Sheffield United: Reda Khadra too good to be written off after City disappointment , but question marks still remain

Sheffield United's game against Bristol City was barely half an hour old and the German's part in it was over, replaced by James McAtee in the latest, and surely clearest, indication that his loan spell at Bramall Lane, by any conceivable metric, is simply not working out.

Boss Paul Heckingbottom went to great lengths after the game to stress that the decision was no reflection on Khadra's performance, that it was more an admission that he got the set-up wrong from the start and that any of Khadra's teammates could have been hooked instead. But it was the German who made way, with Heckingbottom speaking to him on the day and planning further chats - no doubt to ensure his confidence does not take any further knocks after a frustrating start to life in South Yorkshire.

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Even before he made way there were signs that this wasn't going to be Khadra's evening. In the opening exchanges, he looked well-placed to exploit a slip by Jay Dasilva but couldn't capitalise; good movement down the middle after a Blades break would have resulted in a decent sight of goal, but Iliman Ndiaye for once made the wrong decision and held on to the ball, and the chance went begging.

In the wider context of Khadra's United career, that seemingly-inconsequential moment could be seismic. A good pass and a finish similar to the one we saw at Swansea could have been a turning point. Instead his frustration continued and soon after, his number was up. A confused stare, an exasperated raise of the arms, a slow trudge off and departure straight down the tunnel followed.

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The result certainly vindicated Heckingbottom's decision, with McAtee providing the cross for matchwinner Ndiaye, but Nigel Pearson, the City manager, certainly didn't hold back when asked about the change after the game. Denying it was anything to do with his side's start, Pearson instead blasted Khadra, bitterly branding him "a huge disappointment", "high maintenance" and "a difficult character".

Pearson also revealed that City had tried to sign Khadra in the summer before he eventually moved to Bramall Lane. "I bet he wished he'd come to us now," the former Wednesday captain signed off. Based on Pearson's post-match performance, one imagines Khadra - no matter how frustrating his time at Bramall Lane has been so far - probably does not.

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He will receive far more empathy from Heckingbottom, who spoke with his man after the game and plans to do so again ahead of this weekend's clash with Burnley. The decision was entirely vindicated, McAtee providing the cross for Ndiaye's winner, but will have hurt Khadra. As one former professional footballer of some repute confirmed after the game, a first-half substitution is right up there with the ultimate embarrassment in the game.

This will be another test of Khadra's character, when we see him again in a United shirt. He is, after all, too good a player to write off completely, even ifthe moments of quality he showed against United last season have been few and far between in their colours.

That memorable late winner at Swansea should have been the start of something, the breakthrough moment. But instead, it remains Khadra's only real and meaningful contribution in a Blades career that has, so far, produced more questions than answers.

Has he had enough opportunities so far? Has he done enough to demand more when he has appeared? How do United get the best out of him? Where exactly does he fit in best in this United team? And where do things go from here?

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