Alan Biggs: Sheffield United legend Tony Currie convinced Blades can still win promotion this season

They are conceding far too easily but the current meagre expectation of one goal per game is equally asking for trouble.
Tony Currie in front of the stand named after him at Sheffield United's Bramall Lane home: Simon Bellis/SportimageTony Currie in front of the stand named after him at Sheffield United's Bramall Lane home: Simon Bellis/Sportimage
Tony Currie in front of the stand named after him at Sheffield United's Bramall Lane home: Simon Bellis/Sportimage

Discussing Sheffield United and getting strikers scoring maybe needs to be debated from further out.

A long range view suggests the Blades are not getting many - if any - from, well, there.

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For instance, as frustrating as the dropped points were at Nottingham Forest recently, it was refreshing to see a midfielder, albeit an attacking one in Morgan Gibbs-White, get into a forward’s position to strike. From a Billy Sharp cross, ironically enough.

But it would be nice if the Blades could pose more of a threat from around the edge of the area.

The most picked central midfielders, John Fleck and Oliver Norwood, have both been under discussion for failing to match up to their previous all-round standards.

And although neither have been noted for scoring - totalling 14 and six goals respectively from longish Bramall Lane careers - a greater output would go a long way to helping.

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Blades legend Tony Currie is among those who agree, despite having faith in what Slavisa Jokanovic is trying to achieve.

“The football is still nearly as good,” he said on my Sheffield Live show to discuss his book launch.

Currie is also convinced United can still win promotion this season, even with the likelihood of having to rely on the dreaded play-offs.

“We’ve got some great players still and I think the squad is good enough to go up,” said the man of the moment.

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Where TC is in accord with the point I’m making here is that Norwood and Fleck, with a single goal between them this campaign, ought to be contributing more.

Tongue in cheek, but only slightly, he says he’s been “shouting ‘shoot!’ in the directors’ box.

“There’s not a lot wrong apart from the fact that we don’t shoot enough…and we don’t pick out a red and white shirt with a cross.

“Flecky and Ollie, they’ve got two great shots on them and they hardly shoot at all.”

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It’s TC’s way of being constructive and encouraging rather than critical. And if he doesn’t have a valid opinion on that particular aspect of the game, as a supreme scorer of long range goals, who does?

Some simple advice worth following. Two home games upcoming - Coventry and Bristol City - and, for what it’s worth, I think the Blades are capable of winning both to keep the season very much alive.

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