Sheffield United chief insists “leggy” Blades must improve on performance at Hull City | OneFootball

Sheffield United notched another crucial 2-0 win on the road, defeating a determined Hull City side on Friday evening. The Blades had to work hard for their victory, as they were put to the test by the hosts, but ultimately showed their resilience and defensive solidity.

Gustavo Hamer opened the scoring with a stunning first-half strike. Positioned on the right side of the box, Hamer unleashed a powerful low drive that found its way into the bottom left corner of the net, after a breakaway led by Callum O’Hare.

Hull City responded by increasing the pressure in the second half, but Sheffield United held firm. The Blades doubled their lead just after the hour mark when substitute Sam McCallum produced an excellent improvised finish. The goal followed a moment of brilliance from Andre Brooks, whose skill and vision set up McCallum with a perfectly weighted assist.

Hull City pressed forward in search of a goal and nearly found one when Lewie Coyle floated a cross into the box. Midfielder Marvin Mehlen met the delivery with a strong header that crashed off the underside of the crossbar, sending the ball bouncing perilously close to the goal line. United managed to clear the danger, preserving their clean sheet.

In the end, Sheffield United recorded their third clean sheet of the campaign, earning another three points and climbing to sixth in the Championship, just three points off the top of the table. The performance, while gritty, demonstrated the side’s ability to secure results even when not at their best.

HULL, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 13: Anel Ahmedhodzic of Sheffield United reacts with teammate Vinicius Souza following the Sky Bet Championship match between Hull City AFC and Sheffield United FC at MKM Stadium on September 13, 2024 in Hull, England. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)

Chris Wilder’s reaction to another Sheffield United victory on their travels at Hull City

Speaking after the game to SUTV, manager Chris Wilder expressed his satisfaction with the win, though he acknowledged that the performance left room for improvement.

“Delighted. I didn’t think it was a great performance, there’s so much we can work on and get better with, but especially for the younger players, experiencing what a Championship away performance needs to be at times when you’re not at your best, and we weren’t. But we got the job done. We’ll play better, we’ve played better all season, but delighted for all the guys and girls in the corner that witnessed their team putting everything on the line. We’ll be better with the ball. A lot to admire about the performance, maybe not from a technical point of view.

“It wasn’t an ideal performance. We looked a little bit leggy; I don’t know whether the break and the international fixtures have pushed us back a bit. We have to be better than that, but it’s the Championship, and we’re all here for three points. If you’re not at your best, still get a result: and we’ve managed to do that.”

Lastly, Wilder took his time to praise Harry Souttar and Anel Ahmedhodzic, who has had a very difficult week when he spoke publicly about cutting ties with his father due to toxicity.

“I thought our two centre-halves were outstanding positionally in terms of defending inside the goal, and it’s something we need to do. Another clean sheet,” he added. “It’s been a pretty difficult week for Anel. He got an incredible reception [from the fans]. So I think that’s put everything to bed in terms of what we all feel about Anel at our football club.” After the full time whistle the Blades fans serenaded Ahmedhodzic, with the chanting of his name lasting about 15 minutes, nonstop.