Sheffield United handed timely boost by return to action of midfielder Tom Davies
THERE WAS plenty for Sheffield United to get angry about in their 2-1 defeat at home to Southampton – but a big reason to be cheerful in the performance of Tom Davies.
The challenge now is to rein him in enough to ensure it is not a one-off.
On his first appearance this season, the former Everton midfielder brought quality and energy, playing at a different speed when he had the ball at his feet, but at full pelt when he did not.
With the exception of Tyrese Campbell's clinical opener and only a couple of moments from inside-forwards Gustavo Hamer and Callum O'Hare, the rest in red-and-white just looked like committed Championship scrappers.
The Blades felt quality and experience were two things referee Adam Herczeg lacked as he lost control in the first half and never got it back. Assistant manager Alan Knill called the game "too big" for him.
Herczeg correctly awarded a first-half penalty against Michael Cooper when he pulled his arms away sliding out to the excellent Ross Stewart, but his momentum took him through the striker. Adam Armstrong missed his chance to equalise.
Moments later Chris Wilder was sent off for angrily booting a ball – accidentally into one of his own fans as it turned out.
Then, after two Stewart goals put Saints deservedly in front, Herczeg did not see a foul as Joshua Quarshie shoved Chiedozie Ogbene in the small of his back in the penalty area, yet did spot one by Tom Cannon on goalkeeper Alex McCarthy seconds before Sydie Peck scored what he thought was a 90th-minute equaliser and his first Blades goal.
But there were good things as well, most notably 70 minutes of Davies.
The issue is looking after him. Knill admits the midfielder's character does not always help.
"As soon as he puts a shirt on, he pushes himself ," he explained.
"I said to him before he went out, 'Just pace yourself' but he just can't. He's an energetic player, he wants to get around the pitch. He wants to attack and defend.
"There's no way he can pace himself so you just have to accept that for 60 minutes, that's going to be a Tom Davies performance. Hopefully, it might be 75, 80 minutes the next game.
"He just adds calmness to Sydie’s game as well. He needs that sort of player to play with him."
Davies is not the only person the Blades have to be wary of after signing the experienced Ben Mee and substitute Danny Ings late in the transfer window after summers training on their own without a club.
"We're kind of nursing a few really - like Ben Mee, he's hardly played any games," said Knill, performing post-match media duties with Wilder not allowed. "We have to be really careful because we need him for a lot longer.
"Danny's just come back (from injury), he played (once) before we came but we only really saw him on the training ground on Monday.
"We don't want to be changing the team but they're not ready to play 90 minutes.
"They're big players for us, big personalities. We have a lot of younger players and they're the experienced ones. So we need them on the pitch for as long as we possibly can get them."