Coventry City v Sheffield United: No rest as Blades go full-on in bid to be a contender

Like most if not all managers at the moment, Paul Heckingbottom is juggling players carrying knocks and niggles through a ferocious fixture schedule – but the Sheffield United manager says the one thing he will not risk is victories.

The Blades are at Coventry City this afternoon looking to cement fifth place in an ever-changing Championship table.

Heckingbottom is aware with so many play-off contenders due to play one another between now and the end of the season his side cannot over-react when points are dropped but he still wants to see them go out for all three every time they take to the field. If that means pushing a player who has a minor issue or is coming back from injury, so be it.

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He showed as much on Tuesday by asking Ben Osborn to play 86 minutes in the physically-demanding position of wing-back on his first Championship start since November 6.

Sheffield United midfielder Conor Hourihane is being 'managed' Picture: Simon Bellis/SportimageSheffield United midfielder Conor Hourihane is being 'managed' Picture: Simon Bellis/Sportimage
Sheffield United midfielder Conor Hourihane is being 'managed' Picture: Simon Bellis/Sportimage

“You’ve got to win the game,” says Heckingbottom bluntly. “We were very conscious of Ozzy in the last game but we’ve got to win the game. We may have the same sort of issue when George (Baldock) comes back.”

John Fleck came off quickly with a groin injury in the impressive 4-1 win over Middlesbrough and will be missing today, whilst Heckingbottom acknowledged last week that fellow midfielder Conor Hourihane was being “managed”.

“Conor’s not missed a training session, not a minute, because he’s managing himself,” he explains. “That’s great when you’ve got personalities like that because they always make themselves available.

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“If he’d taken a backward step and taken himself out of the firing line he wouldn’t have been on the pitch but he puts himself forward for the game.

Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom - pictured on the touchline during Tuesday's 4-1 win over Middlesbrough at Bramall Lane. Picture: Andrew Yates/SportimageSheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom - pictured on the touchline during Tuesday's 4-1 win over Middlesbrough at Bramall Lane. Picture: Andrew Yates/Sportimage
Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom - pictured on the touchline during Tuesday's 4-1 win over Middlesbrough at Bramall Lane. Picture: Andrew Yates/Sportimage

“It’s really important that’s acknowledged. He doesn’t like missing minutes.

“They’re all desperate to play. If I was with a player and he wasn’t, he’s probably not the player for me.

“But if you do pull them and explain – sometimes it’s a gut feeling, sometimes it’s just a game, sometime’s it’s lack of form or someone’s doing better – but I like to tell them. That’s my job. They might one day want to do it.”

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Heckingbottom’s scope to rest players is much reduced anyway at the moment because of injuries. He has no specialist right-sided centre-back again because Charlie Goode picked up a knee cartilage problem in training whilst suspended and Chris Basham’s knee problem is worse than the club originally let on, likely to keep him out until the international break.

Sheffield United midfielder John Fleck will miss today's clash at Coventry City through injury Picture: Andrew Yates/SportimageSheffield United midfielder John Fleck will miss today's clash at Coventry City through injury Picture: Andrew Yates/Sportimage
Sheffield United midfielder John Fleck will miss today's clash at Coventry City through injury Picture: Andrew Yates/Sportimage

Shortages at right wing-back saw Osborn pressed into service there against Middlesbrough, and there have been minutes too for youngster Femi Seriki and Kyron Gordon.

“At the minute, selection’s not too complicated,” says Heckingbottom, ruefully.

“You’d much rather have everyone fit and firing and hopefully that’ll happen in the next few weeks bit by bit, integrating people into the team who are desperate to play and can give people a little gee up and some competition.

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“I’d like to start getting players back on the pitch because while ever you’re light, as we’re finding now, the more things you pick up, the more damaging it is to your team.

“I’d like to start getting players back otherwise anything else we’re picking up is going to become a big problem.”

With that in mind, he is also having to be careful about how he trains players, having overseen a real emphasis on intensity when he took over in November.

“It changes the work in the week in terms of taking less risks, trying to protect things,” he says of a programme which sees his side face yet another three-game week in the next seven days.

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“Just as a little example Thursday was the first time the non-starters haven’t been on the grass.

“Usually they have the day off after a game but the next day they’re on the grass. Instead they were in the cryo (therapy pods), the tactical stuff was on video and they did their full recovery protocol with the guys inside. That was simply because of bodies.”

But the demands are not just physical, with nights like Tuesday, when former manager Chris Wilder brought a play-off rival to his beloved Bramall Lane for his first return to the dugout, potentially very draining on minds too.

“It is 100 per cent a factor from the games we’ve been having throughout the season,” admits Heckingbottom. “We’ve had some real big performances and some big wins that have got us in this position where it drums up a lot of excitement – is that the right word? - questions, expectations. So of course you’re mentally invested in that.

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“It’s difficult to maintain but if you keep that right your body will follow you.

“When you’re light on numbers, unable to change it around, that is big.

“I’m just glad we’ve caught up (the backlog of fixtures). We’ve still got another big week before the international break but after that we’re on a par with most (in terms of games played) and there could be one or two teams with more to play who will have those sort of issues as well.

“We’ve gone all out at it, full on at it. We’ve had a pretty full-on regime so it will be nice for some others to face on that.

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“I can’t emphasise enough the amount of times teams are going to play each other who both think they’ve got a chance (of making the play-offs), it’s going to keep changing and you can’t get wrapped up when you don’t get maximum points or when you do and someone else doesn’t because we’re not at that stage yet. There’s too many games where it’s impossible for everyone to get maximum points.

“After Easter, around those Easter fixtures, that weekend, you’ll be able to see and know what you need to do.”

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