Kevin Gage's Sheffield United Column: Blades start Steel City Derby as huge favourites

Among the thousands of words - or maybe, in this social media age, hundreds of thousands of words - to be written regarding the upcoming Sheffield Derby, you'll no doubt come across some of the same old, well-worn clichés that usually get trotted out.
Kevin Gage ColumnKevin Gage Column
Kevin Gage Column

A favourite is that “form goes out the window”. Another is along the lines of “it’s too close to call, it could go either way”. There’ll be plenty of others too, but you get my drift. The game will no doubt be billed as a tense, tight, test between two evenly matched sides.

But, and here I risk opening up myself to abuse from the usual suspects, I genuinely don’t think that at this moment in time, these two sides are evenly matched at all, either on the pitch, or indeed in certain areas off it. In fact I believe the Blades are huge favourites on Friday and justifiably so.

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I can already hear the rumblings of discontent from across the city starting so, before the howls of derision from S6 get too loud, I’d best explain myself.

It’s usually said the league table doesn’t lie and with over half a season gone, and despite one or two minor fibs along the way maybe, I think we accept that’s true. So with the Blades sat in seventh, the two clubs are currently nine places apart and we have a 12 point cushion. Not only that but the feeling inside the club is that we are five points light of a total our performances recently have deserved. The so-called ‘gap’ could arguably be quite a bit bigger! Leaving that claim aside, the league table therefore says we are the better team, and remember, it doesn’t lie.

The game is also at The Lane and our home displays in particular this season have been consistently impressive. We’ve deservedly beaten the current top two quite easily, and thoroughly trounced various others. Even the home games we’ve narrowly lost have seen us dominate the opposition and leave the field to standing ovations from the terraces.

In short, at home, we are a force to be reckoned with. We also have a somewhat unique style of attacking, free-flowing football, and not many teams have proven they can cope with it. Wednesday have tried once already this season, and we all know how that turned out.

Full-back Kevin Gage played for United in the Premier LeagueFull-back Kevin Gage played for United in the Premier League
Full-back Kevin Gage played for United in the Premier League
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The recent turmoil off the pitch at Hillsborough, with all the managerial uncertainty and behind-the-scenes shenanigans, has also now seemingly filtered through to performances on it, epitomised maybe by the Burton game and result. Results like that hit a football team’s confidence hard... very hard.

Injuries have also played a part and decimated their squad, and whilst the Blades have also had a few important players missing for a while, we’ve coped and we’ve adapted. It all leads to the conclusion that I feel the absolute last team Sheffield Wednesday will want to be facing in their next league fixture is their fired up, pumped up, full-of-confidence neighbours.

By the way Owls fans, we understand turmoil. We’ve been there. We feel your pain. We lost 3-0 to Southend at home last season, and you helped consign us to those six long years spent in League One! We’ve had more than our fair share of turmoil, thanks.

But that was then, and this is now and at this moment in time, our club and team are in a good place. On the pitch, our team is full of confidence as the powerful and hugely impressive display at Derby County showed. We are close to being back to our very best, and we are once again eyeing up the top six, but with real designs of a place in the top two come May.

Chris Wilder manager of Sheffield Utd :  Simon Bellis/SportimageChris Wilder manager of Sheffield Utd :  Simon Bellis/Sportimage
Chris Wilder manager of Sheffield Utd : Simon Bellis/Sportimage
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Key players are now playing consistently well, and not only ‘finding their feet’ in the Championship, but thriving in it. Off the pitch, we are led by a proven, successful management team, who in a football sense ‘speak our language’.

We relate to them as people and know they have our clubs best interests at heart with red and white running deep in their veins. Long may that continue as well.

So to revert to the original cliché theme, it’s a game of football and “anything can happen”, therefore only a complete fool will say with any certainty what the score or outcome will be. But sensible, objective, rational, intelligent fans from both sides will look at all the evidence, make an informed judgement and see that it all SHOULD add up to a Blades victory.

On the day, with an average share of the luck, refereeing decisions, bounce of the ball, and all the other variables, then I can genuinely and realistically only see one possible outcome.

Full-back Kevin Gage played for United in the Premier LeagueFull-back Kevin Gage played for United in the Premier League
Full-back Kevin Gage played for United in the Premier League
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It’s been a long time since us Blades went into a Sheffield Derby EXPECTING to win instead of just merely hoping we would, but this team and this manager has given us that belief. Even if the result somehow doesn’t go our way, we absolutely know that it won’t be for lack of wanting or willing amongst anyone who pulls on that red and white shirt.

But then as Blades fans, we’re lucky, as we get that commitment each and every game from our team, and we now expect nothing less.

So yes, we’re confident. Not over confident, nor hopefully too cocky. Just confident in our team, and with the utmost confidence in our manager.

And also confident because these days we are a team, and a club, now united... Sheffield United

Let’s do this. Bring it on.