Alan Biggs: A Sheffield United legend's view on what Blades need to maintain Premier League excellence

Actually, Brian Deane tabled three words when we spoke on the subject: “Pace, strength and mobility.”

Without those, the former talismanic striker suggests his old team will struggle to build on the momentum of their brilliant first season back in the top flight.

And it’s why Antonee Robinson and Matty Cash have been among those targeted in this summer’s round of recruitment. Both in their early twenties also.

Deane is a good judge of what’s required and appears to be on the same page as his old Bramall Lane team-mate Chris Wilder.

Allowing that the job will be “a lot harder” in this second top flight campaign, Deane reckons Wilder could tweak a revolutionary system now three seasons old in order to keep up a surprise element.

But he warns: “Whatever Chris does, he has to make sure he keeps the tempo up. It’s a good system - but you can’t win anything without pace.

“If you don’t have pace you don’t have tempo and it’s so easy for teams to counteract.

“So I think Chris has to look at pace wherever he recruits.

“In the top division you have to have pace, strength and mobility in abundance.”

The Blades haven’t been over-blessed with speed in the forward positions but have had plenty of thrust from behind through wing-backs George Baldock and Enda Stevens allied to those overlapping centre halves, Chris Basham and Jack O’Connell.

Robinson and Cash, albeit difficult to snare, have looked ideal to be thrown in to that area of competition. Pace further forward looks to be a greater priority, although extremely expensive.

It reminds me that Deane himself was far quicker and more skilful than ever given full credit for, by this writer among others, because his size tended to put the focus on fitness and power.

Makes you wonder what a striker of his all-round qualities would cost in today’s game; certainly prohibitive on United’s budget.

So it remains a tough ask for Wilder to take the current group up a level, considering it can only be done on the current recruitment model.