Sheffield United trust takes a hit after players let Chris Wilder down in cup
If there was one good thing you could say about Sheffield United's summer transfer window, it was the phrase "tried and trusted".
After Wednesday's League Cup exit to Fleetwood Town, manager Chris Wilder said that trust has broken down on his part.
The Blades have lost three of their last four matches in all competitions and even if not every result reflected the performance, Wednesday was a huge missed opportunity.
They were facing the last League Two side in the competition, and blew it. Rhys Norrington-Davies put the ball into his own net but with 57 minutes on the clock, there was plenty of time to salvage it.
Fleetwood won 1-0 and set up a last-eight tie with Arsenal in a draw that guarantees plenty of Premier League exits.
Wilder was supposed to know what he was getting from this squad.
Having to make a net profit in the Blades' first transfer window without Premier League money since January 2019, Wilder went safe.
Hamza Choudhury, Ben Brereton Diaz and Kalvin Phillips had played for the Blades before. Matt Doherty and Jordan Ayew had not, but have been around the block more than once. Harrogate-born Liam Kitching was a key part of Coventry City's Championship-winning team last season. Jairo Riedewald was released, then re-signed.
Norrington-Davies, Doherty, Riedewald Tyrese Campbell, Tom Cannon and on-loan wildcard Romelle Donovan all came into the side which had unluckily lost to Wolverhampton Wanderers days earlier.
Doherty, Riedewald and Campbell were amongst the players hooked. The team as a whole was booed off.
Now Wilder says he has clarity on some players, but not in a good way.
"We've let everybody down," he reflected. “I'm not going to get over this easily and the players out there are part of it.
"A lot of players had an opportunity to take a big step forward, and they took a big step back. I've seen it and it has given me clarity.
“These are the ones that really sort the men out from the boys. There were a lot of ‘boy’ performances after half-time.
"Maybe players know better and want to go their own way.
“Ultimately, individually, that will only end in one way.
"The players have had enough warning and possibly people will be saying: ‘Well, they're not listening to you.’ Well, if they're not listening to me, then there's only one winner.”
The Blades travel to Stoke City in the Championship on Saturday – the last game before a three-week international break – and Wilder suggested the repercussions would be felt.
“It's my team so I have to take that responsibility,” he said.
“It has given me so much clarity in who I can trust, and who’s going to take us forward and who’s got a lot to do to get themselves back on side with me.
“Players just did what they wanted instead of sticking with the plan.
"Some players just didn't do enough and that will stay with me for quite a long time. They're going to have to do a lot to drag that back.”