Sheffield United research highlights Premier League transition and potential new transfer signings

Researchers from SkillCorner, whose work has been republished by the CIES Observatory, studied attacking trends in some of the world’s leading divisions. Their work focused on the number of high intensity runs made by players in those competitions whilst in possession. The data they collected revealed that the three clubs promoted from the Championship last term, which included United, tend to go forward in a “more horizontal” way than many of the top-flight’s leading names with Manchester City being a notable exception.

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Paul Heckingbottom, the United manager, has frequently emphasised the importance of devising “flexible” strategies since being appointed 19 months ago; despite insisting it is vital his squad develops a clear identity.

“We have to know what a Sheffield United performance looks like,” he said. “And we do. You have to be able to react to different challenges and situations. But the best way of doing that is within a framework of the things that you know you do - the things that you want to do - and do them well.”

“We always try and solve the tests opponents give you whilst retaining that way,” Heckingbottom added. “That’s what gives you the best opportunity of doing well.”

United, Burnley and Luton Town, who went up via the play-offs, all returned negative ratings by SkillCorner’s measure - which their counterparts at the CIES, a think-tank in Switzerland, noted indicated a preference for more considered build-ups. West Bromwich Albion returned the highest rating in England’s second tier, followed by Bristol City, Stoke City and Norwich City.

Crucially, however, United’s negative differential was the smallest of the Championship’s leading trio of teams, which suggested they should be comfortably able to adjust to life in the PL - tactically at least - where Newcastle, Fulham, Manchester United, Brighton and Hove Albion and Arsenal all returned positive differentials.

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SkillCorner studied the number of high intensity runs expected and actually observed while in possession to create its database. The CIES argues that the tool can be used to identify potential targets, with City duo Tommy Doyle and James McAtee both impressing whilst on loan at United last term. Rangers, where both Glen Kamara and Ryan Kent have been linked with switches to South Yorkshire, also return a negative differential; albeit one slightly greater than United.

Anel Ahmedhodzic, the solitary overseas acquisition of Heckingbottom’s reign so far, arrived from a Malmo team which frequently operated with a back three and mixed a possession based style with quick, direct attacks - a strategy which, given the central defender’s individual attributes, made him perfect for United’s rearguard. Jack Lester, Heckingbottom’s head of player development, had also worked with Ahmedhodzic previously at Nottingham Forest which proved invaluable when it came to ticking another box the former Barnsley, Leeds and Hibernian chief requires all new purchases to do.

“We knew his character,” Heckingbottom said. “Jack had all of that already, from their time together there.”

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Intriguingly, Haris Belkebla, who has been touted as another person of possible interest for United, has just left a Stade Brestois side which performed far more high intensity runs than their possession percentage would suggest than almost every other member of Ligue 1. They ranked fourth out of 20 by this particular measure, exceeding their projected total by more than six percent. United, by comparison, underscored by 0.7. Paris St Germain, the dominant team in France, did likewise - albeit by a mammoth 10.9 percent. Belkebla has admitetd he would be open to the idea of a move abroad but stated that he was only aware of claims United could be a possible destination via the media.

Heckingbottom’s tactical decision-making, which SkillCorner and the CIES would argue suggests United can go forward both ‘vertically’ and ‘horizontally’ although they slightly favour the latter, should serve to open up the pool of talent his recruitment guru Paul Mitchell can consider. Although a list of ‘wants’ was handed to owner Prince Abdullah bin Musa’ad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud during a recent meeting of both United’s top brass and representatives of United World (UW) in Geneva, fresh lines of enquiry are expected to emerge as clubs begin to do business in the market.

SkillCorner’s analysis also identified some country-wide trends. Teams in Denmark tend to operate in a similar way to United, with eight of its 12 leading clubs scoring within a percentage point of United on the projected versus returned high intensity runs measure. Ten from Belgium, where Prince Abdullah controls Beerschot, fell within the same parameter. Spain, Germany, Scotland and Portugal - United travel to Lisbon for pre-season training next month - could also prove important hunting grounds.

Those returning figures comparable to United include Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Frankfurt, Salernitana, Estoril and Antwerp, Beerschot’s neighbours. However, financial considerations clearly rule out raids on the overwhelming majority of these with only a limited budget initially being placed at Heckingbottom’s disposal. Work is underway to try and boost this, with Prince Abdullah’s representatives searching for outside investment whilst also assessing the likelihood that one of the US based business people considering takeover bids will make a concrete offer.

“We put a lot of work in,” Heckingbottom said. “There’s a lot of thought, a heck of a lot in fact, that goes into the recruitment work. We try to be as comprehensive as we possibly can, because we have to try and make every single thing count.”

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