Did we do the right thing?

[Champagneblade]

Do you feel we approached recruitment correctly?

We finished 9th. To go down via the bottom 3, we would need 9 teams to out perform us. That would be some drop off and regardless of aspirations, 17th is always going to be a good achievement at this level.

Whilst Norwich had a bad season, they were not helped by a continued spate of injuries. Things may have turned out differently if they could have fielded a settled back 4 for instance. The time we were here under Warnock, one single injury to Hulse pretty much sent us down, regardless of the whole Tevez stuff.

Post lockdown form showed that without just Fleck and O'Connell we were not as effective overall and that is despite Robinson and Osborn having decent matches during the period.

Apart from the keeper, which needed resolving, we've covered ourself with depth. We have proper options at wingback now and a very shrewd signing in Ampadu to cover both midfield and defence.

However, unlike Berge, none of these immediately go straight into the team.

So we probably had a choice.

Improve the depth almost like an insurance policy to reduce the drop off if players are unavailable, or improve the immediate first XI, but be open to the risk of a large reduction in quality should a couple of players be out.

It appears that we have favoured the former.

We won't know for sure yet until the window shuts, how much we had to spent or how much we could still use on the first XI.

But have we been conservative and done the right thing or should we have been more bold but risked having a defence potentially containing Freeman, Jags or Rodwell for the run in instead of say Bogle and Ampadu?

 

[Sam64]

I'll ask at the end of the season to pretend I always knew best.

 

[Cerberus Blade]

I just don't get what you're on about in the original post tbh. I've read it back twice now and I think you've got a strange take on it. The objective of recruitment is to improve the squad and that includes the first XI. You're speaking about it like it's two different things, two different choices? You're also making vast assumptions here that most of the new signings have not been bought to go into the first XI. I can tell you now - they have. Wilder hasn't bought these players to give us "strength in depth" he's bought them to challenge for a first team place. Yes, it gives us more strength in depth, more cover if you like, by virtue of the fact they are in the building, but he's not bought them to serve the purpose of a candle in a power cut. Wilder has said it himself many times - "we need to keep improving on what we have, because if you stand still you go backwards".

And that's what he's done.

To answer your question, yes, I think we've approached recruitment correctly. We've plugged the biggest gap first, that of not having a dependable goalkeeper. We've got real competition for the wing backs, Baldock and Stevens, we've got a very talented young player in Ampadou, who can play in central defence or midfield, and we've added some real pace and a bit more brawn too, in Burke.

Is it complete? No of course it's not. But it seems we are hanging in there trying to bring one of the most highly rated young strikers in the country, to Bramall Lane. If we get him then I think that will be a great achievement and give us even more options. But recruitment will never be completed - it's a continuum. We have to always be looking to improve and I'm still hoping, for example, we sign someone like Swift from Reading, because we could do with another good attacking midfielder. In my opinion our lack of firepower is not just a striker thing, it starts further back than that.

I'm sorry I can't take part in your poll, but it just doesn't make any sense to me. And I wonder if you'd have posted this and been questioning recruitment if we'd beat Wolves the other night?

 

[Millhousesblade1889]

I’ve voted for quality, however if we sign Brewster permanently and maybe another quick ambitious back up striker then we’ve probably done both.

We just don’t have the resources to improve 3/4 starting positions and that will happen slowly over time.

 

[Teddy]

I just don't get what you're on about in the original post tbh. I've read it back twice now and I think you've got a strange take on it. The objective of recruitment is to improve the squad and that includes the first XI. You're speaking about it like it's two different things, two different choices? You're also making vast assumptions here that most of the new signings have not been bought to go into the first XI. I can tell you now - they have. Wilder hasn't bought these players to give us "strength in depth" he's bought them to challenge for a first team place. Yes, it gives us more strength in depth, more cover if you like, by virtue of the fact they are in the building, but he's not bought them to serve the purpose of a candle in a power cut. Wilder has said it himself many times - "we need to keep improving on what we have, because if you stand still you go backwards".

And that's what he's done.

To answer your question, yes, I think we've approached recruitment correctly. We've plugged the biggest gap first, that of not having a dependable goalkeeper. We've got real competition for the wing backs, Baldock and Stevens, we've got a very talented young player in Ampadou, who can play in central defence or midfield, and we've added some real pace and a bit more brawn too, in Burke.

Is it complete? No of course it's not. But it seems we are hanging in there trying to bring one of the most highly rated young strikers in the country, to Bramall Lane. If we get him then I think that will be a great achievement and give us even more options. But recruitment will never be completed - it's a continuum. We have to always be looking to improve and I'm still hoping, for example, we sign someone like Swift from Reading, because we could do with another good attacking midfielder. In my opinion our lack of firepower is not just a striker thing, it starts further back than that.

I'm sorry I can't take part in your poll, but it just doesn't make any sense to me. And I wonder if you'd have posted this and been questioning recruitment if we'd beat Wolves the other night?

I take your point that every member of the squad (new or otherwise) is here to compete to be in the starting 11 and you can’t say for sure who they settled 11 will be when the dust settles...

But I think there is a distinction between signing players who are an undoubted upgrade on our current first choice (eg. Berge in for Lundstram) and signing a player who, at least at first, is not an upgrade on what we have (eg. Lowe for Stevens). We have done a lot of the latter and not much of the former this window. That’s what I think the thread is getting at.

 

[Ainsley Harriott]

Strengthening the squad is fine. Injuries and suspensions mean we will need cover. The 2 Derby lads are impressive signings and will give Enda and George summat to think about as Enda especially dropped off towards the end of last season.

However, we haven't improved the first XI. The goalkeeper I don't know enough about to properly pass comment on but I thought he could have done better for the 2nd goal the other night.

And we haven't signed a striker. This was the key position. It's unfortunate regards Mousset but even if we're signing players to cover for injuries, what striker have we signed for such eventuality? Burke? I'm not convinced by that signing truth be told. Poor goal scoring ratio. But he might give us summat I suppose.

So I don't think its been a great transfer window so far. Far from it.

 

[CW7]

Giving backup also gives competition and rest.
Remember how broken Enda looked at the end of last season,playing through injury? By buying a cheap, but good backup, we ensure that both stay fit.
And Bogle is a young, class signing, I see him in the mold of Mcburnie and Berge.
Don't let the pricetag fool you, these are class players.

 

[CW7]

And we haven't signed a striker. This was the key position. It's unfortunate regards Mousset but even if we're signing players to cover for injuries, what striker have we signed for such eventuality? Burke? I'm not convinced by that signing truth be told. Poor goal scoring ratio. But he might give us summat I suppose.

I noticed that we didnt play Burke, even 2 goals down with nothing to lose. Hope he is either getting up to fitness, or intended as a backup while we work on signing another striker.

 

[Ainsley Harriott]

I noticed that we didnt play Burke, even 2 goals down with nothing to lose. Hope he is either getting up to fitness, or intended as a backup while we work on signing another striker.

We didn't play all that badly in the second half. Pace may have given us a different option. Nothing to lose. How unfit must a pro footballer be to not give 20 minutes?

 

[BigBed]

I trust WILDER. Next.

 

[Cerberus Blade]

I take your point that every member of the squad (new or otherwise) is here to compete to be in the starting 11 and you can’t say for sure who they settled 11 will be when the dust settles...

But I think there is a distinction between signing players who are an undoubted upgrade on our current first choice (eg. Berge in for Lundstram) and signing a player who, at least at first, is not an upgrade on what we have (eg. Lowe for Stevens). We have done a lot of the latter and not much of the former this window. That’s what I think the thread is getting at.

I think that's the market we are in though isn't it? Buying players with the potential to become the first choice. Let's take Stevens as an example: I think he's a very good player and has established himself as being competent at Premier League level now. If we wanted to buy another player who may be even further ahead of him, then we'd probably be looking at someone like Ben Chilwell, who has recently signed for Chelsea for a fee believed to be in the region of £45M. We're just not in that league, financially.

So we have to find the next Ben Chilwell coming up through the ranks. I don't think I've ever seen the kid Lowe play but from what I've read it sounds like he's a really good talent, he's played for the England national team at U16, U17, U18 and U20 level, and he's just 23 years old. We've not bought him to store him on a shelf and bring him out when Stevens is injured or retired. We've bought him to push Stevens all the way for a shirt. And that's the same with all the players we've signed.

If we survive at this level for another 2 or 3 seasons then I think we will see us signing players who are an obvious upgrade on what we have currently. But at the moment I think the key word is potential. It will be interesting to see how things change during this season, because I can see the likes of Lowe and Bogle replacing Stevens and Baldock very soon, and I also think Ampadou will find his way into the starting line up at the expense, possibly, of Basham.

 

[Cheesebored]

I’ve voted for quality, however if we sign Brewster permanently and maybe another quick ambitious back up striker then we’ve probably done both.

We just don’t have the resources to improve 3/4 starting positions and that will happen slowly over time.

Brewster is totally unproven at this level. Buying him would be a massive risk, loaning him less so. He could turn out to be the next big thing. It's an unknown. I think the clamour to sign him by the fans is borne of desperation. Creativity is the issue.

 

[raimond]

I'd agree with Cerberus Blade here...I think the vote's moot as within a few weeks Bogle and Ampadu will start, as well as a new striker (who knows, maybe a couple?).

I don't think he has just signed bench warmers, he's brought them in to strengthen us.

 

[Teddy]

I think that's the market we are in though isn't it? Buying players with the potential to become the first choice. Let's take Stevens as an example: I think he's a very good player and has established himself as being competent at Premier League level now. If we wanted to buy another player who may be even further ahead of him, then we'd probably be looking at someone like Ben Chilwell, who has recently signed for Chelsea for a fee believed to be in the region of £45M. We're just not in that league, financially.

So we have to find the next Ben Chilwell coming up through the ranks. I don't think I've ever seen the kid Lowe play but from what I've read it sounds like he's a really good talent, he's played for the England national team at U16, U17, U18 and U20 level, and he's just 23 years old. We've not bought him to store him on a shelf and bring him out when Stevens is injured or retired. We've bought him to push Stevens all the way for a shirt. And that's the same with all the players we've signed.

If we survive at this level for another 2 or 3 seasons then I think we will see us signing players who are an obvious upgrade on what we have currently. But at the moment I think the key word is potential. It will be interesting to see how things change during this season, because I can see the likes of Lowe and Bogle replacing Stevens and Baldock very soon, and I also think Ampadou will find his way into the starting line up at the expense, possibly, of Basham.

I think you’re right in terms of it being very challenging for us to make signings that are shoe-ins to the first 11. And it’s not just the fees - it’s not inconceivable that we could scrabble together £30-40m at some point, but a player who commands that kind of fee will expect to be on at least £70k plus a week I would guess. So totally accept it’s difficult.

Berge is, however, an example of how we can do this if we are cute, clever and quick to act.

 

[Bladezz]

How are we meant to improve the first 11 with no money.

GK - £18m for a starter GK in the PL this is about a right figure. Considering amount will be lower due to sell on etc.

Wing backs - Rumoured to be around 7m for the pair. That’s as good as we are ever going to get for reserve full backs. Starting full backs are £15m as seen by Matty Cash.

St - Rumours of a loan / rumours of a £3m bid for Balogun. We don’t have the money to buy a starting forward.

In reality CW has done everything he can. We don’t have the option to improve the first team with limited funds.

 

[OrderOfStGeorge]

No we should have invested in the first team and made sure we had players in key areas that we really need first then invest in the squad as a whole.

 

[metalblade]

I voted we are right to strengthen the squad rather than just the first 11. Goal keepers - Sorted, wing backs and defence - Sorted. But we still have a concern at right midfield clearly Lundstam's heart is not in it anymore and this needs addressing sooner rather than later. Very worrying is our options up front Mousset out for a few months makes this a lot worse, Billy is 35 now and can't be expected to be starting every week at this level, McGoldrick is also the wrong side of 30 and he has never ever been prolific in front of goal that isn't really his game. So we are left with only McBurnie who works his bollocks off but needs help he can't do it all on his own we are two quality strikers down one more injury in this area will see us relegated, stay as we are and it will be a tough season. It doesn't really need Chris Wilder and Alan Knill to see this hopefully we still have some spare cash from down the settee to get somebody in.

 

[Millhousesblade1889]

Brewster is totally unproven at this level. Buying him would be a massive risk, loaning him less so. He could turn out to be the next big thing. It's an unknown. I think the clamour to sign him by the fans is borne of desperation. Creativity is the issue.

He had a great end to last season, he’s done it at international youth and club youth level. Yes he’s a risk, however we’re not in the market for proven 15-20 goal premier league strikers so he’s the punt we have to take. He’d become a more valuable asset than Sharp/ McGoldrick in their declining years too.

I would have like to of seen us sign another central midfielder that’s more creative, hopefully Berge can be the answer to this when he’s fully fit.

 

[mickhep]

We should have strengthened the first 11, they then become squad backups.
Thats the way you progress at this level.
I'll look forward to the comments when Jags,Rodwell or Robinson start making a few apperances.

 

[Kop sufferer]

I voted we are right to strengthen the squad rather than just the first 11. Goal keepers - Sorted, wing backs and defence - Sorted. But we still have a concern at right midfield clearly Lundstam's heart is not in it anymore and this needs addressing sooner rather than later. Very worrying is our options up front Mousset out for a few months makes this a lot worse, Billy is 35 now and can't be expected to be starting every week at this level, McGoldrick is also the wrong side of 30 and he has never ever been prolific in front of goal that isn't really his game. So we are left with only McBurnie who works his bollocks off but needs help he can't do it all on his own we are two quality strikers down one more injury in this area will see us relegated, stay as we are and it will be a tough season. It doesn't really need Chris Wilder and Alan Knill to see this hopefully we still have some spare cash from down the settee to get somebody in.

It's a bit of a catch 22 situation, last season we kind of got away with it, injuries and suspensions wise, whilst looking over our shoulders at the seemingly lack of strength in depth on the bench. Covid came along and stuffed us, we never got back into it and the lack of 30 thousand roaring us on at home plus the away support didn't help either.
Now with our wage structures getting experienced heads / ability prepared to sit on the bench is not easy. Can we get our season to kick start and match last year's achievement, answers on a postcard to CW. If he can't do it nobody can.
In Wilder we trust

 

[Chingo]

I think we’ve been hamstrung by the prince having to buy the property from McCabe , think the budget would have been much more without that.
Sure wilder will sort it

 

[tincan]

Squad is important as Covid19 is haunting everything. Half the 1st team could have to isolate and so who plays then!
Having said that immediate issues are the priority, 4 consecutive PL defeats means things have to improve. So team improvement has to come first.
Goal scoring and reviewing tactics so 5 don't cross to 1 striker has to be the aim this season.

 

[ShropsBlade]

Tin hat on here .But if we fail to get a first 11 quality forward before the window closes then I think that will be really underwhelming.

Wilder clearly stated after the Southampton game in July that we are desperate for some help at the top of the pitch yet we are still to address it .

Can’t judge it fairly yet though as the window has still not closed .Hopefully we are all happy come October.

 

[Snowflake]

I just don't get what you're on about in the original post tbh. I've read it back twice now and I think you've got a strange take on it. The objective of recruitment is to improve the squad and that includes the first XI. You're speaking about it like it's two different things, two different choices? You're also making vast assumptions here that most of the new signings have not been bought to go into the first XI. I can tell you now - they have. Wilder hasn't bought these players to give us "strength in depth" he's bought them to challenge for a first team place. Yes, it gives us more strength in depth, more cover if you like, by virtue of the fact they are in the building, but he's not bought them to serve the purpose of a candle in a power cut. Wilder has said it himself many times - "we need to keep improving on what we have, because if you stand still you go backwards".

And that's what he's done.

To answer your question, yes, I think we've approached recruitment correctly. We've plugged the biggest gap first, that of not having a dependable goalkeeper. We've got real competition for the wing backs, Baldock and Stevens, we've got a very talented young player in Ampadou, who can play in central defence or midfield, and we've added some real pace and a bit more brawn too, in Burke.

Is it complete? No of course it's not. But it seems we are hanging in there trying to bring one of the most highly rated young strikers in the country, to Bramall Lane. If we get him then I think that will be a great achievement and give us even more options. But recruitment will never be completed - it's a continuum. We have to always be looking to improve and I'm still hoping, for example, we sign someone like Swift from Reading, because we could do with another good attacking midfielder. In my opinion our lack of firepower is not just a striker thing, it starts further back than that.

I'm sorry I can't take part in your poll, but it just doesn't make any sense to me. And I wonder if you'd have posted this and been questioning recruitment if we'd beat Wolves the other night?

I agree with all that you say AND not only do we have a few weeks of this window but we also have the JTW to add to the squad.

 

[Revolution]

I have no problem with doing nothing to improve on the first choice back 5 and the midfield. Ramsdale is a work in progress but I'm basically fine with that.

I have long been of the view that our forwards are not good enough and if it was a binary choice between the Derby lads and more money to spend on a forward, I would have used the money to improve striking resources.

Of course the real problem is that, as per usual in the top flight, our owner does not have the funds to allow us to compete with other clubs for decent striker signings.

 

[Bladesthorpe]

Brewster is totally unproven at this level. Buying him would be a massive risk, loaning him less so. He could turn out to be the next big thing. It's an unknown. I think the clamour to sign him by the fans is borne of desperation. Creativity is the issue.

Ben Woodburn ?

 

[Bennyand the Blades]

Mr Wilder has carried on doing exactly what he's been doing right from the start, he's bought potential, and that's what's built the team that's got us this far.
Every signing is a gamble no matter how much you pay for them, some work some don't but so far without a doubt Mr Wilders method has been very much on the plus side, it's the way he works and it suits me fine....

 

[Badger Blade]

Still some work to do but then is it ever done?

Not to disrespect the service that Billy has given us over the years but the fact that he's starting in the Premier League for us shows where we're struggling to recruit players when in reality he should be in the background like Jags getting the odd run in the Carabao or be out on loan somewhere seeing out the rest of his contract having been ousted by someone better and younger, McGoldrick likewise.

Cover wise the squad is in better shape than last year but the team that started against Wolves shows that despite making some signings, the starting side hasn't changed so have we actually improved when its the same blokes taking the field as before?

Problem with buying proven players to go straight into the first XI at this level is that they cost money that we haven't got and we don't have some wonderkid/manchild in the academy who can take the world by storm and save us a packet of money so unless we unearth a big wad of money or a foreigner nobody has heard of, we're a bit stuck.

 

[SwissBlade]

Do you feel we approached recruitment correctly?

We finished 9th. To go down via the bottom 3, we would need 9 teams to out perform us. That would be some drop off and regardless of aspirations, 17th is always going to be a good achievement at this level.

Whilst Norwich had a bad season, they were not helped by a continued spate of injuries. Things may have turned out differently if they could have fielded a settled back 4 for instance. The time we were here under Warnock, one single injury to Hulse pretty much sent us down, regardless of the whole Tevez stuff.

Post lockdown form showed that without just Fleck and O'Connell we were not as effective overall and that is despite Robinson and Osborn having decent matches during the period.

Apart from the keeper, which needed resolving, we've covered ourself with depth. We have proper options at wingback now and a very shrewd signing in Ampadu to cover both midfield and defence.

However, unlike Berge, none of these immediately go straight into the team.

So we probably had a choice.

Improve the depth almost like an insurance policy to reduce the drop off if players are unavailable, or improve the immediate first XI, but be open to the risk of a large reduction in quality should a couple of players be out.

It appears that we have favoured the former.

We won't know for sure yet until the window shuts, how much we had to spent or how much we could still use on the first XI.

But have we been conservative and done the right thing or should we have been more bold but risked having a defence potentially containing Freeman, Jags or Rodwell for the run in instead of say Bogle and Ampadu?

I can answer your poll as the options aren’t extensive enough.

Its far too early and knee jerk to even have an idea if the result will be right come the end of the season.

However, I don’t think there has been a transfer window yet under Wilder where I questioned his and the clubs approach. As always it’s a considered and measured approach to get us through the season and beyond

The players we’ve signed or are targeting all fit the same criteria. Young, athletic, hungry players on the verge of stepping up. The next generation of players. Of course we’ll bring in a few experienced players on frees as well but the main philosophy is with younger players

Wilder has also now added pace to the criteria, it’s not always seemed to be a high priority, in the past it’s been quick thinkers and high tempo players, but the addition of Burke has given another edge (although Robinson and Mousse weren’t slow)

As always some signings will work, some won’t and others will need more time to see results.

This preseason was not a normal one, several players arrived with fitness levels which aren’t on our level yet, so they won’t be challenging to start straight away.

On paper our squad looks stronger, younger and fitter now, which is great to see. We just need to keep the back door shut in these early games otherwise we’ll get punished.

 

[mattbianco1]

Do you feel we approached recruitment correctly?

We finished 9th. To go down via the bottom 3, we would need 9 teams to out perform us. That would be some drop off and regardless of aspirations, 17th is always going to be a good achievement at this level.

Whilst Norwich had a bad season, they were not helped by a continued spate of injuries. Things may have turned out differently if they could have fielded a settled back 4 for instance. The time we were here under Warnock, one single injury to Hulse pretty much sent us down, regardless of the whole Tevez stuff.

Post lockdown form showed that without just Fleck and O'Connell we were not as effective overall and that is despite Robinson and Osborn having decent matches during the period.

Apart from the keeper, which needed resolving, we've covered ourself with depth. We have proper options at wingback now and a very shrewd signing in Ampadu to cover both midfield and defence.

However, unlike Berge, none of these immediately go straight into the team.

So we probably had a choice.

Improve the depth almost like an insurance policy to reduce the drop off if players are unavailable, or improve the immediate first XI, but be open to the risk of a large reduction in quality should a couple of players be out.

It appears that we have favoured the former.

We won't know for sure yet until the window shuts, how much we had to spent or how much we could still use on the first XI.

But have we been conservative and done the right thing or should we have been more bold but risked having a defence potentially containing Freeman, Jags or Rodwell for the run in instead of say Bogle and Ampadu?

Hard to answer after 1 game really.