Boss frustrated by costly mistakes at Bramall Lane
Steve Davis described the three goals we conceded at Sheffield United on Saturday as ‘ridiculous’ and the Crewe Alexandra manager says his side will have to cut out those lapses in concentration or face a battle to remain in League One.
There wasn’t much between the two sides at Bramall Lane on Saturday but the Railwaymen found themselves 2-0 down within half an hour after twice gifting Harry Maguire two free headers from set-plays and then out of it as a contest when Ryan Flynn drilled a shot past Steve Phillips at his near post.
Crewe had initially surrendered possession to Maguire in the Sheffield United half of the field and after the defender had rode a challenge with Ollie Turton, the ball made it out to Flynn on the Crewe right.
The third goal was a killer as Crewe had begun the second half with real purpose and could halved the deficit through Byron Moore but he couldn't quite keep his volley down.
Steve told the club’s official web-site: “If you look at the stats from the game and I don’t take that much notice usually, but I think in relation to this game they are quite important because I didn’t think there was a lot in it.
“I think we would have had more efforts on goal and there wouldn’t have been that much difference in terms of the possession.
“The difference was that we conceded ridiculous goals. We have been done twice at set-plays when George (Ray) should have been marking Maguire on both occasions and I think if it had been 0-0 at half time both teams couldn’t really have complained too much.
“Byron then had a great chance to make 2-1 just into the second half and if that had gone in then it could have been difference because you could sense the crowd were nervy. We would be the same if we were 2-0 up and the other team had created chances due to our position in the league.
“We then give the ball away from our own throw-in and they sent a pass through to the winger. I would expect Steve (Phillips) to have saved that one at his near post, so we were 3-0 down.
“It is the same old mistakes and we are saying the same things over and over again to them at half-time, after the game and during the week. They have to stop making those mistakes because generally the defending wasn’t bad.
The boss added: “Any defender will tell you that they are judged on the mistakes they make.”