The Season So Far

[Norman Deeley]

So here we are, a third of the season gone, 16 played, 35 points, two points clear, the leading goalscorers, Leo leading the golden boot and Barry D second in the assists, and odds-on with the bookies. We'd have settled for that at the start of the season! So a quick straw poll:

- Who is your player of the season so far (having changed my mind four times I'm currently on Bonatini)
- Your goal of the season? (Jota with Bonatini assist at Forest)
- Who do you see as our biggest rivals for rest of the season? (Ourselves: complacency)
- What's the one key signing you want to see in Janaury? Feel free to name names, but whoever Nuno decides he wants as back up to Leo will do for me
- And is Nuno manager of the season so far? Or does that go to Chris Wilder?

 

[Langers]

It's very hard to think of any negatives from the season so far. It's been absolutely brilliant.

Player of the season so far: I could honestly name half a dozen. All the new signings have worked out, Neves is one of the best players I have ever seen in a Wolves shirt, Jota has no business playing in this league but I'm giving it to Leo Bonatini.
Goal of the season: Jota v Millwall
Biggest rivals: agree with Norm - we've set high standards and we won't be caught if we keep this up. It's down to us.
Key signing: RWB competition for Doherty. And support for Leo upfront.
Nuno: I really couldnt say if he's done a better job than Wilder. Both have been extremely impressive but I've not seen enough of Sheffield Utd to judge properly. My only concern is Wolves and Nuno hasn't put a foot wrong so far.

 

[Lycan]

Pots - Romain Saïss

Gots - Neves vs Hull City

Rivals - Sheffield United

Signing - If we could tie up any of the loans on permanent deals that would be brilliant. Wouldn't be too fussed if we didn't add anyone new as long as POA gets himself fit.

Mots - It's got to be Wilder if we're being fair. Even if we had won every game this season it'd probably still be Wilder, he's done an excellent job for Blades.

 

[sycophantia]

Dificult to pick one player of the year so far, everyones done a great job, even the players from last year who we all thought would be binned by Nuno. If I have to I'd say Leo, assists and goals compared to last seasons strikers....mind you Coady in our other area of weakness seems to have bought a good measure of organization. Our absolute most important squad member has to be Nuno.
Goal, I'm going to go for the only one I've seen live, N'Daiye against Barnsley, sweeping move, cracking finish in what was a high pressure part of the match.
Biggest rivals I think Cardiff, Blades have been excellent but don't know if they can maintain it.
January signings got to be a striker, to expect Leo to do that role all season is unrealistic, I know Jota and Cav can play up the middle but think we look so much better with them wider and Leo up the middle.....of course hopefully Bright sorts out his inconsistency, also a backup/replacement for Doc
Nuno just shades Wilder, yes he has had the opportunity to bring in better quality players but he also started with an almost completely new team and a big plus for me is getting the players already here to perform on a different level

 

[SLB]

-Who is your player of the season so far - Joselu
- Your goal of the season? Jota. Maradona style.
- Who do you see as our biggest rivals for rest of the season? Jorge Mendes selling spree
- What's the one key signing you want to see in Janaury? Filipe Augusto from Benfica. What a player I heard...
- And is Nuno manager of the season so far? Or does that go to Chris Wilder? Nuno has done great but I've heard about a guy called Rui Vítoria in Portugal...he would be even better! Pinky swear

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Player of the season: So many contenders but I'm going to pick Coady. From a terrible central midfielder and as bog standard a defensive right back as you could get to a standout performer in the heart of defence, and clearly a massive influence on the team on and off the pitch.

Goal of the season: Leo against Villa. Breaking from our own area, ludicrous bit of skill by Neves, Jota ripping apart three Villa defenders (including John Terry) and then Leo finishing it off from an angle which looked impossible.

Biggest rivals: I don't see Cardiff lasting, they're very one dimensional and have started to wobble already, only two wins in six now. Sheffield United and Bristol City look the two best teams other than us though in all honesty, I'm not sure either will get that close.

One key signing: If I'm only allowed one then we do need another striker, an injury to Leo at present would really upset how we play. Got to be a similar kind of player though, a pure poacher (eg Charlie Austin) would be no good to us.

Manager of the season: Got to be Wilder really, immense job. If you can get Leon Clarke scoring in this division then you've clearly got something about you. A nod to Harry Redknapp who has built the kind of squad and team spirit that Birmingham City have deserved for years.

 

[Tredman]

POTS: Coady for me, miraculous transformation and looks a really excellent sweeper. Could easily play in the Prem for us.

GOTS: Leo against villa, lovely goal and really rammed it home to the villa (and terry) that we are the team to beat in the champ

Biggest rivals: Bristol City (though I think boro will come good)

Key signing: RWB, if German Phil doesn’t get fit. Plus another striker would be good.

Manager: Nuno, Blades might be doing well, but in the space of a preseason Nuno completely changed the way we play and transformed our existing players and made us win. Outstanding.

 

[malta mick]

POTS: Coady for me, miraculous transformation and looks a really excellent sweeper. Could easily play in the Prem for us.

GOTS: Leo against villa, lovely goal and really rammed it home to the villa (and terry) that we are the team to beat in the champ

Biggest rivals: Bristol City (though I think boro will come good)

Key signing: RWB, if German Phil doesn’t get fit. Plus another striker would be good.

Manager: Nuno, Blades might be doing well, but in the space of a preseason Nuno completely changed the way we play and transformed our existing players and made us win. Outstanding.

fully agree with all the above, but would tie Coady and Jota

 

[Parkins left foot]

Player of the season: Difficult choice indeed, though the chance to make a sensible choice with no clear candidate is why we are where we are. Going with Leo for now as so integral to the way the team plays on top of his individual exploits.

Goal: Neves v Hull

Biggest rivals: don't like it but probably Boro or Villa - teams that have expectation that they should be in the Premier league, more likely to be able to sustain a challenge & willing to throw more money at it in Jan (whether they really have any or not)

Key signing: as with others another (suitable) striker - more or less covered elsewhere

Manager of the season: Much as Nuno is our best signing, at this stage of the season has to be Wilder. Can't believe he's managed to get them a third of the way through the season without falling away yet. Promoted sides often have initial momentum, but doesn't usually last this long.

 

[nimrod]

easily the most optimistic I've ever felt about the direction we're going in. the results, the style of play, the quality we've brought in, the level-headedness of the management team, the financial capability of the owner, our amazing fanbase.

pots: Jota
gots: so many choices, but loved Jota's v Hull. wideman to wideman and love the way he attacks the back post.
rivals: the table doesn't lie, so sheff u
key signing: prob cover for Leo, but otherwise any signing that improves this team would be a key one.
mots: you'd have to give it to Wilder at the moment. a sheff U mate posted today they've taken 229 points from his last 107 games.

 

[The Bear]

POTS - Jota. Ridiculous skill coupled with desire. Hit the ground running and makes defences look silly at times. One of the reasons Leo has been so prolific IMO. Arguably the best player in the league.

GOTS - Villa for me too. From back to front just ridiculously good.

Biggest Rivals - Sheff Utd. They keep on getting results and I can't see them dropping off like Cardiff, Leeds, etc.

Key Signing - Striker without a doubt. Lose Leo to long-term injury and we're stuck playing one of the AMs there, which would probably be ok, but isn't ideal for such a key position.

Manager - Wilder for me. Nuno deserves a huge amount of credit for how he's changed our formation and style of play in such a short time. But Wilder hasn't had the money to transform his squad like Nuno has. Getting them as top two candidates with their existing squad deserves huge props.

 

[FrankMunro-371]

POTS - Jota

GOTS - Neves at Hull City.

Biggest rival will end up being complacency.

Key Signing - Another striker.

Manager - Nuno.

 

[slink]

Player of the season: I'm going with Leo. 10 goals and 4 assists is an outstanding return so far. Honestly could have picked Coady, Neves, Saiss and Jota in here too. Ruddy has made a couple of errors but he's definitely been a difference at the back too and had Boly not been injured think he would be in the reckoning. Just tell you how good we have been.

Goal of the season: Bonatini against Villa just about for the touch by Neves, the break by Jota and a top quality finish. Could have had Neves(Hull), Jota(Forest). Had Bonatini scored with his chance at QPR or Jota with the header against Villa they would have been the goal of the season so far.

Biggest rivals: Sheff Utd and Bristol City i think. Wilder doing a great job and they do look the second best side in the league and Bristol just seem to have something about them. Think Cardiff might fade away. Should add like others that if we play like we can then it doesn't matter what these teams do so our biggest rival might be ourselves but i don't expect it to be.

One key signing: Desperately need another RWB to either get in front of or play back up to Doc if Phil doesn't get fit. I'd take another striker too as back up to Leo but that won't be easy. If we can wait on signing Jota, Boly, Bonatini until we confirm promotion (sorry Frank) that enables us to buy these 2 players.

Manager of the season: Has to be Wilder for me, he's doing a fantastic job. Johnson is a prick but he's done a fantastic job at Bristol City too, no one expected them to be up there not even their own fans i would think. Nuno up there with them though as he's turned us around so quickly which definitely wasn't easy to do even if we have signed players who are easily premier League quality.

 

[jd1981]

POTS Coady/Bonatini

GOTS Neves at Hull

Biggest rivals, hard to say Sheff Utd will last the pace and Boro are creeping up.

Key signing back up to Leo

MATS Chris Wildet clearly got some average players playing way better than expected.

 

[Tony Towner]

POTS - Jota
GOTS - Jota v Milwall
Rivals - Anyone who finishes above Boro will go up. Sheff Utd have the momentum, I can't see them falling away.
Signing - Obviously forward and RWB
Manager - Wilder, given the resources it's almost impossible to give this to Nuno even though he's doing a tremendous job.

 

[StuardoWulf]

pots Jota
gots neves hull
rivals Villa cant see Bristol or Sheffield Utd keeping that up but they have amazed me as have we. Warnocks cloggers can fuck off
signing God knows (fortunately we have him as our manager)
manager Nuno

 

[Boozad]

POTS - Jota. Outrageous talent.
GOTS -Bonatini v Villa.
Rivals - Sheff Utd, Boro.
Signing - A forward or right wing back, they'll be crucial.
Manager - Nuno.

 

[Peter_Knowles_Ghost]

POTS : Most of them, but Bonatini in particular
GOTS : Bonatini v Villa
RIVALS : Sheff Utd, Boro
JAN SIGNINGS : Bonatini back-up, back-up/replacement for Doc
MOTS : Chris Wilder, given the resources he's got

 

[victhegreek]

POTS : Most of them, but Bonatini in particular
GOTS : Bonatini v Villa
RIVALS : Sheff Utd, Boro
JAN SIGNINGS : Bonatini back-up, back-up/replacement for Doc
MOTS : Chris Wilder, given the resources he's got

Completely agree with this.

 

[NE66Wolf]

POTS : Neves, but I think Boli could become talisman, our Kompany if he stays fit.
GOTS : Neves v Hull
RIVALS : I think Boro will have a strong 2nd half of the season
JAN SIGNINGS: Striker to share the load with Bonatini and a Right wing back to share the load with Doc
MOTS : Nuno - how he has got this team performing in such a short time is amazing.