"Taking some getting used to" - Claim made on Chris Wilder adjustment at Sheffield United | OneFootball

FLW's Sheffield United fan pundit has given his verdict on the team's recent tactical change

Sheffield United’s ambition this season will be to earn Premier League promotion at the first time of asking.

The Blades returned to the Championship after coming 20th in the top flight in the previous campaign, with Chris Wilder unable to keep the team in the division.

The Yorkshire outfit have started the campaign well, and are in the mix for an automatic promotion place despite receiving a two-point deduction penalty from the EFL.

It was a busy summer for Sheffield United, with a large turnover of players causing Wilder to alter the team’s style of play.

After years of sticking to a back three formation, the 57-year-old has shifted towards a more traditional back four setup.

Sheffield United playing style assessed

When asked whether he liked the team’s current style of play, FLW’s Sheffield United fan pundit Jimmy, from Blades Ramble, claimed that the change has made a positive impact.

He believes it might take another window or two to fully complete the transition, but that the current results are a sign that everything is working as intended.

“I do like the style that we’re playing,” Jimmy told Football League World.

“It’s taking some getting used to from Blades because we’ve played three at the back for so long, which is a style, ironically, that Chris Wilder brought to the club.

“We then recruited for years based on that three at the back formation, you know, wing-backs, no wingers and all this.

“But because of the large turnover of players in the summer, he’s basically reset our philosophy and our playing style as a club.

“So, huge influx of new players, Wilder’s chosen a four at the back, which is what I think most teams are doing now in modern football, and we play a 4-2-3-1.

“Now we haven’t really, because we’ve only had one window to transform the squad, we haven’t really got the personnel to play it flush.

“Like we haven’t got an orthodox left-winger, for example.

“But so far so good, it’s winning football.

“Even if I didn’t particularly like the style, I like the results so, so far so good with the new style.”

Sheffield United league position

Sheffield United are second in the Championship table, level on points with leaders Sunderland but behind due to an inferior goal difference.

The Blades went into the November international break off the back of a big derby day win over bitter rivals Sheffield Wednesday.

Tyrese Campbell’s 50th minute strike saw Wilder’s side move back into the automatic promotion places after 15 games.

Next up for Sheffield United is a trip to face Coventry City on 23 November.

Change in style is working for Sheffield United

Wilder earned a reputation for his use of a back three formation, with his innovation of overlapping centre-backs catching a lot of attention when the Blades were promoted in 2019.

Deviating from that style is a big risk, especially for a coach with his level of experience.

However, it seems to be paying off so far, with the team performing well and earning the results to keep them in automatic promotion contention.

It is to Wilder’s credit that he’s been able to make this change, especially as the last couple of roles he’d had prior to returning to Bramall Lane had somewhat hurt his reputation in the game.