Could a fully fit Ched play behind the front two?

[Sean Thornton]

Generally this Evans thread has,more or less, kept to his perceived ability, or lack of it, on the pitch. These comments are a lot more interesting than reliving his trial, morality or imaginedmedia fallout. Be nice if it could stay that way.

 

[BushBlade]

I don’t see why this would even be a consideration? Apart from the fact that people desperate for him to play might think it gives him more of a chance. I just don’t get why everyone is so obsessed with getting him in the team.

Realistically unless he’s got loads better after being injured I can’t see him getting ANY game time this year... he’s more or less 6th choice striker at the moment... and even if 4 of the other forwards were injured I’d still expect us to play another midfielder (e.g Holmes) instead of him starting up top with one of said other 5.

Exactly. We don't need him. If he comes back, fights his way into the team and scores a few, good, if he doesn't, so what.

 

[Woodwardfan]

this obsession with Evans is ridiculous, I'd be very surprised if he starts 10 more games for us in his career.

He started more than 10 for us long ago

 

[Antonb]

You’re not making sense. His contract is performance related play.
If he’s shit he hardly costs anything. If he’s great then he’ll cost the club a lot of dosh.

So the deal makes logical sense.
The only downside is if we were totally reliant on him coming good.
However Wilder has that covered because he’s already got cover up front.
He’s already prepared for Ched to be a flop, so we can’t really lose.

Basically Ched is a calculated low cost risk, with unlikely but very high rewards.
And the other significant bit is that apparently he’s popular with the players so morale remains high.
The Ched deal is (exagerrating a bit) almost like buying a lottery ticket for a £1.

Cost of player . Paying for operation etc among other things. He needs to thank Clayton because he is the low risk bargain not ched.

 

[Pinchy]

The good news he's going to get the chance to prove himself all over again. I think he will not only be good but will get us challenging for the no2 spot. He will add a bit of fury up front or just behind the front two and won't be bullied

Do Leon and Clayton get bullied? Do either have less fire and fury than Trump Ched?

 

[Sheffsteel]

Only those two games plus the U23s last night.

I don't know how you can class signing Ched Evans as low risk – not just from a footballing perspective but a PR point of view.

Don’t know who you can say that Ched has been a high PR risk.
History shows that clubs usually bite the bullet and it blows over.
He’s been found not guilty and the media don’t seem interested, his newsworthiness has run it’s course.
It was obvious this would happen becuase now that he’s no longer guilty then media will be very careful regards what they say and print. Anything negative towards Ched could find then being sued.

Also morally there are dozens of players that have done stuff arguably worse.
Unless it’s illegal then almost every player is given a second and third chance (dependent on their value).

 

[Sheffsteel]

Cost of player . Paying for operation etc among other things. He needs to thank Clayton because he is the low risk bargain not ched.

Operation?
You make him sound like the 6 million dollar man.

If you or me arepaying for a private operation then I agree it’s expensive but for a club the size of SUFC it will be a nominal expense.
I’m not totally against your view that we’ve wasted our time signing him, time will tell.
I just think he (like every player) deserves a chance to prove himself.
He’s only fit from now, so I;ll reserve judgement on him until I’ve seen him in action during the 2nd half of the season.
However I’m very confident that Wilder and Knill will get rid if he’s not up to standard, so i’ll trust their judgement.

 

[Blade56]

He's had fun playing behind his front two before, why not again?

 

[Sheffsteel]

He's had fun playing behind his front two before, why not again?

Booooooooooo.......there’s always one....who has to lower the tone.

 

[cahill]

Was poor at championship level before he got banged up and got older and slower. Why would he be better now at this level?

Four years younger than Leon, five years younger than Donaldhino

 

[Steve Mackan]

Four years younger than Leon, five years younger than Donaldhino

I would never want Donaldson or Leon starting "behind the front two." If Ched Evan's started behind the front two, whether fit or not, I would genuinely question Wilder's knowledge of football. It will simply never happen.

Unfortunately, he will get the chance up front as one of a two. Even that makes me question Wilder a tad, but I'd love to be proved wrong as I'm sure the rest of the cynics would too.

Generally this Evans thread has,more or less, kept to his perceived ability, or lack of it, on the pitch. These comments are a lot more interesting than reliving his trial, morality or imaginedmedia fallout. Be nice if it could stay that way.

Here, here.

 

[Millhousesblade1889]

We do have a habit of writing players off sometimes without giving them a chance....Clarke (a lot of fans were not happy when we signed him initially), Coutts, Sharp (by some currently) and Stearman have all been slated by us fans and they've proved their worth.

Once he's fully fit anything is possible with Knill and Wilder working their magic....and there's a good player in Evans as he's shown previously albeit for one season.

 

[Tunstall Fred]

I think he would make a good goalie

 

[Tezza1889]

Ched will make a great option on the bench should we need him...

Ched will put pressure on the other strikers to keep up performances..

Ched is younger than three of our main strikers, so clearly not past it...

Should we have any injuries, Ched will be vital and especially if he’s match fit, he’ll be a real threat...

It’s likely that some of you knocking him now will be chanting his name like you are with Clarke, give the lad a chance... and a little more time, he played with an injury a few months ago knowing It would set him back further... he did that for the good of the team...think on.

 

[Tunstall Fred]

Ched will make a great option on the bench should we need him...

Ched will put pressure on the other strikers to keep up performances..

Ched is younger than three of our main strikers, so clearly not past it...

Should we have any injuries, Ched will be vital and especially if he’s match fit, he’ll be a real threat...

It’s likely that some of you knocking him now will be chanting his name like you are with Clarke, give the lad a chance... and a little more time, he played with an injury a few months ago knowing It would set him back further... he did that for the good of the team...think on.

Ched gets a chance in the team,Ched takes the chance,Ched goes on a goal scoring spree,which fires us to promotion,or our other strikers are in such magnificent form Ched can't get a look in,as we power to promotion,either will suit me

 

[Pedro's Winger]

Didn't want him here and in football terms he's been one of Wilder's failures so far as a signing.
Happy if it stays that away and others do the business.

 

[Tunstall Fred]

Didn't want him here and in football terms he's been one of Wilder's failures so far as a signing.
Happy if it stays that away and others do the business.

He can only be judged a failure if he plays games,he hasn't played enough games for anyone to judge him yet.

 

[Cerberus Blade]

Really?

I think he was one of the most impressive centre forwards we’ve had (at his peak) in all the time I’ve been watching.

Admittedly it was 1 season out of the 3, but he was simply unplayable that season, as his goal record testifies.

None of us know if he can get anywhere near that form. But, don’t write the lad off yet. There’s still time.

 

[TTMeysh]

I don't think stuff that happened off the pitch can be entirely left out of the equation.

FWIW, I would love to see Ched resurrect his career having suffered a grave miscarriage of justice. If nothing else it would make a good Sheffield United-themed movie. But Ched's tragedy is that his best years football-wise have been taken from him and there is nothing to suggest that he is going to be able to make up for them on the pitch. The evidence wasn't there when we signed him and it certainly isn't there now.

 

[Cerberus Blade]

I don't think stuff that happened off the pitch can be entirely left out of the equation.

FWIW, I would love to see Ched resurrect his career having suffered a grave miscarriage of justice. If nothing else it would make a good Sheffield United-themed movie. But Ched's tragedy is that his best years football-wise have been taken from him and there is nothing to suggest that he is going to be able to make up for them on the pitch. The evidence wasn't there when we signed him and it certainly isn't there now.

I agree with a lot of that mate. I just think that sometimes players have an “Indian Summer” of a career. Look at Vardy, look at Clarke! Ched can still can finish with a flourish. He’s not too old yet. But what’s between his ears is more important than anything really.

 

[8lade]

He will add a bit of fury up front or just behind the front two and won't be bullied

Who said that time in prison was wasted eh?

 

[Iceybabey]

Terrible suggestion. Does not have the attributes to play the number 10 role. Anyone who does has no clue about football.

 

[Gavlar]

Just to point out that since his return to pro football since Aug 2016 he has a record of 32 appearances and 7 goals (all goals were in league 1, though he has had just 7 appearances for us this season). He is 29 and we are hoping that he will be able to score goals to get us into the Premier League. He seems to be very injury prone now and goes from one injury to the next. Unlucky? Perhaps, or signs of bigger problems of his body getting used to full time pro football again? Who knows.

Despite all this he has ability and a turnaround of fortunes COULD of course happen. But the likelihood is pretty unlikely in my view.
I don't mind people finding this old thread and telling me i'm a twat in time if i'm wrong but time will tell.

It's sadly more likely that he will be let go, possibly at the end of the season and will finish his career in the lower leagues wondering what might have been.

 

[Sheffsteel]

Just to point out that since his return to pro football since Aug 2016 he has a record of 32 appearances and 7 goals (all goals were in league 1, though he has had just 7 appearances for us this season). He is 29 and we are hoping that he will be able to score goals to get us into the Premier League. He seems to be very injury prone now and goes from one injury to the next. Unlucky? Perhaps, or signs of bigger problems of his body getting used to full time pro football again? Who knows.

Despite all this he has ability and a turnaround of fortunes COULD of course happen. But the likelihood is pretty unlikely in my view.
I don't mind people finding this old thread and telling me i'm a twat in time if i'm wrong but time will tell.

It's sadly more likely that he will be let go, possibly at the end of the season and will finish his career in the lower leagues wondering what might have been.

What you’ve said makes logical sense
But you haven’t factored in the illogical magic of Sir Chris Wilder
He proves time and time again that he can improve ordinary players to produce the form of their lives.
Probably wise to keep an open mind, almost anything is possible whist Wilder is our manager.

 

[5tannington Blade]

What you’ve said makes logical sense
But you haven’t factored in the illogical magic of Sir Chris Wilder
He proves time and time again that he can improve ordinary players to produce the form of their lives.
Probably wise to keep an open mind, almost anything is possible whist Wilder is our manager.

He's a genious but he's not Jesus, he can't cure Ched's physical demise

 

[Bladeinleeds]

He can only be judged a failure if he plays games,he hasn't played enough games for anyone to judge him yet.

Not sure i agree with that.

The ability may or may not still be there (who knows?) but if you’re unfit for 95% of the games with long standing issues there’s not a lot to write home about is there?

It was always going to be a gamble signing, but I’m not sure anyone can honestly say it’s been worthwhile so far. I guess time will tell if it will be judged as a failed signing or not.

 

[PeterNdlovu081]

I highly doubt Evans will ever start another match for us.

Certainly not in the league.

 

[Tom Bott]

I think he will play a part on Saturday, looking forward to it.

 

[dc_blade]

The Ched Evans of 2011/12 would've been a huge asset in the Championship. It's not hard to imagine the momentum of that season carrying over into further success and a really good career. He certainly looked to have all the assets.

But as things stand, that's the only good season in his career and he's now 29 and plagued by persistent injury problems after a long time out of the game. He's our 5th choice striker--when and where will he get the game time to get back up to speed? Maybe he'll come off the bench on Saturday. Maybe we win and get another winnable draw in the next round and he gets another game then. But I wouldn't want to see him playing when the stakes are high and we have fitter, fresher players to choose from.

We've done the lad a favour and given him a year to get back on his feet when many, many clubs wouldn't have done the same. But unless something miraculous happens I can't see him being a big part of our plans going forward.

 

[Gavlar]

What you’ve said makes logical sense
But you haven’t factored in the illogical magic of Sir Chris Wilder
He proves time and time again that he can improve ordinary players to produce the form of their lives.
Probably wise to keep an open mind, almost anything is possible whist Wilder is our manager.

I agree that Wilder has ability to turn people's careers around. But I'm skeptical that even he can do that this time.

If it does happen then fairplay to Ched and Wilder.