Another strange game to dissect as until the red card, United were second best and a struggling Derby side should have been out of sight. The Blades had started ok and maybe shaded the first 10-15 but the visitors stated to physically impose themselves and we struggled to get out. The Rams won corner after corner and then in game of few chances, they started to exploit gaps and should have been ahead before they were. Cooper made two outstanding saves; they hit the post and finally they get the lead they fully merited. It had been coming for the 5-10 minutes before they did score.

United were dreadful for the most part. Slow, no real clear possession in the Derby half that caused problems and resorted to long balls. This would have been fine if we had some of the muscular forwards Derby had but we have some of the timidest forwards/wingers in the league starting. There was no clear plan at all and against an awful visiting side that had won 1 in 14, they coped with us easily, even with a makeshift defence. It was wretched stuff and rightly United were booed off drawing the thumbs up from Wilder. The game was played in appalling weather conditions and not helped by a referee that seemed to lose control early – failing to clamp down on some cynical fouls both ways and totally inconsistent with his decisions.

We made no changes which was incredible and it did not improve. We barely had an attack of note for the first 20 minutes of the second half. Derby did not offer much but did not need to. They were really comfortable and could not see United creating anything at all. Seriki and Donovan then come on and give us a spark. Seriki’s run sees the second yellow and a red card. We then are handed a huge lift, when we never looked like coming back. Donovan gets on the ball and starts running at them. He has a few efforts and crosses and finally the keeper is having to work after being totally unemployed. The leveller comes from a superb Donovan cross. Campbell comes on after Bamford got clattered, bravely scoring, and actually was the best he had looked for a while. We suddenly look dangerous and move it wide and get some decent balls in. Chong, Seriki, Burrows and of course Donovan were the main architects of chances but Phillips was the fulcrum in our improvements. We create a series of chances and Zetterstrom made 2 or 3 astonishing saves. The one from Campbell was outrageously good and then the late one from Peck – and the follow up from Burrows, superb reaction stops. Somehow, they cling on despite it seeming inevitable we would get a winner. I think if the games goes on another 5 minutes, we would have won, but sadly we left it too little, too late. In the end, we are probably fortunate in some ways to get a draw after being awful for 70 minutes. They should have finished us off when they had chance. The red card and the subs changed the game and we suddenly then are camped in their last third and really with more composure, better finishing and worse keeping, we get a win that we did not deserve.

A few came out saying they were not sure how we did not win it but equally we could have been 2 or 3 down before the red card? So, whilst Derby will be delighted to battle for the draw at the end, on reflection, they were the better side for most of the game until the stupid second yellow from Sanderson – that effectively cost them the game. I was not that disappointed not to win in the end, despite the late flurry. We certainly did not do enough to win the game and overall, there are more questions than answers again. Derby have been absolutely dire most of the season and should have been there for the taking but another timid, slow and clueless first half performance, with a dreadful team selection sees more pressure put on Wilder. I am not sure how he can defend how we played for 70 minutes- we may have seen some slight improvements in the last 3 games, but overall, the game today was similar to how we have performed much of the season. Players who look slow, weak and largely lacking the drive/courage to take games to other teams but also ultimately no clear sense of tactics, direction or style of play. It was absolutely dire to watch for 70 minutes with backwards; sideways play normally ended with an aimless punt to four weak and slow forward players. Arblaster was non existent in midfield with Phillips having to do the work of two men and Tanganga and Kitching struggled with physical and aggressive forwards (how we wished for players with these characteristics?) and slowly they penned us back. If they had been more clinical, the game is done at half time and Wilder would have had far more derision than he rightly got.

I cannot fathom how we are trying to play but even if he has not style/tactics or plan to effectively move the ball up the field/put sustained pressure on opponents, he needs to pick his better players. Leaving Donovan out is absolutely ridiculous. I get that Seriki was coming back so may not be risked from the start and Arblaster did ok last week but we are not helping ourselves with the players he is fielding in certain positions. BBD and Chong (did improve second half with more space) are pitifully bad. Weak, lacking aggression and dynamism and slow and predictable. Also, both have the heart of a pea. Throw in the wretched Cannon (so weak and does not read anything) who is largely anonymous most week, we have big issues. Even Bamford has been himself this season but has nicked some goals and scored a few good ones a few weeks ago. Least he might find a moment.

It is remarkable still we are middle of the league with the complete and utter lack of a plan in games. Tactically we are absolutely woeful. Just shows how bad the rest of the league is, if there are so many teams below us. However, as Derby showed, if we continue in this vein, we will probably be moving downwards than upwards. We need some results the next 3 or 4, as late November and December’s fixtures are ominous.

I am sure some will say I have gone over the top, but the final part of the game hugely papers over the cracks of a really poor performance. Only Cooper and Phillips (partly at fault for the goal) came out with any real credit up the red card. The fact our subs were our best players after those two, summed up how poor the rest of the starters were. I am sick of watching a slow, unfit team of players that cannot run and they are largely a really unlikeable bunch. The re-signings of Choudhury and BBD were unbelievably bad moves and Wilder has to take full responsibility for this. Neither should be anywhere near a competent Championship team. Their legs have gone completely. Throw in Ayew, Doherty and Rothwell and their needs to be some severe questioning of our recruitment but make no mistake, these are all Wilder signings. We did seem to have found a gem in Donovan but he does not play him. This is frankly pathetic. He will go back in January and go on loan to a team that will use him. For Wilder to say people would moan if we did not play BBD or Chong over him, shows how out of touch he is. Also, I thought he did not listen to outside noise? It is sad what Wilder has become. The crowds are dwindling and whilst the loss of key players has not helped it only serves to show that he was relying on individuals to get him and the side out of the cart. Now we need to have a structure and get the best out of what we have but he is failing in this regard badly. I look at sides like WBA, Swansea and QPR and wonder why they are doing so much better and far more exciting to watch?

It is a draw at home and we have not lost so maybe I am over reacting. We are sat in the middle, which is about where I expected so in that regard perhaps, I should be more realistic. We did ok in the last three games and maybe with a bit of luck get something at Pompey – to add to the wins at Bristol and against Lincoln.

However, the entertainment and level of performances have been really bad this season. We showed some fight at the end but it was only really down to Donovan and the red card. I want us to control games, move the ball at pace, use our better attacking talents but we seem safe, conservative and dull. Even if we managed to stay away from the bottom places, which we may well do, due to some of the bad teams I discussed earlier, the supporters are not going to keep coming and watching such a poor standard of football. We have another physical and direct side to come in Wrexham and expect Moore to cause the same problems as some of the Derby front lads – they beat us easily in both games last season and I think it will be a tough game against a better opponent than whom we faced today. Maybe he plays his better players and maybe somehow, we have a plan or some kind of tactics but after so many games, I am not confident this suddenly happens.
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