Sheffield United player ratings v Norwich City as 4/10 man’s “farcical” moment sums up nightmare evening
Sheffield United player ratings v Norwich City as 4/10 man’s “farcical” moment sums up nightmare evening
A farcical own goal from Djibril Soumare wrecked Sheffield United’s chances of securing a sixth straight victory as the Blades drew 1-1 with Norwich City at Bramall Lane this evening. Boss Chris Wilder had to make eight changes to his side ravaged by illness and injury.
But the patched-up XI looked good value for another three points when Danny Ings, who should have broken the deadlock in the first half, did so in the second after brilliant work from full debutant Tahith Chong down the right.
But City were gifted a leveller with 25 minutes to go when Soumare inexplicably put through his own goal and the Blades could not get themselves ahead for a second time and were later indebted to goalkeeper Michael Cooper for earning them even a point.
Here’s how we rated the returning Oliver Arblaster and the rest of United’s players on the night...
Michael Cooper 8
He’s not had a great deal to do in United’s winning run of late but he was busy inside the first quarter of the game, acrobatically tipping over a well-struck effort from Fisher and then doing well to stand tall and block another effort after Seriki was robbed on the touchline.
He did well soon after to get down and tip away a low effort from Sargent that was going to nestle into his far corner but for an intervention, and was unfortunate not to keep another clean sheet as he was only beaten by his teammate’s moment of madness.
He earned another point late in the game with a huge save to keep out Forson’s one-on-one effort when he looked for all the world like he would win it for the Canaries after robbing Seriki, but Cooper excelled once again to read it and get something on the effort
Femi Seriki 5
Went into the game on the back of surely the best of his career at the weekend and he looked in the mood for more from early on, getting in behind down the right before pulling it back for Cannon whose effort was blocked.
But he was left holding his hands up in apology and no doubt breathing a mighty sigh of relief after he tried to shepherd out the ball for a goal kick and was robbed of it, with Cooper bailing him out with a big save before Ings blocked the follow-up effort from Sargent.
Seriki was booked for halting a Norwich break on halfway but then was left, justifiably, asking why similar punishment was not handed out when he was felled close to the City box after another enterprising run saw him slalom between two City players before being felled.
Always a threat down the right but loses a mark for a loose late moment that almost cost United dear when he was robbed in possession as the furthest man back and could only watch Forson race clear before Cooper bailed him out for the second time on the night. One of the nights that shows he’s still got a fair bit to learn
Tyler Bindon 8
The on-loan defender caught the eye at the weekend with a commanding display after coming off the bench to replace McGuinness and after keeping his place with the big man absent, Bindon began in similar vein here as well. There was a big tackle on Sargent early on and then good defensive instincts to repel a dangerous cross from Makama.
His standards remained high from thereon in and if it needed to be headed away then it went, but if there was time to put a foot on the ball and calm things down as well then he didn’t pass it up. There’s been talk about his future but on the evidence of the last two games then he’s well worth keeping hold of, for my money
Japhet Tanganga 5
The United skipper was again his usual calm and composed self right up until Norwich dragged themselves level, although he could not compensate from an inexplicable bit of play from Soumare to put the ball over his own goalline.
But Tanganga didn’t deal with the loose ball as well as he would have liked and that opened up the chance for the away side, even if the eventual goal had a farcical feel to it. From there his composure seemed to elude him a little, a stray pass sending boss Wilder onto his haunches in frustration as it flew out of play
Harrison Burrows 6
A threatening display from the left-back going forward, even if there was the odd moment of concern defensively going the other way. Burrows forced a comfortable enough save from Kovacevic with a free-kick that curled towards his goal and from the resulting free-kick the left-back found the delivery that should have broken the deadlock, but Ings somehow fluffed his lines at the back stick with the goal at his mercy.
Burrows went close to helping United hit the front twice more within the first couple of minutes of the second half, his driven cross just evading Cannon and Chong before he picked out Ings again in the middle but his flicked header went wide
Oliver Arblaster 6
The Blades starlet made his return to the Bramall Lane turf after exactly 395 days out with a bad knee injury and although it probably came sooner than United’s medical staff may have liked, it was a case of needs must amid the Blades’ mass absentees.
It couldn’t come soon enough for Arblaster, though, after he was robbed of a year of his formative career and his early touches were composed in the middle of the park, even if he did understandably fade a little as the game went on and City got a foothold in the game.
But there was still evidence of what he will bring to this United side as he broke the lines nicely and progressed United up the pitch, finding men in space with crisp passes and also putting his foot in when the situation required.
The applause from supporters and teammates when he made way just before the hour spoke volumes about the affection for the young man at this football club, as did the big bear hug from boss Wilder as Arblaster made his way towards the dugout. It’s great to see him back
Djibril Soumare 4
Came into midfield with both Peck and Riedewald among the casualties of the injury and illness that has ripped through the United camp and he didn’t have a good time of it, being bypassed pretty easily a number of times in the middle of the park early on as he struggled to get up to speed with the game.
Maybe there’s some mitigation to be had in that he’s not played a lot of football recently but he’s been closer to it than, say, Arblaster and there was no real explanation for his farcical own goal, which saw him somehow put the ball through his own net as it trickled along the line.
It was like one of the moments on FIFA when you lose control of your player but unfortunately this was real life and it cost United at a vital time of the match, when they were looking pretty comfortable and aiming to extend their lead at the other end.
Tahith Chong 7.5
Another man making his comeback from injury and another whose early signs were good, taking down a high ball with a beautiful touch in his first involvement and linking up nicely with Seriki down the right.
That partnership proved a constant menace to the Norwich backline and it was no surprise when Chong was involved in the first goal of the game, a brilliant chop sending his man to Man Fridays chippy on Shoreham Street before he picked out Ings perfectly for a typical poacher’s finish from a couple of yards out.
The collective sigh of concern that rang around Bramall Lane when he went down just before the hour mark spoke volumes about his impact and United wasted no time in dragging him off for Hamer, although hopefully it is just a precaution rather than a recurrence of anything too serious
Callum O’Hare 6
Buzzed about with his usual energy on his recall to the team but couldn’t get the moment he and United were looking for before he was replaced
Danny Ings 7
In the side for his goal threat but he played a key part in keeping the game goalless in his own box early in the game when he headed Sargent’s overhead kick off the line after Seriki was robbed, and Cooper bailed him out with a big save.
But he should have done so much better just after the hour mark when he was presented with the chance of the game up to that point. Burrows’ corner finding him at the back post with an open goal to aim at from four yards out.
Maybe he didn’t expect it to get to him, maybe the flailing frame of Kovacevic put him off a little. But he somehow put it over when he simply had to score and a man with his pedigree will know how good a chance it was at such a crucial time.
But he kept going, even after flicking a header wide from Burrows’ free-kick, and got his reward five minutes into the second half when he tapped home from a couple of yards out to give the Blades the lead after brilliant work on the byline from Chong. Earns a mark for his goal and perseverence before he made way for Bamford
Tom Cannon 6
Came into the side as one of eight changes but that was one that may have happened anyway in the second game of three in six days for the Blades, allowing Campbell to have a breather on the bench. Cannon almost continued his good recent form early on when his effort was blocked before it could test Kokacevic in the away goal.
And that was the closest he came, despite a number of energetic runs which were turned down by those behind him. Replaced by Campbell with just over 15 to go
Subs: Gus Hamer
Came on for Chong and forced a smart save from Kovacevic when he absolutely smashed an effort goalwards after freeing up a bit of space
Andre Brooks
Replaced Arblaster and was a real threat down the right hand side in Chong’s absence, always taking the positive option and running at his man to try and make something happen. Another impressive cameo and another good headache for Wilder to have
Also used: Bamford, Campbell, Matos