Chris Wilder's gloves are off. Incensed by his Sheffield United's second-half performance which resulted in a 2-0 defeat at West Brom, the Blades boss has called out his players' attitude as "criminal". This was Wilder of old, not the diplomat who had, until the trip to The Hawthorns, been trying to coax the best out of a group traumatised by a catastrophic start to the season under former manager Ruben Selles. And it was working. United arrived in the Midlands, six matches unbeaten. Four wins and two draws. But the second-half at West Brom was a giant step backwards. Wilder is determined not to let slip all his and their previous hard work. "It's going to be a long week," he warned as his squad face a few home truths before the visit of Birmingham City on Saturday.

Summary:

• The recent defeat at West Brom, characterized by a lack of effort in the second half, may ultimately benefit Sheffield United in the long run.
• Manager Chris Wilder expressed his intense anger with the team's performance and issued a stern warning to his players.
• Wilder's new gloves off approach uggests that members of his squad are facing a make-or-break moment, especially with the January transfer window approaching..
• The team's first-half performance was commendable, but a failure to maintain intensity was their undoing..
• Wilder emphasized the necessity for players to accept accountability and improve their performance moving forward.
• A stark warning was issued by Wilder regarding the consequences of continued lackluster performances.

Links referenced in this episode:

• viewfromthejohnstreet.com