Despite having benefited from his previous loan at Bramall Lane, there were doubts about Sheffield United being the ideal destination for James McAtee this summer. Some believed a move to Leicester City would be wiser, anticipating more wins, goals, and a playing style resembling his parent club, especially with Enzo Maresca at the helm, who was an assistant manager under Pep Guardiola last term.
However, McAtee sees potential for further development at Sheffield United, driven by the challenges he conquered in the previous season. His desire to reunite with the team and push himself in a division he’s eager to play in underlines his confidence, but it has not started so well for him.
The promising midfielder has not yet found his feet with the Blades, losing all four games he has been involved in by an aggregate scoreline of 15-2. Thus far, he has not made any impact to the team, and you could even argue his presence has made the team weaker from a physical and defensive cover viewpoint.
Paul Heckingbottom and his team will require better performance as the season advances if they wish to give themselves even a fighting chance of Premier League survival.
While Manchester City excels in making the game appear effortless and dominating possession, not many teams do. For Sheffield United, every performance will have to be gritty and determined, and although that’s the ugly side of the game, that can greatly benefit McAtee’s career in the years to come.
