The Summer 2018 Transfer Thread

[Jinky]

He didn't produce as much in attacking areas as he should have done (he still can't cross a ball for one thing) and there were still quite a few games where he was very poor (Barnsley and Forest at home, Villa, Sheff Utd and Fulham away, there's five straight off). But he also had some good games. He improved in some key areas, ie fitness and learning how you actually cover the back post. He had a decent season. 7/10. Not "excellent", that to me is "bollocks".

His touch, output and defending are not good enough for the Premier League IMO. Our wingbacks are going to spend a lot more time in their own half this season and we know that is not his forté. He even admits it himself.

I don't even want to talk about him, I just don't get why he's being white knighted out of nowhere on a Monday morning. He's played nearly 200 games for us and conservatively I'll have seen 130+ of them so I'll reserve my right to have an opinion on him, thanks.

No one has "white knighted" him any more or less than he's been harshly slated within a minute of his name being mentioned.

Anyway, to summarise; still need a CB, CM & RWB for me. Hopefully see some movement this week or people will really start to wet themselves.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Not really, Booz said bringing in "cover/competition" for him is a stupid concept, we're not in the business of signing players who are worse than what we have. Least of all in the position that even the Matt Doherty Fan Club (est July 2018) would have to concede is probably our weakest in terms of both quality and depth.

 

[Langers]

I would never have been saying this this time last year but I am happy for him to be a member of the squad for this season coming up. He looks even trimmer this pre-season, he's obviously a popular member of the squad and I think ability wise he is fine as a squad member in a Premier League side. We will quickly move on (hopefully anyway) from him much like many other players if we are as ambitious as we appear but if Nuno rates him I can handle that for now.

Anyone we sign in that position (and you'd like to think we will) we would obviously be looking for a better standard of player. I wonder if we are still interested in Sarr.

Totally agree.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

I don't even want to talk about him, I just don't get why he's being white knighted out of nowhere on a Monday morning. He's played nearly 200 games for us and conservatively I'll have seen 130+ of them so I'll reserve my right to have an opinion on him, thanks.

He's not getting white knighted, but he is being defended for what I see as over the top criticism from your good self and others on here, and a lot of it is down to preconceptions from previous seasons where he was poor.

Interesting that the 5 you quote are in all but one case games we dropped points in, so that reaffirms my point that he was very important to us last season.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Least of all in the position that even the Matt Doherty Fan Club (est July 2018)

Oh fucking hell, can i not have an opinion that is different that doesn't mean I am saying Matt Doherty is the best RWB in the history of football?

I am merely saying that for many, many months i have read OTT criticism of him, he is over analysed on here because people need to justify their previous criticisms of him.

Lets all take a break and actually look at how he played last season in isolation, and that he was one of the most important players in the team, he was consistent, motivated (despite having no backup, that alone is impressive, especially given how disinterested he has looked in the past) and despite playing almost every minute he never really looked leggy or knackered.

All that said, that's not to say we don't need to improve on him, we do.

 

[Lycan]

Nobody wants to see Doherty vs Hazard. We need an upgrade.

Our interest in Cancelo should show that the club feel the same way.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

You can read every single verdict I wrote last season if you like, I don't think any of them were overly anti-Doherty other than when he had a shit game (and he doesn't tend to do just "mildly shit", if he's off his game then he looks like a pub player).

I would argue he got disproportionate praise if anything because he was so crap before. If he'd been a new signing he'd have been viewed as a decent enough arrival for that level, one that needs upgrading ASAP. Not third place in our Player of the Year awards ahead of 17 goal Diogo Jota.

 

[White Wolf]

Still don't rate him at all. Like DW said his touch is poor and his crossing is not good enough. Wing-backs are key in the system we play and we are limited on one side because he puts a decent ball in about 2 times every 10. He's much better going forwards than defending granted, but we are going to have to defend a lot more than last season and he is the weak link.

RWB is the absolute priority for me, then I'd like a CM, CB, CF, maybe a LWB and another CM in that order.

 

[PuntsWolf]

Doherty defended better than Douglas last season (low bar), and in open play his attacking play was probably better. But Barry gets a free pass because he was a new signing, takes a decent corner and scored a few banging set pieces.

 

[darlowolf64]

Last time we were promoted to the Premier League we made the mistake of having most of our signings as "back up or competition for" players we already had with the odd signing of a better player.
This time we seem to be doing it correctly, replacing players at the top and moving on players at the bottom.
I agree with Alan when he said earlier that an upgrade on Saiss may be difficult to bring in at the moment and he should be given his chance this season. However we have ONE, first team RWB and we need to sign another as I don't know where German Phil is and Oscar Buur isn't ready. SO...Do we sign an "understudy" for the wing back we have or upgrade and move him down a level to the back up role? Even the most ardent Doc fan must acknowledge that it is a weak spot in the squad and we must improve the standard of player there.

RWB improvement is top of my list, RCB is 2nd on my list and if we can get an upgrade on Saiss and another QUALITY forward then we should but I really would like MGW to be given the chance to prove what he can do. If you are good enough, you're old enough

 

[Johnny75]

Doherty defended better than Douglas last season (low bar), and in open play his attacking play was probably better. But Barry gets a free pass because he was a new signing, takes a decent corner and scored a few banging set pieces.

I think Douglas 5 goals and 15 assists may well edge his performance over Doc (4 goals, 5 assists).

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Doherty defended better than Douglas last season (low bar), and in open play his attacking play was probably better. But Barry gets a free pass because he was a new signing, takes a decent corner and scored a few banging set pieces.

Exactly.

Also, this talk of Doherty not being able to cross is a red herring (firstly because i don't think that's true) and secondly because we very, very rarely actually crossed the ball into the box at all last season (relatively speaking).

Doherty's touch is fine, he was bringing down 40-50 yard passes from Neves 4 or 5 times a game, every game and without being blessed with pace (somehow) seemed to wriggle his way around opposing defenders.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

I think Douglas 5 goals and 15 assists may well edge his performance over Doc (4 goals, 5 assists).

How many of Barry's assists were from open play?

Genuine question.

 

[PuntsWolf]

I think Douglas 5 goals and 15 assists may well edge his performance over Doc (4 goals, 5 assists).

Do you not understand the words “open play” and “set pieces” or did you just choose to ignore them?

 

[Lycan]

Didn't realise set pieces didn't count.

You better let France know Punts, they're all happy thinking that they won the World Cup but they actually drew 2-2.

 

[Boozad]

Doherty's touch is fine, he was bringing down 40-50 yard passes from Neves 4 or 5 times a game, every game and without being blessed with pace (somehow) seemed to wriggle his was around opposing defenders.

And therein lies the biggest issue for me, there was usually nobody within 10 - 15 yards of him when he brought the ball under control, but by the time he'd thought about what he wanted to do he'd been closed down and nullified the pace of the attack. That happened numerous times.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Didn't realise set pieces didn't count.

You better let France know Punts, they're all happy thinking that they won the World Cup but they actually drew 2-2.

I thought this was the premier Wolves forum?

 

[Johnny75]

Exactly.

Also, this talk of Doherty not being able to cross is a red herring (firstly because i don't think that's true) and secondly because we very, very rarely actually crossed the ball into the box at all last season (relatively speaking).

Doherty's touch is fine, he was bringing down 40-50 yard passes from Neves 4 or 5 times a game, every game and without being blessed with pace (somehow) seemed to wriggle his way around opposing defenders.

I presume you have the stats to back all of this up?

Or is it just your opinion that you are putting forward as fact?

 

[PuntsWolf]

Didn't realise set pieces didn't count.

You better let France know Punts, they're all happy thinking that they won the World Cup but they actually drew 2-2.

I haven’t said they didn’t count. They are a big part of the game but the stick that is being used to beat Doherty with is a biased one. Just bringing balance to the argument.

 

[Johnny75]

Didn't realise set pieces didn't count.

You better let France know Punts, they're all happy thinking that they won the World Cup but they actually drew 2-2.

England wouldn't have got out of their group!