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Coyle had promised changes ahead of the game but in reality there was only one with an additional change because of injury. Jon Harley was ruled out with a hamstring injury and that saw Stephen Jordan back in the starting line up for the first time since the home defeat to Bristol City in December.
The only other change brought Andrew Cole back into the side with Joey Gudjonsson left on the bench. I'd assumed that would see Kyle Lafferty back on the left hand side but it was Robbie Blake who was shunted out there. There was also one significant change on the bench with Michael Duff involved with the first team squad for the first time since he suffered his multiple knee injuries in the home game against Crystal Palace in September.
We were done by Norwich coming out of the traps right from the start last week but we'd learned nothing and it could have been just the same here. Sheffield United came at us from the off and we had a difficult opening period. Thankfully this time we didn't concede and Brian Jensen had just the one on target effort to deal with.
Eventually we started to come into the game and for a time we enjoyed a lot of possession although in truth we never really looked as though we might score. The build up always looked slow and laboured and although we did get a couple of efforts in on goal they weren't, other than a Chris McCann shot that was blocked, really threatening.
The Blades looked sharper than us in attack and having gone close in one counter attack they took the lead with a goal that again we made a massive contribution to. Stephen Quinn broke and was brought down needlessly by David Unsworth. It got the central defender a yellow card, and even more abuse from the supporters of his former club, and it gave Sheffield United a free kick at least 35 yards from our goal.
"James Beattie scored a goal from this position in the week," I was reminded, "I hope we've done our homework." Whether we had or we hadn't it made no difference, Beattie's free kick sailed into the net to Jensen's right and we were behind again. Incredibly this is the twelfth home game in which we've found ourselves at least one goal behind this season.
When Sheffield Wednesday took the lead at the Turf on Boxing Day we responded within a minute, and the same nearly happened again to United. Cole got in a cross from the right and Lafferty's close range effort was superbly saved by Tyrone Dobbs look-a-like Paddy Kenny.
We continued to attack, with not enough conviction, and when the half time whistle blew we went in a goal behind.
After the break is was much more of the same. A weak effort from Robbie was saved and Lafferty failed to get a shot in from a Jordan cross. Still we were in the ascendancy. That was until they scored again.
It was another shocker of a goal to concede. David Cotterill got down the right hand side and beat Jordan far too easily but even so the cross should have been dealt with. How on earth did Billy Sharp get in such an easy header?
From that point on I don't think anyone in the ground thought we could pull it back and despite continuing to have a lot of the play we didn't really threaten. Then with ten minutes to go we got ourselves a lifeline. Joey Gudjonsson, on for the out of form James O'Connor, played in Cole and the striker did the rest with a shot across Kenny.
He almost snatched a second too, but Kenny did well to save and that, as they say, was that. Another home defeat and the season over, we will be playing Championship football again next season. It is hardly a surprise to be honest that we've not made it, a quick look at the results will show that our form since the beginning of February has been that of a side at the bottom of the table.
This was another very disappointing performance and there can be no complaints that an average (if that) Sheffield United side went away with all three points. Their manager Kevin Blackwell comes in for some stick at times but I think that's three wins and a draw he's had in four visits to Burnley as a manager.
So it is Championship football next season - more of the same some will say. I hope to hell it is not more of the same because quite frankly the 'Turf Moor Experience' is now becoming very much an unpleasant experience.
We've got cheap whacky-warehouse style family entertainment, a team that loses as often as it wins at home, and now the most appalling harassment from stewards in the Longside Upper that will simply drive people away. Next Saturday morning I'll be setting off for Southampton, I'll be relieved it is an away game because home games, and all the crap that surrounds them, are something I no longer look forward to. Add performances like this and it really does at times make you wonder why on earth you are there.
The teams were;
Burnley: Brian Jensen, Graham Alexander, Steven Caldwell, David Unsworth, Stephen Jordan, Wade Elliott, James O'Connor (Joey Gudjonsson 61), Chris McCann, Robbie Blake (Ade Akinbiyi 61), Andrew Cole, Kyle Lafferty. Subs not used: Gabor Kiraly, Michael Duff, Mark Randall.
Sheffield United: Paddy Kenny, Derek Geary, Chris Morgan, Matthew Kilgallon, Gary Naysmith, David Cotterill (Ugo Ehiogu 90), Gary Speed, Michael Tonge, Stephen Quinn, James Beattie (Keith Gillespie 77), Billy Sharp (Rob Hulse 66). Subs not used: John Halls, Jonathan Stead.
Referee: Mick Russell (Herts).
Attendance: 11,693.
