I won’t labour the point about our squad because you all know the story.
Bruno Lage certainly does. The Premier League now allows five substitutions and he only made one today, underlining just how chronic the situation has become.
Even with Jimenez, Traore, Semedo and now Moutinho, we’d still be several bodies short but those players were badly missed as Wolves competed well but fell short against an average, injury-hit Leeds.
A brilliant opening goal that saw all those promising pre-season elements come together was soon forgotten as white shirts pressed us into submission and levelled things up.
Time and again we gave the ball away in our own defensive third, with the full backs particularly culpable. It was Ait-Nouri at fault for the equaliser but Jonny was just as guilty at times on the opposite side.
Sa should have kept out the near post shot and he wobbled in the first half, which didn’t help our jittery defence and the wider team establish any sort of pattern of play.
Still, we should have gone in ahead with Dendoncker squandering a one-on-one just before the whistle.
The big Belgian also saw a powerful header saved after the break as he again was the focal point of most of our attacking moves.
And therein lies a massive problem. We cannot be relying on him to be our go-to finisher if we’re serious about doing anything this season. He’s excellent at making the runs and credit to him for that, but has a consistently terrible conversion rate.
Podence, Gibbs-White and particularly Neto were all easy on the eye as Wolves dominated a good half an hour of the second half but there was nothing on the end of it. Every time it’s individual brilliance or bust and that’s not a recipe for success.
If you want to take a positive it would be Pedro Neto. He gave Leeds a torrid time throughout and was unlucky his tenacity didn’t produce greater returns.
The team also looked comfortable in their shape for a long part of that second half allowing that attacking trio to ask questions, even though a second goal failed to materialise.
Most disappointing would be how little Leeds had to do to win the game, scoring with their only real attack of the second half and seeing it out comfortably from there with Bruno powerless to make any decisive moves.
If there’s no activity off the pitch again this week then the pressure already feels high for next weekend’s Molineux opener.
We reap what we sow. It’s laughable that to try and get us anything out the game, Bruno’s only option was to bring on young Chem Campbell. I fear for us this season. The happy clapper mantra of why would fosun not protect their investment still fail to realise that financially they are in crisis management mode, they”ll be far more keen to sell assets than they will be to invest money they haven’t got. Never mind I”m sure they’ll be some cheery message from the happy clappers that it is not the end of the transfer window yet, when we get players back fit, shouldn’t look at the table until 10 games in blah blah blah. Meanwhile in the real world, it’s no wins in the last 8 league games and we are one game down in the new season and still need 40 points to survive
Happy clappers appeared in 2018 rejoicing in ‘filthy football ‘and all that shite. Draped in Portugal flags. . Real fans have been there throughout.
What the hell does that mean? Fans were enjoying the good times, after decades in the doldrums? Think we should allow them that, mate, christ. This really is speaking with hindsight.
Soz mate. Had a few beers when i was on here last night. Apologies. And to any body else. Looking good with the Guedes signing. Hopefully!
Totally agree, we can’t sell Connor, Bruno will be sacked and then what! I’m usually so positive but look at the bench! In our current state, you may laugh and I can’t believe I’m saying it…We are one of the favourites to go down, unless there are reinforcements soon…We can’t score bloody goals! Can’t they see that, it’s staring them in the face, rant over, so frustrated…Love the Wolves always!
I agree 100% with your conclusions Sutton Coldfield. Until Fosun turn around their business — if ever !! — we will continue to struggle. Our squad is wholly inadequate to cope with Premiership football.
But surely in the immediate period Bruno should concentrate his entire efforts on minimizing the adverse effects of our limited squad, and lack of goal scoring ability. This is surely not the time to be changing fundamental systems as to the way we play. Just what does this obsession with four at the back give us? In my humble opinion, very little. It certainly does not help us score more goals because we have no one up front capable of doing so. But it does leave us far more exposed at the back.
At this time I`d be more than happy in securing a few low score draws, interspersed with an occasional victory.
Then there is the question of leadership. Coady` contribution here is being hugely underestimated by Bruno. The team, needs a leader on the field, and Coady is that man, a proven inspiration to all his team mates. You can`t put a value on this quality. To leave him on the bench now, or to consider transferring him, is ludicrous.
But maybe there is a solution. When Coady first arrived he was a mid fielder, albeit pretty average. But he now shows much defensive ability. So, if Bruno is intent on playing with a back four, why not play Coady as a defensive midfielder in front of the back line ? This would give us more defensive cover, as well as allowing Nevez to play further forward. And we would retain leadership on the field.
Just a thought.
Agreed about Conor, as I said at the end of the previous blog. However, a change back to midfield is unlikely to fulfil his own World Cup aspirations, so there’s a big chance he’ll go. The back four obsession will likely fail us and his loss will be even more keenly felt. Pessimistic? Maybe, but with all the transfer inaction and the time it will take any newcomers to settle in, pessimism is hard to quell.
Seemed to me this game should have been a draw if you sum it all up in to the 90 odd minutes. Leeds only one real chance and in it goes second half. I suspect most rationale folks would have taken a draw. But having said that it is quite clear we are in need of reinforcements. Striker or two. Midfielder. Would we have got a point had we played 5 at the back. All in the melting pot. Hey Villa have splashed out millions and couldn’t lay a glove on little Bournemouth. Ten games . Ten games. If we are on 15 points looking good . 10/11 points on course to stay up. 6 /7 points alarm bells ringing.
– Aye, we deserved one point. Personal mistakes cost us the point today: Ait Nouri lost the ball in an area he shouldn’t, followed by Neves bad clearence, followed by a blooper by Sa. Struggle to believe my eyes. Wolves did, periodically, play some good football. I think there’s more to come, though. The pre-season wibes still lingered and I wonder if the amount of pre-season matches for the first team were a bit too few. We need to get in some quality strikers. That’s the main concern now. The biggest moment in todays match was Neto’s Maradona trickery.
So what is the conversion rate of Raul as compared to Leander? I think Raul misses the net more than he hits it if you check the stats.
“2 wrongs don’t make a right”.
Starting the season without a recognised striker sums up 2022 Fosun Wolves perfectly.
We dominated the second half but we still have the same problems we have had for the last three seasons can’t score. Until that is resolved we are in trouble. We spent 20 million on a defender where defending wasn’t our big problem, so why didn’t we spend it on a striker.?????Whoever made that decision hasn’t been watching our game the past three terms.I know it’s only our first game of this term but we haven’t win a game in the Premiership for 10 games.That worries me.
Johnok , totally agree it’s just so frustrating because everybody can see it, if they are not carful Fosun will just waste all that time and effort they spent in establishing us in the prem in the first place! What is going on?
I, like all fellow supporters fear the worst given Fosun`s failure to invest in the squad. But let`s consider the REAL picture.
Fosun as a company are trading very poorly. Profit performance overall is abysmal, with several major subsidiaries trading at heavy losses. But far worse is the fact that Fosun`s cash flow position is dire. Just few months ago Fosun, suddenly and without warning, sold off the company`s Hong Kong listed property bonds, just to raise cash to be able to continue. As of the end of the last month Fosun`s debt was a staggering FORTY BILLION DOLLARS.
Against this background consider Mr Guo`s personal wealth situation. At over eight billion at the time of his purchase of Wolves, it has now fallen to less than four billion. Mr. Guo is now known in financial circles to be a very worried man. Worse for him, there appears to be little prospect of any real improvement in Fosun`s trading prospects any time soon.
In response, Mr Guo has been left with no alternative but to try to make each of the Fosun`s trading subsidiaries stand on their own two feet, and become self sustainable. Those that cannot, will be dispensed with, simply because there is no cash to support them
For Fosun our club represents nothing more than a fringe, pocket change investment , which will warrant zero priority. Mr Guo has far bigger fish to fry !
Then consider the present situation within China, where major changes regarding international investment policy are underway. In 2015, Mr Guo went ‘missing’ for approximately four days, and when he returned he simply stated that he had been “assisting certain investigations.” He did not specify further, but it is now known that at that time he told fellow tycoons, that his release was “the most special day of his life.”
Since that time many other tycoons have disappeared for a considerable time, seemingly for re-indoctrination. Nobody really knows just what is happening, but we do know that China`s relationships with west is changing dramatically, and one thing we can count on is that Mr Guo will not be doing anything which might offend the high and mighty.
I personally sympathize with Mr Guo. Effectively he is hand tied. The only area where I think he has made a huge error of judgement has been his appointment of Mr Shi to run our club. Shi is hugely inexperienced and, having got rid of Thelwell and Dalrymple presumably to protect his own position, is now incapable of running the club effectively. Limited funds are being endlessly wasted. At a time of such shortage , the clear identification of priorities must surely be essential. But Mr Shi seems incapable of making good decisions. For example, why spend twenty million on a central defender, no matter how good he may be, when we are reasonably staffed in this area, and when we have no fit striker on the books, and no mid field back ups ? And knowing, as he must do, that no additional funds are forthcoming !!
In summary it seems the future is bleak. Perhaps our best solution will be that Fosun`s position continues to worsen so that Mr Guo will be only too happy to raise whatever funds he can get from a sale. Then, just maybe, we can get owners who look upon us as football club as an end in itself, and who will have the motivation and assets to make the club a priority.
Excellent synopsis Mike and yet even tonight there are those posting on here to give it ten games, wait until the end of the window etc. calling them bury your head in the sand merchants does a disservice to ostriches.
I’ll second that Sutton.
Mike
Excellent post.
I think many of us can read through the Fosun smoke and mirrors and I have briefly alluded to their possibly unsustainable level of debt but thanks for your comprehensive and illuminating account above, it really tells it as it is.
Many on here have labelled me as being a crazed doomster for drawing parallels with the Bhattis but though the detailed scenario is admittedly very different the final result could prove to be very similar.
Your final paragraph looks to be the best hope of a secure future. But in the current economic climate not sure how many respectable fairy godmothers are out there.
I talked about priorities, which given the absence of new funds must be key. If we`ve got to sell before we can buy, surely we must give consideration to selling MGW .
There`s no way he`s worth the 35 million Forrest have supposedly offered for him. So why not take the cash and buy a half decent central striker who knows how to put the ball in the net ? As had been said on here thousands of times before we can`t possibly win games if we have no one to score.
PS I see that Mitrovic, who supposedly cannot score in the Premiership scored twice for Fulham today, which is one third the total of our leading scorer for the whole of last season. He`ll probably get another brace against us next week.
I see a problem with selling MGW, Neves, Coady or even Traore.
Will it be reinvested or spirited away?
If I were Bruno I would be very tempted to turn my back and go voluntarily because he will surely be the first victim of this shambles. OK no compensation but reputation intact.
Any new recruits need to be of sufficient quality which means that, if we di need to sell in order to buy, it’s going to be one in one out ( apart maybe if Neves is sold which very few of us would want) so that will do nothing to bolster our threadbare squad. Over a 38 game season squad depth is paramount. Aaaaaaagh!
Absolutely correct.
And if you look at the official website we have only 15 players who could be described as genuine fully fledged first team squad members.
So we now face another 37 matches with basically what we have. Unless of course our owners wish to “divest” themselves of even more footballers.
God help us because the ailing Fosun Group aren’t going to.
Bruno thought that getting a defender was a priority – maybe you should talk to him.
Or . You can wait until the window is over.
I can just imagine the horror it would be to finish mid-table in the Premier League for the next 5 years while Fosun straightens out their financial issues – if that is what is happening.
The good thing is about ‘happy clappers’ is they will stop going any time now and I will be able to get a ticket for away matches again. Just like the old days before 2018.
Number one fan are you……grow up
Cheers. But look forward to some away trips again after the happy clappers appeared and suddenly they were at Spurs Villa etc.
Well i can see my comment went down well?
In humour by the way !
No depth and no urgency by our puppet of a chairman to help Bruno out.
This has been coming folks for the last 2 years lack of investment and more importantly what has been invested has been squandered on below average players.
We brought Hwang so we could sell more shirts in Asia that’s the mind set our our chairman not interested in the football side of the club he has no idea it’s all about marking over substance.
What ever Fosun problems or lack of willingness to invest …….just sell up NOW because if they carry on like this they won’t have a Premier League club to sell
How desparte that we are relying on Dendonker and Chem Campbell. 8 league games lost on the trot same squad bar Collins, shocking way to run a football team they might be good bus sines men and that debatable considering Fosun financial troubles but they certainly don’t know how to run a football club.
Wolves aren’t the only club not investing. Leicester who have won the PL and FA cup, had european football and raised well over £250m in player sales over the last 4 seasons and still can’t buy unless they sell. The anticipated £100m + for Ruben, Adama and MGW hasn’t materialised yet so no major squad refresh. Given where we were 5 years ago it’s hugely frustrating to be going backwards again which right now we are. 25 days to deadline day – lots can happen both ways. Let’s hope things look better on 1st of September when Bruno and the fans will really know what we can expect for the rest of the season. Until then it’s damage limitation.
Yes but they won the pl and the fa cup. We have won f.a. I could handle fosun’s stance if they had even delivered a modicum of their ambition but one venture into European football and an fa cup semi final doesn’t even match what John Ireland and John barnwell delivered.
Leicester won the league and cup mate so think their owners have a little credit in the bank. If that happened to Wolves I could die happy and never worry about football again.
In fairness to the chairman, Hwang scored five goals in a very short time until he was found out by opposing defenses.
To be brutally honest I have pairs of socks older than most of the players on our bench today and I am more likely to wear then than they are to get on the pitch
There will be no more significant investment by Fosun, as like all Chinese companies they may be “private” but they are still controlled by the government, and the Chinese government is restricting overseas investment at present.
It equally doesn’t help that the person in charge of recruitment is inept and the relationship with Mendes seems to have gone a bit quiet.
A shame as I think Lage has the potential to do a really good job. But this season will be all about staying up and hopefully finishing around mid table again.
Still, no point moaning. There is far more important shite happening around us at the moment.
Then they should sell up.
As bad as it now feels, new owners don’t necessarily mean things will get better. Surely, our history shows that. Also, if a sale is proposed there is no way on earth it could happen before the transfer window closes. About as much use as an ashtray on a motorbike, therefore., in relation to the current situation.
By ‘shite’ I expect you mean ‘things’ or ‘stuff’ ?
this didn’t age well…..
I have to admit I’m in the fosun sell up camp as i firmly believe the chinese communist party will invade taiwan at some point in the not too distant future and we ..wolves that is will be up shit creek without a paddle .
But onto the game …Wolves actually played quite well in parts but awful in others i watched the whole game and thought a draw or even a win was on the cards there were some encouraging signs but truthfully against a poor leeds side we really should have wiped the floor with them.
Neves was imperious Neto as well and to be fair no one had a bad game with the possible exception of ait nouri who struggled first half.
Sa dropped a huge gooly with there first goal but is still the best keeper I’ve seen in a wolves Jersey and it was hugely disappointing to loose to what is no more than an average side in leeds.
The bench was sadly nothing more than desperate and that brings us back to fosun and what the hell is going on because if Neves leaves this club we will definitely be up shit creek not without a paddle but without a canoe.
On to the next easy game HAH
Your thoughts aren’t just for Fosun to sell up because you won’t have to pay that five quid you bet me are they?
Don’t worry, we’ll make it double or quits that we don’t get relegated.
To all you fans who were at PNE away. Division 3. August 2013. Absolutely no chance the happy clappers were there. Salute you.
I was at Millwall away on 1st January 1977 being chased all around the ground by brain dead Neanderthals (no segregation) after a ridiculously heavy New Year’s Eve and heavy snowfall too. But what the **** has that got to do with it?
Yesterday would have been my Dad’s 91st birthday and today his wedding anniversary. He was a life long Baggies supporter. He passed away last month.
As the new season kicks off, and with the eulogy I read this week fresh in my mind, I woke this morning reflecting on our time together.
I’d recently joked that NASA were keen to rent the Hawthorns for astronaut training as it had no atmosphere. He’d chuckled at that.
I remembered that when he wasn’t at a game, he was at home on a Saturday afternoon, 5pm, hunched over the back page of the Daily Mail, carefully writing down every single score as the BBC1 announcer called them out from Division 1 to Scottish Division 2.
And I thought of the times when I would take my Dad, and my brother, to Molineux. We’d be in the Upper Billy Quiet, Dad, sandwiched between his two Wolves supporting sons, surrounded by thousands of screaming Yam Yams, just enjoying precious time together, watching a game we all loved.
There was one match that sprang to mind. A sunny Sunday afternoon, West Brom the visitors, well into the second half and 4-0 down. Wolves were done and I wasn’t hanging about. It was the only time I ever left a game early. Super Mick was sacked the next day. My brother and I were pretty gutted, but despite having plenty of opportunity and ammunition on the long car journey home, Dad resisted the temptation and instead reminded us that football is a game to be enjoyed and appreciated.
It’s far more important to remember that there are always winners and losers in every tackle, every set piece, every game, every season. Just enjoy it for what it is, and enjoy sharing the experience, win or lose, because life is short.
We lost today. It’s the first game of the season. After a disrupted preseason. We had more shots on and off target and more possession. We lost by one goal away from home. Perspective.
We can question substitutions, tactics, some players performances today, and bemoan the small squad. We need another striker and midfielder. There are almost 4 weeks left of the transfer window.
Fosun have overseen our transformation from a mediocre Championship club to an established Premier League side in 6 years.
I think they’re doing pretty well in a very, very competitive arena, and deserve our patience and support.
UTW
You are right Muttleigh. Fosun are without doubt the best owners we have EVER had Pity the twitter twats can’t see it.
Thanks Cheese – they certainly don’t deserve the stick they receive from some quarters.
EVER????
So what about the Marshalls and John Ireland who brought us three League Championships and and 2 FA Cups.
Maybe the “twitter twats” are making the comparison.
Yes they were a good short term shot in the arm but Fosun couldn’t give a **** about The Wolves or Wolverhampton .
Best owners ever my arse.
What have we won.
Oh yes, promotion.
And that’s all. In 6 years.
Get a grip.
They are a quasi communist investment group and by all accounts making a pretty poor job of it. Consult The Financial Times.
Sorry to hear about your father passing on. I was at the match & it could of gone either way. If we continue to play like that it certainly won’t be boring.
Keep thinking about your father, sounds like he was a great man. He certainly raised an interesting and insightful son with a strong football understanding.
Thank you Bilbrookwolf for your incredibly kind words.
A couple more signings and returning injuries and I think we’ll do just fine this season.
Looks a strong chance of Guancalo Guedes signing imminently.
UTW
Sad times for you Muttleigh, but sounds like you and your dad were good mates and that’s what counts.
My thoughts are with you.
Thanks Doog – much appreciated. Hope you’re well !
UTW
Guys calm down , players will be bought in, controlled large chunks off the game, full back dribbling in own area, school boy stuff, mgw a 50 million player? keep the faith, fosun will not lose their investments, penny for coadys thought, wolves u make me cry u make me smile, 4 from bottom without players, thank u for all the kind wishes to me, makes my day go quicker , wolves are we
I will sign off tonight. My idea of a happy clapper is clearly at odds with the prevailing mood tonight. Any way. We are Wolves ay We.
Not very good was it?
My feelings tonight are that this season really does have a similar feel to the dark days of the early 1980’s.
The parallels are there.
A brief flurry of success under Barnwell and Barker followed by a catastrophic decline.
And it’s all about money (lack of).
So you expect us to be in the bottom tier within the next 4 years then?
No I don’t.
But that doesn’t mean it couldn’t happen; the current situation regarding the state of the squad is becoming more alarming by the day and WWFC is probably the least of Fosun’s concerns,
Agreed PJB , squad is not big enough or strong enough and has only deteriorated in this window. Even if Guedes arrives it will only help , it won’t solve the problem of scoring. Even if we score, we are not strong enough (or organised sufficiently without Coady) to keep a lead and see out a game.
These are Premier League essentials , I also wonder at what point Bruno resigns on principle of being appointed to a task and not being given the resources to achieve it. I wouldn’t be surprised or blame him.
Yes BG the upvote is from me.
You probably won’t get many more as a lot of posters can’t see the wood for the trees.
If people wish to ignore the financial press re Fosun’s apparently very precarious situation plus the political situation vis a vis the People’s Republic of China so be it.
It’s not necessarily that Fosun are now reluctant to back us, they probably can’t. It’s not just about a football club, but it’s OUR football club which makes it our concern
Nevertheless, good luck to Guo Guanchang.
Cracking first 20 minutes of the season, but if we can’t capitalise on our good play against these Puddings we’re in trouble. As we were back of last season.
Obviousley it’s distressing to suffer at the hands of relegation fodder, and without Neto and Neves we’d be a very average team. But we do have Neves, Neto = infact he whole team played well, a couple of mistakes and a couple of class saves from Melly were the fine margins. In this situation holding on to Neves looks like a win.
I don’t think China firing off 7 IBM’s on Friday to welcome Nancy Polatzi will help our long term stability. Or leaving our Captain on the bench. When the pressure came at the back we lost it.
New season optimism is turning to trepidation, as Thomas suggested we should be cautious until we can string some results together and maintain performance levels. It’s going to be a tricky season no doubt.
1 lv & COYW
Yep. Thought they were great saves rather then poor misses.
I usually think the commenters and writers here are overly cynical. But, one look at that bench says all we need to know.
I don’t think we need 3-4 players. If Semedo, Traore, Moutinho and Jimenez are healthy, then we have a decent bench. I think two first team players in midfield and forward positions would make us a threat to the bigger teams.
I thought we played well in large portions of the game. But, the need for reinforcements was more obvious than I’ve ever seen it. I would almost go as far as saying that today’s players showed courage. They played hard. Some good. Some mediocre. But, they went out and played.
I know I sound like a U9 coach – but, the first team has great players and they give everything. They need help
The problem is Lou that we are almost certainly going to continually have several players unavailable (mark my words, it won’t be long before Podence is injured again, for example). That season where we had hardly an injury is unfortunately now ancient history. That means that we do need several new players, and quality ones too, but it’s very unlikely to happen. Threadbare is almost a euphemism.
I’m still trying to figure what Sellars brings to the table. He’s right in the forefront when we signed Collins, boasting what a major coup it was, and it is testament to his hard work that goes on behind the scenes blah blah blah……but strangely quiet on the lack of a striker. It isn’t as though we’ve only just needed someone who can score is it?
Regarding Fosun selling up…….who, realistically, can buy us? We haven’t got any contacts in the world of high finance, but could I see some dodgy characters from dubious backgrounds coming in and flooding us with money – no. But then the Vile found owners who have splashed the cash.
Perhaps we can find a glorified house builder who would be interested in buying us. Or a cpl of batty brothers who have other ideas than running the club. And, thinking about it…..Mike ‘I made Newcastle a great team’ Ashley is looking for another team to manage.
Telford. It sounds like you want all of our business done on Instagram. I’d argue that keeping our powder dry for as long as possible. That’s exactly how we managed to nick Sa from under the noses of the rest of Europe. Collins could prove to be another bargain sniffed out from under the noses of bigger spenders.
With the exception of Forest who are having to do what we did in the early Fosun years, not many outside the top six are investing heavily without selling.
When and if Fosun do sell I’m sure there won’t be a shortage of suitors. I don’t really understand your contacts comment. It’s rare to sell your house to one of your mates.
Fosun seem to be doing ok for now. In a bad season we came in tenth. It could be so much worse!
But sticking to the important stuff, ie how we perform on the field, I agree with Lou. A couple of signings should see us ok.
The sun is shining, all is well so let’s try to be a bit more positive.
I’d always thought happy clappers were glass half full types, and not fickle fans who at the first sign of their beloved team losing their shininess, jump ship. Oh well maybe it’s just interpretation.
While I’m definitely a glass half full supporter , for the most part, I do acknowledge the worrying signs pointed out above.
But I think Thomas nails it, there are good things going on; Collins signed for us, we played a back four, we are at least talking to players.
The worries, aside from the global politics issues, and I don’t think Nancy Pelosi will be taking up a seat in the Billy Wright any time soon, and the worries are concerning.
Lage doesn’t trust his bench, or is he too cautious maybe he could have thrown Roman on? He’d got good reports pre-season, and what I’d seen on Wolves TV, He looked a tidy and good player.
The other concern for me is that players are talked of but don’t come to us, plus some of our big hitters, Neves, Traore, and MGW are not signing new contracts. Is it the wage structure, the attraction of Wolves as a team on the slide given the end of last season?
There are no answers to these worries as yet. Clearly perspective is required, and I’ll look forward to the first home game next week. Hopefully my worries will be somewhat dissipated by 5:00pm. Who knows? But you gotta have hope, the glass ain’t empty yet, and I’m sure I’ll be happily clapping a home win.
Traore and MGW big hitters?
If you’re a Wolves fan yes!
Well I’m a Wolves fan of more decades than I care to remember and no way in this universe or any other can MGW be considered a big hitter. He’s at the start of his career with almost everything still to prove.
To prove certainly but £25-30 million is a pretty big fee for an “unproven player “, Lage certainly wants him in his side. W’ell have to wait, he looked good pre season v Besiktas when Jiminez was on.
I felt we played really well in considerable parts of the game but a glance at the bench sums up the current malaise. One can only hope it will be cured sooner rather than later.
I think our leaders fully expected Ruben to be sold, and that may yet happen, then the funds would be available for reinvestment. But he’s still with us and the squad is looking a little threadbare. To say the least .
However, our first 15 has much quality and we are only 3 or 4 short of a successful season. I enjoyed 4@the back and will happily endure the scary moments if I can enjoy the expansive attacking play we are developing.
I remain positive and believe a top half finish is perfectly achievable.
Diaz Blackburn get him ……..Jeff
I’ve just had one of those eureka moments.
Perhaps we should bring in a striker!
Pedantic fact of the day.
It is now 21 years since The Premiership was renamed…
The Premier League.
I was at the game yesterday with Sue, it was my birthday and I had a fab day. It was so nice to meet up and have a chat with Witley and his son and also Stu, Lowves and their better halves. We met up with family and friends who are all Leeds and thankfully there wasn’t a repeat of the trouble on the way back to the railway station like last year. On the game, I thought that we played well, the Leeds fans, players and manager celebrated at the end like they had won the cup final. We haven’t become a bad team overnight and we will come good – again. Yes, we need some new players but when we had back to back relegations not that long ago I would have taken where we are now any day of the week. On the train from Doncaster to London there were a load of Luton fans on the way back from Burnley who actually said that they would give anything to be where we are now. I love my football club, always have and always will.
Nice post Ian, but not sure comparisons with Luton are those we wish to make.
I love my football club too and have done from the last time were league champions and FA Cup winners up and down through the divisions and back again.
Sadly, due to circumstances beyond our control, our owners have major problems brought on by geo political and economic factors which are now making another downward spiral a real possibility.
And I for one don’t want to go there.
Not comparing us with Luton PJB, just saying that a lot of clubs wish that they were where we are now.
So Connor to go out on loan… absolute rubbish, inspiring start to the season not! Our best Captain in decades, inspirational leader and hopefully our future manager. Nonsense decision. The only reason I can think it’s a loan is because when Bruno is sacked, our new manager will be able to recall him…it’s so frustrating watching this play out…UTW
Diabolical decision. The man who has stated on numerous occasions – “I love this club” with years still to offer is apparently about to be cast aside in a nonsensical display of short termism.
Fosun really must be on the bread line. Not as if we’re over staffed in the squad and plenty of options to use Coady in multiple roles.
Utterly stupid,
I don’t think so. We are well stocked with defenders. Conor came to us as an average championship midfielder . Nuno converted him to a sweeper. He served us well. Very well. Sad to see him go but can understand it. He is 29. Time move on.
Maybe those in charge feel we owe it to Connor to let him go to a club where he’ll get plenty of time on the pitch and thus have a chance of being selected for England’s World Cup squad. If so it’s a decision we should all support. Good luck Connor!
Goncale? Guedo!!
Wolves have now got a total agreement on a £27.5m deal to sign Valencia striker/midfielder Gonçalo Guedes who will have a medical on Monday, apparently.
Exciting if true.
Agreed Brompton, hopefully that’s the start of the refresh of the squad before the window closes!
I am not having a go at PJB who quite rightly makes his arguments always in a measured way. But if Wolves pull off the signing of Guedes for £27.5 million. That means we have shelled out close on £50 million in 2 players. If the Chinese Communist Party are on the ball this sort of investment would not be happening.
Here’s a radical thought – the coach wants to change how we play to improve on last season’s 10th place. To try to improve. Makr us more attacking with more possession and more goals.
He wants to implement a back 4. Kilman and our new signing, Collins, fit into that shape.
Unfortunately Conor Coady doesn’t. He has been immense for us. Mr Wolves in fact. A real character and top bloke. The Captain. But he doesn’t fit into the desired new formation. Therefore he will sit on the bench.
By all accounts he doesn’t want to sit on the bench. In all probability this will be his last chance to represent England at a World Cup. He wants to play.
Wolves understand this so are apparently looking at options including loan with an obligation to buy. They are not pricing him out of the market. They are being respectful and realistic.
Of course, this will be viewed by some as a stab to the heart of the club. Others that we should be asking more for him and it’s stupid business.
Honestly I think it’s just respectful good business. They owe him that. He deserves it.
I think Conor is a fantastic role model and has done a brilliant job for us but no player is bigger than the club. And we can hardly have a captain who is always on the bench.
If he goes I would say thank you so much and good luck !
UTW
My thoughts exactly Mutt1eigh.
Exactly Mut1eigh. Exactly.
Brilliant summing up .
While respecting some of the views above, got to be honest I feel very nervous about the potential exit of our captain. I can see it might make sense from Connor’s perspective if he might get more game time in advance of the World Cup, but that’s where the sense ends for me. What happens when we need to go to a back 5 for some games? Who do we call on with real experience when we potentially lose another CB to injury? Don’t say it out loud, but what happens if Lage gets sacked and an incoming manager wants to play something other than a back four? Perhaps most important of all, Connor is Wolves through and through and is one of the most charismatic and motivating players in the game – a totally invaluable asset in the dressing room and he’s at our club. How would his possible departure impact others in the team? Sorry, but with a squad that currently barely scrapes 11 guys on the pitch and with a speculated fee that is laughable (I know I must be missing something here?), I would be absolutely gutted if this rumoured move turns out to be true and would urge the club to reverse the gears on this one. Connor Coady is bloody awesome and if you happen to be reading this, just tell the club you’ll stay and take the chances when they come. You’ll be in Southgate’s squad anyway and you know it. 🙂
Being truthfully honest. The anti Fosun gang will use this as a stick. Blimey. The end of last season there was loads of anti Conor aggro. Not good enough etc etc. Can’t play in a back 4. Now Bruno makes the move……..
Cheeseburger – I’m definitely not anti-Fosun and I recognise that Coady is not best in a back four. However, isn’t the game all about flexibility in tactical options and we also know the man has a great positive influence in the dressing room. If we had a healthy sized squad I could perhaps reluctantly see how this might somehow make sense, but we don’t and so I’m struggling to see how this possible loan to Everton really helps us?
No worries. I accept the argument about our squad strength. It is well documented. But i reckon there might be a couple of quality additions over and above. Subject to Chinese Communist Party approval.
Maybe Conor isn’t happy sitting on the bench ? Wolves trying to do the best thing for all parties including Conor. It also says a lot to the rest of the squad and perspective new signings that Wolves are considerate, reasonable and fair employers. Don’t underestimate the importance of that.
I think that has been our USP to attract talent that would otherwise be out of our reach. A pathway to regular Champions League clubs. Jota being the poster boy.
Who is anti Fosun? I think you miss the point.
We are all pro Wolves and recognise the benefits that Fosun have brought to us,
However we are now caught up in the serious problems being experienced by Fosun – probably partly self inflicted and partly political / external economic.
So our concerns are for ourselves and the effect Fosun’s problems are causing us, not anti Fosun per se.
Why do you want to turn everything into a battleground?
No. I’m not in the panic mode. None of the writers here* have, or can have, any insight into the workings or strategy of Fosun or Mendes ( or even Manure, who may be digging out their file on Neves and practicing cheque writing at the 65 million quid level).
My instincts are to trust what Bruno says….and see what Fosun do/does.
Another Portuguese star is now on his way and there are three more weeks to add one or two more additions from ….wherever. If Mr Lage thinks they are of the right quality ,,,then fine.
I get the angst about Coady but this exit has been coming for a while ….he is too slow for a top 10 PL side,,,,4/5 back line…it doesn’t matter, and good luck to him (I gather his son is already at Everton).. We have Toti and Mosquera and of course Wily B. The firsr two are the future ….and maybe there are U23’s too?
Last year both us and the Gunners lost the first three games and we were the better team in all of our three games
I get that folk don’t want to see this all go tits up ,,,,,does anyone, least of all Fosun or mr Lage??
Yes Ait-Nouri was reckless and Dendoncker isn’t Haaland….but i trust that Bruno Lage can coach and lets see how good the front three are when Raul is back and the new blood is added.
I MAY be in a bubble ,,,,but I like my bubble ,,,,and I’d prefer no-one tries to stick a pin in it,,,,,,,, at least until we have played 10 games.
Meantime
OODCL…. (and please, please don’t take Manure’s money)
* all writers are of course entitled to their opinions and conjecture
The game against Leeds showed us that we cannot handle teams who are “in your face”. Not allowing our players to play some of their more fancy moves.
I am very worried about the ‘4 at the back” formation that we are going to use (presumably all the time, as Coady is leaving). Whilst we had nothing to shout about in the forward line, our defence was quite solid. The current two full backs lack the defensive qualities required (IMHO) and are seen more as wing backs. I also think that even in the new era, we should still utilise the 3 x CB at least for the tougher matches.
Hopefully if Guedes, Batshyuai and Hwang 2, are added to forward line and the return of Semedo , Mautinho and yes, Traore, will give us a better looking team. Could even off load MGW for the said 40m and get some cash in. (Much rather he goes than Traore).
In the meantime, the U21’s have had a good pre-season with the first team and USA. It will be very interesting to follow them too.
Even the happiest clapper will be very unhappy with the current state of affairs. But it’s unknowable what the squad will look like, come 1st September. The same applies at most if not all clubs in the PL. Is there a PL club out there that has completed its business this window? It would be helpful if our fans were told what’s going on, but that would curtail our bargaining power with new signings. We’re well known for confidentiality in transfer negotiations.
I know we all want new signings in place for preseason but that’s a pipe dream at every PL club given the huge rise in transfer fees and wages. What’s new these days is the rise of clickbait and social media compared to, say, twenty years ago. We’re constantly exposed to headlines such as “Wolves fans will be gutted…” etc in media which exists simply to generate advertising revenue. These sort of articles create false hope and also fears. I’m only glad that this Wolves blog is free of such nonsense.
DWW
Agree with you except that we don’t just all want new signings we desperately NEED them. Looks as if Coady is out of the door imminently which if you look at the official website will leave us with 16 genuine first ream squad players, 4 of whom are currently injured. Yes other clubs are also dallying but I doubt whether any club in the Pl has a smaller squad.
The point that while there is still over 3 weeks until the window closes is valid but by then 15 points will have been played for. And it’s quite possible that next Saturday we could have a maximum of 12 senior players to choose from – the remainder probably have probably made a dozen (mainly substitute) PL appearances between them.
And people say we shouldn’t panic. Whatever he says publicly I strongly suspect Bruno Lage is doing just that
Agree with the comments regarding Conor concerning his usage as a holding midfielder allowing Neves et al to get more forward. His all round leadership skills are irreplaceable in my opinion. However with the World Cup due soon, he cannot afford to hang about waiting for an opportunity which may not occur. Imo his place as a club legend is safe.
I am still looking forward to the match at the weekend and as usual will try not to be too judgemental before a tenth game has been played under the new system.
However, with our Chinese ownership I am really concerned about how the political situation may turn out. I will always be grateful to Fosun for what they have delivered so far.
Hope it’s good news regarding Guedes but we need far more proven class along with the confidence to play some of our youngsters if needed in games as on Saturday; was Bruno making a point? Not playing Ronan, for instance, gained us nothing in the end.
I understand the exasperated and annoyed fully, but will continue to try to be positive whilst the transfer door is still open.
I have purchased a parking spot for the first time this season, so I hope we can score a few more goals this season to reward me for pushing my finances.
Am still feeling excited, so, lads, don’t let us down…
Or, now hear me out, he goes to Everton for the season and hopes to play regularly and be selected for the England squad. And then after the season, he comes back to Wolves and finishes his career here.
I know it is unlikely but possible. He knows he is not a young man and eventually will have to accept reduced game time.
Very best of luck to Conor Coady at Everton.
The man who has repeatedly said of Wolves “I love this club” must have had his nose seriously put out of joint to jump ship for Everton. Misplaced loyalty Conor.
I fear his departure may well come back to bite us seriously in the backside in all sorts of ways. His qualities on and off the field will be missed.
Meanwhile we continue to wait for the upcoming marquee signings.
Score so far I make it 1 in at least 5 out.
I thought Coady would be the last player to leave, so what do I know? I’ve read today that Everton enquired about him back in May. We can’t even second-guess Wolves anymore. I can see the argument that Coady is getting on a bit, and he needs to play for his club to play for England, so fair enough, but I still wouldn’t sell him, I’d play him for us. Having met him once before a Fulham match, I was blown away about how great a bloke he was. Maybe, just maybe, Bruno wants better than Coady. If that means incoming Champions League players, then fine, but most of us are panicking. If Bruno is also panicking, we may be up some creek without a paddle.
Any more surprises coming? I hope only great ones. Even if we end up with a very decent squad by 1st September I will still have issues about the way we conduct transfer business, unless there is method in the madness.
DWW
As you correctly point out Coady is a current England international and likely World Cup contender. Can you honestly say you believe that CL level replacements are going to be attracted to Molineux amid all the uncertainly here.
So far we have attracted one relegated CB (back 4 of course). Lets watch this space, but I’m with you I would much rather he was still here.
So we should keep a back 3 so Coady can be on the England team and sit on the bench there? Even the England manager said he was there for his personality.
Where did I say that? I have actually stated the opposite.
Any good manager in any business has to make best use of resources available.
So ditching Coady is doing the opposite.
And Coady is not in the England squad just for his personality otherwise Boris Johnson would be a candidate, and look what happened to him.
@John: That’s ridiculous.
Nobody is indispensable and Nobody is bigger than any club. We’ve possibly seen his best days and we most likely need to free up some cash. I loved Coady at wolves but we have to replace players before they reach the summit of their careers and still have a value.
Its why man utd struggled after bringing through Beckham, Scholes and giggs etc . Once they were past their best. You just need to keep the squad fresh and change at the right time.
I sort of agree but I don’t have faith in Large to be making these massive decisions, cheers and UTW
Lage
Do you have faith in Jeff to make these massive decisions?
From what I’m reading, a lot of you are going to be eating crow in the next 22 days. A few incomings and a few outgoings but some top-level incomings.
Statistics, damned statistics!!
Unbeaten at home.
No goals conceded all season at home.
Only two goals conceded all season away from home.
No bad var decisions against us.
14th in the best league in the world and……. Above the Villa!!
Clap! Clap! Clap!
Mind the Gap!
Brilliant Clive, but I would be much happier to read this post at the end of August.
And you overlooked one rarity.
A very bad VAR decision went in our favour – long may that continue.
Excellent Clive. If everything bad in the world is fucking you off. Being a Shit fan is the pits.
Nuff said cloive
Very amusing scenes at the Poorthorns. A mascot just jogged across the pitch in the shape of a central heating boiler. How dare those 6 fingered inbreds call us dingles.
Even more amusing. The Watford bloke beating the Shite keeper from half way line. Splendid.
So, let me just check my understanding is correct. We have sent our captain, inspirational leader and England international with 3 years left on his contract ON LOAN with no commitment to buy to a direct competitor for the season whilst said competitor is about to spend £33m on a midfielder from Marseille. Jeff Shi and Scott Sellars couldn’t negotiate for toffee ( pun intended). What a colossal pair of idiots they are.
Do you really think Everton are going to be competing for the Champions League?
I trust your tongue is set firmly in your cheek with that question.
Anti Fosun agenda
You are completely wrong Cheesy. I do not have an anti fosun agenda. Read my posts over the years and it is only in this last year that my sentiment has changed based on their actions. My anger at the Coady deal is not purely about the loss of a great servant to the club, it is that financially it makes no sense whatsoever. Coady is actually one of the lowest paid of our squad for those that think in mitigation it is a cost saving move. I will now play back to you what you have always said…..wait until the transfer window closes if you think the acquisitions of Guedes and Collins will not be offset by the sales of one or more of Gibbs-white, Traore, neves, Neto or ait-nouri
Gutted…But all the best to him and his family. Will be forever remembered as a legend of our club, great achievements, brilliant leader, fabulous ambassador, I hope one day he will return as our manager…Best wishes Conor to you and your family and thanks for all you have done and given for us!
The knocker’s (no not boobs) should step back a little now…
Ok Coady’s left for Everton but we’ve just coughed up £27.5 m for Guedes….
I’m just not into this arguing this and pointing out that… most points are valid on their own merit but at the end of the day it’s Fosuns money … so far nearly £50 million and I’m not going to complain… with Jimenez, Semedo and Moutinho back and possibly A. N. other plus Traore if he can be arsed.. we should have a decent group.
Lady Twix asked today if we could buy a hot tub …. ‘When the global economy turns around .Maybe… or when the Energy cap falls below £1400 pa.
Like everything in life … perspective is needed.
This is the world we live in…! .. and unfortunately I’m not a politician.
As for Coady going … he’s been a great servant and well done to the club for acknowledging that .,
and giving him his chance to get a World Cup spot.
For the me, me, me ones it seems reckless but why not act swiftly and allow him to move on… there’ll be no disruption to what clearly seems to be Bruno’s way forward regards personnel.
Absolutely agree Twix.
Always the voice of reason M’Lord. Well said.
PS not sure about the hot tub though tbh 🙂
You should get your missus her hot tub and spend less on wine .
Sonias got one (a hot tub) and i am allowed in it on special occasions .
You dont have to have them at boiling point ours is for cooling off at the moment.
Perhaps i should invite a few off the blog so they can cool off !
Whe you say ‘hot tub ‘
Am I right in assuming that you don’t mean a very amorous, rather portly male partner ?
Asking for a friend..
I didn’t remember meeting you .., how did you know I was a f.f..
Nose one Spikeyboy…
The eventual plan was to fill it with Sauvignon Blanc of course… take a straw with me, tucked into my ‘peregrine falcon’ smugglers and then I wouldn’t spill any from any potential glass tumblers.
You’re one funny man… great to know you ..
Nice …
Back fours, back fives, stoppers, defensive midfielders, managers, come and go depending on the latest football fashion and immediate results.
Players who give leadership, loyalty, inspirational and organisational skills – just look at the goals we conceded at Leeds without one. Headless chickens spring to mind – and are England Internationals, are gold dust to a club.
We’ve just flushed our piece of gold dust down an Evertonian toilet.
Coady was the modern day equivalent to Bully. Loved the club and should have been retained in any position for his influence in the dressing room if nothing else.
The players will miss him, the supporters will miss him and the dressing room will be a darker place without him.
You deserved more Conor.
Maybe he didn’t want to stay.
I’ve got mixed feelings about Connor. We signed him in the Chump as a midfielder. I think it is probably fair to say he wasn’t all that good in that position ? Nuno came in. And recognised a place for him. In the middle of a back three. He was absolutely great for us. I say that without qualification. Massive figure. But Bruno has identified a new way forward which most fans will be happy about (well would have thought so ) . More expansive . Attacking. Four at the back. And fair to say most fans said Connor couldn’t play in a back 4. So. Maybe best we adapt a progressive approach and move on. Connor will always be welcome back. Just like Nuno. A part of that era. Time to move on.
Bang on Cheese mate. Connor is awesome, but we move on. Yes, I am a little sad, but happy for his decision to move. I say his decision, as I do not for one minute believe he would go if he asked to stay. I understand. Thank you Connor, I enjoyed your time with us.
Agree with that completely Brompton…
Yeah. Just read something from him on another blog/site. He said as soon as he heard Everton were interested he wanted to be part of them. Not pushed out, went of his own free will.
Shame, as I expected more from him.
He says a lot of things. That was said for the Everton market.
He certainly did deserve more, this is madness! What happens if Lage is sacked. Then what, bring Conor back as manager! This seems like the end of an era and I don’t trust Bruno to build a new one!
New Wolves WAG.
If that is your Mrs I will eat my pants..
Guedes’ girlfriend.
Why would I post a picture of my girlfriend? And why would I say she was a new Wolves WAG.
Onwards and upwards; that’s football.
On another matter, who saw Goldie and Beveley Knight sporting WW clothing at the closing ceremony of the Commonwealth Games last night?
Bet that maddened a few Brummies – TOUGH
Havn’t seen that Beverly Knight skin tight 2- piece in the shops. let’s hope it takes off with the ladies. 1 lv.
As usual, the Doog nails it above re Conor. What a miserable day. This one’s nothing to do with Shi, Sellars or Fosun. It’s down to Lage and his 4 at the back obsession. No neutral will understand how a club can just loan out its international, inspirational, gold-in-the-blood captain when resources are so thin and, as things stand, to a potential relegation rival. This is not one where we just smoothly ‘move on’. The only winner is Conor, IF he gets the regular slot he has no doubt been promised, doesn’t get injured and ends up in the World Cup squad which he thoroughly deserves. For WWFC, it sucks.
Yes, sucks for Wolves, but if Conor “asked” to leave then that is a different outlook imo. I don’t know whether he was told he was going or if he chose to go. Regardless of that I do not read anywhere where it says he ‘fought’ to stay. I am confident that if he was being moved on he would not just go without a fight ……. surely? Or am I being naive?
Not naive, Brompton but is it surprising if he asked to leave, given his situation and Lage’s clear intentions? And doesn’t it suit the club for that to be the story?
Lord Twix
Broadly speaking agreed.
I really feel the Coady issue is a huge mistake.
The arrival of Guedes restores a great deal of faith, but more still required – we’re still 2 in 5 out and I genuinely fear more departures. Remember we have to balance the books.
But as you correctly point out we have now splashed our around £50 million and I’m surprised. Striker still needed though.
Well if i was jeff shi i would be getting my family out of China after spending all that money on a foreign investment !
Blimey it’s going to be a different WWFC without Captain Coady. His scouse tones rallied the troops on many occaisions and coaxed an extra 10% out of tired limbs to get us a result. Well every match, lets face it he never missed a game. If it was headless chickens at the back at Leeds, what’s going on for the rest of the season?
This whole saga seems to have been precipitated by Ben Godfrey snapping his peg on Saturday. Now Frank wants to play 7 at the back to keep the Smurfs off his case and Conner, though a Red, has life long family ties with the Toffees.
Bruno is going to have to deliver on this one.
I mean that with best wishes, because it doesn’t look like a master stroke at the moment. Though Who Am I?
Looks like we’re all in, top 6 or bust, no safety net. Just hope the lad from Vallencia is so good we don’t need a defence. Jose Sa is good and is going to have to be better.
Blimey, 1 lv & COYW.
I just don’t have it in me to wish him anything but the very best. It’s the end of an era, as big as Nuno going but it’s probably the right decision. We’ve got a few good centre backs with one or two coming through so not too worried about losing a squad member.
But Coady is so much more than that. Someone is going to have to step up and at least try to fill his very big boots.
Good luck Connor and if you’re in the England squad I’ll be cheering for you as one of our own.
If I thought that getting rid of Conor Coady was silly – and I did – it hasn’t taken very long to hear some even more absolutely ridiculous news.
BBC have dropped the reading of the classified football results on Saturday at 5pm, because it doesn’t fit in their new time schedule.
This has been a part of my life, and probably 90% of football fans since I was knee high to Daniel Podence. In fact it’s been going even longer than I have!
Well done BBC!
Over 75 years of tradition flushed down the pan by some nameless producer barely out of nappies!
The other piece of news that got me in a lather was that parents have been complaining about the new ‘Dick Turpin’ tourist attraction in York.
They want the name changed to ‘Richard Turpin’ because the name ‘Dick’ is offensive and will expose their poor little innocent kiddywinkies to a rude word.
What a load of Richards!
Truly, The World HAS gone completely raving mad.
Thing is Doog unless things change nothing changes.
Prophetic I know for a prawn but I bet it’s one of those things you didn’t even know you’d miss till it’s gone. Bit like Woolworths!
Anyway the device you used to register your complaint will give you the information which has been so cruelly snatched away!
And I bet “ turpin’ “ is still illegal in some parts of Wiltshire!!
I know what you mean Mark, but I must admit that I won’t miss it, as I only ever check the scores online. Hardly ever have the TV on.
As for Turpin. He will always be a Dick to me.
Stay safe
It’s on the radio.
Stay safe yourself mate. See you next week.
My comment in the E&S had to be checked by them because I used the term “dicking around”.
Seems that New York has lot of Richard Heads.
I didn’t know that and I’ve been listening as long as you. I can remember getting the results on the radio. 5 o clock on the dot and the music would start then the results would be read. It was the first opportunity to know how our team had got on if we hadn’t been at the match.
It’s yet another blow to the over 60s who seem to have been cast adrift, abandoned. We’re seen as a drain on society despite the massive contributions we have made over the years.
Don’t get me going. I could write a long list as I’m sure most could on here – but these days I would probably be frightened to because of the criticism I’d get for upsetting someone..
Can’t you just check your smartphone for the results? You obviously have internet access either on your phone or a computer/tablet.
Do you still use a fax machine? Do you complain that nobody comes around with ice for the icebox?
Yes thank you, I can check my smart phone for results. And thanks for asking yes I have internet access. No I don’t still use a fax machine… or Ceefax or Teletext. No I don’t complain when nobody comes around with ice for the ‘icebox’…. did they ever? That one passed me by.
But I still will miss hearing the results read out in Sports Report at 5 o’clock on Radio 5.
And for people who don’t have easy internet access or a smart phone
it’s another simple information source gone.
I think he was talking to Steppenwolfe. I will miss the Fulham game but plan to be around v Newcastle.
Blow to the over 60s? I don’t get that feeling at all. The world is just moving on. I like to believe I am moving along with it. Times change and I feel we should not stand still and should embrace it. We’ll that is what I am doing anyway.
does that mean you’ve got a new tent ?
I ain’t embracing the music.
For the over 60s there are far bigger blows than not hearing the footie results on the wireless. Like becoming an over 70, and then an over 80. And then over-the- hill. Not that I ever listen to the results on the wireless anyway. Maybe Doog can ask Alexa in future? I just look at my phone or ipad.
BTW, to add fuel to the Conor Coady debate, I read that he’s been quoted as ‘desperate to move to Everton’. Plus his wife has referred to a ‘very difficult few weeks’. There’s more to this than meets the eye. Maybe something in his personal life? Troubling. But, I wish he was staying. Surely one of our greatest captains.
Brompton refers above to him asking to leave. I suspect his wife’s comments are more that Conor was royally pissed off with Lage and could see what was coming. And of course he’s going to say he loved the idea of the move – that’s Conor all over and he would hardly tell Toffees fans that he was moving with a grudge! His interview in the Everton website shows everything we’re now missing.
Just read the “deal” on which Coady has gone to Everton.
Full season loan.
No recall clause.
Everton have OPTION to buy at any time and then pay the princely sum of £12 million NEXT SUMMER.
And all this after the Traore / Barcelona fiasco.
Will anyone be proposing Jeff Shi for Businessman of the Year Award?
I agree. The financial side of this move is madness. He is an England international who has played best part of 200 games uninterrupted and is around the prime of his career as a defender. Just look at some of the prices paid for defenders in last couple of seasons. We paid 30m for Semedo at a similar age. As I’ve said before Shi and Sellars have dropped yet another financial clanger on this deal.
He’s going to say all the right things isn’t he.
Can’t imagine him saying “Yeah Everton are ok but I loved it where I was and I’ve only moved to try to keep my international place and a bit more Wonga”
Just a thought from a 70 year old. Seeing what is going on with LIV tour in golf where the status quo has been wrecked by the Saudis buying players etc for billions what about our beloved game? The greedy lot behind the super league are still here 20/30 billion is peanuts to oil rich States so will they try to buy football…….. Greedy now if that happens what next? On a positive note living in Spain it was great to see the boys live and meet faces from back in Wolves!
I think Barcelona are stringing things along until the big breakaway payday.
Ps best blog ever thank you all fr allowing us to keep little touch from abroad
Where in Spain do you live George.
The king dead
Long live the king
All players move on, as well as managers and most staff.
In fact, the only part of a club not to change is the fan base.
How weird would it be if the opposite were to occur?
Thanks for everything, Connor, and good luck in the future.
But not against us.
I presume you’re referring to the ‘real’ life-long fan base Clive and not band waggon types. The latter would move on faster than Boris Johnson if we were relegated.
Yes, long live the king. At least he can’t play against us this season as he’s technically just on loan at Everton.
Except that the king isn’t dead, certainly not with a pool of around 15 genuine first team players even when all fit.
Absolutely all the best to Conor Coady, a true Wolves legend.
But a decision which at this time from a Wolverhampton Wanderers perspective defies all logic.
Our loss is Everton’s gain, specially on the lop sided reported terms of the deal.
I don’t begrudge Coady leaving but i begrudge them loaning him out, if he wants to go then put him up for sale at his true value which i think would be 20m atm so we can bring another player in with the income, loaning him out we gain nothing. We let Traore go to Barca for nowt and no clause to buy, we struggled without him, MGW was given a ‘choice’ by Lage to stay at Shef Utd even though we were crying out for an attacking midfielder, Silva has gone out on loan without us bringing in a replacement. These players are contracted to Wolves and these choices were not in the clubs best interests.
50m is a drop in the ocean in todays climate, an ambitious Championship club can spend that much.
I’m not anti Fosun but given the situation with our squad some of their decisions have been baffling and bordering on incompetent. Their saving grace is that we are still in the Prem and Lage hasn’t sank us to a dog fight to remain there…………
yet?
We’ll see where we are in ten games.
How do you know we are not replacing Silva?
@John: The clocks ticking and our form is not good in this situ.
Don’t forget. The real Happy Clappers arrived in 2018. There are 14000 of them. Just suddenly appeared out of the woodwork when it was all so brilliant under Nuno.
‘Clap clap clap’ Nuno had a dream. Where was the Chinese Communist Party ?
Success is bitch mate…
Not really. I am merely stating what my idea of a happy clapper is. In my view (and that of a load of mates been going down since late 80’s). They came along happy clapping when the going got good. That’s it. I always say this as well. PNE away August 2013. Division 3. If any of the 14000 happy clappers were there then well done.
No medal for bitterness cheese
How old are you and your mates Cheese? Just asking as the late ’80’s coincided with a previous happy-clapper era after the doldrums of the mid 80’s.
I accept people hate change. But Bruno Lage wants to progress in his own way. Conor will always be well loved at the Mol. But by his own admission he said ‘it wasn’t right’. He wants to play every minute of every game. The fact Bruno put him on the bench at Leeds showed us this couldn’t be the case. The Guedes signing was somethin to celebrate. I belive there will be more additions to the squad before the window shuts. And if someone comes in with £40 million for MGW I would sell him .
Cheesy, I think you miss the point about some of the concerns about the Coady deal. A lot of fans actively want change rather than being fearful of it. They want to see more attacking football, more goals and are not against the concept of a back four versus back five. We are a self financing club- not my description, Jeff Shi’s . On that premise, if it was indeed Coady driving the move to Everton to preserve his World Cup chance’s why not negotiate a deal that was far more in wolves favour. Look at the broader context, Everton have suffered two serious injuries to defenders and have a track record of splashing cash. Witness the £33m they have just spent on a midfielder. Why not therefore use the leverage we have with both Everton’s situation and the desire of Coady to move as quickly as possible? Why not propose an immediate sale if we genuinely think coady’s usefulness to wolves is over at a fee much higher than £12m or give the option of a 6 month loan with no option for sale ( the World Cup starts in 3 months not 11 months). Instead we have done a 12 month loan- why?? And there is only an option to buy but having set it at such a derisory figure, if they don’t exercise the option, we are left with a player whose value has immediately deteriorated further if we have to sell to another party at the end of 12 months. The other point to bear in mind is Lage’s tenure is by no means certain. We have not won for 8 games , and 12 months, is along time. It is not beyond imagination that he could be gone by Xmas, we could be in a relegation battle and a new manager takes a more defensive 5 at the back approach to secure points, whilst one of the best exponents of that system is sat at a competitor club with no recall. I’m angry about Coady leaving, in part because he has been a great asset and leader at our club, but I’m even more annoyed by the absolute balls of a deal that Shi and Sellars have struck. And no, I’m not anti fosun just a reasonably successful businessman who knows a crap deal when I see one.
SCW
I can’t see any way it’s a good deal.
If it’s really £12m play now buy later, no recall this season and no commitment to purchase it’s mad on every front.
We need his leadership.
We need him as a player .
He’s still versatile.
And he’s still a bloody good player.
15 senior squad players and you virtually give away your captain and spiritual leader.
£12 million v £35 million for Silva or £23 million for Collins.
What’s going on? Maybe all is not as it seems.
I.m not anti Fosun either but I fear we are caught up in the tangled financial web that Guo and co. have woven.
Fair enough. I dish it out on here. I don’t mind taking it. But what i do know. We all love Wolves. And that is the bottom line.
Agree. With regards to Guedes I think BG sums it up well. My only reticence is that we need a centre forward alongside him and that he may well be a replacement for Gibbs white and/ or Neto. Although my concern would be lessened if the former rather than the latter as we’ve not really seen an extended run from MGW in the PL and therefore difficult to assess true worth to us.
Opinion on Guedes. ? 27.5 million ?.
A good player, full international, good few years ahead of him, has heard good things about Wolves from the Portuguese contingent, might score a few spectacular goals , will provide chances for our centre forward………….therein lies the problem Mr. Shi.
COD
Agreed we are as one in our loyalties and ambitions.
Guedes – from what I’ve read and seen looks like a great signing as long as he’s an addition not a replacement for someone else earmarked to depart.
But it’s not yet enough.
It’s still 2 in and 5 senior players out and we only have 15 seasoned professionals on the books which makes me very, very, nervous. And we desperately need a striker to supplement the ailing Jiminez ((sorry Raul).
You are so anti Fosun PJB, let’s keep it real.
Those 7 IBM’s for Nancy have certainly shaken up the fabric of space-time. and loosened the floodgates on $Noodles wallet.
Now we’re on for a Midfielder AND a Striker @ £30 mil. combined. Like a Chinese fairy godmother, that’s packing the bench nicely and creating healthy competiton for places.
I’d just got my head around the trauma of Coady leaving. But on reflection he was Nuno’s Captain first and May have had too much baggage for Bruno to handle. Even so all that pure Wolves experience out the door. The team is going to be 100% less Scouse, where’s Ki -Jani Hoever? and alot more Portugese. Captain Reuben Neves. The China / Portugese axis bid for Premiership domination and we get to watch.
Could be as good as WWFC 3 – ManCity 2, or not.
1 lv & COYW