The Bladio Times: a new feature for Saturdays
The Pinch Punch of unsolicited opinion + all the best fan-made media by Blades on the internet
The Bladio Times is a new bi-weekly feature for Saturdays, including, ‘The Pinch Punch’ a quickfire dose of unsolicited opinion, and a comprehensive list of all the best fan-made media by Blades on the internet.
THE PINCH PUNCH:
ASKING QUESTIONS OF 3-5-2
Sam Parry
The 1-0 defeat by Watford was not particularly concerning. Notwithstanding our terrible record on opening days, we had an unexpectedly depleted squad, and Paul Heckingbottom couldn’t put all his round pegs in appropriate holes. No, we didn't create a great deal, but it's early days, and we played a team chock-full of top-flight attacking talents. And even then, we only conceded by virtue of self-immolation.
A meh performance in Game Week 1 isn't a problem, we know that from experience. However, I can't help but question the plotting of red and white coordinates in our formation, the 3-5-2. We started the Watford game with the following line-up, which in my head, should look like this:
However, it was apparent from about the tenth minute onwards that our 3-5-2 had become a much more defensive formulation. More of a flat 5-3-1-1. Like this:
My reservation with our tactics is not necessarily down to the formation but the individuals involved. On Monday, we struggled to get bodies into attacking positions and barely ever got into the box. In our short history of adopting this formation, that's rarely been a problem.
Think back to our most successful iteration of the 3-5-2. Once upon a time, we had overlapping centre backs (O'Connell, Basham) who exploited gaps in the opposition back line. We had a number ten (Mark Duffy and, to a lesser extent, David McGoldrick) who could keep the ball in dangerous areas, enabling us to get bodies forward.
This was an innovative, or at least a very effective, use of the 3-5-2. In the early days under Wilder, it was new: an unknown known of footballing formations. But now, I'm not so sure it stands up.
The 3-5-2 has become ubiquitous in the Championship. Both the Blades and Watford put it to attritional use on Monday, as did 14 other Championship teams in the first round of fixtures (according to the Not the Top Twenty Podcast). Last season, the 3-5-2 was the most common formation deployed by Championship teams (again, courtesy of NTT20). Today, the 3-5-2 is very much a known known. Teams play it. Teams can prepare for it. Teams know its strengths and weaknesses. There are hours and hours of footage for analysts to scrutinise.
That being the case, I don't know whether Sheffield United any longer enjoy a tactical advantage by playing 3-5-2. When I say that, I mean, I really have no idea. I'm no analyst. And I have no answers, just questions.
And my questions are these - yes or no?…
Is our 3-5-2 today as potent as it has been in previous years?
Is the 3-5-2, on the whole, easier to play against today and better understood by opposition teams?
Is the overlapping centre back a deliberate tactic when we operate in a 3-5-2?
Are Enda Stevens, Rhys Norrington-Davies, and George Baldock 'true' wing backs?
Do Tommy Doyle, James McAtee and Reda Khadra fit into a 3-5-2?
Can we get our most talented players on the pitch if we continue with a 3-5-2?
When we set up as we did against Watford, are we still correct in calling it a back three?
If the answers to those questions are more 'no' than 'yes', then I have one last question...at what point do we change formation?
That question will be answered on the pitch, starting with today's game against Millwall. There's no doubt in my mind that we could win the game with our tried and tested setup. I'm not questioning the manager's ability, either; if it's clear we need to change, I'm sure he will switch things up.
But I have a nagging doubt about playing 3-5-2 this year. It feels a little tired, saturated, yesterday’s chip paper. And without being the harbinger of doom - I’m actually pretty confident about the season ahead - I can’t help but channel David Cameron’s quip to a jaded Tony Blair: 3-5-2…you were the future once.
LISTINGS
The latest from all sections of fan-made Blades media.
There’s a leak on the good ship SUFC
Before the Watford game, serial leaker ‘Sun Jihai’ let the S24SU forum in on the secret that Daniel Jebbison would be starting up front. After Watford’s team of forum scrapers learnt of the leak, their new manager Rob Edwards was said to be "shocked, but not surprised.
BladesPod analyse Watford
Lowe expectations on BladesPod as Ben and Andrew talk through the Blades' opening day defeat to Watford, a spectacular moment of shooting oneself in the foot, and an impressively poor showing from Max Lowe off the bench. But, help may be on the way in the form of new signing James McAtee from Man City, who hopefully will be here in time to face Millwall on Saturday. That's how we finish this week: a look ahead to our first home game of the season, and the latest instalment of Jake Cooper's personal mission to ruin United's day.
The Tufty Club anelyse everything else
Following DeadBat’s less than hopeful season prediction, The Tufty Club podcast opened its account with an upbeat pod focussed on typically dismal start to the season. The highlight of the podcat - which will be a surprise to those who haven’t listened before - was a detailed account of the host’s internet search history.
McAtee…the Sheff United Way
Did you hear we signed a new player? From Man City? A kid, a talented kid. Who’s scarcely played men’s football in his life, but who, nonetheless, arrives at Bramall Lane to all the fanfare and excitement of a player with an exciting highlights reel. Well…if you don’t know much about him, Hal from Sheff United Way tells all:
Go stateside with the Red Half of Sheffield
Fresh from writing his first piece for The Pinch, Noah Snyder and co-host Chad Jarvis review the Blades’ rough 1-0 loss to Watford at Vicarage Road and preview our upcoming match against Millwall at Bramall Lane. Chad will be making his way from the US of A to Bramall Lane, so if you hear an American accent in the crowd, please, be kind.
Four Blades in the Pub preview the season
Join Jon, Dan, Ian and eventually Phil as they look forward with much optimism to the new season, making some predictable and some wild predictions. And for your audible delectation, there is a brand new section to enjoy too.