A frustrated Chris Wilder bemoaned the “shocking” goals his Sheffield United side gave away as they tumbled out of the FA Cup at the first hurdle at home to Mansfield Town this afternoon. The 4-3 scoreline to the Stags could have been worse for the Blades, who were 4-1 down just before the hour mark.
Two goals changed the feel of the game slightly and gave them something to chase but they were unable to get a fourth to take the game to extra time as former United manager Nigel Clough enjoyed his return to his former stomping ground.
Wilder made 10 changes to his side, to rest some tired or injured bodies and give others some much-needed minutes, but the starting XI still should have been more than strong enough to take care of the plucky League One side.
But it was them, and their loud travelling supporters, who tasted victory, with the excellent Rhys Oates shining for the Stags and deservedly getting on the scoresheet. “It’s more than disappointing,” Wilder said afterwards.
“I didn’t pick a team to get knocked out of the cup. I said before the game. We’ve got to be on it.The attitude of the team is good. I’m not picking any players that have got poor attitudes or don’t want to run around; they just won’t play.
“I’ve already been asked that question: ‘How was the attitude, how was the approach? ‘I’ve been in that changing room and I’ve been in our changing room. So I know that if you’re off of it, then you get hurt.
“I picked a team to go and win a game of football. I know there might be noise about making too many changes, but I don’t get caught up in it. There are some enforced changes there. I think it just cements how important some players are to this group at this particular moment. There’s an opportunity for players to play.”
United got themselves back level at 1-1 thanks to Gus Hamer’s stunner before a second from former Blade Louis Reed, whose excellent volley had opened the scoring, put the Stags ahead again just before half-time.
A third for Lucas Akins soon after the break gave them breathing space before Oates capped a superb individual display with a fourth. United sub Patrick Bamford pulled one back before Nathan Moriah-Welsh’s own goal made it 4-3, but United could not get another and tumbled out of the competition.
“From a real simplistic point of view, if good players play well individually and do their jobs, then you give yourselves a chance,” Wilder added. “Out of possession and in possession, with the ball and without the ball. Little partnerships, whether it’s the back two, whether it’s the back four, whether it’s the midfield two, whether it’s the front two, whether it’s the wide player and the full-back or whatever.
“But the two centre-halves, after about 20 minutes, got dominated by the centre-forward and the goals are just ridiculously poor goals for individual errors. One player gets himself blocked in on the corner and it’s obviously a really good finish, then it happens again. The timing of the goals, the lead-up to the first goal and, most importantly, the second goal is poor.
“We give away a lazy free kick on the edge of the box, it goes out for a corner and the same player gets blocked in again. And he shouldn’t, because that’s an organisation thing. He’s got a job to do. We’re not daft. We’re not going to say: ‘I tell you what, you have a free shot on the edge of the box.’
For the latest Blades news straight to your inbox, sign up for The Star’s free Sheffield United newsletter
The Star has a dedicated Sheffield United WhatsApp Channel to bring you the latest news, analysis and team & injury updates direct to your phone. Simply click here to join
“There’s somebody in the pack to get out to that one when it gets headed out. The goal just after half-time is poor. We talk about building momentum. Our play was okay in the first half. It was decent. We knew the approach of the opposition, which is absolutely fine. They were always going to sit in and try and hit us on the counter.
“Absolutely no issue about that. We had to break them down, it’s up to us to break them down and we did at times, without finding that last little bit. But when you’re doing that, you just can’t concede really poor goals.
“We said at half-time, we’re 2-1 down but we just need to keep doing what we’re doing, trying to open up, trying to move them about the pitch and find that quality that we’ve got. And then we go 3-1 down and 4-1 down in the space of 10 or 15 minutes and it’s just ridiculous.
“Both goals are shocking. We take a throw on the far side, a centre-half doesn’t deal with it, Gus doesn’t deal with it and then all of a sudden they’re countering on us and score.
“The goals are just absolutely ridiculous. So, in the context of the game, you concede four goals … you shouldn’t have to score four to take it to extra time. And you shouldn’t have to score five to give yourselves a chance of winning it.”
