The Incoming Transfers Everywhere Thread: Summer 2023

[Elephant Pyjamas]

We're gonna bob around like Newcastle under Ashley, might have a decent season here or a bad season there until we invariably leave ourselves with too much to do. That's the extent of our ambition. We'll start throwing cup games soon too to prioritise the league money which means nothing to the supporter on the terraces.

This belief was the greatest driver of my decision not to renew, prices in the top 5 in the league (fuck Clark massaging the numbers with tickets in the corner) but Wolves aren't matching the energy of the supporters in my opinion.

I think you're spot on, depressingly.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

It's not *quite* Ashley levels (though Lage was a very Ashley-style appointment). Ultimately we're still paying for 2020-2022's appalling decisions, it always kicks you somewhere down the road.

 

[Dire Wolf]

We're gonna bob around like Newcastle under Ashley, might have a decent season here or a bad season there until we invariably leave ourselves with too much to do. That's the extent of our ambition. We'll start throwing cup games soon too to prioritise the league money which means nothing to the supporter on the terraces.

This belief was the greatest driver of my decision not to renew, prices in the top 5 in the league (fuck Clark massaging the numbers with tickets in the corner) but Wolves aren't matching the energy of the supporters in my opinion.

I think this is probably pretty near the truth. It's quite depressing really. Newcastle fans hated their time under Ashley, I'm sure it won't be long before the majority of Wolves fans start hating what Fosun are doing here.

 

[Boozad]

It's not *quite* Ashley levels (though Lage was a very Ashley-style appointment). Ultimately we're still paying for 2020-2022's appalling decisions, it always kicks you somewhere down the road.

Indeed. If you take your eye off the ball for that long and let things get so bad it takes a hell of a lot longer to fix.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Ashley's net spend at Newcastle ended up being around 200million.

We're way above that at the moment.

I do think how we'll fair over the next 2 or 3 seasons will be as Derby Wolf describes though.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

I think it would be a surprise if we went down. I also think as it currently stands it would be a surprise if we did anything of note. If we make the hoped for signings then I think way way clear.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I think this is probably pretty near the truth. It's quite depressing really. Newcastle fans hated their time under Ashley, I'm sure it won't be long before the majority of Wolves fans start hating what Fosun are doing here.

I suppose the thing is that under Sir John Hall, Newcastle had two distinct spells in the 1990s and 2000s of being a Champions League club - even title challengers - who played superb football under first Keegan and then Sir Bob. So the direct comparison to Ashley's bargain bin, lowest common denominator, "that'll do", Steve fucking Bruce in charge of a PL club in 2021, price of everything and value of nothing crap looked stark.

Whatever mistakes we've been making (plenty) this is easily the longest top flight run that Wolves have had in the memory of anyone under the age of 45, and we probably won't go down this season either. So it doesn't look anything like as bad.

 

[Sniffer]

Bournemouth won't be in any trouble next season IMO. Kerkez & Fresneda are 2 quality additions at full back and they've got a really exciting manager.

Luton will surprise a few at the start of the season with the way they press but as the season goes on I think they'll fall well short, Sheffield United just don't have the quality and don't seem to have much of a budget either. I think they're both nailed on to go down.

After that you're looking at Forest, Everton, West Ham, Burnley & Fulham who are all much worse than us right now and don't seem to be doing enough in the transfer window to correct that (Burnley a potential dark horse).

I think we'll be in a little mini league with Palace, Bournemouth, Brentford, Villa & Brighton.

Unfortunately, I see both Villa & Brighton being a good way ahead of us at the moment.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

No real logic behind it, just gut feel, but I don't think Brighton will be nearly as good this season.

 

[Johnny75]

It's not *quite* Ashley levels (though Lage was a very Ashley-style appointment). Ultimately we're still paying for 2020-2022's appalling decisions, it always kicks you somewhere down the road.

I've said for quite a while Fosun are Chinese Ashley's.

They've fallen into the exact same traps he did and they still think, arrogantly, they're right and will never admit they're wrong.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

They haven't though have they.

Ashley alienated the fans to the point where they stopped selling out regularly (hadn't even been a question for 15+ years) and appointed Joe Kinnear. Twice.

 

[1986]

JL turned us into a team last season that picked up a fair share of points at home , beating some decent sides along the way . There were some very disappointing results at home under him ( Bournmouth and Leeds ) , but on the whole we were solid at home under him and that's where we saved our season .
Away from home was a horse of a different colour though , and JL will have to target improvement here .

I think we'll be ok this season without setting the world alight .

Like a lot of people here I am expecting a lot more from Cunha , Nunes and Sarabia . We also have B Traore , Sasa and Chiqinho who have not played before for us essentially due to injuries .
Throw in a refreshed Neto and a few new quality signings and you never know we might actually enjoy the season .

I know it's stating the obvious , but we simply have to start scoring more or we'll constantly be looking down the table and not up . How we solve that problem I'm not sure . Finding a new striker on the transfer market who will score on a regular basis is extremely difficult unless you're loaded with money .

 

[Johnny75]

They haven't though have they.

Ashley alienated the fans to the point where they stopped selling out regularly (hadn't even been a question for 15+ years) and appointed Joe Kinnear. Twice.

I don't think we're far away from that point.

They've made the same mistakes of trying to do things on the cheap, having no plan for investment. Pie in the sky ideas of getting investors in but giving them no control.

They thought it would be easy.

They are alternating fans with their infrastructure failings and fan communication. It's exactly what Ashley did.

 

[Lycan]

Unfortunately, I see both Villa & Brighton being a good way ahead of us at the moment.

Villa are nothing special. They'll probably be towards the top end of that 'mini-league' but people tipping them to finish higher are well off IMO.

Brighton are losing a lot of players this summer. Their way of playing is incredible and they'll still have a lot of talent after they've finished selling but teams will inevitably get more used to playing against them as time goes on. They're more likely than Villa to continue their form but i still think it'll return to a 'comfortable' top 7 with a significant drop off to the rest of the league.

 

[Wilf Wolf]

I’d be delighted if we’re anywhere near Brighton and Villa in May! More likely we’ll flirt with relegation at some point when we have a run of tough games - much like Palace last season - but will end up safe in about 14 or 15th.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I don't think we're far away from that point.

They've made the same mistakes of trying to do things on the cheap, having no plan for investment. Pie in the sky ideas of getting investors in but giving them no control.

They thought it would be easy.

They are alternating fans with their infrastructure failings and fan communication. It's exactly what Ashley did.

I'd say they're closer to Moshiri's earlier years at Everton. There's been spending but a lot of it has been very, very badly directed, and they've jumped from plan to plan for no reason and with poor results. So down the road (and partly due to badly drafted and outdated financial rules, which desperately need overhauling) everything needs to be reined back in.

Mercifully they have found a good manager rather than the Everton road of appointing dud after dud after dud.

 

[Dire Wolf]

In terms of the squad we are really relying on players who were here already starting to deliver, or in the case of younger players actually developing in a way that they become established and successful 1st team players. We need the likes of Bueno, Traore, Gomes, Toti, Chiquinho, Lembikisa to really push to be good 1st team options on a consistent basis. And we need Sasa, Sarabia, Neto, Cunha to start delivering results. We seem to be relying on the players already here to perform wonders. They are capable of it but I'm not convinced it's a strategy we can rely on.

 

[sycophantia]

I fear for us this season, I seriously fear relegation

Why? there's no reason to be so negative, be mid table no problem.

 

[1986]

On the Doherty thing .

We know from last season that JL does not tolerate slackers . A number of players were moved to one side quite quickly when they were not working hard enough or simply could not cover the ground - or were not capable of following instructions .

Adama was in and out of his teams , as was Podence . RAN disappeared for a good while . Jiminez saw only limited action . Moutinho was slowly pushed out of the team as he no longer had the legs - but the hearts was willing .
Then you had Collins and Jonny - again might have been willing , but just didn't inspire confidence .

Based on the above Doherty will struggle to get a look in . He will need some serious improvement . In the last few years I thought his attitude on the pitch was poor at times ( playing for us - as in Ireland ) , didn't seem to care a whole pile .

Doherty's interview was very much Doherty focused I thought ( all about me kind of a thing ) - I can't recall a single reference to JL in the interview , and that's the man he needs to win over .

 

[Lycan]

In terms of the squad we are really relying on players who were here already starting to deliver, or in the case of younger players actually developing in a way that they become established and successful 1st team players. We need the likes of Bueno, Traore, Gomes, Toti, Chiquinho, Lembikisa to really push to be good 1st team options on a consistent basis. And we need Sasa, Sarabia, Neto, Cunha to start delivering results. We seem to be relying on the players already here to perform wonders. They are capable of it but I'm not convinced it's a strategy we can rely on.

It's a perfectly fine strategy in the short term. There's a hell of a lot of talent there (not sure why Lembikisa & Chiquinho are on that list though, we're not reliant on them becoming first team players at all) and most importantly we've got an excellent manager. Our form since he's arrived has been very good and although we have lost Neves I think we can expect more from Cunha, Sarabia, Matheus, Neto etc and I still have faith that we'll be able to provide a bit more balance to the squad despite the financial restrictions.