!$%$!!: Sheffield Utd 2-0 Fulham
Well that was disappointing.
(Paddy Kenny, the object of our affection)
In a pathetic excuse for a game of football Fulham wasted possession with extraordinary regularity, defended as if stopping the Utd forwards would be nice but not something to get too worried about, and generally abused their position as hugely well paid Premiership footballers.
United could’ve scored in seconds, Niemi taking a clonk on the head as he moved to block an early shot, probably the last thing the team needed. Soon after he got a fantastic toe to Alan Quinn’s shot after the Irishman winkled through the heart of the defence, the ball trickling millimetres wide. The goal came soon though, the not-so-prolific Jonathan Stead bursting through the defence like a runner through the finishing tape, then ramming the ball into the net via Niemi’s fingertips and cross-bar. Then another as the ball again wormed its way across our goal and Michael Tonge was on hand to thump home from close range. 2-0, and that was that.
(Antti’s head hurts)
Volz had one shot, flying high into the home end; Davies had another, skewering off towards the corner-flag; Brown hit a volley that may well still be travelling. I think that was it. We didn’t look like scoring, we didn’t deserve to score, and we could’ve played all night without doing so. There was no invention, the ball was under control about five times, the rest of the time it was ‘hoof it’ football at its worst, we looked like Cambridge Utd from the last milennium. Vincenzo Montella lasted about 25 minutes, either injured, ineffective, or generally aghast about what was happening around him. The little Italian is a football master; it was like making Gordon Ramsey eat mud pies. Heidar came on in his place, presumably a more physical approach being needed, but he was completely ineffective too.
Bright spots: Rosenior and Queudrue tackled well but their passing was as terrible as everyone else; Brown was everywhere and played pretty well; Knight and Pearce will never play that badly again (for it would not be possible); Simon Davies showed some nice touches, and if we were going to score he was going to be central to it; I got home before 3am.
(Zat Knight’s body language says everything)
Bad things: About everything else. The defence was diabolical, Radzinski wasn’t there, Volz was willing but bypassed… ah, nightmare.
It can’t get any worse, that’s the consolation.
