how come no one is worried about relegation?

[SteveBullsKnee]

I agree about Spurs, Leeds and Leicester, but Che Adams has had a great season for saints scoring vital goals in some games.

Take Ings out for 3 quarters of the season and see where Saints end up though.

 

[Leamwolf]

Take Ings out for 3 quarters of the season and see where Saints end up though.

Defo, I am not saying remove Ings and you have like for like quality. But Adams has been a fantastic deputy this season and has contributed goals and had good team role performances where he has played others in or started moves across the season unlike ihenacho who scores in bunches and Leicester fans don’t know whether to rate him or want to bin him off....

 

[Deleted member 11332]

But if you take their top player out they wont. Take Kane out for spurs, Ings out for Southampton, Bamford for Leeds, Vardy for Leicester. 4 teams who dont have adequate replacements.

But 3 of those have been without the players you mentioned for periods this year. Vardy had an operation and missed 4 games on the bounce, I believe Leicester won 3 of them.

 

[SteveBullsKnee]

Transfer targets. Selling Jota without adequate replacement. Taking Willian on loan. Team selection. Substitution criteria , timings and reasons. Poor player performance. Team set up. Tactics. Playing players out of form in front of players he signed.
and no we don’t forget as if these things are not addressed then we will be in for much of the same , or worse , next season
Many teams would have already pulled the pin

So much of that isnt on Nuno. Transfer targets? All managers are the same, they'll ask for the best players they can get. Did we want to sign Dias, Cancelo and Bruno Fernandes? Yes. Could we get them over the line? No. Thats not on the coaching staff.

Similarly loaning Willian. None of us know what was in the budget for a loan player, maybe that was the best we could get. Again that isnt on Nuno.

Jota is a ridiculous one. 1) he wasnt playing, no one was that bothered at the time and 2) how do you stop him going anyway. He could easily have sat on the bench all year and his value plumett. Hindsight

I doubt many clubs who have taken a manager from where we were to where we are would have pulled the pin. Id wager clubs would look at it with much wider eyes and looked at the reasoning behind it.

 

[SteveBullsKnee]

But 3 of those have been without the players you mentioned for periods this year. Vardy had an operation and missed 4 games on the bounce, I believe Leicester won 3 of them.

Have any of those players missed 3 quarters of a season (so far). Fact remains we were 6th when he got injured but apparently we cant use Raul getting that injury as an excuse.

 

[Deleted member 11332]

Have any of those players missed 3 quarters of a season (so far). Fact remains we were 6th when he got injured but apparently we cant use Raul getting that injury as an excuse.

I wouldn't know where we were when Raul got injured, I don't bother looking at the table until Christmas as it means nothing.

I just said that teams manage to secure results, many of which don't have a player of Rauls quality in their squad. Our players should be good enough that we ain't 16th after 31 games, with danger of getting dragged into a relegation battle if they lose Friday.

 

[SteveBullsKnee]

I wouldn't know where we were when Raul got injured, I don't bother looking at the table until Christmas as it means nothing.

I just said that teams manage to secure results, many of which don't have a player of Rauls quality in their squad. Our players should be good enough that we ain't 16th after 31 games, with danger of getting dragged into a relegation battle if they lose Friday.

Means nothing? Half the season is done by xmas. If it means nothing why do the media make a big fuss of teams being bottom at xmas not staying up barring the tesco lot and the "great escape" if it means nothing?

End of the day take any team who play with one forward who scores 60% of your goals and he misses three quarters of the season and you are going to struggle.

 

[whitnash wolf ex.dewsbury]

Means nothing? Half the season is done by xmas. If it means nothing why do the media make a big fuss of teams being bottom at xmas not staying up barring the tesco lot and the "great escape" if it means nothing?

End of the day take any team who play with one forward who scores 60% of your goals and he misses three quarters of the season and you are going to struggle.

don`t rely on one player to score 60% of the goals then.

 

[SteveBullsKnee]

don`t rely on one player to score 60% of the goals then.

Brilliant, why didnt Nuno think of that.

 

[whitnash wolf ex.dewsbury]

Brilliant, why didnt Nuno think of that.

don`t know why don`t you ask him?

 

[Leamwolf]

don`t rely on one player to score 60% of the goals then.

Or allow for another 25% of your goals get sold too that you don’t replace.....

we sold two of our biggest goal scorers a season and didn’t replace them..... it was mental at the time and looking even more stupid as the season has gone on as we have struggled to score goals.

 

[Deleted member 11332]

Means nothing? Half the season is done by xmas. If it means nothing why do the media make a big fuss of teams being bottom at xmas not staying up barring the tesco lot and the "great escape" if it means nothing?

End of the day take any team who play with one forward who scores 60% of your goals and he misses three quarters of the season and you are going to struggle.

I just don't think it's an accurate representation until you've basically played every side. I believe Southampton were top of the table at one point, meaningless now though isn't it.

And there lies the main issue. We are over reliant on one player, no one else has stepped up and the manager couldn't manufacture a way to replace those goals.

I understand there will always be some drop off but to go from challenging for a European place to potentially relegated is a hell of a drop from just one bloke.

 

[Northampton_wolf]

I just don't think it's an accurate representation until you've basically played every side. I believe Southampton were top of the table at one point, meaningless now though isn't it.

And there lies the main issue. We are over reliant on one player, no one else has stepped up and the manager couldn't manufacture a way to replace those goals.

I understand there will always be some drop off but to go from challenging for a European place to potentially relegated is a hell of a drop from just one bloke.

My sentiments, are we a one man side? ok we miss jonny and jimenez, and people will say doc and jota, meaning a total of 4 out.

Could you say jota would have done any better than say a neto, in our current team, even on his liverpool form.

Doubtful given our negative and lack of creativity.

The senior players didnt ste up, traore/moutinho/dendoncker/podence/coady/saiss/boly

all of these individuals should have stepped up in some way.

You could then argue that Neves needs to have done more.

But the fact of the matter is i love traore but his g/a are not good enough for a player of his quality being a star man in the front three, him and podence both 25 ****ing time to shine

 

[Contrarian]

The makeup of the actual playing squad (not the kids who sit on the bench) but the ones that actually get pitch time, is foreign barring our captain and Kilman (im not counting MGW who's hardly put a foot on grass). So we are significantly staffed by players who are affected more by covid than say Southamptons squad, or Villas squad or indeed any squad in that league.

Good point. It didn't "just happen", though. It's our policy, our strategy. It worked well in the good days. Circumstances changed and we haven't adapted. With Brexit still having unknowns, depending on a core of foreign talent looks risky to me, too.

It's not as if some super-villain-agent is forcing all these foreigners on us ... is it?

And aren't Sheff Utd mostly British? And Albion? Didn't gain them any advantage, did it?

 

[Deleted member 11332]

My sentiments, are we a one man side? ok we miss jonny and jimenez, and people will say doc and jota, meaning a total of 4 out.

Could you say jota would have done any better than say a neto, in our current team, even on his liverpool form.

Doubtful given our negative and lack of creativity.

The senior players didnt ste up, traore/moutinho/dendoncker/podence/coady/saiss/boly

all of these individuals should have stepped up in some way.

You could then argue that Neves needs to have done more.

But the fact of the matter is i love traore but his g/a are not good enough for a player of his quality being a star man in the front three, him and podence both 25 ****ing time to shine

He could have done more than Traore. Neto and Jota with Silva would have been far more effective than what we've seen at any point since Raul got injured.

 

[Contrarian]

don`t rely on one player to score 60% of the goals then.

This * 100. One player scoring so many is indicative of a deeper problem. Unless you're scoring 100 and the rest of the team are chipping in with 40, of course. Don't think we are going to reach that level though.

Sometimes those media pundits would mention it and get criticised of course. Same as when the pundits warned of the dangers of a small squad. They were just idiots who didn't realise that Wolves and Fosun had torn up the rule book. Maybe when neutrals who do know something about the game keep saying the same thing again and again, it may be worth listening?

 

[Mile End Wanderer]

We have to win or draw this game if we lose then we are in a relegation dog fight

 

[CelebrityWolf]

Not sure I really understand the argument here? Surely if the argument is that our season has imploded due to an injury to Raul then those responsible should be charged with gross negligence.

 

[VancouverWolf]

We have to win or draw this game if we lose then we are in a relegation dog fight

We are already in it!

 

[Mile End Wanderer]

We are already in it!

Quite possibly so my friend. If we win Friday we are virtually fine and this game is massive for Fulham also! I just hope we play much better.

 

[SteveBullsKnee]

Not sure I really understand the argument here? Surely if the argument is that our season has imploded due to an injury to Raul then those responsible should be charged with gross negligence.

charged by whom? Ze Gestapo??

 

[Northampton_wolf]

Not sure I really understand the argument here? Surely if the argument is that our season has imploded due to an injury to Raul then those responsible should be charged with gross negligence.

Prison sentence for Luiz?

 

[Northampton_wolf]

He could have done more than Traore. Neto and Jota with Silva would have been far more effective than what we've seen at any point since Raul got injured.

Thats fair and reiterates points myself. and another has made, traore is in the side through lack of competition.

Neto Jota, Silva is a lovely front 3.

 

[Mustafa_WWFC]

We will win against Fulham and suddenly everone will be talking about a top 10 finish. our form has been poor but you would be silly to bet on us picking up 9 less points than fulham whilst also doing worse than Newcastle, Brighton and Burnley.

 

[Hoganstolemywife]

We have to win or draw this game if we lose then we are in a relegation dog fight

If we lose our next four we are in a dog fight. If we lose the next game , it's worry time. Not dog fight.

 

[goldeneyed]

We will win against Fulham and suddenly everone will be talking about a top 10 finish. our form has been poor but you would be silly to bet on us picking up 9 less points than fulham whilst also doing worse than Newcastle, Brighton and Burnley.

Will we? I think it will be a struggle to the end. We always make it as hard as possible for ourselves and the injuries we have suffered have shown up the weakness of the squad and Nuno essentially operating with 14 players who he trusts. Any win now would be like gold dust but its hard to see where that win will come from.

 

[Summer_Wolf]

One more win will see us over the line, we'll grind it out somewhere. However, the drop off from last season should never ever ever have been this big. For many reasons, some out of our control but many others where you can rightly point the finger at Nuno/Shi/players, this season has been an absolute **** show. A massive summer awaits. Get it wrong and next season could be extremely ugly.

 

[Leamwolf]

This * 100. One player scoring so many is indicative of a deeper problem. Unless you're scoring 100 and the rest of the team are chipping in with 40, of course. Don't think we are going to reach that level though.

Sometimes those media pundits would mention it and get criticised of course. Same as when the pundits warned of the dangers of a small squad. They were just idiots who didn't realise that Wolves and Fosun had torn up the rule book. Maybe when neutrals who do know something about the game keep saying the same thing again and again, it may be worth listening?

You don’t need to be a neutral..... people said it on here and routinely got destroyed For saying it.....

 

[Mustafa_WWFC]

Will we? I think it will be a struggle to the end. We always make it as hard as possible for ourselves and the injuries we have suffered have shown up the weakness of the squad and Nuno essentially operating with 14 players who he trusts. Any win now would be like gold dust but its hard to see where that win will come from.

Mayby but i think we definitely have a victory or two in us before the end of the season. Even if we go to 3 at the back we should be able to grind out enough points with draws. Fulham are currently 19th in the form table and are showing no signs of wining 3 games out of their last 7

 

[WolfInSheep'sClothing]

I don’t think we only had a go at 3-0 down though, I thought we had a go from the off. We were just awful defensive and threw the game away before we got going.

Defensively we were a shambles but I don’t think we lacked attacking intent from the off.

We conceded those goals that quickly because we over committed players going forward. Leaving players 2 on 2 at this level of football is going to end in tears.
It has been the story of us and the back 4, and it ain't just the centre backs, its the defensive midfielders and the full backs to. Full backs go forward, noone covers/whoever is covering isn't quick enough
Also our goals came from individual brilliance from traore and neto. They weren't exactly chances we don't create with our usual formation.

 

[bod101]

We conceded those goals that quickly because we over committed players going forward. Leaving players 2 on 2 at this level of football is going to end in tears.
It has been the story of us and the back 4, and it ain't just the centre backs, its the defensive midfielders and the full backs to. Full backs go forward, noone covers/whoever is covering isn't quick enough
Also our goals came from individual brilliance from traore and neto. They weren't exactly chances we don't create with our usual formation.

However we created many more chances due to it that weren't finished

 

[whitnash wolf ex.dewsbury]

However we created many more chances due to it that weren't finished

should have closed up shop for 10mins instead of going all out attack and conceding almost straight away.
poor game management

 

[WolfInSheep'sClothing]

However we created many more chances due to it that weren't finished

Were they really good chances? Nowhere near as good as the ones we gave west ham.

 

[bod101]

Were they really good chances? Nowhere near as good as the ones we gave west ham.

yes, west ham's chances were due to players seemingly not having their head in the game.

 

[Bradmore Wolf]

Every single non-Wolves supporting person I speak to laughs when I ask " do you think we'll go down?" We see things differently of course because we scrutinise our results/performances. I personally dont think we'll go down but only because not all teams below us will catch us

 

[Flump]

I personally dont think we'll go down but only because not all teams below us will catch us

The only reason Man City aren't getting relegated this season is because 19 teams won't be able to catch them.

 

[WolfInSheep'sClothing]

yes, west ham's chances were due to players seemingly not having their head in the game.

I don't buy that.
Every game we have gone with a back 4 we have ended up in situations where we are 2 on 2 at the back. It's a recurring problem. Even the 3rd goal where we have 6 players chasing after the ball; 4 of them never get back to be goal side because they ain't quick enough. The reality is that situation is another 2 on 2 as 4 of the guys are effectively out of the game. We don't have the players to play this way at the moment, it ain't just the centre backs it's the full backs that love to overlap and the lack of pace in midfield.
This is the premier league. I loved Cav when he was here, but he hasn't really proved himself at this level. Put Cav in for Jesse Lingard for the first goal and the result is probably the same.
For me, when we have played with a back 4 this season we have been defensively as bad as we were under Terry Connor. I genuinely fear for us every time the opposition gets the ball.

 

[Contrarian]

Thats fair and reiterates points myself. and another has made, traore is in the side through lack of competition.

Neto Jota, Silva is a lovely front 3.

A theory that Liverpool will be putting to the practical test in a couple of seasons.

 

[Rangiora Wolf]

The way we're playing, a relegation battle is a possibility. I am worried because we are finding it hard to turn up week in, week out. I cant see where the points will come from to guarantee safety.

 

[WeAreTheWolvesII]

The way we're playing, a relegation battle is a possibility. I am worried because we are finding it hard to turn up week in, week out. I cant see where the points will come from to guarantee safety.

That's fair. Thankfully, we only need to turn up once (if it's Friday) or twice this season to guarantee safety.