Underfire Blackwell hoping to see upturn

KEVIN BLACKWELL hopes to draw on all his previous experiences of coping with adversity to help see him through the current crisis at Sheffield United.

The Blades put in a woeful performance at bottom-of-the-table Peterborough on Tuesday night and were beaten by a 40th-minute Craig Mackail-Smith header, condemning them to a seventh consecutive away defeat.

But the night was even more costly for Blackwell as he lost Ched Evans, Jamie Ward and Lee Williamson through injury.

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Blackwell's squad this season has been stricken by constant injury problems and as United's play-off ambitions fall by the wayside, the manager is in no doubt as to what has caused the slip down the table.

"It's never easy at the best of times," said Blackwell. "That is seven or eight players out with injuries in a squad of 21, 22, so you can see why we have got a problem.

"It has been like that twice this season. I said for the run-in that we could not afford injuries or suspension but we have got them by the bucketload now."

Despite their current setbacks, the Blades remain just four points outside the play-off places, although Blackwell was subjected to some angry chants by the United faithful at full-time on Tuesday, some of whom were demanding his dismissal.

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But Blackwell says he will draw on his experiences at previous clubs Leeds United and Luton Town to help him through the current difficult period.

"It doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out that we have been dealt a lot of problems," added Blackwell.

"About 90 per cent of the team from the end of last season has gone – and about 60 per cent of them have gone to the Premiership. But supporters still have massive expectations.

"It is frustrating. If I could get my team out, the team I want, I think we would have a chance, but I can't get it out.

"I have had 24 new signings in a season.

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"You don't have to be a genius to know you can't carry on doing that.

"But this is the life of a football manager, it is a mental battle and, at the moment, that is working out how to deal with so many new players who we are still getting to know."