Ask yourself this..

[William Henry Foulkes]

Fair comments but who are these CBs? Look a few posts up, pommpey, rightly in my view, points out the fact that if we look at it, we have very few indeed.

Which is why I agree we do need to sign someone (or sometwo) in this position.

(And more to the point so does Adkins )

A confident McEveley, say, is a different player from the nervous wreck who finished last season.

My concern would be either he's not improved enough - so far they've done enough, or if he makes a mistake - and he will because everyone does, it's Division 3 - then a negative reaction will adversely affect him and we'll ending up having to allocate limited resources to a new player when there could have been no need for it.

 

[Silent Blade]

What about when we beat Leicester 4-1 with a few new signings in the side and went on to win promotion to the Premier League?

We were lucky in that match. It was all Leicester until we scored the 2nd goal

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

What about when we beat Leicester 4-1 with a few new signings in the side and went on to win promotion to the Premier League?

That was an expected, a bit like every season we've had in the third.

Beat Gillingham 4-1 and it will not have a wow factor.

Beating Sunderland in the way we did when it was unexpected had the wow factor.

Hope that helps.

 

[SwissBlade]

Firstly, i'd like to point out I think the signings so far have been decent, but ask yourself this..

Whilst travelling home from Swindon, or after watching it wherever, a game in which our defence leaked 3 goals in the space of 10 minutes, could you ever envisage being 4 days to go till the start of the new season and still without any new signings at CB?

No, me neither, and yet here we are, 4 days to go, without any new CB's..

Not pointing the blame at anyone but I find it quite extraordinary given how many games and points we lost as a result of our abomination of a defence last season.

Yeah but we signed Billy Sharp....

Joking aside, this is a very intelligent post. I'd go even further and say that we haven't really answered the central midfield issue either.

Perhaps James Wallace is the answer, but given that Jose has had his little issue over the summer, Doyle has gone, Scoogs has several question marks based on last season, Coutts doesn't seem fit, Cuvelier is another question mark, Jason Holt has gone back, it kind of just leaves us with Kieran Wallace, Reed and Basham... Given that we have central defensive frailties hanging over from last season, its reasonable to think that Basham may well end up having to fill in at the back.

I thought at times last season McEveley looked decent, but when he was alongside Kennedy or possibly Brayford. Neither looks to be available any time before end of Sept/ Oct and so we're left with Basham and Collins just now. McGahey is both inexperienced and injured, so its a big concern.

Lets hope that Super Billy starts banging in the goals and we can play just two at the back...

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

I think the negative fans have a list of concerns written by the side of their computer, then once they are addressed they move onto the next one, till that goes

relax , itll all come out in the wash

It's a very short list this season.
Guess what it says?

The squad and manager are in place, so much so that we are not moaning and bitching about Brayford and Done being injured.

Looking forward to a good season, just hope my fears are not realised with the defence.
That said if we go out and score four goals each match because we know we're going to concede will make for excellent viewing.

 

[Lane Ender]

I'm sure the CB situation is in hand having said that I'm positive the majority of the division would like to be starting their season with squads like ours.

 

[bladesadviser]

That was an expected, a bit like every season we've had in the third.

Beat Gillingham 4-1 and it will not have a wow factor.

Beating Sunderland in the way we did when it was unexpected had the wow factor.

Hope that helps.

To be honest if we beat Gillingham 4-1 on Saturday it will have a wow factor from me after last season

 

[pommpey]

I'm sure the CB situation is in hand having said that I'm positive the majority of the division would like to be starting their season with squads like ours.

Blue sky thinking.

Twelve months ago, the mood on here was 'Fuck me. We finished SEVENTH! and we took City Hull to 5-3 at Wembley in the semis! Cluff is our fucking SAVIOUR! With a squad like ours ... we will WALK this fucking division.'

First game in tells us everything we need to know.

The video evidence tells me we will ship goals this season, so the batch of strikers need to be banging them in at the other end. The only real threat we have and retain, is Murphy from the flanks.

I am not content we are anywhere prepared for a promotion battle.

pommpey

 

[Rodley]

Stop panicking FFS. Adkins says hes going to address the issue its more important that he gets the right player/s in and sometimes it takes time or movement elsewhere in the market to make this happen

Agreed. Hasn't NA said this much when being interviewed?

 

[Rodley]

Blue sky thinking.

Twelve months ago, the mood on here was 'Fuck me. We finished SEVENTH! and we took City Hull to 5-3 at Wembley in the semis! Cluff is our fucking SAVIOUR! With a squad like ours ... we will WALK this fucking division.'

First game in tells us everything we need to know.

The video evidence tells me we will ship goals this season, so the batch of strikers need to be banging them in at the other end. The only real threat we have and retain, is Murphy from the flanks.

I am not content we are anywhere prepared for a promotion battle.

pommpey

The only real threat is Murphy? Behave yourself!

 

[Fiery Blade]

Whilst we should all be behind Mr Adkins and his team I for one am not that convinced that we have it right for automatic promotion
His signings of Woolford, Sharp and Sammon will not automatically create success on the field - Collins and McEverley are a disaster waiting to happen and we have a worrying list of injuries Brayford, Kennedy, McGahey, Coutts, Flynn, JCR, Done, Harris Alcock - James Wallace will probably not survive the first match without injury - where is Cuvelier ???
Really disappointed with Woolford - he offers nothing more than our existing midfielders, Sammon is no better than Higdon and Billy will be a disappointment for the third time in his Blades career - all in all a bit depressing on the eve of a new season !

 

[Barney]

Whilst we should all be behind Mr Adkins and his team I for one am not that convinced that we have it right for automatic promotion
His signings of Woolford, Sharp and Sammon will not automatically create success on the field - Collins and McEverley are a disaster waiting to happen and we have a worrying list of injuries Brayford, Kennedy, McGahey, Coutts, Flynn, JCR, Done, Harris Alcock - James Wallace will probably not survive the first match without injury - where is Cuvelier ???
Really disappointed with Woolford - he offers nothing more than our existing midfielders, Sammon is no better than Higdon and Billy will be a disappointment for the third time in his Blades career - all in all a bit depressing on the eve of a new season !

Fiery I thought you were one of those overwhelmingly positive ones on this forum, you have shocked me you negative sod.

I agree with you mostly on Woolford but thus far i'm happy with Sammon and Sharp to offer more options up front. Sharp and Adams are capable of 35+ goals between them in a season I think so no problems in the attacking department.

Just need those centre backs now and fast, and to those saying it's panicking, it's not, it's simply advising getting in what is required.

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

Blue sky thinking.

Twelve months ago, the mood on here was 'Fuck me. We finished SEVENTH! and we took City Hull to 5-3 at Wembley in the semis! Cluff is our fucking SAVIOUR! With a squad like ours ... we will WALK this fucking division.'

First game in tells us everything we need to know.

The video evidence tells me we will ship goals this season, so the batch of strikers need to be banging them in at the other end. The only real threat we have and retain, is Murphy from the flanks.

I am not content we are anywhere prepared for a promotion battle.

pommpey

We've gone through pre-season unbeaten, scored 4 a couple of times, outplayed Hull for long stretches of the game, and matched Newcastle - albeit of course not in full-blooded games.

The defence or more accurately the defending seems to be better organised, and there is certainly more directness about the attack.

We'll see after Satdi, but for now preparations couldn't have gone much better.

There is need for improvement all over the pitch - but that applies to pretty much any team in the world.

 

[blade too long]

It's a very short list this season.
Guess what it says?

The squad and manager are in place, so much so that we are not moaning and bitching about Brayford and Done being injured.

Looking forward to a good season, just hope my fears are not realised with the defence.
That said if we go out and score four goals each match because we know we're going to concede will make for excellent viewing.

thing is adkins is still feeling his way in , dont want the toys out of the pram if we dont win on saturday
a defeat would mean the seasons over , in fact might learn more in one reverse than 5 easy wins , not that I want us to lose, just saying , its a 46 game haul , I expect the odd setback , just expect over 46 games to come out smiling

 

[pommpey]

The only real threat is Murphy? Behave yourself!

Sharp = untested with the team
Done = injured
Sammon = see Sharp
McNulty = Well, he's banging them in for my FIFA15 team ...

Anyone else?

ST

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

I agree with you mostly on Woolford but thus far i'm happy with Sammon and Sharp to offer more options up front. Sharp and Adams are capable of 35+ goals between them in a season I think so no problems in the attacking department.

Just need those centre backs now and fast, and to those saying it's panicking, it's not, it's simply advising getting in what is required.

Woolford seems to be improving fast. His first game he couldn't do anything right and looked about 5 divisions out of his depth, but he acknowledged as much. Against Hull I thought we began to see signs of what he can do (movement, drive, and crossing) and can't do (use his right foot). From the little I've seen he gets the ball in earlier than other options we have out there.

For me Sammon looked very good against Newscatle, he brought others into the game and was rugby tackled after a great touch - which led to Morgs's free kick.

Sharp, like Murphy, looked to be playing a division below where he belongs. It's these sorts of players that really propel the team forward.

As previously posted CBs are important - but not the emergency they were. And we have to prioritise limited resources.

 

[Fiery Blade]

Fiery I thought you were one of those overwhelmingly positive ones on this forum, you have shocked me you negative sod.

I agree with you mostly on Woolford but thus far i'm happy with Sammon and Sharp to offer more options up front. Sharp and Adams are capable of 35+ goals between them in a season I think so no problems in the attacking department.

Just need those centre backs now and fast, and to those saying it's panicking, it's not, it's simply advising getting in what is required.

Rather than being branded positive or negative I prefer to think I am realistic!
I have not gone overboard with the appointment of Mr Adkins and his team but with his 'track' record I am cautiously optimistic - Watching the Newcastle game I believe that Sheffield United fans probably have less to worry about this season than their counterparts on Tyneside but in that game we missed a host of chances and were very sloppy at the back - I would be less concerned if Brayford,Harris and Done were fit and we had things in place to replace Collins & McEverley and do not share most peoples view that Billy Big Boots will be the answer to our problems !
Realistically my views may be misguided - lets hope so !

 

[Grecian2000]

I find it interesting that so many people are very patient about us making these signings. The likely reaction if Clough hadn't made any defensive signings would have been so different (even if he'd brought Collins back into the fold).

Ahh, not just me then.

Four days until season starts. Summer signings amount to a couple of Nigel's "old boys" and a Derby reserve and no CB's.
There would be people in the car park with hoods, burning crosses and nooses at the ready if we still had the old manager (oh, and the worlds worst scouting system) in place.
Strange times.

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

Sharp = untested with the team
Done = injured
Sammon = see Sharp
McNulty = Well, he's banging them in for my FIFA15 team ...

Anyone else?

ST

In six first team pre-season games we scored 13 goals:

DCL, Higgopotamus, Baxter, Collins, K Freeman, McNulty, OG (always handy), Sharp, Murphy all scored 1
Adams scored 4

We're a Big Red Goal Machine.

 

[Fiery Blade]

In six first team pre-season games we scored 13 goals:

DCL, Higgopotamus, Baxter, Collins, K Freeman, McNulty, OG (always handy), Sharp, Murphy all scored 1
Adams scored 4

We're a Big Red Goal Machine.

Ten of the goals were against much lower grade opposition Macclesfield, Ilkeston, Cheltenham and Exeter !
I'll start to believe the hype when they start scoring against teams that play in the same league !

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

we missed a host of chances

This is the only concern. Adkins himself said it at Macclesfield I believe - even after we'd got 4. Will we be "ruing those missed chances".

and were very sloppy at the back

Don't see this. We only really got into trouble when we overplayed it. This has happened a couple of times but maybe it's the price you pay for trying to play progressively. Against Hull, from memory, Howard made one good strong save when we let their player cut across and shoot but apart from that didn't have much to do.

The goal seemed to come from nothing: everything seemed to be under control...and then the ball was in our net - and the video doesn't help. It seemed to be a £10m striker up against a developing LB, who till then had had a very good game - and might really not even have been at fault for the goal.

 

[Fiery Blade]

This is the only concern. Adkins himself said it at Macclesfield I believe - even after we'd got 4. Will we be "ruing those missed chances".



Don't see this. We only really got into trouble when we overplayed it. This has happened a couple of times but maybe it's the price you pay for trying to play progressively. Against Hull, from memory, Howard made one good strong save when we let their player cut across and shoot but apart from that didn't have much to do.

The goal seemed to come from nothing: everything seemed to be under control...and then the ball was in our net - and the video doesn't help. It seemed to be a £10m striker up against a developing LB, who till then had had a very good game - and might really not even have been at fault for the goal.

I think you will find that Collins gave the ball away to start the move that create the goal !

 

[pommpey]

The goal seemed to come from nothing: everything seemed to be under control...and then the ball was in our net - and the video doesn't help. It seemed to be a £10m striker up against a developing LB, who till then had had a very good game - and might really not even have been at fault for the goal.

Mate that cross went diagnoally into the box over the casualy strolling nuts of our two central defenders, leaving said £10m player to deal with his tracking man. He did just that.

The Newcastle goals - number one was a clamitous fuck up and the second a pretty unremarkable ball to the back stick.

Let me just re-emphasise - we have the potential to score goals this season. But that will amount to fuck all if we leak goals needlessly.

ST

 

[Sothall_Blade]

We've been waiting and seeing since Vas made his debut.

Been along time since that Sunderland game and that was the last time we started a season showing intent.

What about when we beat Leicester 4-1 with a few new signings in the side and went on to win promotion to the Premier League?

That was an expected, a bit like every season we've had in the third.

Beat Gillingham 4-1 and it will not have a wow factor.

Beating Sunderland in the way we did when it was unexpected had the wow factor.

Hope that helps.

We only lost once in the first 11 matches that season and twice in the first 20 matches.
I didn't expect that and it certainly showed intent.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

Rather than being branded positive or negative I prefer to think I am realistic!
I have not gone overboard with the appointment of Mr Adkins and his team but with his 'track' record I am cautiously optimistic - Watching the Newcastle game I believe that Sheffield United fans probably have less to worry about this season than their counterparts on Tyneside but in that game we missed a host of chances and were very sloppy at the back - I would be less concerned if Brayford,Harris and Done were fit and we had things in place to replace Collins & McEverley and do not share most peoples view that Billy Big Boots will be the answer to our problems !
Realistically my views may be misguided - lets hope so !

you echo my sentiments totally - lets hope we are both wrong

UTB

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

Let me just re-emphasise - we have the potential to score goals this season. But that will amount to fuck all if we leak goals needlessly.

Unless, in enough games, we score more than we needlessly concede.

And that seems to be part of the plan.

 

[kop_blade9]

Sharp = untested with the team
Done = injured
Sammon = see Sharp
McNulty = Well, he's banging them in for my FIFA15 team ...

Anyone else?

ST

Adams?
Scored 4 pre-season. Ok, unproven in the league but you cannot deny he has a huge potential

 

[pommpey]

Adams?
Scored 4 pre-season. Ok, unproven in the league but you cannot deny he has a huge potential

Yes - but do you not see Adams as more of an attacking midfielder who can basiclly play anywhere across behind the front two? He does have potential and as shown against Spurs, has a good tactical awareness and finishing ability. But I'd rather Done/Sammon/Baxter (possibly) do all the busy end of it leaving Adams to maraude for the second ball and exploit chances the defence miss.

pommpey

 

[kop_blade9]

Yes - but do you not see Adams as more of an attacking midfielder who can basiclly play anywhere across behind the front two? He does have potential and as shown against Spurs, has a good tactical awareness and finishing ability. But I'd rather Done/Sammon/Baxter (possibly) do all the busy end of it leaving Adams to maraude for the second ball and exploit chances the defence miss.

pommpey

No
I see him as an attacker.
He has looked a natural goal scorer in pre season. Just hope he can push on and be a regular first teamer.

 

[metalblade]

Off course we could have signed a centre back weeks if not months ago, that is if an old crock who hasn't kicked a ball for three years for Derby is what you all want. And there is the difference, we are not taking chances on players recovering from serious injuries like Coutts, Wallace and the next would have been Steven Davies and Shaun Barker. While Woolford, Sammon and Sharpe might not set everyone's pulses racing they are unlikely to break down to a previous injury and all come from a higher level which is all good. We have enough injured players mostly with knocks from last season or even longer to worry about without taking chances on the likes of Shaun Barker, yes it would be nice to have a few CB's signed up already but NA has only been here about a month or so compared to the last incumbent who had all season to bring in replacements for the situation of his own making. I find it inconceivable that NA doesn't know we need CB's we will sign at least one and bring some in on loan if necessary.