Benjamin Bloom on United's Start "No chance the Blades go down"

[YorkBlade]

EFL expert and all round good egg, Benjamin Bloom chats about the Blades start to the season, what his view is as a neutral and his confidence that United will NOT be relegated to League One:





Also available as an audio podcast wherever you get your podcasts

 

[raimond]

I agree. We're shite and toothless but not good enough at being shite to be in danger of going down.

 

[Sheffsteel]

Being realistic…..since Wilder has returned we’re not massively different to last season.

Last season we had plenty of 50/50 ish, we found a formula where we’d score from a moment of quality…then we sat back quite negative parking the bus but it worked because we consistently prevented the opposition from creating chances.

I know we gained 90+ points but I was a little concerned about the negative but pragmatic style, after taking the lead.
Overall thought we were quite lucky in matches but it can’t be luck over 46 matches….and as they say it’s the results that count not the performances.

This season…again plenty of 50/50ish matches, in fact we’ve been pretty good around the centre circle areas passing it sideways keeping possession.
However we never seem to create chances, opposition teams seem to sit deep parking the bus against us and all the goal mouth scrambles go to their player.
You can say we’ve been unlucky but no team can be so unlucky so often…so it’s not bad luck.

If mid table is 12th…I reckon we’ll finish around 15th. It will be great to see Arblaster back.

However a factor that I don’t think many are considering is the January transfer window 2026.
The last few seasons we’ve always had a small transfer kitty to make improvements, so I reckon most Blades will expect us to strengthen.
However we lose £35 million in parachute payments next season….so if we receive any large bids for Hamer, Cooper, Arblaster etc
Then it will be really tempting to accept and we won’t be able to use the funds to bring in new players on decent salaries.

 

[KMC-1889]

Need 2 points a game from Watford to safely avoid the drop (based on last seasons finish).

Not happening.

 

[Gavlar]

Great vid guys.

He is a good lad is Benjamin and I also love his music.

He has the potential to be bang wrong with this though, like he was with Luton last year.

Teams that don't score, go down. It's as simple as that.
Somehow we have to turn a team that don't score into a team that scores. With the same players.

Oh and IF we can achieve regular scoring, that's only half the problem as ps, we also don't get clean sheets either.

Time will tell if we can do it. But we are into a monumental mess so far.

 

[Sizablade]

Need 2 points a game from Watford to safely avoid the drop (based on last seasons finish).

Not happening.

2 point a game from Watford would have us in playoffs

Also not happening

 

[Captain Obvious]

Need 2 points a game from Watford to safely avoid the drop (based on last seasons finish).

Not happening.

2 points per game from Watford would give us 77 points. Third bottom last season finished on 49 points.

 

[raimond]

Need 2 points a game from Watford to safely avoid the drop (based on last seasons finish).

Not happening.

You an accountant pal?

 

[1066blade]

We're too good to go down, there, I've said it. I know we're shit at the minute, but our quality will ensure survival. Horrible to even use words like 'survival' after last seasons epic assault. But there we are. Onwards and upwards my blades.

 

[Carlton Blade]

In the last 20 games of last season, with a better squad and a seemingly more motivated group, United scored 1.35 goals per game. That'd get this years team to 53.

I think it's fair to say this is a worse squad and goals scored is likely to be 40-50. Bottom 3 last season scored 45, 51, 48.

United aren't pulling away from this relegation battle

 

[The Crab]

I admire the optimism shown by some on this thread.

I’m sure Luton fans felt the same last season.

For me, sorting this out will be the most significant of Wilders achievements. Because the cost of failure doesn’t bear thinking about

 

[Gimli]

Big fan of Ben but not sure share his confidence on this one…

 

[raul]

Ben thinks we're " too good to go down" 1066 any many others also think we're " too good to go down".

If there is sny trace of that sentiment at Shirecliffe, we may not be TGTGD .

 

[HOT CURRIE 10]

Being realistic…..since Wilder has returned we’re not massively different to last season.

Last season we had plenty of 50/50 ish, we found a formula where we’d score from a moment of quality…then we sat back quite negative parking the bus but it worked because we consistently prevented the opposition from creating chances.

I know we gained 90+ points but I was a little concerned about the negative but pragmatic style, after taking the lead.
Overall thought we were quite lucky in matches but it can’t be luck over 46 matches….and as they say it’s the results that count not the performances.

This season…again plenty of 50/50ish matches, in fact we’ve been pretty good around the centre circle areas passing it sideways keeping possession.
However we never seem to create chances, opposition teams seem to sit deep parking the bus against us and all the goal mouth scrambles go to their player.
You can say we’ve been unlucky but no team can be so unlucky so often…so it’s not bad luck.

If mid table is 12th…I reckon we’ll finish around 15th. It will be great to see Arblaster back.

However a factor that I don’t think many are considering is the January transfer window 2026.
The last few seasons we’ve always had a small transfer kitty to make improvements, so I reckon most Blades will expect us to strengthen.
However we lose £35 million in parachute payments next season….so if we receive any large bids for Hamer, Cooper, Arblaster etc
Then it will be really tempting to accept and we won’t be able to use the funds to bring in new players on decent salaries.

On current form,we aren’t going to get any large bids for anyone,they are showing mid championship form and Arblaster is behind on a serious injury,he is worth nothing but a huge gamble after that. Look at Rodri,doesn’t look the same player,mental issues come into it after that injury. Some blades think Hamer is a premiership player,he could not cut the first time against them,now 2 years older and slower. Cooper was,now regressing. He can get back to standards though. Coaching?

 

[Sheffsteel]

On current form,we aren’t going to get any large bids for anyone,they are showing mid championship form and Arblaster is behind on a serious injury,he is worth nothing but a huge gamble after that. Look at Rodri,doesn’t look the same player,mental issues come into it after that injury. Some blades think Hamer is a premiership player,he could not cut the first time against them,now 2 years older and slower. Cooper was,now regressing. He can get back to standards though. Coaching?

Hope so……altho sooner or later you’d expect Hamer and Cooper to hit some form.

Last season so many of our fans were convinced we’d sell not only a Hamer and Cooper but also possibly Campbell, Peck and One too.
Wasn’t there talk of selling Peck for 10 million and our fans were saying young players like One and Peck were potential top PL players and worth more.

Always makes me laugh how when we are possibly selling anyone or sell them…..they suddenly become fantastic players.
Then when we decide to show ambition and keep players like Hamer, Cooper, Campbell, Burrows, they suddenly become crap.

 

[HOT CURRIE 10]

I hope so too,players are regressing too quickly in my mind. From August to November last season we had a good side with everyone pulling their weight. Since then,scraping fortunate points,fitness levels,recruitment,ownership problems (unprepared for the season) ,management, revert back to same football,attitude. I didn’t think we would get to this state of affairs,but it’s a hard watch .

 

[Carlton Blade]

Before this season, Wilder managed Championship teams have scored 268 goals in 189 games. 1.42 goals per game.

Extrapolating that over the remaining 37 games, you get 53 goals. Add that to the 3 we already have to give you 56. Only 2 teams in the last decade have scored 56+ and been relegated.

So the probability is, if Wilder can get his career average attacking output in the Championship from this squad, we'll likely just about get out of it.

 

[raul]

Before this season, Wilder managed Championship teams have scored 268 goals in 189 games. 1.42 goals per game.

Extrapolating that over the remaining 37 games, you get 53 goals. Add that to the 3 we already have to give you 56. Only 2 teams in the last decade have scored 56+ and been relegated.

So the probability is, if Wilder can get his career average attacking output in the Championship from this squad, we'll likely just about get out of it.

Two words. And I'm only using the first. Tom.

 

[finlaytheblade]

Need 2 points a game from Watford to safely avoid the drop (based on last seasons finish).

Not happening.

2 points a game from now gives us playoffs! Take that!

 

[The Crab]

2 points a game from now gives us playoffs! Take that!

I’d take spending the rest of my Sunday getting shagged to a standstill by Margot Robbie. Just as likely.

Unless there is rapid and swift improvement we will not average 2 points a game

 

[Snowflake]

Two words. And I'm only using the first. Tom.

Is the second one morrow ?

 

[Paulus]

Biggest (of many) mistakes over the summer was letting K Moore go. Need to replace him with a similar player in January and all will be well. He gave us a focus in attack which we just don't have now.

 

[Foody]

Biggest (of many) mistakes over the summer was letting K Moore go. Need to replace him with a similar player in January and all will be well. He gave us a focus in attack which we just don't have now.

Massive player for us, in the literal and figurative sense. Wilder has always loved having a focal point as an option, having a player who's good with their back to goal to get others involved is crucial for us. Strangely back in fashion now too, having previously been seen as part of 'dinosaur' football.

Moore will always be judged for that Wembley moment. He was so close to being a Wembley legend, a great save is all that stopped him going down in folk law for the right reasons.

 

[Rodley]

Biggest (of many) mistakes over the summer was letting K Moore go. Need to replace him with a similar player in January and all will be well. He gave us a focus in attack which we just don't have now.

I think the “sell everyone” furore was swiftly followed by the Sellesball “I don’t mind if we lose 3-2” phase.

Having a big man up top helps you get the ball up the pitch quickly. It’s a real shame we didn’t get McBurnie back.

 

[KMC-1889]

Selling Moore wasn’t the mistake (33 with a couple of years left on a big contract), selling him without a replacement in mind was stupidity.

McBurnie wouldn’t have worked in this team with a manager playing him as a single target man. We tried that for years and it didn’t work

 

[Kenilworth]

In the last 20 games of last season, with a better squad and a seemingly more motivated group, United scored 1.35 goals per game. That'd get this years team to 53.

I think it's fair to say this is a worse squad and goals scored is likely to be 40-50. Bottom 3 last season scored 45, 51, 48.

United aren't pulling away from this relegation battle

That’s the way I read it unless we can start to score goals (plural) and crucially get the first goal in games.

We have nothing to defend, which means we are consistently screwed when the first goal comes from the opposition - since we appear to be incapable of a response - or we are vulnerable to a sucker punch winner, like we have many times this season already. That’s a recipe for disaster.

 

[CPB]

Selling Moore wasn’t the mistake (33 with a couple of years left on a big contract), selling him without a replacement in mind was stupidity.

Exactly this.....

I know it's done to death but we could have signed a striker we'd had before on a free. Mind you McBurnie's best strengths are not being a big target man anyway.

Not sure how much Carlton Morris cost Derby, but he would have been a good shout too for a more typical target man style striker.

The more that emerges regarding Selles' decisions and also the clubs decisions to hire Selles. The more perplexing it becomes.

 

[KMC-1889]

I do get the Selles appointment, I look at other teams playing what he was trying to play and I like it. The problem is the squad that has been built is incredibly poor, covered by some staggering over performance in the first part of last season.

The fact no one running the club could spot this is very worrying, or even worse, they can spot the issues and are incapable of addressing them.

 

[Balti Pie]

The Mickey Adams side was "too good to go down".
Just saying.

 

[Thrice]

In previous years the club was pretty good at acquiring players that actually improved the team. Especially the loan market was used very effectively bringing in players like MGW, McAtee, JRS, etc.
Unfortunately that doesn't seem to be the case at all this year. None of the new players (especially in attack) have shown anything so far that gets you hopeful.
Having someone like JRS right now would be an absolute game changer.