Next Season Expectations

[Chris H]

You improve by selling the players that aren't good enough, not by selling your best players. I will wait till the end of the transfer window to pass judgment.

I’d say you improve by developing and strengthening your starting XI and squad to be honest. It’s not about specific individuals.

At our level if you want to compete with those above who have significantly more resources than us it’s also about coaching players to improve them, not just trying to buy ready made players either.

If we sell a player and replace them with someone who isn’t yet better but we can develop to be then that’s good business and a smart development strategy. You just have to get it right.

 

[those were the days]

Liverpool sold Coutinho and Suarez, then improved.

Obviously it's a risk and relies on you finding hidden gems to replace them, but to say you can't improve by selling your best players is wrong.

If Nuno ends up at Everton, I can see them selling Richarlison (a la Liverpool with Coutinho), Doucoure and a few of their fringe players (e.g. Davies) and using it to fund 3-4 incomings straight for the first team (Leao, Guedes, RB, possibly ball-playing CB) and being net stronger. I can also see Nuno employing 3-4-3 there and being successful once he's reshaped the squad a littlw.

It's definitely possible to improve through smart player trading (see Seville over the years) but Nuno likely has a much easier job to do that at Everton than had he stayed at Wolves (as I'm sure he found out over the last year).

If the rumours around Patricio and Moutinho moving on are true and if one of (or both) of Neves and Traore move on the squad is incredibly thread-bare and we'll need a blockbuster window just to keep our head above water in mid to lower-mid table.

 

[Hoganstolemywife]

My expectations are high. We have a new manager, our best players returning from injury, and an apparent desire to invest in the squad (even if that is through generating funds through player sales)

 

[Highlandwolf2]

Entertainment hopefully, squad overhaul and a respectable position (viz not flirting with relegation)

 

[Stourport wolf]

Liverpool sold Coutinho and Suarez, then improved.

Obviously it's a risk and relies on you finding hidden gems to replace them, but to say you can't improve by selling your best players is wrong.

Well, if you keep the ones that are no good and replace very good players with maybe very good players, you can only hope to remain the same as before, not improve. The likelihood is some of the better players will be replaced, by not as good players.
We have to wait and see, what is going to happen, hopefully it turns out well.

 

[Westbakejazz]

Survival hopefully

 

[whitnash wolf ex.dewsbury]

250/1 for the title same as brighton and newcastle.
not expecting us to win it!

 

[GV Wolf]

You improve by selling the players that aren't good enough, not by selling your best players. I will wait till the end of the transfer window to pass judgment.

I agree - the problem is we will be 3 or 4 games in by the end of the transfer window. Easier said than done but new players need to be bought in during the pre season so they have time to integrate into the team structure.

 

[Mardenboroughs Shoulder]

Fosun are ambitious. Changing the Head Coach is a measure of that ambition. I think they will be targetting Europa League qualification at least. So that is my expectation for next season.

 

[Mile End Wanderer]

Mid table 7th - 14th and a cup run really

Exciting attacking, goal scoring football is all we want to see. Physical presence in defence too

 

[Bawtry Wolf]

I really don’t get the optimism. ‘Exciting, attacking’ football every week and a top 10 place. Not sure what’s this is based on. We buy potential not proven players because that’s where the value is. So if Neves goes we won’t replace him with someone of the same quality but with someone currently of lesser quality but with higher potential. The same goes for Rui, Moutinho, Coady, Neto and Traore, all have been linked with a sale. So we’ll have a team of perhaps lesser players, most, if not all, will come from less intensive and physical leagues; playing alongside those we couldn’t sell and those returning from injury and they’re expected to propel us to a top 10 finish playing football ala Newcastle under Keegan.

what’s likely to happen is that the new manager and players will take time to bed in. We’ll try and play expansively, get hammered and then try and play defensive football to pick up a point here and there and get relegated having lost the manager by October.

I’ll be called a pessimist or a doom monger but unfortunately I’ve read this script and seen this script so many times from us, in the Premier League and in the Championship. People quote losing Coutinho, Sterling or Suarez from Liverpool. They lost one player at a time not 3,4 or 5 and were starting from a better place than we are. They reinvested the Coutinho money into Van Djyk and Allison. They struggled to replace Suarez and Sterling initially.

 

[Mardenboroughs Shoulder]

I really don’t get the optimism. ‘Exciting, attacking’ football every week and a top 10 place. Not sure what’s this is based on. We buy potential not proven players because that’s where the value is. So if Neves goes we won’t replace him with someone of the same quality but with someone currently of lesser quality but with higher potential. The same goes for Rui, Moutinho, Coady, Neto and Traore, all have been linked with a sale. So we’ll have a team of perhaps lesser players, most, if not all, will come from less intensive and physical leagues; playing alongside those we couldn’t sell and those returning from injury and they’re expected to propel us to a top 10 finish playing football ala Newcastle under Keegan.

what’s likely to happen is that the new manager and players will take time to bed in. We’ll try and play expansively, get hammered and then try and play defensive football to pick up a point here and there and get relegated having lost the manager by October.

I’ll be called a pessimist or a doom monger but unfortunately I’ve read this script and seen this script so many times from us, in the Premier League and in the Championship. People quote losing Coutinho, Sterling or Suarez from Liverpool. They lost one player at a time not 3,4 or 5 and were starting from a better place than we are. They reinvested the Coutinho money into Van Djyk and Allison. They struggled to replace Suarez and Sterling initially.

But this is Wolves 2.0!

 

[Rhoswolf]

I really don’t get the optimism. ‘Exciting, attacking’ football every week and a top 10 place. Not sure what’s this is based on. We buy potential not proven players because that’s where the value is. So if Neves goes we won’t replace him with someone of the same quality but with someone currently of lesser quality but with higher potential. The same goes for Rui, Moutinho, Coady, Neto and Traore, all have been linked with a sale. So we’ll have a team of perhaps lesser players, most, if not all, will come from less intensive and physical leagues; playing alongside those we couldn’t sell and those returning from injury and they’re expected to propel us to a top 10 finish playing football ala Newcastle under Keegan.

what’s likely to happen is that the new manager and players will take time to bed in. We’ll try and play expansively, get hammered and then try and play defensive football to pick up a point here and there and get relegated having lost the manager by October.

I’ll be called a pessimist or a doom monger but unfortunately I’ve read this script and seen this script so many times from us, in the Premier League and in the Championship. People quote losing Coutinho, Sterling or Suarez from Liverpool. They lost one player at a time not 3,4 or 5 and were starting from a better place than we are. They reinvested the Coutinho money into Van Djyk and Allison. They struggled to replace Suarez and Sterling initially.

How I see it too.

 

[Immigration wolf]

I’ll be satisfied if we can finish 10th-13th
Delighted if we finish any higher

 

[Hoganstolemywife]

I really don’t get the optimism. ‘Exciting, attacking’ football every week and a top 10 place. Not sure what’s this is based on. We buy potential not proven players because that’s where the value is. So if Neves goes we won’t replace him with someone of the same quality but with someone currently of lesser quality but with higher potential. The same goes for Rui, Moutinho, Coady, Neto and Traore, all have been linked with a sale. So we’ll have a team of perhaps lesser players, most, if not all, will come from less intensive and physical leagues; playing alongside those we couldn’t sell and those returning from injury and they’re expected to propel us to a top 10 finish playing football ala Newcastle under Keegan.

what’s likely to happen is that the new manager and players will take time to bed in. We’ll try and play expansively, get hammered and then try and play defensive football to pick up a point here and there and get relegated having lost the manager by October.

I’ll be called a pessimist or a doom monger but unfortunately I’ve read this script and seen this script so many times from us, in the Premier League and in the Championship. People quote losing Coutinho, Sterling or Suarez from Liverpool. They lost one player at a time not 3,4 or 5 and were starting from a better place than we are. They reinvested the Coutinho money into Van Djyk and Allison. They struggled to replace Suarez and Sterling initially.

Maybe
Maybe not

I'd say the difference is we have some very good footballers at the club.

Jimenez, Neto, Boly, Semedo etc. I know there are question marks over form and fitness with all of them, but teams very seldom go down with players of those quality in the team.

I like Neves and Moutinho but if they both leave it's not the end of the world. They're both talented but have big limitations.

Provided Jimenez is fit - and stays for - we should have a good season. It's easy to forget just how good he is sometimes.

 

[inaglasshouse]

I really don’t get the optimism. ‘Exciting, attacking’ football every week and a top 10 place. Not sure what’s this is based on. We buy potential not proven players because that’s where the value is. So if Neves goes we won’t replace him with someone of the same quality but with someone currently of lesser quality but with higher potential. The same goes for Rui, Moutinho, Coady, Neto and Traore, all have been linked with a sale. So we’ll have a team of perhaps lesser players, most, if not all, will come from less intensive and physical leagues; playing alongside those we couldn’t sell and those returning from injury and they’re expected to propel us to a top 10 finish playing football ala Newcastle under Keegan.

what’s likely to happen is that the new manager and players will take time to bed in. We’ll try and play expansively, get hammered and then try and play defensive football to pick up a point here and there and get relegated having lost the manager by October.

I’ll be called a pessimist or a doom monger but unfortunately I’ve read this script and seen this script so many times from us, in the Premier League and in the Championship. People quote losing Coutinho, Sterling or Suarez from Liverpool. They lost one player at a time not 3,4 or 5 and were starting from a better place than we are. They reinvested the Coutinho money into Van Djyk and Allison. They struggled to replace Suarez and Sterling initially.

Don't forget we will have one of the best wonderkids in Europe, if not the world, playing every week

 

[Macman]

I really don’t get the optimism. ‘Exciting, attacking’ football every week and a top 10 place. Not sure what’s this is based on. We buy potential not proven players because that’s where the value is. So if Neves goes we won’t replace him with someone of the same quality but with someone currently of lesser quality but with higher potential. The same goes for Rui, Moutinho, Coady, Neto and Traore, all have been linked with a sale. So we’ll have a team of perhaps lesser players, most, if not all, will come from less intensive and physical leagues; playing alongside those we couldn’t sell and those returning from injury and they’re expected to propel us to a top 10 finish playing football ala Newcastle under Keegan.

what’s likely to happen is that the new manager and players will take time to bed in. We’ll try and play expansively, get hammered and then try and play defensive football to pick up a point here and there and get relegated having lost the manager by October.

I’ll be called a pessimist or a doom monger but unfortunately I’ve read this script and seen this script so many times from us, in the Premier League and in the Championship. People quote losing Coutinho, Sterling or Suarez from Liverpool. They lost one player at a time not 3,4 or 5 and were starting from a better place than we are. They reinvested the Coutinho money into Van Djyk and Allison. They struggled to replace Suarez and Sterling initially.

That's a decent post Bawtry. And very much 'the elephant in the room' post some of us do worry about. Although that is very much a worst case scenario, and we hope Jeff and Fosun are sensible enough NOT to just buy young players to fill the team up with and trust Lage's experience (or lack of) playing a young side to make us world-beaters.

I'm confident we will buy some 'wise-heads' for the team to complement the youngsters. I can't imagine anyone at Molineux hasn't given Jeff a nudge and said "Just a thought Jeff, if we are intending on just playing inexperienced youngsters, in the world's toughest league, where mistakes and naivety will cost you dearly....".

 

[Gold Flag Flying High]

I expect more dreary shoved down the throat politics, same dilapidated stadium, increased ticket prices, selling our best players again, mediocre transfers in and maybe 10th. Yay Wolves Yay! Really hope I’m wrong on all of this of course but at least we are premier league! ……………. Yeah ……great. I need a new sport.

 

[OLDGOLD]

I really don’t get the optimism. ‘Exciting, attacking’ football every week and a top 10 place. Not sure what’s this is based on. We buy potential not proven players because that’s where the value is. So if Neves goes we won’t replace him with someone of the same quality but with someone currently of lesser quality but with higher potential. The same goes for Rui, Moutinho, Coady, Neto and Traore, all have been linked with a sale. So we’ll have a team of perhaps lesser players, most, if not all, will come from less intensive and physical leagues; playing alongside those we couldn’t sell and those returning from injury and they’re expected to propel us to a top 10 finish playing football ala Newcastle under Keegan.

what’s likely to happen is that the new manager and players will take time to bed in. We’ll try and play expansively, get hammered and then try and play defensive football to pick up a point here and there and get relegated having lost the manager by October.

I’ll be called a pessimist or a doom monger but unfortunately I’ve read this script and seen this script so many times from us, in the Premier League and in the Championship. People quote losing Coutinho, Sterling or Suarez from Liverpool. They lost one player at a time not 3,4 or 5 and were starting from a better place than we are. They reinvested the Coutinho money into Van Djyk and Allison. They struggled to replace Suarez and Sterling initially.

Yep, this is all possible. I would like to hope we are a little better prepared than this, but time will tell.

 

[Bawtry Wolf]

Yep, this is all possible. I would like to hope we are a little better prepared than this, but time will tell.

My view may change come 31st August depending on the purchases and the squad. But to change we need to buy PL ready players. Fosun gamble every transfer window and I would suggest that other than year two and three those gambles haven’t particularly paid off. This year we need to be betting on odds on favourites rather than 50-1 shots.

 

[oldgoldheart]

I am trying to be optimistic. But if rui, moutinho, neves leave plus raul may never fully regain his prowess and johnny and neto out until christmas we have a herculean task just to stand still. We will be like a newly promoted side with a new manager and backroom staff. Could work but we are 6/1 ti get relegated for a reason

 

[OLDGOLD]

My view may change come 31st August depending on the purchases and the squad. But to change we need to buy PL ready players. Fosun gamble every transfer window and I would suggest that other than year two and three those gambles haven’t particularly paid off. This year we need to be betting on odds on favourites rather than 50-1 shots.

On this i agree. This is not a season for going all in on unproven players. If we lose experienced quality players we need to replace like for like.

 

[wallace]

A manager with no experience in the toughest league in the world, a squad of unknown strength with probable in coming and outgoing players of indeterminate experience and ability.
The Nuno dream ended with a season of which has never been experienced ever, after one ordinary season of extreme difficulty having previously seen 3 seasons of unbelievable success for our club.
Now we begin again with Bruno and as we stand anything above the relegation spots is a realistic aim until the squad is announced and gell into a team.

 

[SteveBullsKnee]

I expect more dreary shoved down the throat politics, same dilapidated stadium, increased ticket prices, selling our best players again, mediocre transfers in and maybe 10th. Yay Wolves Yay! Really hope I’m wrong on all of this of course but at least we are premier league! ……………. Yeah ……great. I need a new sport.

This year's award for the most miserable post is on its way to you.

 

[Mardenboroughs Shoulder]

I am trying to be optimistic. But if rui, moutinho, neves leave plus raul may never fully regain his prowess and johnny and neto out until christmas we have a herculean task just to stand still. We will be like a newly promoted side with a new manager and backroom staff. Could work but we are 6/1 ti get relegated for a reason

What are the odds that we will be 6/1 to get relegated by the time the season starts?

 

[those were the days]

What are the odds that we will be 6/1 to get relegated by the time the season starts?

We're currently 5-1 to get relegated at Bet365 - see here. The market's obviously pretty illiquid but none of the prices for the various teams seem wildly unrealistic to me as things stand.

Be interesting to get a refresh 2 weeks before the season starts. I'm hoping they'll make better, rather than worse, reading but it'll depend on transfer business of course.

 

[GV Wolf]

Fosun are ambitious. Changing the Head Coach is a measure of that ambition. I think they will be targetting Europa League qualification at least. So that is my expectation for next season.

I love that positivity - I need some to rub off on me!

 

[goldeneyed]

My expectation is that it will be a rough old season with us gyrating between 12th and 18th. I think another 13th would be good going especially if Neves, Rui and Traore go. If we get brilliant replacements and Lage can knit it altogether fast then great and perhaps we can all be happily surprised. But I think people are being very naive about expecting some kind of all star attacking system under him.

This is the most crucial summer I can remember for the 'transfer committee' and as usual a lot will depend on whether Mendes can come up with the goods again. I am not convinced he can which is why I worry about selling the likes of Neves. For him its kerching kerching whatever happens and with Fonseca at Spurs and Nuno probably at Everton we won't be such a priority anymore.

 

[Wanderer Til I Die]

A top 10 finish and attractive, attacking football.

 

[Ironfistedmonk]

I keep flip flopping between being excited at the prospect of a new manager with new ideas and new players, to being scared ****less of losing our best players and being ripped off for more generational talents and fighting relegation with an inexperienced manager!

I hate the close season, nothing happens for a couple of months and it feels like your team is in limbo and then all kinds of crazy **** kicks off for a couple of weeks before the season starts. Fans end up speculating for those first few months with their imaginations running wild based on little tidbits and clickbait bull****, trying to find the grains of truth amongst the mounds of *******s, roll on August.

 

[Corporate Wolf]

My expectation is that it will be a rough old season with us gyrating between 12th and 18th. I think another 13th would be good going especially if Neves, Rui and Traore go. If we get brilliant replacements and Lage can knit it altogether fast then great and perhaps we can all be happily surprised. But I think people are being very naive about expecting some kind of all star attacking system under him.

This is the most crucial summer I can remember for the 'transfer committee' and as usual a lot will depend on whether Mendes can come up with the goods again. I am not convinced he can which is why I worry about selling the likes of Neves. For him its kerching kerching whatever happens and with Fonseca at Spurs and Nuno probably at Everton we won't be such a priority anymore.

Exactly this re. Mendes. IMO he is completely self serving and I’m not convinced of any real loyalty to Fosun or to ensure Wolves get quality players. On the flip side to my argument is the fact that Fosun have continued to invest and show loyalty to Gestifute with the appointment of Lage; so it remains to be seen if that flows both ways.

 

[Fifty Niner]

My expectation is that it will be a rough old season with us gyrating between 12th and 18th. I think another 13th would be good going especially if Neves, Rui and Traore go. If we get brilliant replacements and Lage can knit it altogether fast then great and perhaps we can all be happily surprised. But I think people are being very naive about expecting some kind of all star attacking system under him.

This is the most crucial summer I can remember for the 'transfer committee' and as usual a lot will depend on whether Mendes can come up with the goods again. I am not convinced he can which is why I worry about selling the likes of Neves. For him its kerching kerching whatever happens and with Fonseca at Spurs and Nuno probably at Everton we won't be such a priority anymore.

He has a team that failed to score in the first half 26 times last season and ran the least of any team in the PL. A team that played a cautious, defensive game which struggled to score 36 goals and finished with a -16 goals ratio. And a team that seemed to lose direction after the injury to its main goal scorer. Changing the players mindsets as well as drilling them to play as a more attacking unit is a tough ask for the team of 20/21 and before that. New players will help but it could be a lot of confused performances before we see anything consistent. Might be a bit of Leeds about them.

 

[Bawtry Wolf]

He has a team that failed to score in the first half 26 times last season and ran the least of any team in the PL. A team that played a cautious, defensive game which struggled to score 36 goals and finished with a -16 goals ratio. And a team that seemed to lose direction after the injury to its main goal scorer. Changing the players mindsets as well as drilling them to play as a more attacking unit is a tough ask for the team of 20/21 and before that. New players will help but it could be a lot of confused performances before we see anything consistent. Might be a bit of Leeds about them.

I’d take a bit of Leeds about them but am not holding my breath.

 

[Pintandkebab]

Just out of interest when we hear the line of more attacking and more goals . What players that we have had slight links to or would be possible signings that are realistic would achieve this do you think .

 

[TFWanderers]

It'll be a difficult season that's for sure.

Looking at the sides coming up, we may just be ok.

I'm expecting a season like Newcastle have just had. Moments of danger but pull clear near the end.

 

[oldgolded]

Things could get ugly if we are really struggling around Christmas time. Jeff has shown that he does not like citicism. Seems a long time ago that Jeff and Dalrymple treated fans to pints in the pub. Am really hoping we get the transfer policy right this summer and am hoping we will be pleasantly surprised by some of the signings. Am taking all the player sales speculation with a pinch of salt as I don't think most journalists really know what is going on.

 

[PM Wolves]

Honestly, I would be happy with a stable season, followed up with some green shoots of promise and hope.

Nuno and his team were so integral to the identity and story of our success under Fosun and our presence in the Premier League. Changing manager has been a risky move - perhaps a necessary one - but risky nonetheless. It seems like we're going to see some significant outgoings, a handful of new players to bed in, a new system and a new "cycle".

These things aren't always straight forward and I wouldn't say with any certainty that Lage will hit the ground running. There are way too many variables at play, and a number of them aren't even in his hands. I think any manager coming into the club right now would face a challenge, and I don't think positive results would be guaranteed for anyone in the short term.

By the end of the season, I'd like us to have remained competitive in the league (i.e., not in a relegation scrap), and for there to be signs that the next season would be even better. I'd like to see positive, progressive football; the improvement of our young players, and some indication that our transfers have been successes.

This.

Great outlook and realistic given the situation. Bravo!

 

[DPE]

I can’t see much changing at the start of the season as he will only get about 3 weeks with the players. I think a gradual improvement and perhaps a 10th place finish.