Sheffield United need to respond to Chris Wilder plea as Championship rivals stutter
"I'm the biggest critic of the group, and their biggest supporter. It's not been a straightforward season by any stretch. We're desperately trying to find that consistency, we're desperately trying to close that gap from being bottom after six games to the top 10."
That was Chris Wilder’s message to his Sheffield United players ahead of last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Birmingham City at St Andrew’s.
United made the trip to the Midlands last Saturday afternoon 11 points shy of the final play-off berth after missing out on opportunities to reduce the gap against both West Bromwich Albion and Norwich City, drawing 1-1 and losing 2-1 respectively.
It means the Blades, with just eight games left to play, are 15th in the Championship table, ten points adrift of the play-off places. After this weekend’s opponent, Wrexham, being repeatedly identified as the target United were chasing, Southampton are now the team they are tasked with trying to catch.
The Saints moved above Wrexham, albeit on goal difference, and into sixth spot on Wednesday night after being Norwich 1-0 at St Mary’s. Finn Azaz’s first half goal made it four wins in five for Tonda Eckert’s men, meaning they firmly the division’s in-form team.
Ending Norwich’s four-match winning run in the process, the Saints are also on the longest winning run in the Championship that is currently active - a run that stands at just two games. With that in mind, the Saints are standing out from the crowd at a time when almost everyone else is stumbling. For example, none of the teams currently between Southampton and United in the table are on an unbeaten run longer than two games.
Consistency has been a problem for many sides throughout the division this season with the longest winning run recorded standing at just six games - achieved by title hopefuls Coventry City and Middlesbrough. Derby County have set the second-longest winning run at five games.
Finding consistency in the Championship is one of the hardest things to do in football. The relentless nature of the division, although it can quickly transform any team’s fortunes, makes it difficult to rack up win after win.
With eight games remaining, the fact Southampton are on the division’s longest winning run at just two games highlights how so many teams are struggling for momentum at such a crucial stage of the campaign.
With that in mind, no doubt everyone will look at the current form table ahead of the final eight games and be telling themselves they have a chance of achieving something between now and the end of the campaign on May 2.
Ten points behind Southampton with eight games to go, United, mathematically, still have a chance of gatecrashing the top six. The reality is, though, it feels as if it will be a bridge too far.
Southampton are 11 league games unbeaten, winning eight, while United have won just one of their last five. On that evidence, it would take an extraordinary twist for United to reel the Saints in and overcome them. They also have the small matter of eight teams currently separating the two of them in the standings.
Considering United, who moved onto 50 points with last weekend’s draw at Birmingham, were bottom of the table six games in and lost as many as 11 of their opening 14 matches this term, just the fact a top six finish is a possibility at this stage is an achievement in itself.
Finishing in the top half, although it would not have been considered as an achievement at the start of the season, would be considered as a respectable finish.
As Wilder has documented previously, it is possible to quickly string a run of wins together in the Championship, meaning all might not yet be lost for his team. Finding the consistency to do that, however, is the hardest part.
Saturday’s clash with Wrexham has long since been identified as a big game in shaping United’s top six chances. A win will move them to within seven points of Phil Parkinson’s side with seven games left to play. However, Southampton are now the ones they are relying on slipping up.
Nevertheless, United can only control their own results. If they can find the level of consistency Wilder has demanded, and put a positive run of results together, they will just have to sit back and see what happens elsewhere.
With so many teams struggling for consistency, United still have a window of opportunity to try and finish as high up the ladder as possible. However, that relies on them putting a good run of form together themselves and consistently taking points off top half teams - something they have not done anywhere near enough this season.
Do that, and all they can do is see where the coming weeks take them.