3/10 man's struggles sum up Sheffield United frustration v Coventry City as Tom Cannon misfires again after huge injury blow
Sheffield United player ratings v Coventry City
Three second-half Coventry City goals sentenced Sheffield United to a third successive defeat at the CBS Arena this evening, after the Blades had taken a half-time lead against the league leaders. Sam McCallum returned to haunt his former club with a smart finish from close range.
But United were rocked by an injury blow to goalkeeper Michael Cooper, who was replaced at half-time by Adam Davies, and City netted twice in 11 minutes to keep their place at the top of the division.
Tatshuiro Sakamoto dragged City level from a long throw after Japhet Tanganga and McCallum had got in each other’s way before Davies flapped at a corner without any conviction and Bobby Thomas, the former United transfer target, took advantage to bundle home.
United kept going right until the end in a bid to get back into the game and City took advantage with a late third to seal victory on the break, sparking huge celebrations on the bench between Frank Lampard and his staff.
Here’s how we rated United’s players on the night...
Michael Cooper 5
Into his work early here with a smart early save down to his right after Eccles’ shot came through a crowd of bodies but Cooper managed to just about shovel it around his right-hand post. He looked less composed from a free-kick a bit later which he spilled back into the danger area in difficult conditions for a goalkeeper and was indebted to Tanganga for being there to bundle it behind to safety.
He did go down for some treatment on what looked like a potential back issue in the first half and while many City fans suspected it was simply a ploy to take the sting out of the game, there looked to be more to it when he didn’t reappear for the second half and was replaced by Adam Davies at the break
Chieo Ogbene 4
Plenty of endeavour and a few bright moments when he looked to run at his man and use his obvious strengths to his advantage, but he couldn’t do it consistently enough for United’s liking and left Tanganga high and dry a couple of times defensively as well. Made way for Brooks later on
Japhet Tanganga 5
The Blades skipper seemed to get beaten a few times on his outside by City’s lively left-sided threats before he and McCallum collided for City’s equalising goal, allowing Sakamoto the space to drill past sub ‘keeper Davies
Mark McGuinness 4.5
The big man took some stick in the wake of his difficult afternoon against Derby on Saturday but he kept his place here as part of an unchanged central defence, and didn’t have too much of an easier ride.
Mistimed his jump from a van Ewijk long throw from which City were inches away from taking the lead and looked visibly frustrated with himself when he miskicked a clearance and presented City with a good opportunity to level on the stroke of half-time.
He couldn’t react quickly enough to prevent Sakamoto from firing his side level after Tanganga and McCallum had got in each other’s way and the concession of another from a corner later on won’t have gone down well either with United’s defence, although they can justifiably ask questions of goalkeeper Adam Davies’ huge part in it
Ben Mee 5
His career has been sent stopping goals rather than creating them but he can be a threat in the opposition box as well, as he showed when he lost Torp from Peck’s corner and then headed on for McCallum to tap home.
He is still more at home in his own territory though and a long leg stretched out just far enough to prevent Thomas-Asante from tapping the hosts ahead just befpre the hour mark, although City did end up bundling home from the resulting corner.
Later booked for a slightly late challenge on Wright as the City man got to the ball seconds earlier than the veteran
Sam McCallum 7
The left-back returned to haunt his former club with the opening goal of the game, taking up a position in the heart of the area from Peck’s corner and then reacting quicker than Kitching when Mee flicked perfectly into his path.
The left-back seemed to escape the vitriol aimed at another former City man on his return to these parts but he soon got a bit of stick when he picked up a cheap booking early on, for committing a blatant foul and then complaining to ref Linington for just a second too long.
City almost broke the deadlock from the resulting free-kick but United managed to somehow scramble it behind and McCallum’s evening quickly turned for the better, even if the joy was short lived
Jairo Riedewald 5
A mixed bag from the Netherlands international on his recall in midfield, as he looked like a player with bags of experience and pegidree in some small moments and in others, a player who is still trying to get up to speed in the middle of a Championship season
Sydie Peck 6
The young man kept his place, as expected, despite being culpable for Derby’s crucial second on Saturday and despite a few sloppy moments it didn’t look to have affected him too much as he always looked to get on the ball and get United moving whenever they could get hold of the ball.
His wait for a first United goal goes on but it looked to have arrived in the first half when Cannon picked him out with a reverse pass and Peck shot goalwards, the ball taking a deflection which looked to be taking the ball towards the far corner before Rushworth got across to hold it.
A huge block in the second half prevented Davies being tested by an effort that looked like it would have really troubled him
Callum O’Hare 7
Mercilessly booed again on his return to his former stomping ground and did little to endear himself any further to his former fans with a crude early foul from which City almost took the lead. Like Peck he didn’t appear to let it faze him too much but it was an evening of mixed fortunes, with City fans taking great delight in every misplaced pass or wayward effort.
But he looked the most likely to make something happen once again from a United perspective and especially as the game approached its end, when a couple of runs from deep caused panic amongst the home defence before, on one occasion, an untimely intervention from teammate Andre Brooks ended one promising run
Tom Cannon 4
A surprise name back on the teamsheet here after being dropped at the weekend, not just back in the squad but back in the starting line-up. Boss Wilder said he wanted to see more aggression from the United No.7 and there were signs of that, and he showed good awareness and execution to pull the ball back for Peck’s blocked chance.
But a total of seven touches in 66 minutes on the field tells its own story in terms of Cannon’s involvement before he was replaced by Ings
Tyrese Campbell 4.5
Looked marginally more like his old self with the help of a strike partner up front with him but it was still a largely frustrating evening for United’s main striker as he was left chasing shadows for a lot of the game, battling big centre-halves Kitching and Thomas and not getting a great deal of change out of either.
His brightest moment was probably a first-half daisy cutter of an effort which he didn’t catch at all well and which Rushworth gobbled up gratefully. But he still looks so far off the danger he was last season
Subs: Adam Davies 3
Came on at half-time for Cooper, conceded within minutes as Sakamoto’s effort beat him for pace into the bottom corner and if there is any debate about his culpability for that one then there can surely be none about City’s second as he flapped at a corner, got a half-touch but was not strong enough and Thomas capitalised.
Did make one decent-looking save down at his near post and had no chance with City’s third as they took advantage of United piling bodies forward
Also used: Ings, Brooks, T. Davies, Seriki