Let's Talk... Wilder's Weird Signings

[Chabuddy G]

Now I'm not on about the big money signings that we can argue about all day, or how much in your view he's pissed up the wall etc etc

For me, much more pressing is the fact we have signed players who will be on decent money yet will NEVER play.
I'm looking at you, Jack Rodwell. I'm looking at you, Phil Jagielka. Michael Verrips, Wes Foderingham, Simon Moore - 4 keepers, why?
Jayden Bogle, signed for good money, looks a good player, but it'll take a Baldock leg break for him to get a game.
Last season it was Ravel Morrison, Luke Freeman, and some of the above.
He has also now fallen out with Jack Robinson (who is rubbish) meaning Kean Bryan has been starting PL games, but he would've been another of the list.

These are players that will never play barring the most insane injury crisis known to man, clearly, so why sign them in the first place?
They'll be on a decent wedge, which put together could contribute to a very good and useful signing who might actually get on the pitch.

It's another of Wilder's flaws which has been brushed under the carpet, he's care free with the 'excess' money, when in reality we'd be a lot better served just keeping it.

We re-signed Rodwell and Jags this summer, what the fuck for?

 

[DeanLearner'sCat]

They aren't that weird. They are just experienced back up players on presumably low wages. All clubs make signings like this. Man City signed Scott Carson, for example.

 

[Stegosaurus]

Hi, Stegosaurus here

Foderingham is an odd one. He's wank. Moore is better. I dont get it. Surely his 5 - 10 grand wages or whatever could have gone towards getting someone else.

 

[Joey1889]

Wilder has always made these kind of questionable signings. Lee Evans, Ricky Holmes, Ryan Leonard didn't work.... Mark Duffy, Leon Clarke & a few others did work.

He definitely doesn't have a perfect record when it comes to signings, but I'm very uneasy chastising the best manager we've ever had

 

[blades14]

We dont need 4 keepers. I dont understand the signing of Foderigham

 

[The Crab]

We dont need 4 keepers. I dont understand the signing of Foderigham

The only logical answer I can come up with is in case things went sideways with Verrips with regards to the contract thing?

 

[Living In a Fantasy World]

Luke Freeman was a good signing, he played well every game I saw him.
I think we should bring him back, he only went out on loan right?

 

[stringer]

They aren't that weird. They are just experienced back up players on presumably low wages. All clubs make signings like this. Man City signed Scott Carson, for example.

This. Every other PL club has a 25-man squad... United are hardly the exception to the rule

 

[robbiez666]

We have 4 keepers because Moore was out injured at the start of the season and we only had 3 senior keepers.

 

[raimond]

We can't deal in the same wage brackets as many so he takes a punt on some players....some have come off spectacularly, some haven't. It's always the way that some don't settle at clubs or work out for whatever reason.

Rodwell, Morrison didn't work out but it's a low risk/high reward. They won't have been on big money, hasn't worked out but could've, nowt lost really.

Jags can still bring on the younger players, always good having players around like that even if they aren't starting.

And some of the others (Robinson, Bogle, Lowe) were next best, or next, next, next best options when we were outpriced for our first picks.

Some haven't worked out and yes, Ramsdale could've gone better so far! We needed a centre half, a creative midfielder and with O'Connell injured and so many off form the need's been exaggerated.

But Deano apart (and O'Connell and Mousse being injured) we've not lost anyone. The balance of the side's been lost without JOC (I think for a few years we'd have dreaded him getting injured more than anyone) and nearly all our key players are off form.

I think there's plenty more reasons beyond the signings

 

[GrayBlade]

Luke Freeman was a good signing, he played well every game I saw him.
I think we should bring him back, he only went out on loan right?

He’s not even been getting on the bench at Forest so I wouldn’t imagine a recall would be an issue, but you’ve got to wonder why that’s the case?

 

[Living In a Fantasy World]

He’s not even been getting on the bench at Forest so I wouldn’t imagine a recall would be an issue, but you’ve got to wonder why that’s the case?

Don't follow forest so I don't know why he's not playing there, but I still think he payed well last season from what I saw from him and its another option, something we should at least think about since we are rock bottom with 1 point.

 

[Chabuddy G]

They aren't that weird. They are just experienced back up players on presumably low wages. All clubs make signings like this. Man City signed Scott Carson, for example.

Man City did not sign Scott Carson as back up hahaha, he was to fill the English quota. See Richard Wright and Andy Lonergan. We don’t have that problem.

 

[Chabuddy G]

We have 4 keepers because Moore was out injured at the start of the season and we only had 3 senior keepers.

3 senior keepers not enough then?

 

[Chabuddy G]

This. Every other PL club has a 25-man squad... United are hardly the exception to the rule

Just because you ‘can’ have a 25 man squad doesn’t mean you ‘have to’ have a 25 man squad with players you will literally never play. Other clubs also have a lot more money to waste than we do.

 

[Chabuddy G]

Wilder has always made these kind of questionable signings. Lee Evans, Ricky Holmes, Ryan Leonard didn't work.... Mark Duffy, Leon Clarke & a few others did work.

He definitely doesn't have a perfect record when it comes to signings, but I'm very uneasy chastising the best manager we've ever had

You can question absolutely anyone and everyone mate. If we can’t question Wilder after 10 defeats in 11 something is wrong.

 

[Guesty]

This. Every other PL club has a 25-man squad... United are hardly the exception to the rule

No-one else in the Premier League would have signed Jack bleedin' Rodwell though. Or Ravel Morrison.

I know we have to cut our cloth and all that but there was near-as-damnit no chance whatsoever of those two making any sort of impact at the Lane.

 

[ancientblade]

He’s not even been getting on the bench at Forest so I wouldn’t imagine a recall would be an issue, but you’ve got to wonder why that’s the case?

slightly concerning that he cant get in a struggling forest side is it a season long loan ? if not think they will be sending him back in january maybe houghton doesnt rate him but i would have thought he would be a good asset for us if the inevitable happens and were back in the championship next season

 

[robbiez666]

3 senior keepers not enough then?

3 senior keepers is enough. But if one is out for an extended period are you either going to pray no one else gets injured or suspended or are you going to plug that gap? Or are we having Jags on the bench as our sub keeper again?

I assume one will be off in January, probably Verrips on loan.

And as with Bogle, what would you have done if we didn't sign him and Baldock did break a leg in October? Like we didn't need LWB cover because Enda plays every game.

 

[Coily]

Now I'm not on about the big money signings that we can argue about all day, or how much in your view he's pissed up the wall etc etc

For me, much more pressing is the fact we have signed players who will be on decent money yet will NEVER play.
I'm looking at you, Jack Rodwell. I'm looking at you, Phil Jagielka. Michael Verrips, Wes Foderingham, Simon Moore - 4 keepers, why?
Jayden Bogle, signed for good money, looks a good player, but it'll take a Baldock leg break for him to get a game.
Last season it was Ravel Morrison, Luke Freeman, and some of the above.
He has also now fallen out with Jack Robinson (who is rubbish) meaning Kean Bryan has been starting PL games, but he would've been another of the list.

These are players that will never play barring the most insane injury crisis known to man, clearly, so why sign them in the first place?
They'll be on a decent wedge, which put together could contribute to a very good and useful signing who might actually get on the pitch.

It's another of Wilder's flaws which has been brushed under the carpet, he's care free with the 'excess' money, when in reality we'd be a lot better served just keeping it.

We re-signed Rodwell and Jags this summer, what the fuck for?

I get why we signed both and Jags as well as the goalkeepers, we need 25 in the squad after all and with the inflexibility of the transfer window we have to have requisite cover in cases of injuries. I disagree this is a flaw of Wilder's, he has to pad out the squad. If he hadn't and we were in a situation of having to call up under 23's he'd have been absolutely battered.

Regards Rodwell, here is a player who conceivably play in defense or midfield, but as far as I recall he's not even made the bench yet? You'd think he was busting a gut to get in the reckoning, and while it's a few years ago now this is a player who was in the England squad, never mind the marooned at the bottom Blades. He's still only 29, so it's not the best look to be behind a 38 year old Jags. To that extent, signing him seems an odd choice.

As for Jags, part of his role was to mentor the squad at this level given his experience, and last year that made sense. Is that really required this year, and if it is it doesn't seem to be working!

On the keepers, I don't think Moore is considered to be a squad option anymore, and were it not for his operation (and contract) he'd likely be on loan in either the Championship or L1.

I feel for Bogle, the only way as you say he will get in is either an injury to Baldock or a change in formation which seems unlikely. I'm sure we'll see him long term, seems a shame he doesn't have the flexibility to be able to play on either wing however.

 

[Stegosaurus]

Luke Freeman was a good signing, he played well every game I saw him.
I think we should bring him back, he only went out on loan right?

Hello, Stegosaurus here

I agree. I like Freeman. He's a decent player and gave us a different option. I also think we should have tried to have kept Besic.

 

[SteveBlade]

I've always suspected that despite his brilliance, he's actually a bit retarded.

 

[Kev Gee]

We don't have any wingers or attacking midfielders. Infact we loaned out the one creative mid we had to Forest. And for that the buck surely stops with the manager and recruitment team.

 

[Carlton Blade]

We don't have enough money for an effective 25 man squad. We should have signed 20 players and used the additional available funds to sign an impact starter.

I said this last season as well. 25 is the max, not the requirement

 

[Chabuddy G]

3 senior keepers is enough. But if one is out for an extended period are you either going to pray no one else gets injured or suspended or are you going to plug that gap? Or are we having Jags on the bench as our sub keeper again?

I assume one will be off in January, probably Verrips on loan.

And as with Bogle, what would you have done if we didn't sign him and Baldock did break a leg in October? Like we didn't need LWB cover because Enda plays every game.

You have 3 keepers for that exact reason, incase one gets injured

 

[Carlton Blade]

3 senior keepers is enough. But if one is out for an extended period are you either going to pray no one else gets injured or suspended or are you going to plug that gap? Or are we having Jags on the bench as our sub keeper again?

I assume one will be off in January, probably Verrips on loan.

And as with Bogle, what would you have done if we didn't sign him and Baldock did break a leg in October? Like we didn't need LWB cover because Enda plays every game.

When you have limited resources, especially in comparison to your direct opponents you have to be creative. Have less players, have players covering multiple roles, look for players in places other teams wouldn't.

Instead we have decided that not having 25 would be embarrassing? I can't imagine another reason for some of the signings we made.

If I had to gamble on either Baldock staying fit or United having a desperate need for a midfielder with some athleticism or creativity and I can't do both I get the midfielder in.

 

[Killamarshblades]

We dont need 4 keepers. I dont understand the signing of Foderigham

Verrips was due to go out on a season loan, but Moore was injured at the start of the season hence why Verrips was retained as we wouldnt start the season with only 2 keepers

 

[blades14]

You have 3 keepers for that exact reason, incase one gets injured

You have 3

3 senior keepers is enough. But if one is out for an extended period are you either going to pray no one else gets injured or suspended or are you going to plug that gap? Or are we having Jags on the bench as our sub keeper again?

I assume one will be off in January, probably Verrips on loan.

And as with Bogle, what would you have done if we didn't sign him and Baldock did break a leg in October? Like we didn't need LWB cover because Enda plays every game.

Then you're left with 2 keepers, one being on the bench. I dont understand your logic?

 

[247Blade]

They aren't that weird. They are just experienced back up players on presumably low wages. All clubs make signings like this. Man City signed Scott Carson, for example.

Who are crap!

 

[yorkshirecoast]

We don’t need 4 keepers but even if we are going down that route why Foderingham? Wilder seems to have binned him after one appearance so why the hell was he signed in the first place? Does anyone at the club watch these players before we sign them?