The Incoming Transfers Everywhere Thread: Summer 2023

[Elephant Pyjamas]

More CM links when it’s pretty much every other position on the pitch I’d like an improvement in?

Behind signing a striker, I'd have CM as out most critical. I'm not as confident as most that Gomes is going to be consistently good, he has a lot of promise but he's also a kid, and Lemina's Wolves form is more of an exception than the rule throughout his career.

Edit: and Bouba, who played 10 games tops for us?

Then there is Nunes, the enigma, he could be sensational next season, he has the ability. But well he can also throw in a 3/10 performance fairly often too.

Midfield needs addressing.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

More CM links when it’s pretty much every other position on the pitch I’d like an improvement in?

Cundle will probably go on loan (was pretty much a done deal that he was staying at Swansea until Russell Martin and his ego left)
Matheus hasn't played CM for us for quite a long time now, maybe we'll leave him in that wideish role

Leaves you Lemina, Gomes and Bouba (who hasn't played a first team game since 2022) before you hit Hodge, who is barely a League Two standard player at the moment.

I've no problem with adding more depth there, how often did we moan about only having Neves, an ageing Joao and a stale Donck there as options. I've also no problem with the chronology - so long as all the key areas get covered by the time we play at Old Trafford, it's irrelevant to me what order they come in.

"Would you like to sign Tosin, he's available for a decent price and wants to come"
"Gee I'd love to, but we haven't signed a striker yet so best offer him to someone else and we'll sign a centre half who probably isn't as good a few weeks later, ta"

I don't think so.

 

[Lycan]

More CM links when it’s pretty much every other position on the pitch I’d like an improvement in?

Tbf we've 'lost' 2 first team players from that position.

It wouldn't be my biggest priority but if we've identified it as a position that needs to be upgraded and there's a deal there to be done then our needs in other areas are irrelevant.

 

[Alan]

Come on chaps.

Melo is a £70m footballer who has recently played for Barcelona and Juventus.

We are Wolves, where he would be battling with the likes of Cundle and Hodge.

Bit of reality, please.

Nic Pepé was a 70m footballer, that didn't exactly pan out.

A bit of skepticism is healthy. Shows people are paying attention.

 

[Alan]

Leaves you Lemina, Gomes and Bouba (who hasn't played a first team game since 2022) before you hit Hodge, who is barely a League Two standard player at the moment.

Bouba picked up some garbage time minutes near the end of the season didn't he? Not that you can glean much from a half hour.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Bouba picked up some garbage time minutes near the end of the season didn't he? Not that you can glean much from a half hour.

Yeah, 23 against Arsenal, 3 against United.

That's it.

He's looked good this summer though.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Bouba picked up some garbage time minutes near the end of the season didn't he? Not that you can glean much from a half hour.

Ah yes. 2 mins vs Everton and 20 or so vs Arsenal (slipped me by as I don't think he touched the ball in the first one and I didn't actually watch the Arsenal game as life really is too short).

Basically been out since before Christmas though.

 

[Alan]

At least shows that he wasn't knocked so far on his ass by the injury that Lop didn't trust him with any minutes at all. Smallest of silver linings, granted.

 

[Lycan]

I wonder if Boubacar might be used further forward? Competing with Cunha or used as the CM who moves to press alongside the #9 out of possession the way Moutinho was last season. He loves to step forward and intercept/press so it'd suit him out of possession and I definitely think he's creative enough, for someone so lanky he's really good on the ball in tight spaces.

 

[Alan]

If we put him in the CDM box I will be highly annoyed.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Doubt we will, even Lage and Davis didn't use him like that.

 

[Stan Hullis]

He can't tackle well enough to sit that deep anyway

 

[Johnny75]

I wonder if Boubacar might be used further forward? Competing with Cunha or used as the CM who moves to press alongside the #9 out of possession the way Moutinho was last season. He loves to step forward and intercept/press so it'd suit him out of possession and I definitely think he's creative enough, for someone so lanky he's really good on the ball in tight spaces.

I'd hope not. He's much better driving from deep and arriving late in the box.

Gomes and Lemina are the more defensively minded which is why I think we need another who can complete with Boubacar rather than Lemina and Gomes.

I don't think Boubacar is suited to that 10 role at all. I would hope Cundle is given that chance as he has shown he can do it at Swansea and as Cunha can't do more than half an hour I'd hope he could be given a chance.

But I think it will be a player we bring in and I assume it is Scott they've identified for that role.

 

[Alan]

Read the game well enough and you never need to.

#MaldiniMode

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I wonder if Boubacar might be used further forward? Competing with Cunha or used as the CM who moves to press alongside the #9 out of possession the way Moutinho was last season. He loves to step forward and intercept/press so it'd suit him out of possession and I definitely think he's creative enough, for someone so lanky he's really good on the ball in tight spaces.

I suppose we don't know how we'll set up. I think our 4-4-1-1 was a bit make do and mend last season, and it worked in terms of we needed to stay up and we did easily in the end. But it's all a bit oblong shapes into square holes, Matheus isn't a wide player really, the balance of the midfield two isn't quite right.

If it's 4-3-3 then you'd want Lemina and Gomes mostly sitting and one other CM with serious licence to get forward and score/create. If it's 4-2-3-1 then two sitters and it leaves everything else mostly redundant.

 

[The Bear]

Gomes was someone who liked to get into the box at Flamengo to support attacks. I remember reading that shooting wasn't the strongest point of his game and something he needed to work on.

 

[Alan]

If we go 4-3-3 we may as well sell Cunha now. I like him a lot but can't imagine where he fits in that formation. Maybe on the wing cutting inside but he's not a player I'd think we should be looking to isolate 1v1.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

If we go 4-3-3 we may as well sell Cunha now. I like him a lot but can't imagine where he fits in that formation. Maybe on the wing cutting inside but he's not a player I'd think we should be looking to isolate 1v1.

Could have 4-3-2-1

------Gomes---Lemina---Bouba----

---------Cunha-----Scott/Sarabia/Neto--

-------------New ST/Sasa------------

 

[Alan]

Could have 4-3-2-1

------Gomes---Lemina---Bouba----

---------Cunha-----Scott/Sarabia/Neto--

-------------New ST/Sasa------------

Aye, don't hate that at all. Would put a lot of pressure on the fullbacks but Semedo can at least hold possession in those areas (even if he won't ever be a creative threat) and we should be looking at an improved Bueno on the other side. Gomes/Lemina/Traore are all quick enough to fill gaps created by that overlap, too.

Could be on to something.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Ahh, the much loved Terry Venables Christmas Tree formation.