Make the Step Up

[dave.woodhall]

Who was that keeper who came forward for a corner on the last day of the season as his side desperately needed to score to stay in the league, and scored?

Jimmy something.

Didn't he only play about 5 games for them and they released him during the summer after that? I always thought that was a bit of a shoddy thank you for saving them!

He was on loan and they couldn't afford to keep him.

[PeterWithesShin]

Who was that keeper who came forward for a corner on the last day of the season as his side desperately needed to score to stay in the league, and scored?

Jimmy something.

Didn't he only play about 5 games for them and they released him during the summer after that? I always thought that was a bit of a shoddy thank you for saving them!

He was on loan and they couldn't afford to keep him.

I'll let them off then, I only remembered they let him go not long after.

[Simba]

Good luck to him (AY). Step up - hurts dunnit. True though and he needed discipline, direction and good players around him.

He will look back on a good career progression Watford - Villa- United.

Annoyingly Downing is looking brilliant. Milner quite at home and Gareth excellent this season and holding his place.

Management? Better players around? Trophy guarantee? Who knows but new confidence/arrogance is for sure.

[Mister E]

Yep, AY and SD are both playing v well in their new teams. No point denying it: they've both moved to clubs that can swap their players around, use different formations and put individuals 'on their mettle' to perform every week with the threat of being replaced. Because they played every week for us and knew that there were no credible replacements for them, they didn't need to perform at the top of their game very week for us.

Barry has looked much better so far this season as well.

Fair play to all of them: if we cannot build the same level of competition for places in our squad we can expect other players to go onto other teams and 'step up'. It's the perennial problem that we'll have until we can offer regular European football (for the players) to bring in the £££ (for the required squad-investment).

No change for the next 2-3 years, I reckon.

[Gazza1982]

Isnt it all just down to money,If Barnsley FC suddenly aquired a trillionaire owner,then in 5 years they would be challenging for CL places.Chelski and Man City are up there...why?   money. We are lucky to have Lerner, we could be in a Sheff Wed situation without him. Barry,Downing etc know they have to perform otherwise they would get dropped, they didnt have that pressure on them when at Villa.