Sheffield United: We can deal with defensive sides, says Wilder

Chris Wilder, the Sheffield United manager, has insisted his team is equipped to cope if opponents continue to defend deep at Bramall Lane.
Chris Wilder on the touchline at the Macron Stadium as Sheffield United lose to Bolton yesterdayChris Wilder on the touchline at the Macron Stadium as Sheffield United lose to Bolton yesterday
Chris Wilder on the touchline at the Macron Stadium as Sheffield United lose to Bolton yesterday

Signalling he has no plans to change the club’s attacking strategy ahead of Saturday’s League One encounter with Swindon Town, Wilder explained why last week’s defeat by Walsall must not mark the start of a more conservative approach.

“If that’s going to be us dominating, through the season, we’ll be okay. We’ll find a way of picking them apart. We’re a big scalp, yes, with all the stuff that’s come out. But sometimes you’ve got to lose a battle to win a war.

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“We’ve had wave after wave after wave of attacks and been undone a couple of times.”

Walsall became the first club to beat United in 16 league outings when Amadou Bakayoko’s strike propelled them to a shock victory six days ago. Billy Sharp thought he had claimed a late equaliser but his effort was controversially disallowed for handball.

“In the run, and I’ve told the lads this, we’ve not been battered by anybody,” Wilder said. “It’s not the case that we’ve nicked them, we’ve been the dominant team. There are things that we can control and there are things we can’t, like refereeing decisions and things like that, but we’ll get on with it.”

Jake Wright (hamstring) and James Wilson (ankle) could both return to action against Swindon while fellow centre-half Ethan Ebanks-Landell, who was refused permission to play in yesterday’s FA Cup loss at Bolton Wanderers, is expected to start.