Slept on it

[Chabuddy G]

And I'm glad I did. Didn't see too many reactionary threads on the main forum, Shoutbox was a bit of a hellhole but if that's where people vent their frustrations it can only be a good thing.
They tried their upmost yesterday, it wasn't a lack of effort, it wasn't down to their attitude, they have simply ran out of steam after an incredible effort over the course of the season from what is by and large the same core of players we've had for 3 years.
If you need a pick me up at this moment after being disappointed with yesterdays result and the end of the season in general just cast your minds back to August - written off, pushed aside, laughed at and were told we'd be whipping boys. Should raise a smile at least.

So next season, what do we do? We need more goals, granted, and signing 2 reyt good strikers won't solve that. Sorry to those of you who think that'll solve everything.
We need to create more chances for a start, we need to take more risks, we need more pace in the side and we need to get better with our decision making. The formation needs a tweak.

We'll see some transfers made in the summer that we might not like, but just stick with it and see where it takes us. There's certain players I don't want to lose but if we do so be it, I trust Chris. There isn't one player we've sold so far under Wilder's tutelage and ended up worse for, if that's Egan, O'Connell, Stevens, Fleck or Baldock this season, so be it. The money will be used well and Chris and Alan will have left no stone unturned for every eventuality. They'll have a replacement in place for every player - and where else we can spend the rest of the money we make on them too. It will more than likely leave us with a stronger unit.

I see a very busy summer upcoming because Chris has always said standing still in this division is going backwards. I expect to cut some slack from our squad (Lunny, Robinson, unfortunately Moose, Freeman) to put to our budget and give us a fine sum of money to work with. We don't need to spend hundreds of millions because there's a lot of cheap depth we can sign in certain areas where we need it, so we can save the bulk of the budget for 2 or 3 Sander Berge/Oli McBurnie level signings.

Anyway, what a fabulous season. And the fact most of us are disappointed to not to be in Europe on our first season back in the Prem when we have just spent over half a decade in League One is absolutely mental when you think about it. Our Messiah and his team of disciples have changed this club beyond our wildest dreams, and I'll be forever thankful for that as I'm sure we all will.

 

[SouthportBlade]

Nail. On. Head.

 

[benn5712]

And I'm glad I did. Didn't see too many reactionary threads on the main forum, Shoutbox was a bit of a hellhole but if that's where people vent their frustrations it can only be a good thing.
They tried their upmost yesterday, it wasn't a lack of effort, it wasn't down to their attitude, they have simply ran out of steam after an incredible effort over the course of the season from what is by and large the same core of players we've had for 3 years.
If you need a pick me up at this moment after being disappointed with yesterdays result and the end of the season in general just cast your minds back to August - written off, pushed aside, laughed at and were told we'd be whipping boys. Should raise a smile at least.

So next season, what do we do? We need more goals, granted, and signing 2 reyt good strikers won't solve that. Sorry to those of you who think that'll solve everything.
We need to create more chances for a start, we need to take more risks, we need more pace in the side and we need to get better with our decision making. The formation needs a tweak.

We'll see some transfers made in the summer that we might not like, but just stick with it and see where it takes us. There's certain players I don't want to lose but if we do so be it, I trust Chris. There isn't one player we've sold so far under Wilder's tutelage and ended up worse for, if that's Egan, O'Connell, Stevens, Fleck or Baldock this season, so be it. The money will be used well and Chris and Alan will have left no stone unturned for every eventuality. They'll have a replacement in place for every player - and where else we can spend the rest of the money we make on them too. It will more than likely leave us with a stronger unit.

I see a very busy summer upcoming because Chris has always said standing still in this division is going backwards. I expect to cut some slack from our squad (Lunny, Robinson, unfortunately Moose, Freeman) to put to our budget and give us a fine sum of money to work with. We don't need to spend hundreds of millions because there's a lot of cheap depth we can sign in certain areas where we need it, so we can save the bulk of the budget for 2 or 3 Sander Berge/Oli McBurnie level signings.

Anyway, what a fabulous season. And the fact most of us are disappointed to not to be in Europe on our first season back in the Prem when we have just spent over half a decade in League One is absolutely mental when you think about it. Our Messiah and his team of disciples have changed this club beyond our wildest dreams, and I'll be forever thankful for that as I'm sure we all will.

Last August, I'd have taken 17th place finish. Been up to 5th haven't we?

 

[Chabuddy G]

Last August, I'd have taken 17th place finish. Been up to 5th haven't we?

Yep. If we finished the season with a PPG model we'd have finished 5th...
God damn it.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

The formation needs a tweak.

I’m not convinced it does unless we recruit in a way that would be benefited by a tweak. If it’s basically the same, this is a formation that has demonstrated it works extremely well. The switches we’ve made when chasing games have probably got us more of the ball in the last third, but have been a bit erratic and made us look weaker when teams break against it.

 

[nopigfansintown]

My assessment is that we have massively overachieved given one year of investment, and three years of zero investment. If this is a year of minimal or no investment - given the level of the monies coming into the club - the owner deserves all the criticism coming his way. The mood music coming out of the club is not good, but, as ever, I'll wait to see what they do rather than what they say they're going to do. Wilder is magician but he needs help. People would want previous owners shot.

 

[Chabuddy G]

My assessment is that we have massively overachieved given one year of investment, and three years of zero investment. If this is a year of minimal or no investment - given the level of the monies coming into the club - the owner deserves all the criticism coming his way. The mood music coming out of the club is not good, but, as ever, I'll wait to see what they do rather than what they say they're going to do. Wilder is magician but he needs help. People would want previous owners shot.

Were you asleep in January?
And have you seen the news for the past 4 months?

Most clubs are going to have to cut their cloth accordingly. We're already seeing that ourselves because Reading should NOT be selling John Swift for 3.5mil in todays market.

 

[Keen Blade]

CW saying we've overachieved is him softening us up for relegation next season unless he gets some £ to improve

 

[nopigfansintown]

Were you asleep in January?
And have you seen the news for the past 4 months?

Most clubs are going to have to cut their cloth accordingly. We're already seeing that ourselves because Reading should NOT be selling John Swift for 3.5mil in todays market.

That's the one year of investment. The previous three were run on shoestrings and transfer surpluses. Covid is covered by unbudgeted for prize money totalling 20-30 million. Should still be a budget similar to this season's remaining. Unless the manager is bluffing, this budget is not forthcoming. Questions need asking.

 

[nopigfansintown]

CW saying we've overachieved is him softening us up for relegation next season unless he gets some £ to improve

Correct. If McCabe was the chairman people would be screaming blue murder about the mood music coming out of the club. Wilder is correct to prepare us for the worst, and defend his record by explaining his situation. Hopefully he's bluffing

 

[Chabuddy G]

That's the one year of investment. The previous three were run on shoestrings and transfer surpluses. Covid is covered by unbudgeted for prize money totalling 20-30 million. Should still be a budget similar to this season's remaining. Unless the manager is bluffing, this budget is not forthcoming. Questions need asking.

The first under Prince Abdullah's tutelage.
Covid isn't covered by anything, covid has stuck a knife in the tyres of every teams plans for next season

 

[Mouth of the South]

Yep. If we finished the season with a PPG model we'd have finished 5th...
God damn it.

That was never going to be the outcome in the Prem due to the amount of TV money that would have to be paid back had the season been curtailed.

 

[nopigfansintown]

The first under Prince Abdullah's tutelage.
Covid isn't covered by anything, covid has stuck a knife in the tyres of every teams plans for next season

It's covered by unbudgeted for prize money, FA cup quarter finals money, and a year's extra parachute payments (again, unbudgeted for income now guaranteed).

 

[nopigfansintown]

The first under Prince Abdullah's tutelage.
Covid isn't covered by anything, covid has stuck a knife in the tyres of every teams plans for next season

The Prince has been 50/50 owner since the Weir season.

 

[Roygbiv]

[

CW saying we've overachieved is him softening us up for relegation next season unless he gets some £ to improve

What about when he said we won't be a one season wonder?

 

[Keen Blade]

[


What about when he said we won't be a one season wonder?

He's saying we've already avoided that by overachieving + staying up. And the guy has to stay positive. But the warning is loud & clear.

 

[Carlton Blade]

That's the one year of investment. The previous three were run on shoestrings and transfer surpluses. Covid is covered by unbudgeted for prize money totalling 20-30 million. Should still be a budget similar to this season's remaining. Unless the manager is bluffing, this budget is not forthcoming. Questions need asking.

We lost money every season. Do you want Chansiri style money thrown against the wall?

 

[Roygbiv]

He's saying we've already avoided that by overachieving + staying up. And the guy has to stay positive. But the warning is loud & clear.

I've honestly no idea how you have got to this conclusion. He 100% didn't say we've overachieved because he is softening us up for relegation.

 

[Chabuddy G]

CW saying we've overachieved is him softening us up for relegation next season unless he gets some £ to improve

That's a reach

 

[Cheesebored]

And I'm glad I did. Didn't see too many reactionary threads on the main forum, Shoutbox was a bit of a hellhole but if that's where people vent their frustrations it can only be a good thing.
They tried their upmost yesterday, it wasn't a lack of effort, it wasn't down to their attitude, they have simply ran out of steam after an incredible effort over the course of the season from what is by and large the same core of players we've had for 3 years.
If you need a pick me up at this moment after being disappointed with yesterdays result and the end of the season in general just cast your minds back to August - written off, pushed aside, laughed at and were told we'd be whipping boys. Should raise a smile at least.

So next season, what do we do? We need more goals, granted, and signing 2 reyt good strikers won't solve that. Sorry to those of you who think that'll solve everything.
We need to create more chances for a start, we need to take more risks, we need more pace in the side and we need to get better with our decision making. The formation needs a tweak.

We'll see some transfers made in the summer that we might not like, but just stick with it and see where it takes us. There's certain players I don't want to lose but if we do so be it, I trust Chris. There isn't one player we've sold so far under Wilder's tutelage and ended up worse for, if that's Egan, O'Connell, Stevens, Fleck or Baldock this season, so be it. The money will be used well and Chris and Alan will have left no stone unturned for every eventuality. They'll have a replacement in place for every player - and where else we can spend the rest of the money we make on them too. It will more than likely leave us with a stronger unit.

I see a very busy summer upcoming because Chris has always said standing still in this division is going backwards. I expect to cut some slack from our squad (Lunny, Robinson, unfortunately Moose, Freeman) to put to our budget and give us a fine sum of money to work with. We don't need to spend hundreds of millions because there's a lot of cheap depth we can sign in certain areas where we need it, so we can save the bulk of the budget for 2 or 3 Sander Berge/Oli McBurnie level signings.

Anyway, what a fabulous season. And the fact most of us are disappointed to not to be in Europe on our first season back in the Prem when we have just spent over half a decade in League One is absolutely mental when you think about it. Our Messiah and his team of disciples have changed this club beyond our wildest dreams, and I'll be forever thankful for that as I'm sure we all will.

The first under Prince Abdullah's tutelage.
Covid isn't covered by anything, covid has stuck a knife in the tyres of every teams plans for next season

Like for use of tutelage. Nearly report button for use of tutelage again in same thread. Seriously I agree with your first post my only worry is the short turnaround time before the new season starts. We look knackered. Great achievement from all the lads and management team this season, they have my eternal gratitude for a season to make us all proud to be blades after so many years of famine. UTB.

 

[The Vicar]

As the thread says, & so have I. Not disappointed about Europe as the last 9 games have shown the limitations of our squad playing so frequently, it would have been an ego trip that could have cost us our PL place.

Without CV19 we may have ended up 7/8th rather than 9/10th, as the break favoured those clubs with key players injured + the 5 subs rule.

Great performances against Spurs & Chelsea, & good solid ones against Burnley & Wolves. But poor against NU, MU, LC & Everton overall, not in keeping with our performances pre lock down.

Overall a magnificent season, just sad at the drop off recently, but that does not detract from some memorable games & a fabulous end of season position in the top half of the division.

A concern for next season would be that we do not create enough chances, hence games like last night with no shots on target, but I am sure that those in charge are well aware of this.

Have a great summer as its probably only about 8 weeks until we start again! With probably at least 2 clubs below us facing the drop, as I am sure Leeds will above us in the pundits predictions!

MTLBWY

UTB Until next season!

 

[Roygbiv]

As the thread says, & so have I. Not disappointed about Europe as the last 9 games have shown the limitations of our squad playing so frequently, it would have been an ego trip that could have cost us our PL place.

Without CV19 we may have ended up 7/8th rather than 9/10th, as the break favoured those clubs with key players injured + the 5 subs rule.

Great performances against Spurs & Chelsea, & good solid ones against Burnley & Wolves. But poor against NU, MU, LC & Everton overall, not in keeping with our performances pre lock down.

Overall a magnificent season, just sad at the drop off recently, but that does not detract from some memorable games & a fabulous end of season position in the top half of the division.

A concern for next season would be that we do not create enough chances, hence games like last night with no shots on target, but I am sure that those in charge are well aware of this.

Have a great summer as its probably only about 8 weeks until we start again! With probably at least 2 clubs below us facing the drop, as I am sure Leeds will above us in the pundits predictions!

MTLBWY

UTB Until next season!

Great post. Exactly how I see it. We weren't good enough for Europe essentially. We may have got there if Spurs and Man U didn't get the break they needed but it was always realistically a huge ask.

I think we came back from lockdown and showed exactly what we are. An average Premier League side who don't create enough, can look shocking when we aren't on it but can also beat anyone on our day and look a genuine top side. That's nothing to be sniffed at to me and I'm extremely happy with the season. Exceeded everything I expected.

 

[Stretch]

CW saying we've overachieved is him softening us up for relegation next season unless he gets some £ to improve

Correct. If McCabe was the chairman people would be screaming blue murder about the mood music coming out of the club. Wilder is correct to prepare us for the worst, and defend his record by explaining his situation. Hopefully he's bluffing

He also said that this season wasn't a one off or a flash in the pan.

No way is Wilder even contemplating a relegation scrap. More likely, getting so close to Europe and just missing out has made him determined to smash it next season.

He doesn't go backwards.

 

[shorehamview]

He also said that this season wasn't a one off or a flash in the pan.

No way is Wilder even contemplating a relegation scrap. More likely, getting so close to Europe and just missing out has made him determined to smash it next season.

He doesn't go backwards.

We've never gone backwards under Wilder, and I can’t really see that changing. Steady improvement is the key, although it has to be said we have also had drastic sudden improvement too so far and that may have altered the expectations of some fans.

 

[nopigfansintown]

We lost money every season. Do you want Chansiri style money thrown against the wall?

No, just a sensible, sustainable budget similar to this year's allied to a prudent recruitment policy.

 

[Ricardo Mantelban]

Christ! You can tell we’ve lost a couple of games. Since the re start we haven’t reached the levels we were at when we had packed away ends and a loud and proud Bramall Lane but even then we have stuffed 2 of the nations sweethearts and beat a team destined for future glories. This team has been phenomenal. Remember our first season back in the championship, a very similar pattern. Then what happened?

 

[nopigfansintown]

I've honestly no idea how you have got to this conclusion. He 100% didn't say we've overachieved because he is softening us up for relegation.

No, but he's laying the groundwork for how difficult it's going to be. If not, he'd have just no commented or prevaricated. He made a clear distinction between this year's budget and next season's.

 

[Carlton Blade]

No, just a sensible, sustainable budget similar to this year's allied to a prudent recruitment policy.

We haven't even finished the season yet. The only info we have is that the budget is going to be less than it was pre-COVID. I don't understand why you think the owner should be getting stick for that?

 

[Carlton Blade]

No, but he's laying the groundwork for how difficult it's going to be. If not, he'd have just no commented or prevaricated. He made a clear distinction between this year's budget and next season's.

No team in Premier League history has ever earned this many points from this few goals scored. In fact, no team has earned this many points from less than 45 goals scored.

Only 8 teams in Premier League history have conceded less than 40 goals and finished outside the top 6.

This season is an outlier. We will not concede less than 40 goals next year. We'll lose or draw a few of the close games we drew or won this season. That's just how sport goes.

It will be tougher because this is an extremely tough league

 

[nopigfansintown]

He also said that this season wasn't a one off or a flash in the pan.

No way is Wilder even contemplating a relegation scrap. More likely, getting so close to Europe and just missing out has made him determined to smash it next season.

He doesn't go backwards.

He doesn't, does the United board? We'll soon find out.