It is November twelfth, and Sheffield United are fifth on the English Premier League Table; that is not a misprint.
The Blades of Sheffield United have traveled much further than the kilometers across England indicate. They have traversed lower echelons of English football to sit just a point behind the legendary Arsenal as the chill of November creeps in; truly an astounding circumstance.
While the history of Sheffield United is fascinating, their recent play is of most interest; what makes The Blades daunting to many of the Premier League’s better known outfits? To better understand their recent play, it is necessary to venture into the recent history of the club; doing so reveals the secret staring everyone square in the face.
Sheffield United: In days gone by….
The greatest days of Sheffield United are long gone; the period between 1895 and 1925 stands as the pinnacle of football in Sheffield. No major trophy’s have been garnered by the club in the nearly 100 years since (outside of trophy’s related to league promotion), despite stretches of good play in the upper leagues.
Twelve years ago, Sheffield United was in the top flight of English football. Before that, it has been 12 years since they had seen top flight football. As a founding member of the Premier League, Sheffield United has a special place in the highest flight of English football.
The club has been up and down the leagues in England, losing in competitions large and small, as well as players and coaches. They were sold to Saudi Arabian interests and have since fought to regain their position in the Premier League; how they would play in only their third Premier League season in 24 years would determine how long they would remain.
Sharpened Blades
This year is different than the campaigns of the past; Sheffield United is in fifth place going into the third international break of the year. They have demonstrated great defensive performance with timely offense from the start of the season and this has not varied no matter the competition.
Beating Crystal Palace, Everton and Arsenal in the same season is no laughing matter, doing that all by early November is absolutely noteworthy. Drawing with Chelsea and losing to Liverpool 1-0 are two accomplishments greater than more prestigious teams have accomplished.
Drawing with Tottenham to enter the third international break is absolutely validation for Sheffield United this campaign. Tottenham were in the UCL Finals last season; they’ve not forgotten how to play, as Jurgen Klopp alluded earlier this season.
To draw with Tottenham, while out playing and hustling the majority of teams faced is stunning composure by a team with little experience; Sheffield United possess something different it is clear, just how have they managed to accomplish all of these feats in such a young Premier League season?
Sheffield United: A sort of Order of the Garter
What Sheffield United has in abundance is continuity and team spirit; club football in a global world can sometimes overlook these factors. In a sport of constant player and financial transactions, playing with teammates whom continuity exists with becomes foreign with the larger clubs.
The continuity of these larger clubs becomes more superficial and more hastened in its development by necessity; a few players maintain a presence, forming a culture that may reach back into the clubs recent history.
Smaller clubs do not have the resources of giants like Chelsea, Barcelona, Real Madrid or Arsenal; their culture must be built and maintained by those members of the club as a whole. With so many names at a club like Sheffield for extended periods of time, playing becomes second nature with someone you trust and know like a brother; Sheffield United are showing this to all of the Premier League this season.
The Knifes Edge
The rest of the season will be arduous for Sheffield to be sure. No longer will they have the element of surprise and mockery of opponents; Sheffield United will face the wrath of teams as they face them once again, or even for the first go around. How they maintain banded together through these conflicts will further illustrate their staying power in top flight football.
England is an unforgiving nation with tough teams week in and week out. Sheffield have a long history as an old and proud club, outlasting many of the more southern clubs in England by ten, twenty and sometimes even thirty years. Their relevancy towards the top of the Premier League Table is healthy for the sport itself.
Sports is as much history as competition; the history of a sport often creates an exponentially more maximized competitive sport, with all of the emotional aspects humans attribute to lineage, etc. Having history in our relevant, everyday lives helps to bring us back to where much of what we love began. Hell, maybe the kids learning about Sheffield United today are inspired to find out about the teams that played so well over 100 years ago; now that’s a real sharp idea.