The 2015/2016 Summer Improvement Thread

[GoldFlagFlyingHigh]

4-4-2
................Ikeme

Iorfa.....Batth...Stears...SG/Rowe

.............Price/Britton
.....Wallace...KMac........Zyro

..........Afobe.....Dicko


I think a 4-3-3 will more likely be:

................Ikeme

Iorfa.....Batth...Stears...SG/Rowe

.............Price/Britton
........KMac.......Evans/Saville

...Afobe.......Dicko........Graham

 

[Alan]

I think we'll be 4-3-3 next season.

-----------Ikeme---------------

Iorfa--Batth---Stearman--Golbourne

---Wallace--McD--Price------

--Dicko----Afobe----Zyro---


With a new mid to replace Price.

That'd be alright, Zyro and Dicko depending (the former's quality, the latter's willingness). And I think I'd like to see Batth replaced, either by Hause or EEL (or someone new).

Hate to see Price get forced out but I'm afraid it may be necessary. Probably someone with a bit more bite to them to sit in the middle of the three and move Macca over. Danny Williams would fit that. #shamelessAmericanplug

 

[YoungWolf]

My problem with 4-3-3 (although it is usually my preferred formation) is that one of Dicko or Afobe will be shifted wide, and it will most likely be Dicko. He obviously becomes less effective there and we have better right wing options.

However, we all know that we cannot play without him, he is integral. I would back him to get near 20 goals next season too in his proper position.

 

[Johnny75]

I still think we'll go 4-2-3-1 with Wallace/Afobe behind Dicko. I would expect Dicko and Afobe to be rotated and Afobe/ Wallace to be rotated. As has been mentioned having 3 forward options worked for Watford. I'd expect Zyro, RVLP, Graham and Henry to be rotated in the wide areas. I would also think we would need to bring in competition for Price too.

 

[Lord Knows]

My problem with 4-3-3 (although it is usually my preferred formation) is that one of Dicko or Afobe will be shifted wide, and it will most likely be Dicko. He obviously becomes less effective there and we have better right wing options.

However, we all know that we cannot play without him, he is integral. I would back him to get near 20 goals next season too in his proper position.

In a front three you would have to play Dicko centre with others rotating, Dicko because of higher work ethic and better movement than Afobe.

 

[Langers]

Think RVLP is getting some pretty OTT criticism on here - not for the first time.

He's not as good as Sako (and probably never will be), but he's still an asset for side with aspiration for the top 6. I can only see him improving - sure, he needs to work on his consistency but there's definitely a good player there who will be more than useful for us. Not a guaranteed starter just yet and I'd like to see him step up next season but he's a young lad with more than enough potential to contribute to a successful season for us next year.

I think it would be wrong and unfair to write him off.

Henry or RVLP are not good enough for a top 6 team in this league. Let's hope Jed Wallace and Jordan Graham, although young, can take their places this season and produce more consistent quality.

Can't agree with that - we used one or the other throughout the campaign and finished with 78 points! Of course they're good enough. Doesn't mean we shouldn't be looking to improve in terms of quality and consistency but to say they're not good enough is incredibly harsh.

 

[ROVERT47]

I was thinking the same, i'm guessing this used to be the Transfer speculation thread, it would be nice to try and keep it that way rather than become another thread to debate how crap one of our players is.
There'll be plenty of time for that from August.

 

[GoldFlagFlyingHigh]

Can't agree with that - we used one or the other throughout the campaign and finished with 78 points! Of course they're good enough. Doesn't mean we shouldn't be looking to improve in terms of quality and consistency but to say they're not good enough is incredibly harsh.

If KJ wants to play a tighter midfield four to support two strikers then I don't see either of them offering enough. You could argue Henry would be ok tucked in on the right in KJ's 442 but he couldn't hold down that role last season with Price and Edwards being given games in that role. Wallace coming in also indicates Henry is going to struggle to hold down a place in the squad next season. I think people are underestimating how much Sako helped the rest of our team last season in terms of end product. Without him we need more quality and consistency from the attacking midfield positions and it seems to me like Jackett is targeting this area too.

 

[Johnny75]

This is bizarre that you think the manager is going to go from touch line hugging width in Sako and RvlP to a narrow midfield and a player who has yet to put a Wolves shirt on.

 

[Lord Knows]

This is bizarre that you think the manager is going to go from touch line hugging width in Sako and RvlP to a narrow midfield and a player who has yet to put a Wolves shirt on.

I hope KJ does go this way, without Sako the need to balance a front line with another winger has gone.

 

[Johnny75]

I hope KJ does go this way, without Sako the need to balance a front line with another winger has gone.

You know we played with 2 wingers last season.

4-3-3 with narrow strikers never works, those players need width to play. Messi, Neymar, Ronaldo and Bale all play wide mainly. That means pushing Dicko/Afobe wide which would be a total waste.

 

[Lycan]

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/barclays-pr...en-to-sign-wolves-striker-nouha-dicko-sources

 

[YoungWolf]

Martinez wants to sign him again so that he can not play him again?

 

[Jinky]

Think RVLP is getting some pretty OTT criticism on here - not for the first time.

He's not as good as Sako (and probably never will be), but he's still an asset for side with aspiration for the top 6. I can only see him improving - sure, he needs to work on his consistency but there's definitely a good player there who will be more than useful for us. Not a guaranteed starter just yet and I'd like to see him step up next season but he's a young lad with more than enough potential to contribute to a successful season for us next year.

I think it would be wrong and unfair to write him off.

Agreed. Also can't quite get my head around those slating James Henry. Suffice to say pace will only get you so far - at some point you have to have the brain to play football and technically speaking, James Henry is one of our most technically gifted players.

There seem to be an awful lot of people on here forgetting our level or not appreciating the players we have if James Henry and RVLP "aren't good enough".

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

If everyone just said "this is our level" then the league table would be pretty much identical every single season and we'd hand Dave Edwards a 10 year contract. You want players who excel at this level and have the capabilities to go higher, I don't think Henry or Van La Parra fit either of those briefs, if we're set on playing a system that uses orthodox wingers then I think it's a pretty clear area where we can improve, and if we did sign someone there then one of them would have to go because they can't play anywhere else. Ruthless, but that's football.

 

[pavlosmacwolf]

DW I accept that, but VLP and henry, did keep their ends up for most of the season, so there's no need for anyone to start attacking them before the transfer window slams shut, and they have a shit season, which from reports , whilst not being Messi, neither of them did.

 

[lemonjelly]

Think RVLP is getting some pretty OTT criticism on here - not for the first time.

He's not as good as Sako (and probably never will be), but he's still an asset for side with aspiration for the top 6. I can only see him improving - sure, he needs to work on his consistency but there's definitely a good player there who will be more than useful for us. Not a guaranteed starter just yet and I'd like to see him step up next season but he's a young lad with more than enough potential to contribute to a successful season for us next year.

I think it would be wrong and unfair to write him off.



Can't agree with that - we used one or the other throughout the campaign and finished with 78 points! Of course they're good enough. Doesn't mean we shouldn't be looking to improve in terms of quality and consistency but to say they're not good enough is incredibly harsh.

I personally think that this is Henrys level.
A shame, as I like him as a footbally. However his lack of pace is glaring. Watch him run - you can see he's working really really hard to move as fast as he can. But he isn't quick.
I think now he's a fantastic squad player to bring on. Technically he's good. Capable of making very good short and long passes. Decent with a dead ball. Also is not afraid to tackle, track back and support his defender. And can pop up with the off goal.

RVLP has potential. As has been mentioned, it's his first year in a new country. Pires, Drogba as well as numerous others have looked incapable of settling in their first season abroad. And he's very young. Similar age to Zaha who had to return to Palace & still didn't nail down a constant starting place, as well as Bolasie who at 26 or 27 is finally showing that he's got something, after years of lightening pace but ricking shots everywhere but goalbound.

 

[Derby Wolf]

Henry reminds me of Glen Little somewhat, he was never renowned for his pace but could pick a pass, chip in with goals and played an important if not traditional beat man to the byline role on the wing. That said, I think the championship is his ceiling and we should only worry about replacing him after we replace Sako.

VLP is an enigma, he seems to have all the tools to grow into a very good player, he just seems... Hesitant. Perhaps he'll come into his own with time but I think he'd be a write off at our peril type.

 

[The Bear]

All foreign players deserve a second year when playing in a new country. I think VLP has it in him to improve and become more reliable personally.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

All foreign players deserve a second year when playing in a new country.