Sheffield United got a point on the board at Luton yesterday but Slavisa Jokanovic is under no illusions that things have to improve quickly.
United were lucky to come away with a point. Despite dominating for the opening period of the game, Luton fought their way back into the game and should have won out in the end. Only good fortune, really, saved the Blades.
On the other hand, United showed little in the way of being able to score or create chances themselves. Oli McBurnie missed a decent header, while a positive bit of play followed by a woeful cross from Rhian Brewster, just about summed up his and United’s last 12 months.
Jokanovic calls for improvement
After sending a message to the board about recruitment, Jokanovic then addressed his current squad and performance levels.
And like every United fan out there, the Serbian can clearly see issues as he challenged his players to show they’re Premier League quality.
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“We didn’t show enough quality, not enough energy and I never felt we were ever close to winning this game. Do you really believe it’s a question of shape? It’s a question of play the football and without the basic things it becomes complicated to win the game,” Jokanovic told Yorkshire Live.
United have kept more or less the same squad and starting XI from last season. Aaron Ramsdale has departed, but the likes of Fleck, Berge, Norwood, Egan, and Sharp, all remain.
Jokanovic, then, believes the United players need to show their class.
“I cannot talk about positive things. The quality, the decisions we make, how we are fighting we are so far off being the team that our supporters want. You must be a player with personality. A lot of these players play Premier League football,” he added.
“You cannot be scared to win the game. We are not at the level my players can be at. When they pass the decision is poor.”
United now have a two week international break. The Blades staff will be hoping for some new faces by Tuesday, while Jokanovic will want to be hard at work on the training field.
You feel, then, that this is a huge fortnight for the club.