Rising Sheffield United star's "Real Madrid" confidence typifies increasing sense of belief at Bramall Lane
Rising Sheffield United star’s “Real Madrid” belief typifies spirit at Bramall Lane after superb start to new campaign
As the scoreboard ticked towards six o’clock and three shrills on the referee’s whistle confirmed three more precious and hard-fought points for Sheffield United, Sydie Peck sank to his knees on the Bramall Lane turf. Partly in exhaustion, having collapsed moments earlier when another run tested both his legs and lungs in the pursuit of a second goal, and partly in elation.
The 20-year-old cheeky Cockney may have been born down south but is forged in Sheffield steel, and lived and breathed victory over Derby County as much as any dyed-in-the-wool Blade on the terraces. He was only in the side due to his fellow youngster Oliver Arblaster’s misfortune, the Blades’ stand-in skipper suffering a freak ankle injury in training the day before the game as a ball went over his head, but Peck seized the chance with another display of fire and ice.
Unitedites have begun to notice Peck’s approach of not taking any backward steps - on his full debut against Wrexham he was involved in a late fracas and hasn’t looked back since - but when the time comes for him to show composure he is adept at doing so, too, noticeably content to take on the ball in tight areas when some others with his experience would create the “skinny angles” that boss Chris Wilder detests and look the other way.
Victory over Derby, thanks to Gus Hamer’s stunning free-kick, was United’s third in a row and maintained their unbeaten start to the new season, with the hangover of Premier League relegation further banished with every passing game. That is testament to a lot of work done both on the training ground and in the transfer market, with a sense that the best is still to come from the Blades as they still look to click into top gear.
Wilder will desperately hope that Arblaster recovers from the injury in time for next weekend’s trip to Portsmouth but that is only a reflection on Arblaster’s abilities, rather than Peck’s. United’s failure to sign more midfield reinforcements this summer has opened the door for the former Arsenal youngster to enjoy more first-team exposure and whatever happens this season, he will not be fazed by it.
"He's cool as a cucumber, that boy," Wilder said of Peck, preferred to the more experienced Jamie Shackleton in midfield in another big sign of support and belief. "We prepared for Shacks to come on for Sydie, but he was pressing late on. He made some really good decisions on the ball and we're delighted for him, he's a popular boy.
"He had some big shoes to fill, and he certainly filled them. He thinks he should be playing for Real Madrid and England! I'm not going to knock that out of him but he's got a bit to do before Carlo [Ancelotti, Madrid boss] gives me the call!
“But he's a good kid, he’s competitive, and he can play. He's a tough boy and part of a really good group. They're an incredibly tight group and they need to be to fight their way into games and out of them."