given the choice.

But Ejaria has the class in there, maybe he just needs a bit of a rest?

Pele is just ace

Interesting that Pele got an absolute slagging off after his poor game last Wednesday - it was an abberation and says volumes about his level of performance this season. I'd love us to sign him - but I also think we need to get Rinomhota back in the team performing - he's a real talent.

Pele works well in a 4-1-4-1. Rinomhota doesn’t

Pele doesn’t work well in a 4-2-3-1. Rinomhota does

Hard to fit them both in and Pele has done a lot better than I thought he would but I think his time is coming to an end here and his playing time should be reduced. He was really off the pace tonight when we needed our fresh legs to energise us

Would probably give Araruna a couple of games this season in CM to see what he’s made of, not out wide or at fullback

[CavershamRoyal]

Only really important question to come out of the game is: Why was Obita wearing different socks to everyone else? His had a white hoop!

It was white tape.


Thought the performance was superb, especially second half. Can’t really fault any of them. A shame we couldn’t nick it or take them to pens, but have to say they were a very well organised team. We will be right up there next season if we can muster these kind of performances every week, and eliminate the Wigan-style performances.

[URZZZZ]

Only really important question to come out of the game is: Why was Obita wearing different socks to everyone else? His had a white hoop!

It was white tape.


Thought the performance was superb, especially second half. Can’t really fault any of them. A shame we couldn’t nick it or take them to pens, but have to say they were a very well organised team. We will be right up there next season if we can muster these kind of performances every week, and eliminate the Wigan-style performances.

Need to maintain the attitude we showed tonight if we want a chance next season. It’s all well and good showing up for games like tonight but if you can’t turn up for the likes of Wigan (H) you don’t have a chance. Wilder wouldn’t let his players turn in half arsed performances which our lot have been too guilty of this season

I guess using young, hungry academy players helps. Want to see a Rino, Swift and Olise midfield in upcoming games, all play with a bit more drive and purpose

[JR]

Overall a highly positive performance - well done lads!

I think a good indicator of the all round quality was that I said to friends that I’m not sure who Bowen would substitute - suggesting a very rare all round strong team performance.

Feared the worst when Sharp came on.......

Come on urrrzzzzz!!!!!

[marlowuk]

A very enjoyable game apart from the first 2 minutes! Swift was my MOTM but Meite had a great game too. I was also impressed with Olise who showed great promise, Yiadom and Rhino. McCleary did well when he came on. We got some nice comments from United's fans forum. They couldn't understand how we could be so far down the Championship table if we can play like we did today. I'm with them on that and, hopefully, the side will take some confidence out of the game and we will see that reflected in our remaining league fixtures!

I was disappointed in Ejaria who didn't seem to get into the game very much. But I would still play him as he always has the technical skill to create something. One thing we should improve is throw-ins. We don't mark players for the opposition throw-ins but few of our side support our throw-ins by making themselves available for the throw. Swift, Yiadom and Ejaria are the only three who seem to make an effort.

But this is not a day to be particularly critical of what was a great performance by the team.

[Jackson Corner]

Two very poor goals from our point of view. Why was a minute added on in the 1st half of extra time? No subs or injuries or time wasting. Then they only added a minute at the end when one of there players went down with cramp and there keeper was wasting time, A prem ref was worst than the usual crap we have.

[bloody Volvo driver]

Agree with every sentence bar one. There were 3 subs made in first half of ET, Pele, Macca and one for them. Alas it was one of the few things Friend got right last night.

Ref’s performance was best summed up by Bowen when asked if he’d had a poor game, his reply was something along the lines of “Need to be careful what I say and I have known Kevin many years, but that was his usual performance”.

Prem ref looking to make up for a soft penalty and now too reliant on VAR.

[Delboy]

Can not believe they gave the crowd as only 15000 a lot more than 2000 more than Saturday!

[10539.4 Miles Away]

Can not believe they gave the crowd as only 15000 a lot more than 2000 more than Saturday!

All about season tickets, they would have been counted on Saturday regardless of whether they attended or not

[Hound]

First of all, a highly enjoyable game and so nice to be part of a good atmosphere again. Well worth the effort of going and my kids loved it

As for the game, we looked good. Movement was much better, and our own tracking of Sheff Utds outstanding movement was excellent. Our passing was much sharper than it has been and we played very calmly and nicely under their pressing. It makes our performance last week all the more baffling

There’s still a gap between the midfield and Puscas up front but it was better. Meite was starting to work quite nicely with GP and I can see Puscas scoring plenty more goals for the rest of this season

Olise, Swift and Rino were superb. Don’t want to start sounding like a Swift fan-boy but bloody hell he was good - best player on the pitch by a distance imo. So calm, has got so much stronger and defended and attacked well. He deserves to be in the Prem.

I thought Obita had a good game actually - can’t quite work out on the 2nd goal whose error that was - possibly him. But he’s playing some lovely balls in to Puscas and some nice crosses as well

McCleary made a big difference and needs to stay round the team. Confused as to why he was ever dropped tbh

Anyway, just hope the season doesn’t just fade away now - lots of good aspects to work on and hopefully a til half finish

[Snowflake Royal]

Obita had a poor game, but wasn't awful or anything.

Ejaria carried on as normal. There's massive talent there, but he slows everything to walking pace and generally makes terrible decisions dribbling into blind alleys and producing nothing. It's all well and good having great close control, but if you play to dribble past three people in tight spaces with the ball under your feet, you have to be perfect in balance, strength and skill, and he isn't. Hence why he often stumbles falls. Needs to be drilled into playing at higher tempo and releasing the ball.

Olise by comparison moves the ball at a greater tempo and doesn't run down blind alleys. Less blinding close control, but he doesn't need it to be effective... at 18 vs 22 he looks the smarter player to me.

[SCIAG]

I thought Obita had a good game actually - can’t quite work out on the 2nd goal whose error that was - possibly him. But he’s playing some lovely balls in to Puscas and some nice crosses as well

There were three things.

Firstly Rinomhota is on the floor and United brutally expose that space.

Secondly, Meite doesn’t come back and nobody else covers for Rino - a tactical oversight.

Thirdly, United’s strikers don’t what all strike partnerships of that ilk do and successfully confuse the centre backs about which should be marking them. McGoldrick then drifts to the back post and gets in the gap between Morrison and Obita. Big strikers will always look to take on the full back - Ricky Lambert scored a lot of his goals that way, it’s half of Meite’s game - so I think Morrison should be the one taking responsibility for him. But it’s a systematic error rather than an individual failing.

[Sutekh]

We were very good and bang up for it. Cannot really fault anything.

Kevin Friend is an utter shambles and a prick.

Prem ref for Prem clubs, his "performance" was shocking.

How was there over a minute of added time in ET first half? It's utter old school tie ballocks!

3 substitutions were made in the first half of extra time that’s why one minute was added on.

[Old Man Andrews]

We were very good and bang up for it. Cannot really fault anything.

Kevin Friend is an utter shambles and a prick.

Prem ref for Prem clubs, his "performance" was shocking.

How was there over a minute of added time in ET first half? It's utter old school tie ballocks!

3 substitutions were made in the first half of extra time that’s why one minute was added on.

There was still more than 1 minute of added time if everything is taken into consideration.

[Royalwaster]

I thought Obita had a good game actually - can’t quite work out on the 2nd goal whose error that was - possibly him. But he’s playing some lovely balls in to Puscas and some nice crosses as well

There were three things.

Firstly Rinomhota is on the floor and United brutally expose that space.

Secondly, Meite doesn’t come back and nobody else covers for Rino - a tactical oversight.

Thirdly, United’s strikers don’t what all strike partnerships of that ilk do and successfully confuse the centre backs about which should be marking them. McGoldrick then drifts to the back post and gets in the gap between Morrison and Obita. Big strikers will always look to take on the full back - Ricky Lambert scored a lot of his goals that way, it’s half of Meite’s game - so I think Morrison should be the one taking responsibility for him. But it’s a systematic error rather than an individual failing.

While the commentators on FB talked a lot of rubbish they did get it right for the first goal that it was not Obita's fault but the two CBs - Obita had 3 players to his left that he was watching and M & M should have been able to cover the two strikers in the box including McGoldrick ... but from the replay of course it looks like Obita isn't close enough to him once the ball goes in.

Generally agree with most (sensible) comments on here - thought Swift and Meite were the best yesterday, Ejaria a complete passenger; not quite in agreement on Olise - he was better than Ejaria but his decision making was often questionable, trying to shoot when there really wasn't anything on, etc. but at 18 that was still an impressive performance and I have to hand it to Bowen for not subbing him and instead taking off Ejaria.

[leon]

Yeah at the moment I'd definitely take Pele over Ejaria given the choice.

But Ejaria has the class in there, maybe he just needs a bit of a rest?

Pele is just ace

Interesting that Pele got an absolute slagging off after his poor game last Wednesday - it was an abberation and says volumes about his level of performance this season. I'd love us to sign him - but I also think we need to get Rinomhota back in the team performing - he's a real talent.

Pele works well in a 4-1-4-1. Rinomhota doesn’t

Pele doesn’t work well in a 4-2-3-1. Rinomhota does

Hard to fit them both in and Pele has done a lot better than I thought he would but I think his time is coming to an end here and his playing time should be reduced. He was really off the pace tonight when we needed our fresh legs to energise us

Would probably give Araruna a couple of games this season in CM to see what he’s made of, not out wide or at fullback

I think this post is symptomatic of the modern game.

[Snowflake Royal]

Prem ref for Prem clubs, his "performance" was shocking.

How was there over a minute of added time in ET first half? It's utter old school tie ballocks!

3 substitutions were made in the first half of extra time that’s why one minute was added on.

There was still more than 1 minute of added time if everything is taken into consideration.

Which is fine given its 30 seconds per sub.

[Hound]

Obita had a poor game, but wasn't awful or anything.

Ejaria carried on as normal. There's massive talent there, but he slows everything to walking pace and generally makes terrible decisions dribbling into blind alleys and producing nothing. It's all well and good having great close control, but if you play to dribble past three people in tight spaces with the ball under your feet, you have to be perfect in balance, strength and skill, and he isn't. Hence why he often stumbles falls. Needs to be drilled into playing at higher tempo and releasing the ball.

Olise by comparison moves the ball at a greater tempo and doesn't run down blind alleys. Less blinding close control, but he doesn't need it to be effective... at 18 vs 22 he looks the smarter player to me.

tbf, Ejaria was fantastic up until Christmas time. He is a hell of a player, just in a run of average form.

Olise/Swift/Rino looked really tasty - their quick inter-passing and movement made loads of space and we got through Utd's midfield a number of times with it. Olise certainly made a number of poor choices, but there is a cracking player in there

[Zip]

I don’t think Ejaria is fully fit. He needs a break.
Thought Bowen left it late to make some changes. GMac did well when he came on.