Deadbat
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2021/22 SUFC SEASON REVIEW / SCHOOL REPORT
As I have traditionally done at the end of the last few seasons; it is that time again when I write a review of the campaign and also compile a school report for the different sections of the club. I will look at how they have fared and what are the prospects for next season for each respective department of the club.
If anyone wants a full copy in advance then DM me on twitter (Deadbat_DB) or on here your e mail address and I will gladly send over.
---
I will begin with the review of the season and then tomorrow will be a breakdown of the club, board and manager/s. Then I will look in depth at the academy.
Over the next week, I will add to this looking at players. each area of the squad beginning with goalkeeper etc. I will look at contract situations (may be wrong with some of these so again come in if I have got any wrong) and what might happen to each area of the team.
---
Feel free to add comments/disagree/debate.....after each post I make.
I have graded the board, the manager, players and the fans; in a traditional school report style of A+ to F- (every player who started at least one game- think I may have graded a few others too). Should really mark the new GCSE style numbering 1-9 but that would get really confusing!
I have had to grade players based on the games they did play so some players who played a lot more may still get a lower grade despite disproportionate number of games in comparison. I have also tried to discuss some of the u23/u18 players.
I have seen every game in person or on TV/a stream apart from Carlisle (when I was at a Wedding).
If I have missed anyone then please say. Feel free to weigh in with critique, opinions and even in some cases agreements!
*I wrote some of this a few weeks ago so elements might be a bit out of date/inaccurate
Season review
The previous season had of course been nothing short of a disaster as the Blades failed to build on the tremendous campaign of 2019-20 where they had been in contention for Europe before a worldwide pandemic, injuries and empty stadiums saw United drop off at the end. Still, I am not sure many expected what would happen as virtually a whole season was played behind closed doors and United could not buy a win. Signings did not pay off and players form dropped off a cliff. United got to Xmas and were rock bottom without a win as they missed the likes of O’Connell and Henderson badly and also saw new marquee signing Brewster fail to score even a single goal. United did pick up but it was too late for Wilder and after a number of fallings out behind the season, both parties move on in an upsetting and perhaps premature end for the darling of the Shoreham faithful. Heckingbottom got a tune out of some of the players in the run in but United were as good as down when he took over and ended up relegated long before the end of the season.
The next talk centred on who would be handed the reigns. Heckingbottom had done ok but he himself said he was positioned with the u23’s and you hoped United would get a more experienced and proven manager. There was talk linking them with the German coach Alexander Blessin for a while but work permit issues seemed to scupper this before it started. Many Blades fans had seen Slavisa Jokanovic as the ideal man to take charge. He got his teams playing expansive, attacking and successful football as Watford and Fulham had both gone up with him as their manager. So, when he was appointed, I think most Blades were happy and saw him as the best candidate. There was the nagging fear on how much money/signings they would give him to change a squad that needed refreshing but many saw that the board had invested in the Serb so surely this would not be an issue? I was firmly in the camp that a number needed moving on after the squad had been engrained in such a downward spiral and with a losing mentality. However, big contracts doled out perhaps foolishly to many meant this would be difficult to execute. Jokanovic himself said it was a very strong squad so maybe it would only be tinkering to a side that for all my criticism above, surely would be enough to be right at the top end with many proven promotion winners at this level?
There were a few moving on. Veterans of the club Moore and Jagielka moves on with their contracts up and ended up at Coventry and Derby (latterly Stoke) respectively. We also saw Bryan (WBA) and Rodwell (Western Sydney Wanderers) move on without much fanfare after largely undistinguished spells. The players that left that caused more furore was firstly John Lundstram who had played down his contract, largely distinguish and ended up with a move to Glasgow Rangers. As pre season came, we then had rumours that the big money we needed from an outgoing player would come from either Berge or Ramsdale, who despite mixed seasons were both earning suitors seemingly. Ramsdale eventually moved on a few weeks into the season as Arsenal were quite persistent in securing his signature. The Blades actually got a good fee and as it has emerged since, he wanted to leave the club and the way he went about things was disappointing after the two opportunities he has had at the Lane both as a youngster and a big money returnee. Berge remained and none of the other players that may have perhaps commanded some decent fees, Baldock and Egan, remained. Young striker Daniel Jebbison was allowed to leave for Burton on a season long loan. Max Lowe also departed, heading to Forest on loan, again for a season as United tried to prune a large left back pool.
The fact United made new signings perhaps should have concerned the new manager and United’s fans. We did make some signings at the end of the August window, maybe essential after such a poor start but this business arguable should have been done much earlier. Indeed, waiting for the new manager to start as his contract ran down in the middle East was not ideal. These delays and the lack of fresh blood was compounded as the preseason was not a great success with covid ripping through the camp and postponements aplenty. This poor planning seeing us only playing one game in Spain against an amateur side and then at Doncaster. Further games went and it meant United would probably be quite undercooked to start the season and so it proved.
August
Under the light on Sky and fans back, the United fans welcomed Jokanovic to the Lane and the new man came out to a standing ovation from a packed Bramall Lane. A flat showing saw Birmingham nick the three points and United tried a number of strikers but could not get much going outside of the outstanding Berge.
Brewster finally got his first United goal as a much-changed side saw off Carlisle in the Carabao Cup before the Blades got a point on the road at Swansea in a dire contest where United struggled to make much headway again. The new formation where it was effectively 4-3-3 was a struggle for some of the experienced players who had been used to a different way for so long and the manager did not have the quick, wide players to effectively play it.
Still, we continued to set up the same way but Ramsdale’s prolonged transfer finally happened around the week of the West Brom game. This was less than ideal build up and his replacement Verrips had a calamitous evening at the Hawthorns as Ismael’s direct Baggies plundered four goals without replay against a desperate United side. This was a rude awakening for the manager, club and fans.
The following Saturday, another sub-standard showing at least saw them seemingly nick a late point (and their first goal of the season in the league) thanks to talisman Sharp off the bench but Huddersfield incredibly went right up the other end and won it in stoppage time. Rest bite came in the Carabao cup as Freeman and Sharp saw off Derby but another sloppy showing saw United lucky to even get a point at Luton. The first month had been disastrous with only one league goal and sitting in the relegation places. Ben Davies had made his debut at Kenilworth Road as Jokanovic finally got someone in but you wondered if this was actually his transfer with the player courted by the club long before? Jokanovic did sign one of ‘his’ players as veteran Adlene Guedioura arrived in a less than inspiring capture.
At the end of the window, there was some frantic business as the poor start coupled with Jokanovic being more vocal about new acquisitions and the Blades were linked with lots of exciting international talents (many we had never heard of but were experts quickly at how good they would be for us!). In the end most of these fell through but the Blades did sign a keeping replacement for Ramdale with Robin Olsen, seemingly a very good signing for this level, on loan from Roma. Also coming in was Conor Hourihane from Villa, also on loan and maybe the most exciting of the newcomers, Wolves loanee Morgan Gibbs White. United were able to resign Iliman Ndiaye, one of their own players, but someone who was highly rated behind the scenes before a contract dispute looked to have seen him perhaps leaving the Lane.
September
Peterborough at home saw full debuts for Gibbs White and Ndiaye and the Blades put in a superb performance with the aforementioned duo to the fore scoring 3 of the 6 goals in a 6-2 demolition. United played some scintillating attacking football and suddenly it looked to have clicked. A few days later, United ought to have beat Preston North End but another late striker saw the points shared as Olsen made his debut.
A few days later, Sharp and Egan at the double saw a relatively comfortable win at Hull. Another newcomer Hourihane set up both the Egan headers from corners. Gibbs White was fast becoming a real favourite and clearly on his day showed why he was so well thought of at Molineux.
United lost out on penalties to Premier League Southampton but a side featuring a number of fringe players did quite well in an entertaining game with Oli McBurnie getting a long overdue goal adding to Stevens strike. Guedioura had played well in his first start for the club (turned out to be his only start!)
Back at home at the weekend, United made heavy weather of beating Derby but a red card to the goalkeeper and a late penalty saw Sharp score the winner. Lawrence hit the post at the death as the home side just held on. However, against former manager, a certain Neil Warnock, United were well beaten at Middlesbrough and the form now was becoming quite patchy with the new style still not really filtering through to the players. Strikers were being changed weekly with only Sharp really showing any level of consistency. The talents of Ndiaye and Gibbs White had given some cause for optimism but too many others were up and down with their performances.
October
An unfortunate defeat at high flying Bournemouth with two questionable decisions from officials meaning Gibbs White’s smart strike counted for nothing. After back-to-back league defeats, it was important United had to find some level of consistency and momentum. They thought they had got it when they came from behind themselves to beat Stoke with a rare goal from Mousset and fellow sub McGoldrick also netting.
However, Olsen’s blooper saw them go behind at home to Millwall and despite levelling, Gibbs White was sent off and the visitors scored a long-range strike to win it at the death. Mousset scored twice at struggling Barnsley but even this was not plain sailing as a late fightback nearly saw United cough up a three-goal lead.
The stop start form continued as a defeat at home to Blackpool in a game where United had lots of opportunities but were again undone late on.
November
A draw at the City Ground was perhaps seen as two points lost as United had led against a poor (at this stage of the season) Forest side and then the following Saturday, United were well beaten at Ewood Park. Despite Brewster’s first league goal, the home team dominated the second half and in the end the score line flattered the Blades who had been cut apart time after time. There was genuine talk about whether Jokanovic and the Blades fitted. He had not been given the chance to bring in more players to suit his system but some fans even wondered if we may get sucked into a relegation battle as we were certainly much closer to the bottom than the top and any return to the top flight was off the agenda this season with the position United were in. A stalemate at home to Coventry was another game that was less than inspiring. One positive that came out of this game (and would not have seemed it at the time) was Wes Foderingham taking the goalkeeping shirt with Olsen injured. He would not lose this spot and go on to be a surprisingly key man after the Swedish loanee had not impressed.
There was a scrappy win at Reading thanks to Bogle’s strike that seemed to take the pressure off the manager. However, a few days later and they had parted company with the Serb. Despite the poor start and the undeniable facts that this squad should have been doing much better, whatever the talk about formations/tactics and incoming players, it was a shock to most. The press conference that followed saw a confusing message where it seemed all the plans under the new manager and the style that he followed had been binned. The board reappointed Paul Heckingbottom and strangely he was given a lengthy deal. The acting chairman Giansiracusa then stated that he and the Prince would not be seen and they would leave everything to CEO Bettis and the new manager! Bringing in former Blades Lester and McCall, added to the confusion. It seemed after a long time under Wilder, the change to a continental manager and a new style had been abandoned, with the board not giving him the tools to really implement it and then disposing of him after less than 4 months!
The new management team got off to a great start as Brewster and Sharp saw off Bristol City at a snowy Bramall Lane as the side went back to the formation and some of the players, that we had seen pre Jokanovic.
December
Heckingbottom was able to build on his first win with a 3-2 success at Cardiff with Gibbs White and Sharp key men again with the former scoring a superb strike. After a postponement of the QPR game at home (the first of many to Covid that would infuriate most Blades fans), United went to the Jovanovic league leaders on the Monday night TV game before Xmas. A superb Ndiaye individual goal early on was defended brilliantly by a now resolute Blades and they had three from three under the new man and were moving up the league. The next few weeks saw Preston, Hull and Boro all ‘postpone’ games, as many other teams did, as a Blades side were ready to play each of these games as controversy swept the country as a number of teams sought to perhaps manipulate the serious situation in the country around an increase in cases of the virus.
As I have traditionally done at the end of the last few seasons; it is that time again when I write a review of the campaign and also compile a school report for the different sections of the club. I will look at how they have fared and what are the prospects for next season for each respective department of the club.
If anyone wants a full copy in advance then DM me on twitter (Deadbat_DB) or on here your e mail address and I will gladly send over.
---
I will begin with the review of the season and then tomorrow will be a breakdown of the club, board and manager/s. Then I will look in depth at the academy.
Over the next week, I will add to this looking at players. each area of the squad beginning with goalkeeper etc. I will look at contract situations (may be wrong with some of these so again come in if I have got any wrong) and what might happen to each area of the team.
---
Feel free to add comments/disagree/debate.....after each post I make.
I have graded the board, the manager, players and the fans; in a traditional school report style of A+ to F- (every player who started at least one game- think I may have graded a few others too). Should really mark the new GCSE style numbering 1-9 but that would get really confusing!
I have had to grade players based on the games they did play so some players who played a lot more may still get a lower grade despite disproportionate number of games in comparison. I have also tried to discuss some of the u23/u18 players.
I have seen every game in person or on TV/a stream apart from Carlisle (when I was at a Wedding).
If I have missed anyone then please say. Feel free to weigh in with critique, opinions and even in some cases agreements!
*I wrote some of this a few weeks ago so elements might be a bit out of date/inaccurate
Season review
The previous season had of course been nothing short of a disaster as the Blades failed to build on the tremendous campaign of 2019-20 where they had been in contention for Europe before a worldwide pandemic, injuries and empty stadiums saw United drop off at the end. Still, I am not sure many expected what would happen as virtually a whole season was played behind closed doors and United could not buy a win. Signings did not pay off and players form dropped off a cliff. United got to Xmas and were rock bottom without a win as they missed the likes of O’Connell and Henderson badly and also saw new marquee signing Brewster fail to score even a single goal. United did pick up but it was too late for Wilder and after a number of fallings out behind the season, both parties move on in an upsetting and perhaps premature end for the darling of the Shoreham faithful. Heckingbottom got a tune out of some of the players in the run in but United were as good as down when he took over and ended up relegated long before the end of the season.
The next talk centred on who would be handed the reigns. Heckingbottom had done ok but he himself said he was positioned with the u23’s and you hoped United would get a more experienced and proven manager. There was talk linking them with the German coach Alexander Blessin for a while but work permit issues seemed to scupper this before it started. Many Blades fans had seen Slavisa Jokanovic as the ideal man to take charge. He got his teams playing expansive, attacking and successful football as Watford and Fulham had both gone up with him as their manager. So, when he was appointed, I think most Blades were happy and saw him as the best candidate. There was the nagging fear on how much money/signings they would give him to change a squad that needed refreshing but many saw that the board had invested in the Serb so surely this would not be an issue? I was firmly in the camp that a number needed moving on after the squad had been engrained in such a downward spiral and with a losing mentality. However, big contracts doled out perhaps foolishly to many meant this would be difficult to execute. Jokanovic himself said it was a very strong squad so maybe it would only be tinkering to a side that for all my criticism above, surely would be enough to be right at the top end with many proven promotion winners at this level?
There were a few moving on. Veterans of the club Moore and Jagielka moves on with their contracts up and ended up at Coventry and Derby (latterly Stoke) respectively. We also saw Bryan (WBA) and Rodwell (Western Sydney Wanderers) move on without much fanfare after largely undistinguished spells. The players that left that caused more furore was firstly John Lundstram who had played down his contract, largely distinguish and ended up with a move to Glasgow Rangers. As pre season came, we then had rumours that the big money we needed from an outgoing player would come from either Berge or Ramsdale, who despite mixed seasons were both earning suitors seemingly. Ramsdale eventually moved on a few weeks into the season as Arsenal were quite persistent in securing his signature. The Blades actually got a good fee and as it has emerged since, he wanted to leave the club and the way he went about things was disappointing after the two opportunities he has had at the Lane both as a youngster and a big money returnee. Berge remained and none of the other players that may have perhaps commanded some decent fees, Baldock and Egan, remained. Young striker Daniel Jebbison was allowed to leave for Burton on a season long loan. Max Lowe also departed, heading to Forest on loan, again for a season as United tried to prune a large left back pool.
The fact United made new signings perhaps should have concerned the new manager and United’s fans. We did make some signings at the end of the August window, maybe essential after such a poor start but this business arguable should have been done much earlier. Indeed, waiting for the new manager to start as his contract ran down in the middle East was not ideal. These delays and the lack of fresh blood was compounded as the preseason was not a great success with covid ripping through the camp and postponements aplenty. This poor planning seeing us only playing one game in Spain against an amateur side and then at Doncaster. Further games went and it meant United would probably be quite undercooked to start the season and so it proved.
August
Under the light on Sky and fans back, the United fans welcomed Jokanovic to the Lane and the new man came out to a standing ovation from a packed Bramall Lane. A flat showing saw Birmingham nick the three points and United tried a number of strikers but could not get much going outside of the outstanding Berge.
Brewster finally got his first United goal as a much-changed side saw off Carlisle in the Carabao Cup before the Blades got a point on the road at Swansea in a dire contest where United struggled to make much headway again. The new formation where it was effectively 4-3-3 was a struggle for some of the experienced players who had been used to a different way for so long and the manager did not have the quick, wide players to effectively play it.
Still, we continued to set up the same way but Ramsdale’s prolonged transfer finally happened around the week of the West Brom game. This was less than ideal build up and his replacement Verrips had a calamitous evening at the Hawthorns as Ismael’s direct Baggies plundered four goals without replay against a desperate United side. This was a rude awakening for the manager, club and fans.
The following Saturday, another sub-standard showing at least saw them seemingly nick a late point (and their first goal of the season in the league) thanks to talisman Sharp off the bench but Huddersfield incredibly went right up the other end and won it in stoppage time. Rest bite came in the Carabao cup as Freeman and Sharp saw off Derby but another sloppy showing saw United lucky to even get a point at Luton. The first month had been disastrous with only one league goal and sitting in the relegation places. Ben Davies had made his debut at Kenilworth Road as Jokanovic finally got someone in but you wondered if this was actually his transfer with the player courted by the club long before? Jokanovic did sign one of ‘his’ players as veteran Adlene Guedioura arrived in a less than inspiring capture.
At the end of the window, there was some frantic business as the poor start coupled with Jokanovic being more vocal about new acquisitions and the Blades were linked with lots of exciting international talents (many we had never heard of but were experts quickly at how good they would be for us!). In the end most of these fell through but the Blades did sign a keeping replacement for Ramdale with Robin Olsen, seemingly a very good signing for this level, on loan from Roma. Also coming in was Conor Hourihane from Villa, also on loan and maybe the most exciting of the newcomers, Wolves loanee Morgan Gibbs White. United were able to resign Iliman Ndiaye, one of their own players, but someone who was highly rated behind the scenes before a contract dispute looked to have seen him perhaps leaving the Lane.
September
Peterborough at home saw full debuts for Gibbs White and Ndiaye and the Blades put in a superb performance with the aforementioned duo to the fore scoring 3 of the 6 goals in a 6-2 demolition. United played some scintillating attacking football and suddenly it looked to have clicked. A few days later, United ought to have beat Preston North End but another late striker saw the points shared as Olsen made his debut.
A few days later, Sharp and Egan at the double saw a relatively comfortable win at Hull. Another newcomer Hourihane set up both the Egan headers from corners. Gibbs White was fast becoming a real favourite and clearly on his day showed why he was so well thought of at Molineux.
United lost out on penalties to Premier League Southampton but a side featuring a number of fringe players did quite well in an entertaining game with Oli McBurnie getting a long overdue goal adding to Stevens strike. Guedioura had played well in his first start for the club (turned out to be his only start!)
Back at home at the weekend, United made heavy weather of beating Derby but a red card to the goalkeeper and a late penalty saw Sharp score the winner. Lawrence hit the post at the death as the home side just held on. However, against former manager, a certain Neil Warnock, United were well beaten at Middlesbrough and the form now was becoming quite patchy with the new style still not really filtering through to the players. Strikers were being changed weekly with only Sharp really showing any level of consistency. The talents of Ndiaye and Gibbs White had given some cause for optimism but too many others were up and down with their performances.
October
An unfortunate defeat at high flying Bournemouth with two questionable decisions from officials meaning Gibbs White’s smart strike counted for nothing. After back-to-back league defeats, it was important United had to find some level of consistency and momentum. They thought they had got it when they came from behind themselves to beat Stoke with a rare goal from Mousset and fellow sub McGoldrick also netting.
However, Olsen’s blooper saw them go behind at home to Millwall and despite levelling, Gibbs White was sent off and the visitors scored a long-range strike to win it at the death. Mousset scored twice at struggling Barnsley but even this was not plain sailing as a late fightback nearly saw United cough up a three-goal lead.
The stop start form continued as a defeat at home to Blackpool in a game where United had lots of opportunities but were again undone late on.
November
A draw at the City Ground was perhaps seen as two points lost as United had led against a poor (at this stage of the season) Forest side and then the following Saturday, United were well beaten at Ewood Park. Despite Brewster’s first league goal, the home team dominated the second half and in the end the score line flattered the Blades who had been cut apart time after time. There was genuine talk about whether Jokanovic and the Blades fitted. He had not been given the chance to bring in more players to suit his system but some fans even wondered if we may get sucked into a relegation battle as we were certainly much closer to the bottom than the top and any return to the top flight was off the agenda this season with the position United were in. A stalemate at home to Coventry was another game that was less than inspiring. One positive that came out of this game (and would not have seemed it at the time) was Wes Foderingham taking the goalkeeping shirt with Olsen injured. He would not lose this spot and go on to be a surprisingly key man after the Swedish loanee had not impressed.
There was a scrappy win at Reading thanks to Bogle’s strike that seemed to take the pressure off the manager. However, a few days later and they had parted company with the Serb. Despite the poor start and the undeniable facts that this squad should have been doing much better, whatever the talk about formations/tactics and incoming players, it was a shock to most. The press conference that followed saw a confusing message where it seemed all the plans under the new manager and the style that he followed had been binned. The board reappointed Paul Heckingbottom and strangely he was given a lengthy deal. The acting chairman Giansiracusa then stated that he and the Prince would not be seen and they would leave everything to CEO Bettis and the new manager! Bringing in former Blades Lester and McCall, added to the confusion. It seemed after a long time under Wilder, the change to a continental manager and a new style had been abandoned, with the board not giving him the tools to really implement it and then disposing of him after less than 4 months!
The new management team got off to a great start as Brewster and Sharp saw off Bristol City at a snowy Bramall Lane as the side went back to the formation and some of the players, that we had seen pre Jokanovic.
December
Heckingbottom was able to build on his first win with a 3-2 success at Cardiff with Gibbs White and Sharp key men again with the former scoring a superb strike. After a postponement of the QPR game at home (the first of many to Covid that would infuriate most Blades fans), United went to the Jovanovic league leaders on the Monday night TV game before Xmas. A superb Ndiaye individual goal early on was defended brilliantly by a now resolute Blades and they had three from three under the new man and were moving up the league. The next few weeks saw Preston, Hull and Boro all ‘postpone’ games, as many other teams did, as a Blades side were ready to play each of these games as controversy swept the country as a number of teams sought to perhaps manipulate the serious situation in the country around an increase in cases of the virus.