Deadbat
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Playing Squad
I will now go through each department – I will show the contract situations (some of these might not be correct so tell me!) and include young professional separately. I will then discuss the outlook for next year.
We will begin with the Goalkeepers….then the Defence and so on….posted over the next 4 days
Part 5 Defence
Part 6 Midfield
Part 7 Attack
Part 8 Final awards / Conclusions
*Note - this was written before the Jokanovic appointment – I have tried to update in sections but apologies if it refer to us not having a manager yet in sections!
Goalkeepers
Aaron Ramsdale When it became apparent that Henderson would not return then we had to of course sign a new number one. It was always going to be a tough task to replace the popular and excellent young Manchester United keeper. We were linked with a few keepers and Urgucan Cakir, the Turkish keeper was linked for a long period. Some felt we should go for a safe option if not one for the future in Ben Foster. In the end Ramsdale actually made a lot of sense. He had been one of the few bright spots in a relegated Bournemouth side and of course began his career at the Lane. Cynics suggest we had to pay 18 million to get back a player we sold for less than a million but it was not that simple as at the time he was a young lad and we were in League One and like with Adams and Calvert Lewin we needed the funds to sign other players like O’Connell, Clarke, Fleck etc.
Ramsdale had been impressive despite the Cherries going down and had played twice against us the previous season. The fee maybe seemed steep but at 22 and an England u21 keeper who you would think would improve then maybe it was reasonable in today’s prices. He clearly seemed delighted to be back. Not a Sheffield lad (from Stoke originally) but clearly had a lot of affinity for the club where he spent his formative years.
The season began and just as he had at Bournemouth, he was left horribly exposed. The defence struggled with set plays, O’Connell got injured and we were stared really badly shipping goals. Looking at my early season ratings, I think I did not blame him directly for many goals but I felt he was less than convincing and he struggled with some of the basics. The defence did not have the same solidity it had before. He played really well against Man City but then had a mare at Chelsea the next week and I felt his confidence started to drop after that. Long range shots were going in or he was palming things out. Also, his handling was poor with several dropped crosses being a feature sadly. Watching him frequently mess with his contact lenses or seemingly struggle with his sight was not something you want to see in a keeper! We had signed a keeper who struggled to catch it or save it I said it at the time. I also recall a few shots going through him (Man Utd at home) and even right up to January questions were being asked. He struggled in a few home games and made more mistakes (Plymouth in the cup) and even at this stage in mid-January some were saying he needed to be out of the team.
The reality was he probably had not been as bad as many (me included) had made out and the fact the team and defence were struggling, losing every week must have been hard. He was seeing shots reigning in on him. He started to put in some consistent displays and even though he had made saves in other games, the mistakes started to be eliminated. He was excellent in the two games against the Manchester teams and then also made a big save in the win against West Brom. He was excellent again in home games against Villa and Liverpool where he was simply tremendous and made so many superb saves. This continued with another brilliant performance against Southampton where he kept the score down and repeated this at Leeds. He became very steady in games and one push out v Arsenal apart thought he remained one of our better players. He was good again at Wolves and also kept a rare clean sheet with more good saves v Brighton. Terribly exposed again at Spurs and at home to Palace as he had so many one on ones coming at him in more comfortable defeats. Brilliant away I the win at Everton and the defeat at Newcastle with some great saves as his fine form continued and kept a clean sheet in his final game.
He had gone from being questions asked to a run of maybe 8-10 games where for most of them he was our man of the match and outstanding player. It seemed if it was not for him, we would have had even more games like Leicester away.
He showed some superb reflexes and made some stunning saves. His handling and command seemed to get better. I felt as the team continued to struggle with frequent defensive changes and different line ups, he became the one bright spot towards the end of the season and went from being a question mark to our best player! He continued to represent England u21’s (they kept losing too and giving him no protection) but now is not eligible so won’t be away as much now….at least I thought and then he was selected in the provisional 33 man England squad for the Euros! Whether he makes the final cut with three keepers who have played more than him, I am not sure but clearly shows how well though of he was. He was actually linked with a few other Premier League clubs if/when we went down. Remarkable that he went from being someone many of us felt were not good enough and a poor signing to someone we really would be desperate to keep and if was moved on, we would make our money back and then some. I think and expect he will remain next season. Hopefully he will have a lot less to do but the Championship is also a different kind of league with more aerial bombardments etc (lots of long throw experts/set plays) so will have different challenges but he surely should he one of the, if not the best keeper outside the top flight. Hopefully at 22 he will be our goalkeeper for many years to come. It is a long time since we had a good young keeper (that was our own) and hope he can go on and play as many games as the likes of Kenny, Kelly and Tracey over his United career. Was deservedly named as the official player of the season and young player of the season.
Grade B (Last season NA)
Wes Foderingham Came in from Rangers right at the end of the 19-20 season. I was not exactly excited by the signing. He was nearing 30 and had only been the back up at Rangers having lost his place to an ageing Allan McGregor. He had played 112 games for Rangers but he has mixed reviews from fans and I worried if he did not stand out up there, then is he going to be good enough for a Premier League club/games if needed. Most United fans remembered him from his days at Swindon and some of his final games for them came in the playoffs (let in 5 in that crazy draw) before they lost the Playoff final to Preston. He actually looked decent whenever I saw him back then and seemed a decent all-around keeper but the knock on him from Rangers fans was, he struggled with long shots – something Moore has been criticised for.
He played a bit in pre-season and looked a bit erratic I felt and then as Ramsdale came in was clearly competing to be the back-up with Verrips and Moore. He did get a start against Burnley as we lost on penalties. Nothing disastrous in this game but I was not convinced if Ramsdale got injured or his poor form continued, that we had a ready-made keeper who could come in. Indeed, when Ramsdale struggled early in the season, the fact Wilder persisted with him maybe said as much about the back ups as his faith in his expensive signing. In the end Ramsdale massively improved and has been excellent.
Foderingham was on the bench for the opening 4 Premier League games but then Verrips was on the bench for a run of 14 before the Dutch keeper was allowed to go out on loan and then Foderingham was the back up to finish the season. It was odd how they were rotated around as neither were playing any games (even for the u23’s or in cup games) so you can only think it was on how they were doing in training or on advice of Darren Ward. It seemed odd he was quickly taking off the bench and then came back only when Verrips left. Still had 2 years left on his contract but again would I trust him to play if Ramsdale got injured? Now we have gone down not sure it will be a priority back up keeper – I expect Moore and Verrips to leave to maybe we might sign another or bring back Dewhurst to compete.
Grade C (Last season NA)
Michael Verrips Came in from KV Mechelenat the start of the Premier League campaign having already had 6 clubs and he was only 23 when he signed. Recall the controversy when we signed him as his old club tried to say he could not walk out of his contract but he stated he had no contract and left signing with us. They tried to take matters up with FIFA initially to stop the transfer but this all went quiet and seems to have died of death now. He had been in and around the first team squads and had a spell on the bench mid-season of his first season when Moore was injured. Moore remained the back up though and played the games Henderson was not eligible.
He eventually got his debut when he played v Fylde but picked up an unfortunate injury early on so had to come off after this. He said recently to Dutch press he had been let down and maybe lied to but he does not get his facts right (maybe he was misquoted) about his role. “I had agreed with Sheffield United that I would start as second choice goalkeeper, but that I would play all games in the FA Cup and in the EFL Cup,” he told Voetbal International. “I would also play both league games against Manchester United, because our first-choice goalkeeper, Dean Henderson, was loaned from them and was not allowed to play. “Because of all the legal battle, Sheffield United decided to get another second keeper. I was not integrated in the first selection. I was completely down in the pits.” It was in fact Moore that played and he was allowed to play v Fylde so not sure it quite matches up. It did seem United did not feel he was quite up to the standard required after seeing him in training?
United then signed Foderingham and it seemed unclear what the plan was as Ramsdale was the new number one taking over from Henderson but the back up position we seemed to have 3 senior keepers, non we exactly would want to be using regularly at the highest level as harsh as that sounds. We had 2 young keepers allowed out on loan and this department seemed over stocked with bodies if not quality. Wilder and the club maybe were not totally convinced by him if we signed another backup in Foderingham who seemed to be the new back up, playing pre-season and then in the League Cup. He was on the bench to start the season but then oddly Verrips from mid-October was named the sub keeper for a run of 14 games up to Bristol Rovers in the FA Cup tie in mid-January. At the end of this month, it seemed a bit weird he was then allowed to leave, signing back in his homeland for FC Emmen. He was given the number one shirt and did well and got a few man of the match awards as his new side who were bottom finally had some positive results and moved off the bottom in the relegation scrap but recall seeing them lose 4-0 at Ajax but his team did so better when he went there and they actually put up a real fight to stay up but went down after a penalty shoot out in the playoffs. Still only 24 and with another 2 years left on his contract he faces an uncertain future. Not sure United will keep both him and Foderingham around with inevitable cut backs and I would not be shocked if he is allowed to leave permanently and go back to Holland but his club going down may not help them being able to afford him?
Grade NA (Last season D)
Simon Moore The days when he was a regular in League One seem a long time ago. In the Championship, Blackman and then Henderson were seen as the first choices and Moore only played when others were been unavailable or in cup ties. The 19-20 season he played he played against Blackburn and Sunderland in the League Cup and Man Utd home and away in the league. The games v Man Utd he did not exactly convince and I recall in the away game after lockdown, Wilder screaming at him asking him rather impolitely what he was doing? Wilder did not seem happy with him as the back-up option but with Verrips not convincing either, he brought in another keeper in Foderingham.
Moore had done really well in League One solidifying the defence but even at Championship level I was not sure Wilder ever felt he was quite up to the higher level. The biggest criticism I could make it he does not make many saves – kind of key for a keeper! I heard some saying he never lets us down but he does not make those great saves you need your keeper to make. This past season he got a bad hand injury but was in reality 4th choice even when he was available and was not included in the 25-man Premier League squad to start the season. I suppose when Verrips was allowed out he was back as 3rd choice but as his contract winds down and now 30, you think it is a certainty he will be released. Not sure where he will end up and it maybe he has to either accept being a Championship back up (recall West Brom being linked with him a few years ago) or go back down to League One to be a regular. He has not been a regular for 3 seasons now and thus would not be shocked if he goes eve lower down. Do think it is odd he has been happy to be back up or 3rd/4th choice the last few seasons at the peak of his playing career…27-30 years of age. He may have signed a new contract and just be happy to be comfortable financially and always saw pictures of him and his girlfriend in the peak district so maybe he was just happy with his lot.
He has been a good servant though and never seems to moan and seems close to some of the players like Sharp and another who has been part of our journey under Wilder.
Grade NA (Last season D+)
The rest
Jake Eastwood Been on loan at Chesterfield and then Scunthorpe in previous seasons after being around the first team when Moore was injured and Blackman came in back in 2016. He went to Kilmarnock but got injured in his first game and came back to recover. Eventually went to Grimsby who were right at the bottom of the league but he actually finally got some games and did ok by all accounts but then the senior keeper McKeown was preferred when they were both fit as they fought relegation until the final games after they had gone down. He is almost 25 now though and out of contract so you would expect him to be released now.
Marcus Dewhurst Dewhurst had previously been involved in England Youth teams and was still involved for the England u20’s even last season. He went back to Carlisle but was a back up and only played twice but did save a vital penalty in an FA Cup shoot out win. He came back to the Lane and was back with the u23’s. He is out of contract though and I am not sure we will offer him a further year with the log jam in front of him and him not having regular football on loan for us to identify if he has a chance. Maybe if Moore and Verrips move in, they may give him another year as he is still only 20?
Next season
Ramsdale seems to be well set. He will be disappointed to have had two relegations and be at this level when he will have aspirations in a weak field, of getting around the England squad (after doing well with the u21’s). He will hope for less to do and carry on his improvements. Some clubs may look at his form 2nd half of the season and maybe have some interest but the two relegations and the goals he has conceded means teams may not want to consider him and he would probably end up as a back up at most if he did stay in the top flight. I think he will stay and hopefully be our number one for a long period. The back up is uncertain. I would not be bothered if Moore, Verrips, Foderingham and Eastwood all moved on and we signed a new back up – but I thin Foderingham may be the one that stays and the rest depart. We cannot carry 5 senior goalkeepers at Championship level. They then would use the young keepers you think like Dewhurst and Amissah as the next man up if needed.
Returning players;
Player / Position Years remaining (contract expires) Red this year – Orange next year - Green longer contract –
Goalkeepers
Simon Moore Out of contract (2021)
Jake Eastwood Out of contract (2021)
Marcus Dewhurst Out of contract (2021)
Wes Foderingham 2 years (2023)
Michael Verrips 2 years (2023)
Aaron Ramsdale 3 years (2024)
