What Sheffield United must do to achieve boss's season ambition after frustrating Derby County step back
Chris Wilder insists Sheffield United can still get themselves into the play-off picture after a mixed start to the Championship season, but says consistency in performances and results will be key to building momentum.
Chris Wilder has reminded his Sheffield United players that consistency in performances and results is the “key” to a successful season after reiterating his desire to steer the Blades towards the play-offs. The Blades showed signs of turning their fortunes around recently.
But a week that saw them beat Lincoln City and Bristol City, and only narrowly lose at Portsmouth with 10 men, was followed by a poor first-half display at home to Derby County on Saturday.
The tide turned with about half an hour to go, when the Rams were reduced to 10 men and the likes of Femi Seriki and Romelle Donovan gave United more attacking thrust.
But the step back will have frustrated Wilder, who hoped that his side had turned a corner in terms of consistency in performance after a slow start to the current campaign.
The Blades must now pick up where they left off against Derby in another big home game, against fellow top-eight candidates Wrexham. They once again spent heavily in the summer, including prising Callum O’Hare from United, but are 17th in the table ahead of their trip to South Yorkshire.
United are just four points off QPR, who currently occupy the final play-off spot after the end-of-season shootout was extended to six teams this summer, and seven off second-placed Swansea City as the Championship begins to take shape.
And Wilder admitted: “You want to be in the mix. You want to have an extended season. That's our ambition. You want to overachieve. That's our ambition, to overachieve.
“Nothing really changes whether you're favourites, whether people tip you to go up or wherever they see you. You want your season to have something to be involved in and play for at the end of the season, and I don't think anything changes.
“We have to keep picking up points and recover from disappointing parts of the season. We have to recover from a slow start, that we've obviously had, and start adding to our points total.
“I said to the players even last year, when we were 24th, we needed to be 23rd, and if we were 18th, we needed to be 17th. But I'd be saying that if we were second, I'd want to be top, and if we were top, I'd want to stay at the top.
“So nothing really changes. But, at the same time, also understanding that this isn't a division where teams are going to win 30 or 35 games out of 46, as we all know and understand.
“Whatever club you're at, you always have your different challenges, but to be consistent in performances and results is key, which I believe we will be. Pick up speed, pick up some momentum and see where it takes us.”