Sheffield United's transfer focus on an area high on numbers but low on consistency
Alan Biggs on Sheffield United’s recruitment need during the January transfer window
How must it feel to have the multiple pieces of your transfer jigsaw thrown up in the air by injuries and suspensions?
In other circumstances, I’d fancy Chris Wilder might want to add stiffening the back line to the mix.
Whereas five strikers for one or two positions is normal and even considered ideal, five centre backs for two places doesn’t quite tick the box on either count.
It’s one of those anomalies in football and, looking from the outside, a bit of a riddle at Sheffield United.
But right now - it’s just as well with the best of those central defenders, and captain to boot, Japhet Tanganga suspended.
Defensive insecurity has been the greatest barrier to an otherwise steady progression. Whereas United’s general goal threat offers plenty of justification for having a plethora of forwards. Not so at the back where, from what I’ve seen, Tanganga has been the only consistently performing centre back. Banned now along with Djibril Soumare after the double red card defeat at Charlton.
On-loan Tyler Bindon has looked the best of the rest. Ben Mee and Mark McGuinness have been patchy, while Rhys Norrington-Davies is out on loan at Queens Park Rangers.
It means that, numbers apart, there appears to be a case for Wilder making a priority of adding a commanding central defender.
Would he need to thin out this department in order to do so and is there scope for that in this window?
Whatever, it seems to me the back line, secure in the full back positions unless offers rise to something acceptable for Harrison Burrows, is not entirely settled and sound.
Wilder is pretty adept at these situations, manipulating the possibilities, which include who might depart.
What about the future of Gus Hamer?
Writing ahead of Southampton in midweek, there is always a trade-off in budget terms should he retain Gus Hamer.
That is arguably the biggest issue of the lot. It will go to the wire, although without any obvious discouragement from United’s likeliest match-winning talent.
That said, you can see the business side of trading a 28-year-old approaching his last year on contract if he is not prepared to sign a new one.
It may well explain why United have been touted for loan interest in several experienced, quality midfielders, including Aston Villa’s Ross Barkley.
Whatever happens, I’d imagine Wilder is intent on two or three additions parallel to at least as much offloading.
As for overloading, the challenge is for those existing centre backs to step up and the opportunity is there. Also, you don’t have too many when one or two are out.
So, as in all things January, it’s not simple and straightforward to get the balance right in any area of the team.
But it is rare at least for any team not to have pressing need for a striker (managers everywhere always seem to be after one) and in that respect United are well equipped.