Game by Game - 13

Game 13 – Preston North End (H), Championship – 3-2

So we missed a couple of games in Game by Game - whilst our correspondents were at both Bristol City on Saturday and the Lane on Tuesday, time and other priorities have limited their writing opportunities. 

And so on the back of two results that can be described as disappointing for different reasons, the Blades went into a game that, based on the season to date form of both sides, looked imminently winnable. History tells us that is never the case when we face Preston, either home or away. This was a team that showed more hunger and fight when the two teams met at the end of last season in a must win game and their matchday squad was largely unchanged with 14 players named who were included back in April. Perhaps the biggest losses were the injured Maguire and Bodin, limiting their attacking options.

Chris Wilder made five changes midweek, perhaps too many and the disruption caused maybe contributed to so many of the team having a stinker on the same night. He then made four more changes on Saturday, but few would argue with re-instating the two wing backs and restoring Sharp and McGoldrick to frontline duties. The starting XI picks itself at present, assuming all are fit and able.

In front of a relatively sparse looking crowd, the ground slowly filling up as the traffic chaos around the city impacted so many journeys to the Lane, United started on the front foot. Plenty of possession but initially lacking that impetus in the final third, with O'Connell crossing over everyone's heads and Stevens and Freeman both wasting great crossing opportunities bursting to the sidelines. McGoldrick had a goal-bound header, cleared away by a Preston forehead, but for those who had witnessed the Birmingham game there were similar features. Preston were sat deep and rarely threatened.

We needed to find a way through and needed that bit of inventiveness that had been lacking for a couple of games. Each attack seemed to end with a groan from the crowd and sat on the Kop there was a sense of agitation rather than anticipation building. This cannot help the players. When on top like this the crowd needs to get behind the team and be the 12th man forcing the ball home, not sat waiting and then grumbling when it doesn't happen.

The goal, when it came arose from end to end football and one perfectly delivered pass. After a spell of prolonged United possession Basham tried turning in a tight spot on the right edge of the opposition penalty area. Robbing the ball from Basham, Preston broke at pace and United were on the back foot. But a superbly timed challenge, I think from Egan, saw the ball fall into the path of Freeman who advanced and hit a deliciously weighted through ball into the path of McGoldrick down the right channel. McGoldrick's cross shot could only be parried by Maxwell and, after what felt like an age, Sharp reached the ball to tap into the empty net. No more than United deserved.  

Shortly after McGoldrick stretched for a Stevens cross, but could only head wide. Just before the half time whistle, Preston had a rare break stretching the Blades back line and O’Connell and Egan made excellent blocks at crucial moments. Rarely had we been under pressure, but when we had been we felt a little panicky.

  

Bizarrely Preston didn't start the second half with any greater ambition and it felt like one way traffic with all the play coming towards the Kop. United won a free kick on the right-hand side and Norwood drove a hard, curling ball that only needed a diversion from the head of Basham to send it into the top corner. I thought no one could top the accuracy and quality of my childhood performance at Paperboy on the Spectrum, but Norwood's delivery is the best I have seen for a long time.

  

United were coasting and had a great chance to kill the game off, McGoldrick dragging it wide from the right side of goal with only the keeper to beat. This seemed to trigger Preston into action and the introduction of the tricky Daniel Johnson, just after the hour mark, and Barker ten minutes later really added some thrust to their attack, but for a lot of effort and possession the final ball was lacking. United were solid enough but without ever looking wholly comfortable, mainly due to not retaining possession for any decent period. Wilder changed formation, Marvin Johnson for Sharp and we switched to a 4-1-4-1 that also allowed us to go to 4-3-3 when attacking with Johnson and Duffy either side of McGoldrick, but nothing was sticking when the Blades were in possession. It felt like wave after wave of Preston pressure and when the goal came, you could sense the ground as one seemed to mutter, "Well that's been coming".

  

It was a completely preventable goal; as Barker advanced O'Connell stayed on his heels, Stevens went to close him down leaving Barker to slip in Fisher overlapping on the right. He laid the perfect ball across to Robinson who had dropped a couple of yards off Egan, who ended up slipping to a heap on the floor as the ball was knocked home. Preston now had belief and their second came down the opposite side. Freeman sucked inside leaving Hughes alone on the left and his cross was met by the lunging Johnson, whose shot was probably heading wide until it cannoned off O'Connell and wrong-footed Henderson. With 8 minutes to go, there was a sense a draw might be a good result right now as United had offered little for 20 minutes and Preston's dander was up.

Then out of nothing United had a third. Johnson, who up to that point had struggled to get into the game, linked up wonderfully with Stevens. The full back surging to the by-line, leaving a couple of defenders flat footed, before a perfect pull back that McGoldrick was never going to spurn. From dejection to joy in minutes and a goal celebration that further secures Dean Henderson’s place in the hearts of Blades fans. It reminded me of Simon Tracey’s celebrations against Wednesday.

There followed a ridiculous 6 minutes of stoppage time that became even longer with Stearman coming on to shore things up at the back. Given Maxwell had wasted time from minute one, it was odd that Scott Duncan loaded the stoppage time to the second half, but thankfully the Blades saw it out.

  

Three final thoughts:

PNEgative - There was an interesting tweet from Blades' fan and AUV contributor Phil Ridley post match.

It was a bizarre tactic from Alex Neill. For large parts of the first half they were under the cosh and had eleven men behind the ball, but having said that they rarely broke with any real threat or numbers, despite the impressive Callum Robinson working hard.

  

McGoldrick's missed one on one chance to make it 3-0 seemed to spur them into life and the period that followed was largely one way traffic. We seemed to panic under pressure, there was no outlet and as quick as the ball was cleared, Preston were back on the front foot. We were rocking. When the first goal came you felt that they could get another and even the most hopeful Blade must have feared a PNE winner after the equaliser, we were reeling. Daniel Johnson, a player who impressed in his Oldham days when we played them in League One, added some real impetus to their play and although Wilder's subs made sense to try and stabilise defensively and offer an alternative outlet wide in the pace of Marvin Johnson, we seemed to retreat further.

  

Would Preston have stood a better chance starting like this? That is hard to say, as the shift in gear when we were on top seemed to catch us out. Doing it from the off and maintaining it is a different issue. We may well have exploited the space created instead of playing the football equivalent of Arkanoid against a yellow wall for an hour. Clearly Neill has concerns about them defensively and their zero away goals before Saturday suggest that the tactics aren’t allowing their attacking talent to flourish, but neither is it working defensively. Give me The Wilder Way anytime.

  

A soft underbelly? - The one concern coming out of Saturday is that we are still susceptible to sloppy play defensively and when we don't get the goals to kill teams off we have a tendency to panic and concede possession too easily. The goals conceded were not great goals from an attacking perspective, more the result of continually knocking on the door until a hinge comes loose. In this case in both full back positions, although you could argue O'Connell being decisive and going to meet Barker, would have left Enda less exposed. We were nearly undone by Birmingham in similar fashion midweek and I am sure it is something the management team will look to address.

First choice striker - Probably lacking the goals his performances deserve David McGoldrick has to be topping the strikers’ pecking order right now. Tireless work rate, good link play and eventually got the goal on Saturday. A little more consistency in his finishing and staying injury free could see him up the top end of the Championship Top Scorers list.

The New Arrivals - Chris Basham & Harrison McGahey

This week on A United View we will be hearing about each of United's new arrivals from the fans who watched them last season. Each day we will be hearing the reaction to losing a player and getting an idea of what we can expect in the coming months.

Next up is Chris Walker, Blackpool fan and blogger whose work in highlighting the Oyston family's financial shenanigans, before the mainstream press got hold of the story, showed the power of fans and bloggers in the social media age.

You can follow Chris at @onedavebamber and read his musings at http://measuredprogress.co.uk/ - fascinating reading at the moment at a time when Chris and his fellow fans have every right to be concerned at how his club is being run and with huge concerns over what the future holds.

Amongst the exodus of players from Blackpool this Summer, two players have arrived at Bramall Lane. Here is a Blackpool view on Chris Basham and Harrison McGahey. 

Chris Basham

Chris Basham's arrival at Bloomfield Road came only days before Blackpool took to the pitch for their sole Premier League season for a reported £1m from Bolton Wanderers. He made his debut as a substitute in the opening day 4-0 win at Wigan, but his impact was limited during 'Pool's foray into top flight football with strong competition and injury keeping him out of the side.

Despite relegation to the Championship and some notable departures in midfield, Basham still failed to hold down a regular first team berth under Ian Holloway. When called upon, he would do himself justice, but without ever earning Holloway's trust and even when deployed, it wasn't always in his preferred central midfield role.

Basham's versatility has perhaps been his biggest problem during four seasons on the Fylde coast, often being asked to fill in elsewhere in midfield, or at right back or even centre back when injuries and suspensions have needed covering. Typically, when the first choices in these roles were available again, Basham would find himself back on the bench.

Under Paul Ince, and later Barry Ferguson, Basham did manage to make himself almost a mainstay of the side, but once again never in a set position and rarely in his favoured (and best) role as a central midfield battler. As a result of his constant position changes, Basham is a hard player to fairly judge. Ask most Blackpool fans about him and you'd be hard pressed to find many who will mourn his departure, but whether this is a fair appraisal is open to debate.

Certainly, when being asked to fill in as a wide midfielder, or as a right back, Basham could look a little unwieldy. He has strong physical attributes and can look an imposing figure, but when required to produce on the ball, he could come up short. A gangly figure, Basham's control and distribution could be better, and these weaknesses were often exposed when he was filling in out wide.

However, to criticise him for this could be considered harsh given he is clearly not suited to playing these positions, yet has done so time and time again and without complaint while at the same time giving his all; a lack of effort is never something of which you can accuse Basham. The likeable Geordie is a player who oozes commitment and when utilised correctly, can be a very effective person to have in the squad.

Basham's best performances came in the centre of midfield, combined with creative players around him. Basham would break up play, get up and down the pitch, and lay the ball off to those more able to carve out goal scoring opportunities. It may be an unheralded role at times, but it is one Basham has shown he has the ability for at Championship level, when provided the opportunity.

Dropping down a level to League One should see Basham shine. He can mix it with the best of them and with more creative players alongside him, Basham should become a key cog in the machine, and also is one who has the experience of coping at a higher level were Sheffield United to win their long overdue promotion back to the second tier of English football.

Harrison McGahey

Following Basham on the journey to Bramall Lane is young centre back Harrison McGahey. A rare product of Blackpool's notoriously poor youth setup, McGahey broke into the side for the final four games of last season on the back of an injury crisis at Bloomfield Road. At the time, the Seasiders looked nailed-on certainties to drop to League One following a catastrophic collapse in the second half of the campaign.

McGahey made his debut in front of the Sky cameras at home to promotion-chasing Burnley, and for an 18 year old, did not look out of place. Indeed, had McGahey struggled in that match, interim manager Barry Ferguson had the option of dropping Chris Basham back into the centre of defence, but McGahey impressed enough to keep his place in the remaining three league games. Good performances in a draw at Brighton and surprise win at Wigan, which ultimately saved ‘Pool’s season, saw McGahey’s star quickly rise.

With survival virtually secured going into the final day, Blackpool turned in an after the Lord Mayor’s show type performance at home to Charlton with a spineless 3-0 defeat. This game showed how raw McGahey is and that he still has a lot to learn, but he was far from the only culprit that day and had shown enough promise for everyone to assume a competitive contract would be offered to ensure his future remained on the Fylde coast.

Quite how Blackpool have let McGahey slip through their fingers is a mystery and despite rumour and counter-rumour, the exact details are yet to emerge. Nonetheless, it is symptomatic of the ongoing mismanagement of the club that a young prospect was allowed to leave for a team a division below, regardless of the attraction of Sheffield United and the greater potential they probably hold. The common theory is that a derisory contract offer was tabled and swiftly rejected, at which point the Blades spotted an opportunity and acted decisively to claim his signature.

An upcoming tribunal will determine what fee has to be paid and there is an odd juxtaposition of on the one hand Blackpool demanding a sizeable sum, yet on the other hand effectively placing a low valuation on McGahey with a meagre contract offer. Taking that into account, it’s hard to imagine Sheffield United having to cough up too much and with McGahey’s potential it should be a wise investment.

It’s doubtful that McGahey is ready for regular first team football just yet and the hustle and bustle of League One could require some time for him to adapt. Anyone expecting Harry Maguire Mark II may be disappointed; while Maguire has had a strong build ever since emerging on the scene at Bramall Lane, one feels McGahey could still do with bulking up a little to cope with the rigours of professional football.

However, if managed correctly and Nigel Clough shows patience with McGahey to ease him into first team football, he certainly has the potential to carve out a good career for himself. Thrown in at the deep end of a chaotic Blackpool, a lesser player would have floundered and had his confidence destroyed. McGahey showed a maturity to handle such extreme circumstances and he is undoubtedly a big loss for the Seasiders.