Excited about our young wide players this year.

[highpeakblade]

For the first time in a good few seasons I actually think United have some good pacey and creative wide men who can make things happen for us. I'm excited at having young Macfadzean and Brandy on the pitch and hopefully the new gaffer will allow them to be creative and use the skill and pace that they have to beat defenders.

The missing ingredient in that team now for me is a striker. I think we have options at the minute if we keep everything as it is but we do 100% need another striker in the ranks because we don't have that 15-20 goal man in the team at the minute.

 

[Kentblade]

Very valid post.I am hoping Weir has a goal scorer lined up as now we probably have more pace and genuine wingers we need a striker who can strike.
It will be some time before Miller gets back to full fitness so to complete the side a striker is needed.
UTB

 

[Pinchy]

Very valid post.I am hoping Weir has a goal scorer lined up as now we probably have more pace and genuine wingers we need a striker who can strike.
It will be some time before Miller gets back to full fitness so to complete the side a striker is needed.
UTB

Two, in my opinion!

 

[Crosstownrebel]

Very valid post.I am hoping Weir has a goal scorer lined up as now we probably have more pace and genuine wingers we need a striker who can strike.
It will be some time before Miller gets back to full fitness so to complete the side a striker is needed.
UTB

He's got to be a striker who can keep up with play too.

 

[Guesty]

Two, in my opinion!

What sort of striker do you think we should go for? If we got, say Kris Boyd, we'd be short a good target man. On the other hand of we got Boyd and a big fella we'd still lack on pace! Or do we want a more all around striker who might not be as prolific?

 

[highpeakblade]

If Miller comes back as he was prior to getting injured then I am optimistic that should he stay fit we have 10+ goals in him as he's a real hand full and a poacher but we do need another striker to come in to the club .

If the truth be said then realistically knowing united, the boards spending restrictions and the overall ambition shown in signings over recent years then I can see nobody coming in and instead Weir speaking McCabes words in telling us that Brandy and Murphy can both play as strikers when we all know that these players would be more suited to midfield and a natural out and out striker is 100% required.

 

[KenMcnaughtsNuts]

Murphy up front with a goalscorer. Someone like that Grigg fella. Oh wait.

 

[highpeakblade]

Murphy up front with a goalscorer. Someone like that Grigg fella. Oh wait.

I would love to know what you have seen mate that feeds your confidence in Murphy as an out and out striker?

Give me a fully fit Miller and I wouldn't need to flip a coin, Murphy for me is prime to sit just behind an out and out striker.

 

[KenMcnaughtsNuts]

I would love to know what you have seen mate that feeds your confidence in Murphy as an out and out striker?

Give me a fully fit Miller and I wouldn't need to flip a coin, Murphy for me is prime to sit just behind an out and out striker.

Yeah that's where i mean. Up front but behind a goalscorer if you like. Behind, alongside. Amounts to the same thing. So long as one of em's creating and the other ones a-scoring job's a good 'un.

 

[Pinchy]

What sort of striker do you think we should go for? If we got, say Kris Boyd, we'd be short a good target man. On the other hand of we got Boyd and a big fella we'd still lack on pace! Or do we want a more all around striker who might not be as prolific?

I think we all accept our present (and temporary) residence in Division Three rules us out of recruiting world-beaters. We have to compromise all over the pitch because flawless players prefer not to grace League One.

We won't get latter-day Deanes and Aganas then. We must get the best we reasonably can and readily acknowledge they won't be complete players.

My first priority would be a tall, powerful leader of the line who scores (we hope) goals. Realistically targets, at this level would be Pope, Higdon and Leon Clarke. All have their limitations but that's why they might be available to us. My second striker would be quick in the box - not a speed merchant, Brandy and maybe one or two more will give us that - but a budding Kev Phillips or Keith Edwards who gains yard by speed of thought and trick of foot. That will be hard to come by within our means but is there a hidden gem we can get from non-league or maybe North of the border or Ireland? A Paddy Madden, Kevin Doyle or Jamie Paterson? I don't know of any, of course, but I bet Davey Where is onto it!

 

[Kev Gee]

Two, in my opinion!

Agreed. We need 2.
Id say maybe 1 permanent player, with the other possibly a loan till xmas?

Id expect both Miller & Diego to be match fit around then.

 

[Guesty]

Agreed. We need 2.
Id say maybe 1 permanent player, with the other possibly a loan till xmas?

Id expect both Miller & Diego to be match fit around then.

Or someone like Kris Boyd on a short term contract until Christmas.

 

[Maidenhead]

Or someone like Kris Boyd on a short term contract until Christmas.

why would a player that is likely to have no shortage of offers sign a short term contract?

 

[metalblade]

Agreed. We need 2.
Id say maybe 1 permanent player, with the other possibly a loan till xmas?

Id expect both Miller & Diego to be match fit around then.

Just in time for the January sales

 

[Guesty]

why would a player that is likely to have no shortage of offers sign a short term contract?

Well he signed one in February!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kris_Boyd

 

[Maidenhead]

Well he signed one in February!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kris_Boyd

so he did, for the club with which he appears to have a close affinity and where he began his career.

Reading the rest of the page I can't see a single reason why we would want sign him, even on a temporary basis.

 

[Guesty]

so he did, for the club with which he appears to have a close affinity and where he began his career.

Reading the rest of the page I can't see a single reason why we would want sign him, even on a temporary basis.

The single reason would be 'All time record SPL Scorer'. He might well be a busted flush which is why we're even with a shot of signing him. On the other hand he should still be good for plenty of goals against the terrible defences we'll be up against. That was my idea behind a short term contract. If he's rubbish we can ship him out, if he's done well, at least Miller should be back by then to take over.

 

[Maidenhead]

The single reason would be 'All time record SPL Scorer'. He might well be a busted flush which is why we're even with a shot of signing him. On the other hand he should still be good for plenty of goals against the terrible defences we'll be up against. That was my idea behind a short term contract. If he's rubbish we can ship him out, if he's done well, at least Miller should be back by then to take over.

I see where you're coming from but if I were you I would just take a step back and think "Ian Rush" for a couple of minutes and see if you change your mind

Roll on Aug 2nd

UTB

 

[Guesty]

I see where you're coming from but if I were you I would just take a step back and think "Ian Rush" for a couple of minutes and see if you change your mind

Roll on Aug 2nd

UTB

Again good point but Ian Rush was 37 and absolutely shot as a player. Boyd is 29 and while he might be shot, it's also quite possible that he's just in a slump. Rush was clearly never going to come good again, Boyd might.

 

[Latters]

Again good point but Ian Rush was 37 and absolutely shot as a player. Boyd is 29 and while he might be shot, it's also quite possible that he's just in a slump. Rush was clearly never going to come good again, Boyd might.

Boyd was shot (shit?) by the time he went to Middlesborough. I remember him being hailed as a great signing for them when they had the influx of Scots, then doing pretty much nob all, bar the obligatory "first goal for the club agains the Blades". Hopefully even we can do better.

 

[Maidenhead]

Again good point but Ian Rush was 37 and absolutely shot as a player. Boyd is 29 and while he might be shot, it's also quite possible that he's just in a slump. Rush was clearly never going to come good again, Boyd might.

But can we afford to take the risk?

I don't think we have enough chips for the roulette wheel.

Who knows, Porter or Ironside may come good and we're already paying them.

 

[Guesty]

Boyd was shot (shit?) by the time he went to Middlesborough. I remember him being hailed as a great signing for them when they had the influx of Scots, then doing pretty much nob all, bar the obligatory "first goal for the club agains the Blades". Hopefully even we can do better.

That was the day we knew we were in real trouble. Dominated the game but never looked like scoring. they looked even less like scoring until a horrendous Morgan mistake (just about his last act as a player for us!) let Boyd in for only goal. The season turned that day in my mind from fruitless play-off attempt to relegation battle.

As bad as he is now I'm sure Boyd would score more for us than Ironside.

 

[Pinchy]

Boyd was shot (shit?) by the time he went to Middlesborough.

But was he? They loaned him to Forest where he notched 6 in 10 in the Championship.

I suspect DW will be well aware how much he's got left in his locker and will act (or not act) accordingly.

 

[shorehamview]

But can we afford to take the risk?

I don't think we have enough chips for the roulette wheel.

As long as we've got enough chips left for a butty, preferably greasy.

 

[Latters]

But was he? They loaned him to Forest where he notched 6 in 10 in the Championship.

I suspect DW will be well aware how much he's got left in his locker and will act (or not act) accordingly.

That he did, but he has done nothing since either.

I usually agree with you on here and have sent a fair few "likes" your way, but your unfaltering trust in a man whose managerial skills and preferences we know nothing of confuses me.

If it becomes clear at the first game that Weir's instructions are to kick it high and long and make it scrappy, will you still believe he knows what he's on about?

The level of optimism Weir's appointment was met with by most surprised me, especially when considering the fact that had we appointed Page, a former international and Premier League centre half whose only coaching experience was with a youth team, or Morgan, a former Premier League centre half whose only coaching experience was with a youth team, there would have been outrage, and rightly so.

None of the three (would) have enthused me.

 

[Jonboy60]

That he did, but he has done nothing since either.

I usually agree with you on here and have sent a fair few "likes" your way, but your unfaltering trust in a man whose managerial skills and preferences we know nothing of confuses me.

If it becomes clear at the first game that Weir's instructions are to kick it high and long and make it scrappy, will you still believe he knows what he's on about?

The level of optimism Weir's appointment was met with by most surprised me, especially when considering the fact that had we appointed Page, a former international and Premier League centre half whose only coaching experience was with a youth team, or Morgan, a former Premier League centre half whose only coaching experience was with a youth team, there would have been outrage, and rightly so.

None of the three (would) have enthused me.

Don't know about anyone else, but for me it's all about the contacts. Time will tell. Utb

 

[Rustyblade]

I have no idea why, Latters. As you say, the optimism I felt was arguably very irrational indeed.

However, since hearing the announcement and reading of everything that has happened during this period, I still feel (mostly) inexplicably optimistic about the direction the Blades are taking.

I guess part of it can be explained by the feel of a complete overhaul, the lack of Bladey Bladesness about it. A seeming quiet professionalism behind the scenes.

I doubt if 'it' will happen overnight and of course, it could all go horrendously tits up but I still can't help feeling that this could be the start of a new era for the Blades. A long overdue change of philosophy and a refusal to continue with an almost amateur mindset.

Oh well, one can only hope.

 

[Pinchy]

Latters

Partly just a feeling, but a lot of us have got it! Partly the unanimous opinions of those who have worked with him. Partly his incredible longevity as a top class professional at the highest level. Partly what I've seen and heard from the man himself since his appointment.

Oh, and his initials.............

DW.

Edit - I'm confident he won't hoof it, but if he does, I'll be waiting!

 

[Latters]

Thanks all for the reasons. I wasn't saying people were wrong to be positive, I just couldn't quite understand why.

I suppose you just get a gut feeling sometimes. As Rustyblade said, I am happy for us to be completely overhauling the coaching side of things because something hasn't been right for a while. I thought we were getting there with Wilson but he had the rug pulled from under him.

Fingers crossed people's gut feelings are right and Mr. Weir has the ability and gets the time required to sort it out.

 

[Pedro Verde]

I am happy for us to be completely overhauling the coaching side of things because something hasn't been right for a while. I thought we were getting there with Wilson but he had the rug pulled from under him.

Did you think we were getting there under Wilson, I felt the complete opposite along with Barlow and Dearden in the set up there was a complete lack of fresh ideas last season, a couple of dinosaurs there if you ask me.
I wanted a young mananger in with fresh ideas and a modern take on tactics and coaching methods when Adams was sacked, but we got Wilson &Co.
Hopefully Weir has that approach and is sucessful

 

[Latters]

Did you think we were getting there under Wilson, I felt the complete opposite along with Barlow and Dearden in the set up there was a complete lack of fresh ideas last season, a couple of dinosaurs there if you ask me.
I wanted a young mananger in with fresh ideas and a modern take on tactics and coaching methods when Adams was sacked, but we got Wilson &Co.
Hopefully Weir has that approach and is sucessful

I do, yes. In Wilson's first season we were playing some of the most entertaining, attacking football I've seen from a Blades side, scoring goals for fun and were very unlucky not to be promoted.

At the end of that season and start of the next we lost Quinn, Williamson, Lowton and Evans. One of these losses was out of the club's hands. they were all out of the manager's hands. Two of these players will be playing in the Premier League next season, one would probably have been sold to a lower Prem or upper Champ club if he wasn't in prison and the other contributed a fair few goals and assists. This was always going to be a huge loss. With very limited funds, Wilson signed Blackman and Miller to try and negate the loss in goals (amongst other less successful signings, I appreciate). These two were both scoring goals. One got injured, nothing the club could do there other than replace him. Do we replace him? Do we bollocks as like. We sell the only other goalscorer at the club just two weeks or so later. Again, out of the manager's hands, but not the club's. As the funds diminished, so did the quality of players available.

So, yes, I think Wilson was taking us in the right direction as far as possible, whilst all the time being shagged up the arse by those above. If he hadn't been shafted by those in charge, I think he would have taken us up.

Unfortunately, those people holding us back remain at the club. The people beneath them can alter as much as they like, bright, young manager, 54 exciting new assistant-technicals, but if the way the club is run at the top isn't changed, I can't see anyone doing a much better job that Danny Wilson.