Pundit raises Sheffield United concern that Chris Wilder must solve | OneFootball

Sam Parkin has pinpointed an area of the Sheffield United team that concerns him amid recent form

EFL pundit Sam Parkin has claimed that Chris Wilder must solve Sheffield United’s attacking situation amid a difficult run of form.

The Blades are hoping to fight for automatic promotion to the Premier League this season as they eye an immediate return to the top flight.

But a run of two defeats in their last three games has hurt their standing in the table, with the Yorkshire outfit six points behind leaders Sunderland.

Defeats to Leeds United and Middlesbrough, in which they failed to score in both fixtures, has raised some concern at Bramall Lane.

Wilder’s side have scored just 14 from their opening 12 games, the fewest of the sides in the current top four.

Sam Parkin raises Sheffield United concern

Parkin believes that Wilder will need to sort out the attack if Sheffield United are to be real contenders for promotion this season.

However, he is optimistic that Kieffer Moore and Tyrese Campbell’s goals in their win over Stoke City last weekend could be a sign that things are turning around for both of them.

“His teams have wowed us tactically at times over the last five, 10 years, serial promotion winner at different clubs, so that was a big win for them, absolutely, in light of the Leeds game and the Middlesbrough defeat,” said Parkin, via the What The EFL?! podcast.

“He got a little bit of criticism for changing the system against Leeds after things had been going pretty swimmingly.

“I think that’s the one thing at the moment, I think it’s not the whole 11, I think the centre-halves are playing pretty well, I think he’s got two good full-backs now in Burrows and Gilchrist.

“Vinicius Souza is a monster in the Championship.

“It’s just how to configure that forward line.

“If you look at the team, he’s shifting people around, he’s trying to get the best out of O’Hare, he’s trying to get Hamer, get Brewster going.

“And at the minute it’s a little bit problematic to get the amount of chances foremost, and that conversion rate up as well.

“Really positive win over Stoke to see Kieffer Moore and Tyrese Campbell get his first for the club.

“He kind of wants to play a 4-4-1-1, and that was the way he went with Campbell supporting Kieffer Moore [against Stoke].

“For those two to both get a goal, you would hope that would kick start them in goal-scoring terms.”

Sheffield United league position

Sheffield United are currently fourth in the Championship table, one point behind Leeds and Burnley in third and second.

Sunderland’s winning form in recent weeks has seen them move six points clear of the Blades after they were level on points going into the October international break.

The gap to seventh place Watford is also only three points, highlighting how precarious it can be inside the top six.

Next up for Sheffield United is a trip to face sixth place Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park on Saturday in a 12.30pm kick-off.

Lack of goals needs to be fixed at Sheffield United

A record of 14 goals from 12 is not too impressive for a side hoping to finish inside the top two this season.

Sheffield United have plenty of exciting attacking options, so they really shouldn’t be so toothless in front of goal.

If Wilder can fix this issue in the coming weeks, then they will be a real threat for one of the automatic promotion places, particularly if they can maintain a strong defensive solidity.

Sunderland’s current form will be a concern to those just below them in the table, but it is still early days in the season, and it is still rather close between the teams in second to ninth.