Chris Wilder's worried look as Sheffield United's plight is fully exposed - final word on Blades manager's third coming

Unlike the American president at Windsor Castle three days earlier, there was no lavish banquet for the Sheffield United manager on a big occasion in his life at Bramall Lane. There was plenty of food for thought, that said.

United certainly don’t do bad starts to the season by halves. After 1975-76 - for those with long memories - 1990-91, 1991-92, 1995-96, 2020-21 and 2023-24, there’s now 2025-26, the worst of the lot statistically.

Factoring in the finale to last season, the Blades have now lost eight successive games in all competitions, the joint longest losing sequence in the club's history.

Wilder has a stack of work to do. His post-match comments most definitely indicated that he now knows it, having ‘underestimated’ the scale of the task in his comments earlier in the week. It was a candid observation and concern was etched all over the face of an experienced football man.

Assimilating late-window signings into a first-team line-up can take time; six were involved on Saturday, including a new captain in Japhet Tanganga.

It may still only be the second half of September, but when you are propping up the table with not even a point to your name, time is finite. On-pitch relationships must be established quickly or else.

When you are doing it tough, be grateful for small mercies. Unfortunately, just when it looked like United would at least record a first clean sheet of the season, they shipped the sort of lousy goal that sides down among the dead men concede. On 90 minutes, the timing stank.

It was scored by Charlton replacement Isaac Olaofe after being found by James Bree when the hosts' defence made a mess of coping with a routine punt forward.

In fairness, there was nothing wrong with the attitude and work ethic of those in red and white jerseys on the day.

With United ranked at the bottom of the table for duels won and metres run to accompany their sorry league position, those who got the nod did something on that count at least.

Plenty of perspiration for sure, but critically, no inspiration, poise or calmness in decision-making. Running doesn’t win football matches.

Wilder also referenced the lack of seniority in the central midfield axis of Alex Matos, 20, one of four starters on debut at Bramall Lane and Sydie Peck, who has just turned 21.

In times of strife, a bit of experience often helps. Wilder's comments indicated that when Tom Davies is fully fit again - a player whom he spoke glowingly about in the week - he will be a shoo-in. He will be hoping it’s sooner rather than later.

Periodically, a number of Blades players popped up in all sorts of strange positions on the pitch and it was particularly muddled after the break.

In Wilder's words, it was ‘chaotic’. Clearly the chaos is not exclusively reserved for the other half of the Steel City, then.

Several players seemed to be doing their own thing. Maybe some were also trying too hard, perversely. Aside from a spell midway through the first half, there was no real assertion, conviction and rhythm to United's play.

And whereas Charlton’s replacements had a positive and telling effect, the impact of those who came on for United was negligible.

The notion that Charlton, on paper at least, were decent-looking opponents first up for Wilder always looked a tad simplistic. The Addicks don’t score many for sure, but they don’t concede many either.

And Sheffield United have forgotten how to score, almost nine-and-a-half hours in the league and counting. Some would go further and say they have forgotten how to make chances, let alone score.

On the day, Charlton were also very well-drilled - a five-strong backline out of possession with two deep-lying midfielders. In his technical area, hands-on Nathan Jones did a very good impersonation of a manic conductor at the Last Night of the Proms throughout.

The treacherous conditions, allied to the fact that the game was littered with stoppages from the off, ensured that the feeling that it would be settled by a single goal arrived early. And so it proved, eventually.

It was the most frustrating of watches. Stop-start suited Charlton more and when they got their game together, they did so at the right time. The final quarter.

Mercifully, Michael Cooper, who made a blinding first-half save to keep out Lloyd Jones’ header, was back on message, only to be left exposed at the death.

Aside from a few boos here and there at the final whistle, Unitedites were impeccable in their support and it was all Wilder could have asked for on his third coming. Those on the pitch are going to need them in the weeks ahead.

Sheffield United: Cooper; Godfrey (Seriki 66), Tanganga, McGuinness, Burrows; Peck, Matos (Soumare 85); Ogbene (Barry 66), O’Hare (Chong 73), Hamer; Tyrese Campbell (Cannon 73). Substitutes unused: A Davies, McCallum, Mee, One.

Charlton Athletic: Kaminski; Bree, Burke, Jones, Bell, Edwards; Coventry, Docherty; Carey (Knibbs 79); Tyreece Campbell (Olaofe 79), Kelman (Leaburn 61). Substitutes unused: Maynard-Brewer, Gillesphey, Anderson, Rankin-Costello, Apter, Fullah.

Referee: B Toner (Lancs).