EFL expert explains Sheffield United issues Chris Wilder must fix after Ruben Selles’ start

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The Blades have been left in tatters following the first five games of the Championship season, in every department of the squad.

Sheffield United have reappointed Chris Wilder as manager only three months after sacking the much-loved Blades boss.

The writing was on the wall for Ruben Selles following his six-game losing streak as Sheffield United boss, and now the Bramall Lane hierarchy have turned back to Wilder to save them.

Blades hero Chris Basham has hailed Wilder’s reappointment, but the boyhood Sheffield United fan will need to go above and beyond to salvage their 2025/26 season.

With Wilder’s homecoming approaching this weekend, Championship expert Ali Maxwell has highlighted the key areas at Sheffield United that Wilder must fix from the ruins left by sacked Selles.

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Expert explains the Sheffield United issues Chris Wilder must fix

Given the Blades’ barren start to the season, it could well be easier to outline which areas Wilder does not need to improve, rather than the ones he does.

Sheffield United sit rock-bottom of the Championship table, with 12 goals conceded and just one scored in five league outings under Selles’ stewardship.

There are glaring issues for Wilder to resolve at Sheffield United, and now, EFL expert Maxwell has highlighted that Selles has left his successor with glaring issues in both defence and attack.

Maxwell told the Not The Top 20 podcast: “For whatever reason, this ownership group decided that they wanted to make changes, and I think it was completely inappropriate, and now Wilder comes back in for his third spell.

“The first spell he took them from League One to the top half of the Premier League. The second spell he built a team that got 92 points last season, and was very worthy of their play-off final spot and very much could have won promotion.

“And now he joins a team that have zero points from five games and have scored one goal.

“But with Selles, his inability to set this team up, this group of players up to cope defensively with the transitional nature of Championship football.

“The midfield has looked completely at sea, particularly out of possession. From basically the first whistle of the season against Bristol City to the final whistle on Friday night, this team looked generally very, very poor and very, very vulnerable.

“And yes, they also happen to miss a lot of chances. I think it’s one goal from five and a half, six xG (expected goals), not good enough and changes made.”

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Sheffield United need morale-boosting win vs Charlton Athletic

The morale and optimism at Sheffield United hit rock bottom, as the Blades did in the table, when Selles gave his players a hammering at full-time on the field after the opening day Bristol City defeat.

As Maxwell explained, problems lie in both the attacking outputs and defensive structure at Sheffield United so far this season.

In attack, the Blades have been blunt to say the least, with Tyrese Campbell as their top scorer so far this season with just one goal.

Defensively, the Blades were no better under Selles, with their midfield being bypassed far too easily alongside some calamitous moments at the back as seen in the 5-0 loss to Ipswich Town.

Following the summer transfer window, Wilder’s Sheffield United squad is now very different from the one he fielded in the Championship play-off final for his last game.

They will need to rediscover the form that got them to Wembley, and fast, to have any hope of achieving a historic promotion for Sheffield United this season, starting with Saturday’s Charlton Athletic clash.