Incoming? Iliman

[Houston_Blade]

Sorba Thomas.

As long as it’s not Luke

 

[JS Blade]

We'd still be bottom with N'diaye anyway.

Anyone who think he gets anywhere near double figures in goals playing in the premier league wants to give there head a wobble. We've got bigger problems keeping the ball out of our net than scoring.

 

[TheGregBlade]

We'd still be bottom with N'diaye anyway.

Anyone who think he gets anywhere near double figures in goals playing in the premier league wants to give there head a wobble. We've got bigger problems keeping the ball out of our net than scoring.

*Second bottom. I'll stick my neck out and say he would have earned us at least 1 more point.

Which is completely mad that we have had one of the shittest years on record and Burney are 1 point away from outshitting us.

 

[Berkshire Blade]

We'd still be bottom with N'diaye anyway.

Anyone who think he gets anywhere near double figures in goals playing in the premier league wants to give there head a wobble. We've got bigger problems keeping the ball out of our net than scoring.

Not saying we would be amazing but having two players like McAtee who can run with the ball and actually do stuff with it would have been a big upgrade on one!

 

[The Crab]

Even with the money made this season and the parachute payments I get the feeling that we’ll still be shopping in the middle isle of Lidl

We’ll be walking along a dual carriageway looking for roadkill….

 

[brownblade]

We'd still be bottom with N'diaye anyway.

Anyone who think he gets anywhere near double figures in goals playing in the premier league wants to give there head a wobble. We've got bigger problems keeping the ball out of our net than scoring.

Not sure why Ndiaye getting "anywhere near" 10 goals would have been so unlikely. McBurnie and Archer have 4 each.

He'd have given us an outlet, superb at holding the ball up. RE still being bottom. Not necessarily.

Not to mention that player confidence probably plummeted when he left. Whether players even know it themselves, or admit it.

 

[billyblademan]

Not sure why Ndiaye getting "anywhere near" 10 goals would have been so unlikely. McBurnie and Archer have 4 each.

He'd have given us an outlet, superb at holding the ball up. RE still being bottom. Not necessarily.

Not to mention that player confidence probably plummeted when he left. Whether players even know it themselves, or admit it.

Agreed. I wondered the other day the impact of Bill leaving might have had. The players will have seen the way the club treated him (and to a lesser extent, Enda), and then compounded it by some terrible optics regarding Ndiaye (seemingly having it sorted, then slipping up). A rotten summer, not to mention Berge then disappearing, and no real quality replacements being brought in until the end of the window.

I'd also be conscious of this if I'm a senior player looking to sign. Yes we've sorted out some youngsters in recent weeks, but if I'm one of the many out of contract I wouldn't be believing a word the club tell me after the Sharp fiasco.

 

[jt64]

We'd still be bottom with N'diaye anyway.

Anyone who think he gets anywhere near double figures in goals playing in the premier league wants to give there head a wobble. We've got bigger problems keeping the ball out of our net than scoring.

One thing Ndiaye was extremely good at was pressing and workrate. Entirely possible to theorise that he helps us win the ball higher up the pitch than what we are doing more often, and helps us to retain possession better once we have it - both of which have a direct impact on goals conceded. Defending isn't just limited to the 3-4 players whose primary purpose is to defend, it's a team effort

if I'm one of the many out of contract I wouldn't be believing a word the club tell me after the Sharp fiasco.

What fiasco was that, the one where someone who we were clearly going to release when his contract expired was released once his contract expired?

 

[Pintor75]

Don't worry folks, we can sign Fleck back in the summer!

 

[billyblademan]

One thing Ndiaye was extremely good at was pressing and workrate. Entirely possible to theorise that he helps us win the ball higher up the pitch than what we are doing more often, and helps us to retain possession better once we have it - both of which have a direct impact on goals conceded. Defending isn't just limited to the 3-4 players whose primary purpose is to defend, it's a team effort



What fiasco was that, the one where someone who we were clearly going to release when his contract expired was released once his contract expired?

The fact both Billy and Hecky have come out and said they wanted to stay and a deal would be offered, but the suits upstairs changed their mind and blocked it.

 

[Balham Blade]

The fact both Billy and Hecky have come out and said they wanted to stay and a deal would be offered, but the suits upstairs changed their mind and blocked it.

More fuel to the fire driving the opinion that Heckingbottom had lost the plot. Sharp wasn't good enough last season in the Championship (2 goals in 38 league appearances last season at 1 goal every 8 full games; 0 goals in 5 appearances for Hull this season); he'd have been painfully out of his depth in the PL this season. He'd have been a good influence in the dressing room but it's not worth £1m+ and a place in the 25 man squad for that.

 

[Carlton Blade]

Billy shouldn't have stayed based on performances (regardless of his influence at the club) and if he really wanted to then he should have taken the2 year deal at a lower wage he was offered the season before. Instead, he decided to take the 1 year deal at a higher wage, confident the club would never release him

However, the club handled his release extremely poorly

 

[tincan]

The teams bottom of the PL wages league are the ones who lose, it's the main metric to manage.
Paying Ndiaye £100k a week would have made no difference. Having said that the PL Fukwits like Manure are paying Sancho £400k PW and he's in Dortmund! https://footystats.org/england/premier-league/salaries

 

[jt64]

The fact both Billy and Hecky have come out and said they wanted to stay and a deal would be offered, but the suits upstairs changed their mind and blocked it.

And if either of them thought that just because they wanted an extension that the club would automatically give them it, they're naive beyond belief. No fiasco there, just the "suits upstairs" making correct personnel decisions.

 

[billyblademan]

And if either of them thought that just because they wanted an extension that the club would automatically give them it, they're naive beyond belief. No fiasco there, just the "suits upstairs" making correct personnel decisions.

I'm making no comment on whether it was the right or wrong decisions. I'm saying it was a fiasco that will have effected the dressing room. The leader and captain, as well as the manager believed he'd be staying around, only for the club to block that move. If the suits didn't want Sharp staying, that should have been relayed to the manager and player at an early stage - not in May.

 

[Carlton Blade]

The teams bottom of the PL wages league are the ones who lose, it's the main metric to manage.
Paying Ndiaye £100k a week would have made no difference. Having said that the PL Fukwits like Manure are paying Sancho £400k PW and he's in Dortmund! https://footystats.org/england/premier-league/salaries

That table is mostly made up. Jordan Beyer cost Burnley £15m in the summer. He isn't then on £2k a week

This also has Tommy Doyle on £11k a week

 

[IOM Blade]

We'd still be bottom with N'diaye anyway.

Anyone who think he gets anywhere near double figures in goals playing in the premier league wants to give there head a wobble. We've got bigger problems keeping the ball out of our net than scoring.

Impossible to say, but keeping Ndiaye changes the whole course of the season. Berg still goes and we still replace him with Hamer. We still probably get Archer to replace Billy as the deal is technically a loan. We'd bring in Souza as a loan as opposed to perm.

With Ndiaye harring back maybe Lowe doesn't step on that sprinkler which means we don't panic-loan Thomas and bring in a winger instead. Egan and Basham might not pick up season ending injuries with Ndiaye in the team...

In my opinion we'd be at least 10 points better off. Just listen to the fantastic 'what if' pod by Beans and Roygbiv - we'd have 20 points by October!

With the Everton, and impending Forest, points deduction, the decision to let him go seems more and more of a fuck up every passing day.

 

[Gin&Juice]

That table is mostly made up. Jordan Beyer cost Burnley £15m in the summer. He isn't then on £2k a week

This also has Tommy Doyle on £11k a week

Just a humble centre back.

 

[Rodley]

Agreed. I wondered the other day the impact of Bill leaving might have had. The players will have seen the way the club treated him (and to a lesser extent, Enda), and then compounded it by some terrible optics regarding Ndiaye (seemingly having it sorted, then slipping up). A rotten summer, not to mention Berge then disappearing, and no real quality replacements being brought in until the end of the window.

I'd also be conscious of this if I'm a senior player looking to sign. Yes we've sorted out some youngsters in recent weeks, but if I'm one of the many out of contract I wouldn't be believing a word the club tell me after the Sharp fiasco.

Throw in Jebbo and Baldock’s issues - not a happy place.

 

[Rodley]

Impossible to say, but keeping Ndiaye changes the whole course of the season. Berg still goes and we still replace him with Hamer. We still probably get Archer to replace Billy as the deal is technically a loan. We'd bring in Souza as a loan as opposed to perm.

With Ndiaye harring back maybe Lowe doesn't step on that sprinkler which means we don't panic-loan Thomas and bring in a winger instead. Egan and Basham might not pick up season ending injuries with Ndiaye in the team...

In my opinion we'd be at least 10 points better off. Just listen to the fantastic 'what if' pod by Beans and Roygbiv - we'd have 20 points by October!

With the Everton, and impending Forest, points deduction, the decision to let him go seems more and more of a fuck up every passing day.

Any hope was extinguished when Ndiaye left.

Find the constant schadenfreude over any mishap / misfire from outgoing players who’ve moved onto bigger & better things a bit of an idiosyncrasy of our fanbase. As are the desperate claims they’re crap / nowt special.

The reality is a PL club will pick up Ndiaye at some point soon and he’ll thrive at this level.

 

[CPB]

Not sure why Ndiaye getting "anywhere near" 10 goals would have been so unlikely. McBurnie and Archer have 4 each.

He'd have given us an outlet, superb at holding the ball up. RE still being bottom. Not necessarily.

Not to mention that player confidence probably plummeted when he left. Whether players even know it themselves, or admit it.

I think he would have made quite a big difference like you say.

Even if he hadn't scored many he would have massively improved our forward play.

People also forget he was exceptional at tracking back and winning the ball back. He was a true nightmare for oppositions last season.

We wouldn't have Archer though. But then again come end of this season we won't anyway.

 

[Withington Blade]

Agreed. I wondered the other day the impact of Bill leaving might have had. The players will have seen the way the club treated him (and to a lesser extent, Enda), and then compounded it by some terrible optics regarding Ndiaye (seemingly having it sorted, then slipping up). A rotten summer, not to mention Berge then disappearing, and no real quality replacements being brought in until the end of the window.

I'd also be conscious of this if I'm a senior player looking to sign. Yes we've sorted out some youngsters in recent weeks, but if I'm one of the many out of contract I wouldn't be believing a word the club tell me after the Sharp fiasco.

BB, I’m not sure Enda can have had too many complaints with the club over how he was treated. He’d been playing second division football before joining and ended up in the premier league, with full international honours on a very tidy contract that made him a load of dough. He was great for us for a couple of years but let’s be honest, his race was run by the end. There was no logical justification for keeping him on last year. (I’ll caveat that by saying he would have still been miles better than Luke Thomas, who was an inexplicable signing).

 

[billyblademan]

BB, I’m not sure Enda can have had too many complaints with the club over how he was treated. He’d been playing second division football before joining and ended up in the premier league, with full international honours on a very tidy contract that made him a load of dough. He was great for us for a couple of years but let’s be honest, his race was run by the end. There was no logical justification for keeping him on last year. (I’ll caveat that by saying he would have still been miles better than Luke Thomas, who was an inexplicable signing).

Oh agreed, but you’ve a senior member of the dressing room seemingly being told by the manager that he wants him to stay, only for the club to discard him. Him and Billy would have been pretty influential voices and to see them treated so poorly a) reflects badly on the club in how we handled it and b) would have had a knock on impact to the rest of the group.

 

[Champagneblade]

BB, I’m not sure Enda can have had too many complaints with the club over how he was treated. He’d been playing second division football before joining and ended up in the premier league, with full international honours on a very tidy contract that made him a load of dough. He was great for us for a couple of years but let’s be honest, his race was run by the end. There was no logical justification for keeping him on last year. (I’ll caveat that by saying he would have still been miles better than Luke Thomas, who was an inexplicable signing).

I would have agreed at the start of the summer.

Yet having clapped eyes on Larouci backpedaling and Thomas, I’m not sure one more year would have hurt. That said he’s missed most of the season through injury, so possibly bullet dodged!

For that matter if I could have kept Sharp and 4m and not bothered with Traore…though maybe we could have let Sharp go and just not spend the money on Traore!

I think if we’d have seen how modest some of the recruitment would become, we might have been backpedaling ourselves!

 

[SwissBlade]

Back onto Ndiaye, Marseille sacked Gattuso earlier this week to bring in their 3rd manager of the season (plus a caretaker for a few days).

Ndiaye came on late in the second leg v Shakhtar Donetsk after the game was seemingly already won. He’d come on late in the previous game and scored.

This seems to be the way the season has been for Ndiaye. Bit parts and occasional starts with very little consistency.

He would’ve played far more games for us, he’d had certainly got a few more goals and it would’ve been a much more challenging season, physically.

At Marseille, they’re still in the Europa League, they’re mid table with little chance of going down, but realistically unless they win the Europa League, little chance of Europe either.

It’s fair to say we’ve had a bit of instability this season, partly with Ndiaye leaving but also a manager change, but we’ve gone back to a known manager.

I get that people believe Ndiaye might’ve earned a few more points with his style of play and goals, but we’d still be bottom 3, we’d still have a horrendous injury record and I’m not sure we’d be any better off as the money from Berge and Ndiaye allowed us to bring other players in, albeit very late. So the squad might’ve been even smaller

For Ndiaye it’s about progressing his career with his beloved Marseille. Seeing the thoughts of the fans, his limited game time, he may end up having to make a decision in the between now and the summer, to dig in and fight to show Marseille the player he is or to explore whether his short term future lies elsewhere.

As Hecky said in the summer, Ndiaye made the decision not for footballing reasons. Playing for the shittest premier league team is still better than playing for an average French league team. The quality of the leagues is just so different.

I don’t see him coming back to us, I think AFCON left us with a decision to bring Diaz in instead, which has been effective when he’s been fit. Whether we can get him on loan next season, I doubt.

I could see him going to a mid table premier league side in the summer or jan.

 

[finlaytheblade]

I would have agreed at the start of the summer.

Yet having clapped eyes on Larouci backpedaling and Thomas, I’m not sure one more year would have hurt. That said he’s missed most of the season through injury, so possibly bullet dodged!

For that matter if I could have kept Sharp and 4m and not bothered with Traore…though maybe we could have let Sharp go and just not spend the

money on Traore!

I think if we’d have seen how modest some of the recruitment would become, we might have been backpedaling ourselves!

Football has changed in the last 40 years ,infact most sports have moved on in this period nothing surprising there.
Athletism is the name of the game now .Jimmy Sirrel use to say if you can't run you can't play ! It was true then ,even more so today.Footballers do suffer burnout in my opinion ! not just temporary burnout ! Premiership football now is the land of the giants who are athletes and can play.
We on the other hand seem to sign good players that are lacking one or more vital strengths.Money is the driving force and we never have enough to really compete.
Going back to burnout ! I can name a number of players who have given us good service over the years.Playing above there natural level takes a lot out of a player both physically and mentally which means they can't sustain the high level needed.Being a natural athlete gives you a better chance on this score.technical ability gets you to the top athletism keeps you there for longer.
We can all name players we've had who fit the bill.
Ian Bryson(Bassett) gave us about 4 years of tremendous service and there were others in that squad, Warnock had players who he drove and got the best from .
Stevens& Fleck are present examples and there are others.
Look at the premiership now ! year on year players are getting bigger and more athletic with good technical ability.The only way to compete at this level is to join the trend to big athletic players money needed to do this.
There is room in the game for smaller players like city have ! these players cost a fortune.We had one in illiman and lost him pretty quickly.
To sum up! Football is more entertaining and better in many ways today in my opinion.
The pace of the game is breathtaking at the top level more so than ever .
We stepped into the land of the giants! and out again in double quick time.

 

[Nick Jansky]

Football has changed in the last 40 years ,infact most sports have moved on in this period nothing surprising there.
Athletism is the name of the game now .Jimmy Sirrel use to say if you can't run you can't play ! It was true then ,even more so today.Footballers do suffer burnout in my opinion ! not just temporary burnout ! Premiership football now is the land of the giants who are athletes and can play.
We on the other hand seem to sign good players that are lacking one or more vital strengths.Money is the driving force and we never have enough to really compete.
Going back to burnout ! I can name a number of players who have given us good service over the years.Playing above there natural level takes a lot out of a player both physically and mentally which means they can't sustain the high level needed.Being a natural athlete gives you a better chance on this score.technical ability gets you to the top athletism keeps you there for longer.
We can all name players we've had who fit the bill.
Ian Bryson(Bassett) gave us about 4 years of tremendous service and there were others in that squad, Warnock had players who he drove and got the best from .
Stevens& Fleck are present examples and there are others.
Look at the premiership now ! year on year players are getting bigger and more athletic with good technical ability.The only way to compete at this level is to join the trend to big athletic players money needed to do this.
There is room in the game for smaller players like city have ! these players cost a fortune.We had one in illiman and lost him pretty quickly.
To sum up! Football is more entertaining and better in many ways today in my opinion.
The pace of the game is breathtaking at the top level more so than ever .
We stepped into the land of the giants! and out again in double quick time.

I remember the Secret Footballer talking about his introduction to the PL being hit by a tackle from Antonio Valencia that wiped him out completely. He’d never previously experienced that sort of power, described it as like being hit by a car. It was heading in that direction even then.

 

[Hamandcheese]

IMO we'd have about 4-5 more points if Ndiaye stayed

 

[Brynner]

Hard to assess the effects of having Illiman in the side this year, but with his creative abilities allied to his work rate and pressing, I could easily see us being 5 to 6 points better off. Alas, we'll never know.

 

[MobileBlade]

IMO we'd have about 4-5 more points if Ndiaye stayed

Hard to assess the effects of having Illiman in the side this year, but with his creative abilities allied to his work rate and pressing, I could easily see us being 5 to 6 points better off. Alas, we'll never know.

As my Wendy mate was telling me, we would have been 6 to 7 points better off with him.