What we're left with

[Bladesince59]

Long aint signed yet.

Wouldn't be upset - don't really rate him. Just the best out of a shower of shit last season.

 

[Grappler]

Basham his not the greatest but if the rest had shown the attitude he did we would at least be in the play offs.Hes only a player so what he says doasnt count in the management stakes,but he will have
Mates amongst the players and he was showing camaraderie ( team spirit ) which is no bad thing.
He will be an Important player for us next season

I think Basham is being kept on as a utility bench player. Someone who can come on and fill a number of roles.

Has some height, can run forward with the ball, but too often runs forward, stops, turns round and passes back, instead of having a crack at launching a ball into the box. Not physical enough for a big lad (for me). Not skillful enough but passionate enough, I agree.

 

[PokerBlade]

Basham suffers from what a lot of utility players do. Every position I see him in I think good effort, not quite enough quality. Had his best spell at centre back but I'd definitely rather see a better quality specialist there instead.

Scougall has been poor for a while but he has pace and there's some hope he could be better utilised. I'm not overly optimistic but he's a player I had high hopes for, so it'd be nice to be proven right in the long term.

People criticised Clough for the things he said about McNulty but if we're being fair they seem like honest comments looking back. The guy doesn't work hard enough and there are questions about him off the pitch. If Wilder thinks he can get something from him then it'd be nice to have a story like McFadzean senior who got himself on the straight and narrow after a bad start in the game.

Really, only McNulty where I have too many doubts about Wilder's decision. The rest I'd have made the same call and it's great that Wilder isn't pulling any punches in the needs of the squad.

 

[Danny_Blade]

Very pleased as everybody else seems to be so far, but out of the ones on the released and transfer lists I would've wanted to keep Florent Cuvelier and Kieron Freeman.

I think Flo has been unlucky being plagued with injury for the majority of his time here, he did play a fair amount in the second half of the season but didn't stand out probably because of the sh!te he had around him, I think he has got some skill and flair to offer and plus seems to have kept fit and who knows with a proper full pre-season behind him if CW had retained?

As for Freeman I think he's perfect back-up at least in this division and is still young, but he may be staying if no club comes in for him anyway plus he may want to try and prove a point to CW during the summer.

So a good start to the rebuild job needed but only half of it has been done, now its who we sign and a small point of comfort for me is that I doubt CW will be looking to sign dross/past it players, the board have got to back him though which is the big question and we'll see as the summer pans out.

 

[Darthblade]

I'm glad that we kept Stefan Scougall Marc McNulty & Matt Done. because all 3 I think have been hard done by last season

Scougall - was the l only player of the last 2 yrs who willing to make forward runs beyond the midfield or in behind the defence. Everyone else is too content to play it front

Mcnulty - is a great Finisher & you dont lose it. He is 1 of the reasons I was glad to see back of Clough as good as he was because he ruined Mcnulty confidence. As the midfield would create nothing he'd be feeding on scraps get a half chance per game & Clough would calling him crap saying he shouldve a couple

Done - its a standing joke that we buy a 20 goal a season striker & but him on the wing. But it was even more ridiculous to but him at left back & because Done is such a team player he agreed Almost as ridiculous as putting louis van gaal putting Wayne Rooney in net

But looking forward to the 1st preseason line up
--------------Long
Brayford ---- Basham------- Kelly
-----Reed Scougall Whiteman
Adams ----------------------Done
--------Sharp ------ Mcnulty

With that line-up its to be hoped that we're playing a friendly against the girl guides U16's ....... or we're likely to get butt f**ked !!!

There's only 3 players in there likely to make the first 11 in a League game; Long, Brayford (if fit ) and Sharp .........

UTB & FTP

 

[Darthblade]

No chance. I will bare my arse on the town hall steps if Clough is stupid enough to sign Coutts again.

UTB

I'm ashamed to say that I hope we're looking at a picture of your arse on the front page of the piggy Star next week !!

UTB & FTP

 

[Darthblade]

And if we get decent offers for Brayford and Adams ??

If we get any offer for Brayford & Adams, our ambitious Board will be using there famous excuse again " when a higher division Club comes in for one of your players you just can't say no " ........ unless, of course, you'r e big Club like Walsall or Gillingham ......

UTB & FTP

 

[blade too long]

The new selection mantra

 

[Highbury_Blade]

If we get a decent offer for Brayford we should take it. His wages are probably 3 league one players

 

[Lord Bos of Eckington.]

If we get a decent offer for Brayford we should take it. His wages are probably 3 league one players

I know he is out injured ( again ) like a reoccurring theme , but has Brayford lost interest in the club and playing for us. No idea but something has changed in his mental physcy and physical attributes.

Was it Clough love in , no respect for Adkins . Be good to know for a highly paid individual , supposedly talisman who for one reason or another ain't cutting the mustard .

Love him to bits , but love the Blades and eventual promotion more.

UTB.

 

[RMBlade]

And if we get decent offers for Brayford and Adams ??

Anywhere near what we invested in Brayford I would take as long as the majority of the transfer fee is reinvested in the first team
Adams if the figures from last summer are being thrown around I would take anywhere near that. He may come good in a few years but he can go if it means promotion this year.

 

[IMABLADE]

Get a good left back some centre backs and we are sorted

 

[Ldn_Rd_Blades]

Get a good left back some centre backs and we are sorted

And a defensive midfielder. And a midfield playmaker. And a couple of wingers. And striker for Billy to play off. And a keeper.

Apart from that you're right we're sorted

 

[IMABLADE]

And a defensive midfielder. And a midfield playmaker. And a couple of wingers. And striker for Billy to play off. And a keeper.
Apart from that you're right we're sorted

No keeper needed, we have Long and a youth player is perfect backup

 

[Darthblade]

No keeper needed, we have Long and a youth player is perfect backup

Myself; I'm inclined to believe that we need GK, 2 x LB, 3 x CH, 2 x CM, RW, LW, CF as a minimum if we are to have a chance of realistically competing for a top two place next season ........

UTB & FTP

 

[1danewhitehouse]

WHAT A TEAM! Get ready for the relegation battle.

McNulty must go
Done must go
DCL must go
Reed must go
Scougal must go
All not good enough!!!!!!

DCL and Reed still very young. Either a loan spell or providing cover from the bench. Done is good enough to be a back up striker.

 

[Lord Bos of Eckington.]

I'm glad that we kept Stefan Scougall Marc McNulty & Matt Done. because all 3 I think have been hard done by last season

Scougall - was the l only player of the last 2 yrs who willing to make forward runs beyond the midfield or in behind the defence. Everyone else is too content to play it front

Mcnulty - is a great Finisher & you dont lose it. He is 1 of the reasons I was glad to see back of Clough as good as he was because he ruined Mcnulty confidence. As the midfield would create nothing he'd be feeding on scraps get a half chance per game & Clough would calling him crap saying he shouldve a couple

Done - its a standing joke that we buy a 20 goal a season striker & but him on the wing. But it was even more ridiculous to but him at left back & because Done is such a team player he agreed Almost as ridiculous as putting louis van gaal putting Wayne Rooney in net

But looking forward to the 1st preseason line up
--------------Long
Brayford ---- Basham------- Kelly
-----Reed Scougall Whiteman
Adams ----------------------Done
--------Sharp ------ Mcnulty

That line up spells big trouble to me and the smell of relegation. Wilder and we have to be sensible about next season.

Strong back four , and midfield is what's required.

UTB

 

[BushBlade]

Myself; I'm inclined to believe that we need GK, 2 x LB, 3 x CH, 2 x CM, RW, LW, CF as a minimum if we are to have a chance of realistically competing for a top two place next season ........

UTB & FTP

Swap a left back for a right back (assuming Kelly is good enough to cover and Freeman gets a move) and I'd agree with that.

 

[BushBlade]

That line up spells big trouble to me and the smell of relegation. Wilder and we have to be sensible about next season.

Strong back four , and midfield is what's required.

UTB

There's no 'we'. It's Wilder and the board. We just clap if they get it right and boo when they get it wrong.

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

WHAT A TEAM! Get ready for the relegation battle.

McNulty must go
Done must go
DCL must go
Reed must go
Scougal must go
All not good enough!!!!!!

Are you Mike from Mike's Carpets?

 

[BushBlade]

Are you Mike from Mike's Carpets?

I thought we were more like DFS. Always got a sale on.

 

[Champagneblade]

Do we take it the as of yet unaccounted for out of contract young lads are also heading for the door?

To get your 49 players you'd be including:

Willis
Banton
Evans
Heh
Coustrain
Maw
CJ Hamilton
Cockerline
McDonagh

Do we take it these lads are all looking for new jobs also?

Good luck to them if so.

 

[Darthblade]

DCL and Reed still very young. Either a loan spell or providing cover from the bench. Done is good enough to be a back up striker.

I'm aware that Done wasn't being played in his favourite position last season, but I'm more concerned that he appears to have lost at least a couple of yards of pace, which was one of his key attributes .......

UTB & FTP

 

[Darthblade]

Swap a left back for a right back (assuming Kelly is good enough to cover and Freeman gets a move) and I'd agree with that.

Fair point .......... but I haven't seen anything about Kelly which suggests to me that he's strong, quick or street wise enough to make the jump to first team squad yet.

We also have Basham & Brayford for the RB spot ( assuming that an offer of ten bob, a pack of wine gums and the promise of a friendly doesn't come in for him in which case our ambitious Board will have no choice but to sell, as they always tell us !! )

UTB & FTP

 

[BushBlade]

Fair point .......... but I haven't seen anything about Kelly which suggests to me that he's strong, quick or street wise enough to make the jump to first team squad yet.

We also have Basham & Brayford for the RB spot ( assuming that an offer of ten bob, a pack of wine gums and the promise of a friendly doesn't come in for him in which case our ambitious Board will have no choice but to sell, as they always tell us !! )

UTB & FTP

Yeah, I forgot about Basham. I wouldn't have him as a first team starter in either midfield or defence but if he was covering three positions he'd probably get a decent number of games.