Sheffield United v Chelsea - ‘I have not had sleepless nights about not scoring’ says a relaxed David McGoldrick

The fact his Sheffield United side are seventh in the table this morning means he is not losing any sleep about scoring his first goal in the competition either.

Nineteen starts and six goalless substitute appearances is not a great return for a centre-forward, but there is every chance the Republic of Ireland international will kick-off this evening’s game at home to Chelsea if he has recovered from the foot injury which kept him out of the dramatic 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers. That is because there is a lot more to McGoldrick than just goals.

The Blades play a notional 3-5-2 formation this season but in reality, he is more of a No 10 than a traditional centre-forward, wandering around the pitch to not only light fires but put them out. Manager Chris Wilder and the Bramall Lane regulars confined to their sofas by coronavirus recognise his value.

If his goal return is bothering McGoldrick, who had a maiden goal chalked off by the video assistant referee at Tottenham Hotspur in November, it is not showing.

“I’ve not got that Premier League goal yet, but we’re seventh in the league,” he reasons. “I’ve waited 15 years to play in the Premier League and just to be out there is special for me.

“I’m sure I will get that goal and they will follow after that. But as long as people are scoring and we keep in that top half of the table, I’ll keep playing without scoring for a long time.”

A career which has taken in Notts County, Southampton, Bournemouth, Port Vale, Nottingham Forest, Sheffield Wednesday, Coventry City and Ipswich Town has not left him light on perspective.

“It’s just gone perfectly. I have to pinch myself sometimes,” he says. “People say you’re not scoring, but I’ve not had sleepless nights because I play most of the time, which shows the manager and the fans believe in me.

“Every young boy wants to play in the Premier League, I was in the Championship for all those years and lost in the play-offs a few times, then got released by Ipswich and didn’t know where my future was going. Now I’m finally in the Premier League, I’m 32 and coming to the back end of my career so I’m taking nothing for granted and giving my all. Being involved is a pleasure and a real honour.

“When I was younger, Harry Redknapp told me at Southampton, ‘Don’t worry about not scoring and missing chances, worry about not getting the chances because it means you don’t belong in that league or team’.

“I’m not worried at all because we’re seventh in the Premier League and I’m loving every minute of it. I’ve scored two goals in the FA Cup, so I’ve got two goals in my last four or five starts. That’s how I’m looking at it. I’ve scored 100 goals in my career.”

Bramall Lane has become a bit of a refuge for footballers whose careers had not quite gone as planned and McGoldrick is a classic case in point.

“I was 30 when I got told at Ipswich I was not getting a new contract, my phone wasn’t ringing,” he recalls. “I was looking lower down (the leagues) and then Sheffield United came for me, which was perfect for me club-wise, the way we play and everything.

“I had a call from a team in League One. It was about two or three days before Sheffield United called me. It was a good team in League One. My phone wasn’t ringing, so I didn’t turn my nose up. I was half-interested and then Sheffield United came in. It was the best thing I’ve ever done.”

His mindset is made far easier by the attitude of Wilder, notorious for calling a spade a bloody useless spade if he thinks that is the case.

“He doesn’t say much,” says McGoldrick of a boss whose public criticism of mistakes by Dean Henderson and others raised eyebrows and standards this season. “He’s pulled me once or twice after a game where I’ve missed a few chances – the last time was at Wolves (in December) – and told me, ‘Don’t doubt yourself. Everything you do for me, for the team is instrumental. You’re not based on goals. You’ll do for me’.

“I’ve been given another contract, so that shows he has great faith in me.”

By nature, centre-forwards tend to be selfish. Not McGoldrick.

“My game isn’t based on scoring,” he argues. “Top strikers, if they don’t score they’re down. Billy Sharp lives and breathes goals. I’m a bit different and I like to be involved, dropping deep.

“I just think it’s come with age, the role I play for Sheffield United, kind of off the striker and linking the strikers. I enjoy it and if I’m involved in the play and anyone scores, I’m just as happy and celebrating it.

“I’m not blessed with massive pace so I have to use my qualities, coming up against great players in the Premier League and sometimes I have to do something different to help the team and gain points. They want that from me, not just goals, they want me to help create and I love coming deep to do that.

“I’ve always enjoyed playing as a No 10 and wide, I’ve never been an out-and-out No 9 although I’ve played there for Ireland.

“When you get to my age, the brain takes over and makes me better. I feel from the comments it makes the team better and when I read things like that, it gives me great pleasure.

“The better players you play with, the more intelligent you become. When you have people making the runs and knowing what you want to do, that helps me out.”

McGoldrick is not your average centre-forward. Perhaps it is fitting he is playing for a Blades team which have made bucking trends their signature.

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