Japhet Tanganga believes Sheffield United are already beginning to address one of last season's biggest failings, with Phil Jones' experience helping to shape a new defensive approach.
On the face of it a goalless draw away at Chesterfield in pre-season may not be the most headline-grabbing result. But, after a season where Sheffield United were so often found wanting defensively, a clean sheet against lively opposition is not to be sniffed at.
“If you can’t win, don’t lose” is one of the oldest cliches in the game. But they usually become cliches because they’re true and so often last season, United found a way to lose - or at least not win - when they really shouldn’t have.
Solving that problem has been one of the priorities since the summer return for pre-season, with the addition of Phil Jones - a man who played at the highest level for Manchester United and England - in a coaching capacity also helping.
Here neither Michael Cooper or Adam Davies, who played 45 minutes each against the Spireites, were severely tested, although Chesterfield hit the bar in the first half through a deflected Dilan Markanday effort and moved the ball well in midfield.
And that was with youngster Jamal Baptiste partnering skipper Japhet Tanganga at the back, with the youngster seemingly ahead of Mark McGuinness in the pecking order at this stage of pre-season.
“Obviously, right now, I think the results aren't really a big factor, but a clean sheet is something that we can take pride in,” Tanganga said afterwards. “Obviously, if we don't score, you can't win the game.
“But if you can’t win the game, don’t lose it. That’s one of the problems we had last season and I think that's where pre-season is for. To kind of build on that. We did have a couple of key issues last season.
“And from the minute we came in, we knew that we had to kind of change that approach. Sometimes, if you can't win a game, just don't lose it. Phil has come in, and he’s played at the highest level with [Man] United and England.
“So, he's been adding some vital information for us and wisdom to help us in those moments. Like I said, it’s just building on that in pre-season and hopefully taking it into the first game of the season.”
On Jones’ summer addition, as part of a coaching reshuffle that saw the departure of assistant manager Alan Knill, Tanganga added: “He has the experience and we'd be fools to not take it in.
“He’s someone who's played at the highest level, under some great managers. At one of the best clubs in England, if not the world, and internationally as well. So it’s just about taking information that he's gathered and he's got from other experienced players and bringing it on to us and kind of using that in the game now.
“Because I don't think the game has changed much from when he was playing. So, it's just about us utilising that and taking on board what he's telling us and applying it on the pitch.”
Continue Reading