Summer 2020 Transfer Window (Extended Version)

[YoungWolf]

Classic Nuno. Wants to try and give them an appearance without quite giving them anything to do. As seen with Jordao against Palace

To be fair, he’s just trying to give players an appearance to reward them for their patience/hard work/role in the squad etc. Hence why he changed the team so much at Sunderland (and even played Burgoyne for 15 minutes!), put those two on against Fulham and same with Jordao. Problem with the latter two instances is we still had something to play for so he didn’t want to jeopardise that! So made sense when game was over against Chelsea that he just stick Jordao on.

 

[Jinky]

Listened to the latest Molineux View podcast last night and they had Kites on as a guest (comes across very well, has been on there previously and is still very passionate about Wolves. Refers to Wolves as “we” etc). Anyway, he spoke honestly and thinks we’ll do well to finish top 10 next season. He thinks the short turn around will be a factor - said we started last season slowly and with such a short break and long season that we’ve just had etc, thinks we might be slow starters again. He’s also worried that we might lose some of our key players.

I’m not sure I agree with him about losing key players, but I do agree those predicting a top 4 finish “because we won’t be distracted by Europe” are wishful thinking, somewhat. He made a good point about all of the top sides strengthening, which a few of them have already. It’s going to be very difficult for us to compete with the sides that do have European football. We need Mendes to help us out with the next batch of Neves style signings that will help us kick on.

They also discussed that Nuno has not held back in his comments about needing new players. He made a comment that “most of the players have been here since the start of the project”. Which again, is very true. It’s a subtle hint to Jeff Shi, Mendes and co that he is expecting a big window. We are ahead of schedule but if we want to continue moving forward, the squad needs investment.

Time will tell, but I suspect Nuno will change his mantra of using a small squad moving forward. We’ll still have a small squad compared to other clubs, but I don’t think we’ll be using around 12-14 players anymore - Nuno will know that’s a large reason why we have tailed off so badly this season. Just my opinion, of course.

Anyway, Tim said yesterday that no one is close to signing as it stands...

 

[The Bear]

You can make the argument that the top teams have strengthened, but you can also make the argument that next season will be really condensed fixture schedule and that may take its toll on those in Europe.

 

[Jinky]

You can make the argument that the top teams have strengthened, but you can also make the argument that next season will be really condensed fixture schedule and that may take its toll on those in Europe.

I’m not sure. Those clubs in Europe are used to being in Europe. They have squads to handle the fixtures - and are the knockout games etc still only one leg next year?

I don’t think it will make a difference at all.

 

[Tony Towner]

Tbf Nuno hasn't ever wanted a small squad of 12-14 players. He wants a bench that injuries aside are all trustworthy first team players. The strategy relies on hitting on every player though, sign a couple of duffs like last season and this is where you get to.

I'm not concerned about players leaving, unless they get the offer of a top CL side I think they'll see the benefit themselves of a less hectic season. Fatigue does bother me though, 10 days off and back into pre season is nothing for a squad who were running on empty. It means getting the signings right and in the next month is crucial.

 

[The Bear]

I’m not sure. Those clubs in Europe are used to being in Europe. They have squads to handle the fixtures - and are the knockout games etc still only one leg next year?

I don’t think it will make a difference at all.

It's not just Europe though, it's the cups as well on top of all that. All packed into a dense schedule.

I mean look at Spurs September for a start:

September 12 – Premier League
September 17 – Europa League qualifying
September 19 – Premier League
September 22 – Carabao Cup third round
September 24 – Europa League qualifying
September 26 – Premier League
September 29 – Carabao Cup fourth round

 

[Jinky]

It's not just Europe though, it's the cups as well on top of all that. All packed into a dense schedule.

I mean look at Spurs September for a start:

September 12 – Premier League
September 17 – Europa League qualifying
September 19 – Premier League
September 22 – Carabao Cup third round
September 24 – Europa League qualifying
September 26 – Premier League
September 29 – Carabao Cup fourth round

Spurs’ squad allows them to play kids in the Carabao cup games, their second string (with a few first teamers) in the Europa and their out and out best 11 in the PL and still be competitive in all those games. We never had that luxury and had to flog the first teamers in every competition we were involved in.

I reckon we need another 5 signings of more or less first team quality to keep pushing on for another top 7 finish next season. What I actually think we’ll get is 2-3 max & a few kids.

Time will tell, though!

 

[Tony Towner]

It's not just Europe though, it's the cups as well on top of all that. All packed into a dense schedule.

I mean look at Spurs September for a start:

September 12 – Premier League
September 17 – Europa League qualifying
September 19 – Premier League
September 22 – Carabao Cup third round
September 24 – Europa League qualifying
September 26 – Premier League
September 29 – Carabao Cup fourth round

Look at Spurs' bench against Palace. That side plus a couple of others would get them through the EL qualifiers and the early rounds of the CC. Even if they come up against another PL side it'd be one of similar strength

 

[YoungWolf]

Spurs will drop off not because of the extra games but because they currently aren’t a very good team, had some real luck to finish on the same points as us. Arsenal are the same, unless both seriously improve their squad/performance, I have us down as better than them. I’m more worried about Southampton who finished the season really well and have a really good manager - but they do have some weaknesses in their team still

Get the signings right and we finish top six IMO, we are already performing at that level just need a bit more quality to cement that.

 

[Deano]

I think any season at the moment where we finish ahead of the likes of Spurs and Arsenal is a success for us. I expect Spurs and Arsenal to both improve next season, they have more spending power than us especially when it comes to wages and the pull of playing in London.

I don't think either were as good teams as us this season but the ability to pay players more than double our highest earning player sometimes tells as in games where they're playing shit and things are tight I always expect the likes of Son, Kane and Aubameyang to pull off something individually to win them the game.

 

[Carrotdude]

Don’t agree on Arsenal, certainly looked like Arteta had got them playing well by the end of the season.

 

[Jinky]

Don’t agree on Arsenal, certainly looked like Arteta had got them playing well by the end of the season.

Agreed. They have some good young players coming through and a young, impressive manager that is starting to get them organised.

 

[YoungWolf]

Don’t agree on Arsenal, certainly looked like Arteta had got them playing well by the end of the season.

They improved defensively a bit and the change in shape certainly helped them but they still overperformed I felt and had some very fortunate results (like that Liverpool home game they somehow won!). I think it will take Arteta a bit longer than people expect to suddenly turn them into a really good team again though

 

[Freddeno]

Arsenal still lack in defence but certainly Arteta is making progress with the team..we need some first team players with quality coming in..then i think we can really be top 6..but VAR has to change and of course it can change which players other top teams signs too..

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Spurs’ squad allows them to play kids in the Carabao cup games, their second string (with a few first teamers) in the Europa and their out and out best 11 in the PL and still be competitive in all those games. We never had that luxury and had to flog the first teamers in every competition we were involved in.

I reckon we need another 5 signings of more or less first team quality to keep pushing on for another top 7 finish next season. What I actually think we’ll get is 2-3 max & a few kids.

Time will tell, though!

We played kids in the League Cup, look at the team at Villa!

We aren't going to be signing five first team players, the problem is if you set the bar that high then you will end up disappointed. I think it's very harsh to say we tailed off "so badly" as if we got 2-3 points near the end. Wouldn't say we were near our best (bar the Everton game and second half vs Palace) but we were doing ok. It wasn't quite enough but it doesn't particularly disappoint me as a whole.

Agreed that people thinking of us as serious top four challengers at present are going a bit too far.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

5th to 7th is a realistic target. I certainly expect Leicester to struggle to replicate their points total as that was almost entirely based on an outlandish start. Their form since late January was horrendous.

 

[Premier Quality]

The last Eight games were definitely disapointing, but I have come round to the “fatigue” argument. Before the lockdown we were looking pretty dangerous, after the lockdown we retreated into a really defensive shape and tried to play on the break, to an even more stereotypical amount than we have before.

I think we mostly have the players to do better, and I think not being in Europe will help Nuno work on shape again, get us slightly higher up the pitch and with better combinations.

I’m looking for a quality attacking midfielder who can dribble and finish as well as pass as I think it would make a huge difference in opening space for the front two or three, who opponents know they can stick a defender up their arse as the ball will come into their feet with their back to goal. A breaking midfielder with technique takes that option away to a large extent.

 

[PuntsWolf]

Paulinho looks OK, but I hope it's to challenge Raul rather than potentially replace! After last summer's duds I don't think we can be quite as blasé about 'trusting Nuno and the team', they can make mistakes too

Nuno was pissed off with the window last year. He wanted more than we got and I’m confident he wanted better quality. Why we didn’t get our better targets I don’t know. Couldn’t pay, wouldn’t pay, poor scouting and Nuno didn’t want them? Who knows. As he said the other day, he doesn’t want us to make those mistakes again.

I’m not sure I agree with him about losing key players, but I do agree those predicting a top 4 finish “because we won’t be distracted by Europe” are wishful thinking, somewhat. He made a good point about all of the top sides strengthening, which a few of them have already. It’s going to be very difficult for us to compete with the sides that do have European football. We need Mendes to help us out with the next batch of Neves style signings that will help us kick on.

Time will tell, but I suspect Nuno will change his mantra of using a small squad moving forward. We’ll still have a small squad compared to other clubs, but I don’t think we’ll be using around 12-14 players anymore - Nuno will know that’s a large reason why we have tailed off so badly this season. Just my opinion, of course.

I can’t see us struggling to finish in the top 10, unless we have a window like last year and get a few long term injuries. Anyone thinking we should be aiming for top 4 is silly. That chance has come and gone. The current top 4 are much stronger than the start of last year. Arsenal and Spurs still aren’t very good though and 5-7th should again be the target.

Nuno doesn’t want a squad of 14 players. He wants 17-18 usable players. It’s pissing me off that Spiers keeps harping on about this on the podcast. He had 13 players he trusted last year and the idea was we signed 4 last summer to boost that. Unfortunately only Neto contributed. As I put above, he wasn’t happy with the business last summer.

Tbf Nuno hasn't ever wanted a small squad of 12-14 players. He wants a bench that injuries aside are all trustworthy first team players. The strategy relies on hitting on every player though, sign a couple of duffs like last season and this is where you get to.

I'm not concerned about players leaving, unless they get the offer of a top CL side I think they'll see the benefit themselves of a less hectic season. Fatigue does bother me though, 10 days off and back into pre season is nothing for a squad who were running on empty. It means getting the signings right and in the next month is crucial.

Yes, agreed on the squad numbers. If we sign players at higher price tags we are more likely to hit though (or they will at least be able to contribute something). For whatever reason we didn’t land those targets last year as I’ve put to prawn. No

 

[Norman Deeley]

Et maintenant... https://le10sport.com/football/merc...-514811?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

 

[Dinowolf]

Et maintenant... https://le10sport.com/football/merc...-514811?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

"Actively courted by AS Monaco, Rayan Aït-Nouri has already been the subject of two offers from a foreign club. Jorge Mendes' protégé is a hot issue.

As revealed by le10sport.com , AS Monaco put the Aït-Nouri file back at the top of its pile. The Principality's club dreams of being able to afford the little gem of French football, today in Angers . A 19-year-old left-back, full of talent, who remains on the radar of many foreign clubs. But to date, Angers has reportedly received two firm transfer offers. The first was made by Wolverhampton , England. The second by Valencia , Spain. It is no coincidence, these two clubs being very close to Rayan Aït-Nouri's agent , Jorge Mendes . On the other hand, even if Manchester Unitedand Manchester City are monitoring the case, no proposal has been sent from them. If Monaco has a real card to play, through its good relations with Jorge Mendes , the issue will have to be done with foreign competition and the game of overbidding."