Sheffield United manager, Chris Wilder, defended on-loan youngster Ethan Ampadu, after the Chelsea man essentially cost the Blades the game.
Ampadu’s mistake at Fulham to allow Ademola Lookman in on goal ensured the Cottaghers took all three points from the tie and more or less sent the Blades packing down to the Championship at the same time.
It was a bitterly disappointing passage of play that, in reality, just followed the pattern of the entire season with Sheffield United. Every individual mistake a player makes, seems to be punished in the harshest way.
However, speaking after the game, Wilder believes Ampadu will bounce back and praised the Chelsea man for his ‘fabulous character’.
“We make a poor error from a young boy, that is going to be a good player and already is a good player,” Wilder said.
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“Maybe he makes his mistakes at Sheffield United and goes back to Chelsea and uses that to learn. But he’s a fabulous character.”
Ampadu has grown into the season week by week and in the last few games in particular, had really started to look the part.
However, his mistake last night will be a setback for him and, as Wilder said, it’s something Ampadu will need to learn from when he goes back to Stamford Bridge.
Ethan Ampadu won’t be defined on one mistake at Sheffield United
Ethan Ampadu has done pretty well without being spectacular this season.
But let’s remember a few things when it comes to the Chelsea man. He’s a young player learning his craft, for a start. Within that, he’s also been asked to play multiple positions this season for the Blades.
Left and right centre-back, the main man in the back three, and a deep lying midfielder, all positions Ampadu has been asked to play this season.
Add that to the fact he has been part of a struggling team all season, and the reality is that things have been stacked against him. Granted, Ampadu is part of that struggling side, but it would have been interesting to see how he would have been last season with all the momentum the club had.
Yes, Ampadu made his mistake last night. But his career, or time at Sheffield United, won’t be defined just on a single error at Fulham.