The ACN Review: Sheffield Utd (h)

How did we play?

Sluggish again in the first half, but I attribute that mostly to the lack of tools at Philippe Clement’s disposal right now. What PC is able to do that his predecessor couldn’t, however, is make a team greater than the sum of its parts and also make adjustments during a game.

From the moment the second half kicked off, a blunt Blades outfit retreated and resorted to time wasting taking antics. When the equaliser arrived, only one team were Forson the issue from then on…

During a time when injuries have stretched them so thin, this team are playing with far more energy and growing stronger towards the end of games. This current run would be mightily impressive in any season, let alone one where we’re just a few months removed from the least watchable football we’ve seen at Carrow Road in decades.

What was the best bit of the game?

The introduction of Paris Maghoma was like flicking a switch at the start of the second half. Even if many of the more complicated things he tried didn’t come off, it doesn’t stop him trying. His willingness to take risks and bring an element of je ne sais quoi takes attention away from others too – Ali Ahmed suddenly found himself in more 1v1s, for example, rather than 1v2s. 

And then Pelle Mattsson returned, and didn’t miss a 50/50 ball. And then the aforementioned Amankwah Forson returned, and made quite the immediate impact. Suddenly this is looking more than just a ragtag group of battlers who, with clearer instructions, have managed to drag themselves out of danger this season, it’s looking like the nucleus of a team that is finding an identity – with players having more defined roles – which could realistically challenge at the right end next season. 

What was the worst bit of the game?

It’s nice to feel as though I’m scraping the barrel for once here but Ali Ahmed cannot take corners to save his life, bless him. 

What was the atmosphere like?

It’s an incredibly low bar, as I’ve missed some of the better home performances/results since our historically awful start, but that’s the most electric Barclay I’ve seen in this season. 

Going up against a pantomime villain, inside whose head we continue to live rent-free, helps raise the decibels a bit, but we also now have evidence that going 1-0 down isn’t game over for this team any more.

Hero of the match

Clement’s substitutions changed the game and added a creative spark, but it was another solid performance from the midfield and back line, who stopped everything at source after the first 20 minutes and won the physical battle. Of those players, Jose Cordoba stands out –  sometimes winning two or three challenges in one attack. Colossal. 

Summary in Five Words

Take your time Norwich City.