Deadbat
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- Aug 6, 2009
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Playing Squad
Goalkeepers
Simon Moore After Long had started the season so poorly; rumours started to eminate about a new goalkeeper coming in before the end of the August transfer window. Lee Grant seemed the one who was going to join but it did not happen and he ended up in the Premier League and did very well at Stoke. The name of Simon Moore had not been mentioned and many Blades had not really heard of him till they were reminded he was the lad who kept goal for Brentford in a series of games a few years ago. They recalled his dreadful kick out that presented a goal to Ched Evans in a game United won at Griffin Park. He had been highly rated at Brentford and Cardiff signed him for over a million when they went up. However he failed to dislodge David Marshall and only played 17 times over a 3 years and had a loan spell at Bristol City but when he came back was no nearer to being first choice with Marshall maybe the outstanding keeper alongside Kieran Westwood outside the top flight.
United came in with a bid of supposedly half a million with add ons and he signed a three year deal. It was a big statement of intent for United to spend quite a bit for a keeper who had barely played for the last few seasons. Clearly Mitchell, Wilder and the club saw something that Cardiff had when they paid so much for him back in 2013.
Moore went straight in and did really well at Millwall making some good saves and made a real difference. He commanded well and communicated better with the defence than Long had. It helped the veteran Jake Wright came in and a big powerful unit like Ebanks Landell. Also going to 3 at back gave him extra protection. He pushed one out v Oxford that was Long-esque as they scored the rebound but did well in a series of games and I recall a few great stops in wins v Northampton and Bristol Rovers. The team kept winning and Moore was a big part of it. He was much better on crosses than Long and commanded better. He also made some crucial saves and showed he was a good athlete to get across his goal. His distribution was a bit mixed. Some good kicks/throws but some kicks out of play also.
He was not perfect and some goals he could have done better; Chesterfield’s opener, a late goal at Charlton when he was rooted to his line and also mix up with Ebanks Landell in two games v Fleetwood and also v Walsall led to similar goals. A few long shots beat him that he might have done better; at Southend, Oxford and also Swindon but that is nitpicking.
Generally he has improved things a lot. I recall some crucial saves such as the one at Rochdale that was brilliant and a few others from point blank range. He has the right size and physique to keep improving and even though there have been some moments his concentration wavered and he let in poor goals; he has done well most of the season with the errors noted above not even glaring. Most games you feel comfortable with him back there and it is the most calm I have been for a while after some error ridden games from likes of Simonsen, Long and also Howard; who all would have decent games but were way too erratic. Moore is much more consistent. Hope he can keep improving as we move up a league but feel he would benefit with an experienced back up to push him even more. Credit to him though that our defence has looked really solid most of the season, save for a few dodgy spells/games and he had kept 17 clean sheets.Proved a very good signing overall and one that had to be made after the start. Credit to Wilder for spotting him being available and acting so soon. He seems to love being part of the club and his celebrations at the end of the season showed that.
Grade B (Last season NA)
George Long
We ended the season with Howard moving on after a poor end to the season and a season in which neither keeper particularly convinced but Long actually finished the season in ok form and was one of the better performers to end the season – he certainly played well in quite a few games. He was out of contract and for a while it looked like he might move on as Wilder seemed to low ball him somewhat with a lower offer than the contract he already been offered before Adkins moved on. He probably did not get many offers elsewhere and the week before the season he signed a new 2-year deal to stay. Opening day, he had little chance with a goal from long range but then started to make mistakes and was less than convincing in a number of games; gifting a goal to Rochdale at Bramall Lane and then the following midweek had a nightmare (along with the rest) as Southend scored 3 and everything he touched seemed to go wrong. His indecision, soft hands and total lack of communication saw United all over the place. Wilder said all the right things publicly about pulling round him but you sense secretly he saw what we all did; he just was not good enough and painted an air of nervousness when he kept goal. Wilder acted, and fast. Rumours of Lee Grant coming in surfaced but it was Simon Moore who came in for a 5-figure free from Cardiff (see below). Long was back on the side lines and it seemed maybe had words about his removal from the side as Wilder sent him away from the club for a few days. When he came back he was back in the group but Ramsdale had usurped him as number 2. A sure sign that his future lay elsewhere. He played some reserve games again and did ok by all accounts as he sought to regain his shattered confidence. Ramsdale moved on late January and Long was back as number 2. He seemed to be very professional and Wilder stated he had knuckled down. Moore remained fit although the fact when he went down injured v Millwall or the rumours pre Oldham of a knock, people were worried said a lot about the belief in Long.
I think whilst Long carried himself well after he was initially quite upset to be taken out of the team and not even in the squad for a period; he was eventually really professional and as Wilder said knuckled down, supported Moore and part of the group. He celebrated just as hard as the rest after the promotion game and of course being a Blade it meant a lot to him too!
I still feel that he may move on if he could get a club that could see him as a starter. I cannot see a situation where he becomes a starter again here and with a year left on his contract probably knows he has to start again down the leagues and establish himself as a number one. However, in his favour to stay is we have to have an Academy graduate in the match day squad and he is an easy one to put in knowing he would be very rarely called on and gets around this problem (not really a problem as think it is a good move by the EFL) every week easily.
Grade D- (Last season B- )
Aaron Ramsdale Ramsdale had been highly touted for some time impressing in the Academy set up and making the step up to u23/reserve football. Watchers at this level had seen that he may be able to do what Long had maybe not done and eventually cement his place and develop into a very good goalkeeper. Ramsdale moved ahead of Long in the pecking order and played in FA Cup games against Orient and Bolton. He made some impressive saves in the latter game and did not look out of place. Teams had been rumoured to be scouting Ramsdale for some time and this speculation hotted up in January. Bournemouth came in with a late bid after Everton had seemingly had a bid turned down. Wilder said it met the valuation and probably knew he would have to let him move with agents involved etc and off he went.
Ramsdale seems to be well down in terms of first team consideration with three senior keeper ahead of him although two are both aged 30 and above. However, it seems it could be some time before Ramsdale is considered for the first team and has done from a League One bench to playing occasional u23 games. Still I expect he may get a loan deal, ironically it may be to a League One club or lower. Still the amount of money he will be getting and the signing on free means in reality it was probably an easy decision. Shame clubs lower down cannot keep players for longer periods now and even prospects like Ramsdale clubs will take a punt on knowing that the small fee (in relative terms) they pay for such players is not going to make or break clubs. They can afford to gamble. Be interesting to see where he ends up. I suppose he was not going to be near our first team for a season or so with Moore ahead of him and also still quite young in keeping terms so it is not like he had lost a major opportunity at United.
Grade B- (Last season NA )
The rest
With Jake Eastwood was 4th choice with Ramsdale ahead of him and also Long and then Moore coming in but with the departure of Ramsdale he became number 3 and the main keeper for the u23’s. Josh Perryman and Hugo Warhurst are two other young keepers. I think I saw that Perryman may not be kept on and Warhurst is of course a bit younger and should be the number one keeper in the u18s with Eastwood the same in the u23’s. Good we are producing promising young keepers.
Next season
Moore will start the season as number one. He did well for the most part and made us a lot more solid at the back although the defence takes a great deal of credit too. He needs an experienced back up though. Not convinced Long will ever make it and even as back up I have my doubts if Moore ever got injured. Moore did well but was not always convincing; but was much better than Long and improved us immeasurably. We do not that experience stopper to properly test Moore though. So, I would hope we make that signing in that area especially if Long does move on. We will know more about Moore in the first few months of the next season when he will get tested every week than we did last season. He did not quite make it at Cardiff with tough competition from Marshall who is a really good keeper so needs to make this count as he is reaching peak age, 27 and coming into his most important years. Ideal scenario is Long moves on; either loan (with a recall) or permanent; and we sign a competent experienced back up keeper to really push Moore. There is talk of the lad Etheridge from Walsall who has been very good at this level and always does well against us so you sense there may be another incoming.
Returning players;
Player / Position Years remaining (contract expires)
Goalkeepers
Simon Moore 2 years (2019)
George Long 1 year (2018)
Jake Eastwood 1 year (2018)
Goalkeepers
Simon Moore After Long had started the season so poorly; rumours started to eminate about a new goalkeeper coming in before the end of the August transfer window. Lee Grant seemed the one who was going to join but it did not happen and he ended up in the Premier League and did very well at Stoke. The name of Simon Moore had not been mentioned and many Blades had not really heard of him till they were reminded he was the lad who kept goal for Brentford in a series of games a few years ago. They recalled his dreadful kick out that presented a goal to Ched Evans in a game United won at Griffin Park. He had been highly rated at Brentford and Cardiff signed him for over a million when they went up. However he failed to dislodge David Marshall and only played 17 times over a 3 years and had a loan spell at Bristol City but when he came back was no nearer to being first choice with Marshall maybe the outstanding keeper alongside Kieran Westwood outside the top flight.
United came in with a bid of supposedly half a million with add ons and he signed a three year deal. It was a big statement of intent for United to spend quite a bit for a keeper who had barely played for the last few seasons. Clearly Mitchell, Wilder and the club saw something that Cardiff had when they paid so much for him back in 2013.
Moore went straight in and did really well at Millwall making some good saves and made a real difference. He commanded well and communicated better with the defence than Long had. It helped the veteran Jake Wright came in and a big powerful unit like Ebanks Landell. Also going to 3 at back gave him extra protection. He pushed one out v Oxford that was Long-esque as they scored the rebound but did well in a series of games and I recall a few great stops in wins v Northampton and Bristol Rovers. The team kept winning and Moore was a big part of it. He was much better on crosses than Long and commanded better. He also made some crucial saves and showed he was a good athlete to get across his goal. His distribution was a bit mixed. Some good kicks/throws but some kicks out of play also.
He was not perfect and some goals he could have done better; Chesterfield’s opener, a late goal at Charlton when he was rooted to his line and also mix up with Ebanks Landell in two games v Fleetwood and also v Walsall led to similar goals. A few long shots beat him that he might have done better; at Southend, Oxford and also Swindon but that is nitpicking.
Generally he has improved things a lot. I recall some crucial saves such as the one at Rochdale that was brilliant and a few others from point blank range. He has the right size and physique to keep improving and even though there have been some moments his concentration wavered and he let in poor goals; he has done well most of the season with the errors noted above not even glaring. Most games you feel comfortable with him back there and it is the most calm I have been for a while after some error ridden games from likes of Simonsen, Long and also Howard; who all would have decent games but were way too erratic. Moore is much more consistent. Hope he can keep improving as we move up a league but feel he would benefit with an experienced back up to push him even more. Credit to him though that our defence has looked really solid most of the season, save for a few dodgy spells/games and he had kept 17 clean sheets.Proved a very good signing overall and one that had to be made after the start. Credit to Wilder for spotting him being available and acting so soon. He seems to love being part of the club and his celebrations at the end of the season showed that.
Grade B (Last season NA)
George Long
We ended the season with Howard moving on after a poor end to the season and a season in which neither keeper particularly convinced but Long actually finished the season in ok form and was one of the better performers to end the season – he certainly played well in quite a few games. He was out of contract and for a while it looked like he might move on as Wilder seemed to low ball him somewhat with a lower offer than the contract he already been offered before Adkins moved on. He probably did not get many offers elsewhere and the week before the season he signed a new 2-year deal to stay. Opening day, he had little chance with a goal from long range but then started to make mistakes and was less than convincing in a number of games; gifting a goal to Rochdale at Bramall Lane and then the following midweek had a nightmare (along with the rest) as Southend scored 3 and everything he touched seemed to go wrong. His indecision, soft hands and total lack of communication saw United all over the place. Wilder said all the right things publicly about pulling round him but you sense secretly he saw what we all did; he just was not good enough and painted an air of nervousness when he kept goal. Wilder acted, and fast. Rumours of Lee Grant coming in surfaced but it was Simon Moore who came in for a 5-figure free from Cardiff (see below). Long was back on the side lines and it seemed maybe had words about his removal from the side as Wilder sent him away from the club for a few days. When he came back he was back in the group but Ramsdale had usurped him as number 2. A sure sign that his future lay elsewhere. He played some reserve games again and did ok by all accounts as he sought to regain his shattered confidence. Ramsdale moved on late January and Long was back as number 2. He seemed to be very professional and Wilder stated he had knuckled down. Moore remained fit although the fact when he went down injured v Millwall or the rumours pre Oldham of a knock, people were worried said a lot about the belief in Long.
I think whilst Long carried himself well after he was initially quite upset to be taken out of the team and not even in the squad for a period; he was eventually really professional and as Wilder said knuckled down, supported Moore and part of the group. He celebrated just as hard as the rest after the promotion game and of course being a Blade it meant a lot to him too!
I still feel that he may move on if he could get a club that could see him as a starter. I cannot see a situation where he becomes a starter again here and with a year left on his contract probably knows he has to start again down the leagues and establish himself as a number one. However, in his favour to stay is we have to have an Academy graduate in the match day squad and he is an easy one to put in knowing he would be very rarely called on and gets around this problem (not really a problem as think it is a good move by the EFL) every week easily.
Grade D- (Last season B- )
Aaron Ramsdale Ramsdale had been highly touted for some time impressing in the Academy set up and making the step up to u23/reserve football. Watchers at this level had seen that he may be able to do what Long had maybe not done and eventually cement his place and develop into a very good goalkeeper. Ramsdale moved ahead of Long in the pecking order and played in FA Cup games against Orient and Bolton. He made some impressive saves in the latter game and did not look out of place. Teams had been rumoured to be scouting Ramsdale for some time and this speculation hotted up in January. Bournemouth came in with a late bid after Everton had seemingly had a bid turned down. Wilder said it met the valuation and probably knew he would have to let him move with agents involved etc and off he went.
Ramsdale seems to be well down in terms of first team consideration with three senior keeper ahead of him although two are both aged 30 and above. However, it seems it could be some time before Ramsdale is considered for the first team and has done from a League One bench to playing occasional u23 games. Still I expect he may get a loan deal, ironically it may be to a League One club or lower. Still the amount of money he will be getting and the signing on free means in reality it was probably an easy decision. Shame clubs lower down cannot keep players for longer periods now and even prospects like Ramsdale clubs will take a punt on knowing that the small fee (in relative terms) they pay for such players is not going to make or break clubs. They can afford to gamble. Be interesting to see where he ends up. I suppose he was not going to be near our first team for a season or so with Moore ahead of him and also still quite young in keeping terms so it is not like he had lost a major opportunity at United.
Grade B- (Last season NA )
The rest
With Jake Eastwood was 4th choice with Ramsdale ahead of him and also Long and then Moore coming in but with the departure of Ramsdale he became number 3 and the main keeper for the u23’s. Josh Perryman and Hugo Warhurst are two other young keepers. I think I saw that Perryman may not be kept on and Warhurst is of course a bit younger and should be the number one keeper in the u18s with Eastwood the same in the u23’s. Good we are producing promising young keepers.
Next season
Moore will start the season as number one. He did well for the most part and made us a lot more solid at the back although the defence takes a great deal of credit too. He needs an experienced back up though. Not convinced Long will ever make it and even as back up I have my doubts if Moore ever got injured. Moore did well but was not always convincing; but was much better than Long and improved us immeasurably. We do not that experience stopper to properly test Moore though. So, I would hope we make that signing in that area especially if Long does move on. We will know more about Moore in the first few months of the next season when he will get tested every week than we did last season. He did not quite make it at Cardiff with tough competition from Marshall who is a really good keeper so needs to make this count as he is reaching peak age, 27 and coming into his most important years. Ideal scenario is Long moves on; either loan (with a recall) or permanent; and we sign a competent experienced back up keeper to really push Moore. There is talk of the lad Etheridge from Walsall who has been very good at this level and always does well against us so you sense there may be another incoming.
Returning players;
Player / Position Years remaining (contract expires)
Goalkeepers
Simon Moore 2 years (2019)
George Long 1 year (2018)
Jake Eastwood 1 year (2018)
