Kevin Blackwell takes his team to Oakwell tonight looking to halt a run of losses and bad fortune.

Barnsley have recovered from a bad start and have turned things round. Mark Robins did a terrific job at Rotherham under difficult financial circumstances and he is doing the same at Barnsley.

But so have we and Sheffield United is a very well-run football club. And although we are on a bad run of results and know we are in for a tough game, we won't lack motivation.

We couldn't possibly legislate for how things have gone for us in terms of bad luck in recent games, but I am glad that there has been no fear factor at Bramall Lane and the lads have responded well.

This is a Yorkshire derby but we have done well there recently, winning the last two, so we generally cope well at Oakwell.

It will be won or lost in both boxes so defending well at one end and taking chances at the other will be key.

The captaincy
Losing Chris Morgan has thrown up the question of who will be captain in his place because there are so many players who have just arrived or who are on loan.

'Killa' or 'Quinny' are possibilities, although Harper has been playing well lately. Even born leaders have to take time to fit in with a new club before they can really start shouting and screaming.

The staff and I have been talking about the captaincy for this one and the fact that it is a dilemma shows the depth of our recent problems in terms of player availability.

The squad
We had to put Lee Williamson on the bench against Newcastle because we had no other midfield players. I didn't want to play him but he gave us a name on the bench and he could have done 20 minutes or so for us.

One or two will play with injuries and I am fearful of losing another player to injury before the break, when we will think things over and decide what to do.