Sheffield United approach made clear v Wrexham despite pair walking disciplinary tightrope
Japhet Tanganga and Liam Kitching are both one booking away from a suspension, but Sheffield United are determined to maintain their competitive edge as they prepare to face Wrexham.
Chris Wilder will not order Japhet Tanganga and Liam Kitching to curb their competitive instincts in the near future, despite Sheffield United’s first-choice centre-halves both walking a disciplinary tightrope. The pair go into tomorrow’s clash with Wrexham on four bookings apiece.
Any player reaching five before their side’s 19th league game of the season picks up an automatic one match ban. Friday’s Wrexham clash is United’s 13th league game, and the chances of two committed centre-halves going seven games without another yellow seems remote.
Especially in the modern-day game where referees are more card-happy than ever, with boss Wilder personally believing the threshold should be adjusted.
“I don’t think either of them have been done for dissent or anything like that; I don’t like the cheap ones,” he said. “But it’s a competitive game. And I don't agree with the system, with the way the game has changed and refereeing decisions over the last 10 or 15 years.
“The tariff for challenges is pretty low now. I dread to think in the day how many bookings competitive centre-halves and full-backs would have got back in the day.
“I think they would have got to five pretty quickly, possibly after the first five games! We’ve still got a few games to go, so it’s going to be difficult. But I want them to be competitive.
“I want them to be disciplined as well. They're both competitive players. Everybody has to be competitive all over the park, but especially centre-halves.
“They are going to be mindful of the fact that it doesn't impact on their performance. And if they do, we're going to have to deal with it.It's part and parcel of the rules.
“Certainly I’m not a fan of the cut-off. But I don't think that'll get changed any time soon.”
Mark McGuinness and Jamal Baptiste will be called upon if either Tanganga or Kitching have to sit a game out. McGuinness is back in contention for the Wrexham clash after going through the concussion protocols while Baptiste impressed after being handed an unexpected chance in pre-season.
“I think the major gripe that everyone has is the consistency in decisions,” Wilder added. “But you're not always going to have that perfect. But that's out of our control.
“Players have got to commit and we have to. And that's the reason we have a strong squad. And if one of those boys gets injured, then players have to step up and step through.”