Wafer Thin

[Wards]

Following on from Foxy's sticky about the squad next season, I've plumped at guessing how it stands as of today.

I've taken out the players that are likely to play little/no part next season (i.e. France, Reid), still to sign a new deal or on the *verge* of moving.

Goalkeepers:

Mihkel Aksalu - Contracted till end of 2012

Defenders:
Chris Morgan - Contracted till end of 2013
Andy Taylor - Contracted till end of 2012
Jordan Stewart - Contracted till end of 2011

Midfield:
Nick Montgomery - Contracted till end of 2013
Mark Yeates - Contracted till end of 2012
Lee Williamson - Contracted till end of 2012 - ***Injured 'till November***
Stephen Quinn - Contracted till end of 2011 + an extra year option + discussing new deal

Strikers:
Darius Henderson - Contracted till end of 2012
Ched Evans - Contracted till end of 2012
Richard Cresswell - Contracted till end of 2013 - Discussing new deal
Jamie Ward - Contracted till end of 2012
Daniel Bogdanovic - Contracted till end of 2012 + option of another year

Doesn't look great at the moment. For me, that needs at least another 7 or 8 players adding to it.

 

[SotonBlade]

I'd say more like 10 more!
2 x Keepers, 4 x Defenders, 4 Midfielders. That'd give us 23. Lowton isn't on the list and i can expect him to play a bigger part this season, so 24. which is about right

 

[LouTheBlade]

Here we go again.....we're going to have exactly the same problems as last season, despite all their talk of avoiding a repeat of the injury crisis.

We are now left with a reported 14 to 16 players (cant remember exact numbers) if we go along with Wards' list there plus a couple of others. So what now then? Well in all likelihood United will sign a maximum of between 7 to 8 players giving us a squad of roughly 22/23 players give or take, which if memory serves was exactly what we had last season in terms of serious first teamers........

We will then have the inevitable injuries to the likes of Ward, Willo, Hendo and co. at repeated intervals throughout the season, leaving us thread bare again. With the situation we're in with playing staff there are only two ways to avoid this;

A) United sign 10 to 12 players - not going to happen
B) United bring through a handful of academy lads - very unlikely under the current regime

I see deja vu coming on........

 

[Wards]

Here we go again.....we're going to have exactly the same problems as last season, despite all their talk of avoiding a repeat of the injury crisis.

We are now left with a reported 14 to 16 players (cant remember exact numbers) if we go along with Wards' list there plus a couple of others. So what now then? Well in all likelihood United will sign a maximum of between 7 to 8 players giving us a squad of roughly 22/23 players give or take, which if memory serves was exactly what we had last season in terms of serious first teamers........

We will then have the inevitable injuries to the likes of Ward, Willo, Hendo and co. at repeated intervals throughout the season, leaving us thread bare again. With the situation we're in with playing staff there are only two ways to avoid this;

A) United sign 10 to 12 players - not going to happen
B) United bring through a handful of academy lads - very unlikely under the current regime

I see deja vu coming on........

If I've got it correct, and we take out Williamson (injured till Nov) and replace with Lowton, that gives us a basic squad of 13

So yep, at Soton added above, that's a minimum of 10 new players needed. Crikey.

Can we say that Reid and France may be kept for next season and may actually be needed? That would be the cheap (and preferably the Boards) way of doing things. Gets the potential number of signings down to 8...

 

[Kenilworth]

Kyel Reid Sitch?

What is the situation re Kyel Reid? When is he contracted until?
Saw a few games on the TV during the play offs where he looked half decent for Charlton. Some good work on the wing and a reasonable end result that often created a scoring opportunity. It wouldn't disappoint me if he came back and got some games or sub appearances next season.

 

[Wards]

What is the situation re Kyel Reid? When is he contracted until?
Saw a few games on the TV during the play offs where he looked half decent for Charlton. Some good work on the wing and a reasonable end result that often created a scoring opportunity. It wouldn't disappoint me if he came back and got some games or sub appearances next season.

He has another year to go.

Sadly I don't think he's fancied by Blackwell but he may have to make do.

 

[Bergen Blade]

I think it's been confirmed that Cresswell's deal expires next summer, though he's negotiating an extension. Personally I'd wait and see if he keeps up last year's form before offering him anything.

The current squad is one of the slowest in the league, and we really need to put that right.

 

[Grecian2000]

Here we go again.....we're going to have exactly the same problems as last season, despite all their talk of avoiding a repeat of the injury crisis.

We are now left with a reported 14 to 16 players (cant remember exact numbers) if we go along with Wards' list there plus a couple of others. So what now then? Well in all likelihood United will sign a maximum of between 7 to 8 players giving us a squad of roughly 22/23 players give or take, which if memory serves was exactly what we had last season in terms of serious first teamers........

We will then have the inevitable injuries to the likes of Ward, Willo, Hendo and co. at repeated intervals throughout the season, leaving us thread bare again. With the situation we're in with playing staff there are only two ways to avoid this;

A) United sign 10 to 12 players - not going to happen
B) United bring through a handful of academy lads - very unlikely under the current regime

I see deja vu coming on........

Sentiments I might agree with come July, but there's a long time to go before then.

It'll be interesting to see what squad we have to pick from come August but I'm sure it can only get stronger than it looks now.

 

[PeterNdlovu081]

Where's Paddy Kenny?

 

[LouTheBlade]

Where's Paddy Kenny?

I can only assume that's a joke.

 

[PeterNdlovu081]

I can only assume that's a joke.

Not at all.

 

[LouTheBlade]

Not at all.

ok

Not sure where you're coming from but before it gets cryptic I will just assume there was a reason behind the comment.

After all, you are the best african winger the club has ever had!

 

[LouTheBlade]

Nuddy; have just seen one of your posts in the paddy thread which explains the above........

Fair enough but I think we can safely assume that he's on his way........unless you know otherwise. I know its irritating when the masses speculate but I think most people have quite rightly accepted he's going. Its reported in various places that he's had a medical and Warnock has already as good as confirmed it so I dont see any reason why he should be included on the above list.

 

[SwissBlade]

Nuddy; have just seen one of your posts in the paddy thread which explains the above........

Fair enough but I think we can safely assume that he's on his way........unless you know otherwise. I know its irritating when the masses speculate but I think most people have quite rightly accepted he's going. Its reported in various places that he's had a medical and Warnock has already as good as confirmed it so I dont see any reason why he should be included on the above list.

I normally wait for the official word, but NW's comments are almost as official as seeing Paddy with a QPR scarf above his head.

According to the Star, they'll have a press conference tomorrow to unveil Paddy and Darren Ambrose

 

[LouTheBlade]

I normally wait for the official word, but NW's comments are almost as official as seeing Paddy with a QPR scarf above his head.

According to the Star, they'll have a press conference tomorrow to unveil Paddy and Darren Ambrose

If they sign a decent striker following this I think they're as good as guaranteed top 6. They will probably be in contention for a top 2 slot. They already have a pretty good squad. With Paddy, Ambrose and possibly a couple more they will take some beating........

At the moment I would be looking at QPR, Reading and Burnley as favourites. Possibly Boro as well depending on who they bring in. With United, I just dont know. I would say we're slightly behind those four teams at the moment in terms of quality. Then again, quality on paper doesnt always pan out as planned. We'll see........

 

[Houso]

I feel sorry for France and I don't think he deserves to get the derision he receives.

Solid backup IMHO.

 

[Wards]

I completely agree Houso but I can only assume Blackwell disagrees, how many appearances did he make last season? It still seems a very odd signing as he was pretty reliable for Hull in this division yet we see fit not to include him at all.

 

[Ollessendro]

"How are we exected to build a team with these pesky agents?", " we tried to keep Paddy, Hendo and Sharp but they wanted to leave and we had offers from bigger clubs", "we tried to sign x, y and z but there wage demands were too high (pesky agent again)" ....... "oh well there is always the loan market"

("oh by the way we have one of the highest wage bills in the Championship")

 

[lenners]

If they sign a decent striker following this I think they're as good as guaranteed top 6. They will probably be in contention for a top 2 slot. They already have a pretty good squad. With Paddy, Ambrose and possibly a couple more they will take some beating........

At the moment I would be looking at QPR, Reading and Burnley as favourites. Possibly Boro as well depending on who they bring in. With United, I just dont know. I would say we're slightly behind those four teams at the moment in terms of quality. Then again, quality on paper doesnt always pan out as planned. We'll see........

Crikey, that is optimistic.
We're also behind a number of other teams like Cardiff, Forest, Leicester, probably Leeds, Norwich, Doncaster and maybe even Barnsley. Are the likes of Ipswich likely to be as cack again?

 

[Houso]

I completely agree Houso but I can only assume Blackwell disagrees, how many appearances did he make last season? It still seems a very odd signing as he was pretty reliable for Hull in this division yet we see fit not to include him at all.

Agreed and it was certainly a typical Blackwell signing.

When France played last season, he was simply a solid pro who put himself about and made few mistakes. You won't get defence splitting passes, last gasp blocks or thunderbolts from the edge of the box, but you will get a good honest shift put in which is sometimes required off the bench. Especially since he can play in at least three positions.

 

[Houso]

Crikey, that is optimistic.
We're also behind a number of other teams like Cardiff, Forest, Leicester, probably Leeds, Norwich, Doncaster and maybe even Barnsley. Are the likes of Ipswich likely to be as cack again?

Give over. Unless we get something stunning or utterly catastrophic happens... y'know... like your suggestion from the other day, I see a mirror of last season to this.

But to suggest we're behind Donny and the Dingles?!!?!?! How exactly?

There will be a couple of sides who massively underperform; a la Boro. And a couple who shock everyone and do really well, a la Blackpool. Us? We'll just amble on in mediocrity as we will for forthcoming seasons.

 

[lenners]

Give over. Unless we get something stunning or utterly catastrophic happens... y'know... like your suggestion from the other day, I see a mirror of last season to this.

But to suggest we're behind Donny and the Dingles?!!?!?! How exactly?

There will be a couple of sides who massively underperform; a la Boro. And a couple who shock everyone and do really well, a la Blackpool. Us? We'll just amble on in mediocrity as we will for forthcoming seasons.

Do you really see us finishing 8th next season?
A team shocking everyone and doing well next season would be us.

 

[broomhillblade]

Here we go again.....we're going to have exactly the same problems as last season, despite all their talk of avoiding a repeat of the injury crisis.

It's only 3rd June - give the club a chance!

 

[Big Mart]

It's only 3rd June - give the club a chance!

PMSL, give the club a chance. FFS, how many chances do they want? No doubt you'll be posting the same every transfer window that comes along, telling us that "OK we didn't make any signings again but give the club a chance".

Think they've been given more chances than most over the years don't you?

:gallop:

 

[BornOnShorehamStreet]

Do you really see us finishing 8th next season?
A team shocking everyone and doing well next season would be us.

Is that a prediction?

 

[BornOnShorehamStreet]

PMSL, give the club a chance. FFS, how many chances do they want? No doubt you'll be posting the same every transfer window that comes along, telling us that "OK we didn't make any signings again but give the club a chance".

Think they've been given more chances than most over the years don't you?

:gallop:

How many chances does that bloody horse of yours want? I see it's still running!!!

 

[LouTheBlade]

Crikey, that is optimistic.
We're also behind a number of other teams like Cardiff, Forest, Leicester, probably Leeds, Norwich, Doncaster and maybe even Barnsley. Are the likes of Ipswich likely to be as cack again?

You're the eternal pessimist arent you lenners? My older brother is just like you in the sense that the sky is always falling in at Bramall Lane. I'm not trying to say everything is rosey in our garden but it aint at a lot of other clubs either. Of the teams you have mentioned;

Cardiff:- Slightly better than us (only slightly)
Forest:- Fluke season, they wont repeat it
Leicester:- Were riding the feel good factor of promotion, they wont repeat it either
Leeds:- Have work to do like us
Norwich:- Not as good as the Blades
Doncaster:- Most overrated team and manager in this division
Barnsley:- Will be the same as last season

The quality of this division has nose-dived in the last 2 to 3 years. United are as average as nearly everyone else. Its about who puts a good run together.

 

[LouTheBlade]

It's only 3rd June - give the club a chance!

I dont want to echo what Mart said but you missed my earlier point completely. I dont expect United to sign half a dozen players in the first two weeks of pre-season but I do expect them to get their house in order prior to recruitment.

It's not the fans that need to give the club a chance! The club needs to give itself a chance. They've been off-loading players and now they've lost their no.1 keeper to a divisional rival. We have about 14 or 15 players left which now gives the club a mammoth task in recruiting a minimum of 8 players before the start of the season (4 of which will probably be loans). As soon as two or three get injured (which is inevitable) we will have the same problems as last season.

My goodness........"give the club a chance" they need to help themselves first, the real pressure is constantly self-inflicted.