The Live Match Discussion Thread: 2019/2020

[jd1981]

Hasenhuttl looks just shell shocked in his interview, not surprising. To be honest looks like he needs some time out.

 

[playtheace]

1955
cardiff 1 wolves 9

 

[WolfmanOz]

1955
cardiff 1 wolves 9

Glad someone else remembered this . . . A bit before my time but I believe it’s our best ever league away win !

Back to Soton vs Leicester - I was having my Saturday breakfast at my local cafe when I accidentally saw the result in the online news app I have. BLOODY HELL ! I just about choked on my bacon.

That is just utterly humiliating for Soton . . . It would take a few weeks to recover which will only get worse given they have to face Man City next. They could well be gone for this season.

 

[Monstrum]

Its almost as if signing quality, skilful and creative players who are proven in the premier league like perez and tielemans and having an attacking plan is a better strategy than signing complete unknown youth players and hoofing it forward hoping for the best

 

[Tony Towner]

I think there's a conversation to be had about our contrasting styles against a poor Southampton side, 6 days apart and the respective results. That's not it. We didn't hoof the ball last week.

 

[The Bear]

1955
cardiff 1 wolves 9

And our best league home win was 10-1 against Leicester in 1938.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Its almost as if signing quality, skilful and creative players who are proven in the premier league like perez and tielemans and having an attacking plan is a better strategy than signing complete unknown youth players and hoofing it forward hoping for the best

Very much doubt Ayoze Perez would have been on many people's shopping lists this summer - and he'd scored 0 goals going into last night, imagine the pelters he'd have been getting off our fans. Tielemans was already there, signing him is the same as us signing Raul. Perez is the ONLY new player from last season in their starting XI, Praet isn't getting much game time.

It's too simplistic to think "we finished above Leicester last season so we should always finish above them now". The margins were fairly fine - five points, massively helped by us beating them in the last minute at Molineux - and it's only four seasons since they won the title. They've had all that time (and the finance/stature that continually being a mid-table PL team for that length of time gives you) to gradually move on from that team, bar Vardy and Schmeichel. Three years ago we were still playing Dave Edwards for every minute of every game. You have to remember how accelerated our progress is and it's not always going to continue on that trajectory.

The biggest difference between Leicester now and 12 months ago is that they have a far better manager in place. Unless you think we also need a better manager...

This is not to say we got everything right in the summer because we obviously didn't, but I do find the mindset of our fans quite odd sometimes, as if we've now got a divine right to be better than the likes of Leicester, West Ham, Everton etc because of one season.

Plus as the pundits like to remind us every week, we have far more games to play than any of those clubs this season.

 

[prawnking]

Very much doubt Ayoze Perez would have been on many people's shopping lists this summer - and he'd scored 0 goals going into last night, imagine the pelters he'd have been getting off our fans. Tielemans was already there, signing him is the same as us signing Raul. Perez is the ONLY new player from last season in their starting XI, Praet isn't getting much game time.

It's too simplistic to think "we finished above Leicester last season so we should always finish above them now". The margins were fairly fine - five points, massively helped by us beating them in the last minute at Molineux - and it's only four seasons since they won the title. They've had all that time (and the finance/stature that continually being a mid-table PL team for that length of time gives you) to gradually move on from that team, bar Vardy and Schmeichel. Three years ago we were still playing Dave Edwards for every minute of every game. You have to remember how accelerated our progress is and it's not always going to continue on that trajectory.

The biggest difference between Leicester now and 12 months ago is that they have a far better manager in place. Unless you think we also need a better manager...

This is not to say we got everything right in the summer because we obviously didn't, but I do find the mindset of our fans quite odd sometimes, as if we've now got a divine right to be better than the likes of Leicester, West Ham, Everton etc because of one season.

Plus as the pundits like to remind us every week, we have far more games to play than any of those clubs this season.

Hmmmm, even as someone who was as critical as anyone of our summer dealings I find Monstrum a little harsh here, but let's not rewrite history to prove it. I'm pretty sure a few months back when it was suggested our peers were seemingly showing more ambition in strengthening their first XI you literally said it wasn't as urgent for us as we were starting from a better position and had a better team having finished above them...yet now that's too simplistic?

I also don't think Monstrum's point is 'we should sign Perez', more that Leicester invested in their first team more successfully than we did (whether you agree with that or not is another matter, but I think that's more his point).

And if we're taking the pundits line about playing so many games affecting our league form seriously, surely it leads to a valid criticism that Nuno and the club should have forseen this obvious effect and moved to address this in their squad reshaping over the summer? Either with a bigger squad, or a smaller squad with greater quality?

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Like I say, we didn't get everything right. Expectations for Vallejo would have been much higher, that move for Kessié (or similar) should have been made sooner as it was a fairly obvious area of squad weakness and I dare say we would have expected a bit more from Cutrone so far (though he'll be fine in the long run, I'm sure).

Leicester are beating us 1-0 then on first XI recruitment so far (and even that would have been debatable 24 hours ago given as I say, their one arrival had made zero tangible impact), we're hardly talking about a massive gulf in successful activity. Which other teams are we talking about, West Ham? I still think we'll finish above them, they're one point better off as it stands.

 

[Jabbawolf]

Like I say, we didn't get everything right. Expectations for Vallejo would have been much higher, that move for Kessié (or similar) should have been made sooner as it was a fairly obvious area of squad weakness and I dare say we would have expected a bit more from Cutrone so far (though he'll be fine in the long run, I'm sure).

Leicester are beating us 1-0 then on first XI recruitment so far (and even that would have been debatable 24 hours ago given as I say, their one arrival had made zero tangible impact), we're hardly talking about a massive gulf in successful activity. Which other teams are we talking about, West Ham? I still think we'll finish above them, they're one point better off as it stands.

...and Traore is like a new signing...

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Traore really has been a revelation. No doubt about it. And I am confident that Cutrone will end up improving with our coaching in a similar fashion. I do think we missed a trick in not nailing the Kessie signing. Hopefully we rectify that in January.

 

[Alan]

I wouldn't have called Tielemans "proven", either. Six months isn't a long time. You know who else had a good six month period on loan and was very much a "proven" Prem player?

Jamie fucking O'Hara.

Leicester are a good side. Saying "we should have just done what they did" is unbelievably reductive.

 

[AndyWolves]

Leicester spent a net of about £15m

We spent a net of about £84m

 

[prawnking]

There's a lot of football to be played, but I can understand those who think an opportunity to make league strides this season was there and flash an envious glance at a team like Leicester who look better placed currently to take advantage of it.

Maybe it's ungrateful or overambitious to think that way, and I expect there are some toxic variants of this mindset elsewhere online, but for me I'm still enjoying the season, wherever we end up (I doubt we're relegation candidates, for a start). Hopefully Cutrone and Neto (and maybe even Vallejo) can develop this season and we can invest again in the summer (and keep Nuno and the players we want).

As for Europe, I just wanted us to get to the group stage, so I'm ecstatic seeing us getting some great away wins, and if we get through the group stage, even better

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Raul and Dendoncker were £50m of that though.

Who did Leicester sell then, as Tielemans was £40m and Ayoze was £30m?

 

[Kenny]

Raul and Dendoncker were £50m of that though.

Who did Leicester sell then, as Tielemans was £40m?

Harry for £80m

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Of course - I am such a dick.

So Net Spend is a NONSENSE of a comparison when one of the sides sells a player for £80m and the other sells nobody.

Fair comparison is clearly overall spend. Leicester about £95m, Wolves £84m.

 

[PuntsWolf]

Leicester didn’t need to spend that much as they already have a solid squad. Plus their manager didn’t get enough out of them in the first 2/3s of the season.

We were starting way behind them really (13 outfield players fit for purpose). We weren’t really ever going to be able to compete with Leicester this year without serious investment which the club aren’t keen on and are possibly not allowed to.

 

[AndyWolves]

Of course - I am such a dick.

So Net Spend is a NONSENSE of a comparison when one of the sides sells a player for £80m and the other sells nobody.

Fair comparison is clearly overall spend. Leicester about £95m, Wolves £84m.

Not really, when the implication is lack of ambition.

If we'd sold Neves we'd have spent more than 84

There are also ffp implications too

 

[Jack Regan]

Stones doing his usual England pass out of defense nearly gifts Villa the lead. Villa holding their own so far.