Sheffield United players told where they need to sharpen up after two pre-season games
Sheffield United were held to a scoreless draw in their pre-season friendly with Chesterfield at the weekend
Sheffield United’s assistant manager Michael Collins called for his side to be more clinical in front of goal, following a stalemate with Chesterfield in Saturday’s pre-season encounter.
United had a number of chances to break the deadlock but couldn’t find a breakthrough against an “organised” Paul Cook side at the SMH Group Stadium.
Callum O’Hare returned to the squad on Saturday and featured in the second half to reinforce the Blades’ attack after missing out at Halifax Town.
New signing Romelle Donovan also made his debut, impressing in attacking areas on the right-hand side.
Chances went begging for United, particularly for Patrick Bamford and Tyreece Campbell, who should have found the back of the net against lower-league opposition.
“If we'd have been a little bit more ruthless in front of goal, then I think we'd have come away with a comfortable victory,” Collins told The Star.
“Patrick Bamford has put the ball in the back numerous times for this football club, and he's done it everywhere he's been in his career, so that's not something that we need to flag up to Patrick, but it is something as a team that we do need to get a little bit better with.”
Collins added that the coaching staff are working on making sure they are more ruthless in games this season.
“It was something we identified last year; we had periods where for 20 games or so we were top of the form table, but there are certain little bits that we have to improve on. One of them was making sure that when we're in either a winning position or the game's a close game, and those opportunities are presented, we put them away.
“There were times last season where we didn't, and we got punished, so that's something we've got to quickly put right this season and in pre-season.”
Chris Wilder’s number two stressed that the Blades are out to win games in their pre-season schedule, explaining: “We do want it [pre-season] to be like the league feel with regards to we want to win games of football.
“We don't want to be one of those teams that says for the first two, three, four games, it's about minutes in the legs. It is, everybody knows that, but it's also about winning.”