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Classy Blades are hard to Beatt: MATCH REPORT AND SLIDESHOW
SHEFFIELD UNITED 2 v PLYMOUTH ARGYLE 0: DEFENDERS prepared to nutmeg their way out of trouble on the edge of their own penalty box hardly suggests a team intent on bludgeoning opponents into submission but, as Sheffield United proved through this comprehensive victory, appearances can be deceptive.
Not only did the scoreline fail to reflect the plethora of chances they created against a Plymouth Argyle side which travelled north intent on securing a second Steel City triumph in less than a week.
The manner in which they scored their goals - both coming from set-pieces - also did little justice to the quality of football they produced for long periods of this potentially awkward encounter.
United, unbeaten at home since March, may be regarded as Championship cavemen in some quarters but, on Saturday's evidence, it is a reputation rooted in fiction rather than fact.
"Any manager wants to have a group of players who people want to come and watch," said Kevin Blackwell. "We've conjured up some superb stuff, at times, been sublime, but what we haven't done is do it consistently enough.
"I don't want us to be predictable.
"I want us to deliver long balls, short balls, square balls and everything in between.
"I eulogise about Arsenal and that's the standard I want us to get to."
Of course, United, who suffered a crushing defeat in the Carling Cup at the Emirates Stadium earlier in the season, have a long way to go before they can even begin to be compared with Arsene Wenger's entertainers.
But they do possess a durable streak which Blackwell's counterpart in the capital would love to cultivate.
Sun Jihai, whose audacious piece of skill after James Beattie's brace had put the game beyond Argyle's reach brought Bramall Lane to its feet, was the pick of a back four which has now kept six clean sheets in its last seven outings.
With former England international Beattie rediscovering his touch in front of goal, United are close to achieving the perfect balance between graft and guile.
Blackwell, though, is a perfectionist, acknowledging: "My only frustration is that we're not scoring the amount we deserve to.
"You've got to keep believing, got to keep trying the things that you know are right in these situations, and that's exactly what we've done.
"Cleansheets and goals is a great combination to have. Hopefully the chances will go in when we need them.
"What we want to do now is really establish ourselves in the top six.
"After 15 games we're on course to do that so, over the next 15, we've got to make sure we're firmly established in there so, during the final third of the campaign, we can really look to push on."
With three points between themselves and seventh-placed Queens Park Rangers, United are on course to achieve Blackwell's objective.
Although improvements must still be made before their full potential is realised, most notably in the six-yard box, the sheer weight of openings they forged against visitors who five days earlier had overcome Sheffield Wednesday suggests the manager's confidence is not misplaced.
Danny Webber, again lively and inventive in attack, forced Romain Larrieu to make his first save of the afternoon when he sprang an incisive counter-attack as early as the second minute before Beattie flashed wide.
"I'm very disappointed because I pre-warned them about giving away silly free-kicks," Plymouth boss Paul Sturrock said.
Argyle's resistance finally crumbled three minutes after the restart when Stokes, making the most of Webber's ghosting run, was bundled over by Chris Barker.
Beattie duly converted from the spot before taking his tally in United colours to 27 in 54 appearances by curling a superb long-range strike around the wall after Stokes had again been impeded.
Luke Summerfied warmed Paddy Kenny's gloves as Argyle responded - "If we'd been as positive right from the start as we were after going behind we might have done better," Sturrock lamented" - and Steve MacLean fluffed a glorious opportunity to reduce the defecit.
Beattie was unfortunate not to complete his hat-trick when his shot was blocked.
"When we do get things exactly right then I think we'll give someone a real hiding," Blackwell insisted.
It would be difficult to disagree.
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Weather for Sheffield
Friday 10 February 2012
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Temperature: -6 C to 0 C
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Wind direction: South east
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Sunny spells
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