Deadbat_DB
Vital Squad Member
2021/22 SUFC SEASON REVIEW / SCHOOL REPORT
As I have traditionally done at the end of the last few seasons; it is that time again when I write a review of the campaign and also compile a school report for the different sections of the club. I will look at how they have fared and what are the prospects for next season for each respective department of the club.
If anyone wants a full copy in advance then DM me on twitter (Deadbat_DB) or on here your e mail address and I will gladly send over.
---
I will begin with the review of the season and then tomorrow will be a breakdown of the club, board and manager/s. Then I will look in depth at the academy.
Over the next week, I will add to this looking at players. each area of the squad beginning with goalkeeper etc. I will look at contract situations (may be wrong with some of these so again come in if I have got any wrong) and what might happen to each area of the team.
---
Feel free to add comments/disagree/debate.....after each post I make.
I have graded the board, the manager, players and the fans; in a traditional school report style of A+ to F- (every player who started at least one game- think I may have graded a few others too). Should really mark the new GCSE style numbering 1-9 but that would get really confusing!
I have had to grade players based on the games they did play so some players who played a lot more may still get a lower grade despite disproportionate number of games in comparison. I have also tried to discuss some of the u23/u18 players.
I have seen every game in person or on TV/a stream apart from Carlisle (when I was at a Wedding).
If I have missed anyone then please say. Feel free to weigh in with critique, opinions and even in some cases agreements!
*I wrote some of this a few weeks ago so elements might be a bit out of date/inaccurate
Season review
The previous season had of course been nothing short of a disaster as the Blades failed to build on the tremendous campaign of 2019-20 where they had been in contention for Europe before a worldwide pandemic, injuries and empty stadiums saw United drop off at the end. Still, I am not sure many expected what would happen as virtually a whole season was played behind closed doors and United could not buy a win. Signings did not pay off and players form dropped off a cliff. United got to Xmas and were rock bottom without a win as they missed the likes of O’Connell and Henderson badly and also saw new marquee signing Brewster fail to score even a single goal. United did pick up but it was too late for Wilder and after a number of fallings out behind the season, both parties move on in an upsetting and perhaps premature end for the darling of the Shoreham faithful. Heckingbottom got a tune out of some of the players in the run in but United were as good as down when he took over and ended up relegated long before the end of the season.
The next talk centred on who would be handed the reigns. Heckingbottom had done ok but he himself said he was positioned with the u23’s and you hoped United would get a more experienced and proven manager. There was talk linking them with the German coach Alexander Blessin for a while but work permit issues seemed to scupper this before it started. Many Blades fans had seen Slavisa Jokanovic as the ideal man to take charge. He got his teams playing expansive, attacking and successful football as Watford and Fulham had both gone up with him as their manager. So, when he was appointed, I think most Blades were happy and saw him as the best candidate. There was the nagging fear on how much money/signings they would give him to change a squad that needed refreshing but many saw that the board had invested in the Serb so surely this would not be an issue? I was firmly in the camp that a number needed moving on after the squad had been engrained in such a downward spiral and with a losing mentality. However, big contracts doled out perhaps foolishly to many meant this would be difficult to execute. Jokanovic himself said it was a very strong squad so maybe it would only be tinkering to a side that for all my criticism above, surely would be enough to be right at the top end with many proven promotion winners at this level?
There were a few moving on. Veterans of the club Moore and Jagielka moves on with their contracts up and ended up at Coventry and Derby (latterly Stoke) respectively. We also saw Bryan (WBA) and Rodwell (Western Sydney Wanderers) move on without much fanfare after largely undistinguished spells. The players that left that caused more furore was firstly John Lundstram who had played down his contract, largely distinguish and ended up with a move to Glasgow Rangers. As pre season came, we then had rumours that the big money we needed from an outgoing player would come from either Berge or Ramsdale, who despite mixed seasons were both earning suitors seemingly. Ramsdale eventually moved on a few weeks into the season as Arsenal were quite persistent in securing his signature. The Blades actually got a good fee and as it has emerged since, he wanted to leave the club and the way he went about things was disappointing after the two opportunities he has had at the Lane both as a youngster and a big money returnee. Berge remained and none of the other players that may have perhaps commanded some decent fees, Baldock and Egan, remained. Young striker Daniel Jebbison was allowed to leave for Burton on a season long loan. Max Lowe also departed, heading to Forest on loan, again for a season as United tried to prune a large left back pool.
The fact United made new signings perhaps should have concerned the new manager and United’s fans. We did make some signings at the end of the August window, maybe essential after such a poor start but this business arguable should have been done much earlier. Indeed, waiting for the new manager to start as his contract ran down in the middle East was not ideal. These delays and the lack of fresh blood was compounded as the preseason was not a great success with covid ripping through the camp and postponements aplenty. This poor planning seeing us only playing one game in Spain against an amateur side and then at Doncaster. Further games went and it meant United would probably be quite undercooked to start the season and so it proved.
As I have traditionally done at the end of the last few seasons; it is that time again when I write a review of the campaign and also compile a school report for the different sections of the club. I will look at how they have fared and what are the prospects for next season for each respective department of the club.
If anyone wants a full copy in advance then DM me on twitter (Deadbat_DB) or on here your e mail address and I will gladly send over.
---
I will begin with the review of the season and then tomorrow will be a breakdown of the club, board and manager/s. Then I will look in depth at the academy.
Over the next week, I will add to this looking at players. each area of the squad beginning with goalkeeper etc. I will look at contract situations (may be wrong with some of these so again come in if I have got any wrong) and what might happen to each area of the team.
---
Feel free to add comments/disagree/debate.....after each post I make.
I have graded the board, the manager, players and the fans; in a traditional school report style of A+ to F- (every player who started at least one game- think I may have graded a few others too). Should really mark the new GCSE style numbering 1-9 but that would get really confusing!
I have had to grade players based on the games they did play so some players who played a lot more may still get a lower grade despite disproportionate number of games in comparison. I have also tried to discuss some of the u23/u18 players.
I have seen every game in person or on TV/a stream apart from Carlisle (when I was at a Wedding).
If I have missed anyone then please say. Feel free to weigh in with critique, opinions and even in some cases agreements!
*I wrote some of this a few weeks ago so elements might be a bit out of date/inaccurate
Season review
The previous season had of course been nothing short of a disaster as the Blades failed to build on the tremendous campaign of 2019-20 where they had been in contention for Europe before a worldwide pandemic, injuries and empty stadiums saw United drop off at the end. Still, I am not sure many expected what would happen as virtually a whole season was played behind closed doors and United could not buy a win. Signings did not pay off and players form dropped off a cliff. United got to Xmas and were rock bottom without a win as they missed the likes of O’Connell and Henderson badly and also saw new marquee signing Brewster fail to score even a single goal. United did pick up but it was too late for Wilder and after a number of fallings out behind the season, both parties move on in an upsetting and perhaps premature end for the darling of the Shoreham faithful. Heckingbottom got a tune out of some of the players in the run in but United were as good as down when he took over and ended up relegated long before the end of the season.
The next talk centred on who would be handed the reigns. Heckingbottom had done ok but he himself said he was positioned with the u23’s and you hoped United would get a more experienced and proven manager. There was talk linking them with the German coach Alexander Blessin for a while but work permit issues seemed to scupper this before it started. Many Blades fans had seen Slavisa Jokanovic as the ideal man to take charge. He got his teams playing expansive, attacking and successful football as Watford and Fulham had both gone up with him as their manager. So, when he was appointed, I think most Blades were happy and saw him as the best candidate. There was the nagging fear on how much money/signings they would give him to change a squad that needed refreshing but many saw that the board had invested in the Serb so surely this would not be an issue? I was firmly in the camp that a number needed moving on after the squad had been engrained in such a downward spiral and with a losing mentality. However, big contracts doled out perhaps foolishly to many meant this would be difficult to execute. Jokanovic himself said it was a very strong squad so maybe it would only be tinkering to a side that for all my criticism above, surely would be enough to be right at the top end with many proven promotion winners at this level?
There were a few moving on. Veterans of the club Moore and Jagielka moves on with their contracts up and ended up at Coventry and Derby (latterly Stoke) respectively. We also saw Bryan (WBA) and Rodwell (Western Sydney Wanderers) move on without much fanfare after largely undistinguished spells. The players that left that caused more furore was firstly John Lundstram who had played down his contract, largely distinguish and ended up with a move to Glasgow Rangers. As pre season came, we then had rumours that the big money we needed from an outgoing player would come from either Berge or Ramsdale, who despite mixed seasons were both earning suitors seemingly. Ramsdale eventually moved on a few weeks into the season as Arsenal were quite persistent in securing his signature. The Blades actually got a good fee and as it has emerged since, he wanted to leave the club and the way he went about things was disappointing after the two opportunities he has had at the Lane both as a youngster and a big money returnee. Berge remained and none of the other players that may have perhaps commanded some decent fees, Baldock and Egan, remained. Young striker Daniel Jebbison was allowed to leave for Burton on a season long loan. Max Lowe also departed, heading to Forest on loan, again for a season as United tried to prune a large left back pool.
The fact United made new signings perhaps should have concerned the new manager and United’s fans. We did make some signings at the end of the August window, maybe essential after such a poor start but this business arguable should have been done much earlier. Indeed, waiting for the new manager to start as his contract ran down in the middle East was not ideal. These delays and the lack of fresh blood was compounded as the preseason was not a great success with covid ripping through the camp and postponements aplenty. This poor planning seeing us only playing one game in Spain against an amateur side and then at Doncaster. Further games went and it meant United would probably be quite undercooked to start the season and so it proved.