WILDER LABELS DEFEAT ‘REALITY CHECK’
HONEST Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder believes his side’s midweek defeat at QPR could be a blessing in disguise.
His troops went into the match top of the Championship but slipped back to third after losing 1-0 at Loftus Road.
Idrissa Sylla bagged a fourth-minute winner for the R’s after Blades keeper Jamal Blackman collided with team-mate Cameron Carter-Vickers and spilled the ball into his path.
After his nasty landing, Chelsea loanee Blackman, 24, had to be stretchered off following lengthy treatment.
“Maybe it’s a little bit of a reality check for everyone,” said Wilder. “Everyone’s received an enormous amount of credit and praise and we, including me, are all ready and willing to take that.
“I reminded the players it’s how you go from that position and we took a backward step tonight.
“It wasn’t a Sheffield United performance.
“We were outworked in certain areas.”
Wilder believes his players must stick to the game-plan that has brought them so much success if they are to progress.
“It was a real wake-up call,” added Wilder.
“It seemed the players took things into their own hands a little bit and didn’t play as a team.
“We didn’t work the ball around the pitch as a team, like we do, didn’t win enough individual battles and first and second balls.”
Blackman, meanwhile, remained in the capital to be assessed by parent club Chelsea for a back injury.
Wilder admitted it was a blow to lose the keeper for yesterday’s clash with Hull but felt it was the right decision to take extra precautions with the player.
He said: “It made sense, given where we were, for Jam to stay down there for Chelsea to have a look at him.”