Kevin Gage's Sheffield United Column: Superb display at Wolverhampton Wanderers showed how good we are... and why I don't see it changing into new year

Another point, another draw, unbeaten in last seven games, and still unbeaten away from home this season.
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Still getting a great deal of praise from knowledgeable pundits and still within touching distance of the top six. On the face of it, it’s not too shabby is it? But the words ‘another point, another draw’ really don’t do Saturday’s display justice.

Just when you thought Sheffield United had maybe peaked performance-wise in the draw with Manchester United last week, I have to report that this weekend’s one against a very good Wolves team was simply magnificent. I’m glad I was there to witness it with my own eyes actually, as just watching a few highlights on various TV channels would not have done it justice. Believe me, we really were that good.

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Defensively, our back five and ‘keeper did what they had to do, and as always, did it efficiently and effectively against some top quality forwards. Enda Stevens won’t have a trickier or faster winger to mark all season than Adama Traore and coped extremely well. Chris Basham was outstanding with John Egan and Jack O’Connell hardly putting a foot wrong.

George Baldock possibly could have got a red card but was his usual busy, bustling, brilliant self. We are so difficult to break down, it’s quite remarkable. We keep our shape, we shuffle and cover across, we tackle, we block, we clear and we head things away. It’s wonderful to watch, it really is.

But on Saturday, it was all about our attacking threat and believe me when I say this; it’s no exaggeration to say that we could have scored five goals AT LEAST! Again, we really were that good.

We cut the Wolves defence to shreds on numerous occasions with our brilliant interplay, working the ball in and around their defence. Time after time we got into some great positions and only the final pass or a bad touch prevented various players with golden opportunities.

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The Moose got the early goal, and even though Dean Henderson had one routine save to make, it was one-way traffic towards the Wolves goal. In no particular order, here are some of the chances created, and marvellous opportunities missed:

Fleck’s shot at the keeper, Didzy’s mis-control in the box, Enda’s cut out pull back, Mousset’s heavy pass to Lundstram (he’d have been clean through), Enda’s wild shot, Didzy’s acute angle low shot (hard low cross better option?), Didzy’s low shot again when clean through, Didzy’s header just wide, Mousset’s wild shot when clear, Lundstram’s heavy pass and wrong option on a 3 v 2 break, and a few other instances of opportunities in and around the penalty area where a better choice of pass/cross would have resulted in a clear strike at goal.

The stats on the game show we had nine shots with four on target but, as stated above, we could easily have doubled both those figures with slightly better quality or a bit more composure in our final pass or execution.

If I’m being a bit critical it’s only because our build up play was just so damned good, it was a crying shame to only produce one goal and one point from such a superb attacking display. I’m sure if/when the players and staff look back at the game they will fully realise just how well we played and should take an enormous amount of confidence from it, I hope, into these next crucial five games.

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Again, and just so everyone is clear, we really ARE that good, and importantly I also think the players now believe it too. We are an absolute joy to watch, and I genuinely can’t see anything changing anytime soon.

David McGoldrick of Sheffield Utd and Ruben Neves of Wolverhampton Wanderers: Simon Bellis/SportimageDavid McGoldrick of Sheffield Utd and Ruben Neves of Wolverhampton Wanderers: Simon Bellis/Sportimage
David McGoldrick of Sheffield Utd and Ruben Neves of Wolverhampton Wanderers: Simon Bellis/Sportimage

If we stay fit, firing on all cylinders, and fully-focused, these next five games could set us up to enter into the new year firmly planted in the top half of the table. We’re certainly good enough and fully deserve to be there.

Because, and I’ll say it one last time; we really are that good.

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