DROPPING LIKE A STONE
Blades are down with an embarrassing lack of fight . . . now can they avoid another survival battle next season?
ABROKEN dressing room, an ageing squad, no leaderlike figure on the touchline. The inquest has started at Sheffield United with many questions to answer. Does anybody have Chris Wilder’s number?
Saturday night’s 1-0 loss at Wolves, courtesy of a Willian Jose goal, confirmed the Blades joined Huddersfield (2019), Derby (2008) and Ipswich (1995) in being relegated after just 32 games — no club has gone down from the Premier League having played fewer matches.
Relegation is a lonely place at the best of times. But at an empty Molineux, it was a rather eerie exit, like they had left the party without a goodbye.
When the postmortem is complete at Bramall Lane, maybe they will conclude it was ‘second-season syndrome’ after finishing ninth last term. But it is deeper than that. How can a team go from playing an exciting brand of football that scared many of the big boys to this mess on and off the field?
‘It’s been a real shame that we haven’t had the fans to help drive us on,’ said caretaker boss Paul Heckingbottom. ‘It’s been a sad finish to an unbelievable four or five years.’
It is a fair point. A packed Bramall Lane was a scary prospect for any team. Most fans would have taken two seasons in the Premier League if offered it a few years ago.
But those supporters will be embarrassed by the way their side have gone without a fight.
Injuries are another reason — star defender Jack O’Connell has missed the majority of the season after knee surgery, while Sander Berge’s hamstring issues have been frustrating. Dean Henderson’s return to Manchester United has been felt, too, with Aaron Ramsdale not replacing the commanding presence of Old Trafford’s new No 1.
Winning the race for £23million Rhian Brewster’s signature was seen as a coup by many at the start of the season. But his goal tally speaks volumes: a big, fat zero. ‘The journey is starting again now with the financial benefit of two seasons in the Premier League,’ added Heckingbottom. ‘Keeping the squad together is a priority.’
When Wilder took over, the club was languishing in League One. Now they start the new era in the ‘level playing field’ of the second tier, as Heckingbottom put it. So from here it goes one of two ways. Do the Blades capitulate to the bottom of the Championship and beyond, like Sunderland,
Huddersfield, Hull and many others have done in recent years? Or are they smart with recruitment and able to bounce back like Norwich already have done and Watford look set to do? ‘I wholeheartedly agree with Norwich’s approach,’ said Heckingbottom. ‘That’s good management and a good strategy. Every club can do that, maybe not as well, but that’s got to be the aim.’ The club will appoint a new boss and not give Heckingbottom the full-time role, with an announcement set to be made in the coming weeks. ‘It’s a fantastic club with an ambition to get back,’ added Heckingbottom. ‘There will be people ringing up, knocking the door down, to present themselves to be the man to bring Sheffield United back.’ WOLVES (3-4-1-2): Patricio 7; Boly 6.5, Coady 6, Saiss 6.5; Semedo 6.5, Dendoncker 6, Moutinho 7, Ait-Nouri 6; Podence 6.5 (Vitinha 72min, 6); TRAORE 7.5, Willian Jose 7 (Silva 77). Subs not used: Ruddy, Hoever, GibbsWhite, Richards, Kilman, Otasowie, Corbeanu. Scorer: Willian Jose 60. Booked: Podence. Manager: Nuno Espirito Santo 6.5. SHEFF UTD (3-5-2): Ramsdale 7; Egan 6, Ampadu 6 (Bogle 83), Bryan 6; Baldock 6.5, Fleck 5, Norwood 6.5, Osborn 6 (Mousset 75, 6), Stevens 6.5; Brewster 6 (Burke 75), McGoldrick 5. Subs not used: Foderingham, Lundstram, Lowe, Jagielka, Brunt, Gordon. Booked: Brewster, Stevens. Manager: Paul Heckingbottom 6. Robert Jones 5.5.