Who to Sign in the JTW?

[Woodwardfan]

Spend it on a signed copy for each of the board of "Why A Club Shouldn't Sell Its Best Players"

Who could sign that book outside the Top4/5 clubs?

 

[blades78]

Centre back, pacey left footed winger and replacement for Sammon (if we are able to send him back). Don't care if they are all on loan, as long as they are fully fit and ready to make an impact straight away. We can't afford to be waiting a 4/5 weeks for players to get up to speed because they have been injured all season and need us to get them fit.

 

[lazyfecklessblade]

Squinny isnt getting games at Reading. A creative midfielder/wide man who would also solve the problem of giving the mouthbreather who sits next to me someone to shout obscenities at.

 

[shorehamview]

I'm not convinced we should utilize transfer fees for specific positions.
In my view the most efficient process is to identify and sign the best emerging talent that we can afford regardless of position.
To do otherwise may result in missing out on future stars because (for example) they play in Brayford or Sharp's position......

So when we've signed 47 emerging goalkeepers will that be enough?

 

[Revolution]

I'm not convinced we should utilize transfer fees for specific positions.
In my view the most efficient process is to identify and sign the best emerging talent that we can afford regardless of position.
To do otherwise may result in missing out on future stars because (for example) they play in Brayford or Sharp's position.
The bulk of the money (say 1 million) could be used for signing players that can be slotted into the first team over the next year or so who are young enough to be capable of significant improvement with playing time.
The remainder can be used to fill gaps in the squad that need to be addressed immediately, as wages towards short term loans or free transfers.

Disagree. We tried this "one for the future" stuff before. January 2007. It was a disaster.

The team has enough holes in it that we can spend to improve it. A big, mobile midfielder who actually scores more than once every 30 games would be a great addition.

A competent centre half would be another good signing.

 

[Bladesway]

This thread is a pointless waste of everyone's time anyway. We never sign anyone that gets suggested. We'll definitely end up signing a few injured Championship rejects that nobody wants. Or a few more of Adkins' bestie friendies, one of the two. Same old.

Here's something to rock your world. Every thread posted on football forums about the team is pointless. In so much as we have no effect on what happens on the pitch. But does that mean we all stop talking about it?

It's the Internet, it's not life and death.

 

[Jim Chimmerney]

Here's something to rock your world. Every thread posted on football forums about the team is pointless. In so much as we have no effect on what happens on the pitch. But does that mean we all stop talking about it?

It's the Internet, it's not life and death.

Social media is a massive factor these days, I'm not so sure you can say forums have no power in this day and age, just speak to Mr Phipps.

 

[Smirth]

Paul Downing
Romaine Sawyers
Michael Bostwick
Bradley Dack

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

Social media is a massive factor these days, I'm not so sure you can say forums have no power in this day and age, just speak to Mr Phipps.

Not sure I buy this. The message is important, but fans used to write letters, and get replies.

There's something going on with Twitter, fb, and forums, but it's not all new.

 

[Pollingtonblade]

Other teams that have been promoted from this league have proved you don't need to spend big money to get out. None of this players 'for the future' bollocks either.

We need to identify the best players in this league or league 2 that are on the up and offer them a little wage wise on what they're on andguess what 'if a player wants to leave we can't stand in his way' could work in our fucking favour for once.

Not read all the suggestions but a midfielder that troubles the scoring charts and 2 players who can defend and also the 3 players we sign have speed/height.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

The scouts I believe have been working in Holland and/or Norway so it’ll be interesting to see what that throws up.


But in terms of the players from the English Leagues that some of us know about, I think, if you look at the team from the last couple of games, the obvious areas where we could improve are CB (Collins) and LM (Woolford). We could also do with another CM option who brings similar attributes to Basham but with more quality on the ball. For that reason, I’d be interested in the following players:-


CB


One of


Dan Burn (Fulham)

Aaron Pierre (Wycombe)

Curtis Nelson (Plymouth)

Harry Maguire (Hull- Long shot)



Winger-


One of


Kemar Roofe (Oxford)

Graham Carey (Plymouth)

Callum Harriett (Colchester- On loan from Charlton)

Gavin Massey (Colchester)

Danny Mayor (Bury)

Bradley Dack (Gillingham)



CM


Sam Morsy is an obvioius shout. Struggling to come up with too many other names of players who can get box to box, tackle, have ability on the ball etc. Oh for a fit James Wallace or Connor Coady. Players like Hourihane and Moncur catch the eye but by all accounts they offer bugger all defensively and can only really play as number 10s which is not something I’m convinced we need more of.



If we could spend the money on Morsy and Burn I would be happy to be honest. Whether or not we could afford both, I don’t know. If there was any surplus left over, I wouldn’t mind us either looking at development players (bags of pace a pre-requisite) from non-league or abroad with a view to landing the next Che Adams. I also wouldn’t be adverse to seeing us in for a couple of young players from above on loan who could win a game like the pigs did with Marshall/Antonio and like we did with Phillips. I liked the look of Ikpeazu and Innis who are both on loan at Vale. I suppose it’ll depend on how many we can move out. I wouldn’t be sorry to see any of the outward loans made permanent (well, slightly on McNulty but I don’t know if he’ll ever fulfil his potential with us). I also wouldn’t be sorry to see Cuvelier, J Wallace, Baxter, Scougall, Flynn, McEveley & Woolford go as long as we got a couple in.

 

[judge]

The scouts I believe have been working in Holland and/or Norway so it’ll be interesting to see what that throws up.

.

my heart fell out my arse when i read that
Only fucking places lower than scotland and blackpool on the footballing atlas

Shows where we are

 

[1danewhitehouse]

Some good players have come out of those countries. It's about getting value for money. Could get the next Van Basten or Ten Heuvel.

 

[CarlMcBlade]

To be honest guys we're not the draw we might think we are anymore. The sheer weight of expection and the way our fans turn on certain individuals who don't cut the mustard, will be common knowledge among players throughout the leagues. Good potential players on the up might not fancy that pressure and think we're a poor bet at the moment anyway.
We all know Bramall lane is the best place on earth play and watch football when the team are playing well. But if things are not going to plan the lane can be a toxic, vitreolic and down right difficult place to play.
Yes we need new players with ability, but most of all we need players with character and the balls to play at BDTBL.

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

To be honest guys we're not the draw we might think we are anymore. The sheer weight of expection and the way our fans turn on certain individuals who don't cut the mustard, will be common knowledge among players throughout the leagues. Good potential players on the up might not fancy that pressure and think we're a poor bet at the moment anyway.
We all know Bramall lane is the best place on earth play and watch football when the team are playing well. But if things are not going to plan the lane can be a toxic, vitreolic and down right difficult place to play.
Yes we need new players with ability, but most of all we need players with character and the balls to play at BDTBL.

I imagine there's a lot of truth in that. It seems pretty clear BDTBL has a reputation in the game.

The other side if this is Positive Nige, his team, his record, and his style. I'd imagine he would be a real draw for some players.

 

[coaxingstar71]

I think this is really complicated but didn't want to clutter the OP

• £1.2m is a wild guess of what's left of the Murphy money after deductions, Hammond's wages, who knows what else. It's not much more than a guess tbh
• start of the season a CH was top priority, we've since loaned Edgar and brought Collins back into the fold, we also have cover from McEveley and even McGahey - Kennedy is only making the bench at Cambridge
• Baxter's periodic self-destructions mean we are often without creativity
• if Cuvelier and/or Wallace get fit and we buy a creative CM we might end up with three similar players where we've got none atm - unlikely but possible
• GK - Long is coming on well, Howard is good cover imo, priorities lie elsewhere
• do we spend the bulk on one player or split it 50/50?
• etc etc

My instinct is that we need a mobile and fairly creative midfielder to play alongside Hammond - as I think he's bound to be in the team, and we should commit most of the money to this.

It's not an easy call though.

WHF - you seem to have started responding to yourself, surely the forum version of talking to yourself, first sign you know.....

I've listed what I think should be the priorities in order :-

1. Centre back - because Collins is awful, particularly with the ball at his feet and we don't really have much in terms of cover. IMHO ATM I'd be playing J-Mac there, K Wallace on the left and Collins on the bench.

2. Left mid/winger - we haven't adequately replaced Murph. Woolford isn't good enough and Adams has been playing out of position which has affected his form.

3. Centre Mid - Reason I've demoted it to 3rd is that we do have Coutts, Bash and Hammond but ideally we need someone capable of controlling a game. Incidentally, isn't Hammond due to return to Leicester in Jan?

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

WHF - you seem to have started responding to yourself, surely the forum version of talking to yourself, first sign you know.....

I've listed what I think should be the priorities in order :-

1. Centre back - because Collins is awful, particularly with the ball at his feet and we don't really have much in terms of cover. IMHO ATM I'd be playing J-Mac there, K Wallace on the left and Collins on the bench.

2. Left mid/winger - we haven't adequately replaced Murph. Woolford isn't good enough and Adams has been playing out of position which has affected his form.

3. Centre Mid - Reason I've demoted it to 3rd is that we do have Coutts, Bash and Hammond but ideally we need someone capable of controlling a game. Incidentally, isn't Hammond due to return to Leicester in Jan?

That WHF bloke makes a lot of sense. I like talking to him.

There's been a lot about loans in interviews and the Star recently.

Adkins is looking to retain a loan players, their clubs can recall them in January, we're trying to establish that won't happen so we can plan on advance for JTW and not be reactive.

This retention was made explicit wrt Hammond in a RS interview.

The others, including the latest punch bags - Sammon and Woolford - were in a recent Star article.

 

[Darthblade]

Let's say we've got £1.2m to spend in the JTW what position or positions should we spend it on?

Well ...... remember that we've also got the options of loan players as well and so; if the Club have the balls, we could bring in 2 or 3 on loan and buy, say two, all in key positions.

In that way we should be able to address GK, CH, CM, LW and CF, all of which could do with serious and quick attention. It would also enable us to bring some much needed pace into a quite pedestrian squad.

This also assumes that we'll take whatever opportunity we can to offload some dross either on loan or permanently in the JTW.

Regrettably; I can see us all having the perennial doom & gloom discussions in February following the revelation that our 5 potential transfers all fell through due to ............ ( add any one of the usual favourite excuses ).

I really hope that I'm proven to be a cynical old bastard and that NA takes the bull by the horns and rips this squad a new one !!

UTB & FTP

 

[Bladesway]

Social media is a massive factor these days, I'm not so sure you can say forums have no power in this day and age, just speak to Mr Phipps.

I can and I just did. You may get lip service but anyone who thinks the clubs use it for anything more than to pretend "we are listening" then continuing to do what they want is kidding themselves. It may have a negative impact like with Ched ect but nothing positive comes from social media. Its a cuntfest, Forums like this are great discussion areas but in essence I don't think it makes a genuine difference to clubs and what they do.

 

[Alfreton14Blade]

Get Coady back on loan (can't be happy on the sub's bench at Wolves week in week out), & maybe have a cheeky enquiry for Nathan Byrne too.

Other than that, the peoples' choice: Sam Morsy. And actually get a proper replacement in for Harry - a year-&-a-half late better than never. And secure Leader Hammond for the rest of the season.

 

[Silent Blade]

Other than that, the peoples' choice: Sam Morsy. .

a Chesterfield fan at work thinks he is going to Brighton

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

a Chesterfield fan at work thinks he is going to Brighton

Rubbish. Who sells their best player to Brighton?

 

[northsomersetblade]

Some good players have come out of those countries. It's about getting value for money. Could get the next Van Basten or Ten Heuvel.

Len de Goey and Jostein Flo's sons and nephews must have grown up by now. What a scoop if they have inherited the family ability?

 

[SUFC Handsworth]

"To be honest guys we're not the draw we might think we are anymore. The sheer weight of expectation and the way our fans turn on certain individuals who don't cut the mustard, will be common knowledge among players throughout the leagues. Good potential players on the up might not fancy that pressure and think we're a poor bet at the moment anyway."

Can't believe too many players who have anything about them would give that a second thought. If they do they're not the type of players we want at the Lane anyway. We could do without any more shrinking violets, we want players who would trample over broken glass to play for us, those with some fire in their bellies, a will to win and an ambition to match those of most of our fans.

 

[alcoblade]

That WHF bloke makes a lot of sense. I like talking to him.

There's been a lot about loans in interviews and the Star recently.

Adkins is looking to retain a loan players, their clubs can recall them in January, we're trying to establish that won't happen so we can plan on advance for JTW and not be reactive.

This retention was made explicit wrt Hammond in a RS interview.

The others, including the latest punch bags - Sammon and Woolford - were in a recent Star article.

Is being a punch bag someone is continually rubbish, and people point out that they are continually rubbish?

But seriously, wouldn't you agree that said players have been continually rubbish? Am I missing something?

UTB

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

Is being a punch bag someone is continually rubbish, and people point out that they are continually rubbish?

But seriously, wouldn't you agree that said players have been continually rubbish? Am I missing something?

UTB

Late night incoherence follows:

Look what you've done: you made me go and find all these in the Views From.

(The most up to date ones are Bradford and they go back to the start of the season.

He's had a bad patch - but as someone else pointed out all our target men have suffered from not being Brian Deane - or Billy Whitehurst, eh Keith?)

Sammon ran us ragid all game

“I would give credit to Adkins today. As soon as he brought on Sammon & Baxter it made a big difference to Sheff. Utd.
I was very impressed with Sammon especially.”

t was instantly clear they were overrunning us in midfield with Sammon pushing down the wing and Baxter joining Reed in controlling the CM

“Totally agree about Sammon. He changed the game completely. Just glad he didnt start!”

“I thought sammon changed it for them we couldn’t handle him.”

“Sammon played ok I thought found his level”

Sharp feeding off of Sammon’s scraps.

Sammon has potential and often does a decent job occupying defences when we are under pressure. He was brought on to do this against Scunthorpe and might as well have stayed on the bench. This was really noticeable and we suffered. He looked out of sorts. But do we sign someone else or stick with him now he knows the team and the systems?

Moreover for me a lot of the criticism of him is just regurgitating Keith's selective and Luddite doom and gloom. Bloody Scrooge.

As Plato said: All our players have limitations, Sammon is one of our players therefore Sammon has his limitations.


Na Na Na Na he's a Blade and he's a Blade

I didn't even bother searching for Woolford bc I'd be amazed if anyone said anything about him, but he has contributed with defensive discipline - apart from the corner at the end of the Scunthorpe game where his was the unmarked man in literally yards of space.

We have conceded goals with eg Adams and especially Done on the left.

If we're trying to score down our left then Woolford is at the back of a long queue. If we're trying not to concede he's somewhere near the front. I think he's yet another of our squad of one-dimensional players. Why are some picked out and not others? In his case sometimes it's bc he's not Murphy but that comparison when it's made is ludicrous. Fwiw till last week I thought he was the worst player in the squad. At Scunthorpe his (limited) merits were more apparent.

Bergen Blade pointed out a few weeks ago how Done had been at fault for (or contributed to at least) three goals, possibly three consecutive goals over two weeks, star signing, big wages, giving away goals not a peep from anyone presumably bc he runs around a lot - often afaics to no good effect other than tiring himself out so he can't get onside.

We need better players in lots of positions - but we have limited resources. I'd try and get a strong, pacy central midfielder who can pass as a top priority a kind of Coutts + Basham in one player. The rest of it I'm not so sure about.

Sammon, low on confidence - should come good again.

Woolford - playing a part in a limited way. More easily upgraded.

Both - maybe it's better the devil you know

 

[CarlMcBlade]

To be honest guys we're not the draw we might think we are anymore. The sheer weight of expection and the way our fans turn on certain individuals who don't cut the mustard, will be common knowledge among players throughout the leagues. Good potential players on the up might not fancy that pressure and think we're a poor bet at the moment anyway.
We all know Bramall lane is the best place on earth play and watch football when the team are playing well. But if things are not going to plan the lane can be a toxic, vitreolic and down right difficult place to play.
Yes we need players with ability, but most of all we need playerswith character and the balls to play at BDTBL.

 

[Barney]

I'm not sure if it's just the case that none of your 7 accounts were active on this forum then, or if you're just being deliberately argumentative in the face of indisputable fact, but to suggest otherwise is like saying "oh, nobody's ever suggested that we should re-sign Michael Brown since we sold him".

Do you think we should sign Harry Maguire? This is presumably the first time you've ever heard this suggestion.

I'll continue to try and convey my point in a reasonable manner, without being lured by your opposite approach.

Nobody suggested signing John Brayford, on loan or permanent, before his loan spell under Clough. This loan spell later transpired to be the initial fuel for the rumour of a permanent signing. So it's quite obvious some would have suggested a permanent, but as I say, this was after the loan spell had already surfaced those rumours.

Similarly with Sharp, posters only began to start suggesting and discussing whether or not to re-sign him once Adkins had been appointed, as a result of the known connection between them.

 

[Bladesman]

Burn
Grandison
Morsy
Sawyers

Maybe even get Rico Henry as a new left back?

Although it looks like Bolton haven't fallen apart yet so we can't go picking up anything there.

 

[Hunkerby]

Disagree. We tried this "one for the future" stuff before. January 2007. It was a disaster.

The team has enough holes in it that we can spend to improve it. A big, mobile midfielder who actually scores more than once every 30 games would be a great addition.

A competent centre half would be another good signing.

Buying promising young players can be similar to mining for gold.
Much of the time you fail to find anything of use but every so often you find a huge nugget and the payoff is huge.
Back in the 70's we found Tony Currie and his skill almost got us into Europe.
Back in the 80's we found Brian Deane and his goals shot us into the premiership.
We also found a young Maradona but failed to sign him, probably because we needed to set aside some money for a centre back!
This could have been the turning point in our history.
Imagine how different the World would look now if Gaius Julius had decided that he didn't fancy crossing the Rubicon after all, or if the Blades had signed Maradona.