Beighton_Blade
New Member
As i'm sure has been mentioned on numerous occassions, this summer see's the expiry of many of our current squad's contracts, and the inevitable termination of loan deals.
To my calculations we will definitely (barring any sales or as of yet unannounced terminations) have a squad of 15:
Paddy
Aksalu
France
Morgan
Lowton
Taylor
Stewart
Williamson
Quinn
Yeates
Ward
Evans
Henderson
Cresswell
Sharp*
With a possible line-up of:
---------------Paddy
France---Morgan---Lowton--Taylor
Ward---Williamson--Quinn---Yeates
---------Sharp*--Henderson
Subs: Aksalu, Stewart, Cresswell, Evans
So, imho, there is no doubt that the first port of call for recruitment has to be the defence.
Paddy has always been a good keeper, and I hope his forced absence has not (or will not have) affected this, indeed, I hope he has used this event to re-evaluate his position and get his focus back on reproducing the sort of form we have seen from him in his glory seasons from yester-year. Aksalu, should (in theory) be a backup and if not (then why sign him?) we should seek a (cheap!) younger deputy with potential to challenge long-term.
The midfield, although not great and maybe looking a little lacking in leadership and consistency, as well as lacking depth (2nd priority for recruitment!), is decent for this division as all, on their day, can produce eye-catching performances.
The striking position should, given the right management, tactics and direction, be enough to embark on a top 6 target, as i'm sure many managers would be able to create a semi-prolific partnership from a pool of Sharp*, Evans, Hendo, Cresswell and Ward (if not used at RM).
However, imho, we clearly need a new RB (will Connor Brown have developed enough by the summer to be considered a la Naughton/Walker?), as Geary is one tackle away from retriement (and out of contract anyway!), and France unassured/unproven as of yet.
Centre half is critical without doubt, and probably needs 2 players here, one to partner Captain Morgs, and one to be a backup who can push the partnership into needed consistency in order to maintain their positions in the side. Left back should also be looked at, but i suppose the sales or Taylor and Stewart are unlikely (although fingers crossed!!), so its likely to be one of them as the no.3 next year unfortunately.
We will no doubt be in a situation not experienced for a few years at Bramall Lane in that we should no longer be considered top-6 challenging certainties, and maybe this (in a perverse sort of way) might suit us, calm down expectations, and (given any luck) provide the/new manager with time to rebuild a (hopefully) more confident and ball-playing side with more pressure on performances rather than the (laterly unsuccessful) negative, winning ugly/not loosing tactic we have endured in the past 18+ months.
Given that we have about zero £ to spend on this, I assume much might depending on wheeling and dealing skills of the manager, and possibly may involve Sharp leaving (hope not as i feel, rejuvinated and under new management, he could yet have a final chance to shine at BDTBL), although the huge reduction in the wage bill the departures that are assumed in my team above would will have entailed might hopefully leave a little leway for small budget expenditure, from potential talent from the lower leagues (a la Jamie Ward).
If not we have to rely on our hopes for the Academy, and that any future manager will be able to recruit more successfully from a lesser budget than KB has with Taylor, Reid, France, Stewart, Little etc...
Does anyone else agree that this squad, with the right additions, shows enough potential to achieve anither top half/PO pushing finish next season? And does anyone have any sort of ideas, to the sort/names of players which might be worth looking at in the summer, given that its unlikely we'll be paying anything more than £250,000 per signing imho (barring any outgoings) and no doubt will have to scour the lower league 'potential gems' market?...
In a way, i feel that this approach might even prove more beneficial to us long term, as we can not continue in our current vain of recruiting overpriced average players (also often paying high wages for rarely used players) and not utilising them to thier full advantage - we have to return to being a 'transfer savvy', clever-recruiting club who can find hidden/lost gems which need to be nurtured into improving both them and us here at the Lane, and in the process improving the first team!
UTB!
*assuming he returns, which i suspect depends solely on who is manager next season!
To my calculations we will definitely (barring any sales or as of yet unannounced terminations) have a squad of 15:
Paddy
Aksalu
France
Morgan
Lowton
Taylor
Stewart
Williamson
Quinn
Yeates
Ward
Evans
Henderson
Cresswell
Sharp*
With a possible line-up of:
---------------Paddy
France---Morgan---Lowton--Taylor
Ward---Williamson--Quinn---Yeates
---------Sharp*--Henderson
Subs: Aksalu, Stewart, Cresswell, Evans
So, imho, there is no doubt that the first port of call for recruitment has to be the defence.
Paddy has always been a good keeper, and I hope his forced absence has not (or will not have) affected this, indeed, I hope he has used this event to re-evaluate his position and get his focus back on reproducing the sort of form we have seen from him in his glory seasons from yester-year. Aksalu, should (in theory) be a backup and if not (then why sign him?) we should seek a (cheap!) younger deputy with potential to challenge long-term.
The midfield, although not great and maybe looking a little lacking in leadership and consistency, as well as lacking depth (2nd priority for recruitment!), is decent for this division as all, on their day, can produce eye-catching performances.
The striking position should, given the right management, tactics and direction, be enough to embark on a top 6 target, as i'm sure many managers would be able to create a semi-prolific partnership from a pool of Sharp*, Evans, Hendo, Cresswell and Ward (if not used at RM).
However, imho, we clearly need a new RB (will Connor Brown have developed enough by the summer to be considered a la Naughton/Walker?), as Geary is one tackle away from retriement (and out of contract anyway!), and France unassured/unproven as of yet.
Centre half is critical without doubt, and probably needs 2 players here, one to partner Captain Morgs, and one to be a backup who can push the partnership into needed consistency in order to maintain their positions in the side. Left back should also be looked at, but i suppose the sales or Taylor and Stewart are unlikely (although fingers crossed!!), so its likely to be one of them as the no.3 next year unfortunately.
We will no doubt be in a situation not experienced for a few years at Bramall Lane in that we should no longer be considered top-6 challenging certainties, and maybe this (in a perverse sort of way) might suit us, calm down expectations, and (given any luck) provide the/new manager with time to rebuild a (hopefully) more confident and ball-playing side with more pressure on performances rather than the (laterly unsuccessful) negative, winning ugly/not loosing tactic we have endured in the past 18+ months.
Given that we have about zero £ to spend on this, I assume much might depending on wheeling and dealing skills of the manager, and possibly may involve Sharp leaving (hope not as i feel, rejuvinated and under new management, he could yet have a final chance to shine at BDTBL), although the huge reduction in the wage bill the departures that are assumed in my team above would will have entailed might hopefully leave a little leway for small budget expenditure, from potential talent from the lower leagues (a la Jamie Ward).
If not we have to rely on our hopes for the Academy, and that any future manager will be able to recruit more successfully from a lesser budget than KB has with Taylor, Reid, France, Stewart, Little etc...
Does anyone else agree that this squad, with the right additions, shows enough potential to achieve anither top half/PO pushing finish next season? And does anyone have any sort of ideas, to the sort/names of players which might be worth looking at in the summer, given that its unlikely we'll be paying anything more than £250,000 per signing imho (barring any outgoings) and no doubt will have to scour the lower league 'potential gems' market?...
In a way, i feel that this approach might even prove more beneficial to us long term, as we can not continue in our current vain of recruiting overpriced average players (also often paying high wages for rarely used players) and not utilising them to thier full advantage - we have to return to being a 'transfer savvy', clever-recruiting club who can find hidden/lost gems which need to be nurtured into improving both them and us here at the Lane, and in the process improving the first team!
UTB!
*assuming he returns, which i suspect depends solely on who is manager next season!
