Ollie Arblaster Explained

Ollie Arblaster
Fullname:Oliver Luke Arblaster
Birth Date:8 January 2004[1]
Birth Place:Sheffield, England
Height:1.75 m
Position:Midfielder
Currentclub:Sheffield United
Clubnumber:4
Youthyears1:2010–2021
Youthclubs1:Sheffield United
Years1:2021–
Clubs1:Sheffield United
Caps1:18
Goals1:1
Years2:2021
Clubs2:Bradford (Park Avenue) (loan)
Caps2:5
Goals2:0
Years3:2023
Clubs3:Port Vale (loan)
Caps3:20
Goals3:2
Nationalyears1:2021–2022
Nationalteam1:England U18
Nationalcaps1:4
Nationalgoals1:1
Nationalyears2:2023–
Nationalteam2:England U20
Nationalcaps2:6
Nationalgoals2:1
Club-Update:11:34, 20 August 2024 (UTC)
Ntupdate:13:28, 27 March 2024 (UTC)

Oliver Luke Arblaster (born 8 January 2004) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for club Sheffield United.

Arblaster turned professional at Sheffield United in May 2018. He was loaned out to Bradford (Park Avenue) in October 2021. He played four games of United's 2022–23 Championship promotion-winning campaign. He was loaned out to Port Vale for the first half of the 2023–24 season.

Club career

Sheffield United

Arblaster joined the Academy at Sheffield United at the age of six.[2] He initially wanted to be a goalkeeper, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, before accepting he would play outfield due to his relatively short stature.[3] He turned professional at the club in May 2018.[4] On 22 October 2021, he joined Bradford (Park Avenue) on a youth-loan until 3 January, alongside Nickseon Gomis.[5] He made his senior debut later that day in a 5–1 defeat at Kidderminster Harriers.[6] He impressed manager Mark Bower and retained his starting place for a total of five matches at the Horsfall Stadium.[7] He was recalled to Bramall Lane by Sheffield United on 3 December.[8] He was twice named in United's matchday squads in the 2021–22 season.[9]

He made his debut for Sheffield United in an EFL Cup match as the Blades lost 1–0 at West Bromwich Albion on 11 August 2022.[10] He made his Championship debut on 4 September, coming on as a late substitute in a 2–0 win at Hull City.[11] He made his first league start on 12 November, playing the first half of 1–0 win at Cardiff City.[12] [13] He played no further part in the 2022–23 promotion-winning season, though was deemed too useful to loan out as the club management feared a possible injury crisis could develop.[14]

On 17 July 2023, Arblaster signed for League One club Port Vale on a season-long loan deal, becoming manager Andy Crosby's tenth signing of the summer.[15] David Flitcroft, the club's director of football, said that "he is a player that has great potential ahead of him we would like like to thank Paul Heckingbottom of Sheffield United for entrusting us with the further development of him".[16] He made an immediate impact to the 2023–24 season, being named as the club's Player of the Month as he "played a key role in the engine room of a Port Vale side that accumulated 10 points throughout August".[17] He scored his first goal in the English Football League at Vale Park on 19 September, when he fired in a late consolation during a 3–2 defeat to Burton Albion.[18] On 11 November, he received the first red card of his career after being sent off following a second booking offence for a reckless late challenge on Ethan Erhahon in a 1–1 draw with Lincoln City.[19] On 19 December, he was stretchered off with a badly-gashed knee during the second half of a 3–0 defeat to Middlesbrough in the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup and was ruled out of action for an undetermined period of weeks.[20] Ten days later, it was confirmed that he had been recalled back to Sheffield United, with new manager Chris Wilder reportedly keen to play him once he returned to fitness.[21] [22] He made his Premier League debut on 4 March 2024 when he came on as a 64th-minute substitute in Sheffield United's 6–0 home defeat to Arsenal.[23] He earned his first Premier League start five days later in a 2–2 draw at AFC Bournemouth.[24] He was named as the club's Player of the Month for March.[25] On 24 April, he captained Sheffield United in a 4–2 defeat by Manchester United at Old Trafford.[26]

He opened the 2024–25 season by scoring the opening goal of a 2–0 win at Preston North End and then spent the next day with the Port Vale away fans in their League Two fixture at Salford City.[27]

International career

In November 2021, Arblaster was called up to the England under-18 squad by head coach Neil Ryan for the Pinatar Tournament in Spain, featuring against Belgium.[2] He scored the winning goal in a 3–2 victory over Austria on 7 June 2022.[28] He was called up to the England under-20 squad for the first time in August 2023.[29] In October 2023, he was called up to the England U-20 side for matches against Portugal U-20 and Romania U-20.[30] He made his U20 debut on 12 October 2023 during a 2–0 away defeat to Romania.[31]

Style of play

Arblaster is a technically gifted midfielder with an eye for goal.[32] Coach Jack Lester said that he had a "brilliant footballing brain".[2]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueFA CupLeague CupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Sheffield United2021–22Championship0000000000
2022–23Championship4000100050
2023–24Premier League120000000120
2024–25Championship1100000011
Total171001000181
Bradford (Park Avenue) (loan)2021–22National League North5000000050
Port Vale (loan)2023–24League One202204000262
Career total423205000493

Honours

Sheffield United

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ollie Arblaster Sheffield United U21 Midfielder, Profile & Stats Premier League . www.premierleague.com . 25 April 2024 . en.
  2. News: Hemmingham . Nathan . Sheffield United have another academy star emerging in Oliver Arblaster . 17 July 2023 . YorkshireLive . 15 November 2021 . en.
  3. News: Baggaley . Mike . Mansfield awaits as Port Vale pick up pieces from Cheltenham defeat . 31 October 2023 . Valiant's Substack . 30 October 2023.
  4. News: Hall . Danny . "Fantastic news" - Sheffield United tie five promising young players down to new contracts . 17 July 2023 . Sheffield Star . 21 May 2021.
  5. News: Atkinson . Nathan . Avenue bring Blades boys into ranks ahead of Kidderminster . 17 July 2023 . Bradford Telegraph and Argus . 22 October 2021 . en.
  6. Web site: Kidderminster Harriers vs. Bradford (Park Avenue) - 23 October 2021 - Soccerway . int.soccerway.com . 17 July 2023.
  7. News: Atkinson . Nathan . Bower delighted as Blades boys make sharp start for Avenue . 17 July 2023 . Bradford Telegraph and Argus . 29 October 2021 . en.
  8. News: One in One out at Avenue – Bradford (Park Avenue) AFC . 17 July 2023 . bpafc.com . 3 December 2021.
  9. News: Jones . Adam . Doyle, Goalkeeping situation, Arblaster: The latest Sheffield United news headlines you might have missed . 17 July 2023 . FootballLeagueWorld . 19 July 2022 . en.
  10. News: West Brom 1-0 Sheff Utd: Karlan Grant nets winner to see off Blades in Carabao Cup . 17 July 2023 . Sky Sports . 11 August 2022 . en.
  11. News: Hull City 0-2 Sheffield United: Oli McBurnie scores again as Blades return to top of Championship . 17 July 2023 . Sky Sports . 4 September 2022 . en.
  12. News: Shield . James . Cardiff City v Sheffield United: Oliver Arblaster makes his full league debut . 17 July 2023 . Sheffield Star . 12 November 2022.
  13. News: Shield . James . Cardiff City v Sheffield United: George Baldock's goal sends the visitors top of the Championship . 17 July 2023 . Sheffield Star . 12 November 2022.
  14. News: Shield . James . Sheffield United: Oliver Arblaster "offers" considered before block put on move . 17 July 2023 . Sheffield Star . 16 November 2022.
  15. News: Port Vale sign Sheff Utd midfielder Arblaster . 17 July 2023 . BBC Sport . 17 July 2023.
  16. Web site: Oliver Arblaster Joins The Valiants on a Season-Long Loan. Port Vale F.C.. 17 July 2023. 17 July 2023.
  17. News: Ollie Arblaster voted as August's Reels in Motion Player of the Month . 11 September 2023 . Port Vale F.C. . 11 September 2023 . en-gb.
  18. News: Port Vale 2-3 Burton Albion . 20 September 2023 . BBC Sport . 19 September 2023.
  19. News: Lincoln City 1-1 Port Vale . 11 November 2023 . BBC Sport . 11 November 2023.
  20. News: Baggaley . Mike . Port Vale injury and loan updates ahead of Wycombe . 22 December 2023 . Valiant's Substack . 21 December 2023.
  21. News: Oliver Arblaster recalled by Sheffield United . 29 December 2023 . Port Vale F.C. . 29 December 2023 . en-gb.
  22. News: Hall . Danny . Sheffield United make transfer decision on promising midfielder as Chris Wilder explains his reasoning . 29 December 2023 . Sheffield Star . 29 December 2023.
  23. News: Smith . Emma . Arsenal put six past abysmal Sheffield United . 4 March 2024 . BBC Sport . 4 March 2024.
  24. News: Hall . Danny . Oliver Arblaster embodies Sheffield United spirit as dream post-match scenes cut through season of gloom . 11 March 2024 . Sheffield Star . 11 March 2024.
  25. News: OLIVER ARBLASTER - MARCH PLAYER OF THE MONTH . 17 April 2024 . Sheffield United FC . 16 April 2024.
  26. News: Stone . Simon . Man Utd 4-2 Sheff Utd: Analysis . 25 April 2024 . BBC Sport . 24 April 2024.
  27. News: Baggaley . Mike . Vale hit the ground running at Salford . 12 August 2024 . Valiant's Substack . 11 August 2024.
  28. News: Hall . Danny . Watch Sheffield United duo combine for England winner as 'man in teen's body' continues to impress and defender battles back . 17 July 2023 . Sheffield Star . 8 June 2022.
  29. News: Port Vale duo selected for England U20 training camp – onevalefan.co.uk . 1 September 2023 . www.onevalefan.co.uk . 1 September 2023.
  30. Web site: Interim head coach Joe Edwards has picked a 21-man squad for their games with Romania and Portugal in October. Emglandfootball.com. 6 October 2023. 6 October 2023.
  31. Web site: Report: Romania 2-0 England's Elite League squad. Englandfootball.com. 13 October 2023. 12 October 2023.
  32. Web site: Oliver Arblaster . Sheffield United FC . 17 July 2023.