Oliver Arblaster's Sheffield United injury timescale as Chris Wilder makes Leeds United "excuse" comparison
Chris Wilder reveals Oliver Arblaster timescale hope amid Leeds United injury comparison
Sheffield United will assess Oliver Arblaster’s fitness situation on a month-by-month basis, boss Chris Wilder has confirmed, with the midfielder’s season in doubt after surgery on his ruptured anterior cruciate ligament. The 20-year-old picked up the injury during the Blades’ Steel City derby win over Wednesday last time out, and went under the knife during the international break.
It is a big blow both for the player and the Blades, who are joint top of the Championship ahead of tomorrow’s season resumption away at Coventry City. Aside from a nasty injury on loan at Port Vale shortly before returning to Bramall Lane, Arblaster’s formative career has been on a consistently upward trajectory but this is an early test of his mentality - albeit one that United are confident that he’ll pass with flying colours.
"He's obviously not in a great place mentally at the moment, but this is a test for him as a young player,” said Wilder. “For it to happen at this part of his career, he has to get over it and get on with it. As you can imagine, he'll get all the support from everybody, but there'll be a bit of tough love in there as well because he has to use the time diligently. I'm never going to have any excuses about anything in terms of injuries.
“These things happen. We're going to miss a good player, but all the clubs are missing players. Leeds United have had their injury problems, and other clubs have had their injury problems, and it is how they get over it and get on with it and not use it as an excuse. We're not reliant on a 20-year-old boy for our success; it is the sum of everything we all put together and we have to make sure we have to carry on in the same manner and we show we're not about a one or a two-man team. We're certainly not that anyway, and opportunities will open up for others.”
On Arblaster’s expected length of absence, Wilder added: “"We'll take it month-by-month, but he certainly won't play until after Christmas. If we get him back before the end of the season, then that's great. And if not, he'll be ready for next year.”
The news has also inevitably impacted a tight Bramall Lane dressing room, who have already faced challenges as a group this season - both on and off the field - and come roaring back to post four wins on the bounce before the break. “I talked at length about the group last year not handling disappointment very well,” Wilder added. “In-game, game-to-game and month to month. But how they dealt with disappointment and situations in and around the Leeds and Middlesbrough games spoke volumes about them as a group.
“Blaster is strong enough. For him to captain United at 20 at Old Trafford and perform as he has done tells you that. From a medical point of view, things have moved on and with the support and treatment and advice he’ll get, he’ll come back stronger. So there’s no issue from a physical point of view or from a mentality view. The players feel for the boy. They’re like brothers and all look after each other.
“But they understand the best way is to go and win games of football and go about it the right way. And keep this season going. One injury won’t derail us. And if people do think that, it’s a lack of respect to the likes of Jamie Shackleton, Sydie Peck and Tom Davies. Gus [Hamer] can play there too. Everyone has to stand up, and we have to get on with it. And they certainly will.”
It isn’t just physically that Arblaster will be tested during the long months ahead on the road to recovery. “There won’t be any walking in at 10 and shooting off at two in the afternoon,” Wilder added. “This place is a tough place, in the academy and in the first-team and medically. We have to drive Blaster. There’ll be that inner drive from him because he has to have that mentality to succeed at the top, and we believe he has. But he has to show it now in a different way.
“It’s an opportunity now to focus on things that he hasn’t had the opportunity to focus on. There are always things that he can improve on, whether it’s physical or whatever. He can’t afford to waste time. There’ll be days when he’s down, watching his pals training and hopefully winning games of football. But it won’t last forever. It’s a supportive group, a real positive environment here but there are no shortcuts to get back to where he wants to be. There’ll be plenty of drive to make sure he keeps on track with everything.”