Wolves banter 9

05 Apr 2024 23:34:15
There has been some criticism against Sarabia. According to some stats, he is up there with Neto in goal assists. His performances may have dropped off with Cunha out of the team. Hopefully against West Ham he may regain some form.

06 Apr 2024 06:49:36
I understand the concern of some about his general play Lindsay.but he is the only one in the team who can deliver a decent ball from a set-piece!

06 Apr 2024 06:56:00
There was comments regards sarabia the other day lindsayb. I think he's become the 'whipping' boy for a couple of reasons, first he's seen as w 'wasteful' with some play, I personally think his passing is sometime more thoughtful than those around him nit anticipating or moving early enough. Secondly he's working in abnormal positions with abnormal support, add to that his age and his sustainable energy levels he maybe slowing up as the game goes on. Everyone looks to blame a poor return and sarabia seems to be our new Adama, who, incidently, was our best goal assist before neto. When things don't happen it's poor, when they come off the scorer is remembered the provider often forgot and if we think of RANs equaliser the other day who was it who floated that ball in? Sarabia is a very very important member of the team and as you say with cunha back he'll have someone on his wavelength and abilities. We just need to get others working with them.

06 Apr 2024 08:50:05
Agree Abbeywolf we’d be in a worse place without him this season.

06 Apr 2024 08:53:12
I must admit I don't know why people are criticising Sarabia. His delivery from set pieces is fantastic. Yes he's looked at little off without Hwang and Cuhna, but some of the passes put into him have been shocking. There are no free loaders out on the pitch for Wolves now and we should get behind and support each and all of them. We have a great team and a great manager.

05 Apr 2024 12:49:12
Additional to what was posted below I was lying in bed this morning contemplating what this season might bring and with nothing more than gut feel came up with the belief that we'll finish in 8th. I know many of us have aspirations of a European place, but I really don't think we have the player resources to get there.

However, given the goings-on of pre-season and the installation of a 'rooky' manager that in itself would be a very creditable performance, one in the eye for all the pundits and assorted 'experts' that had us down for relegation. The FA Cup was a disappointment but symptomatic of my earlier observations, imo. We just don't have the strength in depth and given the additional injury burden that we are enduring we will just have to limp through to the end of the season, pardon the pun. However, next season could look different as the benefits of last years re-organisation start to be felt and we continue buying more wisely and hopefully getting more 'bang for our buck'. A period, where our performance is more important than Gestifutes balance sheet.

Still, that was then, this is now and given those changes, at last, we have some football knowledge in charge of recruitment as Wolves become an established Premier League club, irrespective of any cut backs. Yes we've dodged bullets but personally I'm grateful that Fosun reacted when they did to make those changes as once clubs get locked into that cycle of unsustainable debt it's game over, just look at Everton. A once well run club that remained a stalwart of the top flight for many years but now, OMG. They will get a further points deduction and given that their debts have doubled again this season guess what the future will bring? All that saddled with losses of £500M over the last 5 years plus the costs of a brand new stadium and about to be sold to the 777 Group, what can possibly go wrong?

They're not on their own, Wolves despite all of our protestations, cut their cloth very short to avoid joining that unenviable group of clubs City, Everton, Chelsea, Notts Forest who all have or will be subjected to sanctions, points deductions or worse. There are more on the fringes like Villa who will probably need to do something similar to us come the summer.

As Wolves fans we've heard the 'gravy tomorrow' promises a lot over the years but I do feel much more confident now with the likes of Hobbs/GON buying the players than I ever did during the Shi/Sellars/Mendes era, but time will tell. So I look forward to the summer, planning ride outs on the bike across the country secure in the knowledge that we go again next year in the Premier League. It's a nice feeling, content is the word, so long as the increasingly ageist insurance industry is happy to insure me and I'm not forced to buy something more sedate before I'm ready to. Just put that in context I was once asked in a rather supercilious manner "why does a man your age ride a 200 mph superbike?" to which my reply was an equally supercilious "because they don't make a 300 mph one". Well they do say do one thing every day that scares you, good for the heart, apparently.😎😈

05 Apr 2024 14:33:13
Hi LongmyndWolf,
Great post. I'm not quite as optimistic as you regarding our finishing position. I'm going 12-13th, which is still fantastic considering what the so called pundits predicted.
PS my superbike insurance has gone through the roof even at my tender age of 64. Do I want to go smaller and slower though🤔🤔 Absolutely not 😉

05 Apr 2024 15:26:18
Nice to know you're a kindred biker spirit Blackfords. Tbf my insurance only went up £7 from last year but that year it did jump up quite a bit due to me reaching a certain age. Again though I have I have a better policy and a much lower excess, so perhaps I shouldn't complain too much.

As for my other hobby I'll stick with my top half prediction. 🤞🤞

05 Apr 2024 16:36:54
Hi Longmynd, I agree with much of your post.
However, not us finishing 8th (nice though it would be!)
I am closer to Blackfords view, 12th or 13th, which would still represent a very successful season.
In the meantime, both you chaps ride safe over the summer.

05 Apr 2024 17:51:45
Hi Rugeley, if we beat West Ham tomorrow I will be more confident and it will be a good measure of where we are as they're not in good form at the moment.

05 Apr 2024 18:00:44
I would be surprised and delighted to finish 8th, the current top 5 will almost certainly finish above us, I expect Brighton, Man U, Newcastle and maybe Chelsea and West Ham to finish above us to. I'll go 10th.

05 Apr 2024 22:04:32
If all those teams finish above us, we'll finish 11th.

I think we'll finish 8th personally and get into Conference League (if 5 qualify for Champions League)

05 Apr 2024 23:28:01
I'd be happy with 11th tbh especially as we were favourites for relegation.

06 Apr 2024 11:42:31
Imo we'll finish 11th.

Safe riding longmynd and Blacksfords .

COYW

03 Apr 2024 22:31:01
Wouldn't it be great if Wolves could reach the heights of Brighton who have announced a huge profit.

03 Apr 2024 23:13:22
If we sell Gomes, Neto and Cuhna, we will.

04 Apr 2024 06:48:31
Thankfully our football operations are now back on a firm footing.
However, sadly after 3 years of wanton profligacy by the CEO we are not in a solid place financially.

04 Apr 2024 09:00:30
Well we could be like Forest, Everton, Leicester, Newcastle, Villa, Palace, and Arsenal who look like they may have to sell players or be docked points.

Arsenal and Villa may be saved by the extra money gained from European competition.

04 Apr 2024 10:09:27
Don't forget Chelsea. They must be in deep doodah.

04 Apr 2024 15:05:58
Or man city blackfords, they'll have a day of reckoning too.

04 Apr 2024 16:33:03
Look at what BHA had to do to get to the profit - sell their manager and players.

04 Apr 2024 18:05:56
Absolutely Jack.

04 Apr 2024 20:03:27
They might have sold players but BHA have done so at the absolute top value they could get! In two sales they made more profit than we did in about 2/3 seasons! They are definitely a team most mid table teams like ours need to try and replicate, buy low sell high as ya can and reinvest the difference in the club. Look at Neves or Jota both of those players should have gone for FAR more than they did but we need to manage our contracts better. Having to sell players who are running down contracts and have made clear they won't resign is a sure fire way to sell players on the cheap. Let's hope we've learnt our lesson cause we can't afford to lose Neto on the cheap. Mind you his injuries are the biggest problem there 😭

05 Apr 2024 05:28:21
The thing is BullysBoy III, with that technique / method clubs eventually run out of road - there are many recent-ish examples:
*Leicester City
*Southampton
*Aston Villa

05 Apr 2024 07:03:41
Reported yesterday, albeit unofficially that red mancs want kilman in summer. Given he's just signed a 5 year contract and European teams showed an interest pre this season, how much should we ask, should we decline all offers or cash in? It's difficult to run a club and make a profit whilst maintaining a position. Brighton seem to have done that but with ffp etc I can't see 100m transfer fees being offered now.

05 Apr 2024 09:48:58
Hi Abbeywolf,
Difficult to gauge selling prices now with FFP. I did see the alleged interest in Kilman by the Mancs. Although he's ever present I'd sell for 50-60Mill if those kind of offers come across. For me Kilman gets caught out of position too many times, he gets caught ball watching and he's obviously not great at organising our current defensive line up without Dawson. Please though don't ask me who I'd replace him with but I'm sure there are better out there. I did put on a previous post though that we already need an experienced centre half to cover for Dawson. Maybe person?

05 Apr 2024 09:53:58
Forgot to add. If selling Kilman keeps us from selling RAN, Cuhna, Gomes, & Neto then yes cash in.

05 Apr 2024 12:45:47
It's fair point Jack, not sure about running out of road but think your examples are fair in so much as it only takes a couple of bad windows to break the system (basically what happened at Lec and South).
Isn't it funny, the same papers that are linking Kilman to United are also linking Southgate to the top job there. The same Southgate we ALL know clearly thinks Harry Manure is better than Max! 🤣
It's almost like these papers just make stuff up eh lads 👍🐺

05 Apr 2024 12:59:48
Would agree with you there blackfords. Do we want to be a big profit making club or a successful one that can generate funds through tv and sponsorship? Obviously the latter, so holding on to our assets is a must wherever possible.
Like you say though who replaces who when we sell. Brightons recruitment team have Obviously done their homework and not been sold a pup like we have been with fabio etc.

05 Apr 2024 13:29:12
Not that simple though is it Abbey! Every club in the country wants that (profit generating club without selling) sadly in reality there are VERY few of them! It becomes chicken and egg, even those clubs that now make good profits had to invest initially! Look at Lec, they have won a league and out of the group that is 'the rest' they should be right up there. Instead they are in the Champ and facing very real financial trouble! Every club has to sell and reinvest, what decides the club's success is just how well they do it 🧐

05 Apr 2024 13:32:28
It’s all paper talk about Max. A sports reporter from the Times, the paper who printed the piece was on Sky sport news last night. She admitted- no official contact from Man U, no official interest from them. He’s just another player, on a list of players, they have had people look at. Basically what most clubs do, have people watch other teams and players

03 Apr 2024 21:27:47
Results have been somewhat kind to us again.

04 Apr 2024 06:45:40
Yes vbwolf. Yes we need to make the most of our next two games, both winnable especially if we get Dawson and Hwang back.

03 Apr 2024 07:39:22
{Ed's Note - Shappy has posted a new article entitled, Concerns about Erik ten Hag at Manchester United

03 Apr 2024 00:16:13
If Forest get relegated would Chris Woods be a good signing for next season?

03 Apr 2024 01:36:55
I asked something similar a while ago but got shot down. He is a professional and doesn’t seem to rock the boat by being a squad player. He has 10 goals so far this season and knows where the net is for sure. He is 32 so maybe worth a punt as a squad player. He would be cheap so that suits wolves to a tee. Better than Chè Adams’s anyway.

03 Apr 2024 10:43:04
Not sure he is any better than Che Adams, they are both Champ strikers. I think what it is likely to come down is which player is most suited to the way we play. Think with the speed at which we counter not entirely sure where a fairly slow target man (Woods) fits into that?! Whilst I don't rate Che Adams especially highly I do still think his pace and work on the wings makes him more suited to our system 🧐

03 Apr 2024 10:54:19
His EPL career stats are about 65 from 210 appearances at lower end sides, I include Newcastle as the two seasons and 4 goals from 35 appearances was when they were struggling.

I suppose it depends if GON can integrate him into the system as he seems to provide little in the way of assists.

With a fit Neto and Cunha alongside he could be a good shout at the right price, but yes at 32 he's not going to start every game.

02 Apr 2024 21:54:59
SA, you hero. we got away with a point tonight. Too slow too loose with some tired legs. We're paying the price now and we've got to get the mojo back. Samedo was terrific tonight and thought Doc performed well. RAN ran but was abit indecisive at times.
The youngster up front obviously isn't ready yet but gives it his all. Lemina sounds fatigued, quite understandable given all he's been through. Still a points a point and as it is results have kept us in reach. Let's hope we can muster something on sat. COYW

03 Apr 2024 00:12:59
Take a point away at Burnley in grim conditions and lightweight squad.Well done Gary, always seems to have a plan, I know Burnley a bit miffed but we had a couple of good chances to take all 3 points.
Cunha back is great news.No one seems to mention Dawson, we need him back as Kilman and Toti need his experience.

03 Apr 2024 06:47:32
We are struggling with injuries, plus been short up front all season, so the coaching staff and squad are having to be really creative with selection and tactics.
Result I would rate as acceptable in the circumstances.
Sa was at his best, not just shot-stopping, but making sure the saves went in to safe areas.
Without Dawson's leadership at the back, we are vulnerable.
Surprised Bueno started rather than Doyle in midfield.
Ait-Nouri showing his versatility and doing a solid job further forward.
Good to see Chiwome getting a run out.
Cunha back will help.
Now it is all about next season.

03 Apr 2024 06:56:01
Fairly happy with a point against a Burnley side who were full of confidence after their result against Chelsea and saw this game as a great opportunity with a depleted and tired Wolves side. I agree 💯 that we need another striker, but we also need another experienced Centre half. Without Dawson our defence looks awful. A mid table PL team would have beaten us last night.

03 Apr 2024 07:59:04
GON needs backing in the summer or he will be off.

02 Apr 2024 21:41:08
Why are we content on playing for one point when there was a good 40 mins left. Do they not want to get into Europe?

02 Apr 2024 22:05:19
Yep a missed opportunity I think. We seem to be getting worse every game. I’m not sure what Sarabia brings other than being one of the uninjured front line but he thinks he’s playing the best football of his career. I try to stay positive and always hope/think we can win but some of the football we play is terrible. Really hope we can get a few quality players in in the summer, the lack of competition in the side isn’t helping. Glad to see Cunha back, instant improvement when he came on. I thought the young lad did well considering the lack of service. If Ran could score we would have won comfortably, he needs to pass it to someone who can shoot.

02 Apr 2024 22:35:22
Is Sarabia the new villian of the piece?

He got the assist tonight.
He was constantly looking to play the ball forward and linked up with Semedo really well at times.

The issue is that young Chiwome is not as experienced as Hwang, Neto and Cunha and Sarabia rarely had an advancing player to look for.

When Cunha came on, for 6 minutes you could see that Semedo, Sarabia and Cunha were more attacking as Cunha instantly started dragging defenders out of position.

02 Apr 2024 23:37:08
I’ve felt that way about sarabia for a while tbh Jas, I get what your saying though, I guess he needs better players around him to show what he can do. He reminds me a bit of podence with the flapping arms and complaining about things but at least he doesn’t dive around all the time. Just disappointed as we could have gained some ground on the other teams around us. Cunha really drives us forward, he even had time to get frustrated with the backwards passes when we should have been playing it forwards.

03 Apr 2024 07:42:09
Said as much re sarabia the other day jas. Some of his play seems way above others in the thought process. Admittedly his stamina gets shorter as time goes on, but that's not worthy of criticism under our circumstances.
Lemina is another who seems to suffering an exhaustive period trying to cover the pitch in and out of position and its no wonder we have to 'settle' for a point sometime rather than risk defeat by chasing up and trying to get back with tired legs.
I was abit bemused at doyles absence last night. I suspect it was a tactical move to get RAN forward but I also hope doyles OK.
I hope now with cunha back we can put in a shift against the hammers but until Dawsons back we seem fragile.

03 Apr 2024 10:51:19
Yeah would seem that Sarabia has been recast in the pantomime villan role, previously Adamas role! 🤣
We quite literally stole a point last night because of Sarabias exquisite set piece delivery from the dead ball but yeah the performance is still all his fault! 🙄
I was also abit worried about Doyle, cause if we think Doherty playing out of position is better than Doyle then not sure what he's doing here (and worried he'll be asking the same this morning)! 🐺

03 Apr 2024 10:53:14
Cunha was the same infront of goal last ssn.ran should do some trai ning with him.and sarabia is a 10mins a ssn player.garbage.and only playing because he's fit and doyle is no better

03 Apr 2024 11:14:57
Might be quicker to tell us who you do actually rate Bux?! 🤣

03 Apr 2024 11:37:43
Buxwolf, is there anything that you're happy about with the club?

03 Apr 2024 12:23:24
I didn’t say it was all his fault, a bit of an overreaction. I’ve taken the hint, will keep my opinion to myself. I guess we are only aloud to pick on the youngsters on here and say they aren’t good enough for the prem.

03 Apr 2024 13:22:59
Goatmark1. You are entitled to your opinion and we should respect it as you back your opinion with reasoning too. We might not all agree but your opinion is valued, whereas others just slate everything about the club.

03 Apr 2024 13:45:22
Oh c'mon Goat buddy, as I've said before nothings personal on here! I wasn't just talking to you, it's more the general 'Sarabia is pants' mob, like I said it used to be Adama now it's Pablo. It happens at every club, no ones fault just not always entirely fair/logical?
And sorry but not disagreeing with you on the last point, I've yet to see one of our youngsters that GENUINELY look ready to play at this level? Would be VERY happy to be proven wrong mind? 👍

03 Apr 2024 15:16:49
Hang on, turns out I'm wrong we do have a youngster good enough to play. He's called Morgan Gibbs-White anyone seen him play?! Jez the extent to which the club ballsed up switching him for Guedes is truly criminal! 🧐

03 Apr 2024 15:26:37
What gets me is that some fans are happy to defend Fraser, Chirewa and Chiwome by saying that they are being forced to play due to injuries to others so we shouldn't expect too much from them but it was the very same fans that ridiculed Fabio Silva in very similar circumstances all due to the fee we paid for him.

03 Apr 2024 18:27:22
Morgan Gibbs White was offered the chance to stay and chose to leave. Guedes never wanted to be here. Neither turned out to be any good for us.
Gibbs White might me doing OK at Forest but would he get into our midfield ahead of Lemina, Gomes or Doyle?

03 Apr 2024 19:11:43
Different player Jas, I wouldn't play him in any of those roles but I would play him in Sarabia's. He also choose to leave after seeing the club invest more time and money in other clubs youngsters than there own! Imagine how gauling it must have been for him to have just won a World Cup with England just to find out that a player who hardly even featured in any such tournament was coming in on an INSANE £60k a week contract! Yes I am talking about Fabio, Gibbs was (and still is) a MUCH better player but which one did the club put their time and effort into getting/keeping?!

03 Apr 2024 19:38:58
I thought Gibbs White wanted to leave so he could work with Steve Cooper. He was offered a new contract and turned it down much like Adama did.

03 Apr 2024 20:07:45
He'd been at the club since he was 8, so if he wanted to leave it was clearly because he felt Cooper respected him more than our club did! Somewhat ironic mind that he's ended up playing for Nuno who he openly said was part of the problem mind 🤣

03 Apr 2024 21:26:21
It is indeed strange. Nuno gave him his chance and rated him but wanted him to go on loan an gain some experience.

Bruno Lage wanted to keep him but MGW felt he should be a regular starter and Forest were happy to oblige.

04 Apr 2024 11:14:30
MGW going was as much about attitude as playing ability and that always needs to be factored in, hence the Nunes and Guedes situations.

02 Apr 2024 13:18:23
Going for 3-1 to Wolves tonight, Sarabia first scorer, 40+ booking points, 3+ corners each half, 1 red card 90/1

02 Apr 2024 14:03:14
No chance.

02 Apr 2024 17:06:12
Think you’ve got a chance there Rated as long as Burnley get the red! 🤣 (Kompany poss?)

02 Apr 2024 17:08:35
TV promotes a massive 8 games in 3 days - well 7 games ‘cause Burnley v Wolves isn’t good enough! WTF. I should be used to it but it hurts.

02 Apr 2024 18:09:41
Will be better than the borefest that was city v Arsenal.

02 Apr 2024 21:51:39
Well done wolves considering our injury list.
I have to say though that we don't have a forward line, surely we must have a winger in the group.Their goalkeeper came to the centre circle at least 6 times totally unchallenged which means effectively they have an extra outfield player. Oh for a Podence or a Adama.

02 Apr 2024 10:38:50
I think we'll be at Burnley 2-0 with Kilman and Toti getting the goals.

02 Apr 2024 10:57:56
Think it'll be tough lostcity, we havnt won at turf Moor since 2010. They've proved to be abit of a bogey team although we won 1-0 earlier.
There seems to be a thought from a Burnley site that fraser and Hugo beuno will start with RAN dropped. Don't see RAN stepping down myself, but fraser starting a better choice I think. Not sure on this one but will go 2-1 with fraser netting.

02 Apr 2024 11:15:49
I'll take any win, its important o stop the rot and not to lose, we're down to the bare bones squad wise so hopefully no injuries as well.

02 Apr 2024 13:14:40
Or any yellow cards

02 Apr 2024 18:21:49
I'd take any win TBH. A scruffy 1-0 will do. Anything really to keep our season alive.
Going 2-0 Wolves win. Lemina and Sarabia.