Space Is Ace

Barnsley U18 2 v Sheffield United U18 1

U18 Professional Development League

Saturday 15 October 2022

Played at Oakwell Training Ground

SUFC 2022/23 Game #21

Sheffield United 3 v Blackpool 3

The Championship

Saturday 15 October 2022

SUFC 2022/23 Game #22

It's fair to say, there's been a bit of agonising over my Blog in recent weeks. Not the first time I've contemplated it. It's over 8 years now. And, I've published 1,043 of the fuckers. I'm partly influenced by what other people are doing. A lot has changed over those 8 years. Lots of new Blades Brands established. Channelers. Podders. Vloggers. Bloggers. Forum Hot Takers.

Thing is, some of those can be much more up-to-date, more on the whistle, than my Blog. (Dig coming…). After all, I have to travel back from games before I can really start. Some other brands don't have to leave their Living Room!!! Also, I've got Ale to Sup (and to recover from) before I can compose me prose.

I guess I've felt a bit second division. Sneaking my Blog out at the end of an ever lengthening line. What's the point of saying what's already said? My reluctance to tear apart first team games means I'm being unfairly typecast as "The Academy Guy". For those at the back - I go to far more first team games than Academy games.

Anyway. Not for the first time, the Carrier Bag Firm mission statement provides a way forward.

Fuck It.

For the next phase of the Blog, I'm going to try hard to put together comments on first team games. No matter how long after the event. It's just my diary, I must remember I'm writing for myself.

What a Mad Game that was. Bizarrely, one of the things I do more of now is look at the stuff that surrounds the play, not just the play itself. My down the sideline view from the BLUT corner means I can often see signals and changes from the technical area. I very rarely know why, but I can sometimes spot what.

My extra eye analysis started at the toss. As Billy was shaking an' a photo posing, I noticed Wes Foderingham ran to the half way line and had a word in Billy's evolved listening device. And, I think that explains why United ended up kicking towards the Shoreham in the first half. I assume because of the low sun shining that way.

Sticking with Billy. I feel United have a real problem if McBurnie and Berge don't start. They have to use Billy as the centre zone man on defensive corners. He's actually quite good as a disruptor. But, not so good as an attack the ball, clean header zone man. I noticed that United shifted the system as the game progressed. Matt Duke (who does most of the defensive coordination) put Tommy Doyle in as a sort of second, wider, screen for some corners. Norwood does the main front screen to deal with underhit, can't beat the first man, corners. And, he does an excellent job at that. It looked to me like Norwood was screening the ball hit towards the edge of the six yard box. But, Doyle was screening for balls hit deeper and more towards the Penalty spot and beyond.

There's a right old dilemma at the back isn't there? Rhys Norrington-Davies has done a great job at LCB. And, today, the decision was to juggle in Osborn at LWB. But, man, I thought we missed Rhys wide left today. I understand the reluctance to shuffle Basham and (particularly) Anel in at LCB, but at least that gives you Rhys at LWB.

Basham was off. He gave the ball away a lot. Sometimes as part of the build from the back goal kicks. There's a lot of shouting and bawling about those. So, let's deal with them.

Setting up with Wes on the ball and two players narrow, left and right is a tactic to create between the lines space. Let's take an example of where it seems to go wrong. Wes gives the ball left, inside the area, to Rhys. It's not a great ball. Rhys gets closed, he turns, no outlet options, he's under increasing pressure, he decides to hoof it upfield. The guy in the seats shouts…

"Why don't they just kick it upfield in the first place, stop pissing around with it"

But. But. Two or more Blackpool forwards have been sucked further up the field to press. As an equation, that means there's more space behind them. More space for United to exploit. Space is Ace. Of course, that means you've got to either win the hoofed ball with a knock on header to runners coming from and into space, or you win the second ball in the space that's available.

When United are chasing the game, they often bring on the extra striker, for a midfield man, and withdraw Ndiaye a little bit. I get that. I get it. But, in my opinion, Iliman is not particularly suited to that "Number 10" role. Look, I love the fella, he's got it all going on. But, he's a free roller. He's not the sort of do it by numbers, go towards the man with the ball, be in every move, player that Number 10 needs at times.

Just to show I'm not the tactical expert I'm pretending to be, let's deal with Berge. When he plays, I'm not sure what it is he does. But, when he's not playing, we sure miss whatever it is he does!!!

We were more of an attacking threat when we got Anel on.

Mad game. (As a ticker, I will note that was my 100th game of 2022).

At the end, some fella walked past me as the final whistle approached and said…

"He's the Shitest Ref in England"

Lots to unpack there. Mainly, why use England as your reference geography? Takes all sorts. I have to explain that Shit Ref assessment was at the end of that U18 game at Barnsley, not at The Lane. As you can imagine, I've had quite the day refwise.

Jack Waldron equalised for United on 31 minutes. I happened to remark that Jack, as a right back, was certainly getting forward a lot. It was at that 31 minute mark that it was pointed out to me that United were playing three at the back, not four as I'd "imagined" and that Jack Wally Waldron was obvs getting forward a lot as the Right Wing Back.

I think you should remember that before you decide whether to trust my tactical analysis.

Callum Yam was definitely the goalkeeper. Levis Pitan at the centre of the three. Seth Okyere on his right, Ben Drake on his left. Waldron wide right. And, a somewhat anonymous Stafford Clarke wide left. John Oluleye up top. I suppose Sam Aston with him, although it looked one up top at times. Staniland (quiet game), Dickinson & Hampson in midfield.

Overall, I felt Barnsley just about shaded it and were worth their win. It was a very scrappy and disjointed game. United never really built anything. A lot of hopeful and wasted channel balls to Oluleye. True, we did look a threat at times when we went wide. But, Barnsley had a bit more control and build it through the lines going on.

They capitalised on 20 minutes. With some nice work on the edge of the box. The guy turned and shot past Yam. I felt then, and at other times, that the Young Blades needed to be tighter and close down more. Sloppy at times. George Dickinson summed it up;

"Got to fucking liven up - all of us - track your runners"

That weren't the only problem Dicko. No one was getting on goal kicks and clearances. Not even putting a jump in at times. Ducking under balls at other times.

As I mention, a sweeping ball from Ben Drake on the left found Waldron on the back post and he steered it home nicely for the equaliser.

In the second half, on 60, there was one of those learned behaviour, copying what you see on the telly, incidents. A foul, and a bit of huffing and puffing, right on the far touchline, level with the penalty area United were defending. I didn't hand out finishing positions, but the Barnsley keeper has sprinted three quarters of the pitch to be one of the first there. He's easily recognisable under FIFA shirt, short & sock regulations. And, is the first of four to be booked.

Barnsley went ahead on 86 through a penalty. (Sam Aston had been sent off moments earlier). Owen Hampson did have a good chance even later than that. But, as I say, Barnsley just about shaded it for me. Despite the Shitest Ref In England (part one).

Today's drink was an early doors in;

The Joseph Bramah

15 Market Hill, Barnsley S70 2PX

'spoons have a Real Ale Festival going on at the moment. So I attacked one of those where a foreign brewer comes over to a British Brewery and conjures up some magic.

Mad Giant (Johannesburg, South Africa), Autumn Amber, on Cask at 4.3%

Actually brewed at Hook Norton in Oxfordshire. Very good. The first swig tasted a bit meh English Bitter. But, it's nice and complex as you get into it. Very neutral smell. There's a good whack of back of the throat bitterness straightaway. It feels nice & malty. Maybe lurking hazelnut. Endeavour, Jester, Olicana & Chinook in the Hop Back Four.

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 1,161 games in 2,979 days