Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder has defended his decision to leave out Mark Duffy and Billy Sharp from the opening two games of the season.

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It's been a disastrous start for the Blades, who lost late on at home to Swansea on Saturday, before they were resoundingly beaten by Middlesbrough in the week.

Those results have left the side bottom and many fans have been disappointed in the performances.

Supporters have also questioned why Duffy and Sharp, two players who have made big contributions over the years, have been restricted to brief substitute appearances.

And, Wilder told the Sheffield Star his reasoning behind the decision, starting with the attack-minded Duffy, who would add creativity in the middle of the park:

"We set up a shape in midfield to play a three, and it worked well in pre-season against Inter Milan so we felt that was the shape we wanted to work with."

Meanwhile, it was more straightforward for Sharp, with Wilder opting to go with summer recruit David McGoldrick:

"McGoldrick has done well so far and in pre-season we felt he'd be the best partner for Leon, and we live and die by our decisions."

The Verdict

Wilder shouldn't really have to come out and explain his decisions, although you can understand why the fans are unhappy.

However, we're two games into the season and the Blades have played two very good teams.

Yet, performances have been poor and Wilder shouldn't be stubborn and instead look to find the right balance for the game against QPR tomorrow, and that may include Duffy and Sharp.

Thoughts, Sheffield United fans? Let us know in the comments below.