Squad reshape this summer

[TJ blade]

They don’t finalise their squads at the beginning of the window !

Yes, but we end up with the dregs at the end of the window!

 

[Snowflake]

Yes, but we end up with the dregs at the end of the window!

MGW, Macatee, JRS, Henderson etc are hardly dregs. Last year was poorly organised, but collecting quality on loan is essential for us and that will only happen later in the window.

 

[ckpe147]

MGW, Macatee, JRS, Henderson etc are hardly dregs. Last year was poorly organised, but collecting quality on loan is essential for us and that will only happen later in the window.

Henderson was early on in summer 2018...
It's not just later on in the window that you get the good quality loans.. look at Stoke and Ashley Phillips for the last couple of years.

 

[247Blade]

But the frustration is all the posturing towards the back end of the season saying how they know what they want this summer.
I honestly think that they were expecting more to leave, i.e Peck, Hamer and Burrows

Time yet

 

[blades_95]

We’re crying out for a midfielder who can actually get about the pitch. Whether that’s someone who can put a tackle in next to Peck/Blaster or someone who can carry the ball forward next to Jairo, we need at least one player like this. Peck will likely leave and for me these are the profile of midfielder we need to replace him with.

If we go into the season with Blaster, Rothwell, Jairo and someone like Phillips, it’s gonna be another long old season watching a midfield who can’t progress the ball, can’t dribble past a man & can’t track runners well enough.

 

[SwissBlade]

Not to make excuses, but for context, how much transfer business has actually been done by Championship clubs this summer, to date? I know in the lower leagues that teams like the pigs have been bringing in a lot of players, but we know that their squad was in need of a big overhaul. I've not followed the Championship or PL at all to be honest.

The World Cup will surely have had a big impact, with the late finish and the expanded format, a lot of players from the group stages will only just be returning to their clubs. I'd expect players from the countries in the latter stages will be later. I know we're not in the PL market, but with players returning late and only just starting to refocus on club level again, some of the moves that would normally be done in early July will be done later. My thoughts is that this will have a knock on to players being available for sale or loan when the big business starts to happen.

I am sure that the rhetoric from the end of last season that we know who we want remains true, but now we will only just be able to understand if those targets are able and willing to come to us or they will go / stay elsewhere.

It definitely doesn't help our preparations and i think as always, until the window has closed, we won't get to see how the squad reshape has really gone.

 

[KMC-1889]

Trouble is m8 if we get rid of Peck we've got no mobile aggressive midfielder, yes he's young and got faults but Riedewald is more of a defensive midfielder, Rothwell hasn't got going yet, Blaster can be good but well see how he's recovered from his injury, I would like to see Blacker in there as well.

100%.

Rothwell shouldn’t be near the first team really. Happy for him to come on for last 10 mins to see games out but if he gets over 500 minutes this season something has gone horribly wrong.

What we really, really need is a big slab head. Jake Cooper type. Someone that’s going to head it, kick it, give it to Tanganga. Unfortunately we seem to have a massive blind spot for this type of player (Souttar aside). Same with midfield, we don’t miss Souza’s ability, we miss having an absolute unit in the middle of the park.

 

[Blademan89]

100%.

Rothwell shouldn’t be near the first team really. Happy for him to come on for last 10 mins to see games out but if he gets over 500 minutes this season something has gone horribly wrong.

What we really, really need is a big slab head. Jake Cooper type. Someone that’s going to head it, kick it, give it to Tanganga. Unfortunately we seem to have a massive blind spot for this type of player (Souttar aside). Same with midfield, we don’t miss Souza’s ability, we miss having an absolute unit in the middle of the park.

We have one of those types of cbs... hes just shit though. And we dont want it to be given to Tanganga beacuse hes likely to pass it straight back. The amount of times we had to watch him pass it sideways or backwards last season fml.

 

[KMC-1889]

Not to make excuses, but for context, how much transfer business has actually been done by Championship clubs this summer, to date? I know in the lower leagues that teams like the pigs have been bringing in a lot of players, but we know that their squad was in need of a big overhaul. I've not followed the Championship or PL at all to be honest.

The World Cup will surely have had a big impact, with the late finish and the expanded format, a lot of players from the group stages will only just be returning to their clubs. I'd expect players from the countries in the latter stages will be later. I know we're not in the PL market, but with players returning late and only just starting to refocus on club level again, some of the moves that would normally be done in early July will be done later. My thoughts is that this will have a knock on to players being available for sale or loan when the big business starts to happen.

I am sure that the rhetoric from the end of last season that we know who we want remains true, but now we will only just be able to understand if those targets are able and willing to come to us or they will go / stay elsewhere.

It definitely doesn't help our preparations and i think as always, until the window has closed, we won't get to see how the squad reshape has really gone.

Not helped by the club saying all last season that lack of preparation the previous summer was the reason the season went some poorly.

Other teams in the championship are making moves to get key players in early (e.g. Norwich, Swansea), later in the window is going to be players that couldn’t get a move early or players that are surplus to requirements at their clubs. Given our wage restraints (we couldn’t match Norwich for Brooks demands) we’re unlikely to be picking up premier league cast offs.

 

[SwissBlade]

Not helped by the club saying all last season that lack of preparation the previous summer was the reason the season went some poorly.

Other teams in the championship are making moves to get key players in early (e.g. Norwich, Swansea), later in the window is going to be players that couldn’t get a move early or players that are surplus to requirements at their clubs. Given our wage restraints (we couldn’t match Norwich for Brooks demands) we’re unlikely to be picking up premier league cast offs.

Not helped, but not hindered. Fan expectation can be managed though and I think it would help if the club tempered expectations this summer by saying that business wouldn’t be done early.

Ok so some clubs have done some business like we have done.

Yes I think that it’s sensible to wait for players to become available whether they’re surplus to requirements

We are certainly constrained by wages, like all clubs, we have to work within a structure and I’d rather we keep to this ( brooks is a good example)

 

[LBA_Blade]

I'd be happy to go with something like the below, which has scope to taking a centre back off and going with two up top, or three in the centre of the park depending on the situation.

Something always seems off and unbalanced when Hamer, Peck and O'Hare play together. Hamer gets forced out wide as a result which doesn't play to his strengths. Both Hamer and O'Hare get up and down the pitch in attack and defence so they can both play box to box.

I'd be willing to sell Peck to fund permanent transfers for a QUALITY centre back and a QUALITY left winger. Whilst it would prove unpopular with out fans, it's what clubs do up and down the country do every season. Sell one player to strengthen two other positions. The team becomes stronger and better through selling that player and reinvesting the money in PERMANENT signings, rather than wasting monies on expensive loans.

Baptiste might not turn out to be the answer but I've added him for now.


View attachment 240687

If he is fit and staying I would be tempted to play Burrows in the "11 slot" on your formation, he has plenty going forwards but lacks defensively which can be helped by McCallum picking up. Then when the switch is needed bring Jairo on into the centre and set-up "plan B (shock)" in DCM role.

 

[Champagneblade]

I’ve maintained for a while that United’s season will be determined by how good a centre half we recruit this summer.

The rest I’m far less bothered.

Not going to get excited or upset over what will be a reserve full back / centre back cover. Likewise a player who could be last in line for the wide slots isn’t going to thrill or upset me either.

I can even live with Riedewald as first pick if he’s as capable as last season.

Even the strikers could be left alone, though I wouldn’t be upset if one or two moved on if the money made sense.

It’s all about the one signing. We get Souttar and he plays all season then we may well have a say at the end. We do they old “we tried, but…” and rely on McGuinness as first pick then we’re in for a challenging campaign.

The only other factor is if further sales occur. We need to make sure we are not short of the quality we have today when we line up next month.

 

[Keen Blade]

I think Shackleton is the back up RB.
We played a behind doors game vs Bradford in the week and he got another 70min

If Shackleton is the backup RB , are we getting Matt Docherty for a CB ?
If so , I hope it's a back 5 and we are still intending to find the 'tall strong leader at the back' which we haven't had since Souttar got injured Boxing Day 2024.
Our defence is so suspect I'm surprised the police haven't arrested it

 

[FTPE]

If Shackleton is the backup RB , are we getting Matt Docherty for a CB ?
If so , I hope it's a back 5 and we are still intending to find the 'tall strong leader at the back' which we haven't had since Souttar got injured Boxing Day 2024.
Our defence is so suspect I'm surprised the police haven't arrested it

I've just seen a Sheff United Way video with a Wolves fan saying MD is good on the right of a 3. It gives us the option doesnt it?
Getting Souttar would change the whole feel of the team again. In a 2 or the center of a 3, he'd strengthen the entire spine.

 

[Keen Blade]

Not to make excuses, but for context, how much transfer business has actually been done by Championship clubs this summer, to date? I know in the lower leagues that teams like the pigs have been bringing in a lot of players, but we know that their squad was in need of a big overhaul. I've not followed the Championship or PL at all to be honest.

The World Cup will surely have had a big impact, with the late finish and the expanded format, a lot of players from the group stages will only just be returning to their clubs. I'd expect players from the countries in the latter stages will be later. I know we're not in the PL market, but with players returning late and only just starting to refocus on club level again, some of the moves that would normally be done in early July will be done later. My thoughts is that this will have a knock on to players being available for sale or loan when the big business starts to happen.

I am sure that the rhetoric from the end of last season that we know who we want remains true, but now we will only just be able to understand if those targets are able and willing to come to us or they will go / stay elsewhere.

It definitely doesn't help our preparations and i think as always, until the window has closed, we won't get to see how the squad reshape has really gone.

Wouldn't it help if the PL window closed at the end of July and the EFL on the eve of season opener (15 August this year) ?
It barely makes sense to have all the windows running into the first few weeks of the season imo.

 

[Keen Blade]

At some point earlier in this thread a helpful post (#59) showed we have 34 in the squad !
Have we actually managed to reduce that excessive number yet ?
We have so many mediocre players and a captain who doesn't have the personality for it , nor is he a dominant CB in charge of the defence.
Maybe MD has come in to make up for some of Tanga's shortcomings ?

 

[SwissBlade]

Wouldn't it help if the PL window closed at the end of July and the EFL on the eve of season opener (15 August this year) ?
It barely makes sense to have all the windows running into the first few weeks of the season imo.

It would help if they both closed before start of the season and perhaps had a window during international breaks for 1-2 weeks

 

[Willglynning]

Not to make excuses, but for context, how much transfer business has actually been done by Championship clubs this summer, to date? I know in the lower leagues that teams like the pigs have been bringing in a lot of players, but we know that their squad was in need of a big overhaul. I've not followed the Championship or PL at all to be honest.

So we've made 2 signings

The other average number of signings in so far this window is 3.38 (not that you can sign .38 of a player).
The only clubs who've made fewer signings that us are Watford, Lincoln City, Cardiff and Blackburn- if you take these 4 out of the equation then the average jumps up to 3.94, or 4.06 if you ignore us.

So yes, we are behind other clubs in terms of the numbers of signings made; and we're definitely the only one who's not spent a transfer fee so far.

 

[ckpe147]

So we've made 2 signings

The other average number of signings in so far this window is 3.38 (not that you can sign .38 of a player).
The only clubs who've made fewer signings that us are Watford, Lincoln City, Cardiff and Blackburn- if you take these 4 out of the equation then the average jumps up to 3.94, or 4.06 if you ignore us.

So yes, we are behind other clubs in terms of the numbers of signings made; and we're definitely the only one who's not spent a transfer fee so far.

According to Wilder and his mouthpiece Hall, we've made 3... And then we'll have two that are like new signings... (RND and Shacks)

 

[Keen Blade]

I've just seen a Sheff United Way video with a Wolves fan saying MD is good on the right of a 3. It gives us the option doesnt it?
Getting Souttar would change the whole feel of the team again. In a 2 or the center of a 3, he'd strengthen the entire spine.

I'm not entirely sure why we've got MD when what we desperately need is a Jake Cooper type ,
Given that we can't afford a JoC type.

 

[Keen Blade]

So we've made 2 signings

The other average number of signings in so far this window is 3.38 (not that you can sign .38 of a player).
The only clubs who've made fewer signings that us are Watford, Lincoln City, Cardiff and Blackburn- if you take these 4 out of the equation then the average jumps up to 3.94, or 4.06 if you ignore us.

So yes, we are behind other clubs in terms of the numbers of signings made; and we're definitely the only one who's not spent a transfer fee so far.

I don't anticipate us paying a transfer fee at all this summer.
The owners backed CW to buy Cannon and Selles to buy various crap last summer and all were put on long contracts.
They've had their fingers burnt right off.
Unless they are dafter than I think they are (which would take some doing)
They're not buying anyone.
They might cough up a loan-fee.

 

[FTPE]

I'm not entirely sure why we've got MD when what we desperately need is a Jake Cooper type ,
Given that we can't afford a JoC type.

Don't forget though, to improve, this guy doesn't need to be better than Seriki or Tanganga.. he needs to be better than Hoever.
..as long as we get more first teamers and reinforcements that is.

 

[Thrice]

The club needs to find its mojo back when it comes to loan signings. Last 3 seasons were really poor in that regard. So many wasted loan spots on players that weren't any help whatsoever.

 

[Willglynning]

According to Wilder and his mouthpiece Hall, we've made 3... And then we'll have two that are like new signings... (RND and Shacks)

I’ve purposefully not counted Riedewald because there’s something really weird gone on behind the scenes there, and it’s essentially like we’ve just extended his contract on a delay

 

[loveWalrusDaveTheBlade]

I’ve purposefully not counted Riedewald because there’s something really weird gone on behind the scenes there, and it’s essentially like we’ve just extended his contract on a delay

There's really nothing weird about it. We now employ him on a salary that we feel represents value for his contribution. Had we extended his existing contract we would be paying more for him.
It was good business by the club.

 

[Champagneblade]

Got to admire the balls (or idiocy) of the Hull chairman:



What would ours be:

1. 100%
2. 100%
3. 100%
4. 80%
5. 30%
6. 30%

Any more?

 

[Ndiayewillalwaysloveyou]

United need two centre-halves this summer, with Nils Zatterstrom expected to leave again and Mark McGuinness deemed surplus to requirements and made available for a move just 12 months after being signed from Luton Town. @dannyhall04

 

[Badger Blade]

We need a couple of big units who have the ability to play a bit.

Harry Souttar is one that definitely ticks that box and he's a known quantity which seems to be the order of the day with anyone we sign. If we don't get him then maybe his brother as a first port of call to get someone at the back that the opposition strikers are a bit scared of.

I think Isaac Price is a decent player who's a big lad in the centre of the park, can play and has a goal in him but we won't have the money to get him, despite the fact that Norwich had the money to sign Brooks.

There needs to be a signing that can help instill a bit of confidence because as things stand, its more of last year's dirge, after there being a false dawn of attacking football for a while which then went by the wayside.

 

[SE1Blade]

We need a couple of big units who have the ability to play a bit.

Harry Souttar is one that definitely ticks that box and he's a known quantity which seems to be the order of the day with anyone we sign. If we don't get him then maybe his brother as a first port of call to get someone at the back that the opposition strikers are a bit scared of.

I think Isaac Price is a decent player who's a big lad in the centre of the park, can play and has a goal in him but we won't have the money to get him, despite the fact that Norwich had the money to sign Brooks.

There needs to be a signing that can help instill a bit of confidence because as things stand, its more of last year's dirge, after there being a false dawn of attacking football for a while which then went by the wayside.

If we can’t get Souttar, then Dunne at QPR would got the mould. Would be pricey though as he signed a new contract last season.

 

[Pandev]

So we've made 2 signings

The other average number of signings in so far this window is 3.38 (not that you can sign .38 of a player).
The only clubs who've made fewer signings that us are Watford, Lincoln City, Cardiff and Blackburn- if you take these 4 out of the equation then the average jumps up to 3.94, or 4.06 if you ignore us.

So yes, we are behind other clubs in terms of the numbers of signings made; and we're definitely the only one who's not spent a transfer fee so far.

Don’t think Wrexham have signed anyone yet have they?