Thinking about the future..

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Perhaps a controversial view but playing squad wise, if we did get promoted, then in theory we would be better equipped than we were when we went up in 2018-19.
 

TLDR you will never see a Sheffield United side as good as 2018-2020 ever again and you should mourn this fact every day of your life until death.

Slavs attacking football is a joy to watch, if we can maintain that level of attacking play then it would come close to the Wilder years.
 
Perhaps a controversial view but playing squad wise, if we did get promoted, then in theory we would be better equipped than we were when we went up in 2018-19.

In what areas do you think we are stronger?
 
Although it’s still quite early in the season, and Slav is known as someone who takes time to settle in and get his team moving, I have a few concerns about the future.

As fans we will always start off hopeful of a productive season, with a new manager, but it does seem to me that events have conspired against us from the outset. The new manager arrived late and his pre-season was planned by someone else. It did not go as planned for a variety of reasons. I’m not looking to apportion blame here, as that is a futile exercise.

The summer transfer window did not go down well, MGW apart, we are in the same boat but with a slightly bigger squad. The Ramsdale replacement has not gone well, but my feelings are that he will settle in and prove as good as we could expect under the circumstances. While discussion of this time is still a hot topic, we can say that it seems to be a case of events conspiring against us yet again. The Prince doesn’t have the financial clout to bring in top quality replacements, and Slav giving the impression he was reasonably happy with the squad he inherited?

Slav probably knows by now that the current midfield are on a slippery slope downward, form wise at least, carrying on where they left off last season. Our form currently is not exactly inspiring for those of us who started the new season with unbridled optimism.

My main concern, is that by hook or by crook, if Slav has a good JTW, and the side kicks on, we could still go up via the play offs? I do not think this current squad is anywhere near ready for the premier league, whatever happens between now and next May?

Too early? Too many ifs or buts? Just thinking out aloud here.
When you usually wait 14 years for promotion to the top flight it is never too soon for promotion. Just do it and see where we go.
 
Things change

Players form fluctuates

Decisions go against you then go for you

The beauty of the future is. No one knows what will happen

Might finish mid table . Might scramble 6th or we could click and win the next 25

Who knows
 
When we were promoted to the premier league we were expecting to come back down again ‘IF’ we were lucky enough to go up then we’re in the same boat! My own personal thoughts are that when we went up last we had a certain system that was proved to be successful for some time the player recruitment was our downfall.
 
In what areas do you think we are stronger?
If you think about the squad that was promoted in 2018-19, we just had Billy, Didzy and even Leon who even then were all over 30. Like them or not, we've now got McBurnie, Moose, Brewster and even Burke, all still in their early twenties, plus Ndiaye. So form notwithstanding, purely from a squad value perspective, we're far better off. When we went up we had Lundstram in addition to Fleck and Norwood, Lundstram has left but we've got Berge and also Luke Freeman now. We're worse off defensively unless JOC comes back and from a keeper perspective, we're no better off as we loaned Henderson, but started with Moore.

From a basic perspective, we didn't have £50m sat on the bench when we got promoted, regardless of what anyone 'thinks' they're worth.
 
Short term one of McBurnie or Brewster has to leave in the JTW, having them warming the bench/missing out entirely with those price tags dwindling by the day is ominous. If Berge comes back from injury and starts putting pressure on Fleck and Norwood then fair enough but maybe hell be gone soon as well. Beyond that, if promotion isn't achieved then I guess the top brass will try and squeeze as much out of a prem club for NDiaye as possible.

Hopefully the lads will secure promotion so some more Prem moolah comes along and NDiaye is kept.
 
We need to bring in a couple of players permanently in January.

Our permanent midfielders, as things stand , for the start of next season:

Berge, Fleck, Norwood

That's it.

We know what we're missing, we need to be scouting the lower leagues/Europe to find someone who has the potential to do the job starting next season. They don't need to go straight into the team, but around the squad for the rest of the year.

We need to be looking to see if there are players out of contract in the summer who we can snap up in January.

There are a number of positions we need to fill next season:

GK
LB (potentially)
1 x LCB
1 x CB
2 x CM
2 x wide players
1 x CF

Some of the youngsters may be ready then. We need to get anyone who we think is close out on loan to a league club.

we need to be looking at players who can come into these positions and snap players up if the price is right.

I'm not talking about spending a lot of money. I'm talking, for once, about looking for bargains or pre-contracts. Given the financial positions of most clubs, this must be possible.

Our scouts need to earn their corn, quite frankly. When is the last time we signed an unknown/little known talented young player? Enda?
 
If you think about the squad that was promoted in 2018-19, we just had Billy, Didzy and even Leon who even then were all over 30. Like them or not, we've now got McBurnie, Moose, Brewster and even Burke, all still in their early twenties, plus Ndiaye. So form notwithstanding, purely from a squad value perspective, we're far better off. When we went up we had Lundstram in addition to Fleck and Norwood, Lundstram has left but we've got Berge and also Luke Freeman now. We're worse off defensively unless JOC comes back and from a keeper perspective, we're no better off as we loaned Henderson, but started with Moore.

From a basic perspective, we didn't have £50m sat on the bench when we got promoted, regardless of what anyone 'thinks' they're worth.

My own reflection on the promotion year is that we had a manager (then) on the top of his game, a team playing out of their skins week in week out and a confidence and momentum that seemed unstoppable.

Like all Blades I'm sure, I want to see the potential of McBurnie & Brewster (particularly) realised. It didn't happen last season and there is no indication it will this season either - how long do we have to wait? Moose showed what he is capable of against Barnsley but can't seem to complete a full game and is absent most of the time. Berge hasn't delivered on the field either and has also spent swathes of time injured.

Combine this with ageing reliables, underperforming previous reliables and I consider us weaker in defence, midfield and attack.
 
As usual so much appreciation is driven by last result of two - its how we are all wired. Poor decisions, bad luck and very wobbly confidence have played a huge part but we are still in a decent position to move forward decisively. quite often we play with a style and quality head and shoulders above most in this division. If we can add consistency and get the virtuous circle of performance and confidence working this could be a very good season. Can’t wait to see us Saturday and that’s why I love football and United.
 
Short term one of McBurnie or Brewster has to leave in the JTW, having them warming the bench/missing out entirely with those price tags dwindling by the day is ominous. If Berge comes back from injury and starts putting pressure on Fleck and Norwood then fair enough but maybe hell be gone soon as well. Beyond that, if promotion isn't achieved then I guess the top brass will try and squeeze as much out of a prem club for NDiaye as possible.

Hopefully the lads will secure promotion so some more Prem moolah comes along and NDiaye is kept.
Only way out is loans on the three though I’d like to keep Berge if and when fit
Sales wise today, you’d be lucky to get 20 mill for the lot -for the club to write off around 35/40 million from purchase value would create massive financial pressure and implications.
Loans reducing wages hoping that they can rekindle form ( and fitness) is the only option IMO
 

My own reflection on the promotion year is that we had a manager (then) on the top of his game, a team playing out of their skins week in week out and a confidence and momentum that seemed unstoppable.

Like all Blades I'm sure, I want to see the potential of McBurnie & Brewster (particularly) realised. It didn't happen last season and there is no indication it will this season either - how long do we have to wait? Moose showed what he is capable of against Barnsley but can't seem to complete a full game and is absent most of the time. Berge hasn't delivered on the field either and has also spent swathes of time injured.

Combine this with ageing reliables, underperforming previous reliables and I consider us weaker in defence, midfield and attack.
Absolutely, that's why I was coming from a squad value perspective. The intangibles are the momentum and confidence that we certainly had. I even wonder now, particularly with Fleck and Norwood, perhaps their current form is their career 'norm' and actually it's just that Wilder (and Knill) somehow got an extra 10-20% out of them.

I think you hit the nail on the head about them doing it week in, week out. I don't recall players having many bad games or poor team performances in 4 seasons. Maybe the latter half of 2017-18 when we'd lost Coutts and obviously every time we played Walsall, but that's it.
 
This covers my thoughts …
 

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Thinking about the Future:

Hmmm. first of all January window. Targets Slav wants will not arrive. We NEVER get who we want in transfer windows.
Existing squad will just about avoid relegation.
Same in the summer window. Poor or substandard incomings. Brewster McBurnie and others leave at substantial loss. Billy retires. Slav leaves by mutual consent
relegation follows.

Sorry to be so upbeat but after 50 years i ve been there , seen it all before and have all the replica shirts.

Its the Blades way.
 
Remember when we were going to storm this division with the one in two output of our two goal machines Rhian Brewster and Oli McBurnie?

That's all gone very Sheffield United hasn't it?
 
Sell, sell, sell. Freeman, Robinson, Burke, Verrips, Stevens, etc. Hopefully someone will come in for one of the expensive duds as well but probably not.
 

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