Chris Wilder highlights what cost Sheffield United in Norwich City defeat after honest admission
Chris Wilder highlights what cost Sheffield United in Norwich City defeat after honest “missing” admission
Chris Wilder lamented the “really poor decisions” his Sheffield United players made as they lost yet more momentum in their outside hopes of gatecrashing the Championship play-offs. The Blades needed a positive result at Norwich City this evening to get their top-six hopes back on track.
And they looked good for it when Jairo Riedewald gave them a first-half lead that was deserved because of their control over the game, which they went on to lose completely as Norwich began to take charge.
The hosts ended on top and deservedly took all three points late on when Femi Seriki was caught in possession in a poor area and sub Amankwah Forson curled home. Earlier the Blades had lost the lead after Jack Stacey headed home unmarked from a corner, the manner of both goals leaving Wilder heavily frustrated.
“We're just not where we want to be at the moment,” he admitted, as United followed up a home draw with struggling West Brom with defeat at Carrow Road. “It's only two games and I suppose when people talk about it, it's quite difficult to judge over two games.
“But we turned the game over Saturday, even though we had more chances than maybe the opposition had tonight to win a game of football. We started off the game tonight on the front foot,.
Chris Wilder highlights what cost Sheffield United in Norwich City defeat after honest “missing” admission
“They're obviously in decent nick and I knew it was going to be a difficult game, with the way they've been playing and the results that they're having. It’s a false position, obviously, but I think we quietened the crowd and we nullified Kenny McLean dropping into the back three and Sam Field dropping in.”
United had chances to extend their lead, as they did on Saturday, before being made to pay again when they were pegged back before Forson’s decisive moment. Tom Cannon and Callum O’Hare both headed wide when well-placed, while Cannon had another good chance but scuffed his shot a little.
“We were in a good place,” added Wilder. “We got the opening goal and, in my opinion, had the lion's share of the chances as well, but it just wasn’t smooth enough really. We had some really good opportunities to go and get that second goal and then they grew into the game through just us turning the ball over.
“Just making some really poor decisions. And it gives energy to their players, it gives energy to their supporters and it makes it difficult. I’ve just said to the players: ‘I don't want you to run 13km and 14km. You're most probably running 13km and 14km because you keep turning the ball over and having to chase back after it.’
“They kept the ball better than us, we turned it over and as you said, it gives everybody energy. The goals, from our point of view, are ridiculously poor ones. It was coming, and it was coming because of our inability to take any control of the game.”