Sheffield United’s ‘care-free and risky’ approach reaps dividends to delight of Chris Wilder

The hosts had 70 per cent of the first-half possession against West Bromwich Albion, but nothing to show for it, going behind to Matt Phillips’s second-half goal against the run of play.

But, led by the outstanding Chris Basham, they played with more intensity in the second half and the centre-back created goals for Max Bogle and Billy Sharp, who was about to be substituted.

The win closed the gap on West Brom to one point, although there are 10 to be made up to safety.

“We had a lot of possession first half but didn’t do enough with it,” was Wilder’s assessment. “We needed to be more ambitious, we played too slow.

“People talk to me about possession, which we had, but we never really hurt them. We were too slow, not ambitious, careless in the final bit.

“We had to be braver in possession and more care-free, more risky.

“We passed out from the back, the goalkeeper didn’t just put his foot through it, we played out through John Egan, the two ends (Basham and fellow outside centre-back Ethan Ampadu) got out, the two midfield players were good and we had a threat at the top of the pitch.

“It was more us and Bash has been part of that. We had more energy, more desire and Bash gave us that.

“(But there’s) still a long way to go. We’re not getting carried away, it’s a huge challenge in front of us. Next up is Chelsea. Whoever you’re playing in this league, it’s an incredible challenge you have to face.”

Rhian Brewster was ready to come on for captain Sharp when he scored the winning goal.

“Rhian would have scored that goal – it was a tap-in,” laughed Wilder.

Both managers agreed the crucial moment came between the home side’s goals, when Aaron Ramsdale made a point-blank save from former Blade Callum Robinson.

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