Patience

[Maltby_blade]

Going into Saturdays game has got the feel of the Palace home game at the start of the season a couple of years ago after we’d lost players & not replaced them in time for the season KO .. Bindon partnered with either the calamities that are Robbo or RND doesn’t exactly fill you with confidence does it . The club knew Anel hadn’t extended his contract & was unlikely to so the option of of a club coming him to buy him in this window was always a strong possibility . We only mitigated this by bringing in a loanee CB when there was cash to spend since Souza’s departure ( to quote the club half of that available for reinvestment) .
Whichever way you look at it it was piss poor planning not having another in place for the season KO , more so with Robbo & RNDs injury record , a bit more foresight was required there in the summer ?

It’s nothing like how we went into the Palace game, we are in the division below and the team that starts on Saturday will be loads stronger than the one we put out against Palace.

 

[BarcaBlade]

22pts !

Show some faith. 25!

 

[Vass Borbokis]

Going into Saturdays game has got the feel of the Palace home game at the start of the season a couple of years ago after we’d lost players & not replaced them in time for the season KO .. Bindon partnered with either the calamities that are Robbo or RND doesn’t exactly fill you with confidence does it . The club knew Anel hadn’t extended his contract & was unlikely to so the option of of a club coming him to buy him in this window was always a strong possibility . We only mitigated this by bringing in a loanee CB when there was cash to spend since Souza’s departure ( to quote the club half of that available for reinvestment) .
Whichever way you look at it it was piss poor planning not having another in place for the season KO , more so with Robbo & RNDs injury record , a bit more foresight was required there in the summer ?

It hasn't got that feel though has it?
We started that game with a midfield three of Bash, Ozzy and Norwood.
Infront of those was Bernie Traore and Osula.

On Saturday, we'll mostly start with:
Cooper
Seriki
Bindon
Robbo
Burrows
Peck
Hamer
O'Hare
Barry
Brooks
Campbell

Apart from replacing Robbo, which everyone knows we need, what would you say is the disaster with that team?
Add to that we've got Soumaré to come in.

Work will be being done behind the scenes to bring in the players we need to add depth to the squad.

If we have still just got Bindon, Robba and Rnd as the three centre backs by the close of the transfer window, I'll join you and we can go on a bed wetting tour of the UK if you're up for it.

 

[John Street West Terrace]

It hasn't got that feel though has it?
We started that game with a midfield three of Bash, Ozzy and Norwood.
Infront of those was Bernie Traore and Osula.

On Saturday, we'll mostly start with:
Cooper
Seriki
Bindon
Robbo
Burrows
Peck
Hamer
O'Hare
Barry
Brooks
Campbell

Apart from replacing Robbo, which everyone knows we need, what would you say is the disaster with that team?
Add to that we've got Soumaré to come in.

Work will be being done behind the scenes to bring in the players we need to add depth to the squad.

If we have still just got Bindon, Robba and Rnd as the three centre backs by the close of the transfer window, I'll join you and we can go on a bed wetting tour of the UK if you're up for it.

Never said we wouldn’t bring one in by the end of the window ..says a bit of foresight in planning for the season start when we had funds to spend .. but hey pick out what you like to suit your narrative mate

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

We have sold a 6'7" , a 6'5" and a 6'3".

We've no height left in the team , let alone the defence.

We are wide open to aerial attack by any average Championship side.

The defence has no commanding leader and looks VERY weak on paper.

Does Selles think we will have 100% possession of the football ?

We are utterly desperate for two CBs so that Binden can be understudy and Robbo can get fucked off out of the door like any normal elderly mediocre player who was given a contract of only 12 months a year ago.

For a club that gets rid of players who come to the last year of their contract , we have sold 3 decent ones and kept the shit one.

WTF is going on ?

• Binden isn't here to be an understudy to anyone. I'm at a complete loss as to where you seem to have got that view from.
• Souza wasn't great in the air, neither was Anel.
• Do you think there might be a reason we can sell better players but are stuck with the dross? You can't sell what people do not want.

 

[originaltrueblade]

Unfortunately there will be little time given get off to a bad start and patience will be gone

 

[Keen Blade]

• Binden isn't here to be an understudy to anyone. I'm at a complete loss as to where you seem to have got that view from.
• Souza wasn't great in the air, neither was Anel.
• Do you think there might be a reason we can sell better players but are stuck with the dross? You can't sell what people do not want.

I hope you're right about Bindon - are you saying he's our
"commanding CB / leader of defence" ?
Genuine question.
Or should we really have such a player on a permanent contract , so we have something to cling onto next summer ?

Souza wasn't a great header of the ball but he was a terrific unit when it came to defending the box , not necessarily in the air.

Anel is 6'5" and was a CB good enough to attract Feyenoord - if course he was good in the air and miles ahead of Robbo , not only by 5" but also in every other aspect of being a CB apart from fighting with the strikers when he'd yet again been second to the ball or given it away.

Yes , we are certainly "stuck with the dross" , as you accurately put it (Robbo) and that's down to Wilder.
The club should have cleared him out on a free , the moment Wilder left , not only to show they understand the meaning of the word quality , but also to continue removing the worst of the Wilder legacies.
Shackleton next - what a waste of a wage.

 

[Wards]

Bindon definitely isn't here to play understudy. He's likely to play every game he's available for unless he's really out of form.

 

[HillStreet Blade]

Think Sellers needs to be given a chance. He can only work with what’s he got. Suspect the owners don’t see promotion as the target this year.
Suspect we will see games where there are plenty of goals at both ends. Most certainly going to be different from last year

If we don't get promotion this season then there will be a big hole in the finances. Which will be filled by selling any decent players we have. Followed by a downward spiral to join Boro, Norwich, Swansea, WBA in mid table mediocrity or worse.

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

I hope you're right about Bindon - are you saying he's our
"commanding CB / leader of defence" ?
Genuine question.

I'm not saying he's a commanding CB or leader of defence. I'm saying exactly what I posted which was to challenge your view that he's going to be a squad player. He isn't, he'll be a starter unless he really drops a series of bollocks.

Or should we really have such a player on a permanent contract , so we have something to cling onto next summer ?

Yes I think we'll be looking to bring in a permanent defender now Anel has left.

Souza wasn't a great header of the ball but he was a terrific unit when it came to defending the box , not necessarily in the air.

You said we were wide open to aerial attack, which I would agree with, but losing Souza is no loss in that area because as you concede he wasn't good in the air anyway neither was Anel. So we're not massively behind the curve here. In fact, given we've not seen anything of the new players aerially we could be further on than we suspect but we're certainly not significantly weaker.

Anel is 6'5" and was a CB good enough to attract Feyenoord - if course he was good in the air and miles ahead of Robbo , not only by 5" but also in every other aspect of being a CB apart from fighting with the strikers when he'd yet again been second to the ball or given it away.

OK, if your opinion is that Anel was good defensively in the air, that's what it is. I disagree and I would say the evidence of the last few seasons, and how exposed we were once we lost Souttar who in fairness would be a huge miss in that area, but the drop off was so significant because Anel and Robinson are not up to standard in that area.
When we were up against inferior sides I thought Anel looked absolute class bringing the ball out, against aerially strong forwards he looked very vulnerable, as he did to pace if they looked to turn him or had decent strength. Anel was a solid Championship centre backs, and certainly one of the best if he had a top end player next to him. Without Egan and Souttar I didn't think he really stepped up and lead the defence with whoever his partner was and could look out of place against the top forwards in the league if exposed one on one.

Yes , we are certainly "stuck with the dross" , as you accurately put it (Robbo) and that's down to Wilder.
The club should have cleared him out on a free , the moment Wilder left , not only to show they understand the meaning of the word quality , but also to continue removing the worst of the Wilder legacies.
Shackleton next - what a waste of a wage.

This argument is beyond dumb to me. Why would you waste a few million "clearing them out on a free" from your budget? There's no benefit to it aside from making a meaningless gesture.

 

[Bell4]

Who's 6'7"

Hamer with O’Hare on his shoulders - oh , and in high heels and stood on a stout but medium sized box

 

[SwissBlade]

I think as Blades fans we tend to be quite patient anyway, but we do, as a collective seem to recognise when things are going in the right direction. I don’t think many were really calling for Hecky to be replaced, but with Adkin’s and Slav both were unable to get the players they had inherited and brought in playing winning football and reaching their potential.

The signs so far aren’t so much a reflection on Selles but the owners. They’ve puzzled me since they came in. They've communicated with generic statements which as we know could be chucked out with ChatGPT and not really given us any answers as to how things will be improved from last season.

We’d normally expect a summer of activity to have us fully prepared, we’ve sold the two players we’d expected to sell, Anel and Souza were identified before Wilder left to be sold, but the recruitment has been short term with mostly loans and gambles from Bulgaria.

The initial friendlies were the usual, local sides to get minutes in the legs and then some hurriedly arranged training games against better opposition.

The squad has no depth, so we’d hope that we can address that before the closure of the window but we’ll need to bring in some experience as we’ve lost a fair amount of players with the top end championship experience we’d need to be getting close to the play offs.

There is a greater reliance on the midfield and attacking players to press, so we’ve recruited more in these areas but I don’t think we’ve addressed the defensive side of things anywhere near enough, yet

Selles will be judged on performances and results, for whatever reason we don’t appear to have prepared well to get us to that first game of the season, as I said, the owners will need to shoulder some responsibility for this as well, but it will ultimately be on Selles to get the results.

I used to say to see where we are after the first 10-12 games, but I think the way the fixtures run in blocks now changes things a bit. The first block of 5 games (4 league and 1 cup) running until the first international break on 30th August will give us an idea of where we are in terms of fitness and style, even if the league hasn’t settled in, we’d expect to be in the top half.

The next 5 until the break after the game on 4th Oct is probably then the best time to judge properly, new players settled in, any further sales complete and Transfer window closed for a few months.

 

[Shoes_On]

Had we stuck with Wilder, we'd have been talking about challenging for top 2 again. Instead, we're talking about patience and maybe aiming for a top 6 finish

 

[robbiez666]

Had we stuck with Wilder, we'd have been talking about challenging for top 2 again. Instead, we're talking about patience and maybe aiming for a top 6 finish

Really? How do you think he would have reacted to the current recruitment? No dummy spat as we've not signed BBD?

 

[ChipButtyBlade]

Bristol City (H) > last season 1-1......this season prediction draw 1-1
Birmingham (A) Cup N/A......prediction 1-1 AET lose on pens
Swansea (A) > last season won 2-1.......this season prediction lose 1-0
Millwall (H) > last season lost 1-0.......this season prediction lose 2-1
Boro (A) > last season lost 1-0.......... this season prediction draw 2-2
Ipswich (A) > last season n/a..............this season prediction lose 3-1
Charlton (H) >last season n/a............this season prediction win 2-0
Oxford (A) > last season lost 1-0.........this season prediction win 2-0
Southampton (H) > last season n/a.....this season prediction win 4-1

 

[Bladesince59]

Had we stuck with Wilder, we'd have been talking about challenging for top 2 again. Instead, we're talking about patience and maybe aiming for a top 6 finish

And been bored out of our minds

 

[metalblade]

Patience ...................... been patient for 50 years with this club. Show a bit of promise and screw it up every time we do.

 

[Youngand70]

Patience is required both on and off the pitch. There's a great deal mentioned regarding loss of parachute payments. In the present climate and for several years now many clubs financial focus has been increasing the commercial side of things to increase club revenue and value also taking into consideration FFP rules.

I would hope that our new owners, being experienced, successfull business men will have this situation factored into their ongoing business plan and management structure.

Prime examples are what is happening at Birmingham and Wrexham both with American owners with that American "can do, will do" attitude to business, hence both clubs off field revenue and value is increasing rapidly.

Villa are another example planning to increase club revenue to £400M by 2027. They have one of the biggest "hospitality" plans in European football, with plans to increase the capacity of their North Stand by 5,000 without disruption to the stand (think the Kop at BDTBL). Additionally their plans include the "Warehouse" a 4,000 capacity entertainment venue with the largest "Beer Hall" in the Premier League. Villa's principal and front of shirt sponsor deal with Betano is worth £40M.

To oversee this hospitality plan Villa have in place a President of Business Operations with previous senior management positions at Juventus, Barcelona and Roma.

I sincerely hope that our new owners realise serious off field restructuring, including putting in place "experienced" football people, is going to be required if "established Premier League" status is to be achieved as they have promised.

 

[Aston max]

Patience is required both on and off the pitch. There's a great deal mentioned regarding loss of parachute payments. In the present climate and for several years now many clubs financial focus has been increasing the commercial side of things to increase club revenue and value also taking into consideration FFP rules.

I would hope that our new owners, being experienced, successfull business men will have this situation factored into their ongoing business plan and management structure.

Prime examples are what is happening at Birmingham and Wrexham both with American owners with that American "can do, will do" attitude to business, hence both clubs off field revenue and value is increasing rapidly.

Villa are another example planning to increase club revenue to £400M by 2027. They have one of the biggest "hospitality" plans in European football, with plans to increase the capacity of their North Stand by 5,000 without disruption to the stand (think the Kop at BDTBL). Additionally their plans include the "Warehouse" a 4,000 capacity entertainment venue with the largest "Beer Hall" in the Premier League. Villa's principal and front of shirt sponsor deal with Betano is worth £40M.

To oversee this hospitality plan Villa have in place a President of Business Operations with previous senior management positions at Juventus, Barcelona and Roma.

I sincerely hope that our new owners realise serious off field restructuring, including putting in place "experienced" football people, is going to be required if "established Premier League" status is to be achieved as they have promised.

I have no evidence to prove this but I suspect as you say the new owners will shove some focus on structural projects, training centre ,ground and general commercial revenues.
The team will get investment but only if the players we're connected with offer long term profit opportunities . I think the days of us signing "last payday pensioner's " has gone !! .
Promotion will be a additional bonus if achieved really quickly.

 

[Rodley]

Had we stuck with Wilder, we'd have been talking about challenging for top 2 again. Instead, we're talking about patience and maybe aiming for a top 6 finish

I think that’s fair, but obviously the new management regime offers improvements in other areas. Believe Selles had significant input in procuring the tarmac for the South Stand car park, for example.

 

[Keen Blade]

I'm not saying he's a commanding CB or leader of defence. I'm saying exactly what I posted which was to challenge your view that he's going to be a squad player. He isn't, he'll be a starter unless he really drops a series of bollocks.



Yes I think we'll be looking to bring in a permanent defender now Anel has left.


You said we were wide open to aerial attack, which I would agree with, but losing Souza is no loss in that area because as you concede he wasn't good in the air anyway neither was Anel. So we're not massively behind the curve here. In fact, given we've not seen anything of the new players aerially we could be further on than we suspect but we're certainly not significantly weaker.


OK, if your opinion is that Anel was good defensively in the air, that's what it is. I disagree and I would say the evidence of the last few seasons, and how exposed we were once we lost Souttar who in fairness would be a huge miss in that area, but the drop off was so significant because Anel and Robinson are not up to standard in that area.
When we were up against inferior sides I thought Anel looked absolute class bringing the ball out, against aerially strong forwards he looked very vulnerable, as he did to pace if they looked to turn him or had decent strength. Anel was a solid Championship centre backs, and certainly one of the best if he had a top end player next to him. Without Egan and Souttar I didn't think he really stepped up and lead the defence with whoever his partner was and could look out of place against the top forwards in the league if exposed one on one.


This argument is beyond dumb to me. Why would you waste a few million "clearing them out on a free" from your budget? There's no benefit to it aside from making a meaningless gesture.

I'm really chuffed with your sensible and well-argued response.

We slightly differ on Anel , except that I think he's great ...with a leader beside him , which is why I've clamoured for one ever since Souttar was injured.
Anel will never be a leader.

I'm not sure why circulating Robbo & Shackleton to see if there are any takers on a free transfer would cost us millions.
If no takers , so be it - I'm certainly not suggested we pay up their contracts to lose them - if we're paying them , we might as well have them around , even if they are only the umpteenth choice in an injury crisis.

 

[Snowflake]

Why on earth do we need to be patient? What club is happy going in to a new season knowing they are nowhere near as good as they were last year and apparently that’s ok!

We need to be patient for 25 days, whilst we build a squad capable of being in the top 6 of the league.
If we fail to build that squad then that is the point at which criticism is deserved.

 

[Snowflake]

Hamer with O’Hare on his shoulders - oh , and in high heels and stood on a stout but medium sized box

Have you tried standing on a box in high heels ? If so why ?

 

[Frank the tank]

Had we stuck with Wilder, we'd have been talking about BOTTLING top 2 again. Instead, we're talking about patience and maybe aiming for a top 6 finish

YEAH TRUE

 

[LurkerBlade]

Saturday (probable) vs Preston (last season)

Cooper - Davies
Seriki - Gilchrist
Bindon - Anel
Robbo - Robbo
Burrows - Burrows
Peck - Souza
Hamer - Hamer
O'Hare - O'Hare
Barry - Arblaster
Brooks - Brooks
Campbell - Moore

So is this about the team or about Selles.....or is it about peoples need to see us sign players?

 

[Tony_Kaufman]

If we don't get promotion this season then there will be a big hole in the finances. Which will be filled by selling any decent players we have. Followed by a downward spiral to join Boro, Norwich, Swansea, WBA in mid table mediocrity or worse.

Worry about that next season then. We've got 46-49 games to be played before we start getting upset about that.

 

[Champagneblade]

Had we stuck with Wilder, we'd have been talking about challenging for top 2 again. Instead, we're talking about patience and maybe aiming for a top 6 finish

Which is exactly what was discussed when there was talk of Wilder leaving.

You can’t be saying the target is top two for Wilder but if the owners themselves decided to change, then it’s ok to say top 6.

They must be making a change to make us better or more effective. Otherwise, why make it?

I’ve reconciled with Wilder leaving but make no bones out it, I’m expecting promotion. That is always the aim as a parachute team. It sure as hell won’t be easier next season when we have even fewer resources. The tune to go up is in the first two years after relegation.

They talked about becoming an established top flight club. It’s their job to make that first step happen. We are the best team left in the Championship after the other three left. We’ll then eventually get a helping hand because Leicester will lose points. Southampton were almost Derby level hopeless. Whilst many are banging on Ipswich, they also lost their top scorer and that may not be the end of it.

We’ve definitely taken backward steps with losing Anel and Souza. But for all we know, Bindon may turn out better than Anel and Soumaré the same with Souza. But the squad needs depth and not shirt filler either.

 

[Tony_Kaufman]

Which is exactly what was discussed when there was talk of Wilder leaving.

You can’t be saying the target is top two for Wilder but if the owners themselves decided to change, then it’s ok to say top 6.

They must be making a change to make us better or more effective. Otherwise, why make it?

I’ve reconciled with Wilder leaving but make no bones out it, I’m expecting promotion. That is always the aim as a parachute team. It sure as hell won’t be easier next season when we have even fewer resources. The tune to go up is in the first two years after relegation.

They talked about becoming an established top flight club. It’s their job to make that first step happen. We are the best team left in the Championship after the other three left. We’ll then eventually get a helping hand because Leicester will lose points. Southampton were almost Derby level hopeless. Whilst many are banging on Ipswich, they also lost their top scorer and that may not be the end of it.

We’ve definitely taken backward steps with losing Anel and Souza. But for all we know, Bindon may turn out better than Anel and Soumaré the same with Souza. But the squad needs depth and not shirt filler either.

We were as pathetic a Southampton were the season before, only getting 4 more points than them, and then finished third last season. So to dismiss them defies logic.

 

[A Storm of Blades]

We have sold a 6'7" , a 6'5" and a 6'3".

We've no height left in the team , let alone the defence.

We are wide open to aerial attack by any average Championship side.

The defence has no commanding leader and looks VERY weak on paper.

Does Selles think we will have 100% possession of the football ?

We are utterly desperate for two CBs so that Binden can be understudy and Robbo can get fucked off out of the door like any normal elderly mediocre player who was given a contract of only 12 months a year ago.

For a club that gets rid of players who come to the last year of their contract , we have sold 3 decent ones and kept the shit one.

WTF is going on ?

Who the fuck were 6’7 and 6’5???