Blades sharpen up for three points

Most pundits are forecasting a win for Sheffield United at The Valley tomorrow, the consensus being a 1-2 scoreline.

The Sheffield Star sees it as a golden chance to reboot the Blades' promotion bid:

'Ahead of Saturday’s trip to The Valley to face Charlton Athletic, the Blades find themselves nine points shy of sixth-placed Watford with 21 games to go. With 63 points to play for, their promotion dream is still very much alive.

As manager Chris Wilder would no doubt say himself, there is no such thing as an easy game in the Championship, meaning the Blades will have to be at 100 per cent each and every week if they are to extend their season come May.

Of course, though, there are some fixtures on the calendar that look easier than others, and this weekend’s trip to Charlton, with respect, is a contest that United really ought to be taking three points from if they are serious about storming their way through the pack and securing a top six berth.

The Addicks, who won 1-0 at Bramall Lane in Wilder’s first game back in charge of the Blades in September, have been on a downward spiral since the beginning of November, winning just two of their last 13 league matches, losing seven. Winning just ten points during that period, only Sheffield Wednesday (five) have won fewer.

Since their September meeting in horrendous conditions at Bramall Lane, both sides have moved in opposite directions, with United currently three places and three points above the Addicks in the standings. Charlton moved 12 places and eight points above the Blades after winning 1-0 in S2.

With United now tracking in the right direction, enjoying a solid run of form since the November international break, the Blades will travel to the capital on Saturday afternoon as favourites to scoop all three points.

However, when it has come to facing newly promoted teams on the road since the beginning of last season, United have not had an awful lot of success, winning just one of their last five games against Championship newcomers.

Last season, when coming up against the newly promoted teams on the road, the Blades only managed to get the better of Derby County, winning 1-0 at Pride Park in February, while they drew 0-0 with Portsmouth and lost 1-0 at Oxford United.

So far this campaign, the Blades have been beaten 2-1 by Birmingham City on the road, albeit in the Carabao Cup, and were on the wrong end of a 5-3 scoreline against Wrexham at the Racecourse Ground on Boxing Day.

Charlton, as highlighted with their win at Bramall Lane on the sixth weekend of the campaign, started this season in positive fashion, feeding off the surge in momentum generated by beating Leyton Orient in last season’s League One play-off final. However, they have been on a downward spiral since the October international break.

On the flip side, they did earn a point in their recent clash with Coventry City at The Valley, drawing 1-1 on New Year’s Day, highlighting their ability to match the division’s big hitters.

Nevertheless, United should look at Saturday’s trip to The Valley as an opportunity to try and close the gap on the top six.'

Let's hope pride comes before a fall.

CAS Trust point out that the Blades aee prone to condeding goals, no fewer than four against mighty Mansfield in the FA Cup last weekend, although no doubt they will be looking to compensate for that defeat: https://www.castrust.org/2026/01/sheffield-united/

Blades are sharp

Thousands of Addicks will be making the trek up to Sheffield for the FA Cup tie on Sunday. Some are there already and others will arrive later today. The prospect of a Wembley final has aroused the passion and excitement of Addicks fans around the world. Earlier FA Cup runs are reviewed on the CAS Trust site here: Cup runs .

However, before the dream of a Wembley semi-final is achieved, there is the far from small matter of beating Sheffield United. I think this is a far bigger challenge than beating Sheffield Wednesday. It is too easy to fall into the trap of believing the propaganda emanating from Hillsborough and assuming that there is a massive team in Sheffield and a pub team. The odds reflect the nature of the challenge: Sheffield United, 5/4; draw, 12/5; Charlton 21/10. Charlton are 150-1 to win the cup.

After a poor start to the season, the Blades have become very sharp, confirmed by a 2-0 midweek win over Peterborough when reportedly they rested some players in preparation for the cup tie. Even before the midweek win, they were third in the League 1 form table. Charlton were third from bottom in the Championship form table. In other words, the gap is a very small one and the Blades have home advantage. For manager Nigel Clough the Cup is now more important than the league: Clough . For his part, Chris Powell is a FA Cup romantic but is uncertain whether Roland is in remarks which suggest some tensions between the manager and the owner: Powell

Church, Cousins and Morrison all have injury problems (although the latest news is that they may all pass fitness tests) and the Daily Telegraph thinks that we might opt for a 4-3-2-1 led by Valley hero Marvin Sordell: Line Up

It's very easy to say that a game could go one of three ways, but it is one of those games. My guess would be that the most likely outcome is a draw which would add to our fixture congestion as we struggle to survive in the Championship.

Why do some clubs do so well away?

I had lunch with a Blade today who I had not seen before the start of our promotion season from League 1. He reminded me that I had forecast correctly two of the teams that would go up (Sheffield Wednesday and Huddersfield Town), but had omitted Charlton, naming Sheffield United instead. Perhaps the general pessimism of the Addickted has started to seep into me.

However, he observed that both Sheffield United and Doncaster had done better away than at home this season, albeit with more home wins than the Addicks. Doncaster have won twelve times away and lost only three times. At home they have won eight times and lost six times, i.e., twice as many times as away. The Blades have also lost away only three times, but have won on ten occasions, whereas at home they have won just seven times. Further down the table, Coventry have an almost 2:1 ratio in terms of away to home wins, but they may have been affected by the trouble with their landlords at the Ricoh (they are in the High Court tomorrow and I have been busy doing pre-records this afternoon for the local radio station's coverage from the pavement outside).

In the Championship, apart from Charlton, only Blackpool, Wolves and Peterborough have won more games away than at home, although there are a number of clubs on a 50:50 ratio such as Birmingham City and Sheffield Wednesday.

Is there a trend for home advantage to be eroded? The Blade thought that at Bramall Lane, the crowd started to get discontented once an error was made or the Blades failed to go ahead by 30 minutes, whilst the players could play with freedom and confidence away? Is there a trend here, or does it simply reflect the fact that many random factors can affect outcomes in a game of narrow margins?

If Poyet goes to Reading, 75 per cent of Championship managers will have left their job this season, most usually because they have been sacked. No wonder the League Managers' Association are concerned (unfortunately their headquarters is no longer in the same road as the coffee shop I visit, as they have moved to Burton-on-Trent). Hopefully, Chris Powell will not join that number, although many Addicks have become dissatisfied with him.

Addicks to beat drop

Charlton will escape the drop to League 2 this season, according to the season preview in Four Four Two. However, they will finish 18th, just above the drop zone. (At least that's what they said in the print version: now a web version has changed their forecast to 4th!)

Huddersfield and Sheffield Wednesday are forecast to occupy the automatic promotion places. Preston, Leyton Orient, Scunthorpe and Carlisle will contest the play offs. I'm not sure I buy into the idea of Orient as the surprise package, for all of Russell Slade's qualities. And I see Carlisle as destined for mid-table mediocrity while I would put Sheffield United higher than 7th.

The magazine comments, 'you have to spread the net far to find a Football League ground where the general vibe is as negative as it's been at The Valley in recent years.' However, 'South-east Londoners Chris Powell [?] and Bradley Wright-Phillips have the passion to taken Charlton back up.'

However, Powell is warned, 'he might have to abandon any ideals of slick football in faviur of a style that is more agricultural. Much to prove.'

Trevor Wood in the fan file fears 'dull football and more mid-table mediocrity.' Nevertheless, he reckons we can finish in the top six if we find a decent back four. He names Peter Varney as unsung hero at the club.