'We need him more than he needs us' - Former Sheffield United striker backs Chris Wilder to lift Blades again
Former United striker Asaba: “we need him a lot more than he needs us”
Former Sheffield United striker Carl Asaba has applauded Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder’s strength of character as he guides his troubled squad through a difficult period.
United failed to replace the key players that they lost in the summer transfer window in Gus Hamer, Andre Brooks and notably Callum O’Hare in the final day of the transfer window.
Many Blades fans felt underwhelmed by the players brought in, yet they were forced into the free-agent and loan market after ongoing financial uncertainty at the club.
Despite the lack of spending, United find themselves 11th in the Championship table, only two points off the play-off spots after 11 games played.
The United boss has faced criticism at times from Unitedites, but Asaba believes that Wilder can be unfairly treated at times.
Speaking on The Star’s Inside Bramall Lane podcast, he said, “The manager gets quite a lot of stick. I think Chris is absolutely wonderful; I think we need him a lot more than he needs us, the way the club stands at the moment.
“I think he's doing a great job,” he continued. “All those people who [say], ‘oh, it should be this formation’, he knows how everyone's training in the week, he knows how their morale is, how their fitness is, and that was a match on Saturday [vs Bristol City], apart from a 10-minute spell, I thought we were in complete control.”
Wilder changed the system midway through the second half in an attempt to secure all three points at Ashton Gate.
Asaba said: “The formation change, I thought, went well; the team looked really solid, the conviction in the team is there all the time now, which in the past couple of seasons, has been questionable if there was that much fight in them, but now I'm seeing a really solid championship team.
“A Chris Wilder team doesn't concede, they're really brave, and they love their clean sheets.”
“So at the moment, what Chris and the boys are doing with a team that's not got the full attacking potential because you're missing the right-back that's going to be key to this formation, I think they're doing really well,” he added.