"He was the scapegoat" - £30k-a-week Sheffield United star hailed for becoming a "real force" | OneFootball

FLW's resident Blade gives his take on Vinicius Souza's revival at Sheffield United.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Sheffield United's Vinicius Souza has undergone a transformation this season at Bramall Lane.

Signed in the summer of 2023, his first season with the club was a major disappointment as the Blades struggled at the bottom of the Premier League. Much of the team faced criticism, but the 25-year-old came under particular fire from the fan base for comments he made regarding his omission from the Brazil squad.

Speaking to Flamengo-dedicated outlet Coluna do Fla (via the Sheffield Star), he said that he wasn't getting into the national side because of "the situation at my club" and that "not keeping the ball much" weighed against him.

Chris Wilder insisted for him to "do his talking on the pitch" and the midfielder has followed suit this campaign by becoming a stalwart in the head coach's starting XI.

Throughout the season, he has featured in nearly every match when available and has impressed with his composure on the ball and natural ability to protect the back line.

The £30k-a-week star's misdemeanours are now far behind him, and he seems fully focused on taking his side back to the Premier League and correcting the mistakes he made last year.

Vinicius Souza highlighted as one of the best in the Championship

To get a Bramall Lane point of view on Souza's season, Football League World spoke to Jimmy from the Blades Ramble podcast, who admitted that he has been thoroughly impressed by the midfielder's resurrection at the club.

"Those who say they aren't surprised by Vini Souza's revival have got a short memory," said Jimmy.

"He was the scapegoat last season. You could have named 10 or 11 scapegoats, in all honesty, but he was the one who rightly received criticism for not taking responsibility. He got a reputation for pointing and blaming other players.

"But this season, at Championship level, in another example of the gulf between the levels, he is head and shoulders above the majority of players in this league. There are one or two who probably match him, but he is the best ball recoverer, he is dominant in midfield, and has been absolutely superb for us this season.

"He is one of the first names on the team sheet, but we do need that extra little bit of consistency from him. He has also had a couple of niggling injuries, but if he overcomes that, then he is a real force in the centre of midfield."

Vinicius Souza's statistics suggest he can bridge the Premier League gap

The Sheffield United squad that entered the Premier League in 2023-24 just wasn't good enough to tackle a fight for survival.

However, Souza's development in the second tier and a better squad around him could see more of a battle from United if they can secure promotion.

Looking at the defensive midfielder's statistics this season, he ranks in the top 15% of midfielders for several key aspects, including tackles won per 90, duels won per 90, and aerial duels won per 90, according to FotMob.

If they make the jump to the top flight, he will elevate this aspect of his game, facing some of the most dynamic attackers and midfielders in the world. Players like Cole Palmer, Eberechi Eze, and Mohamed Salah can make even the best look average on their day and Souza will often be the man protecting his back line.

However, first they must secure a spot in the top flight and that won't come without some massive performances from the Brazilian.