Match Preview: Sheffield United v Brentford
Brentford Seek Redemption Against Sheffield United After Brighton Loss
During their recent match at Bramall Lane, Sheffield United displayed notable improvement and gave Liverpool a challenging time. Despite being currently at the bottom of the league, the team's resilience was evident in their gameplay.
Brentford Must Generate Opportunities At Bramall Lane, According To Richard Cole's Playmaker Stats
Supporters of Sheffield United may believe that they were treated unfairly when it came to the referee's decisions for the goals made by Liverpool during their match, which they lost 2-0. The referee overlooked what appeared to be a push by Virgil van Dijk in the penalty area before Liverpool's first goal, and he also ignored a challenge by Darwin Núñez that seemed to be reckless and out of control, which resulted in the second goal for Liverpool.
After the match, Chris Wilder stated that he aimed to give the opposing team an unpleasant evening.
They achieved precisely what was expected, and the manager expressed his displeasure about not obtaining any results from the match.
Even though there wasn't a boost in performance due to the change in the manager (either new or old), the team showed during the match that Thomas Frank's group might face some unexpected challenges when they visit south Yorkshire.
Perhaps a challenging journey is anticipated. During their recent encounters in the Championship and League One, the Bees were unsuccessful in securing a victory at Bramall Lane.
If we're talking about Brentford's last win in Sheffield United's territory, we need to travel back in time to 1982. This was when they secured a 2-1 win in the Third Division.
Furthermore, injuries persist to be a concern with Bryan Mbeumo, who netted Brentford's lone goal versus Brighton, becoming the most recent player to suffer from a physical setback.
Despite the absence of Mbeumo, Brentford still has a good chance of winning against Sheffield United.
The Blades are still considered as the team that allows their opponents to have the most shots per game on average this season (18.7) while they, on the other hand, have the smallest average number of shots (only 8.5 per game).
United had a difficult time against Liverpool, only managing to keep control of the ball for 24% of the game and having just one attempt at scoring. In contrast, they allowed eight goals to be scored against their own team.
Wilder's top priority will likely be to challenge their opponents more consistently. The team's lack of diversity and effectiveness has been a concern throughout the season.
As an instance, their performance lacks in certain areas as compared to other teams in the Premier League this season. They have made only 21 switches of play, completed 161 crosses, won 49 corners and completed 198 shot-creating actions. Moreover, they have not been able to score a goal after a successful take-on.
The Bees should definitely feel self-assured entering the competition, but playing against a team with a lot to demonstrate and a great deal of progress to achieve seems perilous at the moment.
"Sheffield United Fires Heckingbottom: Risky Move After Poor Start"
When Burnley hit their impressive form last season, Sheffield United had no chance of catching up to Vincent Kompany and his team. It's been a while since a squad has appeared more likely to move up from the Championship since the rebranding in 2004.
However, one could argue that the aforementioned statement is also applicable to the Blades and their fellow contenders.
They came in second place, with a lead of 11 points over the eventual play-off champions Luton Town in third position. They had the second-best record at home and the third-best record on the road.
Sheffield United was highly unlikely to make any mistakes throughout their games and they managed to maintain their position in the automatic promotion places since November. Iliman Ndiaye was outstanding as he continued to enhance his performance in every game, while some instances proved that Oli McBurnie had regained his top form.
The team led by Paul Heckingbottom, The Blades, made it to the semi-finals of the FA Cup for the 15th time in the history of the club. Nevertheless, they were defeated by Manchester City in a match where they didn't play poorly despite the loss. Manchester City went on to win the competition.
Bramall Lane greeted the return to the Premier League with open arms.
Sheffield United made a return to the top tier in 2019/20 after being away for 12 seasons. Despite not being well-known, they fought hard and managed to secure a ninth-place finish - their best position since the league's creation in 1992.
It would have been great to have the opportunity to do something similar, but unfortunately, it seems like our hopes were already crushed before they even began.
The situation was not improved by the unexpected departure of the renowned club icon Billy Sharp earlier this summer. Despite being a dedicated player who understands the club's culture, at 37 years old, it is possible that the Premier League could be too challenging for him. As a result, his absence is undoubtedly noticeable, especially since he has always been a passionate fan of the team.
Ndiaye departed to Marseille after the club accepted a £20 million offer, although it was reported that he was offered a new deal to stay in Sheffield. The team brought in plenty of substitutes, but in reality, Heckingbottom may have needed more support during the summertime.
This season has been absolutely terrible for The Blades when it comes to their performance on the field. Out of the 14 games played, they have only managed to win one, draw two, and suffer 12 crushing defeats. They were beaten with a score of 5-0 twice and a whopping 8-0 once, leaving the team and fans feeling devastated. To make things even worse, they have only managed to score a total of 11 goals.
In addition to that, they have sent off a staggering 41 goals so far, which means they are letting in an average of 2.79 goals per game. If this keeps up, they will break the Premier League's unwanted record of conceding 106 goals in a single 38-game season which was previously held by Derby County who conceded 89 goals in 2007/08 by a significant margin.
Last weekend, Sheffield United experienced a devastating 5-0 loss against Burnley, who were their toughest opponents from last season. This loss resulted in the end of Heckingbottom's time as the team's coach after a three and a half-year run. The club's owner, Prince Abdullah, announced on talkSPORT that the new coach would be Chris Wilder, who is considered a beloved figure among the team's fans. This decision was made even before the club officially confirmed it.
The newly appointed 56-year-old manager will undoubtedly bring a surge of energy to the team, but is it happening soon enough for Sheffield United to fight hard and maintain their position in the top league? With 23 games left to play, they are currently trailing behind by four points for safety.
Chris Wilder, who usually played as a right-back, began his footballing career with his favourite team, Sheffield United, in 1986 after departing from Southampton.
Together with famous Brentford player Bob Booker, he was a member of the team for the Blades that successfully moved up from the Third Division to the First from 1988 until 1990.
Afterwards, Wilder spent the majority of his career competing in the First and Second Divisions for Rotherham United, Notts County, and Bradford City. He ultimately retired while playing for Halifax Town in the 2000/01 season.
Wilder began his career in managing at Alfreton Town in October of 2001. He then spent six years at Halifax before moving on to Oxford United for another five years. Wilder successfully led Oxford United out of the Conference in 2010.
He became the manager of Northampton in January 2014. During his second season at Sixfields, he led the Cobblers to victory in the League Two championship.
His most remarkable achievement, however, occurred during his five-year tenure at Sheffield United.
As a young lad, the Blade helped guide the club back to the Championship after spending six seasons away from the league. This was accomplished in his very first season in charge in the year 2016/17. Additionally, Wilder and his center-back teammates successfully guided United back to the Premier League during the 2018/19 season in a storybook-like fashion.
During November 2021, Wilder assumed the managerial role at Middlesbrough, succeeding Neil Warnock. Middlesbrough sat in 14th position on the Championship table at the time of his appointment. Despite considerably changing their luck, they fell short of qualifying for the playoffs, losing four out of their remaining eight league matches and finishing just five points away.
At the beginning of last season, Middlesbrough encountered difficulties in getting started which ultimately resulted in their dismissal on 3 October.
Wilder's latest job was at Watford. He was in charge of the team for the last 11 Championship matches of the previous season, after Slaven Bilić was fired. When his temporary contract ended after a win against Stoke on the final match day, he was unemployed for only six months before returning to Bramall Lane earlier this week.
"Chatting With BBC Radio Sheffield's Sports Editor, Andy Giddings"
In this blog post, we'll explore how Chris Wilder is expected to organize his team in their upcoming match against Brentford. Our expert on the matter is Andy Giddings, sports editor at BBC Radio Sheffield.
Although Wilder is recognized for his use of the 3-5-2 formation and center-backs who overlap in attack, his strategies have varied depending on the opposition. This was evident even during his tenure with Sheffield United.
When facing Liverpool, the team used a group of four defenders and I do not anticipate any alterations for the match against Brentford.
To some extent, the issue they faced was out on the sides where opposing teams repeatedly took advantage of the empty space located between the wing-back and center-back. They were thriving and appeared to be unstoppable.
The arrangement for the match involves having three players in the midfield area, with James McAtee playing as a free-standing player. Additionally, there will be two players functioning as strikers.
"If that is repeated, despite different personnel, it will be the only instance we can use to judge the new Sheffield United."
Check out the complete conversation with Andy Giddings at this link.
Mbeumo Out, Jensen's Injury To Be Evaluated
Prior to Brentford’s upcoming match against Sheffield United, the head coach, Thomas Frank, has provided an update on the team’s roster.
Bryan Mbeumo had to leave the game during Brentford's match against Brighton and Hove Albion on Wednesday night after sustaining an injury. Sadly, he will not be able to play in their upcoming match at Bramall Lane. So far this season, he has contributed 11 goals for Brentford in 15 games played in the Premier League.
Frank replied with a negative outlook regarding Mbeumo's injury, stating that it is not good. Mbeumo is scheduled to undergo a scan, but it is unclear as to how long he will be out for at this time.
It's certain that he won't be playing this coming Saturday and he'll be unavailable for several weeks. Further updates on his condition will be given within the next few days.
The manager of the team, Bees, mentioned that the good news is that player Mikkel Damsgaard participated in the game against Brighton and is improving more and more.
In the upcoming day, I will face a choice regarding Mathias Jensen. I must decide whether I should encourage him to prepare quickly or take a more careful approach and ensure he is ready to face Villa. I will take the time to evaluate his situation before making a decision.
Attwell: The Middle Man
Helping Hands: Neil Davies and Wade Smith.
The referee in a football match is always accompanied by three assistant referees. However, in addition to these three officials, there is also a fourth official. This person typically sits on the sidelines and assists the referee in making decisions throughout the game. In recent news, the fourth official appointed for a particular match was Darren England. He is an experienced official and has served in this role for many years. He will be responsible for providing guidance and support to the referee during the game. Overall, the role of the fourth official is essential in ensuring that the game runs smoothly. They are responsible for monitoring the conduct of both teams, directing substitutions, and assisting the referee in decision-making. With Darren England serving as the fourth official in this match, we can expect a fair and well-managed game.
Rewriting: The Video Assistant Referee, also known as VAR, is a tool that helps referees make more informed decisions during a football game. It was introduced in 2016 and has been used in various competitions around the world ever since. One of the main features of VAR is the ability to review key moments of the game, such as goals, penalties, and red card incidents. This can help the on-field referee make a more accurate decision, or in some cases, it can overturn a decision that was initially made. Robert Jones is a Video Assistant Referee who has experience in using this technology to help ensure fair play in football matches.
Stuart Attwell joined the Premier League's officials list on 25 June 2008, after serving only one season in the Football League.
This achievement established him as the most youthful Premier League referee ever, having achieved it at the age of 25.
In August 2022, Attwell's final task with Brentford was unforgettable. The Bees managed to defeat Manchester United by a staggering 4-0 score at Gtech Community Stadium.
This season, Attwell has been the referee for 12 games and has given out 43 yellow cards and two red cards.
Sheffield United Secures 2-0 Win Over Brentford
Sheffield United emerged victorious with a score of 2-0 at Bramall Lane, even though they had only 10 players for over half of their battle against Brentford.
During the first half, The Blades acquired an advantage after Yoann Barbet committed a foul against George Baldock inside the penalty area. OIiver Norwood then successfully made a goal from a distance of 12 yards.
Gary Madine was given a red card when only thirty minutes of the game had passed for making a dangerous tackle from behind on Ezri Konsa.
The Bees had opportunities to make the score even - one of them was Kamohelo Mokotjo's shot that hit the post - prior to David McGoldrick's header sealing the victory for United. In total, the team had 29 attempts on goal.
