Sheffield United: The excuse Slavisa Jokanovic doesn't want to hear at Nottingham Forest

Slavisa Jokanovic says Sheffield United can not blame their experiences in the Premier League last season for the lack of confidence and match-craft which is undermining his team’s bid to make an immediate return.
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Appointed in the wake of a catastrophic campaign, which saw United surrender top-flight status with six matches to spare, the presence of a manager who has twice won promotion from the Championship has so far failed to help them exorcise those ghosts - with last weekend’s defeat by Blackpool leaving the club 17th in the table ahead of tomorrow’s visit to Nottingham Forest.

Although losing a game they had controlled for long periods was a source of “huge disappointment” for Jokanovic, the Serb was even more concerned by the sight of United’s players once again losing their form and self-belief after Keshi Anderson’s 76th minute goal proved enough to settle the contest.

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“We will concede,” Jokanovic told The Star, acknowledging it has become an unfortunate trait. “But it is our reaction. I am not thinking about last season. I am a new manager at this club. If I am thinking about last season and my players are thinking about last season, if they are thinking about how they lost last season, then it is a very confused situation.”

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“We have a game ahead of us in two days,” he added. “We must show personality and power to be up for the challenge. That is my view. I hope my players will be in the same situation.”

Although Jokanovic insisted United’s psychological flaws are “a simple thing to solve” - “We create chances and be honest” - performances since August suggest the opposite. Six days before facing Neil Critchley’s side, they also came close to surrendering a three goal lead at Barnsley while Preston North End, Millwall and Huddersfield Town have also exposed United’s mental fragility to differing degrees.

Slavisa Jokanovic watches Sheffield United in action against Blackpool at Bramall Lane: Simon Bellis/ SportimageSlavisa Jokanovic watches Sheffield United in action against Blackpool at Bramall Lane: Simon Bellis/ Sportimage
Slavisa Jokanovic watches Sheffield United in action against Blackpool at Bramall Lane: Simon Bellis/ Sportimage

“I can not accept this reaction,” Jokanovic said. “There is no justification for the result because, although defeat is obviously not my intention, I can’t remember Blackpool missing huge amounts of missed chances. They scored and then we must stay in the game, stick to what we do well and play well. But we didn’t have three quality passes afterwards or make positive chances.”