The important message Chris Wilder has delivered to Sheffield United's players

Chris Wilder, the Sheffield United manager, has thrown a protective arm around his players as they attempt to climb out of the relegation zone, with coaching staff delivering a series of positive messages during training at the Steelphalt Academy.
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Despite admitting United must improve certain aspects of their game, Wilder has told those players not on international duty that a return to winning ways is not far off after analysing their displays against the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City.

United will enter Sunday’s game against West Ham at the foot of the Premier League table, having taken only a point from their opening eight matches of the new campaign.

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But Wilder said: “As you can imagine, I’m a supportive manager and I believe in the system and what we’re doing. I also understand the difficulties of the division and what we are up against.

“(Nicolas) Pepe, a £72m signing, comes on for Arsenal when we went there. Chelsea, in our last game, brought a World Cup winner off the bench.

“I’m not thinking everything is okay, because we want to be winning matches. The gap when we are not quite at the top of our game, and the bits and pieces I believe have been going against us, can make a big difference when you’re facing quality like that.

“But I still believe in these lads and, from what I’ve seen, I really don’t think we’re too far away from getting back to it. There’s lots of things they’ve been doing well too.”

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The decision to focus on the more encouraging aspects of United’s performances, rather than magnify the errors which gifted Frank Lampard’s side at least two goals at Stamford Bridge earlier this month, represents an effort to remove some of the anxiety Wilder admits has crept into United’s game since finishing ninth last season.

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder has been encouraging his players: Ben Stansall/PA Wire.Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder has been encouraging his players: Ben Stansall/PA Wire.
Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder has been encouraging his players: Ben Stansall/PA Wire.

“Results are obviously the most important thing but I do think, because they’ve not been good, that a lot of the positive things the lads have been doing then get overlooked,” Wilder added. “And they have been doing a lot of good things.

“It’s just that, when we’re not at our maximum against world class opposition, it makes it a tough gap to bridge at times. By and large, however, we’ve been ‘in’ all of those matches.”