Sheffield United v Nottingham Forest: It’s a siege mentality at Lane, insists Oliver Norwood

OLIVER NORWOOD, the Sheffield United midfielder, refuses to allow any negativity on social media to derail his push to make it a hat-trick of consecutive promotions to the Premier League.
Oliver Norwood of Sheffield United. Picture: James Wilson/SportimageOliver Norwood of Sheffield United. Picture: James Wilson/Sportimage
Oliver Norwood of Sheffield United. Picture: James Wilson/Sportimage

“I do not care about the opinion on Twitter of John, who is 45 and still lives at home with his mum,” is the plain-speaking Lancastrian’s take on those who continue to doubt the Blades’ credentials heading into a potentially pivotal Easter double-header.

He has a point. Last weekend may have seen the Blades lose ground in the race for the top two, after Millwall snatched a dramatic draw at Bramall Lane deep into stoppage time.

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But Chris Wilder’s side remain firmly in the hunt for automatic promotion. Victory in the lunchtime kick-off against Nottingham Forest will see the Blades leapfrog Leeds United and pile the pressure on Marcelo Bielsa’s side when hosting Wigan Athletic at 3pm.

Should the Latics then cause an upset – and Paul Cook’s men did come within nine minutes of beating leaders Norwich City last weekend – then the initiative will have swung back the way of Norwood and his team-mates.

“I definitely feel good about this,” said the 28-year-old to The Yorkshire Post.

“Everyone has written us off all season. I do not think we have been outside the play-offs since September but people say, ‘They don’t deserve to be there’. Or that we will fall away.

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“It is funny then that we are third, and three points off second. Everyone wrote us off again last weekend, we are used to it.

“Anyway, I don’t care what people think about us. It is a siege mentality. It is just noise. Completely irrelevant. I have seen it all in my time. Compliments and the negativity when you draw or lose. It is what it is, just part of football.”

Having helped Brighton & Hove Albion to automatic promotion in 2017 and then been part of the Fulham side who triumphed in the Championship play-off final last May, Norwood is better qualified than most to talk about the on-going push for the Premier League.

He has proved to be a key signing by Wilder, who beat off competition from Hull City – and Nigel Adkins, who had worked with Norwood at Reading – to land the midfielder.

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A first outing in a Blades shirt ended badly, Norwood missing the penalty that allowed the Tigers to dump United out of the Carabao Cup back in August.

Since then, though, the former Huddersfield Town man has rarely put a foot wrong in 39 consecutive Championship appearances.

“There are ups and downs and that makes this time in the season a mentality thing,” he added. “At Fulham last year, we lost the (play-off semi-final) first leg to Derby.

“But we got together as a group of players and staff. For us as players and our families, getting to the Premier League is life-changing. We want to get there.

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“To be a Premier League footballer is the dream of every young boy. We are fighting for that and you will see this against Nottingham Forest.”

The deflation felt at the final whistle against Millwall last Saturday was palpable. A few hours after Jake Cooper’s 95th-minute equaliser, the Blades squad attended a Player of the Year event.

It was clear to those present the players were still troubled by a dropping of two points that had been followed by Leeds’s 1-0 victory over Sheffield Wednesday.

Norwood said: “There will always be moments in seasons when things go brilliantly for you and then when they are not brilliant. Last Saturday night was horrible. My wife was not too happy, as we did not speak.

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“We want success as much as the fans want success. It is not a case of, ‘Oh well, there is always next year’. There is not always a next year, anything can happen. Football can be taken away from you quickly.

“For us, this has been a long week. We know it was a missed opportunity. But it is all about getting that balance and having a perspective.

“To me, it is important to have that (emotional involvement). From my point of view – and I am not digging the fans out here in anyway, they have been fantastic all season – I do ask them to stick with us.

“The fans get anxious and that transferred a little bit on to the pitch last Saturday. We understand that. They are willing us to do well. And we want to do well ourselves.

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“We are giving everything, and doing our best. But we are human beings and will make mistakes. Things are not always going to go right in games.

“Now, though, we have two massive games in quick succession.

“We must not let this opportunity pass us by.”

Last six games: Sheffield United WWLWDD, Nottingham Forest LDWLLL.

Referee: A Madley (West Yorkshire).

Last time: Sheffield United 0 Nottingham Forest 0; March 17, 2018; Championship.