Summer 2021 transfer window

[Jinky]

Don't forget that both he and Dalrymple left because Jeff Shi didn't leave them alone to do their jobs. At least in subsequent interviews both have hinted at that. His ego is so fragile that the most respected journalist who covers the club said that he resented Nuno as he took all the credit and felt he should be getting it.

He didn't know a thing about football 5 years ago, but now talks like he's a guru- it's insulting. He's surrounded himself with yes men whose collective actions over the last 12 months have been dripping with a foul concoction of arrogance, smugness and hubris. We've signed 4 players for the 1st team squad. 2 via Mendes, a punt from Colombia and a lad Leipzig were hawking around. Only 1 of those can you say is due to scouting/recruitment

If Fosun are still interested in the football side of Brand Wolves then he needs to go and now. If he is a Moxey type figure just carrying out orders from on high then they'll see that foreign fans aren't interested in an also ran, either in football terms or Rocket League and local ones will firstly make the atmosphere poisonous and eventually turn their backs.

Excellent post.

Obviously I have hidden my feelings on Shi pretty well ( ) but your use of the word "smugness" above is spot on. I sounded him out a long time ago. He is smug & arrogant. That 'ask Wolves' stuff was cringeworthy and insulting in that it was a bunch of businessman sat around a table telling all of us - the fans - that they are better than us. That we don't have a clue how things work at their level, and that our only option is to "trust" them. Well yeah? We have literally no other choice than to trust you, but look where it's got us. We are a Premier League football club and we have 18 senior players and 3 (fucking THREE) midfielders going in to a season.

They're at a hiding to nothing this morning. Put out a video or interview (either Shi or Sellars) explaining what went wrong. Why we didn't sign anyone - and what we're going to do to make sure it doesn't happen again; and they'll get abused for being incompetent wankers. Or say nothing & go radio silent - and they'll get abused for being incompetent wankers. The best plan would have been to not be incompetent wankers.

I'm still seething this morning, to be honest. And I really feel for Lage and the players that are here.

If I'm Guo, I'm starting an interview process this morning for a replacement for Shi. Someone who actually has knowledge of football - someone who can do more than pick up the phone to his mate Mendes (who, surprise surprise, on occasions, has bigger fish to fry than Wolves) - and I am completely revamping the recruitment team.

No one gives a fuck about Rocket League and all the other bullshit esports. We care about Wolverhampton Wanderers and the players on the pitch performing well in the Premier League. Wankers.

 

[Tony Towner]

For all the disappointment of yesterday the squad isn't actually worse off than last season is it?

Trincao and Hwang added as attacking options providing greater depth and competition in those areas than there has been previously, only MGW arguably lost from those positions (not that I think anyone really knows where he should/could be playing) so that's got to be seen as an improvement in my eyes at least.

Midfield has been various combinations of Moutinho, Neves and Dendoncker since promotion and now set to continue down the same path for the foreseeable, status quo maintained there then, granted some cover has been skimmed from them with Vitinha, Otasowie and MGW (another maybe position for him I suppose) but in reality they weren't a big part of the squad, only making 41 appearances between them at an average of half an hour or so a time. They're a paper loss more so than a genuine option.

Defence has added Mosquera, probably seen as cover/development option but early signs from pre-season were promising, lets see how he looks in competitive action once he's over his injury. No outgoings there though so certainly not any weaker than previously.

Patricio > Sa still in the balance to some extent in terms of absolute quality but the latter looks like he's more suited to what Lage wants with more willingness to come off his line and far greater urgency to get the ball back in play, plus it's not like Patricio was infallible last season time will tell if that's a blip or if he's on the decline.

Obviously it would've been nice to get a few more faces in and give Lage a bit more opportunity to shape the squad in his image but I think the early signs are encouraging enough with what he's got available, he's certainly getting a completely different tune out of them compared to last season. Few injuries to return too, mainly players that most would rate as the best available in their respective positions to boot, may even allow for continued improvement in spite of the lack of fresh recruits.

I appreciate that this is attempting to bring balance and there are truthful points in there, but misses a few crucial aspects:

a) The board said the first team squad was too small previously. It's now 1 lighter. That's not just a failure, it's an embarrassment to them.

b) the players who you said were peripheral were so because broadly Moutinho, Dendoncker and Neves remained fit. There's no guarantee of that happening again, I'd say it's unlikely and the former looked knackered at points last year, but is expected to carry a similar workload as first choice whilst a year older. We've lost those alternative options.

c) The manager has said he wanted 3/4 extra players continually over the last couple of weeks. He got 1 and a net 0.

d) Based on his history and the way he started the first couple of friendlies it's a reasonable assumption he wants to play 4 at the back. Unless he thinks that is Boly/Mosquera +1 the he can't do that, so you are compromising the way he wants to play. Essentially adding a centre half for a forward/10. I'm sure he'll fudge what he can with what he has, but after making such a bold change in philosophy you aren't empowering the guy to completely do what you brought him in to.

 

[Throbber3]

Precisely. If you go shopping on Christmas Eve and can’t find what you want you have to be prepared to pay what it takes to get that bottle of expensive perfume or the repercussions will be felt long after the following day when the wife finds there is no present under the tree.

Yep. And I don’t know any husband who has done that and not got some significant abuse from their very annoyed wife. Banished to the garden shed , with mr wiggly on bread and water for a month

 

[nimrod]

If next day delivery isn't available then don't go shopping the previous day. There isn't an excuse - their stated strategy was to do the majority of their business late in the window, they are on record saying that. It's incompetence not bad luck

yep, unfortunately it's a strategy that's designed for glossing a squad not making sure one is fit for a season if the final day gloss doesn't happen. maybe jeff was applying a strategy learnt from mendes but without the knowledge, influence or persuasive skills. wrong strategy, wrong time and looks like we had the wrong targets.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

And knocked back too.

Whilst letting Rafa Mir go for what ended up (with Huesca's cut) being a similar fee.

 

[Tony Towner]

Precisely. If you go shopping on Christmas Eve and can’t find what you want you have to be prepared to pay what it takes to get that bottle of expensive perfume or the repercussions will be felt long after the following day when the wife finds there is no present under the tree.

Wait until she finds out that your last attempt at appeasing her was football's equivalent of a bottle musk

 

[AndyWolves]

For all the disappointment of yesterday the squad isn't actually worse off than last season is it?

Trincao and Hwang added as attacking options providing greater depth and competition in those areas than there has been previously, only MGW arguably lost from those positions (not that I think anyone really knows where he should/could be playing) so that's got to be seen as an improvement in my eyes at least.

Midfield has been various combinations of Moutinho, Neves and Dendoncker since promotion and now set to continue down the same path for the foreseeable, status quo maintained there then, granted some cover has been skimmed from them with Vitinha, Otasowie and MGW (another maybe position for him I suppose) but in reality they weren't a big part of the squad, only making 41 appearances between them at an average of half an hour or so a time. They're a paper loss more so than a genuine option.

Defence has added Mosquera, probably seen as cover/development option but early signs from pre-season were promising, lets see how he looks in competitive action once he's over his injury. No outgoings there though so certainly not any weaker than previously.

Patricio > Sa still in the balance to some extent in terms of absolute quality but the latter looks like he's more suited to what Lage wants with more willingness to come off his line and far greater urgency to get the ball back in play, plus it's not like Patricio was infallible last season time will tell if that's a blip or if he's on the decline.

Obviously it would've been nice to get a few more faces in and give Lage a bit more opportunity to shape the squad in his image but I think the early signs are encouraging enough with what he's got available, he's certainly getting a completely different tune out of them compared to last season. Few injuries to return too, mainly players that most would rate as the best available in their respective positions to boot, may even allow for continued improvement in spite of the lack of fresh recruits.

Objectively you probably aren't too far off. The problem is that the club have acknowledged publicly that we need more quality options.

If the club had said nothing then it would kind of be defendable, but as they've acknowledged the lack of depth it kind makes your points a bit moot. Unless we just start ignoring whatever the club say

 

[Dire Wolf]

Excellent post.

Obviously I have hidden my feelings on Shi pretty well ( ) but your use of the word "smugness" above is spot on. I sounded him out a long time ago. He is smug & arrogant. That 'ask Wolves' stuff was cringeworthy and insulting in that it was a bunch of businessman sat around a table telling all of us - the fans - that they are better than us. That we don't have a clue how things work at their level, and that our only option is to "trust" them. Well yeah? We have literally no other choice than to trust you, but look where it's got us. We are a Premier League football club and we have 18 senior players and 3 (fucking THREE) midfielders going in to a season.

They're at a hiding to nothing this morning. Put out a video or interview (either Shi or Sellars) explaining what went wrong. Why we didn't sign anyone - and what we're going to do to make sure it doesn't happen again; and they'll get abused for being incompetent wankers. Or say nothing & go radio silent - and they'll get abused for being incompetent wankers. The best plan would have been to not be incompetent wankers.

I'm still seething this morning, to be honest. And I really feel for Lage and the players that are here.

If I'm Guo, I'm starting an interview process this morning for a replacement for Shi. Someone who actually has knowledge of football - someone who can do more than pick up the phone to his mate Mendes (who, surprise surprise, on occasions, has bigger fish to fry than Wolves) - and I am completely revamping the recruitment team.

No one gives a fuck about Rocket League and all the other bullshit esports. We care about Wolverhampton Wanderers and the players on the pitch performing well in the Premier League. Wankers.

Don’t sit on the fence Jinky tell us what you really feel, mate!

But on the whole I think you are right. I’ve been generally positive and optimistic since the arrival of Bruno, I think he comes across as a coach who knows what he’s doing. I felt sure the board would back him well to make the changes he felt necessary to what is still basically Nuno’s team. They’ve failed spectacularly and if the team struggles this season the buck stops with them, not with him.

Edit: my stupid sausage fingers on my phone had you down as Kinky not Jinky. Thought I’d better edit that before I gave people more ammo to use against you or started some scurrilous rumours…

 

[WolfMan]

I'd love to be a fly on the wall in there this morning, more than anything else it's totally professionally embarrassing to say your going to deliver something and literally do the opposite.

How are they getting paid for this? I appreciate it's hard to sign players etc, but it really is bordering on negligence this last window.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Lets not forget we had Vitinha as a midfield option last season too.

So we had Neves, Donk, MGW (arguably), Moutinho, Vitinha and Otasowie.

This season we have Neves, Donk and Moutinho.

 

[Throbber3]

No more laughing emoji I see!

 

[AndyWolves]

I'd love to be a fly on the wall in there this morning, more than anything else it's totally professionally embarrassing to say your going to deliver something and literally do the opposite.

How are they getting paid for this? I appreciate it's hard to sign players etc, but it really is bordering on negligence this last window.

That's the rub, maybe they don't realise they have failed.

Maybe the objective in their eyes was to secure a bargain and nothing else, if nothing presented itself no harm done.

 

[Tony Towner]

No more laughing emoji I see!

Pogo's not up yet

 

[Throbber3]

Lets not forget we had Vitinha as a midfield option last season too.

So we had Neves, Donk, MGW (arguably), Moutinho, Vitinha and Otasowie.

This season we have Neves, Donk and Moutinho.

Saiss and Cundle and Coady. Fills you with hope ?

 

[Throbber3]

Pogo's not up yet

No I can’t post them anymore. There is no option on the menu

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Saiss and Cundle and Coady. Fills you with hope ?

Where is that laughing emoji when you need it??

 

[AndyWolves]

Let's just sign jack Wilshire and play him for the 5 games he's fit to give Moutinho a rest

 

[Tony Towner]

No I can’t post them anymore. There is no option on the menu

Sorry...didn't notice that. There's one positive from yesterday

 

[jd1981]

Teams I’m certain will come above us this season

Man City
Chelsea
Liverpool
Man Utd
Spurs
West Ham
Leicester
Everton
Villa

Sides who probably think they’ve got a good shout of coming above us.

Leeds
Brighton
Palace
Brentford
Arsenal

Sides we should be coming above

norwich
Watford
Newcastle
Burnley
Southampton

With us keeping a fully fit squad we should be at least be coming 15th.
Key injuries however could leave us vulnerable, it’s a statement that about 70% of the league will say tho.
I know I’m going to be shot down but those out there that relegation is a worry that other teams will have and not us need to wake up.
Two bits of bad luck could be troublesome.

 

[Dire Wolf]

Pogo's not up yet

See I really want to laugh at that, but now I can’t… bad shit man, bad shit.