Not to burst the bubble ...

[Guest Willow Owl]

For me it’s the team not individuals. Two examples,The Blades and the biggest one for me Leicester.

 

[jonnyowl]

As the squad stands relegation next season will be a major worry, but I still think we'll bring more players in before the deadline. The problem is with the -12 can we afford to have our squad complete by 16th October. I'd like us to see players in now as long as they are the right ones, no knee jerk signings.

 

I think there is alot to do to build a squad capable of keeping us up next season.

 

Central Defence and  Centre Midfield are the only two positions I think we have enough strength in depth in.

 

I still think we need the following as a minimum;

 

A left back

2 Wingers

3 strikers

 

The I'd also like us to bring in;

 

A goalkeeper 

Defensive midfielder

Possibly another right back

[Blatter]

A team can be far better than the sum of its parts.
You only have to look across the city to see what strong management and intensive coaching can do. 

The recruitment is clearly incomplete yet, so being forever optimistic, I’m expecting further additions to the squad and a lower mid table finish after the 12 point deduction.

 

Looking at past league tables we need to better 62 points from the 138 available. 
Not so scary really ....is it?

[Dutch McLovin]

17 minutes ago, gurujuan said:

Ha ha, yes there’s a few kicking around

Dont think ill be getting a pair of them - im quite keen on the club doing well  

[Dutch McLovin]

8 minutes ago, areNOTwhatTHEYseem said:

 

Surely it's what the recruitment team (which takes input from a Monk) and ultimately the chairman can do in this window?

 

I'm sure Monk will have made his preferences clear some time ago now, and then it's over to Chansiri to try to make the deals happen.

 

Hopefully he'll be able to provide the coaching team with a few more of the necessary tools before the season starts, otherwise they're on a hiding to nothing.

No no no dont start making excuses for him already.

 

Weve been assured by the man himself HE is sorting this team out, Dom conformed Monk has the final say on transfers. This is not the recruitment team, chansiri or anyone else if our relegation form continues into this season it IS ALL GARRY MONK'S FAULT.

[gurujuan]

11 minutes ago, Willow Owl said:

For me it’s the team not individuals. Two examples,The Blades and the biggest one for me Leicester.

 

Point taken, and we must not forget, it is a team game. Leicester by the way, have some outstanding individuals

[gurujuan]

16 minutes ago, areNOTwhatTHEYseem said:

 

Surely it's what the recruitment team (which takes input from a Monk) and ultimately the chairman can do in this window?

 

I'm sure Monk will have made his preferences clear some time ago now, and then it's over to Chansiri to try to make the deals happen.

 

Hopefully he'll be able to provide the coaching team with a few more of the necessary tools before the season starts, otherwise they're on a hiding to nothing.

Think it’s fair to say that recruitment is also a team effort, but the manager will always be held responsible, or carry the can if you like. In the same way they were Carlos’s players, these will be Monk’s players

[Beauchief Owl]

How many of the Blades' players would have been rated as top half PL players at the start of last season?  

A lot depends on the manager, the team spirit and the culture within the club. 

Unfortunately, even with what on paper was a better squad of players, we failed to suggest we're up to the task.

[areNOTwhatTHEYseem]

8 minutes ago, Dutch McLovin said:

No no no dont start making excuses for him already.

 

Weve been assured by the man himself HE is sorting this team out, Dom conformed Monk has the final say on transfers. This is not the recruitment team, chansiri or anyone else if our relegation form continues into this season it IS ALL GARRY MONK'S FAULT.

 

I can't tell if this is a serious post or a parody.

 

The recruitment team and chairman are paramount in terms of who we manage to bring in. Monk plays a role in that of course, but he's not the main driver behind our recruitment process.

[Dutch McLovin]

Just now, areNOTwhatTHEYseem said:

 

I can't tell if this is a serious post or a parody.

 

The recruitment team and chairman are paramount in terms of who we manage to bring in. Monk plays a role in that of course, but he's not the main driver behind our recruitment process.

Course he is the main driver he picks the team.##

[mancowl08]

Well it’s a good job the game isn’t played on paper then! Wonder if Sheff U fans played this game when they came up from league one. Or even when they got promoted to the premier league last season with the likes of Billy Sharp and McGoldrick up front! 
 

To be honest, my bubble was burst when I saw the topic title.....

[areNOTwhatTHEYseem]

2 minutes ago, gurujuan said:

Think it’s fair to say that recruitment is also a team effort, but the manager will always be held responsible, or carry the can if you like. In the same way they were Carlos’s players, these will be Monk’s players

 

Yes, but it was pretty clear that some of the players we brought in weren't Carlos' players.

 

Hopefully we've moved away from that scattergun approach now (early signs are promising), but as Monk said in his recent interview, he'd love nothing more than to have all of his desired players through the door, but he has to respect the club's situation and the realities of what they can provide him with.

[nickswfc]

Let's be honest - we're in a complete mess with a worse squad now than we had for the second half of last season

 

[mancowl08]

5 minutes ago, Beauchief Owl said:

How many of the Blades' players would have been rated as top half PL players at the start of last season?  

A lot depends on the manager, the team spirit and the culture within the club. 

Unfortunately, even with what on paper was a better squad of players, we failed to suggest we're up to the task.

Sorry you made the same point as me about sheff u 2 mins earlier ha! 

[gurujuan]

1 minute ago, Beauchief Owl said:

How many of the Blades' players would have been rated as top half PL players at the start of last season?  

A lot depends on the manager, the team spirit and the culture within the club. 

Unfortunately, even with what on paper was a better squad of players, we failed to suggest we're up to the task.

I’m a big admirer of Wilder, and his assistant, Knill, undoubtably his tactics, and the team spirit he has instilled over there, has got them to this point. They also have some good players as well, although I’d agree with you that not many would have forecast their success. Generally though, the better players you have, the better chances you have of being successful If Monk can engender a similar team spirit, and bring in the type of quality we obviously lack, then we have a good chance of being succesful

[areNOTwhatTHEYseem]

1 minute ago, Dutch McLovin said:

Course he is the main driver he picks the team.##

 

He picks the team, but he's not the one setting budgets, negotiating transfer fees or contracts.

 

He'll have his input on signings of course, but he may end up being given his fifth or sixth choice by the time the chairman's concluded his dealings.

[RevOwl]

1 hour ago, beloved_aunt said:

I know we’ve had a bit of pre season optimism, but bearing in mind we need top half form just to get fourth bottom, how many of our squad are actually good enough for that?
 

I’ve categorised our squad under three headings:

 

- Top half Champs player 

- Bottom half Champs player

- League One player

 

It makes grim reading. Without some serious additions out wide and up front I’d be worried about staying up, even without -12

 

GKs

Wildsmith - Bottom half

Dawson - Bottom half

 

CBs

Iorfa - Top half

Dunkley - Bottom half (never played higher in his career)

Borner - Bottom half (only 4 CBs dribbled past more in Champs last season)

Lees - Bottom half

Van Aken - League 1

Urogihde - League 1 

RWBs

Palmer - Top half as a defensive full back in a back 4, as a wing back bottom half 

Odubajo - League 1

 

LWBs

Harris - Bottom half esp as a WB

Penney - League 1

 

CMs

Bannan - Top half

Luongo - Top half 

Reach - Current form have to say bottom half unless he can have a dramatic uptake 

Brown - Potentially top half of stays fit

Hunt/FDB/Shaw - League 1 for now 

 

STs

Rhodes - League 1

I'd agree  with your opinion completely my friend. At last someone not falling for it. The only disagreement i have with your ratings are instead of having Wildsmith and Dawson as bottom half championship standard I'd say league one. 

[Mystic Neg]

I think as a fan, this season could well be more enjoyable than the last couple. Backs to the wall, very little expectation and hopefully regardless of who else we sign we can expect to see the lads scrapping and getting stuck in.

 

Dunkley and Iorfa will be key, we need the formers attitude and the latter's physical strength and commitment to rub off on the team. 

[airborne_rat_of_s6]

1 hour ago, striker said:

While I dont disagree with some of the assessments, the team can be greater than the sum of its parts. 

 

I'd still class some players, not too far from S6 as lower championship or L1 players, yet currently playing in EPL. 

Just can't wait to see what a force-multiplier the Monk effect is going to have on the latest squad. He was inspirational last time out................

[edwinowl]

Goalkeepers position worries me the most. 
Both keepers league one at best. 
Lees is top half if he can find his game.