Summer 2020 Transfer Window (Extended Version)

[Banjo]

I want to be very clear about something: most of us who said "let's see where we are at the end of the window" were NOT saying "everything will be great at the end of the window". We were saying "why rush to judgement so soon when there's still time left to see what happens?".

Now, I know there are some users on here who will say "It's not an Agatha Christie novel, who needs evidence when we can be prematurely hysterical instead", but I've always said I would save my judgement for the appropriate time. We're now at that time - so let's judge.

My judgement is that this is a 7 or 8 out of 10 window. We've upgraded at RWB; we've added depth to the defence, at CF, and at CM; and we've kept Raul and Nuno. I would have liked to see a CM who could have gone straight into the team (a bit like Moutinho did this time two years ago), but I'm also cognisant of the fact that we're in entirely unprecedented circumstances here, with no pre-season and no time to bed-in new signings before the season starts. This means we've got no idea whether some of the new signings are either not up to speed yet (but would have been with a normal pre-season) or simply not ready yet. The jury is out.

The above, combined with a clear decision to change the way we play (irrespective of personnel), means we've taken a big (calculated) risk going into this season.

We could have played it safe and decided that - because of the lack of pre-season and the unprecedented situation we're in with transfers and lack of preparation - we should just play exactly the same way as we've played for the past two years i.e. let the opposition have the ball and try to score on the counter attack. But it seems to me that Nuno is looking at the bigger picture - even if it means going into games at the start of the season without a recognised RWB (twice) and without a recognised LWB (once).

Looking at the bigger picture means taking (calculated) risks, confident that things will pay off. That's the approach the club has taken and I think I would rather that than have another season of us sitting back and playing passively, like we did when we exited the Europa League with a whimper.

I really wish people would just see how things go and judge the club in context, with evidence, and on results - rather than on pre-meditated hysteria.

 

[Boozad]

I want to be very clear about something: most of us who said "let's see where we are at the end of the window" were NOT saying "everything will be great at the end of the window". We were saying "why rush to judgement so soon when there's still time left to see what happens?".

Now, I know there are some users on here who will say "It's not an Agatha Christie novel, who needs evidence when we can be prematurely hysterical instead", but I've always said I would save my judgement for the appropriate time. We're now at that time - so let's judge.

My judgement is that this is a 7 or 8 out of 10 window. We've upgraded at RWB; we've added depth to the defence, at CF, and at CM; and we've kept Raul and Nuno. I would have liked to see a CM who could have gone straight into the team (a bit like Moutinho did this time two years ago), but I'm also cognisant of the fact that we're in entirely unprecedented circumstances here, with no pre-season and no time to bed-in new signings before the season starts. This means we've got no idea whether some of the new signings are either not up to speed yet (but would have been with a normal pre-season) or simply not ready yet. The jury is out.

The above, combined with a clear decision to change the way we play (irrespective of personnel), means we've taken a big (calculated) risk going into this season.

We could have played it safe and decided that - because of the lack of pre-season and the unprecedented situation we're in with transfers and lack of preparation - we should just play exactly the same way as we've played for the past two years i.e. let the opposition have the ball and try to score on the counter attack. But it seems to me that Nuno is looking at the bigger picture - even if it means going into games at the start of the season without a recognised RWB (twice) and without a recognised LWB (once).

Looking at the bigger picture means taking (calculated) risks, confident that things will pay off. That's the approach the club has taken and I think I would rather that than have another season of us sitting back and playing passively, like we did when we exited the Europa League with a whimper.

I really wish people would just see how things go and judge the club in context, with evidence, and on results - rather than on pre-meditated hysteria.

Despite the Eddie Izzard resemblance I'm starting to fancy you.

 

[Jinky]

Despite the Eddie Izzard resemblance I'm starting to fancy you.

His last paragraph ruined it for me. I still fancy him, though. Especially now he’s lost weight and put on some muscle.

 

[Tony Towner]

I really wish people would just see how things go and judge the club in context, with evidence, and on results - rather than on pre-meditated hysteria.

A strange comment to make on a forum where there hasn't been a single post today I'd categorise like that

 

[Johnny75]

A strange comment to make on a forum where there hasn't been a single post today I'd categorise like that

Not today but at some points in the last month this place was unreadable.

 

[lemonjelly]

I didn't even post it on the forum, mate. I guess people thought lifting something I had (jokingly) said on another platform and then using it as a stick to beat me with on here, would be hilarious.

Happy to let that one die in this thread, as you say.

I wouldn't worry about it mate.
People have short memories, and these things pass. People move on to the next thing.
I mean, it's not like anyone will remind you of it online and in person at every available opportunity

 

[Banjo]

A strange comment to make on a forum where there hasn't been a single post today I'd categorise like that

I wasn't talking about today. My whole point is that we all appear to have ended up with the same view of the transfer window (7/10 ish) but some weren't able to control themselves during the weeks leading up to the day after the window closed, notwithstanding the exceptional circumstances the club finds itself in, the lack of pre-season, and a desire to change the style of play. Not to mention the goodwill that the owners and Nuno have acquired over the past few years.

 

[Del Woppio]

Cool, let's close the forum in transfer windows then? Or make everybody have a caveat in their signature ensuring everybody knows that it's a snap, real time judgmen/hysterical whine, that may or may not change come the end of the window.

 

[Kenny]

Cool, let's close the forum in transfer windows then?.

Best new Mod application yet...

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Cool, let's close the forum in transfer windows then? Or make everybody have a caveat in their signature ensuring everybody knows that it's a snap, real time judgmen/hysterical whine, that may or may not change come the end of the window.

Problem is when you get people who only ever whine when this is the most successful team we've had in 40 years. Comes across as I dunno, churlish. Especially when they have no real stake in it to begin with.

Just sayin', like. X

 

[prawnking]

I wasn't talking about today. My whole point is that we all appear to have ended up with the same view of the transfer window (7/10 ish) but some weren't able to control themselves during the weeks leading up to the day after the window closed

Come on man...this is a great forum but sometimes the exceptionalism is borderline nauseating...this is a pretty patronising and reductive narrative.

 

[Banjo]

Cool, let's close the forum in transfer windows then? Or make everybody have a caveat in their signature ensuring everybody knows that it's a snap, real time judgmen/hysterical whine, that may or may not change come the end of the window.

Mate people were saying Jeff's useless about 2 months ago. It was pointless and baseless; you usually hate reactionary behaviour, so I don't get why you're defending it.

We were in totally unchartered territory with this transfer window because of Covid.

I said it at the time - why can't we use the transfer window thread to say things like (i) who we'd like to sign, (ii) where we'd like to strengthen, (iii) who we've been linked with - rather than just slagging off the club for not doing anything when no one had a clue what they were actually doing?

Why get so angry about things we know nothing about? It's the same mentality as getting angry about 5G giving us covid.

 

[Tony Towner]

I wasn't talking about today. My whole point is that we all appear to have ended up with the same view of the transfer window (7/10 ish) but some weren't able to control themselves during the weeks leading up to the day after the window closed, notwithstanding the exceptional circumstances the club finds itself in, the lack of pre-season, and a desire to change the style of play. Not to mention the goodwill that the owners and Nuno have acquired over the past few years.

Not sure I agree with this tbh. Not sure there was more than the odd post that was ott and then I think it was more exaggerated concern to counteract the exaggerated relaxation.

 

[Banjo]

Come on man...this is a great forum but sometimes the exceptionalism is borderline nauseating...this is a pretty patronising and reductive narrative.

I just think it's really bad form to slag off the club's strategy based on no evidence, when we're the most successful we've been in my lifetime, and when we're in exceptional global circumstances.

What I will admit is an aggravating feature for me is the speed with which some posters chose to slag the club this summer when they were far more forgiving of much, much shitter times.

 

[Del Woppio]

Problem is when you get people who only ever whine when this is the most successful team we've had in 40 years. Comes across as I dunno, churlish. Especially when they have no real stake in it to begin with.

Just sayin', like. X

Everybody knows it's the best time of our generation, but does that preclude people from sometimes having a moan? Nuno is a hero to us all - me included - but does that mean I can't say he's got something wrong, if I think he has?

Sad thing is, I've literally done it. I've added unnecessary caveats or tempered down the criticism, because there can an air of self-righteousness about this place sometimes. Like every moan is dismissed as moaning for moaning's sake, or being unappreciative of the wider progress, and even less of a fan.

Mate people were saying Jeff's useless about 2 months ago. It was pointless and baseless; you usually hate reactionary behaviour, so I don't get why you're defending it.

We were in totally unchartered territory with this transfer window because of Covid.

I said it at the time - why can't we use the transfer window thread to say things like (i) who we'd like to sign, (ii) where we'd like to strengthen, (iii) who we've been linked with - rather than just slagging off the club for not doing anything when no one had a clue what they were actually doing?

Why get so angry about things we know nothing about? It's the same mentality as getting angry about 5G giving us covid.

I'm defending discussion, on a discussion thread, inside a discussion board. This transfer window thread is similar to any match day thread I guess - in that in a match day thread one might say Raul has done something shit and he should be doing better, and then say he's done something really well, and then in the verdict thread say overall he did pretty well. Yeah, with transfers we've got no idea what's going on in the background, and we'll never know who we looked at and how seriously, but surely the whole point of a forum is for throwing ideas, wants, moans, aspirations, and bang average banter about?

 

[prawnking]

I just think it's really bad form to slag off the club's strategy based on no evidence, when we're the most successful we've been in my lifetime, and when we're in exceptional global circumstances.

What I will admit is an aggravating feature for me is the speed with which some posters chose to slag the club this summer when they were far more forgiving of much, much shitter times.

My God, people can question a player being sold or bought, or express that they are worried about a certain area being overlooked, or say we haven't spent enough, or whatever the hell they want, without it being lumped into 'slagging off the club'!! This touchiness towards questioning authority is really weird and the more I say it, the more I feel like the weird one on here.

Seriously, I used to frequent the E&S Molineux Mix when we had bloody Essex Wolf...who on here is slagging off Wolves regularly?? Seriously??

Just because we're doing well relative to the rest of most of our supporting lives it doesn't mean we have to rictus grin at everything the club does...

 

[prawnking]

Not sure I agree with this tbh. Not sure there was more than the odd post that was ott and then I think it was more exaggerated concern to counteract the exaggerated relaxation.

Tony for mod

 

[Banjo]

Everybody knows it's the best time of our generation, but does that preclude people from sometimes having a moan? Nuno is a hero to us all - me included - but does that mean I can't say he's got something wrong, if I think he has?

Sad thing is, I've literally done it. I've added unnecessary caveats or tempered down the criticism, because there can an air of self-righteousness about this place sometimes. Like every moan is dismissed as moaning for moaning's sake, or being unappreciative of the wider progress, and even less of a fan.



I'm defending discussion, on a discussion thread, inside a discussion board. This transfer window thread is similar to any match day thread I guess - in that in a match day thread one might say Raul has done something shit and he should be doing better, and then say he's done something really well, and then in the verdict thread say overall he did pretty well. Yeah, with transfers we've got no idea what's going on in the background, and we'll never know who we looked at and how seriously, but surely the whole point of a forum is for throwing ideas, wants, moans, aspirations, and bang average banter about?

I just thought when people went for Jeff it was a bit unfair when we know nothing about the man or how good he is at his job. If a player's having a crap game, we can all see it. We had no idea what was going on with transfers. This window / pre-season is so exceptional that I thought it fair to cut the club some slack until the window closed rather than complain beforehand. To me, that was premature.

I'm not going to flog a dead horse here, I'm not sure how else to express my point.

 

[Alan]

Despite the Eddie Izzard resemblance I'm starting to fancy you.

He makes a great sound when you pluck him.

 

[prawnking]

I'm not going to flog a dead horse here, I'm not sure how else to express my point.

Your point is you want to limit and control the terms of discussion to that which only suits your sensibility and perspective, I wish you and others would just be honest about it.