Twitter, as many Wolves fan know, is not always the go-to destination for reasoned football analysis.
But credit to the chap who rightly summarised that if Andy Carroll had been in our squad today, he’d have been the best player on our bench.
Because that adequately underlines the paucity of options at Nuno’s disposal.
No disrespect to Carroll, he was a good player once upon a time. But a forward that can’t get a game ahead of the hapless Joelinton is nothing to write home about.
The aforementioned tweet was bang on the money though. Carroll would have been a better backup option than anything we had to throw at Newcastle today.
Before you begin to wonder whether I’m Andy Carroll’s agent, let me say this isn’t a plea for us to sign the injury-prone scally.
I’m merely pointing out what we all know. Wolves need more strength in depth.
That’s because, if the opposition is wise to our build-up play, we generally don’t tend to win games like this.
Newcastle’s only ambition today was to not lose. And so, they plonked 10 men behind the ball and prayed for a magic showing from keeper Martin Dubravka.
Luckily for them, their back-to-basics approach worked a treat against a Wolves side that looked dead on its feet for a third game running.
Granted, we were unlucky not to score more than once. Dubravka made two excellent saves from Jimenez and Neto, and the Magpies also clawed one off the line.
But when Plan A doesn’t work, you have to have an ace up your sleeve.
With our number nine looking jaded and Newcastle’s defenders dealing comfortably with our wide play, we needed a game-changer.
Right now, no such player exists for Wolves.
Remedying that has to be the focus of this transfer window.
It wasn’t so long ago we were putting Man City to the sword. We still have a great chance of qualifying for Europe once again.
But the sad facts are that those hopes will dwindle without quality reinforcements arriving this month.
It’s time to dig deep and give Nuno the players he needs to keep the dream alive.
Agree with all mate.
I like to give people the benefit of the doubt but if Wolves don’t do business this month, I will have serious concerns about where we’re heading. We’ve not really got involved in any of the last three windows other than letting players leave. OK, we want the right players and they’re not always easy to get, but we need to get some deals done so we can at least continue to field a senior XI. Two attackers and a midfielder for me. A centre back would be nice too but I won’t be greedy.
On the game itself, I felt we were slow and ponderous in the early exchanges. Nuno said as much afterwards. They’ve got to move the ball quicker. We then lost possession in our own half and they punished us with a well-constructed goal. I was glad to see Gayle go off actually as his pace and movement was causing problems and opening doors for Almiron to get at our defence. They were much more one-paced once Joelinton went up top.
Once we got level, there was only going to be one winner. They had periods of possession in our half but never threatened Patricio. Traore was out of the game for long parts but still put on two clear chances that Jimenez and Doc couldn’t take. Fair play to their keeper and the lad who cleared the other one of the line, but don’t give them the opportunity to do it.
Vinagre has been dire the last three times I’ve seen him on the pitch. He turned over possession twice in a short period of time and then shanked a cross into the South Bank today. He needs to add more finesse to his game. It underlines the lack of options that Nuno turns to a wing-back when we’re trying to breakdown a stubborn defence.
Southampton will be a big test next weekend given the run they’re on and looking forward to seeing what sort of side is selected for Old Trafford in the week with so few options at our disposal.
Completely agree Thomas. Too little movement off the ball as well yesterday. Our front three were marked by five and too often failed to find a pocket of space for our midfield or wing backs to release them. Once Boly is back I think our defensive options are decent for now. As you say midfield and attack priorities. Vinagre definitely needs work on his end product. Too rushed. Let’s hope Thelwell and Fosun get it right otherwise the season could fizzle out.
Great point but is it fosun or is it Nuno he keeps going on about a small squad but this is what happens when you flog the same players game after game. It was the same last season we can not beat teams who sit deep if it carrries on will be lucky to finish top half we need 3 maybe 4 new players. To look at that bench for a team supposedly trying to break into the top 6 was an embarrassment every body must be thinking how the hell are they 7th my thoughts exactly.
I don’t think Nuno has “gone on” about wanting a small squad for a considerable while. Infact all interviews I’ve seen have shown him extremely keen to get new players in and I think he may cut a frustrated figure if we don’t get any of sufficient quality and experience.
I want to hear reassurance from Jeff Shi along the lines of, “don’t worry, Fosun want the club to reach Champions League positions and will give Nuno all the support and cash he needs to achieve that aim”.
If he, or anyone else from Fosun has seen the last few games, it is blindingly obvious that more quality is needed, not more under 23s with potential. Are we seriously trying to bring in first team players?
Jeff has already said that.
Yes maybe. But did he really mean it ? Action, not words is what`s needed now.
Nuno had had two plus seasons to come up with a Plan C and so far what he has come up with is Plan A with inferior players. Brilliant!!
The team gets him a different type of player but he is different so Nuno won’t play him.
And as you said, everybody knew that with a couple injuries we would be f’d but many people said we don’t get injuries because our behind the scenes guys are so good.
What are all of you saying about the injuries now?
We can all hypothesize about what kinds of players we need but if Nuno doesn’t want that kind of player, what is the point in getting them?
I suggested many times that we get a Bruno Fernandez type of player but now I’m not even sure if we got him that Nuno would play him because maybe he doesn’t fit into Nuno’s plan.
We’ll plan A hasnt done us to badly has it? European football and in the top half of the table.
Why do you consistently come on here and moan, slag off Nuno after a bad result and make snide comments against people who voice their opinions.
You’re a prick mate, I’ve been seeing and reading what you’ve been putting on here over the last few months and you do my head in. Fuck off.
as far as I’ve seen, he has tried to make interesting observations without being offensive. they’re there to read and ignore if you don’t agree.
Thank you.
You’re well named “Old and Wise”.
‘Ere. Enough of the old!!!!
Whoops! Sorry OaW……..
Listen. If you are happy with 7th place fine. I’m not. Stop being a passive twat who compares today’s Wolves with those under Moxey.
Everything looks good compared to that.
And if you had any courage, you wouldn’t be posting with your fake names.
Were you hiding in your bedroom while you typed that?
Constantly slagging off bloggers is quite frankly boring. We have always prided ourselves as being above that and claim to give everyone a say.
Some come on here who can’t spell, others like me have poor grammar, some have a wicked tongue and spurt foul language even though we have some lovely ladies as part of this great blog.
It’s a blog for people to express their feelings, good, bad or indifferent it’s their opinion. So let’s get real, everyone has a right to their opinion. Debate the Wolves performance not individuals opinions of what they see happening on or off the pitch.
Keep the banter friendly and not personal as it has been for most of the time over the last decade.
Haha stupid c*nt. Fans like you make me sick. A run of bad performances and you’re on here slagging off Nuno, the lads, performances, recruitment or whatever it is you feel the need to spout off about. I’ve got a bit of courage pal, I follow the wolves home and away. I don’t feel the need to jump on here and say something controversial just to wind up fans who actually go to the games.I was there today and actually watched it live.
Go to many games do you?
I’ve been following this blog for about six months and this is honestly the first time I’ve seen someone be a dick.
Wowee pc. You might actually have some interesting points to make if you weren’t so obnoxious to one other. By all means objectively pull comments to pieces but don’t just slag off.
Well, I certainly think you picked on the wrong one here buddy.
Send a picture buddy, that way I can say hello at every single game, home, away, Europa league and U23 games home and away on occasions,. I didn’t go to Armenia, (wife had a painful back and couldn’t face the 12 hour flight, but had it not been for that, we would have been there too) but I suspect you didn’t travel to Armenia either.
🙂
I note that further down the blog you’ve posted something sensible, that’s all we ask, keep it fair, keep it polite and be civil.
See. Now you’ve let yourself down again Tim. Sinking to his level.
Some people just need a telling off.
I hope you guys will understand and I apologize to those who I let down.
Especially people who look up to me so much, like Clive.
PC Principal.
If, on a blog that encourages discussion and opinions, you can’t accept the opinions of others that don’t necessarily meet with yours, perhaps you should be the one to look elsewhere for some other social media platform.
If it does your head in, there’s a simple remedy.
Don’t read it.
u ok hun?
This week`s big transfer news was that we completed the outgoing transfer of Ivan Cavaleiro to Fulham. Is there anyone who would seriously suggest that Neto is a step up on Cav ? Who exactly is making these mind blowing decisions ?
Today, Cav would have been the ideal guy to come off the bench to try and make something happen against yet another poor team simply playing not to lose. But instead we had to make do with a very average wing back, playing out of postion !! Farcical !!
Next week`s news will probably relate to others on the way out. Cutrone may not be the class act we all hoped for, but he is surely light years above other alternative attacking options available to us. So why is his departure at this point even being contemplated ?
Mr. Shoo it`s surely time for you to demonstrate that the team strengthening which you have so readily promised is being actioned. We urgently need quality now. We certainly do not require more of the ” ones for tomorrow brigade “, which potential signings appear to represent the height of our ambitions
Without real investment there is a grave danger that our undermanned squad will implode big time over the coming weeks with serious adverse consequences. Is this a risk which Fosun is prepared to take ?
I hear the screams for new blood (and mostly agree with them) but lets put this ‘small squad’ thing into perspective.
Nuno has stated he wants to work with a small squad – around 19 outfield players. To todays starting XI you have to add Bennett, Boly, Jota, Vinagre, MGW and potentially Jordao or Kilman. In addition both Vallejo and Cutrone were brought in in the anticipation that they would be senior squad members. So that gives you 19.
Once you get injuries, and when the Vallejos and Cutrones of this world turn out not to be up to the task, your options are seriously limited.
The problem is now is that the squad, as it stands, is unbalanced insofar as there is no obvious replacement for Jimenez, too many options for central defence, and no creative attacking midfielder. But that is not to say that working with a relatively small squad is not an effective way to work.
As for today, Newcastle did to us what we’ve done to a lot of teams in the past. Set up in a 3-4-3, dropping into 5-4-1 without the ball. Nuno found a solution for when our original 3-4-3 was found out; now he has to find a solution for teams matching us up. No point today in switching to 3-5-2 as we were already well in control of the match. IMO what was needed was a playmaker, a no 10, who can thread a pass through the eye of a needle. Disappointing result given our domination, but we have got to learn to take our clear-cut chances when they come because we don’t create that many.
Yes, disappointed with the draw, can’t think of many players we had ‘at it’ today, right from the first kick, but you get games like this.
Yes, I am a bit concerned with the numbers we have and whether we’ll add much this window.
And yes, I am slightly uneasy with the some of the noises I’m hearing about bringing players in, whether Nuno’s happy with the recruitment-side of things, and the investment Fosun are or aren’t prepared to put in, but I’m not about to start panicking.
Call me an unambitious ‘happy clapper’ if you want (I’m not, by the way), but for me, I’m still living the dream. We’re seventh in the Premier League…us…Wolves…seventh in the Premier League, and holding our own, having played some fantastic football along the way! If we’d have been seventh in the table at the halfway point during our last spell at this level with Mick (and I don’t mean after the first two or three games), we’d have been in dreamland, which is where I (still) am.
I respectfully request those not happy at the moment to cast their minds back to some of the dreadful football and players we’ve seen over the many years since the early 80‘s (when I first starting going to games, but being honest enough to admit not attending during the third and fourth tier days, on the way down (like 25,000 others), or on the way back up…wow, talk about waffling on with my life-story eh?…many yawns from you all I’m sure…), when there seemed to be no hope, when it seemed that ‘our time’ had long gone.
With the owners we have, and the progress we’ve made in such a short space of time, I realise it’s easy to get carried away, and always want more, but I think some perspective is required. We’ll probably finish lower than last season’s seventh, and I suspect some will be up in arms crying ‘lack of progress’, ‘we’re going backwards’, etc., but not me, I’m STILL enjoying the ride.
Sorry for sending some of you to sleep (once you wake up, that is!)
I’ll get me coat (and tin hat!)
I have to admit I thought it was a solid defensive display from Newcastle to be fair, willems in particular was good, keeping traore pretty quiet.
Again I echo the thoughts of every other fan when we say the strength in depth is woeful, we need 3 signings minimum.
But Nuno knows this, the team knows, we know and the board knows. Everyone involved in this club knows we need to sign players to help us in Europe and to keep us in the hunt for European football next season. I’m extremely confident we’ll get some transfers over the line this month, keep the faith, they won’t let us down.
Any acquisitions are unlikely to be much help in Europe this season because if we are going to acquire players of the quality we all seem to think we need then it is very likely that they will be ‘cup tied’ for European competition having already appeared in either Europa or Champions league this season. Different story for the league, of course.
Maybe not directly, but would allow for player rotation in the PL hence fresher players in Europe.
Well that was utter tosh. Toothless. They were there for the taking and we weren’t up to it.
Two points dropped.
My bigger concern right now are the rumors surrounding some of our players – Jimenez, Neves and Traore. Obviously, not having replacements for them would make their departure that much more drastic.
Also, are players like Jimenez going to jump ship because they can’t get a break? Or, is it the opposite – they know they get ample playing time.
Here’s the thing. I’ve been reading about the fan base in Mexico for Raul. Something like five times more Spanish speaking twitter followers than English. (They even made a shirt specifically for him).
Why wouldn’t they do everything to keep him.
I assume he wouldn’t go anywhere If they offered him like $10 million per year. They can afford that (Rui and Moutinho both make about $7). Seems that the added revenue from the extended fan base would make an elevated amount worth it
I don’t think that you need to worry about any of those rumours,Lou. All are tied to reasonably long term contracts and won’t be going anywhere this transfer window given that the squad is very much down to the bare bones. Things might be different in the summer though if there’s no incoming quality and that may include Nuno too.
I was actually thinking more about the summer.
It’s fuckin obvious we need summat off the bench. We ay got it. Nuno? Fosun? Your call ?
Not Nuno’s call. He has no involvement in negotiations but will obviously be having an input with regard to players he’d like.
Basil Fawlty was once “and next to answer questions Sybil Fawlty. Her subject? The bleeding obvious”.
Well it is bleeding obvious that our slavish adherence to having a small squad is killing us.
We are at least 4 quality players short. Probably 5. A striker and a wide attacker, a creative attacking central midfielder, a holding central midfielder and a centre back.
Today was another example of a game crying out for us to bring on fresh legs and new ideas and then you look at the bench and see ……well not a great deal let’s be honest.
I am sure Nuno knows this. His decision to only make one sub was I believe a clear message to the board – as if to say I need more players, more options.
So come on Fosun and Thelwell and Mendes lets get going eh? Bring in some quality additions and soon. This could be an amazing season in the League, the Europa League and even the FA Cup but without reinforcements it could easily slip away to a disappointing end.
OODCL
We looked stale and predictable — yet again. I don’t subscribe to the old adage that we should be happy with last year’s 7th and this year’s Europa cup. We had a golden opportunity this season to fight for 4th but that opportunity is now probably gone. We do not have the quality, and may very well miss out on 6th. No Europe next year will have some of our stars saying “time to move on.” It is NOW to buy minimum 3 persons of quality or our progression will almost certainly go backward.
Chinese investors are well known to always look after their own intrests, and if their interests and yours digress, you are in deep s–t! The true test of our owners will be known before the end of January 2020! The clock is ticking! My concern is real!
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/wolves-transfer-news-thomas-lemar-17553145
I’ve posted previously about the criticality of this window and the potential pluses/minuses flowing from it dependent upon its outcome, so I won’t repeat these here. None of us should pre judge the outcome either, the time to evaluate is at the end of the window. However, there is one thing I find bizarre about wolves ( and in fairness) many other clubs dealings. It is clear that the identification of players and negotiations with various parties e.g selling club, agents and players begin well in advance of window opening. Why oh why do we not make one of the conditions of purchase that the deal must be completed by 1st January ( or 1 week into window) etc. ? It changes the balance of negotiations in our favour and it is a test of the sincerity of all parties to conclude the deal. If clubs, agents, players want to hawk their wares to all and sundry and run down the clock to the end of the window to try and leverage a better deal, let them. Liverpool successfully bought Minamino and he was available to play at the beginning of the window by using this pre-condition. By the end of the window, our depleted squad, will have played another 6 possibly 7 fixtures- the equivalent of c.20% percent of a PL season.
Sorry to be a little obvious, but all of the discussions around size of squad, attacking options and tiredness would be less immediately relevant if we had not conceded the first goal.
Without wishing to play the blame game, the problem lies in the relationship between Doc and Donk. Defensively Doc is just not with it at the moment. He is giving away possession far too often and Donk is just not able to cover for him the way that Bennett did last season. So, what to do?
Doc brings so much to the team in his attacking role. Not just his goals but his support for Traore. His only real replacement is Jonny which then weakens our left hand side.
Having a back three player with Donk’s distribution skills is a real plus and his only real replacement is Bennett who has himself had his lack of pace and distribution skills exposed this season.
Both Doc and Donk contributed to that early goal conceded yesterday and if Gayle had stayed on it could have been worse. If that goal had not been conceded we would have won by more than a single goal as Newcastle would have been forced forward.
We seem to have adequate cover on the left with Boly due back, Saiss and Kilman. But on the right we seem much more limited. Saiss looks uncomfortable on the right side and we are just about to let Sanderson to go Pompey on loan.
So, my question to the panel is – do we just stick with Donk and Doc till they work it out, or is this another area that needs consideration in the transfer window?
Very good point about Doc’s defensive play, Jackomac. To me he seems to be a little off the pace this season. Is it because Traore doesn’t give him enough cover or because like many of the lads they are a couple of percent below their very best because they are physically and/or mentally knackered?
A further point – I think we all agree that we could do with say three quality reinforcements, but does anyone on the Blog know where we stand on FFP?
UTW!
“Zzzzzz Zzzzzzz Zzzzzz”.
We look TIRED.
I don’t think Doherty woke up until half way through the first half, and by then he’d given the ball away twice, the second of which lead directly to their goal… with their only shot on target.
The subs bench looks barer than a lap dancer’s bottom and Nuno is desperately in need of some fresh legs to breath some life into a flagging team.
I think I might have mixed a few metaphors there but you know what I mean.
Where’s Ivan Cavaleiro when you need an impact sub?
Oh Yes – Fulham.
Please Mr Shi, open up the Fosun wallet and give Nuno a wad to spend on his squad.
We know we have at least eleven players who can compete at the highest level… but they are only human and even they need a rest.
On a brighter note, good to meet Clive and a few of the bloggers with their better halves, for a meal and rather too many drinks. Even as I type this, the PMDG’er is sleeping off a humungous hangover after refusing an excellent breakfast.
Back to football. We need help.
SOS! Save Our Season!
But we’re still seventh.
And we’ll still beat Liverpool.
It seems there is an element amongst us who are dissatisfied with Nuno and/or Fosun.
I am shocked but not surprised that there are some who are beginning to believe that any problems Wolves have are the fault of Nuno. What short memories some have. Just three and a half years ago we were Championship also-rans relieved if not happy to avoid relegation. Nuno has coached the squad to promotion, 7th place last year and so far this season, taken us to just minutes from an FA Cup final and to the KO stage of the Europa. Pretty good going in less than three years. Other fans have believed they have outgrown their manager: Charlton and Curbishley, Stoke and Pulis, all of us can think of examples where supporters have regrets over discarded coaches.
Nuno have funded and overseen Wolves rise to genuine competitors for a top four place. And yet the moment there is a couple of problems there are some, like children, demanding more, more, more. Upward trajectories do not happen in straight lines. There are plateaus and even dips. Some of us can remember when Ferguson was days from the sack and the Man U board reviled.
So let’s bring a little realism into our thoughts and ambitions. Fosun are ahead of their stated plan and we have no reason to suppose they won’t stay on course.
Nuno in the last but one paragraph should, obviously, read Fosun
I agree fully with your well reasoned argument with regard to the achievement of Nuno. But surely the issue is not with his quality and the way he coaches the team.
The very clear porblem is that the squad is grossly undermanned. Nuno is trying to get the best from players who are urgently needing rest. But whilst our first eleven is a match for any team in the Premiership, the quality of the back-ups is wholly inadequate. For example, Ashley-Seal as a back up for Raul ? How can we possibly be allowing Cutrone to leave when we hav no one else ?
It is not a question of doubting Nuno. It is one of ensuring that he is properly supported so that he is able to continue his amazing work with our team.
Like many on here yesterday was frustrating for me, they were there for the taking. Newcastle’s anti-football, at times, was nauseating to watch. Time wasting as if their lives depended on it, not a great advert for the game and as a couple of their fans confirmed on the train back to Brum it’s not great watching Newcastle at the moment. Our team they said, we must be pleased with the way things are going?
Well yes but our expectations are on the rise and rightly we want more. How we didn’t score I’ll never know, the Doherty one Longstaff got off the line was a banker to hit the back of the net! But it wasn’t to be.
Thought Neve’s shooting was more than off the radar he needs a week of target practice. What perhaps most amazed me about yesterday was Molineux emptying significantly before the final whistle. Was it a reaction against Newcastle’s tactics? The Referee who seemed at best inept, making decisions on a whim, or as mentioned above our inability to break massed defences down? It paralleled the Man Utd game in that sense, we just have to add more shots to our game, try something different when the goals are not coming. I eagerly await news of Jota’s return, & Neves getting some boots that score goals.
The January window is usually a tough window to get real quality in. But going back I seem to remember the purchase of Ebanks-Blake in the January window giving us a promotion winning team.
Surely though there would be deals either ready & waiting or near to completion if we were getting real talent in to make a difference. Shame Jordao got injured as he’s supposed to be a prospect. I’m sure Neto has got the potential but right now he’s not got the quality for influencing & winning games in the Premier League where you need real star quality to get you over the line in games like yesterdays where an instinctive leg stuck out stops efforts which should have altered the score. But I’m still glass half full, always a Happy Clapper I guess!
Fosun as a company are tightening their belts.
Can Traore be allowed to come into the centre more and shoot ?
Can Neves push further forward more ? We seem to have made him a defensive midfielder.
come on bloggers keep your chins up ( in my case it is chins)
do you remember good old sir jack calling himself the golden tit ?
a comment which came about from ridiculous price hikes every time wolves went in for a player purely because we were supposed to be loaded at the time.
fosun are doing a very good job of dispelling the fact that they have huge wads of cash to throw about by creating the impression that wolves will from now on have to be self sufficient and cannot rely on fosuns company wealth to buy players or fund wages.
inscrutable these chinese.
thats just what i would do if i was them.
as if transfer fees and players wages werent ridiculous enough im pretty sure if the parties involved knew you had billions and billions in the bank the whole episode would move up quite a few financial levels .
fosun are 100% not mugs.
we will get quality and it will cost but paying way over the odds because your loaded is not their way of operating .
trust works both ways and fosun are not about to desert wolves anytime soon if at all so we must trust them .
this slight reduction in our expectations is healthy as it will make the huge improvement which is around the corner all the more delicious.
just over half way so still plenty of time for the run in.
keep the faith fellow bloggers salvation is just around the corner and it will taste so much sweeter.
Yes we were not at are best but not far off it, sat in The Graham Hughes yesterday and like it or not you have restricted vision so having watched the game again I realised the 2 brilliant saves Martin Dubraka made especially the one in the South Bank end, on another day it would have been 3-1 Wolves.
I don’t disagree that Raul looks a bit leggy and I also think that a couple of reinforcements might be useful but just as spurs are not very good without that lanky petulant twerp .. and city ain’t all that without de bruyne, indeed liverpool without Salah .. all teams suffer .I think this business saying fosun need to back us is a little unfair as they did excactlythat with Catrone and who could have foreseen how that was going to play out ?Truth is we’ve been very unlucky with injuries .. Newcastle didn’t like players running at the the defence with the ball on the ground yesterday so Jota and Neto would have been that plan B if it wasn’t for jota being crocked
I also think that Nuno had planned to be able to call on both bruno Jordao and possibly shabani by now … not out and out strikers but very useful and energetic attacking midfielders
Im lead to believe that everyone with the exception of Shabani ( ACR injury) will be available for selection soon and with boly back soon we can push someone like dendonker further forward
I also think that we’re in different waters these days as we are now competing for signings with the best of them
We are now at the lower echelons of the top six , we need to win that Europa so as we can offer champions league football . Then we can sign who we like and then think about winning the premier league!
Great to see the bloggers out and about yesterday and to grab a swift pint with clive
Safe journeys mate
Excellent news from Villa ‘1982’ Park. Just a pity Citeh didn’t get nine. Mind the gap.
You know sometimes I struggle to see the wood from the trees.
Yesterday 3:1 wouldn’t have been a shock.
I still haven’t got a scooby how Dubrovka kept the header out.
And at 3:1 I reckon we’d have all been euphoric.
Plan A, B or C I ain’t fussed, and for the record top half of Prem end of season with good Europa league cup run coupled to 2 x wins over Cithe & 1 over Pool (on 23rd) and I still believe this is progress.
New players yes, Pizza lad wouldn’t have gone if we didn’t have an option.
Get Boly back, Jota fit again & maybe 2 new players (mid & striker) and I’ll be as happy as a little sand boy.
Let’s smack United in the week, have a party on the Sarf coast and we’ll be looking at bringing them woolly-backs & klipperty down the Mol for a proper spanking ( & the ones I know are shittin it!!)
I really wish people would not read too much into Nuno’s bench selection. He doesn’t really have much other choices so I’m not sure he is really sending anyone any message.
And just because he admits that they are short of players doesn’t mean it is someone else’s fault and not his. It really is just speculation and I think Jeff has made it clear that Fosun will support Nuno this window so I think they would probably have supported him during the summer too, if he wanted more players.
There is obviously a limit to how much money they can spend but now we are starting to see the outgoing players actually bringing in some decent money so it shouldn’t be all outgoing.
I really think Nuno didn’t think the odds of us getting as far as we did in the Europa League AND us getting so many injuries was that great and so figured he could do with a light squad. It didn’t work out that way but it might have been a reasonable assumption.
BTW, Cutrone came off the bench for Fiorentina at around the 75 minute mark. He tried a redirection with the back of his heal but it went wide at the short side.
Other than this, I learnt that he had been playing with Wolves for a couple of seasons before the move to the purple.
Another interesting thing is the guy who did the commentary was called Patrick Tarone or something like that, which I thought was a bit of a coincidence, if I heard it correctly.
Sorry Tim, I have to take issue with your implied criticism of Nuno, because it’s not the first time you have made comments on these lines.
Your basic point seems to be that Nuno is chiefly at fault for the current lack in numbers of quality options within the first team squad. That he directly dictated the size of his squad and that in defining that number he under estimated the demands of the season and over estimated the capability of the club/squad to deal with those demands.
I would argue against those points on the following grounds.
1. There is no evidence to say that Nuno personally capped the number of quality summer signings he wanted the club to make.
2. As an experienced manager he has overseen campaigns that have included Champions League and Europa League campaigns as well as domestic cup competitions and international call-ups. He fully appreciates the potential demands on playing resources.
3. Nuno will also know that there is nothing remarkable about having a large squad. Just going out and signing average journeyman footballers of a mature age with experience at £10m a go is a pretty straightforward process. But buying quality players who add something to the team is a different matter and has potentially negative consequences. Ask Villa or ask people tasked with disposing of our very own bomb squad.
Navigating a way through to the right players at the right price is a challenging process. We shouldn’t criticise the the club for striving for value for money, this is very much in the club’s long term best interest.
Although no-one outside the inner sanctum really knows the conversations that have taken place within the transfer considerations, I believe Nuno was unhappy at the outcome of the summer dealings and wanted better quality options.
More importantly I believe Nuno to be one of the top ten best coaches in Europe with a rising reputation. There are events and circumstances that he cannot control – certainly in the short-term, and as a human being he may even make an odd error (though I don’t believe the make-up of the current squad to be one of them).
But instead of focusing on possible minor negatives, why not just join the rest of the tribe in recognising the fantastic positives Nuno brings and how lucky we are to have him as our manager.
I never said he wasn’t doing a good job and to think Nuno is not calling the shots as to how many players come in is surprising.
I don’t think the fans of Porto or Valencia are still crying about Nuno leaving so those coaches who replaced him must have done OK.
Do you really know about all of the coaches in France, Germany, Portugal, Spain, Italy, etc.?
It’s just my nature to ask why things are like they are and is there something different that could have been done.
BTW, I figured out why Nuno was not happy with Cutrone but that boat has sailed and so I will not put down my theory here unless asked to.
Also, thanks for not pointing out that I should have typed “heel”, not “heal”.
See, I’m critical of myself as well.
Surely the greatest influence over the number of ‘quality’ signings brought in is our club’s ability to land them. Nuno quite rightly setd high standards but I would be massively surprised if he turned a truly quality player away because he had reached his quota. The problem isn’t an over supply of quality just the opposite.
No I don’t know the potential standards and achievements of all the coaches in the major leagues. But I bet Arsenal decision makers have a pretty good idea and I would think it’s a fair bet that they will not be the last to dangle the carrot to Nuno.
As regards his successors at Valencia and Porto, well Valencia have eventually worked their way back to a Champions League position something Nuno achieved in his only full season there. Porto actually won their league after Nuno left following his dismal runner-up achievement. Whether the new coach built on Nuno’s achievements it’s hard to tell but the replacement coach was hardly a major success at the likes of Hull, Watford and Everton.
You are right though Tim you don’t say that Nuno isn’t doing a good job. It’s just that I never seem to hear you say he is doing a good job.
But that could be my selective hearing and if so I apologise.
Yep, a disappointing result, but as many have said, if one of those chances had crept over the line then the whole game would have changed. More worrying for me was the way we conceded an early goal yet again. We’re always better against a team that comes at us so conceding first just makes our job all the harder. In general though, I felt we played pretty well second half although our early season sparkle has definitely dimmed somewhat.
Our bench currently is rather unimpressive and I think blaming injuries is a bit disingenuous. Big Willy, Diogo and MGW. Look around the division and you’ll find most teams have many more on the treatment table. The failure of Cutrone and Vallejo to perform adequately certainly hasn’t helped, and I’m certain they will be replaced with quality this month, although there’s never guaranteed success with any new signing. We can only live in hope.
I can’t give any valid opinions on the game as I was unable to go on Saturday, however the main thread of the bloggers comments seems to be that the result hung on small margins- two incredible saves and a goal line clearance of the season. Another day and a comfortable win. I remember taking my son for his first game nearly 20 years ago and having to explain that he could not expect a good performance/result every game- about 3 in 10 in those days, most were mediocre or downright poor. How our expectations have changed and I feel privileged to watch this team; however, I remain braced for bad news on the transfer front. I think Nuno will continue to be frustrated and I would be happy to wait until the summer if we manage to recruit to the standard of 2 years ago. The squad is small and currently unbalanced by the injury to Diogo but when he and Willy return we should be well placed to progress in the Europa league. Happy with top half in the PL and the FA cup can be left for next season- we are under resourced to attack this front too. I would rest Raul on Wednesday.
Bet the Vile wished they had Nunno and our set up, imagine how they are feeling this morning.
Jorge Mendes seems to have dropped from the Wolves scene. Is this the reason we have so little movement on the transfer front?
Nah.
He’s experimenting with pineapple rings!!
Hope he’s got some hundreds and thousands and a cherry!!
Have a safe flight home tomorrow, see you at end of season.
XXX
RIP SIR JACK.
Five years ago today without you we would not be here today.
Sounds like someone doesn’t find the Cutrone song funny.
(translated by Twitter)
Rocco Commisso: “I really liked the Vlahovic-Cutrone couple. Chiesa had no luck and I didn’t like the end of the first part. The English song to Cutrone? They should make fun of all the beer they drink. I don’t regret it of not having sold to Chiesa in summer. ”
Conor Coady
Conor Coady
He likes the fish
He likes the chips
The lad’s fucking magic
1,2,3,4