Wolves banter 5

06 Apr 2024 17:11:40
What was said at half time? To go from completely dominating that game to then sitting back and being the complete opposite in the second half? Where was the pressing and the passion? And yet again, we give them the first goal by trying to be too clever, when all someone had to do is stick their boot through the ball and smash it up field to relieve the pressure. So frustrated.

06 Apr 2024 18:26:27
VAR and Tony Harrington were an absolute disgrace today.

The 2nd half was poor from us today but I think Antonio coming on and also the wind help them, much like the wind helped us dominate the 1st half.

Doherty should have just put his laces through the ball rather than think he's Franz Beckenbauer.
Ward Prowse goal was a weather assisted freak.

But Harrington and VAR got the decision very badly wrong at the end. Every man and his dog know it. Yes, Chirewa was stood in front of the keeper but the keeper didn't move, wasn't being blocked or fouled by Chirewa. The ref should be made to come out and explain his decision straight after the match just like the managers have to.

Even Fabianski and Moyes have admitted that the goal should have been given. Absolutely disgraceful. Let's see what Howard Webb has to say about it.

06 Apr 2024 17:07:07
Didn't deserve a point here. Some very silly players out there. Subs were useless.

06 Apr 2024 18:19:21
Doherty was useless today. Cost us the the first goal.

06 Apr 2024 18:24:42
Cunha is the one who gave it away so easily which led to their break and yes they should have hoofed it out but Cunha had too many stray passes when he came on.

06 Apr 2024 16:38:29
We're playing as if this is a friendly. We don't seem to have a sense of urgency. Tipping and tapping to each other from a matter of three feet. Why did Gomes not play on when Bowen rolled around the pitch? I can only see one outcome here.

06 Apr 2024 16:54:38
Forget Europe now

06 Apr 2024 16:55:59
Looks like my 8th place prediction didn't age well, 18th is more realistic based on this performance.

What's with these late goals?

06 Apr 2024 17:02:38
Season over.

06 Apr 2024 17:11:29
Have they not seen that jwp does that from corners all the time.pathetic.we wer never going to win with that line up and like I said I can see us not winning another game this ssn and finish 12 or13.shame.and a dissapointing end to the ssn ut pro a ly wer we should be anyway our squad just isn't good enuf

06 Apr 2024 17:17:10
Terrible 2nd half again! What is it with us? After dominating the 1st. Then to finish off losing down to a VAR judgement again just rubs it in. Who in the VAR office could honestly believe that their keeper could have saved it? Even mike dean thought it was a goal. That sort of puts the season to bed bar pride now. Is that 7/8 points with been done for now? Another apology to pin on the wall though I expect, so it's OK isn't it. Cheated.

06 Apr 2024 17:28:12
As I said. After Coventry defeat
They playing as if it's over for season.think some are on the beach already

06 Apr 2024 18:27:03
Good job Bournemouth lost they would of gone above us of they had of won.
Was infront at 1 nil.

07 Apr 2024 11:51:44
Lots of negativity today.
Ait Norri injury was pivotal.The wind was a factor and Antonio starting 2nd half also significant.
Two defensive howlers but first half performance with movement from Sarabia and link play of Rayan and workrate of Tommy, Jao and Mario awesome.
All changed with Rayan injury.
My concern has been Kilman for several weeks, he looks shot.
Let's be positive been a lot better season than we thought if you look back to August.Not ready for Europe.

06 Apr 2024 13:17:37
Tricky to call todays match with the weather conditions too so gone for 4-2 to Wolves, 30+ booking points, 3+ corners each half, 22+ total match shots, 1 red card at 150/1.
I meant to put 2-1 but for some reason only known to my brain I put 4-2 lol.

06 Apr 2024 12:42:32
Well, the concensus of media predictions go for a 1-1 draw today., most probably because no one can definitively choose the more likely winners. But I'm going for a high scoring game with the old gold coming out 3-2 . Can see RAN getting another with lemina and cunha. Whatever the weather enjoy the game all who go . COYW COYW COYW

06 Apr 2024 12:54:32
Gone for my usual 3-1

Also put an extra bet of 3-1 win with Sarabia 1st scorer and Cuhna assist at anytime at 200/1.

06 Apr 2024 13:03:59
My bro is up for it and believes well win 2 nil.

I think 1 nil to us.
COYW

06 Apr 2024 13:04:00
Sounds a fair bet Jas, good luck and I'd be happy too if that's how it comes off.

06 Apr 2024 16:04:48
By bad Jas. I hope we score another two before they pull one back.

06 Apr 2024 17:14:23
You lot need to get real.wer not going to win another game this ssn and finish a dissapointing 13th.at least half of that side today aren't good enuf.

06 Apr 2024 10:02:42
I cannot understand the notion of 'player bashing' on here. Sarabia is the current target,
although his form has dipped recently his dead ball play is still top notch.
Earlier this season Jose Sa became a target for criticism and was actually replaced by David Bentley - and we all know how that turned out? I cannot count the number of games when Sa has kept us in with some great saves.
Guys, these players are only human and have off days like all of us so give them a little slack. Look where we are and where everyone expected us to be.
Up the Wolves.

06 Apr 2024 11:11:02
I guess fans who shelled out hard earned money have the unquestionable right to vent their frustrations when players are deemed in their opinions to be not earning their huge salary on the pitch.

Players are the biggest proportion of criticism behind the board but both are as important as each other.
I think wingers can go missing in games that's common but that one cross/delivery can produce a goal attempt.
Also the game in general has changed so much and maybe for myself and older we looking at the game of how we used to know it.

The best thing though is we are top flight and have a chance of success.
COYW

06 Apr 2024 11:21:08
Just for comparison this season:

Sarabia - 23 games (17 starts + 6 subs). 3 goal, 7 assists.

Neto - 19 games (18 starts + 1 subs), 2 goals, 9 assists.

Similar stats to each other but very differing opinions by fans.

I think Sarabia is class. He might not run at defenders like Neto does which is probably why he doesn't excite us as much but his little touches make a big difference as does his dead ball delivery.

The most improved player at Wolves this season in Semedo. It just so happens that since Sarabia came into the side, Semedo has improved as Sarabia plays the ball to him more often but also occupies the defenders leaving Semedo the space to run into. Sometimes you have to appreciate what a player does without the ball as much as what they do with it.

06 Apr 2024 13:28:56
Well certainly the goal of the season for me. November 11th, equaliser against Spurs. Unbelievable first touch, quality player

06 Apr 2024 14:03:16
You should see it on X the WM listeners, Killman is the villain on there followed by Sa I kid you not.

06 Apr 2024 15:36:01
And not a bad pen either!

06 Apr 2024 17:11:13
Spot on for me Jas.

06 Apr 2024 07:39:19
{Ed's Note - DLIB has posted a new article entitled, Cool heads must prevail at Manchester United

05 Apr 2024 23:34:15
There has been some criticism against Sarabia. According to some stats, he is up there with Neto in goal assists. His performances may have dropped off with Cunha out of the team. Hopefully against West Ham he may regain some form.

06 Apr 2024 06:49:36
I understand the concern of some about his general play Lindsay.but he is the only one in the team who can deliver a decent ball from a set-piece!

06 Apr 2024 06:56:00
There was comments regards sarabia the other day lindsayb. I think he's become the 'whipping' boy for a couple of reasons, first he's seen as w 'wasteful' with some play, I personally think his passing is sometime more thoughtful than those around him nit anticipating or moving early enough. Secondly he's working in abnormal positions with abnormal support, add to that his age and his sustainable energy levels he maybe slowing up as the game goes on. Everyone looks to blame a poor return and sarabia seems to be our new Adama, who, incidently, was our best goal assist before neto. When things don't happen it's poor, when they come off the scorer is remembered the provider often forgot and if we think of RANs equaliser the other day who was it who floated that ball in? Sarabia is a very very important member of the team and as you say with cunha back he'll have someone on his wavelength and abilities. We just need to get others working with them.

06 Apr 2024 08:50:05
Agree Abbeywolf we’d be in a worse place without him this season.

06 Apr 2024 08:53:12
I must admit I don't know why people are criticising Sarabia. His delivery from set pieces is fantastic. Yes he's looked at little off without Hwang and Cuhna, but some of the passes put into him have been shocking. There are no free loaders out on the pitch for Wolves now and we should get behind and support each and all of them. We have a great team and a great manager.

05 Apr 2024 12:49:12
Additional to what was posted below I was lying in bed this morning contemplating what this season might bring and with nothing more than gut feel came up with the belief that we'll finish in 8th. I know many of us have aspirations of a European place, but I really don't think we have the player resources to get there.

However, given the goings-on of pre-season and the installation of a 'rooky' manager that in itself would be a very creditable performance, one in the eye for all the pundits and assorted 'experts' that had us down for relegation. The FA Cup was a disappointment but symptomatic of my earlier observations, imo. We just don't have the strength in depth and given the additional injury burden that we are enduring we will just have to limp through to the end of the season, pardon the pun. However, next season could look different as the benefits of last years re-organisation start to be felt and we continue buying more wisely and hopefully getting more 'bang for our buck'. A period, where our performance is more important than Gestifutes balance sheet.

Still, that was then, this is now and given those changes, at last, we have some football knowledge in charge of recruitment as Wolves become an established Premier League club, irrespective of any cut backs. Yes we've dodged bullets but personally I'm grateful that Fosun reacted when they did to make those changes as once clubs get locked into that cycle of unsustainable debt it's game over, just look at Everton. A once well run club that remained a stalwart of the top flight for many years but now, OMG. They will get a further points deduction and given that their debts have doubled again this season guess what the future will bring? All that saddled with losses of £500M over the last 5 years plus the costs of a brand new stadium and about to be sold to the 777 Group, what can possibly go wrong?

They're not on their own, Wolves despite all of our protestations, cut their cloth very short to avoid joining that unenviable group of clubs City, Everton, Chelsea, Notts Forest who all have or will be subjected to sanctions, points deductions or worse. There are more on the fringes like Villa who will probably need to do something similar to us come the summer.

As Wolves fans we've heard the 'gravy tomorrow' promises a lot over the years but I do feel much more confident now with the likes of Hobbs/GON buying the players than I ever did during the Shi/Sellars/Mendes era, but time will tell. So I look forward to the summer, planning ride outs on the bike across the country secure in the knowledge that we go again next year in the Premier League. It's a nice feeling, content is the word, so long as the increasingly ageist insurance industry is happy to insure me and I'm not forced to buy something more sedate before I'm ready to. Just put that in context I was once asked in a rather supercilious manner "why does a man your age ride a 200 mph superbike?" to which my reply was an equally supercilious "because they don't make a 300 mph one". Well they do say do one thing every day that scares you, good for the heart, apparently.😎😈

05 Apr 2024 14:33:13
Hi LongmyndWolf,
Great post. I'm not quite as optimistic as you regarding our finishing position. I'm going 12-13th, which is still fantastic considering what the so called pundits predicted.
PS my superbike insurance has gone through the roof even at my tender age of 64. Do I want to go smaller and slower though🤔🤔 Absolutely not 😉

05 Apr 2024 15:26:18
Nice to know you're a kindred biker spirit Blackfords. Tbf my insurance only went up £7 from last year but that year it did jump up quite a bit due to me reaching a certain age. Again though I have I have a better policy and a much lower excess, so perhaps I shouldn't complain too much.

As for my other hobby I'll stick with my top half prediction. 🤞🤞

05 Apr 2024 16:36:54
Hi Longmynd, I agree with much of your post.
However, not us finishing 8th (nice though it would be!)
I am closer to Blackfords view, 12th or 13th, which would still represent a very successful season.
In the meantime, both you chaps ride safe over the summer.

05 Apr 2024 17:51:45
Hi Rugeley, if we beat West Ham tomorrow I will be more confident and it will be a good measure of where we are as they're not in good form at the moment.

05 Apr 2024 18:00:44
I would be surprised and delighted to finish 8th, the current top 5 will almost certainly finish above us, I expect Brighton, Man U, Newcastle and maybe Chelsea and West Ham to finish above us to. I'll go 10th.

05 Apr 2024 22:04:32
If all those teams finish above us, we'll finish 11th.

I think we'll finish 8th personally and get into Conference League (if 5 qualify for Champions League)

05 Apr 2024 23:28:01
I'd be happy with 11th tbh especially as we were favourites for relegation.

06 Apr 2024 11:42:31
Imo we'll finish 11th.

Safe riding longmynd and Blacksfords .

COYW

03 Apr 2024 22:31:01
Wouldn't it be great if Wolves could reach the heights of Brighton who have announced a huge profit.

03 Apr 2024 23:13:22
If we sell Gomes, Neto and Cuhna, we will.

04 Apr 2024 06:48:31
Thankfully our football operations are now back on a firm footing.
However, sadly after 3 years of wanton profligacy by the CEO we are not in a solid place financially.

04 Apr 2024 09:00:30
Well we could be like Forest, Everton, Leicester, Newcastle, Villa, Palace, and Arsenal who look like they may have to sell players or be docked points.

Arsenal and Villa may be saved by the extra money gained from European competition.

04 Apr 2024 10:09:27
Don't forget Chelsea. They must be in deep doodah.

04 Apr 2024 15:05:58
Or man city blackfords, they'll have a day of reckoning too.

04 Apr 2024 16:33:03
Look at what BHA had to do to get to the profit - sell their manager and players.

04 Apr 2024 18:05:56
Absolutely Jack.

04 Apr 2024 20:03:27
They might have sold players but BHA have done so at the absolute top value they could get! In two sales they made more profit than we did in about 2/3 seasons! They are definitely a team most mid table teams like ours need to try and replicate, buy low sell high as ya can and reinvest the difference in the club. Look at Neves or Jota both of those players should have gone for FAR more than they did but we need to manage our contracts better. Having to sell players who are running down contracts and have made clear they won't resign is a sure fire way to sell players on the cheap. Let's hope we've learnt our lesson cause we can't afford to lose Neto on the cheap. Mind you his injuries are the biggest problem there 😭

05 Apr 2024 05:28:21
The thing is BullysBoy III, with that technique / method clubs eventually run out of road - there are many recent-ish examples:
*Leicester City
*Southampton
*Aston Villa

05 Apr 2024 07:03:41
Reported yesterday, albeit unofficially that red mancs want kilman in summer. Given he's just signed a 5 year contract and European teams showed an interest pre this season, how much should we ask, should we decline all offers or cash in? It's difficult to run a club and make a profit whilst maintaining a position. Brighton seem to have done that but with ffp etc I can't see 100m transfer fees being offered now.

05 Apr 2024 09:48:58
Hi Abbeywolf,
Difficult to gauge selling prices now with FFP. I did see the alleged interest in Kilman by the Mancs. Although he's ever present I'd sell for 50-60Mill if those kind of offers come across. For me Kilman gets caught out of position too many times, he gets caught ball watching and he's obviously not great at organising our current defensive line up without Dawson. Please though don't ask me who I'd replace him with but I'm sure there are better out there. I did put on a previous post though that we already need an experienced centre half to cover for Dawson. Maybe person?

05 Apr 2024 09:53:58
Forgot to add. If selling Kilman keeps us from selling RAN, Cuhna, Gomes, & Neto then yes cash in.

05 Apr 2024 12:45:47
It's fair point Jack, not sure about running out of road but think your examples are fair in so much as it only takes a couple of bad windows to break the system (basically what happened at Lec and South).
Isn't it funny, the same papers that are linking Kilman to United are also linking Southgate to the top job there. The same Southgate we ALL know clearly thinks Harry Manure is better than Max! 🤣
It's almost like these papers just make stuff up eh lads 👍🐺

05 Apr 2024 12:59:48
Would agree with you there blackfords. Do we want to be a big profit making club or a successful one that can generate funds through tv and sponsorship? Obviously the latter, so holding on to our assets is a must wherever possible.
Like you say though who replaces who when we sell. Brightons recruitment team have Obviously done their homework and not been sold a pup like we have been with fabio etc.

05 Apr 2024 13:29:12
Not that simple though is it Abbey! Every club in the country wants that (profit generating club without selling) sadly in reality there are VERY few of them! It becomes chicken and egg, even those clubs that now make good profits had to invest initially! Look at Lec, they have won a league and out of the group that is 'the rest' they should be right up there. Instead they are in the Champ and facing very real financial trouble! Every club has to sell and reinvest, what decides the club's success is just how well they do it 🧐

05 Apr 2024 13:32:28
It’s all paper talk about Max. A sports reporter from the Times, the paper who printed the piece was on Sky sport news last night. She admitted- no official contact from Man U, no official interest from them. He’s just another player, on a list of players, they have had people look at. Basically what most clubs do, have people watch other teams and players