Not all doom and gloom

[Lightsoot]

Tonight will sting and makes the play-offs even more unlikely. But I don’t think the performance has been bad against a very good Championship side in Boro.

We’ll finish this campaign better than we started it and, even without parachute payments, can still be in the promotion mix next season. But we’ll need to make some big decisions in the summer.

1. General fitness / mobility - this hasn’t been addressed since last season. We’re a yard off the pace against the better teams and still signing players who are crocks, unfit and way off it.

2. Sell our assets to generate funds and reinvest the money wisely - I think Hamer may need to be sacrificed, he’s not fit enough and may decline further so we should get what decent fee we can for him. I know he has moments of supreme quality like the assist for Bamford’s goal tonight

The same applies to Peck. As good as he, goals and assists are not part of his game and I think he’s somewhat overrated.

3. Move on underperforming players - Cooper has seriously regressed, as has Campbell. Burrows can go for me, too.

4. Sort the defence out - new keeper, left back and centre half needed to partner Tanganga

5. Clear out the deadwood - Ings, Davies, Chong etc etc need binning

6. Overhaul the attack - Sign a proper number 9 to challenge / partner Bamford. Move Campbell and Ings on - take what we can get for Cannon.

7. Strengthen the left side - try and create the same synergy on the left like we have with Seriki & Brooks on the right

Hopefully we can retain Seriki and Brooks. Let’s pray that a decent pre-season enables Blaster to recapture his once magnificent potential.

The Championship remains a mediocre, wide open league. There’s no reason why we can’t compete if we’re smart in the summer and don’t get off to a nightmare start.

 

[AdamSufc1997]

Thing is though chris will just look in this country for signings and never signs players with pace and just feel we need a different transfer strategy.

 

[JayGreen17]

Good post, I just cannot fathom why we have spent money, quite substantial money this window, total waste, and yet again show that our judgement at a footballing strategic decision making level is woeful, and we need a new structure around tuning the club too, starting by getting rid of the CEO .

 

[bladesince64]

We gave up possession quite a lot which led to a few breakaways

Boro's passing was so much more slick and accurate than ours.

When Rothwell and Phillips came on we suddenly went up a gear.

Didn't take enough of the chances we did create.

Hey ho.

 

[AWetFlannel]

Good post, I just cannot fathom why we have spent money, quite substantial money this window, total waste, and yet again show that our judgement at a footballing strategic decision making level is woeful, and we need a new structure around tuning the club too, starting by getting rid of the CEO .

How much do you think we've spent this window?

 

[Sheffsteel]

Good post, I just cannot fathom why we have spent money, quite substantial money this window, total waste, and yet again show that our judgement at a footballing strategic decision making level is woeful, and we need a new structure around tuning the club too, starting by getting rid of the CEO .

It’s because the owners are very ambitious…..are desperate for the PL….the quicker the better.
If you have a chance of promotion you go for it and it’s impressive to see how well they are supporting Wilder.
The CEO has been fantastic this window managing to persuade big name players to join us.
To be honest a club like Sheff Utd should be packed with “big name” players on big salaries playing top flight football every season.
Altho I do agree the signings seem more opportunist rather than strategically planned.

Maybe you’re a little Sheffielder….who feels uncomfortable with ambition and big ideas…with the Championship being your pinnacle.
I partially agree and quite like the Championship but really a city the size of Sheffield must have a PL club.

The OP makes a good point in that we’ll initially appear a lot weaker next season…..selling off some of our assets
But play our cards right….we can still be competitive….altho I expect the 3 relegated clubs to be incredibly strong.

 

[Melbourne Blade]

Boro will win the league. Best team we've played all season. Well, since wilder returned.

Could have been a different result had Phillips started for Blaster and Bamford scored that chance in first half. Oh well, very encouraging but play offs a very very distant hope now I'm afraid.

 

[Kenilworth]

Boro will win the league. Best team we've played all season. Well, since wilder returned.

Could have been a different result had Phillips started for Blaster and Bamford scored that chance in first half. Oh well, very encouraging but play offs a very very distant hope now I'm afraid.

Phillips couldn’t do a full 90

 

[Edgar Allan Poo]

Tonight will sting and makes the play-offs even more unlikely. But I don’t think the performance has been bad against a very good Championship side in Boro.

We’ll finish this campaign better than we started it and, even without parachute payments, can still be in the promotion mix next season. But we’ll need to make some big decisions in the summer.

1. General fitness / mobility - this hasn’t been addressed since last season. We’re a yard off the pace against the better teams and still signing players who are crocks, unfit and way off it.

2. Sell our assets to generate funds and reinvest the money wisely - I think Hamer may need to be sacrificed, he’s not fit enough and may decline further so we should get what decent fee we can for him. I know he has moments of supreme quality like the assist for Bamford’s goal tonight

The same applies to Peck. As good as he, goals and assists are not part of his game and I think he’s somewhat overrated.

3. Move on underperforming players - Cooper has seriously regressed, as has Campbell. Burrows can go for me, too.

4. Sort the defence out - new keeper, left back and centre half needed to partner Tanganga

5. Clear out the deadwood - Ings, Davies, Chong etc etc need binning

6. Overhaul the attack - Sign a proper number 9 to challenge / partner Bamford. Move Campbell and Ings on - take what we can get for Cannon.

7. Strengthen the left side - try and create the same synergy on the left like we have with Seriki & Brooks on the right

Hopefully we can retain Seriki and Brooks. Let’s pray that a decent pre-season enables Blaster to recapture his once magnificent potential.

The Championship remains a mediocre, wide open league. There’s no reason why we can’t compete if we’re smart in the summer and don’t get off to a nightmare start.

That's quite a shopping list on a potentially reduced budget!

 

[Lightsoot]

That's quite a shopping list on a potentially reduced budget!

Granted. But how much would we generate from the sales of Hamer, Peck, Burrows and Cannon, plus getting the deadwood off the wage bill?

Sure, we’d need to make some shrewd signings, but this is where Wilder and co. need to earn their corn instead of chucking money around like confetti on ageing pros with poor injury records.

 

[dexter101]

Bit confused by your opening post, "things arent looking too bad but we need to move on about half the players from today's performance"

Cooper and Burrows are proven to be able to perform at this level, they just need to get back to those levels. People last season were (very optimistically) suggesting they could both play for England!

We need to make sure that we always have a Phillips/Souza/reidwald player available. The moment we are missing one we look weak and disjointed and it makes our young midfielders look a bit lost.

 

[Lightsoot]

Bit confused by your opening post, "things arent looking too bad but we need to move on about half the players from today's performance"

Cooper and Burrows are proven to be able to perform at this level, they just need to get back to those levels. People last season were (very optimistically) suggesting they could both play for England!

We need to make sure that we always have a Phillips/Souza/reidwald player available. The moment we are missing one we look weak and disjointed and it makes our young midfielders look a bit lost.

I thought it was a decent performance with some players not at the races, hence my optimism.

I’m only judging Cooper and Burrows on the current liabilities they are now. Cooper’s injuries may have caught up with him and I think we need to recruit serious competition for him in the summer. Burrows…. I’ve never understood what the original fuss was, but accept on his day can be good. He’s a long way from that right now.

Seriki, Brooks, Tanganga, Bindon (if we can do the right deal), Bamford, O’Hare & (touch wood) a rested and rejuvenated Arblaster are players I’d take forward.

Central midfield needs addressing - we have lots of options and I think Rothwell may still prove a shrewd acquisition.

My overriding optimism is that in a mediocre league, even with a squad requiring surgery, we’re not that far off.

 

[Blade56]

Granted. But how much would we generate from the sales of Hamer, Peck, Burrows and Cannon, plus getting the deadwood off the wage bill?

Sure, we’d need to make some shrewd signings, but this is where Wilder and co. need to earn their corn instead of chucking money around like confetti on ageing pros with poor injury records.

Players like Chong can’t just “be got rid of”. He’s on a 4 year deal. Only way to get rid is to pay him up or sell if anyone would buy, clearing your deadwood list would use up funds generated by Hamer sale

 

[Lightsoot]

Players like Chong can’t just “be got rid of”. He’s on a 4 year deal. Only way to get rid is to pay him up or sell if anyone would buy

There must be other mugs like us. I’m glad you’ve cottoned on that we can also sell / loan out players, maybe at a loss, but that’s not a reason to keep them
around for the length of their contract.

 

[ATL Recs]

Tonight will sting and makes the play-offs even more unlikely. But I don’t think the performance has been bad against a very good Championship side in Boro.

We’ll finish this campaign better than we started it and, even without parachute payments, can still be in the promotion mix next season. But we’ll need to make some big decisions in the summer.

1. General fitness / mobility - this hasn’t been addressed since last season. We’re a yard off the pace against the better teams and still signing players who are crocks, unfit and way off it.

2. Sell our assets to generate funds and reinvest the money wisely - I think Hamer may need to be sacrificed, he’s not fit enough and may decline further so we should get what decent fee we can for him. I know he has moments of supreme quality like the assist for Bamford’s goal tonight

The same applies to Peck. As good as he, goals and assists are not part of his game and I think he’s somewhat overrated.

3. Move on underperforming players - Cooper has seriously regressed, as has Campbell. Burrows can go for me, too.

4. Sort the defence out - new keeper, left back and centre half needed to partner Tanganga

5. Clear out the deadwood - Ings, Davies, Chong etc etc need binning

6. Overhaul the attack - Sign a proper number 9 to challenge / partner Bamford. Move Campbell and Ings on - take what we can get for Cannon.

7. Strengthen the left side - try and create the same synergy on the left like we have with Seriki & Brooks on the right

Hopefully we can retain Seriki and Brooks. Let’s pray that a decent pre-season enables Blaster to recapture his once magnificent potential.

The Championship remains a mediocre, wide open league. There’s no reason why we can’t compete if we’re smart in the summer and don’t get off to a nightmare start.

Pretty obvious that our biggest weakness is midfield has been all season
But for the first 15 and last 20 there was a massive gulf in quality