Would we spend £5 million on one player?

[Ranmoorblade]

A £5 million pound player might only cost £2 million now with £3 million over the following 3 years.

 

[IdLiketoRogerMoore]

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Just playing Devils Advocate, it's a bit unnerving to see that with everyone fit, Stearman and Stevens are the only starters and even they were probably our weakest links....

 

[tincan]

Given last season both the 3 league 1 - Champ and the 3 Champ - PL promotion all stayed up - would indicate the difference between PL-League 1 players has narrowed. Sourcing a fast attacking CB and a couple of strikers with a high chance conversion rate in League 1 should be do able - Clark proves they are not that hard to find, just need to still be hungry.
The seasons biggest weakness and the start of our relegation form was the reliance on Coutts and the loss of him controlling our play, so why not risk £10m on a "Juan Mata" - or someone of his level to progress the tactic we know worked.

 

[mancunianblade]

Just playing Devils Advocate, it's a bit unnerving to see that with everyone fit, Stearman and Stevens are the only starters and even they were probably our weakest links....

I get you, although think Stearman was good. Just shows how much Wilder did the season before though I guess. And how hard it is to recruit for the Championship with a poor budget.

 

[mancunianblade]

Given last season both the 3 league 1 - Champ and the 3 Champ - PL promotion all stayed up - would indicate the difference between PL-League 1 players has narrowed. Sourcing a fast attacking CB and a couple of strikers with a high chance conversion rate in League 1 should be do able - Clark proves they are not that hard to find, just need to still be hungry.
The seasons biggest weakness and the start of our relegation form was the reliance on Coutts and the loss of him controlling our play, so why not risk £10m on a "Juan Mata" - or someone of his level to progress the tactic we know worked.

Problem is we would need to look abroad and it appears we aren’t willing to do that

 

[IdLiketoRogerMoore]

I get you, although think Stearman was good. Just shows how much Wilder did the season before though I guess. And how hard it is to recruit for the Championship with a poor budget.

Stearman was ok. Whether having ok in such a crucial position is enough to get us from 10th to top 6 is the question...

If you look at what John Terry has brought to Villa you'd argue that's probably the one position veteran leadership can be crucial. Jagielka anyone????

 

[DifferentClass]

Our transfer budget is a half eaten Kit Kat, a can of Happy Shopper cola and 5p McCabe found while cleaning behind his settee.

YHIHF.

 

[ben1987]

Really?? How many games did we fail to score Vrs how many clean sheets????

Scoring wasn't an issue. Holding on to leads was. As was clean sheets. Look at our goal difference...

We need at least x2 CBs before we even think about a striker....

We scored a lot. But how many times did we batter teams and then get hit with a sucker punch as we hadn't killed them off?

The lads upfront did well, but if we had someone with a little bit more quality then they'd have got a hat full and we would have got more points.

We need to strengthen all over, but IMO a quality striker is top priority.

I absolutely love Billy but he's not getting and younger.

 

[IdLiketoRogerMoore]

We scored a lot. But how many times did we batter teams and then get hit with a sucker punch as we hadn't killed them off?

The lads upfront did well, but if we had someone with a little bit more quality then they'd have got a hat full and we would have got more points.

We need to strengthen all over, but IMO a quality striker is top priority.

I absolutely love Billy but he's not getting and younger.

David Brooks will be our £10m striker this season.

As you say holding on to leads has been our issue and that all starts at the back.

 

[Woodwardfan]

I'd go for Rhodes for £4m. Play him with Clarke in 3-5-2. Sharp and C.Evans on the bench with a quality loanee from the Prem.

Speculative yes. Quality undoubted, given service.

Clarke would still be the main man for a season, maybe two.

Rhodes is a master 'fox in the box', in fact a dominant ' bully in the box' given service from wing backs and Duffy.

 

[8lade]

Isn't that exactly what the Wednesday fans were saying when we got promoted?

Yes they did and as much as we derided them for it, there is an element of truth in there as shown by the number of strikers who fail to make the step up.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

All depends on the budget. If Wilder has been given £10m than no, If he's been given 20m+ then yes. I think personally it could be happening.

 

[Cerberus Blade]

Just seen this...

http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2018/05/2...improved-budget-lead-sheffield-united-to-a-s/

Not for a League 1 player I hope!

 

[Cerberus Blade]

Why not? I should imagine it will be in the region of 10 to 15 million. 4 quality signing needed at least to compete in the top 6.

I think you’re dreaming.

I doubt we’ll spend £5m on the entire squad, never mind one player. At a push we may spend £2m on one player but that won’t be a goali (I hope!).

 

[Cerberus Blade]

I'd go for Rhodes for £4m. Play him with Clarke in 3-5-2. Sharp and C.Evans on the bench with a quality loanee from the Prem.

Speculative yes. Quality undoubted, given service.

Clarke would still be the main man for a season, maybe two.

Rhodes is a master 'fox in the box', in fact a dominant ' bully in the box' given service from wing backs and Duffy.

I couldn’t disagree more. Sorry Woody!

Rhodes isn’t worth the time of day. Hasn’t done anything now for about 5 years. Why on earth would you pay £4m for him?

Also don’t think Clarke is the main man either. He did great for half a season. Can’t build a team around him I’m afraid.

Youth and pace is needed up front.

 

[mancunianblade]

Stearman was ok. Whether having ok in such a crucial position is enough to get us from 10th to top 6 is the question...

If you look at what John Terry has brought to Villa you'd argue that's probably the one position veteran leadership can be crucial. Jagielka anyone????

I do think next season will be one season too far for Jagielka at Everton and to be honest I’m not sure Wright will be with us come August so would be the perfect signing for the anchored CB Role..having said that i have a feeling he will head over to the MLS and I can see us picking up Byron Webster

 

[Woodwardfan]

I couldn’t disagree more. Sorry Woody!

Rhodes isn’t worth the time of day. Hasn’t done anything now for about 5 years. Why on earth would you pay £4m for him?

Also don’t think Clarke is the main man either. He did great for half a season. Can’t build a team around him I’m afraid.

Youth and pace is needed up front.

Agree about pace. You're right. Clarke on the bench then.

As for Rhodes, a big gamble but whoever we get for around £4m/ £5m will have some sort of 'baggage' and risk.

A younger player will likely be a 'one season wonder' and more experienced players will likely have been going through a lean patch otherwise they would not be available.

There could be a real chance that Calvert-Lewin will be available on a season-long loan. Any new manager at Everton will sign strikers there and Lewin is nowhere near a Premier League first choice once they get sorted there.

Hugill at West Ham will likely be available. Hogan at Villa.

£5m is not a lot of money when you see who Boro, Cardiff and Bristol City got for much more cash.

Come to think of it, Wilder rates Madine.

More cash only brings more problems and bigger risks. It's a difficult next step even if we are at that level.

 

[Not_a_Cheat]

Get jags back let him run the team like terry has done for villa .Very wise move getting terry pay big wages but he will be the player that's going to villa back to the prem

Until Fulham beat em and he leaves

 

[Cerberus Blade]

I'm not suggesting we drop Clarke, Woody. But we need to get him playing at the tempo he was pre-Christmas, and his whole career is the story of a player who's ability has never been doubted, but his form (and fitness) has taken huge swings. Which is why he's never really established himself at the top level. There were times last season, pre-Christmas, when he was playing like a man possessed. That game at the Lane when he scored 4! It wasn't just the goals that were impressive, but his total application. He was sprinting after every ball, closing players down, and even doing slide tackles and winning the ball, getting up again, and bearing down on goal! Phenomenal stuff! But, then you look at his performances in most of the games this year and he's gone missing for quite a few of them.

All I'm saying about Clarke is, we don't know which one is going to turn up next season. You can't go into the season with that question mark over a key player. If he hits a poor run of form we don't have any other player in the club at this point in time, who can fill that role. Because his role is to lead the line, win aerial challenges, hold the ball up, lay the ball off and plunder some goals. A traditional centre-forward role.

That's why we need to recruit a centre-forward, as the priority, imo.

Woody, a lot of the players you are suggesting are well known names, for one reason or another. I don't see us signing anyone like that. I wouldn't want Calvert-Lewin back personally. I wasn't over-impressed with him when he was here before, and I was astonished that Everton wanting to give us good money for him at that point. Rhodes to me is one of the most bizarre suggestions I've read on here. I think you're falling into the "he'll come good one day" camp and hoping to be the first? But it's scary to think you'd genuinely take a punt on someone with his recent past track record - and splash £4M on it. That's reckless imo. Anyhow, it's all about opinions I suppose. There are a lot of players, maybe even the majority, who seem to go through a purple patch in their career, lasting 2-3 years, then....nowt ever again afterwards. Rhodes had his purple patch and now he's ready for the cabbage patch imo.

I think Hughill is a decent suggestion. Big strong lad. But not much pace about him. Not convinced about Hogan. And I don't think you need to trouble your head about Madine. What are you basing it on? I haven't heard Wilder say he rates Madine. I've heard Wilder compliment Madine for a good performance against us in the home game v Bolton last season, but that's totally different to saying he rates him. One thing about Wilder is he wants players with the right attitude - and that guy has got a real attitude problem. Don't worry, he'll be coming nowhere near here.

I tell you what I think. I think we'll look abroad for this centre-forward. If we don't exactly do that, then I'm pretty sure it won't be any of the "household" names that have been mentioned. It will be a left-field appointment - quite possibly someone none of us have ever heard of - although of course, a few clicks on YouTube and we can become instant experts.

 

[8lade]

It continues...
I'd be disappointed if we offered a million quid for Hugill who is average Championship.
Hogan even less than that. Don't even start with Madine what a waste of money.
I know the Premiership clubs have swept up every decent young striker but they've also swallowed up some right crud too.
We want a decent striker we're going to have to discover or make him ourselves.
And as for the original point about blowing what would be at least half our budget or more on one player, I once again refer you to all football simulations since I played the first one on the ZX Spectrum; 'blow all your cash on one player and they invariably get injured.'

 

[Booker4]

I'd go for Rhodes for £4m. Play him with Clarke in 3-5-2. Sharp and C.Evans on the bench with a quality loanee from the Prem.

Speculative yes. Quality undoubted, given service.

Clarke would still be the main man for a season, maybe two.

Rhodes is a master 'fox in the box', in fact a dominant ' bully in the box' given service from wing backs and Duffy.

Its a huge risk for any club to spend big money on Rhodes, given how poor he has been for Wednesday. I know it would be funny to get him playing well again but for 4m I'd rather us spend that on someone who has just had a good season, or someone on loan that is less of a risk. A loan for Rhodes is more likely for a team wanting him for the reasons I've just said but I can't see Wednesday loaning him to us, as they'll know he could turn out great and how embarrassing would that be to them, given we're their biggest rivals.

Peterborough might want 6.5m but I doubt they'll get that but they did get 8m for Assombolonga! I would say he is a faster version of Billy Sharp but not capable of taking his man on either, and he doesn't have Steve Kabba pace more but at 23 he is someone who has time to improve. He's worth the risk for a club that can afford it but I doubt we'll be in that market yet. I can't see a cheaper alternative although I like Jamie Maclaren who is an Aussie international, 24, currently on loan at Hibs but is seemingly unwanted from his parent club in the Bundesliga 2. The highlights below are from his time in Australia but he got 8 in 15 for Hibs which is decent.

 

[Antonb]

I think you’re dreaming.

I doubt we’ll spend £5m on the entire squad, never mind one player. At a push we may spend £2m on one player but that won’t be a goali (I hope!).

Im not dreaming thank You. If Wilder wants to push on from 10th spot. Thats what is required in my opinion. He wants to go for the playoffs minimum. A budget 10 to 15 would not kill this club.

 

[Cerberus Blade]

Im not dreaming thank You. If Wilder wants to push on from 10th spot. Thats what is required in my opinion. He wants to go for the playoffs minimum. A budget 10 to 15 would not kill this club.

It would make the club very ill I think.

Be nice to think we could spend £10m -£15m but it’s just not going to happen. £5m total would be a huge leap from where we are now.

 

[Manuel Azaña]

A year on from when this thread began...........
How many more times will we break the £5m this season?