Chris Wilder is the new manager of Sheffield United, back for a second stab at leading his boyhood club to success.
Wilder replaces the outgoing Paul Heckingbottom, who leaves with his head held high despite a run of dismal results this season.
For Wilder, the task this time around is not easy. Just like when he arrived in 2016, there are problems and issues at the club and at first-team level that need resolving ASAP. Granted, those issues aren’t as engrained as even years ago. But still, they are there.
The new Blades boss has vowed to give it his best shot once more and he firmly believes he can make a difference. But to make that difference, there’s issues Wilder needs to get on top of right away.
Here, then, are the FIVE big problems we feel Wilder needs to address at Bramall Lane right now.
Restore confidence
Wilder admitted this himself in the presser yesterday but this is a Blades squad who are basically on the floor when it comes to confidence.
Successive hammerings at the hands of relegation rivals have only added to the low feeling around the place anyway. The Blades are conceding goals in swathes and not scoring either.
Wilder’s first task on that training pitch is to try and get some confidence back in the players. From there, he can then start to get his messages across and hope that things transcend onto the pitch.
Tighten up
The biggest and most pressing problem watching Sheffield United this season is how easy teams are playing through us and getting shots on goal.
As detailed previously, United are 96th out of 96 across Europe’s top five leagues when it comes to conceding shots on goal. That simply cannot carry on, or we’ve no chance.
Wilder must find a way to stem the flow of teams getting in on our goal. Last time he was in charge, we were in most games and very rarely lost by more than one goal. That’s the position we need to get back to and build from there.
If United can stop teams scoring at will, then suddenly we will be in games and like the season we finished ninth, might just nick the odd game.
Weed out those who aren’t up for the fight
We aren’t digging anyone out here in particular and it might not even be a case of players not wanting to be at United.
But, it’s clear as day to every fan watching that some of this squad aren’t up for the fight. Whether they be new signings or older faces, there are definitely some within the camp who don’t fancy it.
Wilder needs to get on top of this and quickly. Move them out of the picture or better, shift them in January and free up some wage space to make a few new signings.
We simply cannot and will not stay up with passengers. Wilder will spot these quite quickly you’d like to think and hopefully, weed out the hangers on.
Push the board on new contracts
While there’s an argument to be made that the majority of those out of contract next summer perhaps don’t deserve one, it’s still lingering over the club.
But while not everyone deserves one, there are a few players who we need to tie down. The likes of McBurnie, Foderingham and Jebbison are going to be key if we do go down and it’s obvious that the uncertainty is playing on some players’ minds.
Wilder needs to push the board on this and decide who is staying. If those contracts aren’t being offered, then we might as well look to move them on in January and go with players who are going to be here.
Cancel loans and look again
There is a strong argument to be made that the loans of Luke Thomas and Yasser Larouci are offering absolutely nothing to this squad.
Larouci, in particular, seemed nowhere near it when he did get the odd chance and Paul Heckingbottom didn’t seem to fancy him at all. Whether or not that loan can be terminated, remains to be seen.
Likewise, Thomas has looked like a car crash at times, especially defensively. There is some element of potential there with him, but with Max Lowe back and Rhys Norrington-Davies also back on the grass at Shirecliffe, do we really need two left backs on loan?
These are big decisions Wilder has to make. At the end of the day, there is enough cover in this squad – Bogle, Baldock, Osborn, Robinson, Brooks, Buyabu could all play left wing-back – to warrant sending both Thomas and Larouci back.