Sheffield United v Brighton: The Blades view with Vital Blades
Not many sides have enjoyed a rise and fall quite as rapid as Sheffield United and as we spoke to Vital Blades before Brighton make the trip to Bramall Lane, it was hard not to feel sorry for fans of Sean Bean’s favourite club.
In 2017, they were playing League One football. By 2020, they were in contention for a Champions League place. With six games still to play of the 2020-21 season, their relegation back to the Championship has already been confirmed and some Blades fans worry that will not be the end – there is a genuine fear that unless they get Chris Wilder’s replacement right, they could be back in the third tier again.
So, what has gone wrong? Injuries, no supporters meaning that Bramall Lane turned from a fortress into an easy place to visit and just bad luck.
We saw that first hand at the Amex in December when Sheffield United were much the better side despite playing for only an hour with 10 men. Danny Welbeck’s 84th minute equaliser to spare Brighton the blushes of being the first side to lose to the Blades was harsh in the extreme on the visitors.
As Brighton prepare to go to Sheffield United looking to do better this time, Paul Holland from Vital Blades takes us through the current campaign and what the future might hold with the wonderful frankness you expect from a South Yorkshire football supporter.
It has been a bit of a mad season for Sheffield United. I guess we should start on the pitch. Where have things gone wrong?
Everywhere really. Compared to last season, this team has been disjointed and have failed to play with the ebb and flow that distinguished them last season even though except for one or two players, it is the same squad that played for the 2019-20 campaign.
Having said that, they have suffered heavily with injuries and have regularly been forced to change the infamous back three which has been the catalyst in the system for several years.
Jack O’Connell, who was the rock in the defence last season, played in the opening two fixtures before being injured and an operation robbed him from making further appearances this season.
Supporters being unable to attend matches too has affected the team’s mentality, and whilst I wouldn’t wish to use this as the reason behind this seasons failings largely due to 19 other clubs being in the same boat, it has had a distinguishing effect on the team.
From the outside looking in, the decision to sack Chris Wilder appeared strange as he looked the best placed man to bring you back up. What did United fans make of it?
The majority of the supporters believed the same. The football world has witnessed Norwich City regaining promotion back to the Premier League at the first attempt with the same manager that saw them relegated, and United supporters dreamed that we could achieve the same under Wilder. Sadly, it wasn’t to be.
Before Christmas, Wilder was given a vote of confidence by the owner, Prince Abdullah, and stated that he would still be Blades boss even if we were relegated.
My personal opinion are that some things happened behind the scenes that supporters will never find out about. There seemed to be unrest between manager and owner at various points of the season, and I believe it took its toll to boiling point.
What do you think your chances are of making an immediate return to the Premier League? And who do you think replaces Wilder to make that happen?
Wilder spent four and a half years at Sheffield United, building a team and a system to suit himself, and it worked for a large proportion of his tenure.
Now though, I believe that United need to start from scratch. A new manager will have his tactics and formation that may not suit the current crop of players.
Also, with any relegated side, a trimming of the squad may be required, and some players will naturally be headhunted by Premier League clubs.
Who will replace Wilder? Not sure to be honest. Former Watford and Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic is the current front runner, though he doesn’t get my vote.
He may have a CV that is glittered with two promotions, but following promotion to the Premier League, he left the Hornets before they had kicked a ball in the top flight.
At Fulham, he spent over £100 million on transfers and they were still relegated within the space of twelve months. Not that Sheffield United have £100 million to spend, but it raises eyebrows as his pedigree as a manager, and whether he is the right man to manage Sheffield United next season.
Like many clubs, the Blades have had their fair share of periods with managers lasting 12 to 18 months before finding a replacement and this does no good for the health of the club.
The club and its supporters need longevity, and any new manager needs to create a three-season plan in getting us back into the Premier League, otherwise, I fear we will soon be back in League One.
My number one choice, though he may not be available for the job, would be Frank Lampard. Although a relatively fresh manager he did quite well with Derby in his first season, finishing sixth, and took them to the Play-Off Final.
He then moved onto Chelsea and did an exceptional job with the Blues. They finished fourth and he took them to the FA Cup Final, and with a transfer embargo to their name, achieved all this despite being unable to purchase players.
Off the pitch, Prince Musaad Bin Khalid Al Saud stood down as chairman citing “personal reasons”. Was that linked to Wilder’s dismissal or your struggles this season?
It was an unusual and unexpected announcement. Supporters secretly believe that this may have been from the fallout with Wilder but as the statement said he left for personal reasons, and no further comments made, you could throw a dart at a dartboard to find the true reasoning behind the resignation.
We often see relegated sides play with freedom and start picking up results. How do you expect the Blades to approach Saturday’s game?
Sheffield United currently have 14 points and it would be nice to finish the season with more than that tally, but having struggled all season long, supporters don’t see us winning another game this season.
Under 23s manager Paul Heckingbottom – formerly with Leeds and Barnsley – along with former Bournemouth manager Jason Tindall have been in charge since Wilder left and have continued to play his 3-5-2 formation.
The Under 23s, who look set to win their league, regularly play a 4-3-3 formation and I would like the first team to play with a similar style. With relegation already confirmed, we have nothing to lose.
Who do Brighton need to watch out for at the weekend? And what weaknesses could Graham Potter look to exploit?
I cannot imagine that Brighton will have any difficulty in exploiting United’s weakness, which seems to be all areas of the pitch. With seven injuries – including Billy Sharp and Oli McBurnie sidelined for the rest of the season – the Blades are disadvantaged.
They may see midfielder Sander Berge return from injury. He has been absent after losing 3-2 at home to Manchester United on 17th December and is expected to return soon.
It is safe to say that we were very lucky to get a point from you at the Amex, even after you played for an hour with 10 men. What did you make of the game?
It probably is fair to say that Brighton 1-1 Sheffield United was a fortunate result for you! At the time United were chasing their first victory of the season and looked like the game at Brighton was the day the Blades would, finally, get that monkey off their backs.
However, it typified United’s season to get that far with only 10 men and then quite make it. There have been many results where we have lost by a single goal. It is a 90 minute game and if you keep your eye off the ball for even a second, you can be punished, and that is exactly what happened.
Finally, what is the Vital Blades prediction for Sheffield United v Brighton?
It would be great to win a game of football, but having lost their last five matches conceding 13 goals and scoring only once against Leeds, the remainder of the season doesn’t bode well and I am expecting nothing less than a Seagulls victory.
Thanks to Paul for answering our questions. You can read more about Sheffield United and the season they have had at prior to Brighton rocking up to Bramall Lane at Vital Blades or follow Vital Blades on Twitter.
