James Shield's Sheffield United Column: Yes, The Blades are in trouble but don't press the panic button

Sunday’s game at Southampton will be their 12th of the season and, following last weekend’s heartbreaking defeat by Leicester City, Chris Wilder’s side make the journey south having lost 10 of the previous 11 and drawn just one.

Pretending everything is going swimmingly, that recent results are just a temporary blip following four years of almost unparalleled and unprecedented success, serves no purpose whatsoever. In fact, United will be doing themselves and disservice, and probably signing their own Premier League death warrants, if they adopt that attitude.

But, as strange as it might sound, they are also doing plenty of things right. Something it is important to remember amid the gloom and doom enveloping Bramall Lane right now. Likewise the fact that, remarkably and almost ridiculously, they are still in with a fighting chance of avoiding the drop with Burnley, West Bromwich Albion and Fulham also making troubled starts to the campaign. Brighton and Hove Albion, where United travel following Thursday’s meeting with Manchester United, have also won only twice and could, by the time Wilder’s men make the journey to Sussex, be peering even more anxiously over their shoulders than they are right now.

Decision-making, or poor decision-making to be exact, is United’s biggest failing right now; both in terms of the choices they are making when defending their own net and also trying to score at the other end of the pitch. Finishing is also clearly an issue, with Oli McBurnie’s strike against City only the sixth time they have scored in all competitions since returning to action in September. Closer inspection of United’s latest performances also reveal deficiencies in terms of their ‘press’ although that is, in the grand scheme of things, a minor detail.

But United are creating chances and they are competing. All but two of the losses they have experienced this term have come via a single goal, which appears to support Wilder’s theory that there is nothing systemically wrong with tactics or shape. Yes, there are genuine concerns about whether he is right to persevere with their 3-5-2 formation, which has actually become more of a 5-3-2 of late, in Jack O’Connell’s absence. Particularly as, with wing-back Enda Stevens initially tasked with replacing him at centre-half before suffering an injury himself, the solution to the problem the Liverpudlian’s damaged knee has caused weakens United in two positions rather than one. But Wilder, who is clearly irritated by suggestions he should adopt a different approach, has constructed a squad to play a certain way. So his refusal to take, as he likes to put it, a “wrecking ball” to a strategy which has twice delivered a promotion in the space of four-and-a-half years is also understandable.

“We’ll no doubt be hearing all sorts of nonsense about how we set-up, that we should be doing this and that,” Wilder complained after United’s latest set-back. “But that doesn’t explain why we’re making individual errors, which are being costly. Going on about stuff like that doesn’t provide a reason for that, does it.”

Southampton, who climbed to fifth when they beat Albion on Monday night, are viewed as genuine contenders for a place in Europe while Ralph Hasenhuttl, Wilder’s opposite number at St Mary’s, is regarded as one of the most innovative and forward thinking managers in the country right now. However, 14 months ago they were being labelled chumps after losing 9-0 to City at home.

“It was horrible to watch,” Hasenhuttl said afterwards. “I am a proud man but the way we played today, that is not the way I want to see my team play.”

“We must get our heads up and that is my job over the next few days,” the Austrian added, before taking “100 per cent responsibility” for the “disaster”.

It proved to be every bit as tough as those around Hassenhuttl suspected. Particularly as, just like Wilder following Jamie Vardy’s 90th minute winner, he was visibly dispirited himself during post-match interviews. Southampton lost their next three games, before stopping the rot with a draw against Arsenal. Then came two victories, albeit over Norwich City and Watford who would go on to be relegated, before another pair of defeats - this time to Newcastle and West Ham.

Wilder faces the same challenge now as Hasenhuttl did back then - keeping spirits as high as possible in testing circumstances and instilling self-belief in a group dangerously low in confidence. Most of the faults United are displaying right now are symptoms of anxiety, nerves and of course pressure. Probably a little embarrassment too, as the global profile top-flight status brings means United are aware the eyes of the footballing world are on them.

But others at Bramall Lane have an important role to play too as United attempt to overcome their present difficulties. Those who usually do their work in the shadows, far away from the microphones and television cameras of the competition’s rights holders.

A lifelong United fan as well as their manager, Wilder will be feeling pretty sore himself right now. So as he attempts to provide those under his command with counselling and emotional support, the people who employ him, members of United’s hierarchy, should also be placing a consoling arm around Wilder’s shoulder. Because, even though it really shouldn’t be the case, the season can still be salvaged.

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