Deadbat_DB
Vital Squad Member
2019/20 SUFC SEASON REVIEW / SCHOOL REPORT
Rest of week will be posted as below
Sunday – Part 7 Final awards / Conclusions
Strikers
Billy Sharp It was inevitable new strikers would come in as we needed more quality and competition. Hogan, Washington and Madine were only short term options and we needed to up the ability levels hugely with the jump up. Sharp had scored 23 goals the previous season and been fantastic and a real talisman and showed the doubters again that it did not matter what level of the Football League he would score goals no matter what age he was. The celebrations he showed around the club/city showed to him what it meant and how proud he was to skipper ‘his’ club to promotion again but this time to the top flight.
I did not think that he would be a regular at the top level but still felt he had a part to play and deserved his chance to be involved. He was quite visible in all the media stuff in the lead up to the season and clearly very welcoming to the new players. Although, when Robinson, McBurnie and Mousset came in you did wonder if he would even make the match day squad to start the season but he did. It was all set up for him to come on and score United’s first goal back at this level and he obliged with a scrambled finish before the wild celebrations in front of the Blades fans. He was on the bench for the opening weeks but then stupidly kicked out at a Southampton player and got sent off in a defeat and we did not see him for a while after this due to suspension. He came on as sub in a few games but did not start till Newcastle but struggled and was booked. He got a surprise start v Man City but it was hard with little service but kept his pace even after the cup game and played a run of games v Palace, Bournemouth, Brighton and Norwich. He was sub in the cup game at Millwall sandwiched in between but came on and scored. He of course scored in two home games in the league and played well in this run of games and finally looked like he had got his chance and was determined to take it.
In the break, he was clearly missing his football and we saw a lot of him on football focus, twitter and many other social media outlets as he once again represented himself and the club really well. He never hides from doing things around the city whether it be for kids, charity or anything that makes others feel better and he showed what a fantastic ambassador and captain he is.
After lockdown, he started against Villa and Newcastle but we created nothing and then quickly Wilder went to McGoldrick and McBurnie for a run of games and we only saw him fleetingly from the bench. He did not make much impact when he came on and not sure being a sub quite works for him as he finds it hard to get used to the pace of games. He played the final game and missed 2 sitters by his standards and looked quite slow and ponderous and ended the season with a lot debating why he got another deal.
He ended up with just 3 goals in the league but only started 11 games so was hard really for him to amass many more and at this level with good teams who see a lot of the ball, it is tough as you do not get many chances. A lot of striking play in a team like ours and indeed many outside the top 6/7 is about work ethic, team work, holding the ball, making runs and defending from the front. With all due respect, Sharp does work hard but lacks the pace, stamina and strength to run across the front line all game and is not going to outrun defenders. What he still is, as he showed with his goal, is a box player who can finish when given chances. It’s just at this level you do not get many unless you are the top teams. Ironically I look at the chances someone like Jesus misses at City and think put Sharp in the City team and he would score 20+ in that team.
In terms of his future, he signed a new deal which I was a little surprised as not sure in two seasons, if we continue to maintain Premier League status if he will be involved or around the first team squad much. Next season he may get the odd game/cup game/sub but do not see him starting much at all and think it will be less than the 11 games he started this season. He needs 2 more goals to get 100 league goals for United so hope he can do that. Hope he proves me wrong but just feel as fantastic as he has been for us we need to keep progressing and this area we need more pace/power to create goal/goal threats out of nothing. Not sure that will ever be Sharp’s calling card. The deal for me was as much about rewarding him for his efforts. I am not sure he would ever want to drop back down the league and play for another local lower league team but I could be wrong. I think he would love to finish here. Now 34 and he will be 36 when his deal runs out; I can see him then maybe going into coaching perhaps.
Grade B- (Last season A)
David McGoldrick Had a fantastic season in the Championship and was superb all year, scoring goals, linking play and being a real key man in the final weeks. He loved everything about the Blades and great to see his celebrations and how much it meant for him at his age to crack it and get to the Premier League. The sort of player who deserved his chance as he has worked hard (came on trial of course) to get his chance and make it happen after being a bit journeyman for most of his career - had the chance of a move to Leicester that fell through years ago when he could have moved to the Premier League. I had no doubt that his football brain and ability would still show at that level but worried that he had never played this high and his lack of pace and dynamism may get found out. I was not sure he would perhaps be able to get on the ball enough but he was able to and for the most part had a good season which is odd when he missed chances and did not score!
It is really hard to praise a striker who played 23 games and scored only 2 goals (in the same game) but I am going to! He was for me still our best striker this season in terms of how he played. Mousset did well for 3 months before Xmas, Sharp came strong for a spell before lockdown and McBurnie had some good spells and some indifferent spells too. The most consistent player of the bunch was McGoldrick. He began the season ok and showed the good football we had seen as he helped link play as we had some good early results. I do recall him missing a few sitters in some games though – Southampton was one such match. However, his play remained really good – I recall the games at West Ham and Spurs where he juts glided around and oozed class and of course was denied that first goal by Lundstram’s big toe and a ridiculous VAR award. I felt against Burnley and Man Utd at home, others may have scored but he stepped into midfield and helped us control games against some really powerful opponents. He missed another bucket load of chances at Wolves and at Norwich and then was superb v Villa again setting up play magnificently. Still no goal though and I recall the worst one of the lot at Brighton when he rounded the keeper and somehow shot wide (I remember leaping off my sofa and then looking at my son and us both having our mouth open before putting our head into our hands!). He started more games than any of the other strikers and whilst he had a few games out; Wilder always seemed to go back to him. His goalscoring record may have become a joke to many but most United fans, whilst saw it as a concern and wanted him to score so bad, saw what he was doing to the team and his all-around play.
After the lockdown he was also instrumental and the one who suggested taking the knee which all teams followed and handled some awful racism on twitter with real class. Just a top, top bloke who no one seems to ever say a bad word about him. Back on the pitch he struggled to begin with but then slowly his performance improved and v Spurs and Chelsea he did well and I I was so pleased when he finally got his goals and just gutted, we were not there to see them go in. His big beaming smile was fantastic to see. He trailed off again at the end but as I have said a lot, so did the entire team who just look mentally and physically shot.
As for next season, of course he is not getting any younger either and nearly 33 but his game is such that it is never about pace and he seems to keep himself fit. I think another striker/s may come in but feel he will still play his part and he of course signed a new deal too. Some may say that is a year too long but I think whatever happens he is a useful lad to have around as can play a number of those positions up the top of the field and do different roles. He does need to improve his goal output of course (46 shots and 15 big chances -all missed bar 2!) but I think most Blades recognise what a fantastic footballer he is and will just continue to admire watching him play.
Grade B (Last season A-)
Rest of week will be posted as below
Sunday – Part 7 Final awards / Conclusions
Strikers
Billy Sharp It was inevitable new strikers would come in as we needed more quality and competition. Hogan, Washington and Madine were only short term options and we needed to up the ability levels hugely with the jump up. Sharp had scored 23 goals the previous season and been fantastic and a real talisman and showed the doubters again that it did not matter what level of the Football League he would score goals no matter what age he was. The celebrations he showed around the club/city showed to him what it meant and how proud he was to skipper ‘his’ club to promotion again but this time to the top flight.
I did not think that he would be a regular at the top level but still felt he had a part to play and deserved his chance to be involved. He was quite visible in all the media stuff in the lead up to the season and clearly very welcoming to the new players. Although, when Robinson, McBurnie and Mousset came in you did wonder if he would even make the match day squad to start the season but he did. It was all set up for him to come on and score United’s first goal back at this level and he obliged with a scrambled finish before the wild celebrations in front of the Blades fans. He was on the bench for the opening weeks but then stupidly kicked out at a Southampton player and got sent off in a defeat and we did not see him for a while after this due to suspension. He came on as sub in a few games but did not start till Newcastle but struggled and was booked. He got a surprise start v Man City but it was hard with little service but kept his pace even after the cup game and played a run of games v Palace, Bournemouth, Brighton and Norwich. He was sub in the cup game at Millwall sandwiched in between but came on and scored. He of course scored in two home games in the league and played well in this run of games and finally looked like he had got his chance and was determined to take it.
In the break, he was clearly missing his football and we saw a lot of him on football focus, twitter and many other social media outlets as he once again represented himself and the club really well. He never hides from doing things around the city whether it be for kids, charity or anything that makes others feel better and he showed what a fantastic ambassador and captain he is.
After lockdown, he started against Villa and Newcastle but we created nothing and then quickly Wilder went to McGoldrick and McBurnie for a run of games and we only saw him fleetingly from the bench. He did not make much impact when he came on and not sure being a sub quite works for him as he finds it hard to get used to the pace of games. He played the final game and missed 2 sitters by his standards and looked quite slow and ponderous and ended the season with a lot debating why he got another deal.
He ended up with just 3 goals in the league but only started 11 games so was hard really for him to amass many more and at this level with good teams who see a lot of the ball, it is tough as you do not get many chances. A lot of striking play in a team like ours and indeed many outside the top 6/7 is about work ethic, team work, holding the ball, making runs and defending from the front. With all due respect, Sharp does work hard but lacks the pace, stamina and strength to run across the front line all game and is not going to outrun defenders. What he still is, as he showed with his goal, is a box player who can finish when given chances. It’s just at this level you do not get many unless you are the top teams. Ironically I look at the chances someone like Jesus misses at City and think put Sharp in the City team and he would score 20+ in that team.
In terms of his future, he signed a new deal which I was a little surprised as not sure in two seasons, if we continue to maintain Premier League status if he will be involved or around the first team squad much. Next season he may get the odd game/cup game/sub but do not see him starting much at all and think it will be less than the 11 games he started this season. He needs 2 more goals to get 100 league goals for United so hope he can do that. Hope he proves me wrong but just feel as fantastic as he has been for us we need to keep progressing and this area we need more pace/power to create goal/goal threats out of nothing. Not sure that will ever be Sharp’s calling card. The deal for me was as much about rewarding him for his efforts. I am not sure he would ever want to drop back down the league and play for another local lower league team but I could be wrong. I think he would love to finish here. Now 34 and he will be 36 when his deal runs out; I can see him then maybe going into coaching perhaps.
Grade B- (Last season A)
David McGoldrick Had a fantastic season in the Championship and was superb all year, scoring goals, linking play and being a real key man in the final weeks. He loved everything about the Blades and great to see his celebrations and how much it meant for him at his age to crack it and get to the Premier League. The sort of player who deserved his chance as he has worked hard (came on trial of course) to get his chance and make it happen after being a bit journeyman for most of his career - had the chance of a move to Leicester that fell through years ago when he could have moved to the Premier League. I had no doubt that his football brain and ability would still show at that level but worried that he had never played this high and his lack of pace and dynamism may get found out. I was not sure he would perhaps be able to get on the ball enough but he was able to and for the most part had a good season which is odd when he missed chances and did not score!
It is really hard to praise a striker who played 23 games and scored only 2 goals (in the same game) but I am going to! He was for me still our best striker this season in terms of how he played. Mousset did well for 3 months before Xmas, Sharp came strong for a spell before lockdown and McBurnie had some good spells and some indifferent spells too. The most consistent player of the bunch was McGoldrick. He began the season ok and showed the good football we had seen as he helped link play as we had some good early results. I do recall him missing a few sitters in some games though – Southampton was one such match. However, his play remained really good – I recall the games at West Ham and Spurs where he juts glided around and oozed class and of course was denied that first goal by Lundstram’s big toe and a ridiculous VAR award. I felt against Burnley and Man Utd at home, others may have scored but he stepped into midfield and helped us control games against some really powerful opponents. He missed another bucket load of chances at Wolves and at Norwich and then was superb v Villa again setting up play magnificently. Still no goal though and I recall the worst one of the lot at Brighton when he rounded the keeper and somehow shot wide (I remember leaping off my sofa and then looking at my son and us both having our mouth open before putting our head into our hands!). He started more games than any of the other strikers and whilst he had a few games out; Wilder always seemed to go back to him. His goalscoring record may have become a joke to many but most United fans, whilst saw it as a concern and wanted him to score so bad, saw what he was doing to the team and his all-around play.
After the lockdown he was also instrumental and the one who suggested taking the knee which all teams followed and handled some awful racism on twitter with real class. Just a top, top bloke who no one seems to ever say a bad word about him. Back on the pitch he struggled to begin with but then slowly his performance improved and v Spurs and Chelsea he did well and I I was so pleased when he finally got his goals and just gutted, we were not there to see them go in. His big beaming smile was fantastic to see. He trailed off again at the end but as I have said a lot, so did the entire team who just look mentally and physically shot.
As for next season, of course he is not getting any younger either and nearly 33 but his game is such that it is never about pace and he seems to keep himself fit. I think another striker/s may come in but feel he will still play his part and he of course signed a new deal too. Some may say that is a year too long but I think whatever happens he is a useful lad to have around as can play a number of those positions up the top of the field and do different roles. He does need to improve his goal output of course (46 shots and 15 big chances -all missed bar 2!) but I think most Blades recognise what a fantastic footballer he is and will just continue to admire watching him play.
Grade B (Last season A-)