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Not an unfamiliar picture in England: Sheffield United conceded a goal
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Clive Rose / Getty Images
Something unusual happened in England last weekend: Sheffield United won a football game.
Only one thing against a third division team in the FA Cup, but still: it was a victory.
The first since July 11, 2020.
For weeks there has been writing in German sports media about FC Schalke and its negative run about the threatening Tasmania record, which Schalke has now been able to avoid.
But there is a team in Europe's major leagues that scores significantly worse than S04.
Sheffield's balance sheet is as follows: 17 Premier League games played, none won, only two draws.
Of course, the team is last.
The gap to 15th place is twelve points, relegation is already considered certain, and not even the first half of the season has been completed.
If Sheffield doesn't score better soon, for example in the evening against Newcastle United (7pm), the club will break the record for the poorest Premier League season ever.
Derby County set this up with eleven points in 2007/2008.
How is a fan, whose team loses every week?
"A bit of a disaster" is this season, says Ben Meakin and thus provides a nice example of the famous British understatement.
Meakin is a United fan and has a podcast on his favorite club, the Blades Pod.
He says he'll find comfort in the neighborhood.
United's city rivals Sheffield Wednesday is also in a relegation battle in the second division.
“It helps that they have a terrible season as we do.
The mood here is still very good, measured against the fact that we are the worst first division team in history, ”Meakin told SPIEGEL on the phone.
It may be that the rival's problems make your own seem a little smaller.
However, Wednesday is currently in a non-relegation zone in the championship.
And, unlike United, has already won league games.
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Chris Wilder (M)
Photo:
Clive Rose / AP
The Sheffield United crisis is astounding because the team was the surprise of top English football back in the preseason.
The Blades, as the club from the former steelworkers town in South Yorkshire is called, have had eventful years, with the highest highs and lowest lows.
Coach Chris Wilder, a United fan since childhood and adored by the supporters as one of them, led the club from the third division to the Premier League after taking office in 2016.
There the team played for a long time last season as promoted players for the European Cup, although they had hardly strengthened significantly.
But the hype surrounding Sheffield United has turned into its opposite in record time.
When looking for the reasons, the successes of the previous season are a fruitful trail.
Coach Wilder's team scored only a few goals, but hardly conceded any.
The 5-3-2 system impressed with two things: extreme stability and moments of surprise on the offensive, in which the central defenders regularly intervened with assaults.
In the past season, only Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United had a better defense in places one to three.
Sheffield scored more than once in just nine of 38 league games.
Seldom much worse, but always a little
But that's one of those things about moments of surprise.
They wear out at some point.
In addition, many smaller changes together have a destructive effect.
Goalkeeper Dean Henderson was replaced by the average Aaron Ramsdale from relegated AFC Bournemouth after his loan from Manchester United ended.
In addition, defense chief Jack O'Connell, loyal servant of the Blades for days in the third division, will probably be out of the season after a knee operation.
The stability is gone.
Suddenly the Blades lose games that they would probably have won 1-0 in the past.
You are rarely much worse than your opponent, but always a little.
Eleven of the 15 defeats this season came with only one goal difference, including against the top teams Liverpool (1: 2), Manchester City (0: 1) and Manchester United (2: 3).
That explains why fans have a hard time grasping the historical extent of the disease.
“I like to admit that we are the worst team in the Premier League.
But that we
so
badly are?
It's strange, ”says Ben Meakin.
"They're basically third and second division players who play in the Premier League."
Coach Chris Wilder about his team
It may sound harsh, but the preseason Sheffield may not be the real Sheffield.
After the team had massively exceeded expectations, they are currently where they belong according to the roster and salary costs.
Already towards the end of the past season, Wilder, who is known for his openness, judged his professionals: "They are basically third and second division players who play in the Premier League."
With such assessments the trainer naturally also protects himself against criticism of himself.
But contrary to what might be expected given the current balance sheet, calls for his removal have hardly been heard so far.
After the successes of the past four and a half years, Wilder enjoys the trust of the club and the fans.
At Bramall Lane there seems to be widespread acceptance of being relegated with him, consolidating himself athletically in the second division and then aiming for a return to the Premier League.
The model for this trail can be found around 50 miles further north, at Burnley FC.
Despite relegation, he stuck to coach Sean Dyche in 2015, returned with him to the Premier League and is now a fairly established member of England's billion-dollar league.
"We had a great couple of years and we accepted a bad season," says Meakin.
“We were able to take away the TV money from the Premier League for two seasons and are in the process of building a young team for the second division.
I can see a silver lining. "
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