Wimbledon v Sheffield Utd: Blades have strength all over field, says Chris Basham

Sheffield Uniteds Chris Basham pictured tussling for possession with Southend Uniteds Steven McLaughlin in last months League One encounter (Picture: Simon Bellis/Sport Image).

Chris Basham believes Chris Wilder has given Sheffield United a new belief they can end their unwanted stay in League One.

Wilder, a boyhood Blade who later played for his hometown club, had a tricky start to life as manager at Bramall Lane.

After the first five games failed to yield a win, the Blades could have been forgiven for letting self-doubt creep in.

Instead, they have earned back-to-back league wins and travel south to AFC Wimbledon today with raised optimism.

Basham, 28, is playing under his third Blades manager since joining in 2014, but is full of praise for the impact Wilder has had at United.

“He’s a manager of a football club which he loves, he loves coming in here to work every day,” said Basham.

“He has a very good connection with the fans, and they see how we are trying our hearts out for the club.

“Things we do in training, both on the field and off it, and the belief he has given everybody to take that extra step, go that extra mile.

“He believes this team can be promoted, but we have just got to back ourselves to do it.

“The fans have been on our side since the gaffer took over and that’s been great.”

Basham has filled in at wing-back and centre-half in his time at Bramall Lane, but is back in his preferred midfield role under Wilder.

The former Bolton Wanderers youngster is relieved to have a settled position, thereby ditching his utlility player tag.

“It’s been brilliant for me just to concentrate on the midfield position,” Basham admitted.

“We have strength all over the pitch now. Sometimes last season I was being coached as a midfielder, then come Saturday I was being played as a wing-back or centre-half position because someone else had dropped out.

“Being coached by (assistant manager) Alan Knill has been brilliant, just as a midfielder, and nothing else.

“The gaffer has seen the weaknesses in the team and brought in players who can play all over the park.

“I can’t see a position where we are weak in.

The good thing is we have got men in who know this league and know how to get out of it.”

United have not yet kept a clean sheet in the league, a statistic which manager Wilder admits he is is keen to see his side rectify.

“We have to keep a few more clean sheets if I’m honest,” Wilder said.

“We’ve not had our goalkeeper making save after save after save.”