12 Jan 2021 23:53:18
Before the season started many were calling for Nuno to change his tactics after two 7th place finishes and a good run in the Europa League. Nuno has brought in young players who were to be gradually integrated into the team but unfortunately for the 1st time in his tenure, we have suffered a long list of injuries meaning these youngsters have had to be fast tracked into the 1st team before they were fully ready and accustomed to Nunos philosophy.
Our strongest team when everyone is fit is: Patricio, Saiss, Coady, Boly, Jonny, Semedo, Neves, Moutinho, Adama, Neto, Jimenez.
Subs: Ruddy, Podence, Dendoncker, Cutrone, Silva, Kilman and Vitinha, Marcal and Otosawie
Tonight we were without Boly, Jonny, Adama, Podence, Marcal and Jimenez as well as Dendoncker coming back from an injury.
We are not in a position to buy players as who would come for the short term knowing that once all of the injured players are back, they would be surplus to requirements? Hoever, Vitinha, Silva and Otasowie are not fully ready for regular action but we are forced into playing them.
We need to keep the faith. This is a situation beyond Nunos control. COYW.
13 Jan 2021 06:09:29
I agree 100% Jas.
I have faith in nuno and fosun.
I see why posters are frustrated, not getting the results no signings easy to lose faith and look for wrong doings, ie nunos tactics, silva not up to premier league standard, ait nouri and semedo can not defend can not play in back four no new signings.
Neves was equally to blame for everton first goal as he let iwobi run past him.
Their second goal was quality cross and quality header maybe dendonker could of done better to stop the cross.
Neves superb finish atoning for mistake on Everton first goal.
Lovely free kick 6 maybe 8 inches and it goes in.
Think we created more chances than Everton and the players will feel I guess aggrieved at losing the match.
If we had a won these games which were close affairs the mood from fans would be totally different.
I guess I'm saying it's a results business and that's what's been judged.
Everton how they set up were very hard to break down and I thought we did ok against that brick wall which they had.
KEEP THE FAITH
FWAW.
13 Jan 2021 06:15:51
Great post Jas . We have been spoilt the last few seasons
And we except to be better the next season some fans have a short term memory To what it was like before Fosun and Nuno . Glass half full for me and we have a great manager and great backing onwards and upwards.
13 Jan 2021 06:42:34
I agree fully with your your post Jas, as I said before we are going through a bad patch but we need to have a little faith.
13 Jan 2021 07:49:31
A change of tactics in an attempt to break into the top 6 is something that was decided upon by the coaching staff based on us being able to field our strongest 11 players. That decision should have, and will be, looked at again in light of our current plight. We are conceding too easily and we're not going to out-score many teams. So reverting back to a back 5 is an absolute necessity if we are to stabilise the situation and until we have the personnel capable of making a back 4 work.
As we know, Nuno can be stubborn, it's taken him half a season to accept that short corners are not a great idea. His insistence on playing Fabio, when it's doing the lad more harm than good, is another example and more than a little dig at fosun for our chaotic transfer dealings.
However, Nuno is still passionate about wolves and with some of our big guns back from injury we should see out this season comfortably (with a back 5).
13 Jan 2021 07:56:22
I think Cutrone needs note than 12 mins per game to make a difference. drop Silva now please.
13 Jan 2021 08:26:00
My thoughts, and I'd be really interested to know what you guys think.
I'm at a loss with us at the moment, for how promising we looked in the first half (after conceding a piss poor goal) we offered nothing once again in the second half. Our need for a full 90 minute performance has got to be priority 1.
Thoughts on wider transfer business. First of all I'm 1000% team Silva, I think he will come good. I'll leave that there.
Where my confusion lies is in the loan with options on Vitinha and Ait Nouri. Personally, I like them both, 343 suits Nouri, 4231 suits Vitinha. But. They're young lads, if we're honest with ourselves if Marcal is fit Ait Nouri doesn't play, Vitinha despite our injury and performance issues doesn't play. So my point is this, why did we bother bringing them in? If we go ahead with their acquisitions it'll cost us £40m. I actually don't think that's a bad price for them, but evidently that money needs to be spent elsewhere and so I can't see us taking those options, certainty not both.
Further, if Nuno doesn't really want to play them, which he doesn't, how does he get a good enough look to decide whether to take up those options? I was scratching my head about this all last night. Surely we could have had the same arrangement with players a couple of years older who Nuno would trust more and could make an informed decision.
If someone can explain the logic to me I'd really appreciate it.
Thoughts on where we go from here. I don't think we can play 3 at the back without Boly. And despite the obvious defensive issues I'm with Nuno that we need to play 4 at the back to give us options going forward. I would however play Kilman over Saiss, just my view I think he's a better player and makes less mistakes that lead to goals, but I accept on the whole Saiss has been very good this season.
We seem to work the ball so well into wide areas and then can't go anywhere. Either we're crouded out or we have no one to hit in the box. Why not bin that tactic off? I propose a diamond and let our attacking full backs give us our width.
Given the current injury crisis something like:
Back 4
Neves
Donk OO/ Vitinha
Neto/ MGW/ Vitiha
Cutrone Silva/ Neto
We have plenty of options to run something like that and I haven't even included Moutinho. Accept we'll be even more flakey at the back but 2 men up front may cause teams more problems. If full backs are given freedom to get forward we can still spread the play and make the pitch big.
Anyway, just an idea. Let me know your thoughts. If nothing else just for my sanity!
I fear for Nuno if Saturday goes badly.
13 Jan 2021 09:28:40
The Real Facts, (and I love the Wolves)
Our playing style is wrong 2/ 3 passes when one would suffice
Even when Jimenez played he created a lot of his goals himself, We do not give our strikers the supply they need, goal scoring has been a problem for a long time.
Very poor summer transfer window.
Midfield slow and un creative.
Semedo, MGw, Fabio, Cultrone, not good enough, Marcel injury prone and Moutinho, Nuno has soft spot for and won't drop him.
Patricio needs to help the defence with crosses.
I can see WBA getting some points of us.
we need to win at least 7 games to be safe, don't be black and gold blinded reality is at present Relegation is a real threat.
Nuno's comments on how well we played at times are unreal.
13 Jan 2021 09:38:54
Hi Matt wolf can only post quickly as I'm under the cosh at work.
I see things as we haven't been getting results as we are not been out played and could if things had gone our way we could have had better results.
Before last night's game we had 2 points less than we had at the same stage last season.
With c. v. and brexit in mind I think that's a reasonable assumption of the last transfer window.
We are way below top strength with injury's yet we are still competing well as a premier league team.
When we are back to full strength I believe we will be a top force.
These are just my thoughts I respect yours and everyone elses thoughts matt wolf.
If I had more time and less tired mind I would be clear and better written like the great posts on here.
FWAW.
13 Jan 2021 09:59:22
v good thread
There is no doubt that if we had our best 11 fit and were playing the same style as the last two years we would be well up the table if not in the shout as the other teams have been v inconsistent this year.
Jas I also agree with your team except I'd have Dendonker in not Moutinho, (he is now done as a regular in the Prem) .
The bench then only has Podence, Marcal (and we knew he would be playing as we knew Otto wasn't fit) and Kilman actually capable of playing now - I am also becoming increasingly worried re Patricio. This means that at the start of the season we had a squad of 13 plus Moutinho and some kids.
However despite this ludicrously small squad, (no other team is even close to this size of squad), which Nuno had said was too small and unbalanced we took the gamble that we would get no injuries.
We bought no additional ready to play players - just the replacements for the 2WBs that for different reasons weren't going to be available and in fact sold Jota - reducing the size of the squad to 13 plus Moutinho and the kids
To make matters even worse we then took the gamble to change styles slightly so that when the inevitable injuries arose - the previous 2 years has been miraculously short on injuries - the squad was inadequate and without the safety vest of a tried and tested formula to cling on to.
Even then instead of retreating to the tried and tested to ride out the storm we have lurched from one formation to another changing tactics seemingly randomly game by game leaving the team - filled with v inexperienced kids - totally at sea.
The bad performances and results are the consequence.
The 2 decisions made by the club were simply bad ones.
Changing style without a pre season was a gamble but entering a season after a massive and gruelling campaign the previous year with just 13 players was insane.
I pointed out the failure of the summer transfer window at the time and feel no satisfaction in being proven correct.
It appears we do not intend to put that right this Jan so have to hope we can survive and get both the injured players back - taking the squad to 14! (plus Moutinho and the kids) and that several of the kids develop into first team players as Kilman and Neto have done recently.
To that end Hoever looks good and RAN and Vitor are ok - although their option fees are somewhat higher than they should be so I doubt that RAN in particular will be with us next year - whilst Owen looked promising.
However Moutinho and possibly Patricio will need replacing just by the passage of time and of course the Jimenez injury is one that may take much longer to fully recover from than we are currently assuming.
I also tend to agree that this is largely not Nuno's fault - the ever changing and often bewildering tactics/ formations/ selections surely are his fault but as discussed previously I imagine he is as frustrated by the clubs bizarre and woeful transfer dealings this summer ( cf quite brilliant dealings previously! ) as I am but is unable to say so explicitly without losing his job.
13 Jan 2021 10:06:45
Trouble is matt wolf, and its ifs and buts, if neves kick had gone in, if fabio was abit faster/ determined, if dendonker had planted his header and we'd won would we still be moaning as we are? Because if we had our injured back and playing I believe we would, and the youngsters could still be progressing. I'm afraid I'm not a big fan of favio yet, he needs a big foil, (think dougan and Richards if you are old enough) . Adama not in squad first made me think he was on his way and purchasing power incoming, however seeing him the stand crushed that. The answer is not so much nuno but what he's got to work with. Agree though a loss on Saturday would heap pressure on, but who honestly under the circumstances would you want instead of nuno? Like C.V. mate with got to ride the storm and see it out. Where or what Fosun can do re financing under FFP I don't know, and it seems Brexit have transferring and loan movement problems too. Difficult times, but let's see it as it is and not throw the baby out with the bathwater all well do is end up with an empty bath.
13 Jan 2021 10:44:23
Hi abbeywolf, Trouble is abbey IF I had the winning lottery numbers I would be a Millionaire, there's been to many if's on goal chances, and many last minute opposition goals.
Re Fosun, Like many company's in the current world situation they have incurred a loss in revenue, make no mistake they are a business and can be very ruthless when needed when the time comes especially as Jeff shi and co have wasted so much money recently.
13 Jan 2021 10:56:33
Hi Abby. I should have clarified I'm still totally behind Nuno and still believe him signing a new deal was the best business we've done to date.
I just fear the board may listen to a lot of disgruntled fans on social media and make a knee jerk reaction. If Nuno does go I have no idea who comes in and that terrifies me.
13 Jan 2021 11:43:53
Matt - good post.
Nuno has - as many have pointed out - done brilliantly taking us from nowhere to the top half of the Prem and a great run in Europe.
I know Fosun are a business, actually a v good and successful one - I dealt with one of their other business when I was working and they were v proud of Wolves - big poster on office wall.
But that is what makes their bad management of the current situation, and that is what it is and the buck stops firmly with them, so bizarre.
If they are ruthless they will sack the people responsible - presume that is Jeff Shi - and either give Nuno proper control or appoint someone who knows what they are doing (Thelwell and Dalrymple seemed to be doing fine) .
Destroying value is not good business, wasting money ( bad transfers and contracts) is not good business, providing the tools to win games is as the rewards for winning are vast - TV revenues and commercial/ sponsorship opportunities. They saw that for themselves in the first three years when a small investment gave them a huge return. What was Wolves worth at the end of last year relative to the purchase price they had paid and their net further investment. I would imagine they would have been sitting on a v large profit. Today not so sure and if relegated they will be looking at a loss!