Chris Wilder call vindicated as overlooked Sheffield United bonus emerges from Birmingham City drama
Chris Wilder call vindicated as overlooked Sheffield United bonus emerges from Birmingham City drama
Chris Wilder made no secret of his plan to turn to experience to get Sheffield United through an untimely dip in form recently, and his decision was justified at Birmingham City on Saturday. The Blades could easily have capitulated midway through the first half, when they went a man down and a goal behind out of absolutely nowhere.
But they rallied and could even have won the game from that point, missing a penalty and forcing a good save from home goalkeeper James Beadle before Patrick Bamford marked his return to the side with a calm finish on the stroke of half-time.
Bamford, back in the side after his huge absence through injury was keenly felt in the midweek defeat at Norwich City, was partnered by Danny Ings in attack although the latter was the unfortunate man withdrawn as part of United’s defensive reshuffle after Femi Seriki’s red card.
And later on there was an impressive cameo from another player who has been around the block before in Tom Davies, making his first appearance since the end of January.
Chris Wilder call vindicated as overlooked Sheffield United bonus emerges from Birmingham City drama
United have taken their time in getting him back, though, and at St. Andrew’s he showed what he is about, winning several fouls after shielding the ball cleverly and helping United relieve a bit of pressure as they ultimately earned a deserved point despite playing for around 70 minutes with 10 men.
Getting the former Everton man back out on the field could be big for United but even bigger for the player himself, whose future is uncertain after a spell at Bramall Lane that has been plagued by various fitness issues ahead of the expiry of his contract this summer.
“He's gone through a tough time,” Wilder said of Davies. “I talked to him in the week about where he sees it all, and he wants to be involved. He wants to be involved in the last eight games of the season and he was coming into a game that was game on.
“Technically he’s a really good player, but he's having to do a lot of the other stuff in terms of helping out Ki-Jana [Hoever] and helping out that side. In terms of doubling up on the winger, and then using his experience to try and get us up the pitch as well.
“We’re a young side. When people are firing all the bullets, they don't really look at the detail. It's just easy, isn't it? It's just easy. So, we went with Danny and Pat and I thought their link-up play at the start of the game for the first 20, 25 minutes was really good.
“Pat put his hand up. It was important that we needed some experience out there and everybody stood up to it. The young players stood up to the challenge. It’s a difficult place to come and the experienced players led from the front. I’m delighted for the skipper [Japhet Tanganga]. I thought it was immense today.
“They had a lot of possession and a lot of territory where we wanted it to be, but not really anything of: ‘Wow, we've dodged a bullet there.’ I think that goes on the back of maybe the change of shape just after half-time, when the subs made an impact as well. So, yes, it's not always a win, but it can push us on into the next eight games of the season.”