Sheffield United: Four key items on the agenda at Mansfield Town tonight
and live on Freeview channel 276
What else should we be looking out for, other than the new start time, when United visit Field Mill.
The Star’s James Shield identifies four important things to keep an eye on.
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The conditions: Even though the game is taking place 24 hours after what was supposedly destined to be the UK’s hottest day on record, with a ‘danger to life’ warning being issued for some parts of the country, both clubs have agreed it should begin an hour later than originally scheduled.
The decision is a reminder that the way clubs now approach pre-seasons is different to the days when players would simply be worked into the ground. Now, things are much more scientific. Particularly at Bramall Lane, where Tom Little has been installed as United’s new head of performance.
The initial plan was to ask some members of the squad to perform for 75 minutes and others 15. That could change, though, depending on how hot it is.
The result: United weren’t distraught to lose at Scuthorpe on Saturday, a result which ended their 100 percent record since reporting back for duty. But they will want to return to winning ways, after beating Casa Pia and Lincoln City en route to Glanford Park. Managers always say they are considering a bigger picture at this stage of a team’s preparations. That the final outcome of friendly contests isn’t the most important thing.
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Hide AdTo a large extent they are correct. But it’s usually a line that gets trotted out only after a defeat.
With new ideas to road test, it won’t be the end of the world if United slip-up again. But professional footballers are supremely competitive beings. They enjoy coming out on top.
The defending: United’s overall play wasn’t terrible during the first-half of their visit to Scunthorpe. It wasn’t brilliant, which was understandable given the reshuffled starting eleven they selected. But neither was it a car crash. Instead, they found themselves 3-0 down at a break, before Iliman Ndiaye and Rhian Brewster reduced the deficit, due to three indecisive passages of play at the back.
Whoever features at Town, they can’t afford to make the same mistakes again. United must get into good habits before next month’s Championship opener at Watford.
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Hide AdThe midfielder: Yes, it’s unfair. But it’s also inevitable, after spending so long away on loan, that Ismaila Coulibaly’s performances are being scrutinised probably more than those produced by any other member of United’s first team squad as preparations for the trip to Vicarage Road gather pace.
Reading between the lines of what was said afterwards, their manager and coaching staff still believe the young midfielder has improvements to make before being considered for a starting berth in the Championship. They are right. Coulibaly has his strengths. But he must also be more consistent and quicker on the ball, with the pace of the English game much higher than what he has been used to in Belgium after being placed with United’s sister club Beerschot following a switch from Sarpsborg.