Sheffield United 1 Ipswich 2: Speed frustrated by Blades defeat

The frustrated Blades boss was left scratching his head after his team never showed signs of dropping their heads despite gifting Ipswich two goals in the first 45 minutes.

Ipswich boss Roy Keane applauded United's spirit after the game but that will be of little comfort to Speed who bristled when asked if he thought the Blades needed a change of luck.

The Welshman wants to be pro-active, using key phrases like perseverance and hard work, to stop his players using Lady Luck as a crutch to lean on to explain losing five of their eight Championship games at Bramall Lane this season.

But even Speed accepts they are being plagued by a terrible run of bad fortune when it comes to picking up injuries.

Even before the season started, Simon Walton had not kicked a ball in anger before his Blades career was over before it had started with a cruciate ligament injury in pre-season.

Star striker Darius Henderson has been on the sidelines since April with a detached hamstring tendon, and last week captain Chris Morgan – such a pivotal figure for this Blades team – was ruled out for the season with a cruciate ligament injury.

It is that freak run of injuries which meant Speed was hardly surprised to have new loan signing Andy Reid ruled out of making his Blades debut after moving on a month's deal from Sunderland.

The Republic of Ireland international midfielder tweaked a hamstring in training, although Speed is hopeful he will recover in time for Wednesday's trip to Leicester.

"It's difficult at the moment, there's no doubting that," said Speed. "We just have to keep going, can't feel sorry for ourselves or make excuses. It's all about hard work and doing the right things on the training pitch and that's what we have to do.

"We work ever so hard and you feel if you keep on persevering you might get a bit of luck along the way. But it's not all about luck, it's about doing the right things and we didn't do the right things.

"You can't blame luck all the time, Ian Rush scored over 300 goals. He wasn't just lucky all the time, was he? It's not all about luck, you have to show perseverance and work hard.

"I can't fault the hard work, the desire to win of the players. But with the set of players that we have here that's always going to happen. As soon as they don't, they're out of here."

With Morgan absent, Kyle Bartley partnered Johnny Ertl at the heart of the Blades' defence with Matt Lowton slotting in at right-back in place of Andy Taylor.

Speed said they had worked on defending set pieces on Friday, but there was little sign of that 24 hours later as Ipswich took the lead with their first meaningful attack.

A long throw went unchallenged, Jack Colback was allowed the freedom to head the ball goalwards and Tamas Priskin poached the goal with a neat flick to leave Steve Simonsen stranded in United's goal.

It was a poor start for the hosts and they were lucky not to be trailing 2-0 when Priskin burst clear but struck the outside of a post.

United went close to equalising but some frantic defending by Ipswich saw Tom Eastman clear off the line after good work from Richard Cresswell and Jamie Ward before Mark Yeates fired wide into the Kop.

The equaliser they had been threatening finally came on the half hour as Stephen Quinn pounced on a poor clearance to shoot low beyond Marton Fulop.

Just as the Blades were looking forward to their half-time cuppa they once again showed slack marking in the centre of defence to gift the visitors a goal.

Grant Leadbitter's long cross should have been cleared but Gareth McAuley was given time to head the ball up in the air then let it fall to his feet before firing home through a static Blades defence.

Speed sent on Ched Evans at half-time, replacing Ward, but it was Ipswich who threatened first when an ambitious shot from just inside the Blades' half by Leadbitter was plucked from under his crossbar by Simonsen.

United were unlucky not to be level though. First Yeates saw his long-range effort crash back off the crossbar, then Quinn had reasonable claims for a penalty when McAuley seemed to block a cross with his hands. At the other end McAuley saw his free header comfortably saved by Simonsen.

Cresswell was hauled down on the edge of the penalty area by Damien Delaney, who was booked, but Quinn's subsequent free kick was diverted for a corner.

Substitute Daniel Bogdanovic glanced his header wide and with five minutes of stoppage time being played, Evans had a great chance to equalise but toe-poked his effort at Fulop.

Speed said: "It's obviously disappointing, frustrating. Two sloppy goals have cost us.

"With the situation at the moment, the form we're in and the run of results we're in then when you go a goal behind, you give yourself a mountain to climb.

"They got themselves back into it through their workrate, which we always have, but then they've given it away again with another soft goal. You can't keep giving goals away like that and expect to win games."

Sheffield United: Simonsen, Nosworthy, Ertl (Bogdanovic 79), Bartley, Lowton, Yeates, Britton, Quinn, Montgomery, Cresswell, Ward (Evans 45). Unused substitutes: Wright, Kozluk, Calve, Taylor, Parrino.

Ipswich Town: Fulop, McAuley, Smith, Delaney, Eastman (Brown 85), Leadbitter, Livermore, Edwards, Colback, Scotland (Whickham 56), Priskin (Peters 72). Unused substitutes: Murphy, Townsend, Murray, Hyam.

MATCH FOCUS

Hero: Gary Speed

In a profession where managers are so quick to blame bad luck, the referee, or the mother-in-law, it was refreshing to listen to an articulate young manager who is just starting out on what should be a long coaching career.

Villain: Blades' defence

Sloppy defending gifted visitor Ipswich Town both of their goals. Without the bulky Chris Morgan, players like Kyle Bartley and Johnny Ertl, above, will

need to develop quickly a mean streak at the back.

Key moment

40th minute. Gareth McAuley must have a personal hygene problem. That's the only thing whuch might explain why the Blades' defence stood off the centre-half, allowing him to bring down and control the ball before firing home the goal which ultimately proved to be winner.

Ref Watch

Graham Salisbury: Gave Ipswich the benefit of the doubt on two decisions, Gareth McAuley's handball claim and only booking Damien Delaney for hauling down Richard Cresswell on the edge of the area.

Verdict

United stand just a point off the relegation zone, and with five losses so far at Bramall Lane, it was no surprise to hear the home fans boo their team off the pitch.

Quote of the day

You can't blame luck all the time, Ian Rush scored over 300 goals. He wasn't just lucky all the time was he?

Blades boss Gary Speed. How he would love to have a finisher like Rush.bre.

Who's next?

Leicester City; Wednesday, November 10, Walkers Stadium; Championship.

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