It's not the start we wanted, but are the Blades’ four losses in a row the results we deserve? Sam, David and Riley assess performances after four games. This is why we started the Formline: to analyse games in bunches to try and spot trends. Unfortunately, the most obvious trend is downwards. But can we find crumbs of comfort? Look hard enough, and just maybe we can…

The Pinch Podcast returns with part one of our play-off preview, diving deep into our semi-final clash with Bristol City. Expect analysis, optimism (yes, really), and a bit of tactical talk.

As the Blades head into the final day of the season, Sam, David and Riley pick out some key performances from the past three games and agree on the team they don't want to face in the play-offs.

A horrible run of three defeats on the bounce has put the Blades at the back of the queue for the automatic spots – David Taylor, Sam Parry and Riley Roberts pull it apart with one eye on leadership.

Sam, David and Riley cast their eye over one of the youngest squads in the Championship, zooming in on four players - as is Formline tradition - Seriki, Peck, Brooks and Cannon. There's also a bit of time to assess the Coventry game, and the elephant in the room, Riley's harsh ratings.

Sam, David and Riley review the previous four fixtures and look ahead to the four matches to come – plus points predictions, opposition run-ins and a hint of derby double revelry.

United Voices 1.03 | In this latest episode of our United Voices series, Sam and David chat with artist Marty Griot. His work brings colour to matchdays and beyond, bleeding into its environment. We discuss past, present and future, as well as inspiration and aspiration, plus a quick catch-up about last week’s defeat to table-toping Leeds United.

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Which individuals could make the biggest impact in the final 13 games? That’s the question we’re debating on the latest podcast. Sam picks four, Riley picks four, and David adjudicates—no easy task when there is only one shared pick. As we arrive at the final four, we also discuss the question of whether you’d be buying or selling the Sheffield United performance dip.

With new signings in the building, Sam, David and Riley deep-dive into the previous four matches, look ahead to Portsmouth and discuss AI player-trading

Listen | Ben Brereton Diaz, Tom Canon, Jonjoe Kenny, Michael Keane and more - Sam, Riley and David assess the signings, the rumoured signings, and their aura.

LISTEN | The Pinch podcast is back with the first Formline episode of 2025. In this episode, we discuss the trends of a difficult but not deadly festive period. Who’s performed best? Who’s performed worst? Has Tom Davies transformed Callum O’Hare’s form? Has our xG data deviated that much from our baseline? Have performances dropped? Have we been unlucky? What might Brereton Diaz add? It’s a biggie!

Sheffield United Season Preview | After a pre-season packed with thumping wins, kit launches, and a beautiful own goal, the Championship is back – and so is The Pinch. David, Sam, and Riley kick off their two-part season preview with a detailed look at United’s pre-season results, tactical shifts under new management, and which players are catching the eye. From rising stars like Ryan One to debates on transfer rumours and expectations, this episode sets the tone for a fascinating season ahead.

Sheffield United don't cross much, but why? Sam, David and Riley discuss the trend and share thoughts on Rak-Sakyi's dip in form, our level of control and whether a regression is on the horizon.

State of Play 1.02 | The Pinch pod is back to talk takeovers. Is it on? And if so, what happens next? What approach might would-be new owners take? What does it mean for Wilder, for transfers and for the fan experience?

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Too often, we judge the competition over the early part of the season. We wanted to re-rate every team in the Championship to see who are the biggest threats and easiest targets. So we’ve predicted the final league table, hunch vs heft, man vs sim, and Sam vs Riley (adjudicated by David).

Sam, David and Riley take a deep dive into the performances of Sydie Peck, Callum O'Hare, Alfie Gilchrist and Tyrese Campbell. With a long Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday slog ahead of the Blades, all four players will play a big part over the next few months. What can we expect? Is there room for improvement? Are they doing enough now?

LISTEN IN | Blades, fresh off the back of three wins in a row, take on the noisy neighbours for the first time in almost 5 years. Does form go out of the window? Do Wednesday pose a threat? Why Blades are rightful favourites, and does being the underdog make a difference?

In this episode, we’re measuring the Blades's performances against a few different metrics to calculate the height of our ceiling and the depth of our floor.

Rise and Fall

From firm favourites for the drop and pundit premonitions of getting ‘annihilated’, to ninth in the top flight and discussions on whether the Blades could even make the Champions League, and finally to a post-lockdown descent into disappointment, departures and a merciful return to the Championship, our previous short stint in the Premier League was a hell of a ride.

In the third and final part of this series, we look at our two seasons back in the big time – from dreamland to nightmare. Joining us is senior BBC journalist and former Sheffield United correspondent for Yorkshire Live, Nathan Hemmingham, who lifts the lid on Wilder’s unique warmth, why our second season in the Premier League went wrong, and what it was like to cover football during COVID restrictions.

The Class of 18/19

If you go to a pub in Ireland, you have to have a song. And if you don’t have a song, you might as well not go to the pub at all. Wise words of warning from John Egan: but at the time he said this, there was no risk of silence in S2. Sheffield United’s 2018/19 season was music to our ears.

Part two of our trilogy of podcasts on the Chris Wilder 1.0 era sees the club established back in the Championship with a strong previous season. A wobble at the start (the usual) was rectified pretty quickly. Results went our way. Then a few more. And a few more. The odd loss here and there meant it was a race for second and a barely believable return to the top flight with our bunch of frees, outcasts and misfits. We were introduced to Zinedave Zigoldrick. We got Stearmaned. Billy Sharp scored goals. Basham arrived. We forgot the maths: the Premier League beckoned for Sheffield United.

Joining us for this episode is Output Editor at Sky Sports and former deputy news editor at The Athletic, Kate Burlaga, who brings her usual poetry and prose to a fairytale period in the club’s history.

Welcome to the Wildest Ride, a three-part podcast on Sheffield United from 2016-2021: a magical time that saw the Blades drag themselves from the middle of League One to the top half of the Premier League.

Part one focuses on that first season, when Chris Wilder and Alan Knill arrived at a club on its knees, ripped up the rulebook and concocted a team of centurions. Join us to chart a course from the lap of dishonour to Billy Sharp atop the shoulders of fans on a sunny day in Northampton.

Listen now | Sam and Riley talk Swans and take stock of four summer recruits: Harry Souttar, Harrison Burrows, Callum O'Hare and Kieffer Moore.

Listen now | Would it lie to you? The Championship league table that is. In this episode of the Formline, we analyse the truths and lies of the league table as it stands, including a deep-dive into the good, bad and ugly of the season so far, Gustavo Hamer’s form, plus a Pompey preview…

Listen now | Game-state, chance creation, Oliver Arblaster and the 'problem' of left-hand side – David Taylor and Sam Parry analyse Sheffield United's Championship start

State of Play 1.01 | Sam, David, and guest, Craig Bradley, dive deep into the career and prospects of new goalkeeper, Mike Cooper.

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"Rak Sak and three smoking barrels..." – Sheffield United's four latest signings - Alfie Gilchrist, Harry Souttar, Tyrese Campbell and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi

Formline 1.04 | George Elek from the Not The Top 20 Podcast joins David and Sam talk Harrison Burrows, summer business, Chris Wilder and the Blades' opening fixtures against Preston North End.

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Formline 1.03 | David Taylor, Sam Parry and Riley Roberts cover 4 reasons to be cheerful, a Preston preview, and some quick-fire questions ahead of the curtain raiser.

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United Voices 1.02 | Originally published on The Pinch last year, David Beeden discusses the Green'Un and his dad.

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Formline 1.03 | David Taylor, Sam Parry and Riley Roberts discuss Sheffield United's latest four signings - Kieffer Moore, Callum O'Hare, Sam McCallum and Jamie Shackleton.

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Formline 1.02 | David Taylor, Sam Parry and Riley Roberts discuss the probability of a seismic shift towards four-at-the-back and the legacy of 3-5-2.

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Formline 1.01 | David Taylor, Sam Parry and Riley Roberts put four Blades players under the spotlight: Trusty, Bogle, Hamer, Osula.

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United Voices 1.01 | Originally published on The Pinch last year, Tom O’Brien reads his story Pies, Poverty and Parasites, a tribute to a lifelong Blade.

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An introduction to The Pinch Podcast – a good pinch of Sheffield United pod stuff in your ears every Friday.

On this episode of The Pinch, we dig into a sacking that speaks volumes. We reflect on Wilder’s legacy, question the timing of his exit, and try to make sense of an ownership group with bold ideas, a clear disdain for sentiment, and a recruitment model powered by algorithms… or is it?

What does Brexit have to do with Sheffield United’s next signing? Quite a lot, actually. In this episode of The Pinch, we unpack the hidden world of football visas with analyst Andy Watson, revealing how the right knowledge of GBE and ESC rules can give clubs like United a massive recruitment edge. Packed with examples, past missteps, and future targets, this one’s a must-listen for any fan who wants to know how the transfer game really works.

Timestamps:

00:03:00 – Andy Watson’s journey from maths teacher to GBE guru

00:08:30 – What GBE and ESC mean in a post-Brexit football world

00:27:00 – How Sheffield United are already using ESC slots

00:35:00 – Transfer targets for the Blades

Welcome to The Pinch Podcast, where heartbreak meets hard truths. In this post-play-off special, we confront the gut-punch of Wembley defeat and explore the real lessons from Sheffield United’s 2024/25 season. From Chris Wilder’s risk-averse tactics and missed attacking fluidity, to urgent calls for smarter recruitment and a proactive board, we break down what went right, what should change, and why the board shouldn’t press the panic button.

In this special play-off final edition of The Formline, Sam and Riley step in to assess Sheffield United’s chances at Wembley after a dominant semi-final showing. With Sunderland pulling off a dramatic turnaround of their own, it’s set to be a clash packed with nerves, history, and high stakes—the richest game in football and that big white arch awaits.

With the Blades back in the mix and the stakes sky-high, we’re joined by EFL expert and Not The Top 20 co-host George Elek to break it all down. NTT20 LIVE IN SHEFFIELD: Alongside Not The Top 20 co-host Ali Maxwell, he will be playing live at the Crossed Wires festival in Sheffield, at the Crucible! This is happening on Saturday 5 July, kicking off at 3pm. You can book tickets here: https://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/book/instance/822201