Too many average players

[FTPE]

We have an awfully assembled squad, not all Wilder’s fault, but he’s had two windows now and also signed Cannon.

And aside from Jairo, we are the only club in the top two divisions to have a fully British / Irish squad. That says it all about how modern and effective our recruitment is and Wilder’s outlook. Even Bolton and Lincoln have a more diverse squad than ours.

What about chong? We've got Nils as well.
Suppose you'd want more Jefferson Cáceres', Christian Nwachukwu' and Simane's.
Not sure you automatically get more points for being diverse.

 

[Jan Age]

Meanwhile we are handing out contracts to players who can’t manage a full 90 and look disinterested most of the time … crack on United

 

[Borbokisfreekick]

You’re right, I thought Chong was from Manchester as he came through Man U’s academy.

Nils is frozen out of the squad and not a Wilder signing either.

What I would like is a modern management, scouting and recruitment team that search Europe, South American and Asia for talented players to sign, like every Premier League club and most ambitious forward thinking Championship clubs.

Or even just go and try and sign the likes of Chair, Louza or Morishita from the Championship…but I doubt we’d even try and do that given they’re not English.

We could have signed tried to sign Chair the last time we came down from the Premier league, and never even made an effort. The lad is an outstanding talent playing for chuffing QPR!

What about chong? We've got Nils as well.
Suppose you'd want more Jefferson Cáceres', Christian Nwachukwu' and Simane's.
Not sure you automatically get more points for being diverse.

 

[Darren William]

You’re right, I thought Chong was from Manchester as he came through Man U’s academy.

Nils is frozen out of the squad and not a Wilder signing either.

What I would like is a modern management, scouting and recruitment team that search Europe, South American and Asia for talented players to sign, like every Premier League club and most ambitious forward thinking Championship clubs.

Or even just go and try and sign the likes of Chair, Louza or Morishita from the Championship…but I doubt we’d even try and do that given they’re not English.

We could have signed tried to sign Chair the last time we came down from the Premier league, and never even made an effort. The lad is an outstanding talent playing for chuffing QPR!

The recruitments shocking all needs changing personal ,never mind just the coaching staff as in knill .

 

[Champagneblade]

I think there’s a player in Romelle Donovan - he’s still only 19 - he’s showing flickers of talent. I just hope he can show more attacking threat and continue building a partnership with Seriki a’la Brooks.

Phillips will be an interesting one. Swap him in for Peck.

I’d try:

Cooper
Seriki Tanganga McGuinness McCallum
Riedewald
Donovan Phillips Rothwell
Ohare
Bamford

Riedewald provides extra protection.
Ohare has free rein in the 10 role.
Encourage Phillips to feed COH/Bamford.
Donovan/Seriki is the outlet.

We hear too often of culture carriers.

I get it, if your squad consists of Bash, Billy, Norwood, Baldock, Courts, Didz, Henderson...demanding standards.

For all the focus that we still supposedly place on this, who's carrying the culture at the moment?!

You’re looking towards Peck, Bamford, Tanganga, Arblaster, all of whom with the exception of Bamford, are relatively young or new to leadership.

I suppose you could argue that the recent recruitment of Doherty, Phillips and going back a little further, Rothwell, should add experience and knowhow to the group.

 

[Champagneblade]

I dont mind us playing long ball football if we are set up to play it. I loved it under Bassett. However we are playing it with a team full of players who were signed to play the passing game.

I don’t think we meant to do that. It just seemed after the first ten minutes of total ball dominance we lacked composure for a while. It’s obvious we need an outlet on the left isn’t it? Someone to just take the ball and run at pace and create space elsewhere. Someone like Jack Clarke would be ideal though I’d be surprised if they let him go. They have Maeda now, so perhaps he is first pick but as Philogene seems to want to leave then Clarke would be next up.

 

[Blades1971]

I watched Watford v Southampton yesterday. In the first half Watford played on the front foot and were quite aggressive. Southampton couldn't deal with it. They made them look very ordinary. Perhaps we could try this style.
They did have two big cbs though

 

[Kozzy_is_my_Dad]

I watched Watford v Southampton yesterday. In the first half Watford played on the front foot and were quite aggressive. Southampton couldn't deal with it. They made them look very ordinary. Perhaps we could try this style.
They did have two big cbs though

We're more likely to aim for looking very ordinary and not able to deal with the opposition, TBF...

 

[ckpe147]

You’re right, I thought Chong was from Manchester as he came through Man U’s academy.

Nils is frozen out of the squad and not a Wilder signing either.

What I would like is a modern management, scouting and recruitment team that search Europe, South American and Asia for talented players to sign, like every Premier League club and most ambitious forward thinking Championship clubs.

Or even just go and try and sign the likes of Chair, Louza or Morishita from the Championship…but I doubt we’d even try and do that given they’re not English.

We could have signed tried to sign Chair the last time we came down from the Premier league, and never even made an effort. The lad is an outstanding talent playing for chuffing QPR!

I bet you QPR will finish above us this season.
Their squad has been assembled well over the last couple of years. They've got quick, talented players everywhere, defense has two players that should have been signed by us (Dunne + Edwards), and the midfield has only been strengthened with the addition of Kamara.
They targeted the league below with additions like Kone, Burrell, Poku and Mbengue. All players we could have looked at.

 

[sheepbridge]

To many average players
Not enough any good
Too many Ivo's not enough heros
Coming up with the goods


Sorry Paul, that's terrible, I know.
Ruined one of the best songs ever.

 

[54yrblade]

Brum bullied us all over the pitch! And they'll not be the first to do it this season, we're a soft touch sadly.

The 2016-20 Blades side put this current lot into the shade.

Wilder was rightly proud of them, as were we all.

The drop off in fitness and attitude is very clear but we don't ask difficult questions of CW and the off field team.

We are entitled to ask what happened since that changed it down the gears?

The days of a 'proper Sheffield united performance' are long gone.

 

[ancientblade]

No , Wilder's fault that we kept hoofing up to our strikers - doesn't he see what's happening in a game or can't he think how to correct it ?

spot on he seems devoid of ideas to change things round maybe missing knilly but your right weve a squad of mid table players at the minute im afraid and unless we bring 3/4 players in that are genuine contenders for a place in the starting line up mid table is where we will finish think its as simple as that

 

[Kenilworth]

You’re right, I thought Chong was from Manchester as he came through Man U’s academy.

Nils is frozen out of the squad and not a Wilder signing either.

What I would like is a modern management, scouting and recruitment team that search Europe, South American and Asia for talented players to sign, like every Premier League club and most ambitious forward thinking Championship clubs.

Or even just go and try and sign the likes of Chair, Louza or Morishita from the Championship…but I doubt we’d even try and do that given they’re not English.

We could have signed tried to sign Chair the last time we came down from the Premier league, and never even made an effort. The lad is an outstanding talent playing for chuffing QPR!

Watford have the link with Udinese because of ownership connections. Thats why they have a conveyor belt of players and managers from that region. I’ll bet you get Watford fans bemoaning the fact that their recruitment is one dimensional and that they’d like some spine in their team.

We’re not a prem club
We’re not set up with the infrastructure to manage a wider catchment.
If you’re not set for that then you pay an agency to do that for you (what other clubs do)
It’s not as simple as you make it out to be.

 

[Wizard]

O'Hare looks lost on the left. Was not in the game at all on Saturday. He's great in the middle but doesn't really complement Bamford in a 2 since neither stretch the pitch as both want to drop in and link play. He worked best with Gyokeres at Coventry who was a fantastic focal point striker that could simultaneously stretch play while also competing physically against opposing centre backs to hold the ball up. Neither Cannon nor Campbell offer that combination so O'Hare ends up not really having a natural place in the team. He clearly pairs best profile-wise with One but that leaves Bamford out the side who has been fantastic since joining.

We're also severely lacking in quality out wide post Brooks and Hamer sales which dulls our attack.

 

[Borbokisfreekick]

Watford have the link with Udinese because of ownership connections. Thats why they have a conveyor belt of players and managers from that region. I’ll bet you get Watford fans bemoaning the fact that their recruitment is one dimensional and that they’d like some spine in their team.

We’re not a prem club
We’re not set up with the infrastructure to manage a wider catchment.
If you’re not set for that then you pay an agency to do that for you (what other clubs do)
It’s not as simple as you make it out to be.

With the resources that have passed through the club in the past 7 years then we should absolutely have a version of this in place, it doesn't have to be as big as an established Premier League club, but at least something more modern and wide reaching than what we have. This is the problem. There doesn't appear to have been a high level of investment or planning put into this. How we still don't have some form of Technical Director / Director of football at the club is also connected to this.

Thats the point. We have stood still, whilst other "smaller" clubs have completely passed us by in this area.

 

[Kenilworth]

With the resources that have passed through the club in the past 7 years then we should absolutely have a version of this in place, it doesn't have to be as big as an established Premier League club, but at least something more modern and wide reaching than what we have. This is the problem. There doesn't appear to have been a high level of investment or planning put into this. How we still don't have some form of Technical Director / Director of football at the club is also connected to this.

Thats the point. We have stood still, whilst other "smaller" clubs have completely passed us by in this area.

I believe you drastically underestimate how much such a set up of those proportions costs. Your comment about not appearing to have been a high level of investment alludes to it but the figures required are way above what we got for those seasons in the prem.

But, hey, DoF

Also, which smaller clubs have passed us by?

 

[Borbokisfreekick]

I believe you drastically underestimate how much such a set up of those proportions costs. Your comment about not appearing to have been a high level of investment alludes to it but the figures required are way above what we got for those seasons in the prem.

But, hey, DoF

Also, which smaller clubs have passed us by?

It can be done on a moderate budget and creatively with the right structure, it comes down to where you decide and spend your resources and thinking long term. The strategy and planning is needed, hence the need for DoF or technical director. Leaving it up to a manager who lasts around 18 months on average and his mate as a scout is hardly a strategy for long term recruitment and succession planning.

Smaller or similar sized clubs that have passed us by....Brentford, Bournemouth, Burnley, Crystal Palace, Brighton, Ipswich, Nottingham Forest.

Leeds are a much bigger club than us, but we had a year head start on them in getting to the Premier League, even then, look at some of the players they unearthed from beyond the British isles.

The most glaring issue at the club is the recruitment of players, lack of long term structure, lack of overseas scouting, and over the past 7 years a lack of investment in the space. I don't see how that is even a debate, its clear for anyone to see. Hence why we have such an average squad.

Every top club in the world and pretty much every top flight team has some form of director of football or technical director. We still haven't managed to even get that in place.