Chris Wilder calls out Burnley and Luton as he questions the media’s ‘narrative’ of Sheffield United after their draw at Bournemouth.
The Blades boss took aim at the media following the game, which saw Bournemouth score two late goals to deny the Blades, who had led 2-0 with 16 minutes to play.
He questioned the media narrative surrounding his Sheffield United side – suggesting Burnley haven’t faced the same level of criticism.
Sheffield United currently sit 19th in the Premier League table, with 14 points from 28 games played, but are on a -50 goal difference and are 10 points from safety, Burnley are 20th with 13 points from 27 games, with a -35 goal difference, and Luton are 18th with 21 points from 27 games played and three points from safety.
🗣️ “There is the narrative of Sheffield United being the worst team in the world.”
🗣️ “Burnley, we are all waiting for them to kick in.”
🗣️ “Luton are going for Europe.”
Chris Wilder has called into question the media perception of his club.#BBCFootball #MOTD pic.twitter.com/dmGVoYv4Au
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) March 9, 2024
Chris Wilder calls for greater consistency from his Sheffield United side ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/Gv31ZEiRJh
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) March 9, 2024
Wilder said: “We needed that performance first and foremost. Mixed emotions. The players were putting bodies everywhere. The physical aspect of it in the Premier League you have to be right up there.
“There’s a lot to that performance but physically we were out on our feet. We found that bit extra to get a result.
“We all had to stand up. This has been one of the hardest weeks we have had in football after what happened on Monday night.
“It wasn’t a free-flowing performance, we dug in there and hung in there.
“It is just the consistency as well. When teams do what they do to you, like Villa for half an hour and Arsenal for 45 minutes, they tear you apart and the gulf becomes enormous. There’s a lot of moving parts to this season. I think pundits take the easy way out saying they are the worst team in the Premier League, but you have to look at the injuries and in terms of being able to put a consistent side out.
“We are off the bottom, we will enjoy that. I am not jumping through hoops and no medals are being handed out for being off the bottom. We have to show the consistency.
“There is the narrative isn’t there? That Sheffield United are the worst team in the world, Burnley are waiting to kick in and Luton are going for Europe – that seems to be the narrative. Luton have done fantastically well and I have a lot of admiration for what Vincent Kompany has done, but that’s the narrative.”
Player ratings (per Sky Sports)
Bournemouth: Neto (5), Smith (6), Zabarnyi (6), Mepham (6), Kerkez (6), Cook (6), Christie (7), Kluivert (6), Tavernier (6), Solanke (6), Semenyo (7)
Subs: Ouattara (8), Unal (7), Billing (7), Scott (7), Sinisterra (7)
Sheffield United: Grbic (7), Baldock (7), Trusty (7), Robinson (7), Bogle (7), Arblaster (7), Hamer (8), Davies (6), Osborn (6), McBurnie (7), Brereton Diaz (8)
Subs: McAtee (6), Souza (6), Ahmedhodzic (6), Norwood (6)
Player of the Match: Dango Ouattara
Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder, speaking to Sky Sports: “We have been too inconsistent. We have produced performances like that and we need to do that between now and the end of the season. We can’t go from a team that has a go one week and passive the next.
“We are really stretched but the boys are putting their hands up and putting in a performance like that hopefully gives us something to build on.
“It was a mismatch on a couple of the corners. We had taken our height off and replaced them with smaller players.
“We have to take the narrative. That is how it is. We have to take responsibility. Sometimes there is a story under the story, from an injury point of view. But you are in this division for a reason. We know it is global and we like to take the accolades of playing at top grounds and top players, but when it doesn’t go right you are there to be shot at, some cheaply and some intelligently. If you want to be in this division you have to accept all that.”
Twitter users reacted as Chris Wilder calls out Burnley and Luton while he questions media’s ‘narrative’ of Sheffield United…
@JackWalters92: He’s not wrong though is he. For some fans to say we are the worst ever, look at some of the final totals after 38 games across the PL history. I’ll stick my neck out and say we reach 20 pts. Maybe one of but not the worst sides. Not even bottom of the league.
@EllisTheoHenley: Chris Wilder has become unlikeable hasn’t he? The narrative comes from watching your team Chris! You got a draw today, well done. Your team stinks and shows nothing in every game to make anyone think any different. Thats where the narrative comes from!
@DG1865: He’s got a point re: Burnley, they have had nowhere near the level of criticism Sheff U have. Any other manager would be getting pasted now but there’s massive Kompany love-in in the media
@Mr_JLV_LTFC: My oh my – whst a miserable bitter little man. Amazing that he’s actually made @SheffieldUnited worse And more disliked
@LiamNBooth: He’s trying to pull the negativity away from his players … people forget this man got us to 3 points away from Europe with no money and no better players than now just 3-4 seasons ago. As for Burnley, £100m and below us. So he’s right. #UTB #Wilder
@cjharvey2007: Luton have 50% more points than what Sheffield United do, have scored 14 more goals and conceded 19 less so probably best to leave them out of this argument.
@DEM_BLADES: Don’t mind Wilder giving it this is at all. The “narratives” in the top flight are terrible. Lowest common denominator stuff that is, on the whole, produced for people who care more about fantasy football points than supporting a team.
@AntSSimo19: Really wish he’d shut up. Ridiculous points, particularly on Luton who have a far superior manager, just paints him and us as bitter. Such comments are not gonna deflect how woefully we’ve competed this PL season, however much he thinks they will. #SUFC ⚔️
@ReevesJek: Let’s face it, what he’s saying is true, Burnley and their popular manager are going under the radar and not attracting anywhere near the bad press that the Blades are, and remember Burnley have invested heavily in comparison.
@Matthew_Debney: What a strange bloke. How could the media perception of a team with 14 points and a -50 goal difference in March be any different? Fair enough, Burnley are just as bad as them but Luton are at least showing some bottle and making a fist of things.
@it56358307: Has he been watching? I don’t think I’ve seen them outplay hardly anyone whereas Luton have had a real go and also Burnley could have had more points but lightweight in front of goal
@ColliverM: Well said gaffer. Above Vincent company’s Burnley and one place behind 1970s Brazil. We know we are crap but the abuse the group has had to take from the media is hillarious.
@1882CLARETnBLUE: Can’t say I disagree with him. We’ve been massively let off in comparison to the Blades.
@PaddysMadx: He’s saying what is exactly true.
@DaveGregory64: Wilder is not wrong. We are on our way to Europe 😂. Although the media perception is a little more realistic.
@Mister_Forest: I think you having a goal difference of -50 might have something to do with that
@passionflyUK: Is he this seasons Nathan Jones?
@villanews11: I mean they do have a -50 goal difference and lost 3 games in a row at home 5-0
— We Are Luton Town (@wearelutontown) March 9, 2024
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