The January 2024 "Will we actually sign a striker or just Che Adams/Kieffer Moore" Transfer Thread

[Deutsch Wolf]

Thing is we STILL need a CH if we stick with three centre halves. As four isn't enough for three spots, Santi is so far virtually untested in English football, Toti is a bit up and down (which is fine so long as he develops), Dawson is old and Kilman has obvious limitations.

And we also need a RWB desperately so I'm not sure how just sticking with what we're doing - which causes us clear issues in certain games unless you love watching us tap the ball between three defenders - is actually any easier to pull off.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Thing is we STILL need a CH if we stick with three centre halves. As four isn't enough for three spots, Santi is so far virtually untested in English football, Toti is a bit up and down (which is fine so long as he develops), Dawson is old and Kilman has obvious limitations.

And we also need a RWB desperately so I'm not sure how just sticking with what we're doing - which causes us clear issues in certain games unless you love watching us tap the ball between three defenders - is actually any easier to pull off.

I imagine the sticking plaster will be bringing Mosquera back.

Do you honestly think the club are going to buy a player that they see as replacing Kilman? The captain? The player they rate so highly they turned down a 30million bid for?

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

If you're asking me what I think the club will do next month then the answer is not very much.

Would make for a pretty rubbish thread though. I'm telling you what I'd do. Like how I'd set out teams not containing Dave Edwards when Paul Lambert was manager even though I knew full well that he played him for 90 minutes of every single game regardless of performance or match situation.

 

[Johnny75]

Sigh.

DW says Kilman is shit, I say no he's not, he's a mid table to lower Prem defender.

You say "you're dying on the Kilman 5atb hill".

Nope.

I say I cannot for the life of me see Wolves in January signing a CB that replaces Kilman, the club have made him captain and rejected a 30mill bid for him, they are not going to try and replace him in January despite how crap you all think he is, if they do look for a CB it'll be to replace the aging, creaking Dawson (who is still excellent in a 5).

However, I don't think a change to 4 will bring us the results so many of you think it will - given my many prior experiences witnessing it. Luton away is an excellent example, even when we weren't the underdogs.

Wolves, the majority of the time are the underdogs, playing with 5 suits us, not just as a team but as a club. Especially given Fosun's remit is survival.

Have you chosen to say nothing about the tactics of 4 and 5 at the back deliberately?

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

I've explained my reasons for sticking with 5 many times.

You're living in a dreamland if you think we're going to sign the sort of CB that makes playing with 4 viable, more dreamy if you think the club are going to replace Kilman to enable it.

Until then suggesting we should play with 4 whilst also saying we don't have the CBs for it is foolish.

 

[Del Woppio]

Have you even condemned Hammas yet

 

[Johnny75]

I've explained my reasons for sticking with 5 many times.

You haven't, not once. Tactically do it, why 5 instead of 4?

You're living in a dreamland if you think we're going to sign the sort of CB that makes playing with 4 viable, more dreamy if you think the club are going to replace Kilman to enable it.

Maybe, maybe not, not unlikely we sign another CB.

Until then suggesting we should play with 4 whilst also saying we don't have the CBs for it is foolish.

Not really, we just haven't tried the right pair yet. Hint, it doesn't involve Kilman.

 

[Lycan]

The discussion about 4/5 at the back is fairly pointless at this stage. Everyone is going on about how we played with a back 4 against WHU but out of possession it was a back 5.

A lot of times when everyone has agreed that we've played a back 5 we've actually defended out of possession in a back 4 but then built up in a 5 in possession.

What I'm not sure on yet is if that's one of the adaptations that O'Neil has said that he's had to make or if it's part of his philosophy.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

The discussion about 4/5 at the back is fairly pointless at this stage. Everyone is going on about how we played with a back 4 against WHU but out of possession it was a back 5.

A lot of times when everyone has agreed that we've played a back 5 we've actually defended out of possession in a back 4 but then built up in a 5 in possession.

What I'm not sure on yet is if that's one of the adaptations that O'Neil has said that he's had to make or if it's part of his philosophy.

As I said after the game on Sunday, we need to ditch the hybrid stuff, our players aren't good enough on any level to do it.

We unequivocally do not live in a situation where it is impossible for us to sign any centre half in the world who can allow us to play four at the back properly, that's just silly.

Even with the flawed options we have now, we do not need three centre halves at home to Burnley or Forest.

 

[Lycan]

As I said after the game on Sunday, we need to ditch the hybrid stuff, our players aren't good enough on any level to do it.

We unequivocally do not live in a situation where it is impossible for us to sign any centre half in the world who can allow us to play four at the back properly, that's just silly.

Even with the flawed options we have now, we do not need three centre halves at home to Burnley or Forest.

It's not about need though, he's chosen to play that way in possession as it means he could get more bodies forward.

The execution was atrocious but that's why he's done it, not because he thinks he can't play Kilman/Dawson in a 2 against Forest/Burnley.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

In that kind of game as we had vs Forest, where you need a goal and the opposition are showing increasingly little intent, would you rather have Toti Gomes, Matt Doherty, Tommy Doyle or Sasa Kalajdzic on the pitch? Two played and two didn't (bar injury time).

I get it's a fad and managers copy fads all the time and have done for decades. I don't think it works for us.

 

[Lycan]

In that kind of game as we had vs Forest, where you need a goal and the opposition are showing increasingly little intent, would you rather have Toti Gomes, Matt Doherty, Tommy Doyle or Sasa Kalajdzic on the pitch? Two played and two didn't (bar injury time).

I get it's a fad and managers copy fads all the time and have done for decades. I don't think it works for us.

I didn't say I agreed with it, just that he's not playing that way because he thinks he has to. He's doing it by choice.

You know my thoughts on Sasa and how he's being used.

 

[Law's Bus]

Max Kilman >>>>>> Paul Blades.

Max drives me mad with his passivity, but at least he doesn't spend half the game making sure his hair looks nice as well.

 

[Quirkafleeg]

On loan Paul Blades was Virgil standard.

 

[sycophantia]

On loan Paul Blades was Virgil standard.

He was more Parker standard I thought.

 

[Jinky]

As I said after the game on Sunday, we need to ditch the hybrid stuff, our players aren't good enough on any level to do it.

We unequivocally do not live in a situation where it is impossible for us to sign any centre half in the world who can allow us to play four at the back properly, that's just silly.

Even with the flawed options we have now, we do not need three centre halves at home to Burnley or Forest.

I 100% agree with you. However, people can’t suggest names on here without being shot down (I present you, Reiss Nelson ) - so they just don’t bother. Then we end up with the kind of endless circle debate we’ve seen for the last 3 (?) days.

We absolutely could replace Kilman if we really wanted to. I’d personally be happy with him as a squad option rather than an out & out first choice. I don’t know why he’s so highly rated within the club.

 

[Tony Towner]

One thing I do think EP is correct about is there's no way we will replace Kilman. If we were to sign a starting ch it'd be to take Dawson's place in a 4 or his/Toti's in a 3

 

[Kenny]

Suggest names Jinks

I believe over the years you were one of a tiny group...(pun maybe intended) who gave the thumbs up for the following signings

Ryan Bennett
Craig Dawson
Mario Lemina

You have transfer credit in the bank.

 

[Kenny]

One thing I do think EP is correct about is there's no way we will replace Kilman. If we were to sign a starting ch it'd be to take Dawson's place in a 4 or his/Toti's in a 3

Unlikely but if someone offered the Napoli money again in the summer I think we would take it then.

 

[Tony Towner]

Unlikely but if someone offered the Napoli money again in the summer I think we would take it then.

Agreed, but I'm assuming that's a 1 time, 1 club offer