Sheffield United v Huddersfield Town: Chris Basham embracing new era at Bramall Lane

Basham and Jack O’Connell epitomised Wilder’s Blades as they galloped out of the back three into attacking overloads. Manager Wilder has moved on, O’Connell’s knee injury has stopped him playing for nearly a year and the team has slumped into the Championship, where they host Huddersfield Town this afternoon.

New manager Slavisa Jokanovic, though, has not come to Bramall Lane to reinvent the wheel, even if a difficult opening fortnight to the Championship season has shown things cannot be left completely alone either.

One difference is his attitude towards Basham, but it is a positive one for the defender. Wilder felt Basham was not really suited to playing as one of two centre-backs, a potential issue given that more often than not, it is how Jokanovic has set his Blades out.

“A good player can play in different shapes and if you say Chris Basham is a good defender he can play in a three or a four,” argues the Serb.

“We can defend with three, four or five when you start with four. I believe he can play well regardless of the shape.”

Nor does it mean Basham’s attacking instincts will be reined in, just accommodated.

“It’s been a characteristic of this team,” says Jokanovic. “There’s been so much chat about what shape I want to play, it’s not a question of shape, it’s about the space, the quality, the different players, the trust, the mentality and lots of other things.”

Basham must have been delighted with the message from his new manager.

“He told me he didn’t want to change who I am, I played the best football in my career in a three but in a four there is that risk of leaving gaps and leaving (John) Egan by himself,” he comments. “We’re learning how to adapt in those situations, someone’s got to drop in.

“There’s been a few formation changes and we’re working on a new one as well but he’s keen on not changing what we’ve done for so long because we had so much success with it. He believes in the players.

“I’m 33 and played a certain way for so long. This is a new way of playing, team selection has been different, but there’s 43 games to go and there’ll be more changes.”

Last season was a footballing disaster for the Blades, one threatening to hang over into this, but does not render everything that went before useless.

As much a feature as Basham’s overlapping was the Yorkshire bluntness of the Blades dressing room which bubbled to the surface after Wednesday’s 4-0 defeat at West Bromwich Albion.

“It was the first time in a long time that the lads had a bite at each other,” reveals Basham. “It’s an honest bunch and there were a few things said, which I think is right. We have a point to prove to the manager and the fans who came all that way to watch us. We need a win and we need a goal as well.

“That’s the strength of Sheffield United, anything that gets said gets listened to and you move on, and at training the next day everyone’s shaking hands.

“There’s a lot of lads hurting with us not getting the points and not being where we want to be. We are really looking forward to putting things right.”

Jokanovic, who prefers to keep his counsel until the next training session, liked what he heard.

“British people are really proud and never accept somebody being better than them,” says the former Fulham and Watford manager.

“We didn’t play at our level and I am sure we will show a big reaction. This is my experience of working in this country.

“I’ve never lost a game after conceding two goals from throw-ins and three goals (in all) from set-pieces. They could have scored more from these situations.

“We didn’t show a reaction on the field but the reaction in the dressing room can be positive. We have to show a reaction at three o’clock and this is my expectation.

“I believe we can compete well but we need to bring new bodies into the building and start the evolution because this team cannot play for 20 years.

“We need some kind of evolution, step by step, following the process and trusting in the work and ourselves.”

Revolution, though, is not in the plans. Basham’s Bramall Lane journey is taking a minor detour, not stopping.