What will Sheffield United look like under Selles and which players will succeed under him?

New Sheffield United boss Ruben Selles is coming into a club which came agonisingly close to returning to the top-flight of English football. But this situation is far removed from what he was dealing with last season, deep in the opposite end of the Championship table, only surviving relegation with his Hull City side on goal difference.

The expectations at Bramall Lane are different, and the Spanish manager will have to act quickly and decisively if he wants to build a side in his vision which is capable of pushing for a place in the Premier League.

How Selles will set up his Sheffield United side

Selles set his Hull City side up in either a 4-2-2-2 or 4-2-3-1/4-3-3 which is similar to the system Chris Wilder deployed last season. However, there will be many differences next season compared to the side we’re used to seeing at S2.

Selles likes his side to press aggressively and wants to keep possession, which Hull struggled with. But defensively, they are solid, and with better players at his disposal, he will be hoping that the attacking side of his coaching can excel as much as the structure defensively. There is also likely to be more width in the way Selles’s side set-up on the pitch compared to that of Wilder.

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Selles’ ability to set up a side which can hold out the league’s best attacks while excelling attacking-wise was on full display at Bramall Lane last season when Hull stunned the Blades 3-0 with just 39% possession but managed five shots on target to United’s three on goal.

Which players will succeed under Selles?

Attacking midfielders will be key in Selles’ system, whether they are playing as two 8s in a 4-2-2-2 or across the pitch in a 4-2-3-1/4-3-3 formation. They will add a lot to what the Spanish manager wants to do, and they need to be able to receive the ball between the lines, turn and carry an attacking threat.

Unsurprisingly, Callum O’Hare is someone who can definitely thrive in this system and, fresh off the back of 10 goals and assists in the Blades’ play-off push last season, he will be wanting to contribute heavily this season and go one better. When many fans think about the best attacking midfield threats in the league, it is O’Hare who is at the top of many lists, and Selles will be delighted to have his sort of quality in his team.

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Fan favourite and Sheffield-born Ollie Arblaster is another who could take his game further under Selles and has the capabilities of dealing with pressure from midfielders in the middle of the pitch and bringing his side forward. The 21-year-old will be hoping to return from the awful injury which kept him out for much of last season and play a big part in this new era.

What Selles needs to add to improve the team

To improve this Sheffield United side, upgrades on the right-hand side of the pitch are needed.

An addition at right-back is a must for United this summer, and if Selles wants to replicate the attacking threat Harrison Burrows showed through his six goals and six assists down the left side of defence, then a player who is capable of giving width is needed. But he might choose to only use one of his full-backs as an attacking threat, meaning his opposite number will have to be able to sit in alongside the centre-backs and be able to play a high percentage of passes each game into midfield.

With Jesurun Rak-Sakyi returning to Crystal Palace after his loan spell, there is Andre Brooks on the right wing, but depth is needed. Someone who is more dynamic and fast-paced would be welcome when there is already Gus Hamer thriving on the left side of the pitch. An addition similar to that of Rak-Sakyi last season would be welcomed, as he contributed nine goals and assists in 35 Championship games last season.

There is a lot of work for the former Reading manager to do this summer. It will take a while for some fans to come round to his appointment, but adding the right players to thrive in his system and showcasing how he can challenge at the top of the Championship table will go some way in easing fans' nerves about how suitable he is in bringing success to Bramall Lane.

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