Should the Blades return to a front-two? | OneFootball

When things have been going well it can be easy to say if it isn’t broken don’t fix it.

However, if last season taught us anything, after a period of upward trajectory and promotions, Sheffield United had become broken. Perhaps it was time for a change.

The Blades have seen a lot of change since their last time in the Championship, a change of manager (albeit a former manager), the release of the majority of the squad and a change of system.

However, change is a two-way street. While praise has been placed on the defensive change to a back four and the clean sheets that have come with it. Sometimes change isn’t the best policy and the new system has had a detrimental impact on our forward line.

Despite, Rak-Sakyi and Hamer being revelations out wide, the switch from a front-two to a lone striker has left things upfront feeling tame. With Kieffer Moore scoring just once so far in the league.

Hamer, the Blades top goalscorer with four goals, is suspended for Saturday’s game against Stoke City. This makes it a good time to ask:

Should we go back to a front two?

The successes of past front-twos

(Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images)

The front-two has served the Blades well ever since Wilder’s arrival and has been a successful part of our promotions to the Premier League.

In 2018/19, Wilder’s dedicated front-two of Billy Sharp and David McGoldrick scored a combined 38 goals in the Championship. Almost half of the goals the side scored that season (78).

In 2022/23, Heckingbottom’s promoted Blades had a default front-two of Iliman Ndiaye and Oli McBurnie who scored a combined 27 Championship goals.

Both seasons, the goals were quite evenly split between the strikers; Billy Sharp (23), David McGoldrick (15), Oli McBurnie (14) and Iliman Ndiaye (13). This showcases just how important two strikers can be as they can come together to fill the role of the lucrative ’30 goal-a-season striker’.

The Lone Striker Problem

(Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)

To say that Kieffer Moore has been a divisive figure this season amongst Blades fans is to say the least. However, let’s make one thing clear, Kieffer Moore isn’t a bad Championship striker.

In his ten seasons at the level, Moore has scored 55 goals in 186 appearances, an average of 3.38 games per goal.

His most prolific season came in 2020/21 for Cardiff City, where he scored 20 goals in 42 games and became the Bluebirds’ Player of the Year.

Moore’s 20 goals that season make for interesting analysis and could give Wilder a chance to revert back to a front-two.

Return of the Front Two

(Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)

In the games Moore scored in, Cardiff played him as a lone striker seven times and as part of a front-two, nine times.

When part of a front-two, Moore scored 11 goals and as a lone striker he scored nine showing that he is versatile enough to do both, if not slightly more prolific with support.

If we look at Moore this season for the Blades, it seems like support may be the way to go. His height and impressive ability in the air (winning 94% of aerial duels) and his successful pass rate (92.9%) makes him a perfect provider for either Brewster or Campbell to play off of.

Brewster is already playing as a left winger in recent games. So, why not try him in his more natural striker position alongside Moore?

Also, if the new system has sacrificed one of the defenders, keeping two upfront shouldn’t be too detrimental as the side already has one extra midfielder. Plus, who doesn’t love a 4-4-2?