Camden Blade
Active Member
From the Athletic today. Haven't read it yet but thought I'd share:
theathletic.com
'We just don't have the quality': Sheffield United’s top-flight return so different to 2019
Sheffield United’s return to the Premier League after two seasons away should have filled their supporters with optimism and hope, but a lacklustre performance at home against Crystal Palace on the opening weekend emphasised concerns about the strength of the squad.
United also played Palace in their first match at Bramall Lane in the 2019-20 season — on their return to the top flight after 12 years in the EFL, half of them spent in the third tier — and the mood then was a complete contrast. There was a strong bond between the team and then manager Chris Wilder, and the supporters, on the back of two automatic promotions in three seasons, were bouncing.
United won that game 1-0. On Saturday, that result was reversed.
That summer four years ago, United signed 10 players to create a new-look side, one capable of remaining in the top flight. They massively exceeded those expectations, finishing ninth and remaining in the European qualification argument with two games to play.
This time, however, feels very different.
The atmosphere at Bramall Lane on Saturday began with hope but ended in pain. The crowd desperately tried to urge their side to go on the offensive following Odsonne Edouard’s goal early in the second half. In the end, they went home subdued.
United had just one shot on target all afternoon, a long-range effort from Oliver Norwood in the 44th minute that was comfortably saved by Sam Johnstone. With an expected goals (xG) number — the stat that shows the likelihood of a shot becoming a goal — of just 0.51 (compared with Palace’s 1.89), there was a lack of chances in the final third.
They were wasteful in possession with, according to Opta, 162 completed passes compared to Palace’s 466, and had a 62 per cent pass accuracy (to the visitors’ 83 per cent), with limited creativity in the middle.
Norwood, Chris Basham (who usually plays centre-back) and Ben Osborn formed their midfield three but failed to bring either new signing Benie Traore or William Osula, a 20-year-old making his first league start for the club, into the match. They didn’t play either striker in on goal once throughout. United’s best opportunity came in the 75th minute when their front men linked up in the penalty area, only for Osula’s shot to ripple the side netting.
Manager Paul Heckingbottom is dealing with injuries to key players — Oliver McBurnie, Rhian Brewster, Jayden Bogle and John Fleck were among those absent — and it was obvious Premier League quality was lacking in several areas among the group he was able to field.
The Yorkshire side have made six signings since winning automatic promotion as runners-up to Burnley last season — Traore, Vinicius Souza, Auston Trusty, Anis Ben Slimane, Yasser Larouci and, on the day of the Palace game, Gustavo Hamer — but have had to be careful with their money despite earning a return to the massively lucrative Premier League.
They were placed under a transfer embargo in January, which was lifted in April, for failing to make two scheduled transfer payments and finances have been tight since their relegation from the Premier League in 2021.
Their situation has been compounded by the departures of several players who were crucial to last season’s success.
Top scorer Iliman Ndiaye left for Marseille two weeks ago, and his 15 goals and 12 assists in all competitions last season cannot be replaced by anyone in United’s current set-up. Midfielder Sander Berge, who left for Burnley last week, offered not only great depth but defensive awareness. Manchester City youngsters James McAtee and Tommy Doyle have not returned from successful season-long loan spells.
The lack of options showed in the 80th minute against Palace, when United made a desperate triple substitution in search of an equaliser and Jack Robinson, Basham and Max Lowe were replaced by new signings Slimane, Souza and Larouci.
“That’s where we are right now, we just don’t have the quality,” Heckingbottom said.
“The story is that’s what we have got at the minute. We have signed a couple more players. Vini (Souza) came on, Gus (Hamer) is in the building. It’s a reflection of where we are that we need to start getting bodies in, and we will do.
“We’ve sold players, so we’ve got money to spend. There might be one or two (signings) that go to the end of the window in terms of loans, but one or two that we need (to bring in) and hopefully can be in before the next game (away to Nottingham Forest on Friday night).”
The relative lack of money spent so far this summer, alongside the departures of key players, suggests United’s squad is actually weaker than the one that secured promotion in late April. With so much uncertainty regarding the club’s ownership, nerves won’t be settled either.
United are owned by Saudi Arabia’s Prince Abdullah bin Mosaad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. He bought 50 per cent of the club in 2013 before assuming full control four years ago after winning a legal case against Kevin McCabe, who had owned the other 50 per cent.
But following the collapsed takeover attempts in 2022 and 2023 from Henry Mauriss and Dozy Mmobuosi, they feel like a club in limbo.
The arrival of Hamer, announced on the pitch before kick-off against Palace, will bring a buzz to the fans and add creativity to the team. He scored 11 league goals and assisted 10 from midfield for Coventry City last season as they came within a penalty shootout of winning promotion themselves via the Championship play-offs.
The 26-year-old Brazil-born Dutchman is not going to be enough on his own, however.
More signings are needed for United to have any hope of being in the top flight on the opening weekend of the 2024-25 season.
Heckingbottom has done a solid job under the circumstances, now he needs the backing from his bosses.
'We just don’t have the quality': Sheffield United's top-flight return so different to 2019
Sheffield United's struggles against Crystal Palace laid bare the problems with their squad as they return to the Premier League
theathletic.com
'We just don't have the quality': Sheffield United’s top-flight return so different to 2019
Sheffield United’s return to the Premier League after two seasons away should have filled their supporters with optimism and hope, but a lacklustre performance at home against Crystal Palace on the opening weekend emphasised concerns about the strength of the squad.
United also played Palace in their first match at Bramall Lane in the 2019-20 season — on their return to the top flight after 12 years in the EFL, half of them spent in the third tier — and the mood then was a complete contrast. There was a strong bond between the team and then manager Chris Wilder, and the supporters, on the back of two automatic promotions in three seasons, were bouncing.
United won that game 1-0. On Saturday, that result was reversed.
That summer four years ago, United signed 10 players to create a new-look side, one capable of remaining in the top flight. They massively exceeded those expectations, finishing ninth and remaining in the European qualification argument with two games to play.
This time, however, feels very different.
The atmosphere at Bramall Lane on Saturday began with hope but ended in pain. The crowd desperately tried to urge their side to go on the offensive following Odsonne Edouard’s goal early in the second half. In the end, they went home subdued.
United had just one shot on target all afternoon, a long-range effort from Oliver Norwood in the 44th minute that was comfortably saved by Sam Johnstone. With an expected goals (xG) number — the stat that shows the likelihood of a shot becoming a goal — of just 0.51 (compared with Palace’s 1.89), there was a lack of chances in the final third.
They were wasteful in possession with, according to Opta, 162 completed passes compared to Palace’s 466, and had a 62 per cent pass accuracy (to the visitors’ 83 per cent), with limited creativity in the middle.
Norwood, Chris Basham (who usually plays centre-back) and Ben Osborn formed their midfield three but failed to bring either new signing Benie Traore or William Osula, a 20-year-old making his first league start for the club, into the match. They didn’t play either striker in on goal once throughout. United’s best opportunity came in the 75th minute when their front men linked up in the penalty area, only for Osula’s shot to ripple the side netting.
Manager Paul Heckingbottom is dealing with injuries to key players — Oliver McBurnie, Rhian Brewster, Jayden Bogle and John Fleck were among those absent — and it was obvious Premier League quality was lacking in several areas among the group he was able to field.
The Yorkshire side have made six signings since winning automatic promotion as runners-up to Burnley last season — Traore, Vinicius Souza, Auston Trusty, Anis Ben Slimane, Yasser Larouci and, on the day of the Palace game, Gustavo Hamer — but have had to be careful with their money despite earning a return to the massively lucrative Premier League.
They were placed under a transfer embargo in January, which was lifted in April, for failing to make two scheduled transfer payments and finances have been tight since their relegation from the Premier League in 2021.
Their situation has been compounded by the departures of several players who were crucial to last season’s success.
Top scorer Iliman Ndiaye left for Marseille two weeks ago, and his 15 goals and 12 assists in all competitions last season cannot be replaced by anyone in United’s current set-up. Midfielder Sander Berge, who left for Burnley last week, offered not only great depth but defensive awareness. Manchester City youngsters James McAtee and Tommy Doyle have not returned from successful season-long loan spells.
The lack of options showed in the 80th minute against Palace, when United made a desperate triple substitution in search of an equaliser and Jack Robinson, Basham and Max Lowe were replaced by new signings Slimane, Souza and Larouci.
“That’s where we are right now, we just don’t have the quality,” Heckingbottom said.
“The story is that’s what we have got at the minute. We have signed a couple more players. Vini (Souza) came on, Gus (Hamer) is in the building. It’s a reflection of where we are that we need to start getting bodies in, and we will do.
“We’ve sold players, so we’ve got money to spend. There might be one or two (signings) that go to the end of the window in terms of loans, but one or two that we need (to bring in) and hopefully can be in before the next game (away to Nottingham Forest on Friday night).”
The relative lack of money spent so far this summer, alongside the departures of key players, suggests United’s squad is actually weaker than the one that secured promotion in late April. With so much uncertainty regarding the club’s ownership, nerves won’t be settled either.
United are owned by Saudi Arabia’s Prince Abdullah bin Mosaad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. He bought 50 per cent of the club in 2013 before assuming full control four years ago after winning a legal case against Kevin McCabe, who had owned the other 50 per cent.
But following the collapsed takeover attempts in 2022 and 2023 from Henry Mauriss and Dozy Mmobuosi, they feel like a club in limbo.
The arrival of Hamer, announced on the pitch before kick-off against Palace, will bring a buzz to the fans and add creativity to the team. He scored 11 league goals and assisted 10 from midfield for Coventry City last season as they came within a penalty shootout of winning promotion themselves via the Championship play-offs.
The 26-year-old Brazil-born Dutchman is not going to be enough on his own, however.
More signings are needed for United to have any hope of being in the top flight on the opening weekend of the 2024-25 season.
Heckingbottom has done a solid job under the circumstances, now he needs the backing from his bosses.
Get fucked.
