Statistically, teams usually don't win every football game that they play. In the history of English football, only two teams have gone unbeaten through a league season and even those were nearly a hundred years apart. So United coming away from our last two home games without a win is something that just happens in football. These things happen. It was a bit huff and puff and, on another day, maybe we get a draw with the ball bouncing just that bit kinder to us. Alas, that didn't happen, so let's take a look at the game.
A rarity for United this season as Redfearn made two changes to the team that started against Bristol City. Ellie Wilson and Mia Enderby came in with Enderby rewarded after bagging her third of the season in last week's fixture. United started the game brightly and Bex Rayner had an effort from distance held by Rendell. The visitors began to dictate play a little bit after our good start with some quick passing seeing our defensive line struggle. Morris was played in behind, but Davies made good save to deny an opener. Our flat footedness did eventually cost us the opener however as Southampton sliced us open and Pusey beat Davies to the through ball, rounded her, and rolled home to give the visitors the lead. United began to probe for an equaliser but struggled to break down a stout Saints backline. Our best chance to equalise came just after the first half midway point with Southampton half clearing a Cusack corner only as far as Lord-Mears thundered the ball towards goal that Rendell tipped over the bar. Lord-Mears went close again from more half-cleared corners, but this time sent her effort wide. Sweetman-Kirk and Riglar went close with efforts that just narrowly missed the target. That was more or less that for a first half with Southampton and Rendell doing their best to frustrate United. United were quick out of the blocks after the break and Lord-Mears was at it again from distance with Rendell once again denying our midfielder. The Saints went close shortly after this with Davies again pulling off a cracking save to deny Southampton a second. Changes came as Walters and Brown entered the fray as we looked for an equaliser. The play became a bit more of a war of attrition after this as Southampton managed to keep our creative players at arm's length. The closest United came to an equaliser was just as we entered the final 10 minutes with an Althea Paul corner dropping to Brown in the box about 6 yards out. Unfortunately, the former Forest players effort was straight at Rendell and that was all she wrote on the game as Southampton condemned us to a second home loss of the season. Full credit to Southampton for yesterday's win, they came with a clear gameplan that United just struggled to get on top of. We had the majority of the ball but just couldn't create much with it as Southampton set up a low block to absorb our play and nullify our creative players. On the other hand, however, we saw a keeper in Rendell produce some cracking saves that on another day could have seen us have at least one goal as we went into the break. The second half was a bit more frustrating as Southampton sat back and protected what they had. Frustrating but we go again next week against freshly relegated Birmingham. I'm sure we'll see a positive response from the team! Until next time, UTB.
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AuthorHi my name is John and i will be giving my thoughts on the blades matches and all blades related news in this section Archives
November 2022
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