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Just back from the match



Peter Grummit

Well-known member
Oct 13, 2004
6,769
Lewes
Well kinda. Stopping in Leeds for a few days with #1 son who lives here.

Didn't see this regular thread so thought I'd start it.

Totally back to the '80s day. Haven't been to Sheffield for a while and it looks stuck in a post-Thatcher timewarp. Regeneration in the Don valley consists of drive-through KFCs and car showrooms. Having said that, Fat Cat pub and Kelham island all good. £2.20/pint of perfect bitter and cheap food.

Hillsborough entirely unchanged since my last visit in the 90s when I saw a 3-3 draw with ManU (Cantona scored). Except I don't recall that being played on a ploughed field. And the PA didn't breach health and safety limits. Never has the pre-match aural hyperbole been more at odds with the ordinary on-pitch fare that followed. For the first time since Poyet took over, we didn't attempt to play it out at all from the back. No splitting the CBs and patiently waiting for space. And thank God we didn't, it would only have been a matter of time before the ball was lost in the danger zone. The ref gave us nothing.

You had to feel sorry for Tex. It seemed a long way from sunny Portugal and proper football. Almost as far from the perfect green sward of Anfield. He only knows how to play one way and it isn't the scrap-and -fight required yesterday. How he stayed on for the 90 is beyond me. Ditto Best. If ever a game called out for O'Grady muscular pragmatism it was this. No complaints at Hughton's onfield tactics, but his substitutions? Hmmmm.

We kept singing. In a stoical, late-80s, most-of-us-are-on-first-name-terms kinda way. The gruff-and-ugly northerners booed at halftime. They grumbled at fulltime. We shrugged our shoulders and wandered out of the erstwhile Leppings Lane, pausing briefly for reflection. Take a point. Get the hell outa here. And hope we're back next year (and they've fixed the pitch).

PG
 


Prince Monolulu

Everything in Moderation
Oct 2, 2013
10,201
The Race Hill
Except I don't recall that being played on a ploughed field. And the PA didn't breach health and safety limits. Never has the pre-match aural hyperbole been more at odds with the ordinary on-pitch fare that followed. The ref gave us nothing.

You had to feel sorry for Tex. It seemed a long way from sunny Portugal and proper football. Almost as far from the perfect green sward of Anfield. He only knows how to play one way and it isn't the scrap-and -fight required yesterday. How he stayed on for the 90 is beyond me. Ditto Best. If ever a game called out for O'Grady muscular pragmatism it was this. No complaints at Hughton's onfield tactics, but his substitutions? Hmmmm.

We kept singing. In a stoical, late-80s, most-of-us-are-on-first-name-terms kinda way. The gruff-and-ugly northerners booed at halftime. They grumbled at fulltime. We shrugged our shoulders and wandered out of the erstwhile Leppings Lane, pausing briefly for reflection. Take a point. Get the hell outa here. And hope we're back next year (and they've fixed the pitch).

Although late arrival meant we missed out on the cheap local produce, I agree totally about the sound. Whilst I have always said The Amex sound is always a little too low (perhaps we don't want to upset the away fans) the Hi Ho Wolverhampton yesterday was amazingly loud, as were all of the accompanying tunes. Kept the lady in front of me dancing about however.
Pitch was awful, Best appeared totally apathetic to me (may be in the minority) and Tex needs to keep control better and then not act like one of Kevin and Perry when it goes belly up.
 


Mancgull

Well-known member
Nov 28, 2011
4,696
Astley, Manchester
We were more direct than usual but the pitch dictated that. I also think that it was our tactic to play a chipped longer ball over their centre backs to get the big lumps turning. If the ref had spotted the trip on Baldock with about ten minutes to go we could have all said the tactics worked a treat as it was exactly this type of ball that caused Baldock to be through on goal with his body between the ball and the defender.
Still a draw was probably a fair result. Another point towards the 50 or so that we need and another clean sheet which must be heartening to the team and management if this has been their primary focus.
I thought Kayal looked decent, which not many on here agreed with. Just goes to show that we all see things differently.
 


Beach Hut

Brighton Bhuna Boy
Jul 5, 2003
71,903
Living In a Box
£9.40 for 4 pints of bitter at Kelham Island, marvellous scenes
 






nwgull

Well-known member
Jul 25, 2003
13,653
Manchester
Reverting to long ball was what we did at Blackpool; was the pitch as bad as that?
 


Prince Monolulu

Everything in Moderation
Oct 2, 2013
10,201
The Race Hill
Reverting to long ball was what we did at Blackpool; was the pitch as bad as that?

Alas it was, hardly any grass especially on the 'tunnel' side. Bobbly too.
sw.JPG
 


Hugo Rune

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Feb 23, 2012
21,496
Brighton
Looks like the bobbles saved us according to the Sheff Weds manager causing his team's shots to find row Z!
 




nwgull

Well-known member
Jul 25, 2003
13,653
Manchester
Looks a little bit better than Blackpool - you can actually see stripes on that grass! Still looks crap though; games on pitches like that can become a bit of a lottery.
 


symyjym

Banned
Nov 2, 2009
13,138
Brighton / Hove actually
Reverting to long ball was what we did at Blackpool; was the pitch as bad as that?

Orlandi doesn't seem to be having a problem with the Blackpool pitch. For all intent and purposes he hasn't suffered any injuries on it, he has been playing well, and has scored a couple of goals for them. I would have thought that for a player with his style, he would have had the biggest problem, but he has just got on with it and has done a good job.

Maybe we should blame our perfect pitch at the Amex for giving the opposition an adavantage. :shrug:
 







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