Deadbat
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Aug 6, 2009
- Messages
- 6,268
- Reaction score
- 35,216
Summary / Conclusions and Awards
A very odd season. One where he wanted to put the awful 20-21 season to bed and bounce back with players that had been really poor but clearly showed they can do it at the lower level of the Championship. Everyone pointed to the success of the strikers at this level previously and also a number of experienced players. With Jokanovic coming in who also had been involved in promotions before, you expected we should be easily around the top 6 even with the losing mentality that had engulfed the club. I did feel we should have started the turnover and churn of players but the new manager felt the squad would be good enough and in the end he was given no funds anyway. He quickly tried to play the same players in a different formation but it did not work and the style saw us struggling. It all started to unravel and there is an argument we did not back him properly but then in Davies, Gibbs White, Hourihane and Olsen, there are four experienced top flight wage players so that argument maybe does lack credence? In the end the results did not improve and the board moved on realising it was a mistake.
I was not impressed by the Heckingbottom appointment and the fact he was seen as the long term appointment now after not being seen as the answer in the summer. Credit to him though as he got the team moving and back to basics somewhat. Gibbs White was a talisman and Sharp/Norwood/Berge found form. Added to this were improvements from Foderingham and Robinson. We suddenly after a season where it looked like we may be even looking over our shoulder and at best a mid table side, were able to push up and then into the top 6 and managed to hold on despite some more inconsistent form at the end of the season until the late flourish of wins. It looked like Forest were too strong but we put in a great performance at the City Ground and were so close to going to Wembley until late heartache of the penalties. In the end we could not quite complete the turnaround but Heckingbottom proved me and others wrong as he did a great job. The next season does offer some uncertainty with key players moving on or possibly being sold and you worry if we have the funds or finances to push again. The concern of not getting back up before the parachute payments ends set against a hefty wage bill always is a factor in seasons 2 and 3. The rumours of a new owner coming in also adds to the uncertainty but there still should be enough experience and quality in the playing squad with solid experienced players like Foderingham, Robinson, Egan, Basham, Norwood, Fleck and Sharp and the youthful promise of Bogle, Norrington Davies and Ndiaye.
We need to bring 4 or 5 in for me – particularly in midfield and attack and need to really address lack of pace and mobility in the squad. We also need to start much better of course than last season. The division looks weaker again I would say but the three coming down will be strong but I do not see lots of sides that I think outside of these, that should be really too strong for us so for all the talk about us being maybe even mid table at best, not sure I quite see it like that? We will see.
Off the field, I am not totally convinced at all by the direction. We have an owner who seems to care little looking at it from the outside. It seems he wants out but us not going up will make it harder for us to sell and you wonder what the motives are for any new owners, as disinterested and skint as this lot are? I worry about how we can move forward without serious cash investment. We have to get the training ground and academy right as then we can almost be self sufficient to some degree even if we cannot go on and be like a Leicester or a Wolves – we have to look at the likes of Palace, Brighton etc and see them as achievable targets in terms of staying in the top league for a period. At the moment I feel whilst we had the great run under Wilder and the change of ownership 5 or 6 years ago; are we any further forward than we were say 15-20 years ago? Maybe we are as the ground has improved and the fan base has too but I cannot see how we make that next great leap without the influx of big money. As it stands, we may be mostly a Championship club with the odd season above or below in the next 20 years. Still, that is kind of what we have been most of my life and whilst I want more and hope we get more, experience tells me it probably won’t happen. That is life as a Blade and was of my Dad and his Dad before that. You just have to support the team, knowing you will have probably more disappointment than success but generally it is never dull being a United fan.
Match Report Ratings
I have done the averages from all the match reports (basically add up all the marks and divide them by the games they played) and then positioned them by ranking in terms of where they fit. Some surprises actually – here is last years in order first and then the ranking for 21-22.
Last year 2020-21
This year 2021-22
Deadbat’s Awards for 2021/22
Player of the Season: Morgan Gibbs White (Last season – Ramsdale)
Runner up: Wes Foderingham (Last season – McGoldrick)
Third: Billy Sharp (Last season – Basham)
Moment of the Season: Beating Middleboro 4-1 tied with beating Fulham 4-0 (Last season winning 2-1 at Man Utd)
Goal of the Season: Baldock v Reading (Last season McGoldrick v Arsenal away)
Best individual display: Gibbs White v Middlesbrough (home) (Last season Jagielka at Man Utd tied with Basham v West Brom home)
Best performance of the season: Middlesbrough (home) / Fulham (home) (Last season Man Utd away)
Worst performance of the season: Coventry away (Last season Leicester away) tied with Forest home playoffs. Blackburn away another contender.
Pass of the season: McBurnie v Barnsley (Last season McGoldrick v Villa)
Save of the season: Foderingham v Barnsley home (Last season Ramsdale v Jon Jo Shelvey, Newcastle away)
Most improved player: Jack Robinson (Last season Kean Bryan)
Unsung hero: Ben Osborn (Last season Phil Jagielka)
Biggest disappointment (player): Oli McBurnie (Last season Enda Stevens)
Best opponent (player) v United – Vickor Gyokeres – Coventry (Last season Che Adams - Southampton) combined with Brice Samba – Forest
Worst opponent (player) v United: Burke (Luton) and Hughes (Preston) (Last season Mitrovic - Fulham)
Signing of the season: Morgan Gibbs White (Last season Aaron Ramsdale)
See you next season!
---
Up the Blades!
Twitter - @Deadbat_DB
I will try and put it on our word press account also so people can view it on there also:
https://tuftyclubsufc.wordpress.com/
A very odd season. One where he wanted to put the awful 20-21 season to bed and bounce back with players that had been really poor but clearly showed they can do it at the lower level of the Championship. Everyone pointed to the success of the strikers at this level previously and also a number of experienced players. With Jokanovic coming in who also had been involved in promotions before, you expected we should be easily around the top 6 even with the losing mentality that had engulfed the club. I did feel we should have started the turnover and churn of players but the new manager felt the squad would be good enough and in the end he was given no funds anyway. He quickly tried to play the same players in a different formation but it did not work and the style saw us struggling. It all started to unravel and there is an argument we did not back him properly but then in Davies, Gibbs White, Hourihane and Olsen, there are four experienced top flight wage players so that argument maybe does lack credence? In the end the results did not improve and the board moved on realising it was a mistake.
I was not impressed by the Heckingbottom appointment and the fact he was seen as the long term appointment now after not being seen as the answer in the summer. Credit to him though as he got the team moving and back to basics somewhat. Gibbs White was a talisman and Sharp/Norwood/Berge found form. Added to this were improvements from Foderingham and Robinson. We suddenly after a season where it looked like we may be even looking over our shoulder and at best a mid table side, were able to push up and then into the top 6 and managed to hold on despite some more inconsistent form at the end of the season until the late flourish of wins. It looked like Forest were too strong but we put in a great performance at the City Ground and were so close to going to Wembley until late heartache of the penalties. In the end we could not quite complete the turnaround but Heckingbottom proved me and others wrong as he did a great job. The next season does offer some uncertainty with key players moving on or possibly being sold and you worry if we have the funds or finances to push again. The concern of not getting back up before the parachute payments ends set against a hefty wage bill always is a factor in seasons 2 and 3. The rumours of a new owner coming in also adds to the uncertainty but there still should be enough experience and quality in the playing squad with solid experienced players like Foderingham, Robinson, Egan, Basham, Norwood, Fleck and Sharp and the youthful promise of Bogle, Norrington Davies and Ndiaye.
We need to bring 4 or 5 in for me – particularly in midfield and attack and need to really address lack of pace and mobility in the squad. We also need to start much better of course than last season. The division looks weaker again I would say but the three coming down will be strong but I do not see lots of sides that I think outside of these, that should be really too strong for us so for all the talk about us being maybe even mid table at best, not sure I quite see it like that? We will see.
Off the field, I am not totally convinced at all by the direction. We have an owner who seems to care little looking at it from the outside. It seems he wants out but us not going up will make it harder for us to sell and you wonder what the motives are for any new owners, as disinterested and skint as this lot are? I worry about how we can move forward without serious cash investment. We have to get the training ground and academy right as then we can almost be self sufficient to some degree even if we cannot go on and be like a Leicester or a Wolves – we have to look at the likes of Palace, Brighton etc and see them as achievable targets in terms of staying in the top league for a period. At the moment I feel whilst we had the great run under Wilder and the change of ownership 5 or 6 years ago; are we any further forward than we were say 15-20 years ago? Maybe we are as the ground has improved and the fan base has too but I cannot see how we make that next great leap without the influx of big money. As it stands, we may be mostly a Championship club with the odd season above or below in the next 20 years. Still, that is kind of what we have been most of my life and whilst I want more and hope we get more, experience tells me it probably won’t happen. That is life as a Blade and was of my Dad and his Dad before that. You just have to support the team, knowing you will have probably more disappointment than success but generally it is never dull being a United fan.
Match Report Ratings
I have done the averages from all the match reports (basically add up all the marks and divide them by the games they played) and then positioned them by ranking in terms of where they fit. Some surprises actually – here is last years in order first and then the ranking for 21-22.
Last year 2020-21
| Player | TOTAL | No of games | AVG |
| Ramsdale | 269 | 41 | 6.6 |
| O'Connell | 12 | 2 | 6.0 |
| McGoldrick | 202 | 34 | 5.9 |
| Basham | 203 | 35 | 5.8 |
| Egan | 190.5 | 33 | 5.8 |
| Ampadu | 162 | 29 | 5.6 |
| Jagielka | 50 | 9 | 5.6 |
| Bogle | 109 | 19 | 5.7 |
| Jebbison | 16.5 | 3 | 5.5 |
| Foderingham | 5.5 | 1 | 5.5 |
| Baldock | 175.5 | 32 | 5.5 |
| Robinson | 65.5 | 12 | 5.5 |
| Berge | 76 | 14 | 5.4 |
| Lowe | 47 | 9 | 5.2 |
| Osborn | 130.5 | 25 | 5.2 |
| Sharp | 57 | 11 | 5.2 |
| Burke | 110.5 | 22 | 5.0 |
| McBurnie | 98.5 | 20 | 4.9 |
| Wilder | 156 | 32 | 4.9 |
| Bryan | 61.5 | 13 | 4.7 |
| Fleck | 161 | 34 | 4.7 |
| Stevens | 148 | 32 | 4.6 |
| Norwood | 159 | 35 | 4.5 |
| Lundstram | 117 | 27 | 4.3 |
| Brewster | 88 | 21 | 4.2 |
| H'bottom | 46.5 | 11 | 4.2 |
| Mousset | 19.5 | 6 | 3.3 |
This year 2021-22
| Player | TOTAL | No of games | AVG |
| Foderingham | 233 | 35 | 6.7 |
| Gibbs White | 235 | 36 | 6.5 |
| H'bottom | 182.5 | 28 | 6.5 |
| Osula | 6.5 | 1 | 6.5 |
| Bogle | 121.5 | 20 | 6.1 |
| Ndiaye | 175.5 | 29 | 6.1 |
| Guedioura | 12 | 2 | 6.0 |
| Ramsdale | 12 | 2 | 6.0 |
| Lopata | 6 | 1 | 6.0 |
| Norwood | 264 | 45 | 5.9 |
| Robinson | 187.5 | 32 | 5.9 |
| Norrington D | 128.5 | 22 | 5.8 |
| Basham | 186.1 | 32 | 5.8 |
| Egan | 276.5 | 48 | 5.8 |
| Berge | 166.5 | 29 | 5.7 |
| Sharp | 205 | 36 | 5.7 |
| Osborn | 150.5 | 27 | 5.6 |
| Olsen | 61 | 11 | 5.5 |
| Fleck | 187.5 | 34 | 5.5 |
| Davies | 110 | 20 | 5.5 |
| Baldock | 135.5 | 25 | 5.4 |
| Brewster | 70 | 13 | 5.4 |
| Uremovic | 16 | 3 | 5.3 |
| Hourihane | 99.5 | 19 | 5.2 |
| Jokanovic | 109 | 21 | 5.2 |
| Gordon | 31 | 6 | 5.2 |
| Freeman | 30.5 | 6 | 5.1 |
| Brunt | 5 | 1 | 5.0 |
| McGoldrick | 74.5 | 15 | 5.0 |
| McBurnie | 68 | 14 | 4.9 |
| Stevens | 116 | 24 | 4.8 |
| Mousset | 23.5 | 5 | 4.7 |
| Seriki | 4.5 | 1 | 4.5 |
| Burke | 21 | 5 | 4.2 |
| Jebbison | 20 | 5 | 4.0 |
| Goode | 3 | 1 | 3.0 |
| Lester/McCall | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| Verrips | 5.5 | 2 | 2.8 |
Deadbat’s Awards for 2021/22
Player of the Season: Morgan Gibbs White (Last season – Ramsdale)
Runner up: Wes Foderingham (Last season – McGoldrick)
Third: Billy Sharp (Last season – Basham)
Moment of the Season: Beating Middleboro 4-1 tied with beating Fulham 4-0 (Last season winning 2-1 at Man Utd)
Goal of the Season: Baldock v Reading (Last season McGoldrick v Arsenal away)
Best individual display: Gibbs White v Middlesbrough (home) (Last season Jagielka at Man Utd tied with Basham v West Brom home)
Best performance of the season: Middlesbrough (home) / Fulham (home) (Last season Man Utd away)
Worst performance of the season: Coventry away (Last season Leicester away) tied with Forest home playoffs. Blackburn away another contender.
Pass of the season: McBurnie v Barnsley (Last season McGoldrick v Villa)
Save of the season: Foderingham v Barnsley home (Last season Ramsdale v Jon Jo Shelvey, Newcastle away)
Most improved player: Jack Robinson (Last season Kean Bryan)
Unsung hero: Ben Osborn (Last season Phil Jagielka)
Biggest disappointment (player): Oli McBurnie (Last season Enda Stevens)
Best opponent (player) v United – Vickor Gyokeres – Coventry (Last season Che Adams - Southampton) combined with Brice Samba – Forest
Worst opponent (player) v United: Burke (Luton) and Hughes (Preston) (Last season Mitrovic - Fulham)
Signing of the season: Morgan Gibbs White (Last season Aaron Ramsdale)
See you next season!
---
Up the Blades!
Twitter - @Deadbat_DB
I will try and put it on our word press account also so people can view it on there also:
https://tuftyclubsufc.wordpress.com/
