Sheffield United can forget Campbell by unleashing "remarkable" star
da stake casino： Sheffield United’s place in the Championship Play-Offs was confirmed on Easter Monday after their disappointing 2-1 defeat to Burnley at Turf Moor.
da cassino： The Blades and Sunderland are the two teams confirmed to be in the four-team post-season tournament to compete for a place in the Premier League next season.
Chris Wilder’s side have lost four of their last five matches and have to find a way to rediscover their form ahead of the play-offs, to avoid their season ending in complete disappointment, which could include putting faith in Tom Cannon.
Why Sheffield United should keep starting Tom Cannon
The Ireland international, who joined from Leicester City in the January transfer window, scored his first goal for the club with a thumping finish in the 2-1 defeat to Burnley.
It was his first goal in 13 matches for the club in the Championship, after a return of nine goals during the first half of the campaign on loan at Stoke, and is hopefully a sign of things to come.
Cannon, who scored four goals in one game earlier this season, has scored 20 goals in 68 matches at Championship level, and should be given the nod over Tyrese Campbell.
The English striker has scored ten goals in 32 league games this term, but is currently on a run of zero goals and zero assists in his last five outings, whilst Cannon has hit form with a goal against Burnley.
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Instead of unleashing Campbell in an attempt to turn the form around to win the Play-Offs, Wilder should bring Jesurun Rak-Sakyi off the bench to be a difference-maker.
Why Jesurun Rak-Sakyi should start for Sheffield United
The Crystal Palace loanee came off the bench in the defeat to Burnley and should, now, be brought into the starting line-up to replace Ben Brereton Diaz.
Sheffield United will need to be ruthless and effective at the top end of the pitch in their Play-Off outings if they want to earn promotion to the Premier League, which is why Rak-Sayki should be given the nod.
The 22-year-old star, once dubbed “remarkable” by Roy Hodgson, could come in to provide more quality than Brereton Diaz in the final third, based on their form in the division this term.
24/25 Championship
Jesurun Rak-Sakyi
Ben Brereton Diaz
Starts
22
13
xG
6.07
4.07
Goals
7
4
Key passes
31
14
xA
3.49
1.13
Assists
2
3
Dribbles completed per game
1.4
0.3
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Rak-Sakyi has been more effective as a finisher and racked up more than three times as much xA, despite only starting nine more games.
Brereton Diaz, who completed 56% of his passes and lost 100% of his duels against Burnley, does not carry as much of a threat from a wide position, which is why he should be dropped from the side in favour of the English winger.
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This change could, then, improve Sheffield United’s chances of winning the Play-Offs in the post-season, because they would have a more effective forward on the pitch by swapping Brereton Diaz for Rak-Sakyi.