Sheffield United fan column: Do the Blades lack strength in depth to stand out above the crowd?

As the season nears its halfway point United are one of a number of teams of very similar ability and inconsistencies, any of which are capable of finishing in the top six.
Mark DuffyMark Duffy
Mark Duffy

On the evidence so far, there is no team as outstanding as Wolverhampton Wanderers or Fulham a year ago, nor one with the Neil Warnock factor.

It's difficult to pick out the best team we have played - perhaps Derby County in the second half '“ but I'd go for Leeds United to take the title.

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They showed that ruthless streak required to win championships last Saturday, and if there's one thing the Blades lack perhaps it is this.

Leeds also showed the way to help snuff out United's overloading down the wings when Chris Basham and Jack O'Connell overlap.

Master tactician Marcelo Bielsa overloaded defensively out wide, allowing John Egan all the time he wanted to bring the ball out down the middle, knowing he could cause little damage.

This season is going very similar to last, but if there's one thing different now it's the strength in depth of the squad, with decent players unable to even find a place on the bench, but there's still a feeling that United are short of something up front.

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And there's also the continuing feeling that United play really well only when Mark Duffy plays well, which has been the case for two years.

We still haven't found anybody else who does what he does.

If Wilder does have money to spend in January, he might try to find another striker and a '˜number ten', but they are the types everybody is looking for and good ones therefore tend to be expensive.

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