Report | Sheffield United 2-0 Argyle
The 2-0 scoreline that Argyle lost by at Sheffield United tells very little of the Greens' trip to South Yorkshire to meet the promotion favourites.
Goals, one in each half, from Gustavo Hamer and Kieffer Moore, the latter from the penalty spot, were the nominal difference between the sides.
For Argyle, the visible difference in their recent performances, especially away from home, was a marked one. The shame was that it came against arguably the best team in the league – certainly the one with by far the meanest defence on their own patch.
A natural talking point coming in the game was always going to be former Argyle goalkeeper Michael Cooper, playing against the Greens for the first time since leaving in August. However, his and the Blades’ astonishing form at home, especially countered with Argyle’s struggles on the road, brought things into stark contrast.
For Argyle, with two points from ten games, and three goals scored, on their travels, to head to Bramall Lane to meet a side who had drawn one and won eight of their nine home games, was always going to be tough. Throw in that the only two goals let in by the Blades at their base came in their first game, a 2-2 draw with Queens Park Rangers, which came before Cooper had joined, and there was a story waiting to be written.
In the end, it turned out to be a very different tale told, and an unlikely, complex one it was. Essentially, Argyle looked confident, played stylishly, and took the game to a side expected to wipe the floor with them. Few inside the home ranks of supporters would have left thinking ill of the Pilgrims, who belied the points and positional difference between the clubs.
That Sheffield United won 2-0 is a credit to their solidity and resilience, as well as a bit of a lack of finishing power from their visitors. That said, United’s record shows that the Blades can blunt any side’s cutting edge.
When the teamsheets came in, none of the three changes of personnel made by Wayne Rooney were defenders, but there was a shuffle to the Argyle backline. Kornel Szucs, who played at right-back against Swansea City on Tuesday, returned to central defence alongside Lewis Gibson, meaning Brendan Galloway, in turn, shifted over to left-back. Bali Mumba, who had started against the Swans in a wide midfield berth, fitted in on the right of the back four.
Rami Al Hajj made his first Argyle start since the win over Portsmouth on 5 November, joining a midfield with Adam Randell and Darko Gyabi, while Michael Obafemi and Ryan Hardie were also back in the side, playing as part of a front three, with Mustapha Bundu.
Argyle had the game’s first real chance. A steady build-up, through several players, got the ball to Bundu on the right wing, and though his clipped cross was just too far in front of a diving-headlong Hardie, Obafemi did arrive to shoot but, arriving at the far post, could not wrap his foot around the ball to get it on target.
Shortly afterwards, on 16 minutes, a Sheffield United free-kick was headed out to Callum O’Hare, whose dipping shot was plenty over. The header partially cleared had come to the frustration of Harry Souttar, who had pulled away into space and would have been relishing his chance, was it not for Bundu getting there first.
A few minutes later, United took the lead. A right-wing corner from Harrison Burrows was headed away by Gibson but fell to Hamer just outside the area. The Brazilian let fly, first time, and saw his sweetly-struck effort fly in.
Argyle’s reaction, in the minutes following going behind, augured well, especially for a side that has occasionally found that going behind has shaken their foundations.
Firstly, Al Hajj pounced on a loose ball not far outside United’s penalty area and whipped a shot not far wide of the post. A minute later, Obafemi beat a man on the left and fired in a low cross-cum-shot which was just a bit too hot for Hardie to handle.
Argyle, a goal down to the divisional favourites, were not playing like the pushovers they were perceived to be. From a Randell burst through midfield, he released Obafemi, who again beat a player on the flank before crossing, this time to Al Hajj, whose flicked effort frustratingly found Cooper’s hands.
Then came one of those chances on which games can turn. Obafemi and Galloway hassled their way to the byline on the left, and although the low cross for Hardie was blocked, it fell to Gyabi, with the goal gaping – but he put it wide. There is no sugar-coating it – he should have scored. But that Argyle were the team consistently putting themselves in these positions was pleasing, despite the scoreline favouring the home side.
Even though their team was winning, there was a sense inside Bramall Lane - from the home supporters, anyway – that they expected to have polished off ‘struggling Plymouth’ long before now.
Argyle pushed as the interval loomed, although it left them susceptible to a breakway, and it took a very good recovery tackle from Gibson when Ryan Oné looked to be favourite to double the Blades’ lead.
It was a similar story after the break, with Argyle’s all-round game only missing a goal. It says much that, just seven minutes after the restart, Sheffield United made a triple change to shake things up.
The Pilgrims kept on coming, with Gibson heading against the post – although Cooper likely had it covered – from a free-kick, but United were also showing signs of hunger for a second goal. From a low, early cross from the left, it took a very good sliding block by Gibson, doing his defensive duties to stop the ball reaching a poised Kieffer Moore, not long on as a substitute.
On 62 minutes, for the first time in the game, Cooper was called into serious action, and he made a characteristically superb save to push a deft Hardie header that looked like it was just about creeping in the corner.
With just over 15 minutes remaining, Argyle introduced the experienced heads of Adam Forshaw and Andre Gray, for Gyabi and Hardie, as the ‘gyles sought a bit of guile to guide them through. This was followed by a double switch on the wings, with Callum Wright and Freddie Issaka on for Obafemi and Bundu.
The Blades, though, are harder to pass than a soup-plaiting exam – even their assistant manager is called Knill – and as well as holding firm, United got a late goal to finally put to bed their stubborn visitors.
A penalty was given – rightly – for a foul by Galloway on Davies, with Devonian Moore confidently stroking home.
That, then, was that, but the audible positivity from the 1,100-strong Green Army at the full-time whistle told of their appreciation from the efforts they witnessed.
Argyle: 31 Daniel Grimshaw, 2 Bali Mumba, 6 Kornel Szucs, 9 Ryan Hardie (19 Andre Gray, 74), 14 Michael Obafemi (35 Freddie Issaka, 80), 15 Mustapha Bundu (11 Callum Wright, 80), 17 Lewis Gibson (capt), 18 Darko Gyabi (27 Adam Forshaw, 74), 20 Adam Randell, 22 Brendan Galloway, 28 Rami Al Hajj. Substitutes: 21 Conor Hazard (gk), 3 Nathanael Ogbeta, 4 Jordan Houghton, 5 Julio Pleguezuelo, 44 Victor Palsson.
Booked: Szucs 60, Gyabi 68.
Sheffield United: 1 Michael Cooper, 2 Alfie Gilchrist, 6 Harry Souttar, 8 Gus Hamer, 10 Callum O’Hare (7 Rhian Brewster, 86), 11 Jesarun Rak-Sakyi (16 Jamie Shackleton, 52), 14 Harrison Burrows (3 Sam McCallum, 52), 19 Jack Robinson (capt), 22 Tom Davies (33 Rhys Norrington-Davies, 89), 39 Ryan Oné (9 Kieffer Moore, 53), 42 Sydie Peck. Substitutes: 17 Adam Davies (gk), 26 Jamal Baptiste, 35 Andre Brooks, 41 Billy Blackler.
Goals: Hamer 19, Moore 88.
Attendance: 27,237 (1,100 away approx.)
Referee: Farai Hallam
