Mullered Right

Sheffield United U23 0 v Charlton Athletic U23 3

Monday 26 September 2016

U23 Professional Development League 2, North

Played at Stocksbridge

Twitter @ball_sup

Odd. United got mullered down our right, their left. All the goals, second half, effectively swept in from that side. Here’s a thing I feel I’ve noticed last two games. Travis Binnion looks to me like he’s trying to get them to play the same “style” as the First Team. He’s certainly on at the midfield & forwards to press onto their opponents. Badger. Badger. Badger. And, at times, it looks a bit three at the back with the man wide right (ala Freeman) getting forward. And, so, we got mullered down that side.

It didn’t work for me. Jo Cummings started in that nominal right back spot. He’s more often seen at centre back. Alex Brown was left back, Sam Graham & Callum Semple as CBs. At the beginning of the second half, due to right side mullering, Cummings nipped inside & Sam Graham had a stint out there. It all seemed very disruptive. Maybe they could/should have steadied the ship with a more conventional back four. For George Long goal kicks, Cummings (as right back) pushed way up the right touchline. With Trialist Cameron Stewart sitting in deep to cover him.

Charlton would just deal with it, get it forward down their left, our right. Cummings & Stewart would then struggle to get back. I was baffled by it for a bit.

Cameron Stewart

I felt all that made it a bit difficult for Stewart. Wilder & Knill turned up just a little bit after kick off. Stewart didn’t impress AGAIN for me. He looked a bit fitter/sharper than last week. But, he wasn’t busy, wasn’t creative & was getting caught out by this mad right back thing. He ran a few channels into blind alleys. And, once in the first half, he gave the ball away & Charlton should have taken the lead from it. He wasn’t awful, by any means. But, anonymous at times.

Set up wide right midfield. Drifted forward at times.

It was a poor lacking lustre show by the U23s anyway. Nobody really got anything going for Utd. Stewart just blended in with the rest of them. Me, I’m not seeing it.

James Wallace

You know. By a distance the most comfortable player out there for SUFC. Great first touch. Ball under control. Puts himself in. Won’t be out muscled. Wins his headers. Disappointingly, not particularly incisive nor creative. But, got football written all over him. We all know the jokes. “By the time you are reading this Tweet that James Wallace is playing, he’ll be off injured”. Looked to be blowing a bit from 75 onwards. Stopped tracking. But, lasted the full 90. If there is a way. He’d be a great asset to the First Team Squad. Maybe it’s all to do with his Pay Up. Everyone assumes he’s playing to attract someone's eye. He’d be a great asset - if……

SL1 Beer Trail

SL1 is the SuperTram Link bus that goes from the Middlewood Tram Stop to Stocksbridge. I’ve decided I’m doing a season long beer trail. Today - Blue Ball Inn, Wharncliffe Side. “Standard” Thwaites house. Right on the main road, SL1 stop three strides from the door. Gotta love that. Nice, bright, clean. Two handpulls. Sigh. One turned around. So, a fairly decent pint of Thwaites, Lancaster Bomber at 4.4% as the only show in town. Just ever so slight off tones in the smell.

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