How much do we spend in January? Do we try to save the season?

[The Great Mass Debater 1,202]

This team isnt showing signs of surviving. We've missed key players, but now it seems more than that. We persist with zonal marking making us soft at set pieces. We arent showing the mental characteristics to be successful in avoiding the drop.

Selling our prospects at the halfway point would be suicide. But we're likely to cash in in the summer, regardless of the division we're in.

So do we accept our fate, stick with the long term model, spend very little and plan for next season?

Do we consider being in this league an opportunity which may not come again for a long time and fight tooth and nail financially to stay here? If we decide to throw money at it - how much, for whom, and where?

Do we even consider that with a managerial change, the current squad is good enough to keep us up?

 

 

I just dont know myself

[Making Plans 957]

There's no point in spending anything because we will not spend anywhere near enough to make a difference.

[The Great Mass Debater 1,202]

Just now, Making Plans said:

There's no point in spending anything because we will not spend anywhere near enough to make a difference.

 

That's kind of where I am. We could throw £150m at it and still be no better. Some of the £40m players I've seen this season looked sh*te

[Boris 62]

we will look hopeless on standing January so no way top player to come at almost relegated team.

Panic buy not help us long term because with this tempo we need to think January for championship next year.

Its not only problem that we missed so many must  games but also problem is that no other 3 teams who look possible to relegated.

Disaster 2nd half today 😕

[Midlands Yellow 4,682]

2s 6d 

[Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man 4,616]

Any signings we make in January would have to be considered with relegation in mind, I feel. Even if we spend big there's a good chance we'll go down.

[The Great Mass Debater 1,202]

I just dont understand how we can show grit, fight, determination in games like Man City and Arsenal, and Everton was a big improvement, then the next game give it up as a bad job and roll over.

It's the inconsistency I find baffling. Sometimes the team seems totally up for it, the next moment uninterested. What drives that? We seem weak away, but today's capitulation happened at Home so it's not as simple as that

[lake district canary 4,830]

Wew lost a match, that's all. It's going to happen in this league and as disappointing as it was, Sheff Utd have one of the best away records in the league.  Money/January panic buys will not help much.

[norfolkbroadslim 225]

We'll make a profit on transfers in January.

[Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man 4,616]

1 minute ago, lake district canary said:

Wew lost a match, that's all. It's going to happen in this league and as disappointing as it was, Sheff Utd have one of the best away records in the league.  Money/January panic buys will not help much.

But it's more than just 'lost a match'. It's 'lost several matches', and also the manner in which the team crumbled today. 

[Dr Greenthumb 793]

I’d cash in on any of the defenders that are being touted with big moves. None of them are worth the figures being quoted. I would then look at high level defenders in the champs. I’d get a pacy attacker and another winger in and I would sell Srbeny (if possible). I’m concerned we will lose Pukki in the summer, we need to prepare for that. Leitners days are probably numbered too.

 

all this is just my opinion, but we need to be ready for that horrible slog next season

[Dr Greenthumb 793]

4 minutes ago, lake district canary said:

Wew lost a match, that's all. It's going to happen in this league and as disappointing as it was, Sheff Utd have one of the best away records in the league.  Money/January panic buys will not help much.

We  are losing most matches, that’s why we are where we are in the league

[norfolkbroadslim 225]

We'll do well to avoid relegation next season.

[The Great Mass Debater 1,202]

4 minutes ago, lake district canary said:

Wew lost a match, that's all. It's going to happen in this league and as disappointing as it was, Sheff Utd have one of the best away records in the league.  Money/January panic buys will not help much.

Happy clapping again Lakey?

The writing is on the wall. We have the same problems now as we did at the start of the season. I dont see us getting better - do you? There are no signs. Without a change we get relegated, most fans have probably come to that conclusion now.

So do we try to make that change, or do we play the long game?

We shouldnt sell in January, unless it's a loan-back deal. Otherwise that's just suicide

[daly 551]

Perhaps we can get another Naismith

[Herman 11,136]

Just now, norfolkbroadslim said:

We'll do well to avoid relegation next season.

Don't be daft. We've got a great Champs quality team. They just haven't stepped up that extra level needed. And no, I don't think we should spend just to stay in the league. That is the reason we have to go down the self funding model in the first place.

[The Great Mass Debater 1,202]

Just now, daly said:

Perhaps we can get another Naismith

Id take the Naismith from his debut. Just not every other game he played for us

[Aggy 944]

3 minutes ago, lake district canary said:

Wew lost a match, that's all. It's going to happen in this league and as disappointing as it was, Sheff Utd have one of the best away records in the league.  Money/January panic buys will not help much.

We’ve lost 11 games, not just “a match, that’s all”.

You might be trying to be positive, but comments like this are in many ways more negative than those realists who can see that (as the management at the club have said all along) there is a much bigger picture than just this season. Permanently sticking your head in the sand and effectively dismissing any serious discussion about whether/how we start to prepare for the longer term (which is what this thread is asking about) is equally as negative about the club’s longer term plan than any “short-termists” calling for the manager/board/whoever else to go based on half a season’s results. 

As for the question asked initially, I don’t think we should change the plan we’ve had all the way through. If there is a good young player or prem squad player we can pick up fairly cheap (such as Byram) then we might be tempted in January, we won’t be breaking the bank though. 
 

[The Great Mass Debater 1,202]

Just now, Herman said:

Don't be daft. We've got a great Champs quality team. They just haven't stepped up that extra level needed. And no, I don't think we should spend just to stay in the league. That is the reason we have to go down the self funding model in the first place.

Depends how many stay though.

Godfrey, Arrons, Buendia, Pukki, Drmic, Amadou and possibly Lewis, Byram, Cantwell and Onel will all want to be off. If we look to replace them with Srbeny's then no. No we dont 

[The Great Mass Debater 1,202]

Lakey watching Norwich City...

 

[Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man 4,616]

7 minutes ago, daly said:

Perhaps we can get another Naismith

Or maybe an Ashton or a Howson. 

Even a Klose wouldn't go amiss. We may well have stayed up in 2016 had he not got injured.

Edited December 8, 2019 by Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man

[Aggy 944]

Just now, The Great Mass Debater said:

Depends how many stay though.

Godfrey, Arrons, Buendia, Pukki, Drmic, Amadou and possibly Lewis, Byram, Cantwell and Onel will all want to be off. If we look to replace them with Srbeny's then no. No we dont 

I’m not convinced Aarons, Lewis, Byram will be sought after. The first two in particular would be expensive options and might be seen as too much of a risk for lower prem sides to take a punt on. They haven’t been good enough to attract interest from larger clubs. Pukki - all depends what he wants. Godfrey and Amadou unlikely to still be here if we go down. 
 

[Herman 11,136]

3 minutes ago, The Great Mass Debater said:

Depends how many stay though.

Godfrey, Arrons, Buendia, Pukki, Drmic, Amadou and possibly Lewis, Byram, Cantwell and Onel will all want to be off. If we look to replace them with Srbeny's then no. No we dont 

On current showing they can say they want to leave but who will want to buy?

[Faded Jaded Semi Plastic SOB 1,223]

At half time I said "I hope that was not our good half", unfortunately it was. So frustrating to watch us throw away the chance of three points, all stemming from not being positive from a free kick. Rather than getting the ball forward we go sideways and backwards and before you know it Sheff Utd are back on terms, tails up now they go in front and lets be honest once we are behind you know that is it for the afternoon. One positive of relegation will e not having to contend with VAR.......

[Fuzzar 1,861]

16 minutes ago, norfolkbroadslim said:

We'll do well to avoid relegation next season.

Get a grip man. 

[Bradwell canary 112]

Too late, investment should have been made in summer. Richest club in the Champs that will be us. We will never be as fortunate as we were last season and go up on a shoestring.

shoestrings don’t work in the PL.

The board will reep what they have sown..........nothing!

[Disco Dales Jockstrap 1,959]

I don't think we'll spend anything to be honest; I'm not sure I want us to anyway. Too often we have done that and paid through the nose. Buying needs to sorted in the summer.

OTBC

[Capt. Pants 5,008]

2nd half we crumbled like a biscuit it was pitiful. No point in spending any money, it's all about a promotion push next season. 

[nutty nigel 7,902]

2 hours ago, The Great Mass Debater said:

This team isnt showing signs of surviving. We've missed key players, but now it seems more than that. We persist with zonal marking making us soft at set pieces. We arent showing the mental characteristics to be successful in avoiding the drop.

Selling our prospects at the halfway point would be suicide. But we're likely to cash in in the summer, regardless of the division we're in.

So do we accept our fate, stick with the long term model, spend very little and plan for next season?

Do we consider being in this league an opportunity which may not come again for a long time and fight tooth and nail financially to stay here? If we decide to throw money at it - how much, for whom, and where?

Do we even consider that with a managerial change, the current squad is good enough to keep us up?

 

 

I just dont know myself

Your criticisms seem to be more about the coaching than the team.

[keelansgrandad 6,680]

Wew lost a match, that's all. It's going to happen in this league and as disappointing as it was, Sheff Utd have one of the best away records in the league.  Money/January panic buys will not help much.

We have lost 10 matches Lakey, not just todays We are second from bottom in a very tough league where teams that we supposed would be below us are looking down at us. I admire your determination, it isn't loyalty as most are as loyal as you are. They just show it differently.

But I'm with you on any purchases, maybe for different reasons but unless we can win the next four tough games or at least get 8 points, I fear it may be too late to turn it around.