Welcome Fabio Silva

[Tredman]

Yesterday was the first time I saw that there might be a top striker in Fabio. He led the line superbly, held the ball well when needed but also drove forward well when the chance was there - looked a bit like a pre-injury Raul performance.

It was only villa, with a terrible defence and no midfield, but good to see progress.

 

[big mean bunny]

My previous concern was we had signed the Portuguese version of Connor Wickham, meaning a big kid for his age groups who had excelled goal scoring wise as a result of that.

Improved performances aside Silva now needs to start adding goals. The first step is that he has played well enough he looks the backup now.

 

[Tredman]

That is our problem, we have plenty of forwards who look good (sometimes) but don’t actually score goals.

 

[sycophantia]

His overall play yesterday was decent, pity he went near post with his big chance but with more game time, hopefully he'll knock a few in before the end of the season

 

[Tony Towner]

The biggest difference is 18 months ago when we played them Mings absolutely bullied him, the boot was on the other foot yesterday

 

[Tredman]

I thought Mings would bully Fabio and Trincy yesterday, both did well against him - good to see.

 

[Lupo]

The biggest difference is 18 months ago when we played them, Mings absolutely bullied him, the boot was on the other foot yesterday

I loved it in the first half when he mugged Mings off to set up a one on one with Martinez!

If Mings can play for England... so can Kilman!

 

[Johnny75]

My previous concern was we had signed the Portuguese version of Connor Wickham, meaning a big kid for his age groups who had excelled goal scoring wise as a result of that.

Improved performances aside Silva now needs to start adding goals. The first step is that he has played well enough he looks the backup now.

He certainly showed yesterday that he can be a good player but it's the adding goals bit that concerns me.

He has certainly upped his physicality and as somebody said to me yesterday if he was £5-10m and bought as a project we'd all be excited but as it is he's nowhere near justifying his price tag yet.

But there is hope.

 

[MARKakaJIM]

My previous concern was we had signed the Portuguese version of Connor Wickham, meaning a big kid for his age groups who had excelled goal scoring wise as a result of that.

Improved performances aside Silva now needs to start adding goals. The first step is that he has played well enough he looks the backup now.

He had a pretty decent goals/assists:minutes last year I think? Despite frequently looking like he was a long way off in some aspects of the game he was getting into decent positions and had a fair number of chances.

This season he's certainly got more to grips with the physicality of what now faces him. He looks a bit broader but I think it's more in the way he carries himself and how he uses his body now, he's up for the challenge now and isn't shrugged out of the way like previously.

Perhaps his ability to better compete in other areas is drawing him away from the other parts that he previously concentrated on? Last year he maybe didn't bother with so many duels looking instead to find spaces but now he's doing more good work elsewhere that takes him away from the more threatening positions he's been able to loiter in before.

It's not like he's gone full Kevin Doyle corner flag magnet though anyway, yesterday he still got a shot after nicking it off Mings, the rebound before the first goal, nearly on the end of a cut back from Trincao and the late effort from the edge of the box.

 

[Deano]

Encouraging that Silva now actually looks like he's up to playing at this level. Previously it would be a worry if Raul was out, even given his lack of goals this season, we'd still miss his presence if he was out. Recently Silva has done a really good job of holding the ball and bringing others into play.

He does need to add goals but I think that will come naturally if he keeps his general performance levels high enough and gets a little run in the team.

 

[Templeton Peck]

The movement and the touch was always there but now he's quicker and stronger. Dominated Mings as many have already said. If he can add goals then we've really got something.

 

[Dire Wolf]

I thought his performance yesterday was as good if not better than almost any of Raul's performances this season. The best thing I think I could say is that based on yesterday we didn't look any weaker with him in the team than Raul on his current level of performance. If Jimenez can get back to his best it's a different conversation.

 

[Haggstone]

As Mark said, he showed last year that he is capable of getting into goal scoring positions and scoring the occasional goal. This season he has clearly developed physically and does seem a little quicker to me too.

Next season is key for him I think as he will look to become a more rounded player. If he can do that, we might, just might have a very good striker for the future.

He’s given us hope since the Manu Cameo that we have something to work with here, he’s willing to work at his game and learn. That’s good, but he has a lot to do still.

 

[Boozad]

I think his near post chance yesterday was a tough one, tight angle and Martinez closed the gaps well. His work in creating the chance was top drawer.
I think his effort in the second half was just as good, read the terrible distribution from Martinez, showed some great strength and composure to keep possession alive and hit a very good shot that had Martinez stretching to keep out.

He played very well yesterday and I was chuffed for him, would have loved a goal for him but sometimes you can’t have everything. He’s developing quite quickly now and while he’s nowhere near the finished article it’s good to see the ‘League One’ hyperbole and ‘bung’ moniker being resigned to the bin.

 

[PuntsWolf]

Wasn’t going to bite but I will.

He can still become a very good player and the transfer can still be a bung. It doesn’t have to be one or other.

Ignoring all the other reasons I’ve done to death, over a third of the fee went to third parties. That says enough.

Anyway. He played really well yesterday and he gets another go at Newcastle. Play well there and I don’t see how you can put Raul back in tbh.

 

[Dire Wolf]

Be nice to see if he and Raul can work as a front 2. I can't remember if that has ever happened other than maybe Fabio coming on as a sub?

 

[Lycan]

Be nice to see if he and Raul can work as a front 2. I can't remember if that has ever happened other than maybe Fabio coming on as a sub?

Raúl & Jota.

 

[Dire Wolf]

Raúl & Jota.

Yeah, I'm talking about Fabio and Raul together. Hence why the post is in the Fabio Silva thread.

 

[Boozad]

Wasn’t going to bite but I will.

He can still become a very good player and the transfer can still be a bung. It doesn’t have to be one or other.

Ignoring all the other reasons I’ve done to death, over a third of the fee went to third parties. That says enough.

Anyway. He played really well yesterday and he gets another go at Newcastle. Play well there and I don’t see how you can put Raul back in tbh.

I never said the transfer couldn't be a bung did I? That's between the club/s and the agent, fuck all to do with Fabio. The bung statements always seemed very personal and now that seems to be ebbing away which personally I'm happy about as I felt a lot of people let the club's dealings shadow their view of Fabio.

Thanks for biting though.

 

[PuntsWolf]

I never said the transfer couldn't be a bung did I? That's between the club/s and the agent, fuck all to do with Fabio. The bung statements always seemed very personal and now that seems to be ebbing away which personally I'm happy about as I felt a lot of people let the club's dealings shadow their view of Fabio.

Thanks for biting though.

You said it was “resigned to the bin”, which suggested otherwise, apologies if it’s my misinterpretation.

Wouldn’t be anything personal for me, as that would be silly, but can’t speak for everyone else.

Him being a roaring success is pretty crucial to us and I assume everyone wants what’s best for Wolves rather than being able to be right on the Internet with a bunch of strangers.