Fleetwood Reaction

Unfortunately, we are out of the prestigious competition which is the Johnstone Paint Trophy.  As I drove back the 120 miles to my bed last night I found myself pondering a number of questions two which seemed at the time to be hard to answer.  Firstly, is it good enough and secondly, is it really any better than last season.


Following a good nights sleep, the answer to both is a resounding no; which I will do into more detail about in due course.


United last night lined up in a simple 442 with an all too familiar square pegs in round holes approach to the selection.  Woolford on the right hand side of midfield and young Harrison was at right back.  With this in mind United faced a degree of early pressure down that flank without Fleetwood ever really threatening to break the deadlock.


As the game progressed Kennedy, J. Wallace, Long and Scougall made positive contributions to an absolutely dire game of football.  The only shining light was Jimmy Ryan who for whatever reason United didn't make any attempt to sign in the summer.  Ryan was everywhere and distributed the ball backwards, sideways and forwards with speed.  Imagine that.


Adkins threw the dice in the final stages of the game introducing Baxter, Hammond and Sharp in attempt to turn the fate of the blades.  It was a game of few chances as Fleetwood counter attacked in the closing minutes.  United were caught and Fleetwood rattled the bar before the referee blew the whistle.


Penalties in front of the United faithful had a predictable outcome as we lost 4 - 1 with only Jose converting his spot kick.


Is it good enough?  Quite simply no.  Last night was a winnable game.  Why didn't we win?  Well Adkins can quote goalkeepers and luck until the cows come home but he didn't have a game plan for the game.  We don't have wingers so why play 442?


The game plan appeared to be to simply play through the thirds and hope for the best.  Luckily we have some good footballers to make things happen such as J. Wallace and a slightly resurgent Scougall (he must've read what I said about him after the Crewe game) to create some chances.


Now don't get me wrong if Kennedy's effort early in the second half had gone the correct side of the post or Wallace had won a penalty we may have been in a more positive position this morning.  But and its a big but at that.  Is it good enough?  No.


If you train even with a weight session players probably are at work for around four hours max with breaks and lunch involved.  Why is it so abundantly clear that we have no real game plan for the various opposition we play?  What do they do all day?


Short free kicks?  Why the hell have they come back?


So no.  It is not good enough from management to playing staff.  Something is seriously the matter.


More alarmingly.  It is not better than last season.  The effort.  the desire.  The football.


Something needs to change sooner or later but regardless we go on to Saturday.




Fleetwood Town: Maxwell, Jonsson, Pond, Bell, Ryan, Matt (Ball 58), Forbes (Grant 83), McManus (Hunter 72), Haughton, Teixeira, Davis. Not used: Sowerby, Gogic.
 
Sheffield United: Long, J Wallace (Hammond 72), Done, Scougall, Woolford, Sammon (Sharp 72), McEveley, Reed (Baxter 81), Kennedy, KWallace, McGahey. Not used: Howard, Freeman