It's not even the results...

[HeySethUTB]

It’s the players we’ve had that are doing well or would improve this team massively that makes me sad. Not always our own but almost certainly available to buy at our peak if we’d have had the dosh and success.

In recent years and in another reality, just imagine a squad consisting of - MGW, McAtee, Ndiaye, Mcburnie, Souza, Slater, Egan, Ahmedhodzic, Lankshear, Osula, Henderson.

It’s a crazy amount of quality, the only positive spin is that we have been able to see them play in the red and white stripes.

 

[Snowflake]

Watched Forest at Anfield earlier in the afternoon and they more than matched Liverpool in their own back yard with skilful, fast paced football. We are absolutely light years behind the Scabs on and off the pitch, where we were close rivals only a few seasons back. The difference between our two clubs now is mind blowing.

The difference is huge sums of money from the owner.

 

[BiggerBladeThanThou]

It isn’t all on Wilder. Whilst he maybe part of problem these days, the issue is much bigger than that.

Wilder was exactly what we needed 10 years ago. He grabbed the club by the scruff of its neck and took us into the Premier League, whilst playing some great football on the way.

Admittedly, that’s some time ago now and things have changed but the club has been dysfunctional and without drive, genuine ambition or a clear strategy with and without Wilder.

All of it needs to change. The manager, the recruitment team, commercial and media teams, the board (or at least get some real investment), CEO, first team coaches… all of it needs a refresh.

And I’ve said as much in all my posts about the club on various threads over the last few weeks.

The point being, Wilder has had 3 go’s at us. Wilder 1.0 was brilliant, best football and experiences in my lifetime as a Blade and I thank him for that. However, when we needed someone in to build on that or when we needed Wilder to diversify his style, he didn’t know how to and I blame him for not pressing on in our second season in Prem. quite obviously, the owners play a part and Bettis but Wilder had such a bearing on how the club is run, the types of players he bought and his style of play, majority of the blame IMO lies at his door.

 

[luffenhamblade]

This is the same argument as the 24/25 season. Nobody has ever, even once asked for 'play like Barcelona'. Just positivity, intensity, trying to score goals, looking like there's a coherent plan to create chances.

Do you really think fans don’t want that? Just been round the block enough times to know that getting rid of a solid manager with a rubbish squad, no money, owners who want out and potential points deduction is not the space to be fantasising - I’d rather stay in then championship no matter how ugly - but each to their own.

 

[Carlton Blade]

Do you really think fans don’t want that? Just been round the block enough times to know that getting rid of a solid manager with a rubbish squad, no money, owners who want out and potential points deduction is not the space to be fantasising - I’d rather stay in then championship no matter how ugly - but each to their own.

Where are you getting that from? If you're going to strawman 'I guess you want to get relegated then', at least do it to someone who's ever said it.

If you think the only way this squad can compete is to defend deep and launch the ball to nobody, with a squad uniquely set up to be bad at that sort of football then I wholeheartedly disagree.

 

[luffenhamblade]

Where are you getting that from? If you're going to strawman 'I guess you want to get relegated then', at least do it to someone who's ever said it.

If you think the only way this squad can compete is to defend deep and launch the ball to nobody, with a squad uniquely set up to be bad at that sort of football then I wholeheartedly disagree.

Not intended in anyway to be about you, just my view of the “fairyland” approach. Apologies if you thought I was focussing on you. I do absolutely feel this is a bonkers time to go down the fairyland route but might be up for it come November if we are doing badly in relation to budget, we have a board who we have confidence in and the 12 point deduction has gone away as a possibility. Sorry that you took it personally it was the point that it was the central point of what a bonkers time to try it that I was focussing on.

 

[Carlton Blade]

Not intended in anyway to be about you, just my view of the “fairyland” approach. Apologies if you thought I was focussing on you. I do absolutely feel this is a bonkers time to go down the fairyland route but might be up for it come November if we are doing badly in relation to budget, we have a board who we have confidence in and the 12 point deduction has gone away as a possibility. Sorry that you took it personally it was the point that it was the central point of what a bonkers time to try it that I was focussing on.

Fair enough. I just don't think having a squad with it's only ball carrier injured and 2 CMs sat holding the CBs hands, and no real consistent chance creators in front of them is going to be enough.

It's only a small sample but United have had the least shots, 2nd least SoT, attempted the least crosses. Defensively it's better (5th least shots against, 15th least SoT - which will likely get worse. But have given up the most crosses). It's not sustainable

 

[luffenhamblade]

Fair enough. I just don't think having a squad with it's only ball carrier injured and 2 CMs sat holding the CBs hands, and no real consistent chance creators in front of them is going to be enough.

It's only a small sample but United have had the least shots, 2nd least SoT, attempted the least crosses. Defensively it's better (5th least shots against, 15th least SoT - which will likely get worse. But have given up the most crosses). It's not sustainable

Agreed we aren’t in a sustainable position which I why I’d be happy to cling on this year.

 

[Carlton Blade]

Agreed we aren’t in a sustainable position which I why I’d be happy to cling on this year.

I agree with the sentiment, just not the plan to achieve it

 

[Cheeky Blade]

I hope the plan is to change the owners and get someone in who has a clue how and why an English football club is run.

 

[de g.]

I think this club is in a rut. Tired, going through the motions and cliched.

I think this forum is in a rut. Tired, going through the motions and cliched.

 

[Loco Blade]

There’s loads of clubs like us . Mired in apathy lacking ambition. Have some Blackburn Rovers friends and they have been singing from this hymn sheet for years . I don’t know what I fear more , relagation or being marooned in this league . Someone said let’s do something radical and if we go down so be it . I would accept that. Fear we are trapped in this escape room with no clue how to get out .

 

[jt64]

It can all be traced back to the second PL season. That team had peaked and we needed to improve all over the pitch.

We had one of the best defences but we needed more goals. JOC got injured and we rolled the dice on Brewster being the man to get the goals, and based on his reputation it seemed the right move but we should've spent less on a striker and also should've got ourselves a JOC replacement.

While on that second part you are not wrong (CB purchases since probably Egan have been far too lacking), I am not sure that it would be possible to buy a striker that would even be remotely useful at the PL level for less than what we paid for Brewster. Could we have loaned someone in? Maybe, but try selling the idea of spending high seven to low eight figures on a one year rental of a PL striker that could do something to the average poster on here, even if said spending would up your chances of survival by, say, 15%. Would give it ten minutes before someone would say that's too risky and a waste of money (cf. the average poster saying selling Iliman was the right move, same principle and not too dissimilar in values)

 

[Snowflake]

I hope the plan is to change the owners and get someone in who has a clue how and why an English football club is run.

“why an English club is run “ is a really deep question !!

 

[programmechap]

This.

When wilder walked in we were 10 years away from all other clubs and he brought us up to speed and over took a lot.... but then in the prem, Instead of slapping the launch button and going a further few years advanced and moving club along we imploded and did everything on cheap and ended up standing still whilst all other clubs caught up and over took us & now we are years away yet again.

We paid £18m for Ramsdale and £23m for Brewster in the 2020 summer window. Before 2019 we'd never spent more than £4m on a player.

I don't think it can be said we were doing things on the cheap after the first PL season.

 

[DI36O]

Just because the appointment was wrong doesn't mean the idea is

The main problem is the appointees haven't changed have they. All they've done since that appointment is further demonstrate how little of a clue they have and to a far greater degree.
They're way out of their depth and I'm frankly nervous about the prospect of them identifying an appropriate manager to take us forward. About as confident as I would be on having the Prince identify suitable new owners.

 

[jt64]

There’s loads of clubs like us . Mired in apathy lacking ambition. Have some Blackburn Rovers friends and they have been singing from this hymn sheet for years . I don’t know what I fear more , relagation or being marooned in this league . Someone said let’s do something radical and if we go down so be it . I would accept that. Fear we are trapped in this escape room with no clue how to get out .

I'm not too far off that point either. Blow the thing up, retain nobody outside of keeper, two CBs and a defensive minded centre mid who could be described as experienced, and then replace literally everybody else with a combination of players who are both young and with a high ceiling. Our academy products would also qualify here. Roll the dice A LOT on those with (relatively) low outlay and ongoing expenditure. If we need to step back to go forward, then if there is a clear and structured medium term plan, so be it. We've seen multiple teams of a decent size fall out of the Championship, but barge straight through it when they returned.

Of course, suggest such a thing and I guess the response would be "don't want to see us lose ever would rather be seven years older on average and at least get a point" and "last time we were there for six years still traumatised" in roughly equal quantities

 

[jt64]

We paid £18m for Ramsdale and £23m for Brewster in the 2020 summer window. Before 2019 we'd never spent more than £4m on a player.

I don't think it can be said we were doing things on the cheap after the first PL season.

Cheap relative to what we have done in the past and cheap relative to the Premier League as a whole are two entirely different things.

 

[Youngand70]

The difference is huge sums of money from the owner.

The other ongoing difference is they, like many other PL clubs, are expanding their ground to put more bums on seats and therefore increase commercial/match day revenue. This is unlike us who are still have a club blueprint written by Fred Flintstone. In the present day due to financial regulations clubs cannot just rely on wealthy owners.

 

[Blademan89]

We paid £18m for Ramsdale and £23m for Brewster in the 2020 summer window. Before 2019 we'd never spent more than £4m on a player.

I don't think it can be said we were doing things on the cheap after the first PL season.

We chose those players beacuse we didnt want to spend big on wages for proven premier league players / experience.

I dont think we paid those figures either we didnt trigger any of the add ons.

When we did spend (relatively small for prenier league) we did it in the wrong areas and not to progress the club.

 

[Snowflake]

The other ongoing difference is they, like many other PL clubs, are expanding their ground to put more bums on seats and therefore increase commercial/match day revenue. This is unlike us who are still have a club blueprint written by Fred Flintstone. In the present day due to financial regulations clubs cannot just rely on wealthy owners.

Wealthy owners can build bigger and better stadia, better academies and other useful infrastructure without breaching current financial rules.
They can also put up to £33m over three years inti player / management recruitment.
Find the right owner and most current Championship sides will be promoted. What happens then is a different story.