Encouraging signs for me. Martin needs more time to assess the squad but going in the right direction.
Again we are missing that final decisive pass. We get to the edge of the box and we slow it down. Downes had a good game but not sure I would have Manning in that role. Also I would have picked Piroe to start. Still we have a point now we need to beat Stoke on Tuesday.
Sitting in the Car Park waiting to get out. Personally, I thought there were encouraging signs: Cooper did well, Manning we thought was outstanding, with Grimes and Downes having tidy cameos. It re-confirmed what we all know - we need a striker. Cullen needs a season in League One - Jamal is better working off a striker. We are very much a work in progress but I enjoyed that far more than the dross served up Steve Cooper.
I thought we are pretty good going forward - plenty of attacking passes and looking to create something rather than the 'safety passes' of recent times. Just feel we need to take a chance around the area - seems nobody wanted to have a pop. Defensively - still a few heart in the mouth moments - particularly from Benda, yet we still kept a clean sheet. I saw an improvement on the Blackburn match - so there is reason to be optimistic. It's still only the 3rd match with this new manager so hopefully we can improve each match. An added bonus was that ex Swans McBurnie and Brewster didn't score against us. I'm pleasantly surprised as I expected us to be truly awful this season - but that was whilst Cooper was still in charge really. Let's see if we continue the improvement against Stoke on Tuesday.
The longer the game went on the moreconfident we became but need someone to shoot on target more often...Cullen was not in the game Piroe and Whitaker added more than Lowe and Cullen....Benda gave some heart stopping moments but also command3d his area....very much a work in progress but far more entertaining than under Cooperball....The Blades were pretty blunt to be honest Brewster anonymous and why the applause for McBurnie? Was he buying pints in the Harvester before the game?
The problem is we have all seen we have needed a striker for the whole of last season and now the beginning of this one and yet nothing seems to be done about it. Surely first Cooper and now Martin can see we need an out and out centre forward.
We were held in the Car Park for far longer than usual. Spoke to Kelvin, who is in charge of parking at the Stadium, and he told me that the Blades’ fans were kicking off….
I wouldn't argue with that although Downes got my vote as MoM for his overall performance especially considering how long he has been with us. He kept going throughout the game and looks to be a good acquisition. Manning had a very good game although gave the ball away a couple of times with the one in the 1st half where he put Brenda under undue pressure which could have been costly. Paterson got himself in good positions but I can't recall if actually got any crosses in. Overall a good start considering we have 4 or 5 players out at the moment.
At the end of the season a draw with Sheff U may not be a bad result. We got the ball to the opponent's penalty area faster and played some nice tidy stuff. But the same problem remains - what next when you get there? We don't seem to have enough guile or class to find the killer pass to get the ball in the back of the net. Goal-scoring will be the main problem for another season I suspect.
I'd give it a bit longer yet. Martin's making visible progress in a very short space of time. He obviously can't magic a striker out of nowhere but if he gets them organised the way he wants then I suspect the goals will come. Maybe not "Spain playing without a recognised forward" but close He talked well on Sky Sports after the match and fills me with confidence.
I agree - we need a clever midfielder/schemer who can unlock defences …. and a striker to take those chances
I am not sure whether we need a keeper also. He has done well but every time it goes near him I am nervous. What has happened to Ben hamer.
