SUFC Season Review / School Report - Part 6 - Strikers

[Deadbat]

Strikers


Billy Sharp The previous campaign he was the one not afforded criticism as he scored 20 goals and generally did his best in a poor side that lacked heart, ideas and skill. He was brought back to the club by his old pal Adkins but despite the goals the team were in his own words at the end of this season ‘embarrassing.’ Wilder immediately came in and sensed what he had done and connection between him and the fans and made him captain. He did not seem a captain sort and usually they are not strikers but Wilder felt example he showed on the field would allow him to take on this further leadership and he did it superbly. I was surprised how good of a captain he was, from talking to younger supporters off the field, to the pep talks on it, to how he tried to always keep others involved even the ones not playing. He also brought together a real sense of togetherness ad unity again and seemed to be leading on a lot of the social events. It became more like the Bassett/Warnock era and credit to Sharp for his part in bringing this togetherness back.


On the field he led from the front, got goals all season long (till he tailed off at the end). To get 30 goals (and 8 assists) is a credit to how much he wanted it. He has worked really hard in games and even when he has not scored has contributed well. He had led the fight every game and sums up the attitude change in the club. His goals were a real mixture. Some crackers (at Shrewsbury and against Oldham at home) to vital late goals (Gillingham, Peterborough, Coventry) to huge game defining ones (Scunny x 2, Bolton x 2). He has had quite a few partners and these have been mixed but did very well for spells with all of them with Done showing some hard work off the ball, Lavery drawing defenders with his running and then the presence of Hanson and Clarke also helping him have space to get goals. A lot of them have been him being in the right spot at the right time and having that instinct to finish. He has been very much our talisman this season both on and off the field. His one on one finishing is superb. You do not think he will miss and he clearly has worked at that his whole career and still must practice finishing every day to be at the level he is and as consistent as he is with chances.


He courted some attention when Gary Madine got involved in some daft social media stuff but Sharp’s response was perfect. His tongue in cheek celebration and reaction on twitter was also good. He always seems to have fun playing and he plays with a smile on his face. He is loving playing for his boyhood club and deserves the rewards.


Huge credit to him. He took a wage cut to come here and wanted moments like this because he loves the club. Could have stayed at Leeds and picked up a wage but wanted to make it work at United after two mixed spells previously (first one he was only a kid).


He has been transferred for over 3 million times and has now scored 187 goals in 382 games at an average of 0.43 goals per game. He is still only 31 so you reckon he could easily get to 250 which is quite a big mark when you look via records and players who have done it. It is an old adage but wherever he goes he does score goals and is the sort of opponent that fans of other teams will say; ‘he always scores against us.’ No, he scores against everyone!!!


You could see how much promotion meant to him from the videos in the car park after the Northampton game when they got back and the scenes in the pub down London/Eccy Road after the final game. He clearly loves the club and like Wilder he is living the dream. The enduring moment of the season might be Sharp carried shoulder high at Northampton singing with the fans and a red and white scarf held aloft. He loved all the scenes down London / Eccy Road after the last games and him singing, crowd surfing and then being on the bus was brilliant to watch! He orchestrated much of the scenes on the town hall balcony and certainly showed how the club absolutely means everything to him.


As for next season, tin hat on here, I do not think he will, be a regular starter every week. He lacks pace to play regularly higher up and I feel will still get goals and be a threat he may be rotated about. Hope he proves me (and rival fans who mocked him when he said he wants 19 goals next season to make it 100 in the Championship) wrong and scores 20 goals and is a key man but we saw last few weeks his legs might not have the running they once had (but then had a good run to finish0. Hopefully with a summer off and fresh impetus he can kick on again. I do feel we need 2 strikers at this level and that likes of him, Hanson and Lavery will be involved but that we may need to up the quality slightly in this area. Still whatever happens he deserves credit for playing a huge part in a tremendous season and us as fans we can worry about next season when it comes. Let Wilder make the big decisions. He seems rather good at them.


Grade A (Last season A-)


Che Adams Adams has done very well when he first came into the side and looked a real prospect. His two goals v Spurs really saw people start to take notice. He scored a few other decent goals including a great goal at Swindon when he looked like bringing us back into the game. In 2015/16 his performances showed further promised. He scored some good goals and showed some real direct running. He picked up a few injuries and towards the end of the season looked a bit languid. Overall though he still scored 11 goals and was still one of our better players in a really poor season. You felt his power and pace would see him as a key man this season. Wilder signed Leon Clarke and with Done around you were not quite sure where he would play.


A few teams started to be linked with him and Newcastle seemed to be the favourites for his signature as the season began.


He came on from the bench against Bolton but the following Monday, Birmingham beat off a clutch of clubs to make United an offer they felt they could not turn down. It is thought with add ons it could be 2 million which even most United fans felt was a fair deal. Sure, the lad had real promise but he was also very frustrating and could be quite lazy at times. In short, despite he seemed to think he was better than he actually was. For Birmingham, he got in the side early and scored in one of his early games. He ended up playing close to 40 games either starting or off the bench and got 6 goals. It seems at first Brum fans were really impressed with his pace and power and direct play. However, as the season went on they saw some of the same frustrations we did and he picked up a stupid red card which nearly cost his team. As I write this they may even have come back down but seemed to have just enough points to survive!


You sense he still has a lot of work to do to become a complete player or even a regular starter every week in the Championship. He is only 21 this summer though so remains someone who had a lot of time on his side. I feel he may not quite have enough to go all the way to the top but certainly can be a regular at the second tier you feel. How much further depends on his application and development.


Grade F+ (Last season B-)


Leon Clarke Clarke was someone that seemed to interest Wilder and Knill as the summer came to an end and Bury; who had splashed the cash before, were looking to make cut backs. It dragged off for ages with some stupid talk from Shakers managed Dave Flitcroft before the inevitable happened and United offered a slightly bigger fee to seal the deal. A 3 year contract seemed excessive for a 31 year old (now 32) and for a player who has played for 20 clubs (well some more than once and albeit a lot of loans) in a 14 year career. He has always scored goals in the lower league and at times in the Championship. I recall seeing him at Wednesday and felt he was awful but then since then he has always been a threat and been a bit of a nemesis for United when he played for the likes of Coventry.


He was seen as the partner or foil for Sharp despite some fans having certain reservations as Sharp traditionally has never played that well with a target man type preferring quicker/nimble players like Keogh, Hayter or Beckford when he has been successful at Doncaster and Scunthorpe before. I recall seeing Clarke come on against Derby the day he signed and he hit the keeper and the centre back putting them both in the dust. I thought, ‘Good, defenders will know they have been in a game with us now after the pathetic Sammon and powder puff attack (Sharp apart) of the previous season.


We started the season with Clarke and Sharp up top but it never really clicked. Clarke scored at home to Crewe but missed other easier chances. He remained in the side but looked slow, clumsy and won few headers. He never looked like scoring and him and Sharp were miles off a decent partnership…often being miles apart on the field. Wilder took him out (again a brave move as one of his big signings) and went with the hard working Done and results improved.


He was on the bench for a while but picked up an injury and was not option for us. Others such as Lavery came in and we did not properly see him till he came on and scored at Grimsby. In a game on Sky at Chesterfield we were losing but he helped turn the game with a powerful performance where he was involved in most good things we did including a well taken fourth goal for us. He showed he was a better footballer than some gave him credit for.


He was on the bench for next spell of games but did start at Charlton in a draw and in a poor showing against Walsall. He returned to the bench after the Bolton game and did make an impact setting up Sharp’s second on Boxing Day against Oldham. He played against Northampton but was mixed before he picked up another injury not long after playing at Walsall from the bench. His season wwas really stop start and he was out of action for a few months until coming on late at Oldham. It seemed he had been a major disappointment, due to his form and injuries despite some decent cameos and spells at times. However, when you thought his season/race had run, he came back into the side and scored off the bench against Coventry a crucial goal and repeated this in the promotion sealer v Northampton a few days later. Scored a cracker at Port Vale and kept on scoring v Bradford and then also at MK before he picked up another injury against Chesterfield. He proved he was a big-time player when it mattered and stepped up to the mark and had a great end to the season.


Overall though despite this late flurry you worry he will be part of our future moving forward. I was not sure he was good enough at the top of League One till the end of the season and I feel his Championship days are long behind him (if he ever had any – most of his success come at the third tier). He is decent on the ball at times and has an ok touch and not a bad finisher when he gets chances. There is a reason why he scored more than say Hanson for instance as he anticipates in the box more and a more natural goal scorer. He might be a player that helped us go up…and he did in the end and then you move on but then the last few weeks make you wonder a bit more as he showed pace, strength and power.


Grade B- (Last season NA)

 

[Deadbat]

Marc McNulty No fancied at all by Adkins; it seemed like he would be on his way after a long spell at Portsmouth but Wilder said he wanted to have a proper look at him and described him as a goal scorer. He got amongst the goals in preseason and impressed in a game at home to Derby but Wilder went with the likes of Sharp, Done, Clarke and Adams to start the season and you sensed he was a bit down the pecking order despite the new manager’s words. Still Adams moved on and McNulty was on the bench for the first 5 games and came on in a few of the games. He did not have much time to impress but Wilder brought in Caolan Lavery and as he did allowed McNulty to go on loan to Bradford. It was a bit of a surprise he went to promotion rival but maybe Wilder had seen enough to suggest the same as what most of us felt, that he was not quite good enough and woefully inconsistent.


At Bradford you though he may get more chances to start but in reality that was not the case and he barely did get in the side with most of his 14 appearances off the bench. He only scored one goal and most of the Bantams fans were not impressed citing the same laziness and immobility as us and the lack of ability to do enough for the team when he was not scoring. It was not a massive surprise they opted against retaining him and with the league rules stating he could not go anywhere else he had to come back.


After returning he actually made the bench a few times with us having some injuries and Wilder said he would give us competition. He came on against Gillingham and a gave us a spark but it was still a surprise he started ahead of Lavery and Done against Fleetwood. He was really poor and taken off. After this we did not see him again; he made the bench a few times I recall but with Hanson and O’Shea coming in and Clarke and Chapman coming back; he was now back to being maybe the 7th or 8th choice. He said all the right things on twitter and after being criticised for his social shenanigans a few years ago; seemed to want to be a good pro in supporting the side as they got over line. He came on at Port Vale in the run it but missed a good chance in the lead up to the Done goal but we never saw him again even though he did make the bench.


Wilder talked a lot about him being part of the group and he did not seem to moan and enjoyed the celebrations but he was released as expected a few days after the parade. Not sure he will get another League One club and he may have to return back to Scotland. He did show promise at times and remember some good scoring runs and one or two excellent performances (Southampton at home) but all too often games passed him by. He seemed to carry too much weight and did not work hard enough for the team. When he did not score, it was hard to see what he offered.


Grade E- (Last season E-)



James Hanson Hanson was a bit of a left field signing in January. We were linked with quite a few players and his name was only mentioned all of a sudden. He had been injured a bit at Bradford and not quite shown same form or goals he did when they got promoted a few years ago and went on those cup runs. Recall he as a bit of a battering ram and rarely lost a header and always caused us problems with his strength and nuisance value. On the ball he was ok but never seen as much of a flare player or a regular goal scorer. We had seen the ball come back too easily this season with Clarke not really holding it up or winning the headers and he was also injured. Lavery and Done offered different things but at times it was a bit easy for defenders and outside of Sharp most of our goals came from defenders! We did need another option and Wilder moved in seeing he was out of contract I do not think the fee was that big but took a bit of time to go over the line. We saw how much we may be needed him as Fleetwood beat us easily in front of a watching Hanson who had signed that day.


He made his debut against Wimbledon and was excellent, scoring a goal and being involved throughout. Showed he was a tremendous header of the ball and showed some deft touches in general play. He then missed a few at Peterborough but made the late winner with a towering back post header. He was rested at Bristol Rovers with a slight knock but then came in and played his part in two vital games against Scunthorpe and Bolton. He occupied the big centre backs all game and caused Wheater and Beevers all sorts of problems when they had relatively easy games earlier in the season. He never looked like scoring much but he and Sharp linked well and the fact we kept winning and Sharp kept scoring said it all. Quite slow and at times he took an age to turn but he did all the nasty bits and did work hard off the ball too. People were critical that not all his headers went to Sharp and indeed those two had a poor run of games but Sharp was worse than Hanson in these. He worked so hard in the Millwall game and was one of our better players. We ended up with a three-pronged attack against Coventry and then he assisted off the bench at Northampton as Wilder went with the in-form Clarke. He got a niggly injury and was not involved until the Chesterfield game.


He really helped us get over the line this season and his contribution cannot be underestimated. He took men and space and was a threat in terms of us getting the ball higher up the field. We were not longer an easy touch and he was an out ball. I felt we did not go particularly longer after we signed him and some of the passing and football was still exceptionally high in the games I saw. He just offered that something different but his best play was receiving it and bringing others into play rather than just the knock off/down.


A player like Wright that just seemed to help us win. Did not lose a game he featured in.


Next season you do worry about the step up but he is such a powerful player in the air and offers that threat that I feel he will still be involved. Maybe not as a starter but he will be about and deserves a shot at contributing. Longer term he is not the answer although he is only 29 and has another two years on his contract (looks a lot older!) but we had to get up and he helped us do that. We could not worry about the future but simply the present.

Grade B (Last season NA)



Matty Done His United career had been a bit mixed. When he came in from Rochdale he did well and scored 7 in 14 games showing the strong running, tenacity and finishing he had showed at Spotland since converting from a midfielder to a striker. His enthusiasm, running and commitment stood out but he also showed he could put the ball in the net. He was a real shining light to end the Clough tenure. After Adkins came in he did not quite carry on this form and was in and out of the side. Adams and Sharp ended up as the front pair and Done played at left wing back to end the season. He did ok but was not his position you could tell.


After the managerial change, I recall new assistant Alan Knill stating Done would not play left back again but would be playing up top. You sense they still had belief in him. He actually began the season playing left wing with Clarke and Sharp starting and was ineffective as United struggled. After losing his place he was put back in but up front as United finally won. After this he played up top with Sharp most games up to the end of November. He scored at Wimbledon and then a winner against Peterbrough and his running and work ethic helped Sharp to have space and then other players to excel from the bench after defenders had been worked over. Still for all this running and tenacity, his quality was lacking as was the goal output. His performances started to tail off and talk of whether we were better with Lavery or even going back to Clarke were debated on the forums. Still United were winning and he was still contributing if not particularly in an orthodox way that you would want your striker to; setting up or scoring. Still many defended him for this continued running that took defenders about and allowed others to profit.


He lost his place after a win v Oldham on Boxing Day and never got back in after this other than a few outings at the left wing back position Wilder/Knill said he would never play in. Two games saw him play poorly at Walsall in a thrashing for the Blades and also lose his man on the goal at Oldham. He also started back up top v Bristol Rovers sandwiched in between these.


Other this he was a sub for much of the run in but did not even get off the bench even with Lavery injured that is until he got a start at Port Vale and scored from a wing back position. He then did really well on the left wing at MK Dons and was a real threat. He seemed to celebrate as much as the rest as we sealed promotion. You sense he is one that could be moved on and Wilder agrees. He has another year but not even sure he will make the bench next season with probably more strikers coming in and he has shown he is a not a defender also so him being transfer listed is not a surprise. Still you feel for a middling League One club if given a run of games he could maybe get back amongst the goals and at the very least just harass and worry defenders all game. If he does move on he will be remembered as someone who gave his all for United if ultimately was not quite good enough as we improved as a team/club but seemed a great guy and someone who would never hide and always run till he could not anymore.


Grade C (Last season C-)




Caolan Lavery Coming from Canada and having links with Northern Ireland, Lavery had an interesting start to his life and found himself on Wednesday’s books after being in Irish football and then serving his fledgling years at Ipswich Town. He was actually 20 when he signed for the Owls and his scholarship actually took place at Ipswich Town. Wednesday and a few other clubs looked at him before they took the punt. Lavery was part of their development squad but in 4 years only played 34 times. I remember him scoring and playing well in a 6-0 win over Leeds (we were away at Notts County losing abjectly 2-1 that day I recall). He never quite made it though at Wednesday despite scoring and had four separate loan spells at Southend, Plymouth, Chesterfield, Portsmouth. He did quite well scoring 3 in 8 at Chesterfield in 2014/15 and 4 in 16 at Pompey in 2015/16. He played up front with McNulty in the spell on the South Coast and they seemed to really rate him.


He was out of contract at Wednesday but they retained his services and actually offered him a new deal but United had been sniffing around for a while and it seemed to drag on all of August. Eventually we signed him, paying Wednesday a nominal fee due to his age. He was introduced before the Checkatrade trophy game v Leicester. He had to wait his chances and was used in the lead up to Xmas mostly as a sub. He was mixed in these outings from the bench but it was hard for him to always get into games. At his worst his touch was poor and he did not look dangerous but at his best he looked skilful, quick and a goal threat.


He started at Grimsby and Bolton in the cup and then scored his first goal a scuffed finish as we routed Swindon. Again, this was from the bench though. He got in the side and played his part assisting for two goal at Bury and then scoring a crucial and well taken goal at Southend and was part of one of our better and more crucial wins against a team bang in form. With Clarke injured and Done less than convincing, you felt he could nail down a place next to Sharp but he was poor at Walsall and against Gillingham was back on the bench. So, inconsistency plagued him. He seemed better off the bench.


United then signed Hanson and you felt his chances might be limited. As a substitute, he did score a really good goal against Wimbledon as he showed what he could do as fresh player against tiring defenders again. He started at Bristol Rovers as Wilder rested a few, but missed a decent chance and then returned to the bench for subsequent games. He did play at Swindon and scored a one on one and did alright down there by all accounts.


Yet with Clarke now coming back and Hanson acting as a decent foil you sensed he would remain on the bench but came on at Oldham before getting hurt in a block tackle on a poor pitch right at the end as he looked to score the winner. After a scan, it was revealed he has suffered some ligament damage and would be out for the rest of the season. This was a blow as he was the sort of forward we did not have in the club, fast and wanting to run at defenders. He needs to get back fit and needs a full close season. Not sure he ever got a full run but he has to be more consistent when he gets game time. The step up in division leaves me wondering if we need better but could say that about a few. I think he will begin the season as an option in the squad and a lot will depend who we bring in. He is 25 in October so not exactly a kid either so a big season for him coming up.


Grade C+ (Last season NA)

 

[Deadbat]

The rest


Dominic Calvert Lewin was in and around the first team under Adkins. He had done well on a loan spell at Northampton and seen as a decent prospect but his brief cameos at the end of the season had not wholly convinced watchers. He looked somewhat clumsy and lacking in positional awareness. He had the build and looked fairly quick but the reality was that he looked a long way off a first team regular. Wilder had enjoyed seeing Calvert Lewin when he was at Northampton and you would think he may give him a chance and pre-season he was involved and did well against Grimsby. It seemed he might be involved and was given a chance against Crewe when he came on as sub but missed a sitter at 1-1 in a game United lost. He was an unused sub in a few games but was never really close to the first team in a starting sense.


There were rumours of a few clubs looking at him despite him not showing it at first team level and Everton were linked with him quite a bit up to the end of the deadline. Just before the window shut, Everton agreed a fee with United and he left. Wilder obviously felt the money we got offered was a good deal for someone who was not going to be anywhere near a regular in a side hopefully going for promotion. I figured he would be in the academy set up most of the time but he was involved quite quickly and ended up playing quite a few games scoring his first goal and starting at Anfield. The games I saw he looked the same raw, ungainly player that seemed to have a lot to learn but Koeman maybe knows more about football than me! We will wait and see if he goes on and does anything at the top level. I would be surprised and see more of a Jordan Slew than a Harry Maguire! Fair play to him though he got a big money move, earning a decent living and playing at the top level. You cannot really turn that down.


Jake Wright junior seems to have been around for ages. He is a really competitive player and sometimes this oversteps the mark as he gets quite a few bookings and been sent off a few times too. He has scored a fair few goals as he has been one of the mainstays of the u23 side. He works really hard and holds the ball up well. He is not really a run at them type player nor someone who will hurt teams with out and out pace or skill. He is more workmanlike and not sure he scores enough goals. He had a few loan spells at National League sides and ended up at Gateshead after having some time at Southport. He is out of contract and not sure the promotion helps him as I expect he will move on now as he is still a long way down the pecking order with 5 experienced strikers all still under contract but sure he could do ok at the top end of the National Leagues.


Kimarni Smith and Connor Hall were given one year pro deals but not sure either of them have pushed on. Hall has spent time out on loan at a few clubs. Smith has struggled for time with likes of Hallam, T.Smith, Wright and Hirst going ahead of him. Indeed I think both have now been released.


Jordan Hallam continues to score goals at both u18 and u23 levels. A really clinical taker and maker of goals (takes free kicks/corners); and just keeps scoring including the winner in the u18 final. He is not that fast nor tall but gets in good areas and is a decent footballer. He is one that would benefit from a loan spell at National League level I feel. Not sure he has that extra bit of pace, athleticism or quality to make it at the top leagues but he is still only 19 so still got time on his side.


Horatio Hirst was signed from Oxford City just before Xmas after a few teams had scouted him. He has been involved mainly in the u23s despite only being 18 and got a few goals. A big lad who seems a bit of a battering ram. Will benefit from a full close season at a pro club and look to kick on next year. Expect him, Hallam and Smith to be the mainstays of the attack at the development side level.


Tyler Smith one who has really pushed on and might be seen as the best prospect of all the young strikers at the club. Quick, tricky and with an eye for goal he is a good team player but also can get beyond men. Needs to get stronger but that will come. He is definitely one to look out for and I feel out of all the strikers above; he could be one who has a chance.



Next season


We have a lot of strikers under contract. With 5 senior players and 3 young ones (in Hallam, Hirst and Smith) we are well covered but do we have enough quality? At League One level we had different options to partner Sharp and nice mixtures of players. As we have moved up a level I am not sure any of the 5 will be good enough to play week in, week out including Sharp. He may play more than the rest but I would not be surprised if by season end we have a totally different look up top. Sharp does score goals though and it will be foolish to write him off.


I do think Lavery when fit has the pace to be a nice impact player. I also think Hanson offers height and nuisance factor and may play a bit either starting or off the bench mainly. Clarke has surprised with his late season run in but can he stay fit and is he good enough the next level up?


I would expect 4 to be retained (two big uns and 2 little uns) but we would need to sign 2 new strikers with more quality. Evans has of course come in but not sure that will be it? We ideally need goals but pace and power and ones that can stretch teams higher up. We will have spells where we have to defend a lot more and will need to be able to counter on teams. I expect we may look at Gregory again but not sure he is good enough. Will be important signings for Wilder as he has to get these right. He may only bring 1 in of course but I would be stunned if we started the season or ended August with Sharp and Hanson/Evans/Clarke as our pairing. That may seem harsh as they helped get us up but do we realistically think any of the strikers (Sharp apart and that is still a debate) is good enough to get us to a decent position away from trouble in the Championship? Evans is a signing that on form could be that sort and is a high reward – low risk signing in terms of wages/fee but will of course court controversy as he let the club down so badly before with his conduct (even if he was cleared of the rape). Also, he has never really proved himself at this level or indeed any level (other than that one good season). His record and goals return is poor aside from that one season.


Player / Position Years remaining (contract expires)


Forwards


Ched Evans 3 years (2020)

James Hanson 2 years (2019)

Caolan Lavery 2 years (2019)

Leon Clarke 2 years (2019)

Tyler Smith 2 years (2019)

Billy Sharp 1 year activation clause (2018)

Matt Done 1 year (2018) transfer listed

Jordan Hallam 1 year (2018)

Horatio Hirst 1 year (2018)

Jake Wright Out of contract (2017)

Kimarni Smith Out of contract (2017) - released

Connor Hall Out of contract (2017) - released

Marc McNulty Out of contract (2017) - released


Tomorow ...the fans and final thoughts

 

[S64 Blade]

Good report as usual! I would only change Lavery to a B-. He's never really had a bad game for us and despite not scoring many, has added so much at key points in games.

 

[Jesus_was_a_Blade]

He has been transferred for over 3 million times

Bloody hell, makes Clarke look like a 1 club man

Cheers DB

 

[elgoog44]

cheers Deadbat always an enjoyable read and a balanced perspective.

 

[larkymasher]

Just a couple of points. Jake Wright Jnr has signed a further one year contract to take him to the Summer of 2018 and Jordan Hallam has just turned 18 not 19 so has plenty of time to progress into becoming a man to give him a more physical presence. Hallam is the closest thing i have seen to a younger Duffy.

Great players reports Deadbat as always

 

[coaxingstar71]

Quality piece of work Deadbat again.