Squad according to D-Smith

[Snowflake]

I wouldn’t be so sure. Midfield has needed work for about 3 seasons! Left side is a liability and the “Norwood” position needs filling so Norwood doesn’t have so much pressure to perform every week in a league that may well be a step to far for him this time round.

There’s a difference between knowing what needs doing and being able to do it.
Having said that the midfield has been good enough to get us first to the play offs and then to automatic promotion.
I think by September it will be good enough to keep us competitive

 

[Ndiayewillalwaysloveyou]

Wes/Davies

Baldock/Bogle
Anel/Basham
Egan/?
Robinson/?
Larouci/RND/Lowe

Berge/Coulibaly
Slimane/Norwood
?/Osborn/Fleck

Ndiaye/Brewster
McBurnie/Jebbison
Traore/?

I still think we need at least 4 more signings, centre back, couple of midfielders and a striker. Being greedy also a keeper and a another centre back if we can afford it.

It looks even more bizarre keeping both Fleck and Osborn when we're still saying we need a LCM. Keeping one of them would have been enough.

We know we need an upgrade in defence at LCB but I completely forgot we don't have cover for Egan if he's missing. With having three LWBs could we cash in on Lowe who has a year left? And sign 2 centre backs?

I've not mentioned the other youngsters because I think they'd benefit loans out. Amissah, Sekiri, Sachdev, Bubayu, Freckleton, Brooks, Neal, Marsh and Osula.

 

[Davalon]

Wes/Davies

Baldock/Bogle
Anel/Basham
Egan/?
Robinson/?
Larouci/RND/Lowe

Berge/Coulibaly
Slimane/Norwood
?/Osborn/Fleck

Ndiaye/Brewster
McBurnie/Jebbison
Traore/?

I still think we need at least 4 more signings, centre back, couple of midfielders and a striker. Being greedy also a keeper and a another centre back if we can afford it.

It looks even more bizarre keeping both Fleck and Osborn when we're still saying we need a LCM. Keeping one of them would have been enough.

We know we need an upgrade in defence at LCB but I completely forgot we don't have cover for Egan if he's missing. With having three LWBs could we cash in on Lowe who has a year left? And sign 2 centre backs?

I've not mentioned the other youngsters because I think they'd benefit loans out. Amissah, Sekiri, Sachdev, Bubayu, Freckleton, Brooks, Neal, Marsh and Osula.

We can only afford what we can afford but when you see it written down we still look well short for the PL.

I quite like how we've gone about recruitment this summer so far but I hope fans are realistic and not too impatient expecting too much from these new lads.

They're all young and making a big step up. They all seem to have potential and hopefully have plenty of progression left. Hopefully too many don't expect too much too soon.

 

[Champagneblade]

Is it only me that thinks the goalkeeping department looks poor?.
Would like to see a decent proven or up and coming keeper added to the squad. Wes and Davies seem weak for a Premier league team.

Think we just have to be realistic.

We aren't going to be able to settle ourselves financially and upgrade every single department unless stars really align.

I'd expect a left centre back, perhaps this other Ndiaye lad then two midfielders and that is all.

I think that's just the reality of it.

 

[Isaw Joeshaw]

Is it only me that thinks the goalkeeping department looks poor?.
Would like to see a decent proven or up and coming keeper added to the squad. Wes and Davies seem weak for a Premier league team.

I may be in a minority here , but I feel more comfortable with Wes in goal than almost anyone since Alan Kelly , who in my view was the best we ever had just shading it from Hodgy .

I’ve always kept a close eye on goalkeepers and in my view , Wes is as good if not better than at least 10 of those who turned out in the PL last season and will prove to be so in the coming one and that to find an upgrade on him would be very difficult and very expensive .

 

[SouthStandGBlock]

Wes/Davies

Baldock/Bogle
Anel/Basham
Egan/?
Robinson/?
Larouci/RND/Lowe

Berge/Coulibaly
Slimane/Norwood
?/Osborn/Fleck

Ndiaye/Brewster
McBurnie/Jebbison
Traore/?

I still think we need at least 4 more signings, centre back, couple of midfielders and a striker. Being greedy also a keeper and a another centre back if we can afford it.

It looks even more bizarre keeping both Fleck and Osborn when we're still saying we need a LCM. Keeping one of them would have been enough.

We know we need an upgrade in defence at LCB but I completely forgot we don't have cover for Egan if he's missing. With having three LWBs could we cash in on Lowe who has a year left? And sign 2 centre backs?

I've not mentioned the other youngsters because I think they'd benefit loans out. Amissah, Sekiri, Sachdev, Bubayu, Freckleton, Brooks, Neal, Marsh and Osula.

I'm convinced we will sell/loan Fleck and Osborn if we get additional players in. I'm sure we have retained them as squad fillers on relatively low salaries, so that gives us flexibility to move them on easily if we need to. Fleck would be first out, but Osborn has a good engine so he'd be the last to go I reckon.

 

[Antarctic Monkey]

It's actually a bit frightening our lack of succession plan for in 12 months time.

I mean hopefully that will change.

For a start though I'd be wanting to offer Baldock and Egan new deals.
Of course N'Diaye and Berge new deals would be great but that will remain to be seen.
I'd give McBurnie a new deal too, just so that we can at least command a fee. But if he does OK next season then he's worthwhile keeping PL or Champ.

I think depending on our position in Jan this will get sorted. Staying up and going down will dictate the contract and new signings situation.

 

[BrisBlade]

I'm convinced we will sell/loan Fleck and Osborn if we get additional players in. I'm sure we have retained them as squad fillers on relatively low salaries, so that gives us flexibility to move them on easily if we need to. Fleck would be first out, but Osborn has a good engine so he'd be the last to go I reckon.

I just don't see either being sold or loaned. Why would we offer them both one year contracts if they aren't in our plans and why would they have signed them if they wanted to go elsewhere?

 

[Torrix1889]

Midfield still looks woefully weak, Slimane is a gamble, no guarantees he will be good enough.

My other major concern is GK. Wes isn't prem standard and if he's injured its Davies...

LCB
2 x Midfielders
GK

 

[Blade.com]

I may be in a minority here , but I feel more comfortable with Wes in goal than almost anyone since Alan Kelly , who in my view was the best we ever had just shading it from Hodgy .

I’ve always kept a close eye on goalkeepers and in my view , Wes is as good if not better than at least 10 of those who turned out in the PL last season and will prove to be so in the coming one and that to find an upgrade on him would be very difficult and very expensive .

I thought I’d be in the minority saying we need a first class keeper. Same as you seen them all since Hodgy. For me Wes and Davies come way down my list. My reason is when the defenders make a boob, you hope the defencive cover is there, if not you need to rely on your keeper and unfortunately both Wes and Davies come up short as the last line of defence. Next season we will need then even more.

 

[finlaytheblade]

I may be in a minority here , but I feel more comfortable with Wes in goal than almost anyone since Alan Kelly , who in my view was the best we ever had just shading it from Hodgy .

I’ve always kept a close eye on goalkeepers and in my view , Wes is as good if not better than at least 10 of those who turned out in the PL last season and will prove to be so in the coming one and that to find an upgrade on him would be very difficult and very expensive .

Agree with you Joe ! On most of that! Just Hodgy is my all time great! He would throw himself in front of a run away horse ! Bravest keeper ever.
2or 3 inches taller and Springett,Banks& Bonetti not forgetting Eddie Hopkinson would have been behind him ! Hodgy was a great man ! I loved him.

 

[South Sea Blade]

Wes/Davies

Baldock/Bogle
Anel/Basham
Egan/?
Robinson/?
Larouci/RND/Lowe

Berge/Coulibaly
Slimane/Norwood
?/Osborn/Fleck

Ndiaye/Brewster
McBurnie/Jebbison
Traore/?

I still think we need at least 4 more signings, centre back, couple of midfielders and a striker. Being greedy also a keeper and a another centre back if we can afford it.

It looks even more bizarre keeping both Fleck and Osborn when we're still saying we need a LCM. Keeping one of them would have been enough.

We know we need an upgrade in defence at LCB but I completely forgot we don't have cover for Egan if he's missing. With having three LWBs could we cash in on Lowe who has a year left? And sign 2 centre backs?

I've not mentioned the other youngsters because I think they'd benefit loans out. Amissah, Sekiri, Sachdev, Bubayu, Freckleton, Brooks, Neal, Marsh and Osula.

I think anybody thinking we will buy/loan another striker will be sadly disappointed - five potential first-teamers seems adequate to me. CM (Doyle), LM (O'Brien) and a LCB are the positions we need.

 

[I should coco]

I may be in a minority here , but I feel more comfortable with Wes in goal than almost anyone since Alan Kelly , who in my view was the best we ever had just shading it from Hodgy .

I’ve always kept a close eye on goalkeepers and in my view , Wes is as good if not better than at least 10 of those who turned out in the PL last season and will prove to be so in the coming one and that to find an upgrade on him would be very difficult and very expensive .

I can't agree at all.

I started watching in 1970 (John Hope!) and would agree about Kelly, although Tracey had a couple of great seasons under Bassett. Sadly we never saw enough of Mel Rees, but I really rated him.

Kenny gave us some good games but was too inconsistent and left a sour taste when he left.

I'd put Henderson up there with peak Kelly.

I think Wes is a bang average championship keeper. We can't afford a proper Premier standard so Wes will get my support, but he won't get us that extra few points you expect from a top keeper.

 

[FriethBlade]

Personally think we're more than well catered for when it comes to 'flair'.

Ili (assuming he stays), Traore and Larouci are all very skillful. Then throw in other existing players who have tricks up their sleeves like Berge, Anel and Bogle and that's enough for me.

I want a couple of dirty horrible bastards now. Or at least one. Then someone to make us tick like Doyle.

Houso spot on and they have to be immediate first 11 players.

I love these 3 signings so far but I don't see any of them starting v Palace. They definitely improve our strength in depth and ultimately our first 11 but not immediately. I still think Doyle will be back one way or another ( hopefully on a permanent) so he's straight into the team but that still leaves us weaker, or at best, similar to last season. So the 2 loans have to immediately improve the first 11 else we will be going into the premier league with the 'same' first 11 as last season

 

[Berkshire Blade]

Midfield, central defender, Lbc and a keeper needed for me to be confident rather than hopeful.

 

[alcoblade]

I wouldn’t be so sure. Midfield has needed work for about 3 seasons! Left side is a liability and the “Norwood” position needs filling so Norwood doesn’t have so much pressure to perform every week in a league that may well be a step to far for him this time round.

We were promoted about 12 points clear of 3rd spot. There clearly wasn’t much wrong last season.

 

[Birdwell Blade]

It would seem that El' Accounto Darren Smith has been fairly accurate so far with what we are looking at bringing in and how it has panned thus.

Now we have brought in Slimane and Larouchi we are set to sign Traore today.
Darren has said that next signing should be a LCB by sounds of it loan to buy again and that will be it transfer wise.

After this we are looking at bringing in 2 loans and we will consider some free transfers possibly. And that will be it depending on departures of course.

So given that how does that shape the squad up in terms of numbers and quality?
New signings we are going to just have to see and hope they do indeed improve us, this market we are shopping in is in a way gamble territory.
We aren't signing players who you know are capable for PL footy but of course they very much might be!

GK: Wes, Davies

RWB: Baldock, Bogle,
RCB: Anel, Basham
CB: Egan, (Basham/Anel/Robinson/New signing cover?)
LCB: Jack Robinson, New signings, RND
LWB: Larouchi, Lowe, RND

CM: Berge, Norwood, Slimane, Fleck, Osborn, Coulibaly,

FWDS: N'Diaye, McBurnie, Traore Osula, Jebbison, Brewster

Looking at the above, you'd have to think that the 2 loans are likely to be midfield recruits.
I wouldn't be surprised if one is Doyle if he isn't sold by City.

I suspect that after Traore unless N'Diaye leaves which is still a big possibility but if not that will be it for strikers.
There is a chance CB could be a loan but I suspect that's more likely to be a free transfer even or we just try and cover with the other defenders.

If we can keep N'Diaye and Berge, and add some decent loan players then that will feel much more positive to us.
Would seem that figure of £20m to spend might actually be half accurate, but we won't even have come close in terms of fee's by sounds of it.
Still find it a little hard to work out how we are hard up but seems not alot we can do about it.

I may have missed something but who is Darren Smith and what's his involvement with the club? Why do we put out information about who we are signing? Surely it can't be helpful to the club to have others know who we are after?

 

[247Blade]

I just don't see either being sold or loaned. Why would we offer them both one year contracts if they aren't in our plans and why would they have signed them if they wanted to go elsewhere?

Some cash is better than no cash, agree sell both if possible.

 

[Balti Pie]

I actually rate Ben Osborn - he's versatile, has a great engine on him, makes his way into the box whenever he can and is good at dead ball delivery (although he never gets a chance when Norwood is on the pitch). Intelligent footballer, and clearly liked by the other players.
Fleck on the other hand seems a complete liability on the pitch, and has done for the last couple of years. I'm startled that we offered him a new contract as he would get destroyed by any PL opposition you care to name.

 

[chesblade]

Just seen that henderson going on pre season with man u as forest want another loan. Thought they were buying him. Possible an option for us but think wages are out of our league

 

[SuperBobbyHatton]

We were promoted about 12 points clear of 3rd spot. There clearly wasn’t much wrong last season.

I thought a lot of matches we scraped past due to individual performances and not because we were outstanding as a team. It most probably won’t be as easy for players to shine next season so we need the rest of the team to be a lot stronger in a much harder league, especially midfield. We are weak and slow in vital positions.

 

[alcoblade]

I thought a lot of matches we scraped past due to individual performances and not because we were outstanding as a team. It most probably won’t be as easy for players to shine next season so we need the rest of the team to be a lot stronger in a much harder league, especially midfield. We are weak and slow in vital positions.

But we did scrape by to 12 points clear - so the idea that there were obvious deficiencies that the manager wasn’t aware of or trying to address just doesn’t hold water, does it?

We definitely need strengthening there now, and he will know it.

 

[ancientblade]

Midfield still looks woefully weak, Slimane is a gamble, no guarantees he will be good enough.

My other major concern is GK. Wes isn't prem standard and if he's injured its Davies...

LCB
2 x Midfielders
GK

i think your spot on there with those 4 positions personally would like another physical striker to come in but dont see it happening think traore will be our only signing in that area the 2 midfielders have to be doyle and obrien and think the lcb will be another foreign signing

 

[Stegosaurus]

Hi Stegosaurus here

Surely a new keeper should be a priority. We can't play in the Premier League with Wes. He's a liability. And Davies is even worse.

Wes will be fine as sub.

 

[Tony_Kaufman]

I can't see us bringing in another striker if Brewster is getting closer to fitness. Our front line will always be Ndiaye +1.

I reckon we need two more midfielders, to keep Norwood and Fleck on the bench, and at least another centre back or two as we need more than just Basham to call on.

 

[SuperBobbyHatton]

But we did scrape by to 12 points clear - so the idea that there were obvious deficiencies that the manager wasn’t aware of or trying to address just doesn’t hold water, does it?

We definitely need strengthening there now, and he will know it.

so you agree we need strengthening in midfield? It’s needed doing for 3 years and now it’s even more urgent. 12 points flattered us and like I said, individual performances masked this weakness and lack of options.

 

[Bladesman]

I can't see us bringing in another striker if Brewster is getting closer to fitness. Our front line will always be Ndiaye +1.

I reckon we need two more midfielders, to keep Norwood and Fleck on the bench, and at least another centre back or two as we need more than just Basham to call on.

Armando Broja.

 

[Balboni]

We were promoted about 12 points clear of 3rd spot. There clearly wasn’t much wrong last season.

2 of those reasons have gone back to their parent club.

 

[Rebster72]

I may have missed something but who is Darren Smith and what's his involvement with the club? Why do we put out information about who we are signing? Surely it can't be helpful to the club to have others know who we are after?

Darren Smith is an accountant and Blades fan who lives in Spain. He’s the unofficial go between from the owner to the fans. He only names names when the deals are 99.9% done or if the names have been leaked elsewhere. He is 100% in the know.

 

[Birdwell Blade]

Darren Smith is an accountant and Blades fan who lives in Spain. He’s the unofficial go between from the owner to the fans. He only names names when the deals are 99.9% done or if the names have been leaked elsewhere. He is 100% in the know.

Ah ok. Just seems a strange arrangement.