Sheffield United hold key to turnaround in their grasp as Chris Wilder makes honest atmosphere point ahead of QPR clash
Sheffield United hold key to turnaround in their grasp as Chris Wilder makes honest atmosphere point ahead of QPR clash
When Sheffield United return to Bramall Lane tomorrow, on the back of three successive defeats and in the Championship relegation zone, Chris Wilder accepts there will be negativity amongst sections of the fanbase. But he remains adamant that things can soon turn around for his Blades side.
Three successive defeats and nine goals conceded looks poor on paper but United gave Preston North End, Derby County and Coventry City a big helping hand in each game, with a number of avoidable goals conceded in each game.
While that brings its own inevitable frustration, with United individually and collectively below the levels they have previously reached, it is also a source of hope that, if they can cut out the mistakes, the platform is there for them to turn things around going forward.
That has been the message to United’s players ahead of tomorrow’s clash with Queens Park Rangers, with the Blades looking to regain a bit of valuable momentum with a positive result before the international break.
“In a way, and I talked to them yesterday about it, they're doing the hard bit,” said Wilder. “They're doing the hard bit, in terms of recovering from disappointment. The pretty straightforward bit, which is controllable and we can sort out, we need to. And we’ve talked about that.
Sheffield United hold key to turnaround in their grasp as Chris Wilder makes honest atmosphere point ahead of QPR clash
“The spirit and the mentality of the group is okay to good. If it wasn't, I would say it. If it is, I would say it. And it is. And that's why I'm positive about what we can do and what we can achieve. Of course, getting back to winning ways is the crucial one and the key one.
“Going into the next game off the back of a win is huge. That doesn't change and nothing will change from that attitude. As I said, we can look back and we can all have a view. We can all say: ‘We should have done this, we should have done that, we should have done that six months ago. This happened, that happened.’
“But we're in the situation that we're in and we've got to deal with it. And I've got to deal with it. But as I said, I'm not taking a wrecking ball to this. Of course, I should imagine there are regrets right away through the football club. But we have to pull it all together.
“Understandably, there'll be negativity around the place tomorrow. And I get that. We have to own that and deserve it. I was reading a piece by a really respected journalist, talking about supporters who turn up at home grounds now and want to criticise from the off.
“I've got to say, I've never had that feeling at Bramall Lane. Never had that feeling. Listen, during, half-time and afterwards, we've had that feeling. I get that and I understand that. But I've never had that feeling before a game.
“Bramall Lane has always been a positive place to play our football. And I'm sure our supporters will understand the situation that we're in, and the help that the players need at this particular moment.
“If they were turning it in, and they were shortcutting it, then I would understand that approach. But they're not. And they need that little bit of help right this moment. And I'm sure if we get it right tomorrow, they'll be right behind us.”