Summer 2021 transfer window

[Tony Towner]

Nuno never played 343 pre Wolves did he?

352 on occasion

 

[PuntsWolf]

Nuno never played a 5 at Valencia or Porto to my knowledge. Strange to think it’s definitely 442 and get in a twist about how the squad isn’t suited. Just concentrate on worrying about Mendes TT

 

[WolfMan]

With respect that's not what I said

What are the reasons either Neves or Vitinha couldn't play in a 442 then?

 

[big mean bunny]

What are the reasons either Neves or Vitinha couldn't play in a 442 then?

Neither is a snotter...

Sorry.

 

[WolfMan]

Neither is a snotter...

Sorry.

I agree, I wouldn't want to see both of them together in a 442, but one of the other alongside a 'snotter', personally I think could work very nicely indeed.

 

[Jinky]

State of this thread.

I’ll be absolutely gutted if we sell Ruben. Especially to bloody Arsenal.

 

[Kenny]

I’ll be absolutely gutted if we sell Ruben

Gutted but not surprised. Expected him to go after 2 seasons tbh.

 

[Jack Regan]

Gutted but not surprised. Expected him to go after 2 seasons tbh.

I doubt we'd have taken any less than £50million back then though.

 

[PuntsWolf]

He can go as long as the fees right, that’s how it works for clubs like us. £35m though may as well not bother.

 

[WolfMan]

I love him, he's my favourite current Wolves player by a mile. I'll be gutted if he leaves as well.

Could understand if it was to a big CL club, but Arsenal? If we are to believe what we are being told about having top six aspirations, selling him to them would criminal in my opinion.

 

[Tony Towner]

I agree, I wouldn't want to see both of them together in a 442, but one of the other alongside a 'snotter', personally I think could work very nicely indeed.

I can't think of one 'snotter' who currently plays in the PL. That day has gone

 

[Kenny]

selling him to them would criminal in my opinion.

Comes down to the player as well though doesn't it. Ignoring rumoured transfer fees, if Arsenal bid and Neves wants to go there or at least speak to them do we ignore it and have a player that doesn't want to be here?

I hope the fee is more than £35m when he goes but as with most transfer fees nowadays we will get told undisclosed with various outlets reporting different amounts

 

[Tony Towner]

Nuno never played a 5 at Valencia or Porto to my knowledge. Strange to think it’s definitely 442 and get in a twist about how the squad isn’t suited. Just concentrate on worrying about Mendes TT

You need to improve your research. He started with a 4, but a midfielder dropped back to make it a 5 during games. Essentially what he turned Coady into. Thanks for the patronising comment though

 

[YoungWolf]

Yeah he definitely played a five at times at Valencia. 4-4-1-1 at Porto mainly I think (Diogo as the ten?)

 

[WolfMan]

I can't think of one 'snotter' who currently plays in the PL. That day has gone

Fair enough, I wouldn't have chosen the word snotter myself. I do think players who's primary role in a midfield is to break up play still exist thought. And those type of players can work very effectively alongside a more creative type.

Kante alongside Drinkwater worked pretty well in a 442. I think Neves is a much better player than Drinkwater, can't see why he couldn't play that role myself. But I'm still waiting for you to tell me the reason you don't think he could.

 

[WolfMan]

Comes down to the player as well though doesn't it. Ignoring rumoured transfer fees, if Arsenal bid and Neves wants to go there or at least speak to them do we ignore it and have a player that doesn't want to be here?

I hope the fee is more than £35m when he goes but as with most transfer fees nowadays we will get told undisclosed with various outlets reporting different amounts

Yeah it does, I just don't think it's wise to strengthen a direct rival. Neves seems that type of guy who'd understand that policy.

 

[Tony Towner]

Fair enough, I wouldn't have chosen the word snotter myself. I do think players who's primary role in a midfield is to break up play still exist thought. And those type of players can work very effectively alongside a more creative type.

Kante alongside Drinkwater worked pretty well in a 442. I think Neves is a much better player than Drinkwater, can't see why he couldn't play that role myself. But I'm still waiting for you to tell me the reason you don't think he could.

I thought I had, but essentially in the modern day PL you can't play an out and out midfield 2 without both players having legs. Neither Vitinha nor Neves have. Drinkwater at Leicester did, although I agree player for player he is inferior to Neves. You'd just get overrun. In a 343 you have the wing backs to tuck in and cover for that.

 

[Kenny]

Yeah it does, I just don't think it's wise to strengthen a direct rival. Neves seems that type of guy who'd understand that policy.

But if he wants to join them, he holds all the cards really. Don't forget we are basically a stepping stone for his career. If he thinks going to Arsenal gives him more chance of getting success in the next few years then our options are basically get the correct fee for him.

I think where Neves would be understanding is we tell him the price we want and if Arsenal, or whoever, match it we won't stand in his way but if they take the piss we will ignore them.

I also wouldn't call Arsenal a direct rival. They may below their expected level but they will expect a top 6 challenge next year whereas, right now we hope to challenge for that. Moving there may not give him instant European football but they are much much bigger club than we are and have better chance of signing the players they require to push them back where they expect to be.

 

[PuntsWolf]

You need to improve your research. He started with a 4, but a midfielder dropped back to make it a 5 during games. Essentially what he turned Coady into. Thanks for the patronising comment though

Chill out... Was merely a wind up. Wasn’t expecting you to bite that hard mind.

A defender dropping into the middle of a back 4 with the CBs splitting is a pretty standard tactic. Like Kalvin Phillips, Xabi Alonso, etc. Wouldn’t say any of those teams “played a back 5 though”. Hilariously Neves does the same thing now for us and stands next to Coady, which is part of the many reasons we do fuck all in the final third. Only been moaning about it for 2 years. He/Nuno still does/did it.

Regardless. None of that is the point. It just seems a strange to think “fuck, Lage played 442 once so it will definitely be 442 at wolves and we have no players for it”. We don’t know what system he will play and by the looks of it we don’t know what players will be here either. So out of the two variables we know neither

 

[The Bear]

Neves is a very good sitting midfielder who does the defensive side well. He could absolutely play alongside Vitinha IMO.