George Baldock on appreciating Sheffield United's success and loving defending

The coronavirus lay-off has given Sheffield United’s players an opportunity to realise just how good they have been, says George Baldock.
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The wing-back believes the Blades’ love of defending has been key to a season which has confounded all expectations.

Favourites for relegation at the start of the campaign, Chris Wilder’s side were seventh in the Premier League when the pandemic brought matches to a halt in March, as well as being in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup. A first season in Europe could await a club who this time last year were celebrating promotion from the Championship.

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HUNGER: George Baldock say he and his fellow Sheffield United defenders love keeping the ball out of their netHUNGER: George Baldock say he and his fellow Sheffield United defenders love keeping the ball out of their net
HUNGER: George Baldock say he and his fellow Sheffield United defenders love keeping the ball out of their net | freelance

The relentless nature of professional English football means players usually quickly move on to the next challenge but a couple of months off the treadmill has given Baldock and his colleagues some perspective.

“We don’t give ourselves enough credit,” he said. “It has actually taken this period of isolation to step out of that bubble and realise how well we’ve have done this season.

“We are such an honest group of lads we sometimes don’t give ourselves credit for what we do. We always want to strive more. So to step back and look at what we have done is great.”

The Blades have conceded just 25 goals in their 28 Premier League matches this season. Only Liverpool, with 21 from 29, have conceded fewer.

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Baldock believes that is due to the mentality of the defensive unit. Even given the licence to get forward and attack from a wing-back position, Baldock shares the hunger for clean sheets. Goalkeeper Dean Henderson has kept 11 this season, bettered only by the 11 from Burnley’s Nick Pope.

“We love defending,” said 27-year-old, whose performances were attracting the attention of the Greek national side before the lockdown. “Especially the back five. The players further forward do it as part of their jobs but we are desperate to keep the opposition out.

“We have 11 men on the pitch at one time who are putting everything out there for the shirt. We do defend from the front.

“The midfield three do so much in helping that. You have me and Enda (Stevens, the left wing-back), who are up and down the flanks. Then we have the three brick walls (centre-backs Chris Basham, John Egan and Jack O’Connell) to get past, even if you get past us.

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“Even if you get through all the other barriers, there is one of the best keepers in the country in Hendo to get past.

“If you beat one, you have to then beat another and another.”

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