I was at Rotherham last August, more in hope than expectation that Walter Zenga would mastermind a convincing Wolves victory.
A slow start (2-0 down to the worst side in Championship history) was cancelled out by a stellar second half performance spearheaded by our new Icelandic striker.
He was a man mountain, a colossus and capped his Man of the Match display with a thunderbolt to level the scores and a thunder clap to enthrall the traveling support.
Soon after he netted at St. Andrew’s and continued to look unplayable over the first two months of the season.
Where had this guy been hiding (aside from knocking England out of the Euros)?
But the remainder of his brief Wolves career would be episodic, partly because two different managers couldn’t land on a settled eleven and partly because he couldn’t buy a goal.
To my mind though, Jon Dadi Bodvarsson has all the attributes required to be a very useful Championship striker.
It goes without saying then – I think we’ve made a mistake dispensing with his services, particularly to a rival.
The mere fact that Reading, a team who came within one kick of the Premier League in May have identified him as the man to give them that extra few per cent should tell you a lot.
Paul Lambert pointed out Bodvarsson hadn’t had a proper break from football in three years due to switching leagues and international commitments.
The then Wolves boss was confident the Icelander would come back strong after a good break and a full pre-season, ready to rediscover his top form.
I was inclined to agree and was hoping at the very least that he’d be utilised in a supporting role.
The fear is now we’ve given him a season to acclimatise, rested him, polished him up and handed him over to a team who will probably be competing with us for a top six finish.
It will come back to haunt us – just saying.
And before anyone gets their knickers in a twist, yes, I know I can count his goals from last season on one hand, yes, I know we had to sell players to balance the squad and yes, he might not fit in with Nuno’s style of play. I surrender.
I’m just making the point that I believe in the months to come, there’s a strong possibility we’ll be wondering why we let him go.
Best of luck Jon.
Totally agree with you 100%. With fresh legs and decent service he will thrive in this division.
A big mistake it seems, unless Nuno has an ace striker up his sleeve.
Don’t worry, Reading want him because they can’t get the kind of players we now shop for.
If you are going to worry about a 3 goal a season striker leaving, you are going to be crying a lot next season, if we get promoted.
Nobody will be safe next year, even the stars from this season can and will be replaced if someone better becomes available.
Do you really want to have the same stagnant “good championship” players or would you rather have “great premiership” players?
Gone are the days when we get to the Premiership and then try to use the same players that got us there in order to enforce a wage structure.
Can’t help but agree on all your points at the very least would have offered an different option if needed late in a game
This all depends on who we are bringing in, so it really is a wait and see. Alvaro Negredo being suggested by some ?
Wish JDB well it will be interesting to see how this all turns out.
COYW
– Negredo, Aboukar, Oliveira and Afobe are my favorites among the players we’ve been linked with.
– All far better alternatives than Bodvarsson
I agree Baz. Definitely depends on who we bring in. If there’s an upgrade on the cards, that’s a different ball game. But if we’re just offloading to balance the books, I’d have preferred to lose others ahead of Jon Dadi.
Think with the way to date has gone we can look forward to an upgrade Thomas, fingers crossed.
Hope we get a strong forward in the Assombalonga mound to help compliment Dicko.
Nah. There’s bigger fish in the sea. He’s too slow and isn’t clinical enough. Could undoubtly do well as a nexus point between mobile attacking players. It’s not a loss in my view.
Totally agree with the op he needed a good rest and with decent service will be a force to be recond with.
Bodvarsson re Vokes, I agree it is a massive mistake to let him go, I firmly believed he would have come good, let’s hope we have a better replacement lined up.
Well I wish him good luck at Reading, hoping that he will score a lot of goals against the other teams. The only scenarios I’d imagine regrets from Wolves part, is if he scores a goal against us in the play-offs, or if we lose out on the playoffs or direct promotion because of Reading.
I would have kept him on – a whole hearted character whom I don’t believe we saw the best of.
However having said that his role would only have been from the bench.
It is very clear that all we now appear to be missing is the 20+ goal machine that will get us back to the promised land. The hierarchy clearly know this and it will be very interesting to see who they bring in before the start of the season, but without such a player we will be staying where we are in the championship.
I like Dadi. Always gave his all. But was ultimately not a goal scorer. He had plenty of opportunity but just didn’t have that goal scorers instinct or luck. One thing that Dadi was willing to doing and did extremely well was to press from the front – meaning harass defenders. He is certainly not a lazy prima-Donna striker type who doesn’t like doing any donkey work. Edwards was also quite good at this last season. Ironically it is what we did to Reading where we stopped them from playing their usual strategy of building from the back and in the process win quite easily.
As we are planning to play a possession game ourselves we will have to beware of this tactic from our opponents.
But due to planning to play a possession based style we won’t need such players. Especially as Dadi is not great with the ball at his feet and not creative.
If we had the luxury of being allowed a bigger squad he could have given us an option if we needed to high-press as a pressing center forward. I guess this is what Reading see him as.
However, he can’t score and would occupy a space in the squad for someone who can.
All in all, top man. Useful but limited.
Tried hard but defenders worked him out pretty quickly last season and he became less effective as the season progressed. Definitely not a natural goal scorer and we have plenty of players who can’t find the net so maybe a move is a good thing all round.
I agree Thomas. I would have liked to have kept him as an alternative type of striker to others we have. His hold up play is superb and he is very quick despite someone else posting on here that he was too slow. Seems like all my Anfield memories – or at least the main contributors – have been dispensed with. Stearman and Weimann whose goals won us the match and Bodvarsson’s late electrifying run and victory Viking Slap. Oh well onwards and upwards hopefully.
I did like Boddy .. no yes it’s a shame he’s moved on …
But the one thing Fosun aren’t slow at is the cut and burn philosophy that is their model for, hopefully, success.
I wasn’t at the Rotherham or Blues away games but did go to Anfield … and the memory of Jon Dadi clipping a ball from Mason past the CH and chasing it into the Liverpool corner flag …not, oh no, not to waste a bit more of injury time but to cut in from the byline, drag the ball back to a better position and then be denied a wonder goal by a spawny Lucas having the ball bounce off his legs to make a goal line clearance.
For me , Boddy, (like Stearman) gave his all for this club, never being given much up top support, … and will long be remembered and loved ..
Good luck mate ….
Suffice to say if there is that much divided opinion on his usefulness, it is’t a monumental loss that he is gone.
Don’t worry, the football world is full of Jon Dadis.
The wise course was surely to keep him at the very least until any substitute strikers are actually signed .He is anyway a good alternative from the bench .My prediction is he will do well at Reading and score alot more goals this season .
Don’t agree with this one Thomas (a first!). I thought Bod was absolutely useless and think it was a no brainer to get rid. Hope I’m not wrong!
I know you reckoned him Thomas but he has had a desperately disappointing season after a promising start. I personally would only have loaned him out in case he came good again. Ipswich wanted him on loan, he is just the sort of front man Mick likes. For some reason we insisted on selling him and Ipswich have no money. So Reading came in. I’ve heard the fee was only £750K, therefore a loss. Shame, but I think in our new incarnation at new Wolves he would only ever be a squad player, like Weimann. Sometimes I have to remind myself that yesterday’s gone!
Came good again? This is the Championship and next year we hope to be in the Premiership.
Is he good enough to play in the top half of the Premiership?
You guys have to look ahead a year or two or maybe six.
Chelsea loan tons of players out who haven’t a chance of making their first team. That’s what I was thinking for Bod. Loan him out and if he improves, make more money on him. Another factor you are overlooking is that by lending a player to a rival, he can’t play against us. On the other hand, if you sell him he can play against us, and, guess what, he will score…
‘ if you sell him he can play against us, and, guess what, he will score…’
I’m looking forward to JDB v Big Willy next season.
Unstoppable force v immovable object.
My money’s on Big Willy to melt the Iceman. At the other end I’m also betting on Little Dicko to become one of our top scorers.
To all the naysayers,most were dismissing nouha too… look at what he’s done already pre-season!
Jon Dadi should have gone on tour.I think he’s got a lot more in him to be honest. He deserved next Jan at least.Still young,we could be crying out for a big guy up front mid season for variety.Impact sub at least.I think back to Liverpool ..
I liked the Bod , but he was never a striker in my reckoning, he had his chances but never really took them that’s why he was a sub most of the time. I wish him well but not against us.Time will tell if we made a mistake in selling him.As football goes I Hope we’ve moved on from the boring drab football we witnessed last term under the PLank.Ive got a feeling a striker or two are on the radar as we speak so hold on tight for a roller coaster of a season I hope.UTW.
https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/wolves-close-to-completing-deal-for-chelsea-defender/
As I have said before Aguro, Kane, Costa, would have struggled to score with Lamberts negatives game plan,so what chance did Bod and even Dicko have. Think we will come to regret this sale. Only hope I am wrong.
Tim, we’re chasing this one too, have been for over 3 weeks, getting close.
http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2017/07/16/do-could-jorge-mendes-solve-wolves-striker-problems-by-inspiring/
The journalist read your comment on wolvesblog, checked up if he was a client of Mendes, then he wrote the article :=))) I really hope it’s something in this story Stuwolf. A bonus that he already has experience from English football.
hitc.com is click-bait, junk journalism of the worst kind. Best to ignore.
My source is not the newspapers or hitc, I want to sit on this one a bit longer as it’s been a goer for weeks.
Great if your other sources confirm.
But I rest my case re hitc – they put out lots of speculation and supposition. If we’d signed every player they linked us with over the summer we’d have a first-team squad of 87…
Yes I agree, I tend to discount the daily dose of guessing, my mate is close to the ground for news, I was putting it out there for interest factor.
Kudos to StuWolf for this one: http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2017/07/18/valencias-pedro-goncalves-appears-to-have-signed-for-wolverhampt/
I’m with you on this one, Thomas. We were all raving about him in those two months, but then those years of playing football non-stop took their toll. Liverpool in January gave us a reminder of what he could do. I would have liked to have seen what a reenergised Bodvarsson might have done.
I would like to see a couple strikers come in sooner rather than later, at least one of which should be capable of shaking up the opposing centre halves. That is something Jon Dadi was very good at. Maybe not for the purists, but then the Championship is a physical league.
Didn’t score enough that’s it basically
He did have chances last season one on ones v keepers he isn’t clinical enough
Nuno obviously has someone in mind, saying that we should get him in very soon to adjust to our system
But I did like bod he was a truer but we need quality now cause we are wolves!!!
I will certainly miss the Dadi, thought he would be brilliant after a break. The very thought of Afobe back sulking around the pitch is enough to make me puke
Agree entirely – Bod’s a very good squad player, at least.
However, while there’s no doubting the effects him playing largely non-stop over the past couple of years will have had on him, his goal scoring record has never been a good one throughout his career.
We all know a proven goal scorer or two is required to challenge Dicko, and I’m sure this will be an area we’ll strengthen in over the next couple of weeks.
With injuries to the three players who are by far our best source of assists (Costa, Graham & Marshall), however, my concern is meaningful and consistent end product in these wide forward positions.
As talented and promising as Cav is, has he thus far demonstrated that he can provide us with consistent end product? Likewise Zyro (who, if he experiences similar difficulties Dicko did in getting back to full speed, may not be ‘at it’ until further into the season, if at all), Mason (who isn’t a wide forward anyway ) and Bright.
Without a proper preseason behind them, we probably can’t expect too much from Costa, Graham and Marshsll as consistent forces until later in the season – so additional strengthening in this position is an absolute necessity.
I will miss the clap but who’s the dadi.
Best of luck to JDB. He will always get a good reception when he returns to Molineux. I was also at Rotherham on that barmy August day and Tex also got good reviews as he helped change the game when he came on. What happened to him?
Thomas completely agree why we have sold him is anyone’s guess surley it cannot be for financial reasons.
In Jaap Stam he will flourish I’m certain of it and even if he is not scoring goals if he gets a regular partner he can provide them and act as there foil.
That attemp at Liverpool I can still see him now after that attempt he looked for want of a better word ” fucked ” and he was but he kept going on his OWN most the time or on the wing.
It’s not just that either he was the ONE player apart from Costa that connected with the fans ill never forget the Icelandic clap at the end of the Liverpool game…….amazing sight and sound ill probably never experience again at an away ground.
Dadi thanks for your effort, commitment and most of all some fantastic memories……I for one will do the Iclandic clap when you return with Reading……in fact I think so will the whorls South Bank and so they should.
All depends on who we bring in.
I think that’s how simple it is
Very sympathetic to the pro Jon Dadi fans. Really liked him & always thought he’d make something happen when he was on the pitch.
But clearly Lambert then Nuno / Mendes think we can do better. I do hope so, but my initial feelings are shit another ex player to score against us, & why did we fail to make the most of such a committed player? Too much instability at the club. I hope that the view is long & the club see the benefits of stability & building a team & style of football that will last & grow into Premiership class & quality.
A big ask but the alternative is more mediocrity.
I think he showed at the beginning of the season what he could do.
I think his lack of a break from football took it’s toll as the season progressed.
I think we weren’t creative enough in the forward areas to allow any striker to prosper. Consequently, none of ’em did.
I think it’s a real shame he’s gone and we should have given a refreshed Jon Dadi until Christmas to show what he can do.
I think I’ll put a quid on him scoring against us.
As long as consistency and effectiveness is what is required in a player, no-one can be considered irreplaceable. You cannot assess somebody by very few successful games when the route of the game was such that favored their style of playing. The idea is that in difficulties you could not rely on them and win even without playing well. The same goes for some of our defenders. Pretty good players but at crucial moments they couldn’t help making the killing mistake. After all every coach has his own perspective. A type of clapping or cheering to somebody may cause excitement for a moment but is meaningless when it is not accompanied with successful results.
Feel bit sorry for Bod we reduced him to the bustling centre forward chasing
lost causes but that is kind of the player he is and it just didnt work. The ball over the top just doesnt cut it anymore as a regular thing as much as some fans still want to see it.
He was a big lad who couldn’t head it and couldn’t finish. His work rate was excellent and he was quick dispite his size. He linked the play well and was good at getting the fans going so I think Reading have got a good player. However I don’t think he’d fit into a front 3 and like I say he couldn’t finish so there for I think it was the right decision to sell him. Ultimately though it depends who comes in as to whether it was a good decision. One thing I’ve noticed though is that we’ve not got the option of a big physical presence up front. I think that needs addressing as when things aren’t going out way switch to plan B and get balls into the box. We’ve got bags of pace in our front line. That’s why I was hoping assombalonga deal would have gone through he’d of added something different
For a big chap, Bod was rubbish at dealing with long high balls up to him.
But, put the pill at his feet and his control in tight spots could be phenomenal.
Sadly, no manager seemed able to spot the bleeding obvious so he was never given a decent chance to show what he was capable of.
I’ll miss him and wish him all the best in the future.
In my latest recurring nightmare he scores the winning goal against us at Molineux and runs over to the Reading fans to lead the Icelandic clap.
Do you eat too much cheese before bedtime DG?
It’s normally humble pie in the DOOGooder household mate.
So far this window several decent looking players have been brought in, and several pieces of deadwood have been set adrift.
Until all dealings are complete, and all incoming players bedded in, we have no knowledge of how they will perform.
We have to trust our new management know what they are doing, before we start criticizing.
Plus, we have no say in the matter anyway.
Give them time, I say, and lets see what happens.
Great article, great title. Made me laugh Thomas and agree with you 100%. I wanted him to stay for at least half a season to make certain about him. Maybe we have a couple of unarguably better strikers coming in – let’s hope so. I can remember Jez taking upon himself to sell Vokes for half a million. Lets hope its not deja vous.
He came, he didn’t score (very often), then gave us the (icelandic) clap, then left.
Sad to see him go, and I’m sure he will have a warm welcome from us, unless he scores against us.
Can’t help thinking we surely must have our eyes on someone far better to replace him. Don’t think we’d let him go without someone lined up.
Thomas,
Thanks for your thoughts. I, however believe that we are moving on. An “upgrade” must be on the cards though, and if it is and does occur, then I say, Thanks Dadi, good luck for your future.
We most certainly need a striker who scores more than our current lot do, so I wait, expectantly.
I can’t believe all the comments saying that we wil miss JDB – he brought the clap to Molineux ! It took me months to get rid of it in the ’80’s ffs !
Pedro Goncalves signed today, from Valencia U23’s
https://www.instagram.com/p/BWp-IzjDToS/
Sez he’s a canoeist on my puter???
Sink or swim then Clive !!
Our right footed winger has arrived. A good investment.
Going into the under 23 squad, midfielder
https://www.instagram.com/pedroogoncalves10/
This is the guy someone mentioned two weeks back, we got his first name wrong. Can’t see him going into the U23’s though. Bet he’s in the first team.
2 players for every position is the aim.
I think Nuno’s plan for effectively two first teams at Wolves is bold and ambitious. The days when our season could be derailed by an injury to a single player like Dicko are over.
Interesting that Norwich, with a German coach is recruiting a lot of German players where as wolves are getting a distinct Portuguese flavour. It’s Portugal vs Germany. Our players should be a higher level though. Nevertheless will be a fascinating match-up though. I haven’t been so looking forward to a new season for yonks. UTW
Our aim on the 5th Aug, must be to give Assombalonga (or however he spells his name) a little tap, that will him be out all season with injury (I HOPE).
Do you really want to win that way?
Has he got a broken sink?
Here is a question. Would you sell one of our up and coming players for a few million if you knew it would keep us within the FFP rules?
Say we could sell one for 3 or 4 million pounds and it would counter the buying of Neves for one year, for instance?
Is it worth it? Can’t we just replace the player with someone next year or later? Does someone being an Academy player make them that much more valuable to Wolves fans?
If we want to go to the top of the Premiership, we have to look at all options.
Assessment of last 3 games:
Positives:
*The new players look good additions
*Dicko looks light he’s regained his form
*We look defensively organised
*Always nice seeing the ball being played on the deck
Concerns:
We look creatively impotent due to the system and how Nuno sets us up – for example:
*The CM pairing both play very deep and, consequently, there is too large a gap and quite often disconnect between CM and the front three
*There is little in the way of meaningful creativity from the wing backs, meaning that there is very little threat from wide areas
*In the absence of the CM two and wing-backs being an attacking force, the onus falls on the front three to produce something out of very little – and, in the absence of Costa and Graham, the personnel we currently have in the wide forward areas is simply not good enough to do this.
I agree, barring I think the wing-backs looked ok until last night when Jablonec had worked our system out. As for midfield, I don’t think he can start with both Neves and Saiss – he needs a creative/flair player in one of those berths. The boy Krovinovic on loan from Benfica would be a good fit.
I agree that it would be beneficial for Neves/Saiss to play alongside someone in CM with greater creativity.
However, even if this was the case, the way Nuno sets his CM to play is such that anyone playing in that position would struggle to have an impact on games as a creative attacking force. Therefore, I don’t think the issue is personnel – it’s an issue of system.
If Nuno is going to play two deep-lying defensive midfielders, there needs to be an additional midfielder/ no 10 playing in a more advanced position ahead of them who can provide the link between defence and attack in the final third of the pitch – something I can’t see likely at the moment given that this would require a change in formation.
For me one of the defensive midfielders cannot sit as deep as Neves/Saiss do.
Neves will probably start and what we need in front of him is a CM who has that spark of creativity but can also hold a deep position when we lose possession. I think this may come with time, but Nuno’s priority at the moment seems to be to make us defensively sound and I have no problem with that in the short term.
Certainly in all 3 friendlies the opposition were struggling to break us down either by getting round the back or by playing through us.
Pretty dire performance from us I thought. Bright spots for me were Nouha and Cav, who both looked sharp and full of running. Will Norris seemed quietly confident and will make a competent No2, at least. Neves of course makes the difficult look easy. Hopefully he can pull off the same trick in the hurly burly of the Championship.
Of the second half subs, Roderick Miranda was definitely the standout performer,both with and without the ball. Moving forward in possession, he always has his head up looking for teammates and ready to play the telling pass. A definite starter for me. Jack Price too seems to revel in his role in midfield and was cool under pressure and crisp in his passing.
All this, but not enough oomph to go and win the game. Shame really, but hey, it was only a friendly.
Yes, they’ve trained hard and felt perhaps a bit heavier than usual (Noua didn’t look quite as explosive in the last game and wasn’t exactly friend with the ball).
The two Portuguese players that spent the weekend at Compton have both signed and going into the U23’s. One of them is indeed Pedro Concalves, who no doubt will get his nuts roasted for spilling the beans early.
Other news,
Jeff Shi and Kevin Thelwell flew off somewhere unknow from Austria yesterday, they are either having an affair or our promised Striker is getting close.
Happy days.
https://www.wolves.co.uk/news/under-23/20170718-double-signing-for-under-23s/
Any news on a striker or two. From what I’ve read and heard about the game the problem seemed to be midfield not supporting the front players.
The ball was be passed from defence to midfield but then fell down from midfield to attack……..sounds familiar.
Paul
Sky bet have us 2nd favourites to sign Alvaro Negredo.
Me, I would give us better odds considering Mendes is his Agent……
We were favourites to sign Afobe.
And thank dog we didnt!!!
I was at a meeting inside Molineux 3 weeks ago, I was told 100% we had no interest what so ever in Afobe. The difference here is, Iv’e been told the opposite with Negredo, there is genuine interest in him and we are progressing well.
But, time will tell. I live in hope on this one, it would be a good move.
Like Clive, Thank Dog we didn’t.
Great news Stu. There’s obviously a real chance of Negredo signing from what you say and Afobe was never on our radar.
At the end of the day bookies’ odds only reflect bets placed. If we all put money on, say, Peter Knowles to come out of retirement and sign for us, the odds will shorten with every bet.
I’m happy with my 16/1 on us for the title…
Jammy Bugger,I’m useless at betting and was going to put £100 on us to win the league, but never got round to it.
100grand a week? Much too much. It’s a thanks, but no thanks, from me.
I’ll take 90 points. They only relinquished on set pieces, which they may not have worked on much yet.
£100,000 a week for a striker who scored 9 goals in 36 games last season?
No thanks.
We’ve got a midfielder (who can’t play) who scored more than that.
Who cares about the money, Fosun are paying. It’s not like the season ticket prices go up to pay the wages.
9 goals in 36 games, in a very defensive minded team in the premier league isn’t too bad. He’d probably get you 20+ goals in the championship with Costa, Cav and Neves feeding him.
“Probably…” “Isn’t too bad…”
I’d want a bit more than that before I started forking out that sort of dosh.
And think of the possible dressing room unrest if he’s earning probably a lot more than double what they are getting, and not delivering.
The other Costa is out there, trying to get a move to Madrid.
Maybe he would like the sunny climes of WV1 instead???
His wages would probably ‘costa’ lot too. Sorry. 🙁
Tweet from Pat Murphy on Twitter
Understand @Wolves not in for Alvaro Negredo. Wages of around £100 a wk deemed too much. Not close to signing anyone else at the moment
The search continues………….
If nothing else it showed ambition. Back to the drawing board.
They can’t go wrong, Fosun, if it shows ambition by NOT being in for someone.
Fosun, it is said, were in for Negredo. That shows ambition, does it not?
His wage demands have apparently scuppered the deal. That shows that Fosun are not stupid. Back to the drawing board in the striker search.
Twenty five grand a week and another twenty five grand a week if he scores 25 league goals and another 50 grand a week if we are promoted, simple
I feel like a Baggies fan this sfternoon.
GUTTED!
Silly man.
Silly, silly man.
Bodvarsson £1m per goal
Negredo wants £100,000 a werk for 9 goals.
As they say in Spain,
“No way Jose”
Move on Fosun.
Have we given up on the Negredo deal? £100K a week may be his opening tactic. Can we knock him down to a far more realistic figure, with his parent club paying some too?
We could also pay goal bonuses on top of a reduced basic wage. This avoids the situation where the squad would be pissed off if he’s not performing. This way he would only earn big money if he was scoring.
How do you guys think Niall Ennis would fit into the new system? It will also be interesting to follow the U-23 team, how it adapts to the new system.
What about the lad from Chelsea who was on loan at Bristol City last season scored against us at there place looked strong and a real handful.
Tammy Abraham wasn’t it?
Tammy Abraham has signed for Swansea on loan.
Oh well…..that’s that then..!
Sadly, no way was he ever coming to Wolves. Lambert’s people apparently spread fake news that we were after him. Chelsea always wanted him to go on loan in the PL. Newcastle thought they would get him but Benitez isn’t well liked at Chelsea. Clements at Swansea is well in with Chelsea and might also have promised more game time for Abraham than he would get at Newcastle
I hope we are not ignoring the home market. There are some quality players out there just need to leave no stone uncovered.
Portuguese players from Norwich and Shef w have been linked. They obviously are looking for a very technical player which can cope with the new Wolves style of play. He needs to handle quick play in small spaces.
Great……..not Real Madrid or Barca then suppose it makes a change from Porto..!
I hope we haven’t missed the boat…..AGAIN re: a decent striker. As important as stopping goals is, scoring them is as important if not more so.
Our current strike force is no where near up to the task.
The two strikers I wanted back in May – and said so on here – Tammy Abraham and Britt Assombalonga have now gone elsewhere. I can understand Abraham wanting to play in the PL but am disappointed at BA going to Boro (especially as he’s nailed on to score on 5th August). Can only assume we didn’t fancy him.
So where does that leave us? Never fancied Negredo to be honest. 9 PL goals last season in a rubbish Boro side isn’t too bad but think, and hope we can do better.
I still think Benik Afobe would be good – sorry to all you ‘never go back’ posters – and if we could get him AND Vincent Aboubakar then I’d be in heaven.
Hopefully we will sign a striker very soon. Otherwise if I have to witness a certain Welshman bundling in another goal I think I might have to hack me own head off. Though the signs are that NES has sussed out our non-footballers already so with a bit of luck my bonce will remain intact and said ‘dangerous’ Taffy will be played in his best position this season i.e. on the bench or left back (in the changing room).
Eusebio anyone?
Concur Bedders re: Welsh Wizard in fact surprised he still here. Also agree re: Negrero or what ever his name is.
I was hoping for Abrahams watch him destroy us a Aston Gate for fun never even broke into a sweat.
As for Afobe I’m not fussed either way I think it was 6 of 1 and half a dozen of the other re: his departure but if he willing to come back and he’s the only one left on the shelf he better than what we’ve got that’s for sure.
If it’s Afobe or nobody, it’s a no brainer. I can’t imagine it will be but it looks like we’ve missed out on a couple of main targets. Time is of the essence now.
Let’s get Bas Dost from Sporting – 31 games 34 goals – 28 years old, valued at 13.6m
….
well i can dream
Well, it is 10.00 pm over there, two hours shy of Thursday July 20th, otherwise known as Doogoodermas.
I hope y’all will join me in wishing the old fart a very Happy 85th birthday.
It is true he knew Major Frank Buckley, was around when the brown ball disappeared, ate bread before it was sliced, and actually took part in the Dunkirk evacuation, only as a schoolboy though.
Many happy wotsits for the day, Doogle, don’t trip over your zimmer frame in the rush to get your autographed card from Maj.
In fact, I think Maj is the only person living older than His Doogleship.
(Prince Phillip don’t count, he was pickled years ago)
Have a great day, do not forget your teeth when you go out to greet the tumultuous Melksham crowds, which I am reliable informed, have both been gathering since the pub closed.
Happy Birthday, you really old git!
Lottsa love from Texas.
Thank you, you cheeky old bugger!
And thanks for the card too.
I’m a bit disappointed it wasn’t delivered by hand but I guess you can’t have everything.
Now I’m off to look for my teeth.
I’m thure I left them Thomewhere!
Erlauben zie bitte meinen herr
Vielen Danke unt haben zie eine Gutlich Geburstag Doogooder.
Mein Liebe zu der Frau zer Schonne madchen Sue.
Haben zie ein Fantastische Tag mein freunde.
Veilen Danke fur die funf unt achtsig Jahre,
Komme mitt die Volves
Happy 85th Sport, may you get all you want and Want all you get.
Thanks Stu.
And give my thanks to the fit looking piece in the Wolves top while you’re at it.
Look at the danglers on that!
the last two blogs are what happens to you when you have watched the wolves for over 50 years !!!!
beware fellow bloggers !!!
stu did the queen really write that card ???
Spikey,
Well she is of Germanic decent, Phil the Greek talks to folk like a German so I am sure she did.
When I had a letter off her in 2000, her handwriting was shite then too, so nothings changed.
Many thanks, Vielen Danke, Merci, C??????, Xièxie, Gracias to all my countless friends and followers throughout the civilised (?) World for their birthday wishes.
Especial thanks to Clive from Houston for the card and the above totally accurate description of my age, history and bowel movements (Dunkirk Evacuation – we’ve all had them!).
And Ta, Herr Stu, for mangling the German language so expertly.
I must be getting old because I received a letter from ‘Everyone at Wolves’ as well as the usual from the Old Queen.
Oh Sorry, I’ve already mentioned Clive, haven’t I.
We’ve just booked Saturday at APV for the Cardiff match so if any of you fancy a late birthday drink, pop along and you can buy me one. Sat says that it’s V-Fest weekend so if you want a room, book now.
Cheers all!
Happy Birthday you old bugger! 🙂
Have a good one!
I know you are not 85, I have it on good authority it’s more like 90 😉
Thanks mate. I feel 90 sometimes – but that’s just being a Wolves supporter.
Hope you had a great day mate. Hope to have a beer with you sometime soon, if not at the Cardiff match.
Take Care.
You’re on!
Cheers fella, see you soon.
Have a great day DG. Get the Triumph out and take a spin in the sun. There’s nothing like a Birthday Blast.
I just might do that.
Thanks WS.
Brummm Brummm!
(But not THAT Brum).
Only just looked at the blog for the first time today but can I just wish you a happy birthday mate from Newark On Trent.
Best wishes
Ian & Susan
Thanks Ian.
A fun time has been had. Now I’m off to bed. (Don’t tell the wife).
Give our best to Susan, hopefully see you for a beer soon.
As Bromptons ball bash was such a raging success and as the Boro game is getting close to a sell out (feckin ell, that ain’t happened for a few years) anyone fancy taking up Ian (Newark Wolf’s) offer of a get together before the Boro game. Makes sense, a mad bunch of geriatrics invade APV prior to dribbling their way up to the Golden Showers oops (Palace) to see Wolves get of to a watery fart, crikes sorry (flying start).
I’m in. I was planning on getting there around 1300 hrs but will see if I can arrive earlier now.
Definitely on for that Stu. I’ll be making a weekend of it anyway.
We’re in for that Stuey and Jen …
I promise to not say this again, but I am getting a tad anxious that we have not bought any strikers to date. I have planned my attendance this season and will be at the following matches and believe we can finish the season as Champions ….. if we get some strikers in.
v Boro
Hull v
Forest v
Sheff Utd v
v Preston
v Leeds
Sheff Wed v
Barnsley v
Preston v
Leeds v
Boro v
Bolton v
v Sheff Wed and the Bloggers Ball
Sunderland v
So many matches nearer me this season. Can’t wait. 4 Home games and 10 Away.
Hi mate
It is early days but me and Susan met up with Bedders when we played the shit (Forest) last season for food and drink by the canal in Nottingham and think we might just do the same again when we play them this season if you fancy it. Also, we have been to Sheffield Wednesday away for the last four years. It is always in December so we have Sue’s business christmas party at The Garrison Hotel in Sheffield if you wanted to join us there as well ?
All you distant Wolves fans out there, check this out, every match for £3 a game on the new Wolves tv if you live in Eire or the UK, rest of the World packages too.
Feckin A never miss a game..
We’re moving in the right direction…. nice one fosun
https://www.wolves.co.uk/news/club/2017720-wolvestv-pre-season-packages-now-available/
I signed up for the Shrewsbury and Peterborough games. The Leicester game is audio only.
I’m unclear if the £3 a game off will apply to the season itself. Surely we won’t be able to watch the championship matches live on TV, unless they are on Sky?
Only If you live outside the UK & Ireland will you be able to see selected live streams. Football League rules.
“Overseas fans will have the opportunity to live stream some matches for just £5 per game. Please note that this is only available to fans outside of the UK & Republic of Ireland due to EFL Broadcasting rules and will not be available for games where we are live on SKY or the featured match on Channel 5. There may also be other away games where technical reasons mean it is impossible for us to live stream.”
Another defender 18 years old and guess what yes…..you got it he’s Portugese ……!
Seriously though this is getting ridiculous ……..we NEED a least one decent STRIKER.
I reckon that just as many new arrivals as last season and yes I know last season it was all done in a rush but and I know I’m going to get shot down for this but hey I’ve never been one from backing away from saying what I think……..and here is is folks I can see it going the same way as last season.
Here’s why.
A number of new arrivals most of which have never played in the Championship.
A new coach never managed in the championship. ( see Walter )
New tactics and formation players not used to.
Not a reconized striker or strikers brought in with championship or Premiership experience.
I want to believe and ill be there come August the 5th and so on but lets not ignore the elephants in the room this is another massive experiment by Jeff and Fosun AGAIN……..I hope for everyone’s sake THIS time it works.
I reluctantly can’t shake the same feeling also.
The vast majority of successful teams have a good balance experience, youth, grit, creativity etc; however, unless we change our recruitment tact and bring in two or three big domestically-based players for the spine of the team (midfield and attack), I don’t think we will have this balance to a sufficient enough level to really excel.
What I haven’t yet decided is whether the club’s (Mendez’s) continued transfer policy is based on nativity/underestimation of the requirements of the league or arrogance.
We won’t know that until seasons end. It may just be a feeling. We may be wildly successful.
Here’s hoping.
I’m pretty sure we will be getting in a large decent striker, one who can lead the line effectively, but not too sure when!? The guys running the club are no more mugs than the rest of us imo. The main problem is these guys are expensive and everyone is after them; silly wages will be the main problem along with who blinks first; maybe it is time to take a real risk? With Jordan, Costa et al due back, I think we can create more up front but we do need the `Bully` factor really badly. As Paul says we don’t KNOW how effective these guys will be in such a foreign environment as the Championship provides and he is absolutely correct. However, having watched and followed the last few `practice` games you can see a preponderance of class in our squad and , with the addition off said striker or two, I’m expecting the best. Being a Wolves’ fan you can’t help but feel it may go tits up though…
Debenham no one would be more happy than me to be proved wrong……I along with yourself and thousands of Wolves fans are desparte for Nuno and all the players to be a success and lead us back to the promis land.
Years of false dawns and ups and downs have conditioned us to fear the worse and hope for the best surley we deserve a bit of luck and for once things click into place and go our way.
One thing is for sure to use that over used meta for ” it’s going to be another roller coaster of a ride ”
Just hope we don’t end up feeling sick..!
Agreed. Always that worry at the back of long standing Wolves’ fans…
Any chance we could go back for Sam Gallagher? Right age, physical presence that we currently lack, knowledge of the division and a solid investment in the future. Maybe Oliveira or a loan signing as well to provide options.
One Rúben Gonçalo Silva Nascimento Vinagre
There’s only one Rúben Gonçalo Silva Nascimento Vinagre
One Rúben Gonçalo Silva Nascimento Vinagre
There’s only one Rúben Gonçalo Silva Nascimento Vinagre
I used to teach trauma in Portugal for about 3 years, writing out the Certificates was worse than sitting the exams, they insist on their full names.
We’ll need Lennon amd McCartney to make up new songs for us.
I’d like to wish all of my Melksham mates celebrating a birthday today .. a very happy and enjoyable one …oh go on then DOOGooder …there I named you..
Best wishes for today buddy and here’s hoping Sue pampers you and relaxes you whiling away the hours thinking of the things we used to do ..
Have a great day and see you on match day down at the APV versus Boro ….
Love to Sue…
He will be in Glastonbury then Twix………. but I will be there lol
See you there mate…
Cheers Mike!
Yes, a long standing arrangement with Brian Wilson will stop us watching the new look Wolves hammer the ‘Boro, but give them a shout for us.
Love to Lilian, hopefully see you both at the Cardiff game.
Pity that j Hernandez is probably going to West Ham as he could have been a gr8 striker for us 1 goal every 2 games and performed at the highest levels,