Summer 2021 transfer window

[Kenny]

I don't see why Ruddy played yesterday otherwise.

Nuno had promised Ruddy a start. I think with the fans back on Sunday he wants the 1st team in from the start, so Ruddy got the call last night.

 

[Throbber3]

As I’ve said elsewhere, I’m just going to pretend this season never happened, aside from the fact that it’s secured our 4th successive season in the top flight (an achievement in itself given where we have been as a club for 40 years), it’s been shit.

Nuno needs to have a long break with his family and start a fresh in the summer. Then we go from there.

I like that positive attitude. I think he has enough in the bank for me to keep faith. If I had a wish list for 2022 it would include these-

1. Please be more dangerous from set pieces. They are awful by and large and turn attack into defence too often.
2. Get the marking right in our own box.
3. Remove the elastic that keeps Patricio on his line for corners and get him to come and claim/ punch/command more.
4. Create more real opportunities in and around the box. There is good reason why our XG is so bad.
5. Sign 3 oven ready players including an inside forward, CB and CM Moutinho replacement.
6. Target a cup for a real tilt at a trophy.

Our 12 wins have come against only 8 sides and two of them are not in the league next season so we have to improve creatively and score more goals. We cannot hope to win games after continually losing the first goal. We are a classic paradox where we are the best in the league at holding a lead and the worst in the league at getting it!

 

[Deano]

4 injuries since he joined us I think. 3 x Hamstring and 1 MGW broken bone. 2 of the hamstrings done this season. I wouldn't read much into that as muscle injuries this season are an issue for a lot of players. Presumption is the condensed season, recovery time etc

His levels have dropped but thats the same for nearly every player in our squad this season. Regardless of his form/fitness though you are right we have to sign CB's anyway. Got to move on from having Donck as a 4th choice CB and Saiss as a starter in the position.

Players poor performances can't keep being excused by "so has everyone else" though. There might be mitigating circumstances but those players take responsibility for their own performance. The injuries might be due to the things you mention but the chances are he will pick up more of these knocks as he creeps over 30 - some of these players have done a superb job for the club but if Wolves start thinking the likes of Patricio and Boly's performances are just because of circumstances around covid and a condensed season then I'd say that's a very complacent mindset to have

 

[Nando]

Was good to see this mess come back into play when Jose came on last night. Is it any wonder that we struggle to move the ball forwards when we leave a 60 yard chasm between the front three and the remainder of the team whilst completely vacating central positions at the same time. What are they doing in training?



We could sign De Bruyne and Thiago to play in midfield for next season, but if this is what they're being told to do, it won't make a jot of difference.

 

[jlo]

Nuno had promised Ruddy a start. I think with the fans back on Sunday he wants the 1st team in from the start, so Ruddy got the call last night.

Get the logic, but I think last night barring Ruddy was as close to a first team we have anyway. Just a hunch, a result yesterday would've guaranteed 12th so I would've started Rui unless I was thinking I wanted to reward/see Sondergaard in a game setting too. We'll see, could be totally wrong.

 

[Kenny]

if Wolves start thinking the likes of Patricio and Boly's performances are just because of circumstances around covid and a condensed season then I'd say that's a very complacent mindset to have

Well obviously the club won't think like that. They have a ton of data on each player, so they will know if its them hitting a brick wall or the effects of the season.
We are just fans and can only use our eyes. My view is where Boly has had a poor performances he has also had some typical Boly games, so for me its not a concern right now. Doesn't mean I don't think we need to sign CB's, we obviously have to do that to start looking back up the table

 

[jlo]

Was good to see this mess come back in play when Jose came on last night. Is it any wonder that we struggle to move the ball forwards when we leave a 60 yard chasm between the front three and the remainder of the team whilst completely vacating central positions at the same time. What are they doing in training?

View attachment 3798

We could sign De Bruyne and Thiago to play in midfield for next season, but if this is what they're being told to do, it won't make a jot of difference.

I'd be interested in seeing our average shape versus other teams. I get the impression we play much deeper than anyone else. This shape is just criminal, I actually feel asleep straight after the game it had that effect on me.

 

[Jinky]

I thought Ruddy did well last night, but he's clearly off at the end of the season. Should go with nothing but the best wishes of everyone associated with Wolves.

Nando's post absolutely highlights the issue with us at the moment. I don't have much faith in the recruitment team, but I am intrigued to see who we bring in to play in the middle. Regardless of who it is, there simply has to be a change of mindset and in the way we play to get the central midfielders higher up the pitch, closer to the forwards - and to actually offer some threat through the middle of the pitch and to get numbers in the box. I think we've all had enough of watching Neves/Moutinho/Donk holding hands with the defenders. It's obvious to anyone with eyes that we ask far too much of our attacking players. Our attacking tactic this season has been to pass it to Adama/Neto/Podence and expect them to beat 2-3 players and then do something majestic. Every week we expect them to tweak or change it and every week we're left disappointed - we are so predictable.

Said as much last night, but I genuinely felt bad for Adama trying to take on the entire Everton defence by himself. Have felt the same for Neto on plenty of occasions earlier in the season. We just don't have that slick, smooth interplay/passing that we had when we first came up anymore.

 

[Nando]

The fundamental shape of the XI was decent enough in the first half - the centre backs were high without being suicidal and they moved it quickly out wide when the ball was recycled through them. MGW was busy and an option in central areas and tried to inject some tempo, even if his touch let him down on occasions. As soon as he went off, the chasm opened up again.

The main issue was the balance at the top end - with Adama naturally pulling wide right, Fabio in an odd Ronaldo/Mane style wide striker role which I'll never understand which left no real options in the box.

 

[Dire Wolf]

We can't use the excuse of injuries causing us to play like this, we were doing I at the start of the season when Raul was fit and we were doing it much of last season when we had Jota and Raul playing together and creating chances by just being good on the counter attack. It's an appalling style of football and we need to change. I'm not convinced we can.

 

[AndyWolves]

The fundamental shape of the XI was decent enough in the first half - the centre backs were high without being suicidal and they moved it quickly out wide when the ball was recycled through them. MGW was busy and an option in central areas and tried to inject some tempo, even if his touch let him down on occasions. As soon as he went off, the chasm opened up again.

The main issue was the balance at the top end - with Adama naturally pulling wide right, Fabio in an odd Ronaldo/Mane style wide striker role which I'll never understand which left no real options in the box.

First half was good, second half wasn't. MGW did what he could to link up.

Moutinhos legs seemed to go after about 55-60. MGW going off made us even more pedestrian.

 

[Jinky]

First half was good, second half wasn't. MGW did what he could to link up.

Moutinhos legs seemed to go after about 55-60. MGW going off made us even more pedestrian.

Agree with this. The substitutions were left too long and also muzzled us even more when he eventually did make them - it has to be said, we all love Nuno, but when was the last time a substitution that he made actually had a positive impact on one of our performances? I appreciate his options are minimal at the moment - but I've always said he takes too long to make a, what seems obvious, change.

After the changes last night, our tactic (other than to continue giving the ball to Adama and expecting him to work miracles) was to lump poor cross after poor cross in to the box with no one in the middle to attack them (WJ was absolutely wank, again).

 

[Derby Wolf]

Agree with this. The substitutions were left too long and also muzzled us even more when he eventually did make them - it has to be said, we all love Nuno, but when was the last time a substitution that he made actually had a positive impact on one of our performances? I appreciate his options are minimal at the moment - but I've always said he takes too long to make a, what seems obvious, change.

After the changes last night, our tactic (other than to continue giving the ball to Adama and expecting him to work miracles) was to lump poor cross after poor cross in to the box with no one in the middle to attack them (WJ was absolutely wank, again).

Traore v Brighton 10 days ago.

 

[AndyWolves]

Agree with this. The substitutions were left too long and also muzzled us even more when he eventually did make them - it has to be said, we all love Nuno, but when was the last time a substitution that he made actually had a positive impact on one of our performances? I appreciate his options are minimal at the moment - but I've always said he takes too long to make a, what seems obvious, change.

After the changes last night, our tactic (other than to continue giving the ball to Adama and expecting him to work miracles) was to lump poor cross after poor cross in to the box with no one in the middle to attack them (WJ was absolutely wank, again).

It was difficult, but for context we did have a very blunted attack against an experienced Everton back 4 along with 2 very good holding midfielders.

We didn't really have any other choice other than asking Adama to do what he can do. RAN tried to make things happen, maybe Semedo could have done more but ultimately once Moutinho conked out and MGW went off there was no one Adama could interchange with.

At this point we may as well have put Donk up front to try to get on the end of some of the crosses. WJ wasn't bothered and Silva struggles to win stuff in the air.

 

[Jinky]

Traore v Brighton 10 days ago.

Yeah mate, that was a tactical masterclass throwing Adama on, I take it all back

You know exactly what I was getting at.

 

[Derby Wolf]

Yeah mate, that was a tactical masterclass throwing Adama on, I take it all back

You know exactly what I was getting at.

Ah so discounting the times Nuno made positive substitutions when did he make positive substitutions? Without giving it much thought maybe Jota at home to Besiktas.

Bit like me saying except the times Jinky has been singled out on the matchday thread when has Jinky ever been singled out on the matchday thread?

I dont necessarily disagree, I think this is where the small squad ties his hands because when everyone was fit we didn't have the options and we sure as fuck don't at the moment... so is the issue Nuno's inability to adapt or is it because we've made a rod for our own backs? Or both?

If we pad the squad out this summer we might find a more comprehensive answer but at the moment I think its as much down to depth (admittedly thats on Nuno)

 

[Nando]

The squad isn't even particularly small as it stands - there are 21 outfield players who have started Premier League games for us over the course of the season. I'd say that is about right all things considered, but obviously the injuries we have had have been to our key players in their respective positions and have been long-term in their nature.

The squad is definitely unbalanced though as I've said beforehand on here and that needs to be addressed.

 

[YoungWolf]

The squad isn't even particularly small as it stands - there are 21 outfield players who have started Premier League games for us over the course of the season. I'd say that is about right all things considered, but obviously the injuries we have had have been to our key players in their respective positions and have been long-term in their nature.

The squad is definitely unbalanced though as I've said beforehand on here and that needs to be addressed.

Agree with this, fortunately I don’t think it takes a huge amount to correct that, just some signings in key positions

 

[Jinky]

Ah so discounting the times Nuno made positive substitutions when did he make positive substitutions? Without giving it much thought maybe Jota at home to Besiktas.

Bit like me saying except the times Jinky has been singled out on the matchday thread when has Jinky ever been singled out on the matchday thread?

I dont necessarily disagree, I think this is where the small squad ties his hands because when everyone was fit we didn't have the options and we sure as fuck don't at the moment... so is the issue Nuno's inability to adapt or is it because we've made a rod for our own backs? Or both?

If we pad the squad out this summer we might find a more comprehensive answer but at the moment I think its as much down to depth (admittedly thats on Nuno)

My point being, much like last night, Nuno wasn't exactly spoilt for choice when he bought Adama on v Brighton. You can't sit there and suggest it was some tactical masterclass. I'm happy to give Nuno credit when he genuinely makes a switch or tweak or change during a game that turns it around. I don't think throwing Adama on after an hour constitutes that, sorry. That said, I am also happy to acknowledge the lack of alternatives on the bench.

But my personal opinion is it's an area that Nuno has lacked in since he took over here, really. I've always thought he takes too long to make changes.

 

[jlo]

Back to 7 subs next year too I assume. That'll help us in some senses, we'll have less bench places to pad out.