Alan Biggs argues that neither sets of players at Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United can be accused of a lack of effort regardless of what fans say
You may hurl all the brickbats you want at our two Sheffield teams, and in a season like this, lots would be warranted. But, in my opinion, one of the most common is completely incorrect. It soars over the Kop roofs at both Bramall Lane and Hillsborough. “Lack of effort.” It’s the easiest complaint to file for any club’s fans anywhere. An old standby for any poor performance. “I couldn’t care less.” Another similar connotation exists. And both of those have been heard a lot this season in the vicinity of S2 and S6.
In practice, however, this amounts to an accusation of failing to try, which is the most devastating criticism you can level make of any professional sporting competitor. Well, maybe it’s time that particular brickbat was hurled back.
“Lack of heart”? Now that’s a different thing altogether. It’s a comment with its roots in a noticeable lack of belief or confidence. Which, without excusing it, has been only natural at times during this fraught and perilous campaign for Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday.
This leads on to “lack of fight”, a perception based on a reluctance to have a go at the opposition, again for confidence reasons. “Lack of leadership”? Again, spawned from all of the above. And often fair comment. Ditto with “lack of quality.” We all wish it was better on both sides of the city.
But “lack of effort”? That’s not fair for me, deeply wounding and trotted out way too often. Even if it were true – and I’ve rarely if ever seen it – players simply wouldn’t get away with it in this age of data and metrics.
As the Blades’ ex boss Paul Heckingbottom pointed out recently in response to that charge, he’d know if it was true from all the running stats presented to him. Across with the Owls, latest boss Danny Rohl has demanded more athleticism and energy; in essence, a higher level of fitness and staying power. But that doesn’t point to any previous lack of effort.
More to the point, I heard Carlton Palmer and Paddy Kenny on a recent podcast in agreement that they had never known it to be true in their careers, taking in Hillsborough and Bramall Lane. Often effort is simply misdirected. Either that or it’s just that players are having a bad day. If you have too many like that at once, you lose the game.
It’s a collective thing where the whole team is deemed good or bad, including even those who’ve performed at their level. You lose possession too often, fail to track a runner for a goal, miss chances and, in the eyes of some, you can lack effort. But really – and without calling a bad performance anything but that – this is all about momentary lapses in concentration, besides the confidence issue. Or even, simply trying too hard.
When things are going well, players make natural and instinctive movements, no second thoughts required. When the reverse is true, you see a dithering uncertainty. Which is what we’ve witnessed too often on both sides of the city.
Danny Rohl and Chris Wilder have both attempted to harness positive ideas and acts, bringing both groups of supporters with them. Whatever their restrictions, players across the board are putting in the effort. They are well aware that there is no hiding place on that score.
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