Paul Heckingbottom planning Sheffield United changes - but not as a knee-jerk reaction to defeats

The Blades lost twice last week, to Middlesbrough and Millwall, only the second time they have suffered consecutive losses this term.

Watford, with a squad containing plenty of remnants from last season's Premier League, will beat them a third time if they do not respond in the right way.

But manager Heckingbottom has every confidence they will, and the changes he plans to the team are more about keeping it fresh for three games in a week.

Not that he has taken it for granted, hammering home the failings exposed at the New Den.

And an illness bug having run its course, there is a lot of scope to make changes.

"Everyone's good, everyone's fit," said Heckingbottom.

"We've had a bit of illness going through (the squad) but that's been going through for the last few weeks so some boys missed training earlier in the week but everyone's been on the grass today (Thursday).

"Iliman picked up a heavy tackle (at Millwall), a late one, but he's fine.

"There probably will be (changes) just because we've changed the last couple.

"If we'd have had the whole squad fit during this last run of midweek games we'd have changed it more but now we've got the opportunity.

"This week's a little bit different simply because we've had a full week's recovery. Some have needed it and have used it but we know we're going into another period again with three games in a week.

"We'll be using the squad."

After Watford, the Blades host Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup fifth round on Wednesday, then face Blackburn Rovers in Saturday's early kick-off.

And whilst Heckingbottom is not over-reacting to the defeats, he is reacting.

"We had a couple of moments where we lacked composure and that's what was so frustrating when that part of our game has lost us a lot of points," he said.

"We need to address that, definitely, because we're going to be in that position again in games. There's more than a quarter of the season left.

"There'll be moments where we're going to be pushing in games but we can't push with a lack of good decision-making.

"We've definitely had to have that little reminder, 100 per cent.

"The good thing is it was really apparent and the lads were aware of it.

"Why I felt so disappointed was the effort was top class, the mentality to get back into that game was top class but it's as if it maybe pushed them that little bit too far and with that mentality and aggression to go for it and really rile some players up we've lost that composure at the same time."