Ollie Watkins

[kop_blade9]

What a brilliant piece of analytical writing. With all due respect to most the incoherent drivel produced on this board by us that is a literary masterpiece of football analysis.
Gerim signed this weekend Chris

I read this and thought, who is this direct, long ball team they are talking about?
With no creativity in midfield?
The 1st. sentence put me right off. "Exceeded most Blades expectations?"
Should have read exceeded most pundits expectations outside of Sheffield who have never seen the Blades play.

 

[Luke1993]

I read this and thought, who is this direct, long ball team they are talking about?
With no creativity in midfield?
The 1st. sentence put me right off. "Exceeded most Blades expectations?"
Should have read exceeded most pundits expectations outside of Sheffield who have never seen the Blades play.

To be fair in most games after the restart that's a pretty fair assessment of the way we played. Which is why we need to add creativity.

 

[Bladeinleeds]

I read this and thought, who is this direct, long ball team they are talking about?
With no creativity in midfield?
The 1st. sentence put me right off. "Exceeded most Blades expectations?"
Should have read exceeded most pundits expectations outside of Sheffield who have never seen the Blades play.

let’s be fair - a 9th place finish was well above what pretty much everyone could have dared to hope for.... so I would say how we played and the results we got exceeded most blades expectations

We aren’t a long ball team but we aren’t afraid to go direct if we need to. And we have lacked some creativity from midfield, an area I am hoping we can address in this window even if it’s for a plan b.

 

[SufcBilly]

let’s be fair - a 9th place finish was well above what pretty much everyone could have dared to hope for.... so I would say how we played and the results we got exceeded most blades expectations

We aren’t a long ball team but we aren’t afraid to go direct if we need to. And we have lacked some creativity from midfield, an area I am hoping we can address in this window even if it’s for a plan b.

We did play the most long balls of any club last season but I agree doesn’t mean you are a long ball club

 

[brownblade]

A lot of our long balls are when we switch play to the wings

 

[SufcBilly]

A lot of our long balls are when we switch play to the wings

Correct, I always wondered what they class as a “Long Ball” is a cross a long ball for example? Certain yardage? On the floor or in the air? Just another statistic to pull out imo, no substance

 

[bypassblade]

We did play the most long balls of any club last season but I agree doesn’t mean you are a long ball club

There is though a subtle difference between a "hump upfield" and a long defence splitting pass which is Norwood's forte or to wings. Hendo used to love to launch it forward, so did Chelsea GK when we do it it's kick and run, when they do it it's cultured.

 

[Ricardo Mantelban]

I’ve a problem with long balls.

 

[Ricardo Mantelban]

And sending pictures.

 

[Yellarbellyblade]

Long ball/long pass? There is a difference

 

[Banana]

Banana no bids still?

There are "no bids".

 

[Guesty]

I'd have liked to sign Maupay I
must admit but 'no bids' is what I want to read in this thread.

 

[gaffablade]

Image a Didzy with 6 to 10 goals In first season, vision, pace, link up and goals

This lad is a Didzy replacement all day long.

tin hat on but we need to replace both Billy and Didzy as part of our continued improvement.

gerim signed

 

[CaptainMorgans]

Image a Didzy with 6 to 10 goals In first season, vision, pace, link up and goals

This lad is a Didzy replacement all day long.

tin hat on but we need to replace both Billy and Didzy as part of our continued improvement.

gerim signed

Watkins isn't a link man like Didsy?

 

[Toronto Blade fan]

I don't see the attraction for Watkins. He is no better than McBurnie. Brentford play a completely different style of football, and for that reason he's done well. But why splunk a bunch of cash on a player we already have in McBurnie.

 

[Shoreham_Bhoys]

Wilder says we've made our big signing, non starter.

 

[S40BLADE]

Wilder says we've made our big signing, non starter.

Where has he said this for reference? If this is true i'm disappointed in the lack of backing he has received to give him the better players he demanded end of last season.

Edit: after digging he didn't say the big signing he said so far we have made "one big signing" which is relieving - (https://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/foo...nsfer-update-pre-season-training-camp-2952827)

 

[S40BLADE]

Never mind he did say "our big signing". Full depression mode now me.

 

[Groucho Blade]

Where has he said this for reference? If this is true i'm disappointed in the lack of backing he has received to give him the better players he demanded end of last season.

Edit: after digging he didn't say the big signing he said so far we have made "one big signing" which is relieving - (https://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/foo...nsfer-update-pre-season-training-camp-2952827)

 

[S40BLADE]

We need investors then...

 

[Joshp]

There are "no bids".

 

[YES Blade]

I wouldn't rule anything out, what Wilder says regarding transfers and what actually happens are two different things. It's wouldn't surprise me if we've got one more big transfer lined up or is that just wishful thinking?

 

[Welshblade]

Can he even call Ramsdale a big singing? We've known for 3 seasons we needed a keeper, and we had a sell on clause with him, theres nothing big about it.

 

[Groucho Blade]

Some debate now about whether he actually said, “our big signing” or if it was “a big signing”

 

[S40BLADE]

Some debate now about whether he actually said, “our big signing” or if it was “a big signing”

Both it seems. But I hope to all that is good he is just keeping his cards close to his chest. ⚔

 

[davidblade]

It’s going to bra tough season then

 

[Upton_Blade]

Does anyone seriously believe anything Wilder says re transfers with regard to values?

Why on earth would he come out and say "yeah we're looking at a few more big signings before the season starts" alerting clubs/agents to the fact we have money to spend?

 

[Harrisblade]

Can he even call Ramsdale a big singing? We've known for 3 seasons we needed a keeper, and we had a sell on clause with him, theres nothing big about it.

Maybe it's the case that getting our own goalkeeper was, in the club's opinion, a very important part of any future plan.
So it was "big" in terms of importance rather than price?

 

[Welshblade]

Maybe it's the case that getting our own goalkeeper was, in the club's opinion, a very important part of any future plan.
So it was "big" in terms of importance rather than price?

Think you might be right, Ramsdale as a target wont come by often. How often do we sell a player we've developed for him to prove himself in the prem. Then that team get relegated and we sign him back when he's only 21.

Closest we've been to that recently was selling Jags to Everton when we went down and him comming to us on a free when he effectively has finished his career.

 

[Niceguyeddie]

Doesn't sound to me like the purse is closed

“It’s a different market and you have to look at that. We’ve made one big signing this summer and I’m delighted we’ve made it.”