Chris Wilder verdict on Sheffield United defeat at Leeds United

The Star, Sheffield

Chris Wilder's verdict on Sheffield United defeat at Leeds United, speaking to BBC Radio Sheffield

Transcript

00:002-0 defeat here to Leeds United. Chris, your take on the team's performance today?

00:04Yeah, we got done by the better side. They were better in all departments.

00:08From the off, they won more first balls, dropped on second balls, were sharper to everything.

00:15And as I've just said, by far and away the best team that we've played all season, Eden shoulders.

00:22And that's no disrespect to the other teams that we've played.

00:25In terms of the Swift analysis, why were they like that and so much better?

00:30Well, they've got really good players in all positions and they've got a few injured as well,

00:34so they've got quality right the way through.

00:37And they've done that to other teams as well this season.

00:41So, you know, we're disappointed with our performance.

00:43I think obviously the spotlight will go on, why did we change it?

00:46It'd been quite easy for me not to change it, but we felt this was the best opportunity of getting a result here.

00:54So we have to, as we always do when people say nice things about you,

00:59the other bit about it, you have to take on your chin as a coaching staff and a manager.

01:07You know, listen, first goal comes from a corner.

01:11You know, that's not a tactical situation.

01:15It's just that we've not dealt with a corner well enough.

01:17We gave the ball away cheaply, turned it over too cheaply.

01:21Never found a structure to play through them as we have done.

01:25Made poor decisions and it wasn't our night, but it's not the end of the world.

01:30We'll dust ourselves down and we'll have to go again.

01:33You know, it's the first time that we've had a little bit of a hiccup in our season so far.

01:37So 10 games in and now we react is crucial.

01:42And I'm sure knowing what the players inside the changing room are feeling right now,

01:47then they will come roaring back.

01:49I suppose people will talk about the change and switching to a back three.

01:54Run us through your thought process.

01:55Why did you do that?

01:56Michael's at the top of the pitch.

01:57That's their game.

01:58So, you know, we've done a heavy study of them tactically.

02:08What other teams have done that's got them success.

02:12Southampton had success last year.

02:15End of season in the playoff final by changing around.

02:18And we felt that that could work.

02:20They have six at the top line.

02:21So basically they stretch your back four.

02:24And we felt that they would stretch our back four too much.

02:26So we had to put one in there.

02:30But for us, it was the other bit.

02:32You know, when we turned it over, we just weren't good enough with the ball.

02:35So when you're not good enough with the ball and you keep turning it over

02:37and you make poor decisions when you break it up, they're going to come back at you.

02:42So that's pretty simplistic way of putting it.

02:46They dominate possession.

02:47Their XG is better than anybody else.

02:49Their XG against is better than anybody else.

02:51So we have to find a way.

02:52And as I said, I could quite easily have come here and played 4-2-3-1.

02:56And unless you've got a crystal ball, it might have been the same.

03:01It might have been better.

03:02It might have been worse.

03:03But we have to be brave in those decisions for experience and belief.

03:07We got done for the first goal on a set play.

03:11And the second goal was a counter-attack.

03:15But saying that, they had the bigger chances.

03:17They had the better chances.

03:18We didn't really create enough.

03:20We never really knitted our game together, regardless of the formation.

03:25And we ended up losing a game, which we really didn't deserve to get anything from.

03:30Can I just check finally?

03:31Harmer looked as though he was hobbling a bit.

03:33Is there anything there?

03:34Yeah, just a real tight calf.

03:36So you can't afford.

03:38We've seen the squad.

03:39It's a pretty tight squad.

03:42We can't afford to lose anybody by just keeping them on the pitch.

03:45So we made a decision on that.

03:47It's a good experience because it's a different experience.

03:50We've not had that experience of playing in front of 39,000, 40,000 punters

03:54who gave their team an incredible amount of energy.

03:59We gave them a helping hand in the way that we played.

04:04So we have to learn from it, I keep saying.

04:07It's a long way to go.

04:10Dampen expectations.

04:12We've had a fabulous start, and this is our first little bump in the road.

04:17So we will, as you know, I will, we will internally stick together

04:23and work our way through it.

04:24But there's no disgrace in losing.

04:26We didn't come here to lose.

04:29We came here to win.

04:30We've had two fabulous last occasions here.

04:34And I've got to take that on the chin, and that's just part and parcel of the game.

04:39How you react to a loss, and that really defines you as a player and as a team.

04:45And I'm sure that we'll come roaring back.

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