Sponsored by
Lane defence crisis forces United to act
SHEFFIELD United are expected to re-enter the transfer market this week in an effort to solve the defensive crisis which threatens to undermine their season.
Kevin Blackwell, the Championship club's manager, has identified a centre-half and a right-back as his number one priorities during the emergency loan window after losing Chris Morgan and Kyle Walker.
According to Blackwell, Morgan faces "at least three to four weeks" on the sidelines after being diagnosed with a muscle tear following Tuesday's visit to Watford.
With Matthew Kilgallon, whose partnership with Morgan underpinned United's charge into last season's play-off final, completing a controversial move to Sunderland recently, Blackwell's problems were compounded when Tottenham Hotspur chose to revoke Walker's loan on the eve of the defeat at Vicarage Road.
Despite completing temporary deals for Fulham's Toni Kallio and Nyron Nosworthy, Kilgallon's teammate at the Stadium of Light, Blackwell still faces being left desperately short of options as United's campaign enters a critical phase, starting with tomorrow's trip to Preston North End.
"One minute we thought we had everything settled," he said. "And then, bang, almost nothing.
"The difficulty is that we're going through one of the busiest periods in the fixture calendar at the moment.
"There is never a good time for something like this.
"But it's hard to think of a worse one either."
With relations between United and Spurs soured by the Walker episode, Blackwell is unlikely to take advantage of a gentleman's agreement with Harry Redknapp that players on the fringes of the Lond-oners' squad would be made available should the need arise.
But his dealings with Sunderland, where former United full-back Phil Bardsley is believed to be available, before Nosworthy's release could persuade Blackwell to once again look north.
However, he conceded that filling to void created by Morgan's absence could prove virtually impossible.
"Ideally we need someone who is experienced, can handle the pressures that come with representing a club like ours and who is playing regularly," Blackwell said. "But if someone is going to be let out on loan it means they're unlikely to be playing regularly.
"So it could be a case of doing the best we can and trying to get someone here who has played a fair bit rather than not at all."
What do you think? Add your comments below.
READ MORE
Subscribe to The Star or Green 'Un
Visit our Matchday Centre for free live coverage of every match
Football headlines. Football gossip. Blades news Owls news Reds news. Millers news. More rugby. More boxing. Sports columnists.
All sport categories
Free E-Mag: Premier League 2009-10 Preview
Watch Premiership highlights, international football, golf, tennis, darts and much more - click here
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Sheffield
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: East
