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Opinion: One man’s limited displays are disguising what is a glaring problem at Bramall Lane

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Image for Opinion: One man’s limited displays are disguising what is a glaring problem at Bramall Lane

We’re walking a bit of a tightrope at Bramall Lane and the moment.

And we’re in grave danger of losing one key thing that is keeping us balanced.

Speaking after the victory over Reading on Tuesday night, Blades boss Chris Wilder spoke about how important club captain Billy Sharp has been to the squad, even if he hasn’t been playing much in recent months:

“He’s not played a lot of football leading up to Christmas but he’s kept himself in great shape and he’s always had a part to play. He epitomises what we’re about, selfless, when he plays there’s still life in him – who’s to say that he’s not got a little bit more left in the tank?”

And whilst it’s all well and good that Sharp can continue to help us out, I feel that we’re slowly coming to the end of his usefulness for us. This stat from the club’s social media feed sort of makes my point, in that whenever he’s involved, he manages to help us in one way or another.

But what happens when he can’t do that anymore. After all, he is 34 and won’t be going on forever.

Sharp scores vital goals for us, be they the late equaliser away at Bournemouth, or the winner last night against Reading, so they gain more importance, but when it comes to the grand scheme of things, he just hasn’t delivered this season. We’ve been lucky that our defence, second-best in the league has papered over the cracks that our attack hasn’t been pulling up trees this season, and that has to get better as we go forward.

Is Billy Sharp our most important player?

Yes

Yes

No

And this takes me on to my much larger point, in that the forwards at the club, and indeed the midfielders need to step up their game going forward and into next season. The fact that our top scorer this season has only got five goals in all competitions should really be setting alarm bells ringing.

So hopefully towards the end of this season, as we begin plans for the 2020/21 campaign, the team will get their act in gear when it comes to finding the back of the net on a more regular basis. Otherwise we could be setting ourselves up for a bit of a fall next year when we don’t have anyone to get us out of trouble.

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  • Mike Rodgers says:

    Totally Agree. I am sorry to say this but Mousett is useless. Mcburnie sometimes plays like a £20million pound player one week and the next time plays like a £20 player.

  • Mick Rodgers says:

    You are a little alarmist? The blades have made huge strides in a very short time. The Club cannot go out & buy £40 million strikers, (May never be able to do that)? The unique tactics that CWAK use are producing the goods. Our strikers will improve the more they experience Premier League football they play, the more accomplished they will become. The final ball into the box needs to improve & the goal tally from the strikers will improve. In Wilder we trust. UTB.

  • Stuart says:

    Danny ings didn’t cost 40 million nor chris woods but they have scored more goals than uniteds entire forward line and midfield deffo need new striker

  • Andy Brown says:

    Ok now the more I read these articles I realise you aren’t a journalist, you are a fan. A fan who for some unfathomable reason has been given you a voice to peddle out complete shite on this website.

    You appear to have deleted an article I commented on earlier today where I called you out for your views, let’s see if you do the same this time.

    This Whole article is laughable, you say Billy Sharp is key to us, you praise him for scoring every time he plays or comes on and then say he is at the end of his usefulness for us and that he hasn’t delivered for us this season. Who the fuck has given you a platform to write this shit?!?! You surely aren’t getting paid for this!!

    After this you talk about the fact that our Midfielders need to step up next season in scoring goals. What fucking planet are you on?? Norwood, Lundstram and Fleck have 10 goals between them. Did you know that is more than Henderson, Fabinho and Wijnaldum? They have 7 between them. You absolute plum. I could give you more examples!

    I am all over every article you write now. Do some fucking research. And show some fucking respect to a team going for Europe on a championship budget.

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