Incoming? The return of Ebanks-Landell

[finlaytheblade]

I really hope this is fake news, EEL was a hero until xmas but exposed as being too slow afterwards. So much for the significant investment we were promised, same old united story, going for a big cheap squad with too many borderline first teamers rather than a smaller number of better quality players who are automatic selections on the team sheet.

How about giving Wilder the time to put his squad together he did a great job last season and not paying through the nose. for players.
It's obvious from the way he talks! he will not pay over the odds for a player isnt that
refreshing.
We shall see soon enough who he will sign in the areas we lack cover and ability.
My opinion is !! Wilder, Knill and Mitchell beleave there are some real gems around with out going through the roof with transfer fees and wages.
We will never get anywhere totally shopping at Aldi,Wilder isnt stupid and knows that.But value for money is his mantra ,I'm sure he will spend big on the odd player which might make the difference ,but again it's about value for money and the player coming for the right reasons ( not just money ). Let's just see what the management team come up with
I don't think we will be disappointed
Feel we are in for another good season

 

[Ricky]

If we sign EEL, then the other centre half signing better be a good player.

 

[EddieColquhoun]

EEL did have a spell where his performance dipped. Wilder then praised him for playing through injury.
He seems a good character, part of our great team spirit. If Wilder and Knill can improve him he could become some player.

 

[Harrisblade]

EEL did have a spell where his performance dipped. Wilder then praised him for playing through injury.
He seems a good character, part of our great team spirit. If Wilder and Knill can improve him he could become some player.

Are you trying to say that Wilder and Knill know more about players than WE do
The very idea!

 

[snootyfenooty]

EEL played well to start with but was caught flat footed a few times (as was Wright and O'Connell to remind those with selective memories), the Walsall game mentioned above being a good example. However, He'll be fine in a back 4 with a full back at the side of him covering the flank. As we are likely to see more of back 4 next season, then he would be a good fit when opposition/tactics dictate this formation. I would say, on balance, go for him.

 

[Stuart mitchell]

Simple fact is EEL wasn't good enough for Wolverhampton then why the hell should we take him. He's a leugue 1 player at best

 

[snootyfenooty]

Simple fact is EEL wasn't good enough for Wolverhampton then why the hell should we take him. He's a leugue 1 player at best

Coutts, Moore, Sharp, Freeman, etc etc weren't good enough for their respective clubs either when we signed them.

 

[Torrix1889]

I would rather try and keep Brayford than sin EEL....a back 3 of Brayford, Jags (Wilder didn't rule him out!) And JOC would be awesome.

 

[bigbirdblade]

I really hope this is fake news, EEL was a hero until xmas but exposed as being too slow afterwards. So much for the significant investment we were promised, same old united story, going for a big cheap squad with too many borderline first teamers rather than a smaller number of better quality players who are automatic selections on the team sheet.

Here we go. Watch put cw. Fans are turning ffs.

 

[snootyfenooty]

Here we go. Watch put cw. Fans are turning ffs.

No he's not, bigbirdblade is just expressing his opinion like most people do. As far as I am aware, unlike North Korea Talk, we don't have a party line on here.

 

[Enigmatic]

He's a part of the team that stormed the division last season, on and off the field. If he comes he's likely to be taking the James Wilson role of providing cover, with a view to starting depending on performances in training and whenever he appears. He performed well when he first came in, played through an injury, and finished reasonably well. He's young, he'd be relatively cheap, and he's already got a bit of championship experience. He'd be good cover, and he won't be our big centre back signing. Chill the fuck out.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

For me we looked our strongest with Basham, Wright and JOC as the back three last season. EEL had a great spell on the right of the three, but looked shakier when in the middle in place of Wright. 2nd half of the season Basham was by far the more consistent of the two on the right of the 3.

I've no problem with EEL making up part of the squad, but I'd be looking for him to be an upgrade on Wilson in the role of back-up rather than looking at him as a starter. If we started the season tomorrow I'd go with Basham, Wright and JOC again. if we're looking to improve on those three, I don't think we achieve that with EEL, so it would have to be part of our recruitment at centre half rather than the only recruitment.

 

[Booker4]

The views of many on here are similar to when we signed EEL on loan and that didn't turn out too bad did it!!?

EEL is young and has every chance that he will improve for the next few seasons if played regularly. He has many good qualities and I think he will be a starter next season, with Jake Wright probably more of a cover role. We all love Wright and he has done brilliantly but I can see EEL developing further and taking one of the three central positions. That said, we may well be playing with a flat back four next season, at least at times. The signing of Thomas and the ongoing pursuit of Holmes and possibly another winger too, makes me think that Wilder may well be intending to play a different formation. You can't have wingers in the current system, unless they play as wing backs and there's no way Thomas and Holmes will play as wing backs!

For those that doubt EEL at this level. Lets just trust Wilder on this. If he wants him, he believes that EEL can step up. He's played in the Championship before too remember. 40 games to be fair. Yes Wolves fans are not behind him at this level but that was over a year ago and he's proved he is a player who can play well for us and like everyone else in this team, he'll have to prove he can make the step up. The fee won't be millions, I think EEL is worth buying for a price Wilder feels represents decent value. If we can't agree that, EEL won't come.

 

[Mesut Özil's Lawnmower]

He's a part of the team that stormed the division last season, on and off the field. If he comes he's likely to be taking the James Wilson role of providing cover, with a view to starting depending on performances in training and whenever he appears. He performed well when he first came in, played through an injury, and finished reasonably well. He's young, he'd be relatively cheap, and he's already got a bit of championship experience. He'd be good cover, and he won't be our big centre back signing. Chill the fuck out.

Exactly this

All the posts on here about how he "fell out of favour" and he stopped trying when he signed the Wolves contract etc so why would Wilder want him?

He didn't, he was playing well, then played through an injury and struggled, both Billy and Wilder have mentioned that. So he took some time out, in the meantime our defence absolutely smashed it so when EEL was fit again it would have been unfair to drop any of them for him.

He came back in as cover on a couple of occasions after that and was more than solid.

He'd be a great back up that, hopefully with a more experienced signing coming in too, can be molded into a quality player and potential starter.

The fact Wilder is in for him says more than enough, if he wants him now then he obviously didn't see a change in his attitude regarding the contract.

 

[sheffielder]

I would love him back to compete, ideally with Jags

 

[Booker4]

I would love him back to compete, ideally with Jags

I wouldn't get your hopes up here mate! If Jags wasn't under contract, I'd have more hope.But Everton would want £2m for him, I would guess. He's still a decent player and a regular for them. I don't see why selling him for a couple of million etc is of any benefit to them, they may as well keep him as a squad player and he may well play 20 - 30 games for them still. They know they can stick him in their side and he has the quality and experience that they need.

 

[sheffielder]

I wouldn't get your hopes up here mate! If Jags wasn't under contract, I'd have more hope.But Everton would want £2m for him, I would guess. He's still a decent player and a regular for them. I don't see why selling him for a couple of million etc is of any benefit to them, they may as well keep him as a squad player and he may well play 20 - 30 games for them still. They know they can stick him in their side and he has the quality and experience that they need.

I only consider jags possible if they rip up his contract. Will Everton do that after 10 years of service, who knows. We really do need to add some quality to the back 3 though and ideally with some pace and technique

 

[Boxer Blade]

I agree with most peoples opionion on here regarding EEL, but whatever happened to our favourite line of the year " in Wilder we trust"?

 

[Harrisblade]

I agree with most peoples opionion on here regarding EEL, but whatever happened to our favourite line of the year " in Wilder we trust"?

Because, secretly, we all think in our heads that it's a piece of piss being a football manager and each of us thinks that we could manage the Blades better than anyone else - including Chris Wilder

 

[PaddysMad]

 

[FriethBlade]

Because, secretly, we all think in our heads that it's a piece of piss being a football manager and each of us thinks that we could manage the Blades better than anyone else - including Chris Wilder

Nobody I know is 'stepping away from in Wider we trust' but some of us don't trust the board to make the necessary money available for Wilder to target better than what he is currently targeting

EEL signing might be an indication of this as Wilder didn't 'trust' him to play an integral part in the second half of the season so many thought he wouldn't be a target now we are a division higher.

So the question that some are asking, rightly so, is Wilders target list determined by the players he really wants or a lack of budget to go after better players?

 

[Whiston Blade]

So the question that some are asking, rightly so, is Wilders target list determined by the players he really wants or a lack of budget to go after better players?

This. Although I have a feeling it's a bit of both.

 

[BushBlade]

Simple fact is EEL wasn't good enough for Wolverhampton then why the hell should we take him. He's a leugue 1 player at best

Simple fact is Wolves offered him a new contract.

 

[Antonb]

Signing him back would be a total waste of money, league one player quality at best. Hope he proves me wrong of course, but I doubt it. I've seen milk turn faster!

 

[BushBlade]

Signing him back would be a total waste of money, league one player quality at best. Hope he proves me wrong of course, but I doubt it. I've seen milk turn faster!

Yeah, it's almost like he's got lead boots.

 

[I should coco]

Yeah, it's almost like he's got lead boots.

And we all know what happens to people with lead boots....

You either become a deep sea diver or you go to Leicester for £14m.

 

[seanbeenstattoo]

Simple fact is Wolves offered him a new contract.

Which IMO was purely to get a better fee for him from someone like us. Odd that they offered him a new contract and then signed 2 CB's and deemed him not good enough for the league we are in .

 

[I should coco]

Which IMO was purely to get a better fee for him from someone like us.

It's a lot of pissing around just to get another few hundred thousand. Don't forget that their Chinese owners have money to burn.

Odd that they offered him a new contract and then signed 2 CB's and deemed him not good enough for the league we are in .

I think Paul Lambert who was manager at the time, also found it 'odd' that super agent Jorge Mendes gets to pick the players they buy. They have a new manager now, so not a great surprise if a bloke who has never seen EEL play doesn't fancy him.

 

[BushBlade]

Which IMO was purely to get a better fee for him from someone like us. Odd that they offered him a new contract and then signed 2 CB's and deemed him not good enough for the league we are in .

Or maybe Lambert thought he was a good prospect for the future but now he's left the new bloke doesn't?

 

[Jackson Blade]

I only consider jags possible if they rip up his contract. Will Everton do that after 10 years of service, who knows. We really do need to add some quality to the back 3 though and ideally with some pace and technique

I think it all depends on their signings. If they sign 2 big names for their back four I can see them giving him the option to cancel if he wants first team football. They owe him at least the option after his service and attitude. I also think jags would want the first team football, he strikes me as a decent honest sort of player that just wants to play. He didn't have his head turned with the Arsenal and Man Utd links a few years ago, and just stuck to his job.

As far as signing for us.... I think it's unlikely, but I also wouldn't rule it out completely. He has nothing left to prove, and might just be the last of the sentimental footballers!
(On that note; interesting his odds to Cardiff have shortened significantly since him being linked with us! Back off Warnock!)