Cresswell out now!

[Vistoma]

the injuries just keep piling up, this could really expose Blackwell/McCabes wafer thin squad.


http://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk/sport/Cresswell-injury-blow.5713763.jp


Richard Cresswell is another shock Sheffield United casualty as manager Kevin Blackwell faces a mounting injury crisis.
The striker on loan from Stoke suffered two cracked ribs in the act of scoring the equaliser in last Saturday's 1-1 draw with Doncaster, the Telegraph can reveal.

It also emerges today that Blackwell is close to landing Birmingham's former Coventry forward Gary McSheffrey amid his latest sweep for reinforcements.

But the search is widening with midfielder Nick Montgomery also heading for a lengthy lay-off. And the Blades boss is hampered by restrictions on his ever-increasing set of loan players.

United are also paying a high price for Cresswell's brave diving header on his first start for the club. "Richard smashed into the post when he scored that goal and has cracked his ribs," said Blackwell last night.

"He's now a massive doubt for our next game at Scunthorpe."

The latest blow has struck just as Blackwell was preparing to ensure a full complement of four strikers by tieing up a deal for McSheffrey. That is now not the only recruitment business on his crowded agenda ahead of two successive away games after the international break, including a trip to Blackpool.

I understand McSheffrey wants to come to Bramall Lane and that a loan pending a possible full transfer is being discussed.

The fee would be substantial albeit significantly less than the £4m McSheffrey cost when he joined Birmingham from Coventry three years ago.

The nippy 27-year-old, who can play wide or as a central frontman, has managed just 20 goals from limited appearances at Birmingham whose promotion to the Premiership has restricted his chances.

However, he had an impressive record at Coventry, boasting 53 goals from 123 starts. Blackwell sees McSheffrey as the perfect cover - and competitor - for the injured Jamie Ward. Cresswell was brought in to joust with Darius Henderson and Ched Evans, though he filled a gap wide on the left last week.

Another big hole has now opened up in midfield where United were already lacking summer signing Lee Williamson. Fellow recruit James Harper has a knee problem while Montgomery, who keeps re-establishing himself as an important presence, could be out until Christmas with ligament damage.

It all leaves Blackwell wrestling with diminishing options that may now revert to signing out-of-contract players who are searching for clubs so that he does not overstretch his loan allocation.

"The problem is that I've got six on loan and can only use five," he said. "I may have to start leaving people out because I can't play them all. It's just unfortunate. Every club has a spell like this occasionally and we'll just have to battle through."

Sixth place against the context of upheaval on this scale, not forgetting the enormous turnover of players last summer, is a creditable achievement.

 

[dingledog]

If it wasn't for bad luck we would have no luck at all.

 

[Micalijo]

Without fail, Blackwell's comments make me feel ill.

To hear him going on about having too many loan players is just a joke. 'I may have to start leaving players out' and to then talk about an injury crisis - pathetic. This injury to Cresswell should at least mean he could play the other 5.

If he had constructed his sqaud properly in the summer we wouldn't have to listen to this rubbish and he could sign some loan players now to solve the injury problem

Granted, he is unlucky that Monty, Willo and Harper are injured at the same time

 

[Sensiblade]

Without fail, Blackwell's comments make me feel ill.

To hear him going on about having too many loan players is just a joke. 'I may have to start leaving players out' and to then talk about an injury crisis - pathetic. This injury to Cresswell should at least mean he could play the other 5.

If he had constructed his sqaud properly in the summer we wouldn't have to listen to this rubbish and he could sign some loan players now to solve the injury problem

Granted, he is unlucky that Monty, Willo and Harper are injured at the same time

Would you rather him Lie and say everything is fine and we have cover in every department?

He obviously planned to have all these injuries at the same time while having 6 loan players

 

[Linz]

You know lads, I just don't think this season is going to be our season

 

[Foxy]

Still at least some booed him for cracking his ribs eh

Makes you proud.

 

[MAQ]

Still at least some booed him for cracking his ribs eh

Makes you proud.

Actually, i wont boo him until he's snapped his tibia.......

No ambition that lad!

LEGAL DISCLAIMER: For the idiots out there, take this as confirmation that the above isnt true and is sarcasm. I dont want this to happen at all. Thank you That is all.

 

[Robbie]

He obviously planned to have all these injuries at the same time while having 6 loan players

Nobody plans to have injuries of course.

But normally teams have a back up option.... in the championship and lower this is usually the loan market. Something we have now exhausted prior to these injuries.

So yes it is bad planning.

 

[Fiery Blade]

How many teams have six loan players on the books by the end of September!
It was obvious to everybody that following the sale of Bromby and Hendrie, Carney, Sharp (loan), and Howard prior to the closing of the transfer window left the squad unacceptingly thin and whilst nobody envisages a bad injury crisis our track record is not that good. Naysmith is long term,now so is Monty and Wardy, Fortune and Little have been struggling to get fit since they came in the pre season and of course whilst there was conjecture as to the length of ban Paddy would get everybody on here knew that he would get one!
It is not Mr McCabes or Mr Blackwells finest hour when it comes to planning and many would say we brought it on ourselves.
Don't bleat on Mr Blackwell -you got us in this mess get us out of it!

 

[Micalijo]

Would you rather him Lie and say everything is fine and we have cover in every department?

He obviously planned to have all these injuries at the same time while having 6 loan players

Nice try, but you'll have to try alot harder than that.

If you use loan players to fill your squad, rather than to replace injured players, this is what you end up with - a total shambles.

 

[alcoblade]

Without fail, Blackwell's comments make me feel ill.

To hear him going on about having too many loan players is just a joke. 'I may have to start leaving players out' and to then talk about an injury crisis - pathetic. This injury to Cresswell should at least mean he could play the other 5.

If he had constructed his sqaud properly in the summer we wouldn't have to listen to this rubbish and he could sign some loan players now to solve the injury problem

Granted, he is unlucky that Monty, Willo and Harper are injured at the same time

how can ypu form such an opinion of Blackwell without any knowledge of the financial constraints he's under?

My suggestion - the next time you feel ill remind yourself that it's very unlikely Blackwell wanted to get rid of half the squad for his own aims.

UTB

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

There is s flip side to this coin.

If McSheffrey is on his way come January (12 weeks/13matches) we will have had a damn good look at all those loanees and who knows some made permanent.

It isn't how we wanted this to run, by any stretch, but come January we could have a very good squad. I think we could line up deals for quite a few of these players for not a great deal of money. Cresswell, McSheffrey, Harper, Treacy and Davies could all be added permanently. They all know the club, how it runs, the manager and their clubs want them out, therefore you would hope to aviod the agent problems which have dogged us.
We are playing poorly at the minute but still top 6 with a lot of these players back in a couple of weeks.

I would say that having these guys (or a least some of them) as permanent means that come January the number of loanee's isn't an issue.
Which I would argue gives us a damn strong squad for the final push, and as I've posted somewhere on here, a typical hardworking, aggressive, Sheffield United type squad. One which I would say is more able to handle the battles which you need to win to go up via the playoffs.
Put another way I'd be a lot more confident of us actually winning at Wembley with the likes of Cresswell, McSheffrey, Evans, Hendo, and Ward, playing than Halford, Quinn, Howard, Beattie, Lupoli from last year.

 

[alcoblade]

Don't bleat on Mr Blackwell -you got us in this mess get us out of it!

ditto above.

UTB

 

[Micalijo]

how can ypu form such an opinion of Blackwell without any knowledge of the financial constraints he's under?

My suggestion - the next time you feel ill remind yourself that it's very unlikely Blackwell wanted to get rid of half the squad for his own aims.

UTB

You can't play the financial restriction card when remembering we signed Evans, who KB doesn't deem good enough for an automatic starting point.

Deep down KB loves the fiscal troubles and this injury crisis because it gives him an excuse. Trust me, I am right on that one - human nature.

Bob - I don't think there are any funds available for transfer fees without sales happening first.

 

[beightonblade]

Oh dear .......... it looks like the bad management at BDTBL is being exposed.

Brewery, piss up and run ? :thumbdown:

 

[bricktop]

Another morning, and yet another thread hijacked by the usual protagonists.

Doesn't matter if we have got all these loan signings, the squad does look a stronger than it did last year, its just a shame we are getting hammered with loads of injuries.

Whose fault is that. Blackwell for training them too hard/not hard enough. Ellis for being a pig/Blackwell's mouthpiece, McCabe for not being ambitious enough to buy 5 personal trainers for every player, or Chengdu_qwade for not putting enough sugar in Sam Ellis's morning cup of tea

 

[MAQ]

Oh dear .......... it looks like the bad management at BDTBL is being exposed.

Brewery, piss up and run ? :thumbdown:

How, in all that is rational, can you blame the current situation on bad management?

The latest Injury is down to a player applying himself to the cause and injuring himself in the process. How the hell is the management to blame for the post being exactly where cresswell threw himself. Maybe Blackwell is to blame for his ribs being to weak too, or maybe that he's to blame for the post being too hard. Maybe Little's cross was a foot too long or a foot away from where it should have been which by your logic means that the physics of the ball's movement was blackwells fault.

Maybe we should go further and blame blackwell for the weather as he must have pissed mother nature off, to which she responded with a near gale-force warning.

And lets not forget to blame blackwell for the donny player knocking monty's knee, or the ipswich player catching killa's ankle.

Get your coat and head back to your hovel........................... cock! rolleyes:

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

Bob - I don't think there are any funds available for transfer fees without sales happening first.

I would say the sales are already lined up, Howard and Sharp.

Plus we have the £3.5 Million which was on the table for Lita, if McCabe was willing to put that in 2 months ago why not now?

 

[beightonblade]

How, in all that is rational, can you blame the current situation on bad management?

The latest Injury is down to a player applying himself to the cause and injuring himself in the process. How the hell is the management to blame for the post being exactly where cresswell threw himself. Maybe Blackwell is to blame for his ribs being to weak too, or maybe that he's to blame for the post being too hard. Maybe Little's cross was a foot too long or a foot away from where it should have been which by your logic means that the physics of the ball's movement was blackwells fault.

Maybe we should go further and blame blackwell for the weather as he must have pissed mother nature off, to which she responded with a near gale-force warning.

And lets not forget to blame blackwell for the donny player knocking monty's knee, or the ipswich player catching killa's ankle.

Get your coat and head back to your hovel........................... cock! rolleyes:

yer kiddin arn't yer ?

 

[Robbie]

How, in all that is rational, can you blame the current situation on bad management?

Because there was no forward vision if such circumstances were to happen.

It's not like we have about 12 injuries. The injuries picked up are only a few, but because of bad management we have a paper thin squad and we are already relying on loan players to get us through games.

 

[Sensiblade]

Nice try, but you'll have to try alot harder than that.

If you use loan players to fill your squad, rather than to replace injured players, this is what you end up with - a total shambles.

It's not a case of my comment being a 'nice try' as you put it.

Before the injuries to Ward and Killa we had 4 players in on loan which people would see as pretty much the norm in my opinon (maybe not someone elses, but i'm not gotting into that debate again )
Then due to being short after the injuries we HAD to get 2 more players in on loan.
Not planned for before the injuries but unfortunately nessecary at the moment.


We have 7 players out injured at the moment, 2 Forward, 2 Midfield & 3 Defenders
Naysmith, Monty, Killa, Williamson, Cresswell, Ward, Geary

 

[MAQ]

yer kiddin arn't yer ?

Nice response, that really puts me in my place doesnt it not to mention answers the initial question.

Because there was no forward vision if such circumstances were to happen.

It's not like we have about 12 injuries. The injuries picked up are only a few, but because of bad management we have a paper thin squad and we are already relying on loan players to get us through games.

I know where your coming from Robbie, but if all teams had the foresight to prepare for all eventualities then every team would have a 30 man squad. Its just not possible. Granted all the injuries seem to be coming at once, and this does cause issues within the squad, but saying that we should have a bigger squad just incase we have injuries is silly.

If we had signed 20 players during the summer to increase our squad size to account for this happening, we would be in a situation of paying players huge amounts of money to sit around doing nothing, or alternatively we would be paying crap wages for less than mediocre players who may or may not be called upon at some point.

 

[Revolution]

If we had signed 20 players during the summer to increase our squad size to account for this happening, we would be in a situation of paying players huge amounts of money to sit around doing nothing, or alternatively we would be paying crap wages for less than mediocre players who may or may not be called upon at some point.

Sounds a bit like last season to me.

United have been unlucky, but I think it's a fair point that there are just too many loan players in the first XI for us to try to get by with a small squad.

It is obvious that United are trying to emulate Burnley this year, well at least from the squad size point of view. Of course:

(a) Burnley were incredibly lucky with injuries.
(b) I don't know for sure, but I suspect they didn't have as many loanees in the side.

 

[Robbie]

We have 7 players out injured at the moment, 2 Forward, 2 Midfield & 3 Defenders
Naysmith, Monty, Killa, Williamson, Cresswell, Ward, Geary

Naysmith, Williamson and Geary we knew about the transfer window closed, Geary is also confirmed as a very long term injury prior to pre-season.

I know where your coming from Robbie, but if all teams had the foresight to prepare for all eventualities then every team would have a 30 man squad. Its just not possible. Granted all the injuries seem to be coming at once, and this does cause issues within the squad, but saying that we should have a bigger squad just incase we have injuries is silly. .

We don't need 30 players though. Say we had 22 players, ie cover for every position on the park.

Then we get injuries to 7 players (like is being stated, but I still think we should be looking further than that with the current injuries that was already there.) and it leaves us with 15 players. It gives us a good scope still to bring in 4 loan signings to cover the match day squad and still have the capacity to bring ni further if we should require to.

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

Because there was no forward vision if such circumstances were to happen.

It's not like we have about 12 injuries. The injuries picked up are only a few, but because of bad management we have a paper thin squad and we are already relying on loan players to get us through games.

Players who have either been unavailable for recent matches or will be for the next match.

1.) Paddy
2.) Geary
3.) Killa
4.) Morgan
5.) Naysmith
6.) Monty
7.) Treacy
8.) Harper
9.) Ward
10.)Williamson
11.) Cresswell


Keeping in mind we do have to keep paying these wages so we can't just keep shipping more and more in. I don't think it is unfair to cut Blackie a little slack for the recent injuries and downturn in results since that time.

It's fairly obvious by our start to the season we can cope without 4-5 players and stay in contention and more than that and most teams would start to struggle.

 

[Robbie]

Players who have either been unavailable for recent matches or will be for the next match.

1.) Paddy
2.) Geary
3.) Killa
4.) Morgan
5.) Naysmith
6.) Monty
7.) Treacy
8.) Harper
9.) Ward
10.)Williamson
11.) Cresswell

At varying times these players have not been available.

Paddy was obvious, Geary obvious, Naysmith and Williamson should have been covered straight away.

Others have not had much time out with injuries.

If they'd all gone together then yes, it wouldn't be the managements fault, because who can count on 11 being out all at once.... but as said 4 should have been covered straight away.

Keeping in mind we do have to keep paying these wages so we can't just keep shipping more and more in. I don't think it is unfair to cut Blackie a little slack for the recent injuries and downturn in results since that time.

It's fairly obvious by our start to the season we can cope without 4-5 players and stay in contention and more than that and most teams would start to struggle.

Bit of a contradiction there.

 

[SwissBlade]

I've not been on the forums for a few days, partly due to travel with work but i've also given it a rest as I seemed to be responding to the same few each time.

So for Fiery, Micalijo and Robbie (to name a couple) this is for you.

It seems that no matter what Blackie does/ doesn't do, it'll always be a great excuse for you to have a go at him. Nice and Balanced eh?

The squad wasn't huge in the summer and there were fears that if certain players got injured/ suspended we'd be short on numbers.

You can only plan so far and have back up. Should we have had 33 players in the squad so we had double back up? If we could afford it perhaps. But we don't know Blackies budget. My guess is that its a lot less than last year. Whats the average wage at the club for a fringe player? I'm not sure, but I guess its between 2-5k per week a lot of money to shell out to a player that may or may not be required/ used.

So what did we do? We tried to get a quality first team and then supplemented the squad with Key loans like Walker, Treacy and Bunn etc. Is it better to tie these into a 4 year contract when we may not be able to afford them or they too could get injured.

What about injuries and suspensions cover. Simple Blackie brought in players like Davies, Harper and Cresswell for temporary cover for the injured.

Who was to know that any or all of them was to get injured or suspended. If they did then they should let me have the lotto numbers!

I'm not saying what Blackie's doing is right, in fact the squad could've been given extra support through the middle but we've not had major problems there, or when we have we've covered them.

The loan system is great for us and we've just been very unlucky. When was the last time a player cracked his ribs colliding with a post?

Shall we try just for once not to wrap up everything as Blackie's or McCabe's fault.

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

At varying times these players have not been available.

Paddy was obvious, Geary obvious, Naysmith and Williamson should have been covered straight away.

Others have not had much time out with injuries.

If they'd all gone together then yes, it wouldn't be the managements fault, because who can count on 11 being out all at once.... but as said 4 should have been covered straight away.

Paddy, Geary, and Naysmith were covered mostly by the loan signings. Some of which are now injured along with others but they were covered.

Bit of a contradiction there.

I don't see how. At the start of the season we were without Paddy, Naysmith, Geary, and Williamson yet we started well. Only once we then also lost Treacy, Killa, Morgan, Monty, Harper, Ward have the results really been disappointing (2 draws and a defeat). It is also worth mentioning that despite these 3 results which happened at the same time as these injuries we are still in the playoff positions.

Sorry I don't see the contradiction. We coped very well with a few injuries but when half of our first team squad is out we struggle. I don't know of another Championship side that could cope with those numbers out.

 

[MAQ]

We don't need 30 players though. Say we had 22 players, ie cover for every position on the park.

Then we get injuries to 7 players (like is being stated, but I still think we should be looking further than that with the current injuries that was already there.) and it leaves us with 15 players. It gives us a good scope still to bring in 4 loan signings to cover the match day squad and still have the capacity to bring ni further if we should require to.

30 was simply a number thrown out there and not specifically the requirement. And dont misunderstand me, i agree that we are light and this could quite possibly cause us problems, especially if we have a couple of very lengthy layoffs.

The point i was trying to make was that loans apart, if we had recruited more players over the summer, baring in mind what we have brought in, both on signings and loans, we arent exactly overrun with what many call quality players. This being carried forward to other hypothetical players we may have signed, we would indeed have more players to choose from however with the squad being chopped and changed as it is already, and the dissfunction that this is causing already, i think we would be in a worse position.

Even though we would be free to bring additional loanees in, with the time that McSheffrey has been mentioned and the fact that he isnt here yet, how quick-fix do people expect this to be.

 

[Robbie]

It seems that no matter what Blackie does/ doesn't do, it'll always be a great excuse for you to have a go at him.

He's complaining at having to leave out certain loan players because of restrictions.
This is due to a lack of foresight.

The squad wasn't huge in the summer and there were fears that if certain players got injured/ suspended we'd be short on numbers.

Exactly, there were fears of this very thing happening and it wasn't rectified

You can only plan so far and have back up. Should we have had 33 players in the squad so we had double back up? If we could afford it perhaps. But we don't know Blackies budget. .

Why would you need 33 players? That's ridiculous. 22 would have been sufficient for players that are 'ours'

My guess is that its a lot less than last year. Whats the average wage at the club for a fringe player? I'm not sure, but I guess its between 2-5k per week a lot of money to shell out to a player that may or may not be required/ used..

He shouldn't be complaining then when he is caught short.

So what did we do? We tried to get a quality first team and then supplemented the squad with Key loans like Walker, Treacy and Bunn etc. Is it better to tie these into a 4 year contract when we may not be able to afford them or they too could get injured.

Walker I will give you.
The keeper situation should have been sorted permenantly - as we all knew Kenny would have been given a lengthy ban.
treacy was another luxury when all these wnigers were being signed.

What about injuries and suspensions cover. Simple Blackie brought in players like Davies, Harper and Cresswell for temporary cover for the injured.

Who was to know that any or all of them was to get injured or suspended. If they did then they should let me have the lotto numbers! .

Nobody is to know, granted. However if these players had been injured after the other injuries to a squad size that is acceptable it would have been very unlucky. Ie we would need 8 injuries not to fill a matchday squad then. Which is 18 players still.....

I'm not saying what Blackie's doing is right, in fact the squad could've been given extra support through the middle but we've not had major problems there, or when we have we've covered them.

The middle isn't a serious problem as we don't play there.

The loan system is great for us and we've just been very unlucky. When was the last time a player cracked his ribs colliding with a post?

What has that got to do with anything? It's another injury, simple.

Shall we try just for once not to wrap up everything as Blackie's or McCabe's fault.

Everything isn't their fault, but they could be better prepared.