Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder hit the nail on the head after victory vs Blackburn Rovers
Sheffield United fought their way to all three points by beating Blackburn Rovers 2-1 at Ewood Park on Tuesday evening.
Whether you win 8-0, 5-1 or 2-1, three points are three points at the end of the day.
And a dogged and determined 2-1 win over Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park on Tuesday night was enough for Sheffield United to get three points on the board, moving them up to ninth in the Championship table ahead of Wednesday evening’s action.
After falling behind to Kristi Montgomery’s excellent finish, United flipped the game on its head before half-time through goals from Tom Cannon and Sydie Peck, who atoned for his mistake in the build-up to Blackburn’s opener.
United registered just seven shots to Blackburn’s 19, creating an xG (expected goals) of just 0.66. They survived a couple of hairy moments in the second half and were fortunate to come away with maximum points.
But, as boss Chris Wilder made the point of making following full-time, getting the three points, regardless of how they are won, is the most important thing.
“The win is always the biggest thing,” Wilder told BBC Radio Sheffield. “I talked about it last year where we absolutely battered Bristol City in the second half and had them on the ropes.
“We were on top, it was chance after chance, the final whistle went and Bristol City’s fans were on their feet to the Bristol City players because they won a game of football. The game of football is about winning.
“Do we want to be smooth? Do we want to play our best? Can we? We will. We’ll get into that rhythm. We’ll get better. We’ll find that consistency.
“But at the moment, every team in the division is searching for that, and I don’t see many teams absolutely nailing it at this particular moment.”
United’s three-point haul in Lancashire saw them climb seven places, meaning that, at the time of writing, they currently sit just outside the play-off places six games into the season. This time last term, the Blades were rooted to the foot of the table after losing each of their first six matches.
United got their first point on the board at the seventh time of asking last season, beating Oxford United 1-0 at the Kassam Stadium. However, it was not until their 11th match of the campaign — a 3-1 away win at Blackburn — that they had nine points on the board, meaning they have achieved that particular tally five games sooner this time around.
It is no secret that all is not currently perfect in United’s world after the way in which the summer transfer window unfolded, while the ongoing ownership dispute off the pitch is leaving a dark cloud lingering above Bramall Lane. However, the Blades have lost just one of their first six league matches this season, leaving them just outside the play-off places on goal difference at this early stage.
Considering West Ham United, who recorded a third successive win with a 3-2 victory over Bolton Wanderers on Tuesday evening, are now top of the table with 11 points, it highlights just how measured and assured United’s start has been.
Wilder has been the first to admit that his side’s performances have not been as polished as he would like them to be, but you cannot downplay the importance and quality of winning ugly. United found a way to get the job done at Ewood Park, meaning they returned to Sheffield with all three points in the bag.
There is no doubt United, who have won seven points from losing positions already this season, need to improve — and the chances are they will. Wilder and his team are still figuring things out after experiencing a summer that has left some scars.
Accounting for the losses of Andre Brooks, Gustavo Hamer and Callum O’Hare, nine points from the first 18 on offer is a respectable start. Only seven teams have more points than them at this stage, and five of those are only a point ahead.