Having doubled down on the team’s inability to score goals at the weekend, I’m happy to have egg on my face this morning.
Yes, it was only a poor Forest side and yes, they deployed the kids but the performance and result still offer a lot of encouragement.
You need only cast your mind back to Chorley in January to remember that the opposition is only as good or as bad as you make them look.
And with 74% possession and 28 shots on goal, we punished a woeful Forest side in a way it’s hard to envisage we would have done last season.
There were 7 changes to the Wolves XI but we still saw the same high energy, attack-minded approach we’ve enjoyed in the opening two league games.
Impressive when you consider everyone is in agreement that we lack squad depth.
No doubt Daniel Podence’s return was timely and it was good to see him looking sharp and at the centre of everything Wolves were doing.
He hit the post, forced saves from the Forest keeper and was finally rewarded with a well-taken goal to cap a fine first outing of the season. If he can stay fit and on form, he’ll be an asset.
As bad as he was in the final run of games last season, we can’t forget he also won us games against Chelsea and Arsenal so the quality is there.
Morgan Gibbs White hasn’t struggled with fitness, so is unfortunate to have had only limited minutes, but a full 90 and a brilliant goal last night won’t have done him any harm.
Fabio didn’t find the net, but laid on two of the goals and managed a couple of good efforts in a strong showing from the deputising front three.
With Trincao then coming off the bench to finish a classy move for his first Wolves goal and Bruno confirming afterwards that Willy Boly is back training with the group, it was a night packed with positives.
And of course, we’re through to the next round in a competition that represents a good opportunity to pursue silverware. Bring on the next round.
Well done to the boys! And another 28 shots at goal, bringing the total to an amazing 70 shots on goal in the last 3 games. Nuno who? Well done Bruno for this entertaining change, compared to the dross of last season!
I am already winding up my many Man U friends (at my peril) but at least we will give it a good effort, and with a little luck, it’s possible!
And I am already looking forward to the game against Leeds, what a game that could be! I am optimistic!
I have only seen the goals so can’t comment too much but always good to get a few goals.
Bruno post match
“ a competition that’s massively important to us “
That’s a nice change.
Utw
Marney, I was there last night and it was much better than the score line. It was an awesome display. Roll on Sunday.
I agree, cups are super cool now we are an established mid table team
BOOM !!
What a relief !
28 shots and 13 on target ! 74% possession.
Fantastic feeling to finally get off the mark and score 4, YES 4 goals !! Since the first half against Leicester, Wolves have played with real vigour and attacking intent. Thoroughly deserved ! Particularly pleased for Daniel Podence on his return ! Well done Romain, Daniel, Fabio and Ki-Jana Hoever. Assists and goals !! Trincao and MGW too !! 2 assists for Fabio ! Awesome ! And a great showing from Moutinho !!
Come on Wolves !
Bumped into a family shopping in a Malvern supermarket this morning all proudly wearing their new Wolves kit. So great to see the huge smiles on their faces !
What a confidence booster to take into Sunday’s game with Man Utd !!!
UTW
– Fabio did well as the new number 10, I reckon ;=). 3-5-2 worked well against Nottingham. Interesting to see what kind of formation Lage is going to use against Man U.
I reckon this is his level though, good Champo striker. Which is amazing for someone so young and trending upwards, but still, that’s his current level. Long may the trend upwards continue.
Was that in Malvern Waitrose, or Morrisons ?
Great result what a difference between Bruno and Nuno from boring inept football under Nuno to all out attack and high pressing under Bruno. Still think we need 3new signings CF CM and CD if we can get them in champion league here we come ???
Historically speaking, Bruno is more of a Cavalier and Nuno is more of a Roundhead. And, Traore is one hell of a Cavalier! I’m liking Bruno more by the day. 70 -odd shots in three games? Astonishing change in approach. The match last night would have had me a nervous wreck if Nuno was still here, given his poor record in cup matches. With the match unfairly sandwiched between Spurs two days previously and Man U this weekend, Nuno would probably have put a very, very weakened team out, compared to Bruno’s strong lineup, and blamed the tight schedule for going out on penalties after 0-0 at full time. Nice to know that we’re taking cup matches seriously. I’m still sad about the Southampton and Watford capitulations.
After my post about the apparent inability to hit a barn door at three paces, which I, incidentally, expected to get a good handful of dislikes, I am happy to say that equilibrium has been achieved.
Well done to the boys and let’s hope that some goal grabbing confidence in the camp has been restored.
Manchester United next. Bring it on!
Good to see the goals going in at last. Our record in the early rounds of the League Cup is poor, so to treat this game with respect, as Bruno did, was a refreshing change. This may have been 0-0 and penalties last season. A confidence booster no doubt and on to Manure. After the difficult set of opening fixtures the 3 after Man Utd look to be games to get points from. At this early stage if we were on 6 or 7 points after the opening 6 games I would be happy. Then we can crack on. Hopefully with a squad boosted by sons new faces. Jeff ?
There are going to be the inevitable detractors on here, bitching that it was only Forest from the bottom of the second division.
Bollox, I say, you can only beat what’s put in front of you.
Reminds me of the old joke about the shit and the dustbins, which I am sure a lot of you know.
Great, morale boosting result.
Well done me babbeez, bring on the prawn sammiches!
The Wolves appear to have changed from their last season’s mild mannered Clark Kent identity, into the full blown Superman incarnation.
And no telephone boxes involved.
Bruno will be having them wear their pants on the outside next.
Plan A seems to be ‘Attack’, plan B is ‘ATTACK!’ and no doubt, if we ever need a Plan C, it will be ‘GET OUT THERE AND BLOODY WELL ATTACK!!!!!!!!!’.
Every player seems to be in tune with Bruno’s philosophy.
It promises to be an entertaining season.
One more thing though.
I know he divides opinion amongst fans almost as much as Dangerous Dave used to, but while we are in Super Hero mode, I still hope that we hang on to our Incredible Hulk.
As ‘The Automatic’ once sang… well, more or less.
“What’s that going down the wing
Is it a monster?
No it’s Adama!”
Well with Kane’s statement today there’s less chance that tottingham have a spare 50 mill to spend?
I like to think that Bruno has worked his magic with adama but the cynic in me tells me he was auditioning for a move , I’ve never seen him jump up so quickly after getting fouled.
Hopefully I’m wrong and we get one more season from him .
Utw
Some fans think that Traore couldn’t even score in a brothel but I’m not one of them. I agree that he was in full auditioning mode though against Spurs. Well, it ain’t gonna work, he’s here until at least 1st January. In that time I hope he will hit such a purple patch he will make Daniel Levy cry all the way to the bank when he realises that it will take a lot more than 45 big ones to buy him then.
Well it was Forest’s youth team and they are bottom of the league, so we should beat ’em. It don’t mean a thing do it?
But it was the manner of the beating. The incessant pressure. The ruthless putting to the sword of a team who already knew their own inferiority. And the sheer quality. Of the goals. Of the passing. The movement. The whole damn thing oozed class and quality.
If this is Bruno-ball, give me more and well done to Mr Shi for giving us the chance to see the Old Gold play in such a manner.
As pointed out by Marney above, I almost cheered at the statement by Kane that he’s staying a spud. Hopefully, that’ll keep Adama a Wolf for another year and by then, he might not want to leave anyway.
Wingy, you know , Ian, used to be the little fat kid from Nottingham. Well, he told me we were brill. He and Sue were there and loved it.
I watched the highlights.
Looked brill to me too.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DOzXKhueJhkc&ved=2ahUKEwinwfPs78vyAhXeQEEAHXU2BzEQuAJ6BAgVEAY&usg=AOvVaw3eze2R2YGmN-aHzMuAiyOr
In my book keeping Adama is critical .We May get less for him next summer but if he is sold in July we can work on a proper alternative .At this point it is far too late to sell him .
It looks to be an entertaining season ahead but we still need much more sharpness in the final third in the PL games .
Well we might as well not bother going on the pitch Sunday.
REFEREE: MIKE DEAN
VAR: STUART ATWELL
Await the obligatory Yanited penalty(s) and a controversial ruling out of a goal for us.
Hey Cheesey!
Are you keeping up to date with happenings at Headingley?
Always do mate. I love cricket. But it is certainly a bit bonkers at Headingley today. India 78 a/o. England 114-0. What could possibly go wrong……
Thats what the Titanic captain said!
Can anyone tell me, the dumb Yank, why we seem to get dean and atwell so much?
Surely whomsoever appoints the var adjuicator must have a modicum of intelligence, and not put someone there to oversee some team he has reffed the previous week.
What would happen if there had been abuse etc. He would be slightly biased.
I think retired refs should do the var nonsense, that way there would be some semblence of neutrality, I would hope.
Anyway, bollocks to mike dean, we will be sending Neves screamers into the prawn sammich goal all night, so var will not be needed.
Ha ha. Normal service resumed at Sandwell Town. Sandwell 0 Arsenal 6.
Come back Nuno, we ain’t finished with you yet.
Time for revenge.
Depends who the ref is.
Happy with that
Spurs next good to see Bruno taking League Cup seriously. Express & Star article FOSUN have made £460 million pound profit turn ove £1.5 billion in the first six months of this year……..how many Clubs can say that about there owners…….but a las not much if any being invested.
Once again, your crystal ball is guessing.
No Clive I’m not guessing those figures are correct and public knowledge. Once again you are in denial.
Not on about your numbers, on about your statement re investment, or lack of.
None of us know what’s going on in the corridors of power……..except you, it would seem.
No Clive I don’t know what’s going on but I do read the local rag and other publications regarding Wolves, FOSUN and Menez and research what’s being reported…….you want to try it instead of being spoon fed everything the club put out.
Like for instance Wolves1877 the new independent Wolves group set up by fans to get answers from the club instead of the fans Paraliment which the fans thought was to cosy with the Board and not asking the relevant question on all matters not just spending of which I have joined.
I reiterate the figures are public knowledge.
Wolves are only a small part of the Fosun business.
And the only part which has to abide by very strict UEFA Financial Fair Play Regulations.
Wolves contravened the rules and the judgement was that we were fined 200k Euros, which could rise to 600k if we don’t meet another part of the ruling which is to break even in our financial dealings.
In other words, Fosun can not use any part of that 460mill profit that does not come from Wolves to buy players.
Is that clear enough?
First of the fine is peanuts compared to FOSUN wealth. Secondly the rules are restricting investment by owners who wish to put there money into there clubs, whether FOSUN want to do that is another matter IMO they don’t and are using the rules as an excuse not to invest.
Thirdly if FOSUN did really want to invest in Wolves or indeed any other owner of a football club they could take there case to the Sports Arbatration Commmettee like City did, or even the Europen Court as it is UEFA who are imposing these restrictions same with the FA they could be challenged at Goverment level IF and that is the big issue IF they were serious about investing in Wolves.
These rules would not be allowed in any other business in the world so why football they are a smoke screen to keep the status quo to stop owners of so called smaller clubs using there wealth if they want to, Jack Walker for instance, from competing and challenging the elite they a restricting fair business practices.
Investment is the key to any business being a success it is the main principal behind growth and success.
Jack, I agree with Paul’s view on this one. FFP works on a rolling 3 year basis as I understand it. Fosun were faced with a similar constraint when we were in the Championship but that did not prevent them from investing heavily to try and ensure rapid promotion to the PL. if we hadn’t been promoted under Nuno we could have faced similar sanctions but the risk was judged to be worth taking. Fosun are faced with a similar “ speculate to accumulate” challenge now. I don’t think FFP is stopping them and bear in mind that FFP constraints are being temporarily relaxed against the backdrop of the pandemic. What is stopping them is I believe a strategic decision that they have put in enough out of their own pockets for now. They have been actively looking for investors for circa two years. The inference of sell to buy is one of self financing. We can speculate on what might be driving the apparent shift in strategy e.g Chinese political stance on global investment, Fosun group imposed constraint or abandonment of the CL ambition but I think FFP is no more than a convenient smokescreen. As Paul says if Fosun wanted to invest they would work around FFP.
It is not the PL that has imposed a FFP penalty on us but UEFA and their rules are more more stringent.
Our reward for finishing 7th in our first season back and qualifying for the Europa League was to fall under their rules and be penalised! So we were basically punished for doing well! Of course as the whole system is designed to protect the big boys and keep upstarts like us firmly in their place.
This punishment lasts for three seasons of which this is the final one. So in theory next summer Fosun could spend big again if they choose.
Hi Newt, where do I say that it is the PL imposing FFP?
Hi SCW, the point I was trying to make (possibly not clearly) is that the FFP punishment is over next season so we will see if it is a smokescreen or not. I’m afraid I waffled a bit beforehand about the PL and UEFA!
Personally I think Fosun want to spend money so they can make money on player trading, but that is just my thinking.
Ok understand, thanks for the clarification. I agree I think player trading is a part of their motivation at wolves. I think this is what drives the emphasis and ,some would argue imbalance , on ones for the future more than strengthening of the first team for the here and now
Y’om floggin a dead hoss here , Jack!
I know but I thought I’d give it one last try.
Perhaps Wolves 1877 will start their own blog and then all the conspiracy theorists can migrate there.
It’s all about options Jack if you want a Blog were everyone agrees with you start your own…….making it clear you can only come on the Blog if people agree with you.
That way you can have your own cozy little dictatorship……!
Did we ever score that many when him from Spurs was in charge
Yep.
Leicester, Newcastle, crusaders, Pyunik, besiktas, Espanyol
… I think
Bolton twice, Burton
Whilst I am not getting carried away by the fact that our team scored 4 against a weakened Chapionship side, I am very happy about the attitude the new manager seems to have for our team. The attacking football shown in the first 2 games was appreciated by all fans and even though the results show we lost both games, most fans are still very optimistic that with this new found energy. We will do well this season.
We are close to getting Podence and Boly back in the availabilty list. Can only make us better. Fingers crossed Adama (or at least a very suitable replacement) will be there too. I am still at a loss as to why we leave it so late to get much needed additions. It it to save us money? It would have been nice to get the players we wanted much earlier, giving them time to integrate within the squad, well before the season started.
Who knows the machinations going on behind the scenes involving agents, clubs, players and any one else with sticky fingers?
Everyone holding out for the best possible deal, and probably none of them really giving a shit about player integration in teams.
Few more days and we will know what who we are going to cheer for over the rest of the season.
Who knows, CR7 is looking for a new club, and is a Mendes client!
Looks like after a few false dawns E&S have found a decent reporter to take the Spiers mantle.
https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/football/wolverhampton-wanderers-fc/2021/08/26/wolves-debrief-duo-stake-a-claim-as-goals-finally-flow/