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We must plug the gaps - Blackwell
SHORING up a leaky backline is Kevin Blackwell's mission as he bids to remedy the club's travel sickness.
The Sheffield United manager is seeking a solution for their woeful away form following his side's sixth successive defeat on the road at Crystal Palace over the weekend.
It has been over three months since Blackwell's troops recorded a shut out on their travels. James Harper's late winner at Plymouth also turned out to be United's last league win away from Bramall Lane.
Having suffered five defeats from their last eight league outings, Blackwell has challenged his players to stop the rot at relegation-haunted Peterborough tonight (7.30pm).
Blackwell, speaking at the club's Shirecliffe training ground yesterday, said: "Our present home form will get us into the play-offs, the away form will keep us out of it; it is as simple as that.
"The first half was disappointing at Palace. Obviously in the second period we got right on top and dominated the game in spells but we are giving ourselves a mountain to climb and it is that which frustrates me.
"Although I thought in the first half that we were poor, Palace never really caused us that many problems but we didn't cause enough problems for them and that is the concern."
Asked to explain why the club's away form has dipped, he added: "There has been massive change in the team; it is down to that. I'm trying to find a system that will suit all these different players.
"When you look at the team from Saturday, it bears no complexion to what we had last season. There was only Nick Montgomery, Stephen Quinn and Chris Morgan who were left.
"It is not as if the team has changed since the beginning of the season; it has changed over the last four weeks."
Injuries and suspensions have decimated Blackwell's squad, and his back four has borne the brunt of their crisis.
Indeed, captain Chris Morgan is the sole survivor of the United back five which reached the play-off final at Wembley 10 months ago.
"You go back to last season and we had a settled back four in Kyle Naughton, Chris Morgan, Matthew Kilgallon, Gary Naysmith and then we had Paddy Kenny in goal," he said. "They played in 80 per cent of the games last season.
"The key is solidity, understanding and continuity. You look at all the teams at the top and that is exactly what they have got.
"We know what the formula is but because of injuries, suspensions and sales of players it has been impossible to get that continuity."
Patching up his side has become a daily ritual for Blackwell. Sengalese international Henri Camara, who notched his first goal for the club against Peterborough in November, is the latest player receiving treatment for a niggle in United's treatment room.
The Blades chief says the 2009/10 campaign has been the "toughest season" of his managerial career and added: "We have had to fight fires all the time and that is what we will continue to do."
Blackwell's troops remain four points shy of the top six, having played a match more than sixth-placed Cardiff.
Time is of the essence for United to arrest their slump in form and qualify for the end of season play-off shoot out.
Blackwell believes the side will be a in with a "great shout" of the promotion shake-up if they can finish their Championship programme as strongly as they did last term.
"If we can replicate our form from last season then we will definitely be in the play-offs so it is all there to play for," he said.
United visit lowly Peterborough, who are the only team in division yet to beat a top-half club this year and have lost eight out of their last 10 league matches.
Blackwell said: "They have a strikeforce in Craig Mackail-Smith, Aaron McLean and Chris Whelpdale who are as good as anything in this league.
"I think they thought they would do better than they have done but unfortunately it has not worked out that way.
"It is always a banana skin playing a side who are rock-bottom and that is what you try and warn the players."
Teams
Peterborough (Possible): Lewis, Little, Morgan, Zakuani, Frecklington, Lee, Rowe, Whelpdale, Green, McLean, Dickinson.
Sheffield United (Possible): Bunn, Nosworthy, Morgan, Bartley, Kallio, Yeates, Williamson or Harper, Montgomery, Cresswell, Ward.
REFEREE: Jarnail Singh: Started refereeing in Wolverhapton 25 years ago. Singh reached class one status in 1990 before prog
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Weather for Sheffield
Thursday 09 February 2012
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