Sheffield United - ratings thread

Buncey · December 8, 2007

For all those that didn''t go to the game...

Marhsall - 8 - Made some very good saves and takes. No errors all game (except one spilt cross cleared for a throw in). Just wish his kicking could make me more confident. But I don''t care if he plays as good as he did today.Semmy - 7 - Some very good running and attacking. Won a lot of 50/50''s with his pace and our right hand side was very secure all game.Shackell - 8 - Superb. Not a peak out of Beattie. Him and taylor bossed their lacklustre forward line today. Good stuff.Taylor - 9 motd - Even better. Even less of a peak out of armstrong. He is so confident and assured on the ball and usually started a lot of our attacks off with probing runs.Camara - 7 - He was very good today. I wasn''t too sure about him before but he improved today. He stopped a lot of crosses. He kept calm under a lot of pressure towards the end of the game. Hux didn''t cover him much in the second half but kept at his task well.Smith - 6 - Poorest player today. Too often lacks the cutting edge or the finishing pass or the whipped cross. Not good enough for me I personally think croft is better. He defended well though which was a good plus.Pattison - 7 - Got stuck in well. Makes the tackles and does the passes. He is a very good young player and I''d like him to stay here permenantely.Fozzy - 7 - The usual hustle and bustle without ever controlling the match really. He tired out towards the end but his tackles and passing does make the difference and it did again today. I''d wish he didn''t play so deep, it really played against us in the second half.Hux - 7/8 first half - 4/5 - second half - Poor ol'' hux. His legs are going. He played a really good first half and scared the defence to hell and back and defended well too. But second half comes around and he looked very tired. He barely touched the ball and left big spaces for sheffield utd. to attack. I do think he''d be better as an impact player, especially away from home where in future that weakness would see us conceed.Evans - 9 - What a gem of a player. I missed the plymouth game but he was very good today. He made some great runs and made loads of space not just for himself but also for jamie. This guy can score goals and has a football brain. He did some great movement for the goal. Jamie - 6 - He was quiet today, again. Didn''t see lots of the ball but set up evans great for the goal. He and evans did some good link up but sometimes I feel he looks a bit off the pace, I can''t put down his great attitude as ever.Subs:Dion - 8 -Great sub. Made a big difference when holding the ball up at the top. He made some very good interception headers at the death at the back. This guy is great. He also get positive points for organising us at corners and free kicks and when he was warming up in the first half he kept giving pointers to smith and evans.Croft - 7 - Very nice runs. Really scared the sheff. utd. defence. Shame there wasn''t an end product and that he didn''t start. Better than smith.

kick it off · December 8, 2007

Not to pick faults, as i couldn''t make the game today - but all reports from radio norfolk and every other report i have seen said that it was a hucks cross, nodded down by Jimmy Smith to set Ched up?! Curo did nothing except miss two sitters. again. from what i understand.

Hooleyfan · December 8, 2007

Was Hucks keeping out of the way second half? or was he kept out by his team mates, deliberately or otherwise?

It just seems so strange that an obvious opportunity for a two pronged attack down the wings through Croft and Hucks just didn''t happen in the second half...the result was that too much attacking play was concentrated on the right restricting Croft...and, I think, a cause for him being less effective than usual.

Is Hucks a team player?....I would have said "no" on today''s performance

can u sit down please · December 8, 2007

[quote user="Hooleyfan"]

Was Hucks keeping out of the way second half? or was he kept out by his team mates, deliberately or otherwise?

It just seems so strange that an obvious opportunity for a two pronged attack down the wings through Croft and Hucks just didn''t happen in the second half...the result was that too much attacking play was concentrated on the right restricting Croft...and, I think, a cause for him being less effective than usual.

Is Hucks a team player?....I would have said "no" on today''s performance

[/quote]

Same as Stoke away.......i suppose he is only as gd as the service he gets and when we are under pressure he is a great outlet to have as we saw once or twice in the 2nd half.

Intersting debate, is Hucks becoming replaceable?

Polar · December 8, 2007

VERN - 10

Old Boy · December 8, 2007

[quote user="Hooleyfan"]

Was Hucks keeping out of the way second half? or was he kept out by his team mates, deliberately or otherwise?[/quote]

He wasn''t keeping out of the way, he was knackered. Trust me - stamina is an issue for us over Christmas, and not just with Huckerby. We have a genuine footballing side now, but when tiredness creeps in through the door, football flies out through the window. We didn''t have the energy to keep possession in the second half which gave the Blades the initiative. We were playing Russian roulette football for the last half-hour, just waiting for the real bullet. Fortunately when it came, it was ruled offside. Other than that, 10s all round for everyone. Brilliant first half.

ZLF · December 9, 2007

Marshall 7 - solid

Otsemobor 7- One of his best games for us.

Tiny 8 - as excellent today as he was poor on tues - MOTM

Shax -6 shaky in the first half but improved. Why does he so rarely make a tackle?

Camara 7 Another good performance.

Smith 6-7 An odd one; couldnt really work out where he was playing; he seemed to play very centrally, almost in the whole behind the front two hence assist in goal, he was effective there, but not so wide right. Was he disobeying instructions again? Looks useful, and more to come methinks

Fozzy 7 - industrious, lead the team well and interestingly still captain.

Pattison -7 Keep him in, kept the ball well, put in crunching tackles and worked his bol, socks off.

Hux 6 - MOTM in first half, faded badly second. Yes he is a team player - he was making tackles first half but doubt whether he can last the pace in conditions as attrocious as this any more.

Cureton 6 Far better movement and endeavour today, nothing coming off though and had he got one of his chances on target the last tense minutes could have been avoided.

Evans 7 Excellent finish from just about only half chance, defended from the front and energy really.

Subs

Dion 6 added a target man when needed.

Croft 6 - gave width but no end product despite seeing the ball.

Mister Chops · December 9, 2007

Marshall - 7

Semmy - 8 - MOM - bombed forward first half, totally committed

Shackell - 8

Taylor - 8

Camara - 7

Smith - 7

Pattison - 7

Fozzy - 7

Hux - 6

Evans - 8

Jamie - 5 - really needs a goal.

Deduct one point from each player to get their second half rating.

Subs:

Dion - 7

Croft - 5 - did nothing except give it away and confuse Otsemobor.

FilletTheFishWife . · December 9, 2007

Marshall 6 Ddidn''t command the area in the 2nd half when Sheff Utd sent in cross after cross whilst DM stayed rooted on the line. Mind you on the rare occasion he did i can understand his reluctance.

Otsemebor 7 - getting back to his form at the start of the season. Wasn''t really tested defensively though.

Taylor 7 - Commanding.

Shackell 7- ditto

Camara 7 - the unsung loanee and probably the best in my opinion

Huckerby 8 - superb in the 1st half but faded in the 2nd although the supply was less frequent

Pattison 7 - another very good first half but a bit careless in the 2nd

Fotheringham 7 - the early booking took the wind out his sails a bit but otherwise ok

Smith - 6 - Ineffective and clearly unfit. The one loanee we won''t miss. Russell should go straight back in the side

Cureton 6 - Nice to see he''s learnt the offside rule. Now to find the back of the net a bit more often.

Evans 7- Well taken goal

ricardo · December 9, 2007

I can''t agree with some of these assessments of Smith. I thought he had an effective game in midfield. He was accurate with his passing and was quick to get into the penalty area(witness his goal assist).

It was not until he was replaced by Croft that we totally lost the midfield and it became virtually one way traffic. Croft made a couple of decent runs but awful passing wasted any advantage gained. I may be in a minority here but I prefer a competent and effective performer to a flashy one any day.

lucky green trainers · December 9, 2007

Marshall 8 - pleased to see the boy coming off his line at corners etc. for once - gets an 8 because of that.

Otsemobor 7- confidence is helping to fill this youngun''s boots - beginning to look the part.

Taylor 9 - agree with mirror, motm - a defensive rock for us and as they said, a must purchase for NCFC

Shax - 7 better positionally yesterday, but the boy looks shakey at times.

Camara 8 mo looks comfortable and assured - a good footballer who gives confidence to others.

Smith 6 looked better than against watford - but obviously wide right isn''t his berth.

Fozzy 7 - had 100% more energy than on tuesday night, gave a 9/10 first half perfromance - but faded final third.

matty patty - 8 this lad is a real player, esp first half outshone russell who must be worried for his place. again faded final third.

Hux 7 - better showing from hucks than on tuesday, but like some others faded 2nd half as we came under intense pressure. had a great 2nd opportunity to score and spurned it - he would have scored it 3 years ago.

Cureton 7 he''s looking far more lively and happier up front playing alongside chedders - these 2 are looking a good pairing. just needs to score to get full confidence back.

chedders 8 natural finisher - has great reactions and an eye for goal - for a smallish bloke, has good ability to lead line and links up play well and intelligently for such a young boy - a very good player.

Foggo_on_the wing · December 9, 2007

[quote user="ricardo"]

I can''t agree with some of these assessments of Smith. I thought he had an effective game in midfield. He was accurate with his passing and was quick to get into the penalty area(witness his goal assist).

It was not until he was replaced by Croft that we totally lost the midfield and it became virtually one way traffic. Croft made a couple of decent runs but awful passing wasted any advantage gained. I may be in a minority here but I prefer a competent and effective performer to a flashy one any day.

[/quote]

Totally agree with your assessment Ricardo. I thought Smith was very effective first half, but unfortunately like everyone else struggled in the second. I don''t think he''s fully fit yet.

Gingerpele · December 9, 2007

i know cureton had brought it upson himself a bit with all the offdie, but he dosnt get many oppurtunites, i think he had 1 yesturday mabey 2, but evans had 4 if im right, cureton often had to go wide to make chnaces, he wasnt allowed to be the fox in the box

sam · December 9, 2007

from what i gather in papers and radio, cureton was awful and hucjerby went off in the second half and smith didn''t do a lot either, correct me if im wrong?

Syteanric · December 10, 2007

Marshall - 7, made goodf saves but yet again dropped a howler which the opposition ALMOSt scored from... luck will run out on you in the end David, CONCENTRATE ffs!

Semmy - 7 a good showing, bets game in a while, just needs to work on that delivery but solid at the back and good coming forward!

Shackell - 6. desperate defending at times and seemed to lose Beattie/ sharp on more than 1 occasion, ok in the air but if thered been another 10 mins of play he''d of cost us the game i think.

Taylor - 7, good game, showed his wuality and we need to pull the stops out to get him here longer!

Camara - 6 frustrating and pleasing in equal measures! gave the ball away far too much but tackled well and still more of a presebce at the back then Drury ever was.

Smith - 6. Faded out of the game a bit, never really got into it

Pattison - 7 man of the match in the first half! Ran the show, got stuck in, can pass a ball and goes in without fear of getting hrt, tired a bit in the second.

Fozzy - 8 man of the match for me! keeps the midfield ticking along, runs from box to box and his short passing gets us out of trouble, always encouraging the team and not afraid to have a go at players when needed. best player in the Squad as far as im concerned... dotn believe me? wait till he is injured/suspended and see how we lose the plot.. its like utd with Scholes.

Hux - 5. Played like an old Man - as he did vs Plymouth.. really starting to think that the game is passing him by now.. impact player.. Bench him and use him with 10 minutes to go.

Evans - 7, good goal! faded out opf the game again but worked hard.

Jamie - 5 - needs a foot up the backside i think, head up and relax when u shoot jamie, dont blast it all the time!

Subs:

Dion - 6 almost cost us the game with a stupid backheel in the center circle!

Croft - 6. Lots of running and created a chance for himself but didnt shoot when he should of, did ok.

jas :)

Hairy Canary · December 10, 2007

Good grief Jas you''re a hard man to please. Just look back at how many players you mark at 6 or below. We played some superb stuff in the first half and battled for our lives in the second - thats got to be better than average! As an example you mention Dions backheel in the centre circle but fail to mention his fantastic clearing header when they looked odds on to score.

FilletTheFishWife . · December 10, 2007

[quote user="jas the barclay king"]