Deadbat
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2023/24 SUFC SEASON REVIEW / SCHOOL REPORT
Midfielders
Vinicius Souza Souza arrived after being linked with us (and Burnley) for a fair bit of the summer. He grew up in Rio and played for Flamengo before Lommel (part of the Man City group) signed him in Belgium. He did not play much as a youngster and then ended up on loan at Mechelen -where he finally was a regular – playing 32 times. He then went on loan again – this time to Espanyol but was part of a side that got relegated from La Liga and the reviews were quite mixed. He was seen as the big, tall, strong midfielder who could get up and down, break up play and offer the athleticism and power we did not possess when we were last at this level. It seemed like it a bit of a coup although the fee was never really confirmed – with some sources say around 13-14 million and others saying almost half of that. The reality is probably somewhere in the middle. He came in quite late and was not able to have much of a pre-season.
He came on at Palace but then started at Forest and seemed to show some positive attributes in terms of breaking up play and keeping it nice and simple. However, he rarely passed it forward and could not run with the ball at all. He became a regular but we conceded an awful lot of goals and for all the positive stats that were attributed to him, he never seemed to be in the right place to stop attacks and felt he hid a lot. He was by no means one of the worst players but was distinctly average and was not that quick, strong or good in the air – despite his impressive size/physique. He remained in the side for the most part despite not really standing out but we had so little behind him to compete. He did have a few decent games but these were few and far between.
Wilder came in and the first period we saw a bit of an uplift but once again we saw a lot of times where we would lose a goal and he would throw his arms up in the air or shout at others. He did not seem to take much responsibility at all. We did have a few good games after Xmas and was superb at Luton – his best game for the club where he scored a goal too- his only one but he could not maintain this form and Wilder started to get frustrated with his lack of really contributing anything. He only has picked up 2 bookings all season which says it all about his level of commitment. He started to annoy players with his finger pointing and gesticulating but not actually doing anything meaningful. We had arguments with players and nearly a fight with Robinson at Wolves! He then made the ridiculous claim that he would probably be in the Brazil squad if he played with better players/we kept the ball more. Which is laughable from a player that has been a regular in two straight relegation sides.
Wilder started to see the same as us – in that he is an imposter – somewhere who points and waves but does not get stuck in, does not get on the ball and seems to never be in the area where the ball is. He was taken out of the starting line up as the season came to an end and when Arblaster linked with Hamer we saw a huge upgrade in output. He is meant to protect the defence and stop shots, passes or runs coming into our box – yet all season we concede 4’s, 5’s, 6’s and 8’s! He has failed miserably in this regard and offers nothing at all going the other way. I have seen some say that in the right team he could be a contributor but I do not see it. He is not very fit (another) and not that mobile. He just sort of floats around doing nothing. Maybe a team will do what we did perhaps, and look at the stats and the build of him and think he can be an asset but if we got our money back or close to it, I would snatch a teams hand off. Sadly, I do not see a long line of suitors and feel the best we can hope for is a season loan somewhere to get a big chunk of his wage off the books (we would probably have to contribute some) and still would have two years on his deal left, even after next season. Another signing that we scouted and identified and has been a complete failure and waste of valuable funds. He is part of the losing/blame culture and I really do not like him as a player – his whole blame others and never seems to rally the team or help others but just acts selfishly in his attitude on the pitch.
Seems to be more interested in catching up with fellow Brazilians or mates when the game has finished than actually clapping fans or talking to his own team! We need to move him on somehow this summer. I do not even think he would be a success in the Championship as it is a physical league and he barely tackles/gets challenges in and also his lack of running power means he would struggle with the two weekly games that often happen.
Grade E- (Last season NA)
Oliver Norwood Norwood has been a regular for much of the promotion season and seemingly regained his form, being a key man as the Blades were right near the top. However, we did drop off and you recall Heckingbottom made the call to change things and Doyle was preferred for many of the final games when we regained form and went on to seal promotion well before the end of the season. Despite his form dipping, he had still been a significant contributor and was almost always available showing his fitness record. The concern, as we had seen last time at this level is the pace/movement and mobility would be too much and I think most thought he would only be a squad/bit part player. A handy lad to have around and clearly despite some undeserved criticism, could offer and contribute at times, even at this level.
When we signed Souza, Hamer and Slimane, you thought that he would be use much but of course our business was done late and with Berge moving out also and us unable to bring Doyle back, he ended up starting the opening games. It was hard to see him and Bash against Palace as clearly the attributes you need at this level, they do not quite possess. He remained in the side despite some of the new lads slowly getting fitness and coming in but was taken out at Spurs before he experienced a really difficult day against the power and movement of Newcastle. He came off that day but remained mostly in the side under Heckingbottom despite calls for us to make changes. It seemed him and Souza were quite similar and their lack of mobility and carrying of the ball, really hampered us. He did score a huge penalty, a superb hit, which showed a lot of bottle in the first win against Wolves. He continued to stat as the losses piled up and then the managerial change happened.
He was on the bench as Wilder started but then played at Villa but felt he was really poor – often just lumping the ball away. It seemed his impact and what he could do at this level now, was more limited than ever before. He started at Wolves and then the big defeat at home to Arsenal but then was on the bench and only came on briefly in games. The notion he would help us keep the ball and give us a steady, experienced head did not really happen as he was poor in the throwaway against Fulham. We saw off cameos but often when he came on, we dropped off and he did not really contribute anything, looking slow and way off the pace. He was used less and less as the season tailed off.
Some felt he should stay around citing his experience and ability at the lower level but for me, I think it was the right time to move on from him. He has been a fantastic servant and not deserved some of the unfair comments he has had in his time here. He has been one of our better midfielders in my lifetime and been a big part of two promotions and a fantastic period at the Lane. He has played over 200 games for us and been mostly a regular for a 6-year spell. He is still only 32 which is scary as seems a lot older (in how he moves!) and will probably get a deal in the Championship and still show some of the qualities he has but I am not sure he would be a regular in a side going for promotion – we do hope we will be that side next year – so despite his superb contributions, we cannot show sentiment with finances tight. We made the mistake last year of keeping Fleck (right to move on Sharp and Stevens in my opinion despite what they contributed off the field) a year too long so hope we can start to evolve the age and type of player we have at the club. With Hamer, Arblaster, Brooks, Davies, Slimane still under contract and probably wanting to bring a couple more in, and his legs really so seem to have gone now (he was never quick I accept). That said, what a player he has been for us and will be another that will get a huge ovation if/when he returns to the Lane as a player for another club. One of the best midfielders I have ever seen play for the Blades and been mostly a joy to watch until maybe this last season.
Grade E- (Last season B)
John Fleck It was a real surprise that he was given another year. I fully expected like with Sharp and Stevens him to move on. He had rarely featured, not helped by some really scary moments in the previous few seasons and his better days seemed to be behind him. Several injuries and health issues meant it seemed a really strange move to retain him. I could not see him being involved at all and he had struggled the second season at this level before so it made no sense on any level? His goal against Preston should have been the perfect way to end his Blades career.
Whilst he remained, he was never seriously involved to start the season only being on the bench at best. He had more injuries again and I think broke his leg at some point but then came back quite quickly but after coming on as sub at Arenal and Bournemouth, he got a start against Burnley but was woeful and taken off. The higher level seemed way too much for him, even against a fellow struggler and pitching him in after so long our and so many injuries, seemed madness. His final Lane appearance came as a sub against Liverpool and at least he saw the pitch again and fittingly under Wilder, the manager who signed him. I thought being a Wilder favourite, he might remain but even he saw that he could contribute little at this level and was allowed to move on. The way his departure was handled was poor by the club with a brief tweet/story in the early hours of the morning after the window closes. He deserved better than that. Not sure what Blackburn saw that made them think he could contribute but they only took him on a short-term contract till the end of the season. Fleck probably would have hoped he could do enough to get another deal. The manager who signed him left not long after and Fleck only played one game as sub before getting another injury and one that rule him out of the season and end his Blackburn career you think.
I do not think he has ever been properly fit or not have some sort of injury for about 3 seasons now. He has rarely put together a run of games and the last period of his United career was sad as it saw fans be quite critical of him. The first 4 seasons at the Lane, he was simply fantastic and maybe our most consistent player (along with Bash and O’Connell) and he was such a big part of the rise up the leagues and so many memorable moments. We sometimes forget that he was superb in that first Premier League season – up to Covid and recall him bossing games against Burnley and Villa at the Lane. Been another fantastic servant and to think he cost us nothing. It is sad how things ended and hope one day he too will get a proper send off at the Lane. As for his own playing future, I have a feeling he may head back up to Scotland and probably even might get a deal in the SPL as the level of that outside of Rangers/Celtic is lower Champ/League One at best. You tend to think Baldock, Egan, Norwood, Fleck etc are really old but they all could have at least another 3 or 4 years in the game at a good level – if they get fit.
Grade F (Last season C)
Tom Davies Davies seems to have been around for a long time but then you realise he made his debut at 17 at Everton back in 2016. He seemed to be always in and around the Everton side after breaking through despite the Toffees going through managers regularly. Always recall him being an energetic, no-nonsense midfielder who could do a bit of everything and moved through the England age groups right up the u21’s too. Around 2017-18 he became a regular but the 33 games he played was to be the most he played and he was sort of in and out for the next few seasons and started to pick up injuries too. He played 8 seasons and in the end only started 95 games for Everton; which is around 12 per season so maybe United should have considered this when they signed him. He has signed a couple of long-term deals keeping him at Everton for so long but last season he did make 20 appearances either starting or off the bench so it is not like he did not play at all?
After his release, he was training at Bristol Rovers and maybe Championship teams could not afford his wages and other than the promoted teams, hard to see any Premier League teams giving him a deal - especially as he had rarely started for a team that nearly went down. His injury record alone probably scared a lot of teams off but Blackburn, Cardiff and Leeds were linked and then there was talk of clubs in France and Saudi Arabia and also Serie A side Monza were also supposedly keen. I was still surprised United signed him and to such a long deal (3 years) but thought if, a big if, we could keep him fit he would be asset as gave us Premier League experience and some legs in midfield – something we have lacked for some time.
Davies signed pretty much as the season started and it was not thought he would be fit for some time which again made the signing a bit puzzling considering our need? We barely saw him to start the season but then he came on at Spurs but after a few more sub appearances soon after this but seemed to get an injury and we did not see him until after Xmas. He made a few more appearances and did ok in limited time and was very good at Luton and helped us grab the vital third goal. He finally got a start at home to Arsenal but we were blown apart and he (and the rest) were not able to keep up with the dynamic and powerful Arsenal midfield. He came off at half time and this was repeated at Bournemouth a week later although again this seemed to be more injury related than general fitness although he also gave away a stupid penalty. He was then out again and Wilder said he would not come back this season a few weeks later. His signing has been a bit of a disaster so far considering I doubt his wages will be cheap and he has contributed very little but occupancy in the physio room. He has started only 2 games and not completed 90 minutes once – indeed the most he has played is 45 minutes – in his 9 appearances (7 from the bench) and only played 224 minutes by my reckoning which is equivalent to less than 2 and a half games.
I thought when he has played he has been ok and showed good industry, got around the field and been quite busy but sadly we have just not seen enough of him and the fact he has gone months without being available is not good enough. I think if United had their time back, they would have not signed him or only got him on a 1-year deal – 2 at most. We now are saddled with him for another 3 years and seems unlikely from his recent history, that we are going to be able to count on him much as he is so injury prone. Hope I am wrong and he comes back and gets fit as at Championship level supporting Hamer, Arblaster, Brooks etc, he could be a real asset but I am not holding my breath and like with Brewster, just see anything he offers now as a bonus.
Grade F (Last season NA)
Midfielders
Vinicius Souza Souza arrived after being linked with us (and Burnley) for a fair bit of the summer. He grew up in Rio and played for Flamengo before Lommel (part of the Man City group) signed him in Belgium. He did not play much as a youngster and then ended up on loan at Mechelen -where he finally was a regular – playing 32 times. He then went on loan again – this time to Espanyol but was part of a side that got relegated from La Liga and the reviews were quite mixed. He was seen as the big, tall, strong midfielder who could get up and down, break up play and offer the athleticism and power we did not possess when we were last at this level. It seemed like it a bit of a coup although the fee was never really confirmed – with some sources say around 13-14 million and others saying almost half of that. The reality is probably somewhere in the middle. He came in quite late and was not able to have much of a pre-season.
He came on at Palace but then started at Forest and seemed to show some positive attributes in terms of breaking up play and keeping it nice and simple. However, he rarely passed it forward and could not run with the ball at all. He became a regular but we conceded an awful lot of goals and for all the positive stats that were attributed to him, he never seemed to be in the right place to stop attacks and felt he hid a lot. He was by no means one of the worst players but was distinctly average and was not that quick, strong or good in the air – despite his impressive size/physique. He remained in the side for the most part despite not really standing out but we had so little behind him to compete. He did have a few decent games but these were few and far between.
Wilder came in and the first period we saw a bit of an uplift but once again we saw a lot of times where we would lose a goal and he would throw his arms up in the air or shout at others. He did not seem to take much responsibility at all. We did have a few good games after Xmas and was superb at Luton – his best game for the club where he scored a goal too- his only one but he could not maintain this form and Wilder started to get frustrated with his lack of really contributing anything. He only has picked up 2 bookings all season which says it all about his level of commitment. He started to annoy players with his finger pointing and gesticulating but not actually doing anything meaningful. We had arguments with players and nearly a fight with Robinson at Wolves! He then made the ridiculous claim that he would probably be in the Brazil squad if he played with better players/we kept the ball more. Which is laughable from a player that has been a regular in two straight relegation sides.
Wilder started to see the same as us – in that he is an imposter – somewhere who points and waves but does not get stuck in, does not get on the ball and seems to never be in the area where the ball is. He was taken out of the starting line up as the season came to an end and when Arblaster linked with Hamer we saw a huge upgrade in output. He is meant to protect the defence and stop shots, passes or runs coming into our box – yet all season we concede 4’s, 5’s, 6’s and 8’s! He has failed miserably in this regard and offers nothing at all going the other way. I have seen some say that in the right team he could be a contributor but I do not see it. He is not very fit (another) and not that mobile. He just sort of floats around doing nothing. Maybe a team will do what we did perhaps, and look at the stats and the build of him and think he can be an asset but if we got our money back or close to it, I would snatch a teams hand off. Sadly, I do not see a long line of suitors and feel the best we can hope for is a season loan somewhere to get a big chunk of his wage off the books (we would probably have to contribute some) and still would have two years on his deal left, even after next season. Another signing that we scouted and identified and has been a complete failure and waste of valuable funds. He is part of the losing/blame culture and I really do not like him as a player – his whole blame others and never seems to rally the team or help others but just acts selfishly in his attitude on the pitch.
Seems to be more interested in catching up with fellow Brazilians or mates when the game has finished than actually clapping fans or talking to his own team! We need to move him on somehow this summer. I do not even think he would be a success in the Championship as it is a physical league and he barely tackles/gets challenges in and also his lack of running power means he would struggle with the two weekly games that often happen.
Grade E- (Last season NA)
Oliver Norwood Norwood has been a regular for much of the promotion season and seemingly regained his form, being a key man as the Blades were right near the top. However, we did drop off and you recall Heckingbottom made the call to change things and Doyle was preferred for many of the final games when we regained form and went on to seal promotion well before the end of the season. Despite his form dipping, he had still been a significant contributor and was almost always available showing his fitness record. The concern, as we had seen last time at this level is the pace/movement and mobility would be too much and I think most thought he would only be a squad/bit part player. A handy lad to have around and clearly despite some undeserved criticism, could offer and contribute at times, even at this level.
When we signed Souza, Hamer and Slimane, you thought that he would be use much but of course our business was done late and with Berge moving out also and us unable to bring Doyle back, he ended up starting the opening games. It was hard to see him and Bash against Palace as clearly the attributes you need at this level, they do not quite possess. He remained in the side despite some of the new lads slowly getting fitness and coming in but was taken out at Spurs before he experienced a really difficult day against the power and movement of Newcastle. He came off that day but remained mostly in the side under Heckingbottom despite calls for us to make changes. It seemed him and Souza were quite similar and their lack of mobility and carrying of the ball, really hampered us. He did score a huge penalty, a superb hit, which showed a lot of bottle in the first win against Wolves. He continued to stat as the losses piled up and then the managerial change happened.
He was on the bench as Wilder started but then played at Villa but felt he was really poor – often just lumping the ball away. It seemed his impact and what he could do at this level now, was more limited than ever before. He started at Wolves and then the big defeat at home to Arsenal but then was on the bench and only came on briefly in games. The notion he would help us keep the ball and give us a steady, experienced head did not really happen as he was poor in the throwaway against Fulham. We saw off cameos but often when he came on, we dropped off and he did not really contribute anything, looking slow and way off the pace. He was used less and less as the season tailed off.
Some felt he should stay around citing his experience and ability at the lower level but for me, I think it was the right time to move on from him. He has been a fantastic servant and not deserved some of the unfair comments he has had in his time here. He has been one of our better midfielders in my lifetime and been a big part of two promotions and a fantastic period at the Lane. He has played over 200 games for us and been mostly a regular for a 6-year spell. He is still only 32 which is scary as seems a lot older (in how he moves!) and will probably get a deal in the Championship and still show some of the qualities he has but I am not sure he would be a regular in a side going for promotion – we do hope we will be that side next year – so despite his superb contributions, we cannot show sentiment with finances tight. We made the mistake last year of keeping Fleck (right to move on Sharp and Stevens in my opinion despite what they contributed off the field) a year too long so hope we can start to evolve the age and type of player we have at the club. With Hamer, Arblaster, Brooks, Davies, Slimane still under contract and probably wanting to bring a couple more in, and his legs really so seem to have gone now (he was never quick I accept). That said, what a player he has been for us and will be another that will get a huge ovation if/when he returns to the Lane as a player for another club. One of the best midfielders I have ever seen play for the Blades and been mostly a joy to watch until maybe this last season.
Grade E- (Last season B)
John Fleck It was a real surprise that he was given another year. I fully expected like with Sharp and Stevens him to move on. He had rarely featured, not helped by some really scary moments in the previous few seasons and his better days seemed to be behind him. Several injuries and health issues meant it seemed a really strange move to retain him. I could not see him being involved at all and he had struggled the second season at this level before so it made no sense on any level? His goal against Preston should have been the perfect way to end his Blades career.
Whilst he remained, he was never seriously involved to start the season only being on the bench at best. He had more injuries again and I think broke his leg at some point but then came back quite quickly but after coming on as sub at Arenal and Bournemouth, he got a start against Burnley but was woeful and taken off. The higher level seemed way too much for him, even against a fellow struggler and pitching him in after so long our and so many injuries, seemed madness. His final Lane appearance came as a sub against Liverpool and at least he saw the pitch again and fittingly under Wilder, the manager who signed him. I thought being a Wilder favourite, he might remain but even he saw that he could contribute little at this level and was allowed to move on. The way his departure was handled was poor by the club with a brief tweet/story in the early hours of the morning after the window closes. He deserved better than that. Not sure what Blackburn saw that made them think he could contribute but they only took him on a short-term contract till the end of the season. Fleck probably would have hoped he could do enough to get another deal. The manager who signed him left not long after and Fleck only played one game as sub before getting another injury and one that rule him out of the season and end his Blackburn career you think.
I do not think he has ever been properly fit or not have some sort of injury for about 3 seasons now. He has rarely put together a run of games and the last period of his United career was sad as it saw fans be quite critical of him. The first 4 seasons at the Lane, he was simply fantastic and maybe our most consistent player (along with Bash and O’Connell) and he was such a big part of the rise up the leagues and so many memorable moments. We sometimes forget that he was superb in that first Premier League season – up to Covid and recall him bossing games against Burnley and Villa at the Lane. Been another fantastic servant and to think he cost us nothing. It is sad how things ended and hope one day he too will get a proper send off at the Lane. As for his own playing future, I have a feeling he may head back up to Scotland and probably even might get a deal in the SPL as the level of that outside of Rangers/Celtic is lower Champ/League One at best. You tend to think Baldock, Egan, Norwood, Fleck etc are really old but they all could have at least another 3 or 4 years in the game at a good level – if they get fit.
Grade F (Last season C)
Tom Davies Davies seems to have been around for a long time but then you realise he made his debut at 17 at Everton back in 2016. He seemed to be always in and around the Everton side after breaking through despite the Toffees going through managers regularly. Always recall him being an energetic, no-nonsense midfielder who could do a bit of everything and moved through the England age groups right up the u21’s too. Around 2017-18 he became a regular but the 33 games he played was to be the most he played and he was sort of in and out for the next few seasons and started to pick up injuries too. He played 8 seasons and in the end only started 95 games for Everton; which is around 12 per season so maybe United should have considered this when they signed him. He has signed a couple of long-term deals keeping him at Everton for so long but last season he did make 20 appearances either starting or off the bench so it is not like he did not play at all?
After his release, he was training at Bristol Rovers and maybe Championship teams could not afford his wages and other than the promoted teams, hard to see any Premier League teams giving him a deal - especially as he had rarely started for a team that nearly went down. His injury record alone probably scared a lot of teams off but Blackburn, Cardiff and Leeds were linked and then there was talk of clubs in France and Saudi Arabia and also Serie A side Monza were also supposedly keen. I was still surprised United signed him and to such a long deal (3 years) but thought if, a big if, we could keep him fit he would be asset as gave us Premier League experience and some legs in midfield – something we have lacked for some time.
Davies signed pretty much as the season started and it was not thought he would be fit for some time which again made the signing a bit puzzling considering our need? We barely saw him to start the season but then he came on at Spurs but after a few more sub appearances soon after this but seemed to get an injury and we did not see him until after Xmas. He made a few more appearances and did ok in limited time and was very good at Luton and helped us grab the vital third goal. He finally got a start at home to Arsenal but we were blown apart and he (and the rest) were not able to keep up with the dynamic and powerful Arsenal midfield. He came off at half time and this was repeated at Bournemouth a week later although again this seemed to be more injury related than general fitness although he also gave away a stupid penalty. He was then out again and Wilder said he would not come back this season a few weeks later. His signing has been a bit of a disaster so far considering I doubt his wages will be cheap and he has contributed very little but occupancy in the physio room. He has started only 2 games and not completed 90 minutes once – indeed the most he has played is 45 minutes – in his 9 appearances (7 from the bench) and only played 224 minutes by my reckoning which is equivalent to less than 2 and a half games.
I thought when he has played he has been ok and showed good industry, got around the field and been quite busy but sadly we have just not seen enough of him and the fact he has gone months without being available is not good enough. I think if United had their time back, they would have not signed him or only got him on a 1-year deal – 2 at most. We now are saddled with him for another 3 years and seems unlikely from his recent history, that we are going to be able to count on him much as he is so injury prone. Hope I am wrong and he comes back and gets fit as at Championship level supporting Hamer, Arblaster, Brooks etc, he could be a real asset but I am not holding my breath and like with Brewster, just see anything he offers now as a bonus.
Grade F (Last season NA)
. I hope your doubts about Wilder are wrong ... fingers crossed ,we shall see . Mind you with how quiet things are coming out of the ..or should I say .. NOT coming out ?, he may get swept aside by no nowt new owners .
