Sheffield United v Queens Park Rangers: Chris Wilder clinging to faith as Blades find it tough
In tough times, you need faith. Chris Wilder has belief in the Sheffield United players who have found themselves in a Championship relegation battle no one was expecting.
Since pre-season expectations were about promotion, it is quite natural Bramall Lane will be on edge for Saturday's visit of Queens Park Rangers. No matter what happens, the Blades will head into the international break with roughly a third of the season gone and their team in the bottom three.
Despite all that, manager Wilder believes – in his under-performing players but most of all the fans.
"Going into the next game (the small matter of Sheffield Wednesday away) off the back of a win is huge," he acknowledges.
"We're in the situation that we're in and we've got to deal with it. And I've got to deal with it.
"There'll be negativity around the place and I get that.
"Martin Samuel, a really respected journalist, was talking about modern football and how supporters turn up at home grounds now wanting to criticise from the off. I've never had that feeling at Bramall Lane. During, half-time and afterwards we've had that feeling and I understand that. But I've never had that feeling before a game. Bramall Lane has always been a positive place to play our football.”
And if it sounds like he is buttering them up, it is because the Blades need them right now.
"I'm sure our supporters will understand the situation and give the help that the players need,” says Wilder.
"If they were turning it in and short-cutting it, then I would understand (supporter hostility). But they're not.
"I'm sure if we get it right on Saturday, they'll be right behind us."
And his message to his players is they are good enough to turn their fortunes around if they can only cut out the errors so costly in three consecutive defeats.
"It is pretty simple," he argues. "Mistakes are costing us vital points so we have to erase those.
"And you only erase it through a mentality and a repetition on the training ground and hard work.
"We have worked hard over the last couple of days. We will work hard through the international break.
"There'll be no trips abroad or wherever. Time is precious.
"I think everybody who knows the football understands that we've gone toe-to-toe with the best team in the division (at Coventry City on Tuesday).
"Yet again, two poor goals given away on a night that, for me, there were so many positives, especially the manner that we approached the game, the belief we had in the process, the belief we could get a result against arguably the best team in the division. To go toe-to-toe with that group of players in the position that they are psychologically and where we are, I think says a lot about the group.
"I believe in this group of players. They're having a go, they're fighting, in and out of possession.
"You can really emotionally get caught up in this situation and I'm an emotional manager. We're all frustrated but I think sometimes you've got to have that calmness about you and I'm certainly calm about the situation.
"I'm a supporter of these players. I'm a supporter of every player that pulls a red and white shirt on.
"Whether I've signed them or somebody else has signed them as long as they give me 100 per cent then we can work this out.
"We're all emotionally invested in our football club. So, I'm not just going to take it lying down. But we sometimes have to be calm about these situations and recognise what are the problems and what do we have to do to work on them.
"If it's a change of personnel, I might have to change one or two. But I'm a massive fan of the football club and I'm a massive fan of the players if they give me 100 per cent.
"They're giving me everything, they're giving each other everything and we've just got to work our way through this little period."
Goalkeeper Michael Cooper is a doubt with the injury that took him off in the West Midlands but there has been some positive news, at least. "I'm delighted to see Oli (Arblaster) back training in the manner that he's training," says Wilder. "That's given everybody a huge boost. Gus (Hamer) will be back in training on Monday and we think Chongy (Tahith Chong) might be a week later, so it'll be touch and go for him with the Sheffield Wednesday game.
"Oli will obviously want to play in that Sheffield Wednesday game, Gus wanted to play in the Coventry game, he will definitely be ready for the Sheffield Wednesday game.
"They're big players back for us, big players that can have an effect on the team. We're delighted at the progression that they're showing."
Now is the time to turn that into points.