Carlton Blade
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- Apr 24, 2017
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"Value" is obviously a subjective term and it's hard to mark £250k against £23m etc. But I'd say Moose and Lundstram, as reviled as they often are contributed huge amounts in gathering the points required to earn that 2nd PL season to at least creep up to 6/10.It does. People may disagree, but here's My Take ...
(note: these ay 'my assessments' based on what I think they brought to the club based on fees, wages and output, not individual performances in matches as in 'My Take ... If you disagree with me, tell me why.)
Source: WIKIPEDIA
2017-18
Permanents
George Baldock - UNDISC - long term servant, now a Greek international. Solid, if limited output at times. VFM 7/10
Ched Evans - UNDISC - once a top scorer, went inside and cost us promotion. On sympathetic return did fuck all for us VFM 1/10
Enda Stevens - FREE - long term servant and once both a goalscorer and goal creator but now a few seasosn past his best and when on the pitch struggles badly. VFM 6/10
Nathan Thomas - UNDISC - who? One goal, a screamer v Ipswich as I recall. VFM 1/10
Richard Stearman - UNDISC - solid centre back in lower leagues but considered not good enough for PL. Beer monster. VFM 5/10
John Lundstram - UNDISC - a WTF signing by Wilder as an effective replacement for Coutts. Struggled for a bit, developed a bit, hit a peak for a couple of months in the top flight then shat his nappy when we signed Berge, VFM 4/10
Clayton Donaldson - UNDISC - everyone else's centre forward. Briefly ours. Not consistent enough (or good enough) to make any real mark, VFM 3/10
Ben Heneghan - UNDISC - who? VFM 1/10
Lee Evans - £750k - another Couttsalike who definitely wasn't. Two startlingly great goals and then he's not good enough and shipped out to Wigan for fuck all. VFM 2/10
Ricky Holmes - UNDISC - lol. VFM lol/10
Loans
Jamal Blackman - decent keeper for the level we were at but a bit vulnerable at times. VFM 5//10
Cameron Carter-Vickers - pretty solid centreback for the level we were at who popped up in the right areas to make his mark, but still a but liable to poor games. VFM 7/10
James Wilson - saw him come on for Port Vale v Pompey yesterday. He's still bobbar. VFM 1/10
2018-19
Permanents
Leonardo Ghaxa - UNDISC - sorry? Who? VFM 0/10
Jordan Ammissa - FREE - been at the club ages now and just a handful of outings, even when we were struggling with Olsen and Verrips. VFM 2/10
Zak Brunt - FREE - another one who never tor up any trees. VFM 2/10
Nikolsen Gomis - FREE - another one for the 'where are they now?' files. VFM 0/10
Harry Sheppeard - FREE - see above. VFM 0/10
Reece York - FREE - se above. VFM 0/10
John Egan - UNDISC - long term and (hurray) someone we can identify as having paid in full any fee and then some more on top. Irish International, sometimes can be a bit flakey but ... but ... VFM 10/10
David McGoldrick - FREE - a literally superb steal by Wilder. Gifted and visionary and another who gave us more back and came for nowt/ VFM 10/10
Kean Bryan - FREE - very uncomfortable with any position he played in and was definitely a 'back four with two sweepers' player. Seemingly couldn't wait to leave. VFM 3/10
Conor Washington - FREE - Didn't make much of an impact at all. Disappointing. VFM 2/10
Martin Cranie - FREE - Seemingly decent defender with a bit about him. Jettisoned on promotion to Luton. VFM 4/10
Jake Young - FREE - * shrugs shoulders * VFM 0/10
Oliver Norwood - UNDISC - Marmite player. Poor few seasons bordered by some very good ones. Despite being a bit of a one trick showpony at times has over the years been good for us. VFM 10/10
Loans
Dean Henderson - got us the promotion IMHO. Some astounding performances and still the best goalkeeper in a Blades shirt in a history of outstanding goalkeepers. VFM 10/10
Ben Woodburn - arrived with a hard-on for Unitedites which quickly detumesced when it was realised he was bobbar. VFM 0/10
Marvin Johnson - nope. VFM 1/10
Keiron Dowell - off/on player of discernible talent. VFM 5/10
Gary Madine - brave move for one so once reviled at BDTBL. Red cars and a nice blue car. VFM 3/10
Scott Hogan - this season's Conor Washington. VFM 3/10
2019-20
Permanents
Christopher Farrugla - UNDISC - anyone? VFM 0/10
Luke Freeman - UNDISC - signed four seasons too late and should have been bagged whilst at Steveange or Brizzle where he tore us to bits. Came to us and sat on the bench until ditched because he simply wasn't PL standard. VFM 1/10
Phil Jagielka - FREE - sentimental return and brought us years of PL and International experience to an already capable and knitted back three in exchange for a big wage. VFM 3/10
Ashton Hall - UNDISC - I thought this was a stately home out near Staveley. VFM 0/10
Callum Robinson - UNDISC - looked like our first decent signing, if somewhat disappointing. Again. never tore any trees up and suddenly swapped out. VFM 4/10
Ravel Morrison - FREE - sat in the stands for most of his time at Bramall Lane whilst Wilder tried to think what to do with him. VFM 0/10
Lys Moussett - c£10m - Signed at a big fee from Bournemouth having never completed any of his fifty odd games for Eddie Howe and with just three goals. Then went on to never complete any games for us (and still hasn't) and gave us a handful of goals despite some or other obvious ability hidden by laziness, billy-big-bollocks, piggery and most of the time, fucking uselessness. VFM 2/10
Ben Osborn - UNDISC - the wrong signing with Cash and Lolley being ones to aim for as Forest were struggling. Strong in some games, weak in too many others. VFM 4/10
Illiman NDaiye - FREE - Took a hell of a long time to grow this nugget of brilliance and put him on the pitch, even if at first for limited time. remains the reason we are where we are today fighting to keep the automatics and still in the FA Cup. VFM 10/10
Michael Verrips - FREE - sat behind a very able Henderson but when called upon, way, way behind the first choice. VFM 1/10
Jack Rodwell - FREE - what the flying fuck was he brought to United for? Never even used when defenders were injured. VFM 0/10
Oliver McBurnie - c£20m - signed as what one would believe was a replacement for the target man Leon Clarke. Big, burly, difficult and historically bad for United and when here in the first two seasons exactly that. Has improved now we've dropped a division but still hasn't given us much in the way of progress. VFM 7/10
Karmarl Grant - UNDISC - * shrugs again * VFM 0/10
Conor Leak-Blunt - FREE - nope, again. VFM 0/10
Sander Berge - c£22m - for many, one of the most contentious signings because of it's destabilising effect on our midfield, where this bloke actually played and more significantly spunking £20m+ on a position (CDM) we didn't have in a flat three 5-3-2. Couple that with the glaring absence of future in attack with an ageing trio of MGoldrick, Clarke and Sharp leading the line and a flakey Moussett with McBurnie and it became apparent this was shit or bust. Injured twice for a sizeable period with us and now obviously short of the mercurial talents many still proclaim he has, he does have some capability when arsed and can score and make goals, albeit frustratingly infrequently. VFM 2/10.
Loans
Henderson - extended his period with us as De Gea was in pole position at his parent club and he seemed to love the adulation at BDTBL and became a key aspect in our high finish with just one solitary error all season. We stupidly blinked at season's end and didn't get him permanently. VFM 10/10
Muhammad Besic - looked purposeful and at last something Coutts-like about him to work on with Norwood, Berge and a bottom-lip out Lundstram. VFM 6/10
Richario Zivkovic - Big noise about him. Very little to show however. Looked so match rusty and not suited to the English game. VFM 1/10
Pangiostis Restos - another international acquisition which was hoped would strengthen our backline but never got the chance. VFM 1/10
2020-21
Permanents
Wes Foderingham - FREE - had to wait behind Henderson, Verrips and Ramsdale for a shot at the No1 jersey but since his installation has been (with some minor exceptions) pretty bloody good really. VFM 8/10
Aaron Ramsdale - c£12m - signed back from a relegated Bournemouth where he originally went as a direct replacement for Henderson. This he definitely wasn't. Dreadful start to season and liable in all aspects with some bankable saves in isolation but strangely courted by big clubs on our eventual relegation. VFM 3/10
Kasper Lopata - UNDISC - meant to be 'a unit' and a likely replacement for a struggling O'Connell. Never used in anger. VFM 1/10
Jack Robinson - UNDISC - really, really shaky start. Looked awful. Seems to have pulled on Chris Morgan's underpants and has adopted a crowd pleasing robustness of character and become a better version of his past self. VFM 7/10
Max Lowe - c£4m - Signed as backup for Stevens as RND not yet oven baked. Did then and still looked woefully underpowered and positionally fragile in an area he's not happy playing in. VFM 2/10
Jayden Bogle - c£4m - Buy two deal with Lowe and the more capable of the pair with an almost K Freman ability to grab key goals. Hampered by injury and has the tendency to drop in form for no real reason. Misses Morgan Gibbs White to link with. VFM 5/10
Oliver Burke - swap deal with cash and Robinson - Billy Whizz in flip-flops. Fast as fuck and built like a tank but with the footballing skills of a pole vaulter. Scored an astounding goal at Old Trafford for an equally astounding win but was overall, bobbar with chips and curry sauce. VFM 2/10
Ismailla Coullibally - UNDISC - bought and loaned and forgotten about. Brought back and forgotten about. VFM 2/10
Rhian Brewster - c23m - record signing based on original club and a rather niave assessment of his capability. Spent most of his time at BDTBL struggling to understand our game, score goals, or not be injured. One of our most stupid signings given so much more was available. Wilder at his very worst. VFM 1/10
Loans
Ethan Ampadu - brought in more by hope than strategy and played in a number of positions and also played seemingly holding his nose against the stench of failure around him. Seemed also to burn rubber getting out of Dodge. Great own goals, Ethan. VFM 2/10
2022-23
Permanents
Sydie Peck - FREE - no idea. VFM 1/10
Joe Starbuck - UNDISC - see above only VFM 0/10
Adiene Guadiora - FREE - meant to be 'muscle' in our midfield. What he was, was fucking useless. VFM 0/10
Conor Barratt - UNDISC - again. No fucking idea. VFM 0/10
Adam Davies - £250k - brought in as backup for Fodders but when used, was sub-Ramsdale many times. VFM 3/10 considering his fee
Loans
Adam Davies - significant replacement in the LCB but certainly nowhere near the much missed O'Connell in the Ampadu hole VFM 4/10
Conor Hourihane - classic example of 'put him in a red and white shirt to make him bobbar' player. Parallel with a then-poor Norwood to make our midfield look very, very weak. VFM 2/10
Morgan Gibbs-White - arrived with great capability and left us yearning for his stellar quality. A simply brilliant threat and good footballer. VFM 10/10
Robin Olsen - Swedish international and that's about it. Looked very out of place and poor in a United shirt. VFM 1/10
Charlie Goode - another failed attempt to plug the leaky backline. VFM 1/10
Filip Uremovic - who? yeah, I know he was here, because we were all crying out to see him. But we didn't. VFM 1/10
2022-23
Permanents
Anel Ahmedhodzic - UNDISC - Massive heart, big personality and (at times) great skill and vision. Scores goals and defends really well. VFM 10/10
Loans
Tommy Doyle - taken time to bring him in and exploit what seems to be Michael Brown screaming to get out. Booted in a screamer last week and shows us the Premier League quality his parent club says he has VFM 6/10
Ciaran Clark - been injured and has in my opinion only limited capability to cover the still up-for-grabs JOC role when Robinson not available. VFM 4/10
James McAtee - another one taken time to impose and shows flashes of real skill. VFM 6/10
Rea Khara - brought in as a winger/attacker. So how does that work with a 5-3-2. decent player ... but only as a winger/attacker/ Wasted opportunity and not his foault. VFM 2/10
Conclusion
Overall I think we are still in the red regarding value for money and our league position and recent history bears witness to this. Occasional bright spots, Anel, Didsy, MGW. NDaiye, Henderson are offset by a supertanker full of fucked up, unplayed and wasted cash options, moreso in our supposed beknighted Wilder years. With hindsight we could have done so much better.
As said, please respectfully disagree and if you can, show your working out to qualify that. Don't be a cunt with the 'you just watch it on the telly' shit.
pommpey
Baldock is pretty much a "won't pay for a drink in Sheffield ever again" player and is still improving. His contribution for £250k is a 9/10 for me.
I love McBurnie but I coukd only give him a 5/10. Too many injuries and not available (or on form) when we desperately needed him last season.
Brewster is a good kid but that's by far the worst transfer in the history of the club, -500/10
