[Football] Claims Chris Wilder demanded £4million pay off from Sheffield Utd

[Badger Boy]

ha ! i doubt it. but losing March and Lamptey as well as Webster was quite the test for the back 5 (swapping out our keeper too) - and our form has substantiallly improved since January.

Personally, I'm of the opinion that the biggest difference in our teams performance is Ryan losing his place to Sanchez. If that had happened from the start of the season, I think we'd not have conceded some of the soft goals we did and then the games are different. But yes, you can definitely make the argument that losing our first choice wingbacks has a detrimental effect - because it clearly does! Lamptey especially, as good as Veltman has been, Lamptey offers a whole other dimension to our play with his pace and directness and skill. Veltman is a quality footballer who adds to our control of a game, but he offers a little less going forward than Lamptey does.

 

[Stato]

Ramsdale - with two full seasons PL experience behind him, and still younger than our very large Spaniard. Don't get me wrong, I'm excited by the emergence of Big Bob, but I wouldn't write off Ramsdale in such a cavalier fashion as some on here have.

I haven't seen anyone write him off, just suggest that, at this stage in his development, he can't be relied upon to add the same value that Dean Henderson did. Personally I think that Henderson should be first choice at United and for England, so to say that Ramsdale is not up to his standard is no comdemnation of a young player.

 

[Nameless]

He may have promise, but his signing has to be considered as a potential example of the poor recruitment you mention. Sheff Utd sold him to Bournemouth for less than a million a few years back and, after a couple of lower league loans, he played the whole season for Bournemouth last year and they were relegated, conceding the third most goals in the league. Sheff Utd bought him back for over twenty times what they sold him for and are now getting relegated, currently conceding the third most goals in the league.

I know that keepers look good when they have a lot to do, but his is hardly an outstanding record. It was obvious that, at present, he is not capable of making the kind of difference that Henderson did to Sheff Utd's results last year. Very few would be. Henderson was third in the league for save percentages last year and, counting those who have played 5 or more matches, is top this year. Ramsdale was 15th last year and is 14th this year. Decent, perhaps, but not outstanding. If that level of decent is worth a reported £18M+, I wonder what the price of very decent and recently called up by Spain is.

I take your point regarding him being poor recruitment however with Henderson going back to United and Ramsdale knowing the club it seemed logical. Henerson is better yes but Ramsdale is just an average PL keeper in opinion many have proved to be better but we have also seen far worse.