CONFIRMED Ryan Leonard

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Blade58

Blade58

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" League one leaders Sheff Utd are determined to win the race for Southend's midfield star Ryan Leonard

The 24 year old is out of contract and Blades boss Chris Wilder wants him for the Championship"


Source: Alan Nixon - Sunday Sun
 

Not sure we're that badly set up in midfield,

- Left and Right sided wing backs*
- Big and Fast Striker
- Two Centre halves

then a few other squad players.

*Although right side would depend on Brayfords situation

If i was Wilder i'd go and ask Mourinho for season loan of Luke Shaw
 
SwissBlade said:
Not sure we're that badly set up in midfield,

- Left and Right sided wing backs*
- Big and Fast Striker
- Two Centre halves

then a few other squad players.

*Although right side would depend on Brayfords situation

If i was Wilder i'd go and ask Mourinho for season loan of Luke Shaw
Click to expand...
Bradford days as wing /full back are gone ,if he comes back it will be as one of the back three

Always thought he was a bit of a badgekisser mesen
 
Fanny magnet said:
Bradford days as wing /full back are gone ,if he comes back it will be as one of the back three

Always thought he was a bit of a badgekisser mesen
Click to expand...
Yeah you may be right on Brayford as a wing back, perfectly capable as a Centre half in a back 3 though.

Brayford definitely loved the club and the fans, i'm sure he'd love to come back, but that would also depend on whether Wilder sees him as being fit enough for the demands of a Wilder side.
 
SwissBlade said:
Not sure we're that badly set up in midfield,

- Left and Right sided wing backs*
- Big and Fast Striker
- Two Centre halves

then a few other squad players.

*Although right side would depend on Brayfords situation

If i was Wilder i'd go and ask Mourinho for season loan of Luke Shaw
Click to expand...

imo, we're not badly set up, but we lack a little pace Fleck and impact sub Samir apart

One big difference between lge 1 and the Championship is pace and speed of thought. Everything gets just that little bit quicker

The other main difference is of course the quality of the strikers

The teams at the top have goals in them and that is obviously a big separator from the teams at the bottom
 
Blade58 said:
imo, we're not badly set up, but we lack a little pace Fleck and impact sub Samir apart

One big difference between lge 1 and the Championship is pace and speed of thought. Everything gets just that little bit quicker

The other main difference is of course the quality of the strikers

The teams at the top have goals in them and that is obviously a big separator from the teams at the bottom
Click to expand...

Yeah we've proved this season that we can create chances, a lot of chances, in some games we could and perhaps should've had 10 goals...

However, its not a point to blame the strikers, but also the chance created, we're getting into positions to create a chance, but sometimes the balls in or the finish has lacked. Thats what needs to improve, because 20 chances a game will become 10 or less.

Similarly at the back, we've conceded more than anyone else in the top 4, so that needs some work

In the middle, whilst the creativity is there in Fleck, Coutts and Duffy, is that enough? Is it too creative and not enough guile? Guess we'd have to see, but Basham is perhaps more of a bit part, perhaps Carruthers will get that chance.

As you've said, we don't need an overhaul, but we do need strengthening in the right places.

Its not going to be mega spending though, which is good.
 
He's 24 a great age, played 200 games, a good height plays more of a sitting midfield role if I remember correctly.

I have seen us put Basham in there a few times to shore things up but it means we have to drag him out of the right side centre half spot.

Hmm sign someone else's player of the year in central midfield. Sure that's worked for us once before in recent windows!
 
Duffy isn't getting any younger and Coutts hasn't pulled up any trees at Championship level during his previous stints.

Although they both had great seasons, there are questions marks about them in the Championship for me. So if we can get a younger midfielder to add competition then that can only be a good thing.
 
Basham in midfield should never ever happen. It's not good enough in League One, it's not gonna be good enough in the Championship.

Anything that allows that to not happen is fine by me.

We need five central midfield options at least. Even if you're classing Whiteman in that makes 5, Fleck, Coutts, Basham, Whiteman and Carruthers. I wouldn't class Basham or Carruthers as central midfield players, Whiteman may well be out on loan too. I'm all for this type of signing especially for nowt.
 
Would be very happy if we signed this lad. We won't always get away with our 3 midfielders passing the opposition to death from now on. We may well need to set up differently from time to to time and he would give us something different.
 

Think this would be a perfect signing. We know our main priority is in other areas, so this just ticks a box nice and early so we can concentrate on other areas.
 
YES Blade said:
Duffy isn't getting any younger and Coutts hasn't pulled up any trees at Championship level during his previous stints.

Although they both had great seasons, there are questions marks about them in the Championship for me. So if we can get a younger midfielder to add competition then that can only be a good thing.
Click to expand...

I've always wondered why Burton didn't take Duffy on after promotion. Not sure on our thoughts on Coutts though. He was a very influential and important player for Derby until his bad injury.
 
We succeeded this year as we signed proven , well above average, league one players. Do we need to do the same to compete in the Championship ? I'm not necessarily against signing this kind of player but I feel we need some proven championship players and maybe they come at a later stage
 
FriethBlade said:
We succeeded this year as we signed proven , well above average, league one players. Do we need to do the same to compete in the Championship ? I'm not necessarily against signing this kind of player but I feel we need some proven championship players and maybe they come at a later stage
Click to expand...

There are real gems in this league. Such as Fleck. If CW thinks he's good enough so do I.
 
YES Blade said:
Duffy isn't getting any younger and Coutts hasn't pulled up any trees at Championship level during his previous stints.

Although they both had great seasons, there are questions marks about them in the Championship for me. So if we can get a younger midfielder to add competition then that can only be a good thing.
Click to expand...

Duffy and Coutts will be key players in the Championship. Coutts definitely pulled trees up before in the Championship with Preston and Derby. He absolutely ran the show at Preston before he got injured. You've forgotten that?

Yes we still need more though of course.
 
http://www.echo-news.co.uk/sport/blues/15291257.Sheffield_United_interested_in_Blues__star_Leonard/

<< SHEFFIELD United are keen on signing Southend United’s player of the year Ryan Leonard, Echosport understands.

Blues boss Phil Brown has confirmed a Championship club have expressed an interest in snapping up the 24-year-old this summer.

And it is believed to be the newly promoted Blades who are attempting to bring in the midfielder.

“The interest in Lenny at the moment is only manager to manager but I’ve told him it would take a substantial bid to sign him,” said Brown.

“I won’t say who the club is but we’ve extended Lenny’s deal for another year and will be doing all we can to keep him because everyone knows how important he is to us.” >>

Fun fact:- "Lenny" has won Southend's player of the season award 3 times in the last 4 seasons (2014, 2016 and 2017)
 
Last edited:
SeasideShrimper said:
Me again, the Southend fan who keeps popping up once every six months(ish).

Congratulations on winning the title, fully deserved!

Our local paper is reporting that you are interested in signing our player of the year, Ryan Leonard:
http://www.echo-news.co.uk/sport/blues/15291257.Sheffield_United_interested_in_Blues__star_Leonard/
Click to expand...

Cheers for the good will and to you too. I'm one of the few who really likes and rates Phil Brown - he's done a cracking job for you guys. As for Leonard, I remember how well he did against us in the 2-2 draw in your first season back up. Where does he play exactly?
 
Don't know owt about the lad but, it would be true to form for CW and AK of they actually are interested in someone from Sarfend.
 
Very very good player and most importantly full of pace and stamina. The exact kind of player we need for the championship.

I believe he has won their POTY award for the past 3 seasons, a club record.
 

The fact that Southend have exercised a clause in their favour to extend his contract by another year at the end of April might put a spoke on the works.

That said, he only has one year left on his deal and it is probably up to Utd to value the lad on this basis and then try and force the issue. The lad himself.would probably jump at the chance and he would be looking at decent pay increase also you would suspect.

In six months time his value will be a lot less than it is now though and I could see Utd going back in for him in January if the price is too high at the moment. Tricky one for all concerned though.

If Southend get greedy though then CW can always remind them that there are a lot.of other players out there who he can turn his attention to.

For the record, ive seen a bit of this lad in pasing and he is a decent player. He would definately be a decent championship player. Hes a big lad, very athletic and is a good footballer. Utd should test the water with half a million quid and take it from there.
 
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