Rumours Are Rife

Hallam 1 v Sheffield United 3
(Billed as an XI)

Pre Season Friendly

Tuesday 1 August 2017

Twitter @ball_sup

Knill took charge of that team tonight. Wilder was in the stand for the first half, but alongside the dugout for the second (civvies, not tracksuit). Del Geary did some of the work drilling the younger lads before the start. So, the rumour theory would be …… none of those out there today will be starting on Saturday v Brentford.

Which would give us a back three of O’Connell, Stearman & Basham. A top two of Sharp & Clarke. Duffy or Carruthers with Coutts & Fleck. One intrigue is that Lafferty was involved tonight. So, is that Enda Stevens in at left wing back on Saturday? Of course that is all based on the rumour theory.

New boy Lundstram played in midfield. Set up with Harvey Gilmour & Nathan Thomas. All three were quite free flowing. I’m not sure what sort of pre season Lundstram has had. He didn’t particularly shine. Maybe just a bit off the pace. None of Thomas, Lundstram, Brooks had a superb pick me, pick me performance. All were efficient at times & did their bits & made a few things happen. But, final passes were going astray & they were struggling to really create anything decent. Indeed, I felt Brooks was a bit disappointing.

I’m going to say, United really cheered up once the U23 lads were given their head. Slater, Gilmour & (latterly) Bennett in midfield. All buzzing box to box & finding space. With subs & an injury to Ty Smith, there was constant reorganisation (and disruption). In a number of telling moments, every time Knill need to rejig the formation, it was Regan Slater he was shouting instructions to. Even with presumed first team benchers out there, the young lad was the trusted one to get it sorted. Interesting I felt.

Brayford put a proper shift in. Set up in the back three with Wallace & Wright initially. As Hallam sat back a bit, he was able to bomb forward a bit. Later on, we went conventional four, and again he was able to exploit space out wide right. But, nothing to particularly put him back on the radar. I felt he was at fault for the Hallam goal. Conceding a penalty in a non-threatening part of the box.

It wasn’t a poor performance by United. But, they looked a little underpowered and lacking in ideas. Lots & lots of passes were going astray.

Oh. By the way. I’m saying EASTWOOD.

A superb Cold Conscience (Mango & Lychee Pale Ale) on cask at 4.5% in The Rising Sun. A collab between Abbeydale, BrewDog Sheffield & the band Alvarez Kings. Unfined, hazy, but not gloop. There was a nice bitter finish. Growing, but not too harsh. Coming off the tropical fruit sweetness. Just bursting full of flavour.

Abbeydale, Schemer (Azacca Dry Hopped Session IPA) on cask at 3.8%. Very, very pale in the glass. There was a fairly distinctive hoppy taste. It was pleasant & easy drinking & all hail that.

513/1078
13