Rovers against struggling Blades has all the ingredients for a classic cup tie
BRISTOL Rovers have a fantastic opportunity to cause an FA Cup shock when Sheffield United visit the Memorial Stadium tomorrow.
While Paul Tisdale’s team must have gained confidence from last weekend’s League One win over Blackpool, they will be taking on opponents punch-drunk from losing 15 of their 17 Premiership games this season.
Of course, the Blades have a squad packed with quality players and must be treated with respect. If the game were being played last season, when they did unbelievably well in the top flight, they would be strong favourites.
But I know from bitter experience how difficult it is to snap out of the sort of run Chris Wilder’s team are on. My Blackpool side took only 11 points from our last 18 games in the Premier League during the 2010-11 season and ended up being relegated.
We had taken 28 points from our first 20 fixtures and seemed to be adapting well to life in the Premier League. Maybe we thought we had cracked it and became too open in our style of play,
I remember my old mate Tony Pulis telling me we were playing ‘Russian Roulette football’. Teams were picking us off on the counterattack far too easily because we had committed so many men forward.
From what I have seen of Sheffield United recently, a similar thing appears to be happening. Last season they caught out a lot of top sides by giving their centrebacks freedom to push forward and overloading the flanks.
At every opportunity, they would get crosses into the box and create danger. A lot of supposedly superior opponents couldn’t handle it.
Watching them this season, I can hardly believe the difference. They have actually squandered numerous opportunities to put crosses in and instead given the ball away before causing any problems.
That was certainly the case in their 2-0 defeat at Crystal Palace last Saturday when they were wide open to the counter-attack as the second goal proved. Eberechi Eze was given freedom to run from inside his own half without a serious challenge before scoring from the edge of the box. I am sure Paul Tisdale will have noted that and passed the information on to his players. But before anyone runs away with the idea I am confidently predicting a home win, let me add that my old club will have to work overtime to keep a clean sheet.
If I were in Chris Wilder’s shoes, I would be desperate for a win in any competition to start restoring some self-belief. For that reason alone, I can see him fielding a really strong side, rather than treating the early rounds of the FA Cup as an opportunity to test fringe players as many managers do.
That temptation is there, particularly this season with the heavy fixture congestion cause by Covid-19. Players might need a rest more than any other season, but above all Chris needs a win, whatever the risk.
Incredible as I find it, knowing the man and having huge respect for the jobs he has done at all his clubs, media stories have been circulating suggesting he might resign or be sacked. Defeat by Rovers might be one too many, although if
I were running Sheffield United, I wouldn’t think of allowing Chris to leave.
He has taken his boyhood club from League One to a ninth-place finish in the Premier League. You couldn’t meet a straighter guy and I am proud to consider him a friend.
In a way, I can’t lose with tomorrow’s game. If Rovers win, I will be delighted as a supporter and if they lose, I will be pleased and relieved for Chris.
The opening 20 minutes could prove crucial. Rovers must make a good start to avoid allowing United’s under-fire players to gain confidence. But that doesn’t mean going out with all guns blazing, which could prove suicidal against a side with so many attacking options. It wouldn’t surprise me if Chris had spent the week trying to get his lads to go back to what they were doing last season. And, if that is the case, they will bombard the Rovers box at every opportunity.
My old club need to be prepared for that and concentrate on being solid in the opening exchanges. The longer the game goes with them still in it, the greater the pressure will be on United.
IF they can be defensively strong, Rovers have the players to make an impact at the other end. Brandon Hanlan is capable of causing problems for any backline and I have been hearing some excellent reports about Sam Nicholson.
Both scored against Blackpool, so they will go into the cup tie in high spirits. There is not the pressure of league points being at stake and I hope the players will go out to express themselves and enjoy the occasion.
It’s a real downer that no fans will be there, not just financially for Rovers, but because a big crowd with the home supporters fully backing the underdogs would have made it tougher for the visitors.
Even so, it is a game Rovers will be relishing more than United, who have everything to lose. If they win, the media will report only that did what was expected of them.
To sum up, the Pirates should expect to be severely tested down both wings by a side with a style of football they are not used to encountering.
If Rovers score first, who knows what effect it might have on their opponents? All the ingredients are there for a classic FA Cup thirdround tie.