A case of bad timing?

[Goldwolf]

I can't help pondering the current stock of our two January acquired strikers and wondering that if we had managed to get Aliadiere in 3 weeks ratherthan 3 hours before the deadline passed whether we would have then kept the £1.4 million we paid for Frankowski in the bank instead?


Before I go on I would like to make it clear that this is not a dig at Frankowski, I actually feel sorry for the guy. He clearly has a goalscoring record that indicates that if he was playing in a simple 4-4-2 system he should be capable of scoring goals in this division. However what is also obvious is that he is a complete fish out of water playing in Hoddle's current system. On the face of it Hoddle appears to have just gone out and bought a goalscorer as thecure for our lack on numbers in the GF column. I doubt many people on here were as optimistic that it would be that simple and I think the more hopeful of us thought it might force Hoddle to change his formation to accomodate him.


However he didn't change, Frankowski has looked lost and starved of service and all in all it's looking(in these admittedly earlydays) like one and a half million quid badly spent.


So now we contrast him with Aliadiere. Only here until the summer we know, but a player that on the face of it is tailor made to slot intoHoddle's system. No great goalscoring pedigree, butpacy, intelligent and a good mover. The early evidence is that, even while clearly not match fit, he's droppedstraight into the formation and made it work better. With the added bonus that at this level he'sknows how to finish too.


So the bottom line is that with Miller, Cort and Aliadiere in the side (and Ganea and Clarke as back up) we don't now actually really need Frankowski. We needed a striker when we bought him, but the initial evidence is that Aliadiere is the better fit to our requirements. It's just that he arrived second.


So if we'd have got Aliadiere before Frankowski would we than have been better to have sat on the money, waited until the summer when we know that Miller, Aliadiere and probably Ganea will have left (and also what division we are in next season) and spent the money then?

[SOA Wolf]

Goldwolf...be prepared for the mongs to come on telling you that we couldn't have had Aliadiere earlier because we would then not have him available for the play-offs.

[whitemouse75]

then we will still be left with a better striker than we had previously for next season.

[Goldwolf]

then we will still be left with a better striker than we had previously for next season.


As long as we have a manager who is going to use him effectively next season too?

[whitemouse75]

well its either that or we are left with cort and clarke.





anyone else left on contract?

[Mutchy]

Goldwolf...be prepared for the mongs to come on ...


Nice statement SOA...


Goldwolf, maybe it comes down to timing, and also some uncertainties. How long we had been working on the Frankowski deal, how sure we were that Miller would actually stay for the remainder of the season, and when it became clear that Aliadiere was available to us - and importantly, willing to come to Molineux?

[whitemouse75]

the thing is aliadiere has made it clear he's here for some football, forget about keeping him. ho's left?

[Goldwolf]

You're right Mutchy, I guess this more of a What If question. I'm not blaming anyone for the ways things transpired, just wondering that if their had been a change in the circumstances things might have worked out differently.


I'm still hopeful that Frankowski will come good for us in the future too. He must be wondering what he's done though, being dropped after only 4 games?

[Goldwolf]

the thing is aliadiere has made it clear he's here for some football, forget about keeping him. who's left?


I agree 100% that we'll need strikers in the summer. I'm just speculating that if we'd have got Aliadiere in first we could thenacquire the new strikers with forethought in the close season rather than panic buying them in January?

[SOA Wolf]

Goldwolf...be prepared for the mongs to come on ...


Nice statement SOA...





Sorry, what do you mean?

[Kenny-11]

Goldwolf...be prepared for the mongs to come on ...


Nice statement SOA...





Sorry, what do you mean?





You're a $$$$

[SOA Wolf]

Goldwolf...be prepared for the mongs to come on ...


Nice statement SOA...





Sorry, what do you mean?





You're a $$$$





Why?

[The Bear]

Your right Goldwolf but hindsight is a wonderful thing. At least we are showing a bit of foresight on the striker matter even if he is not some people's 1st choice to purchase.

Aliadiere and Miller will both be gone in the summer, and I'd rather have a new striker signed this season rather than in the summer. That way he can get used to the division and hopefully have a great full season starting in August.

There's always a chance that Aliadiere will come back to us if he knows he is welcome and will be played regularly, especially if he is continually ignored by Wenger. If we go up he may even contemplate a permanent signing if Wenger tells him he is surplus to requirement (unlikely but you never know).

[FoetalYouth]

Here's a fun goalscoring statistic for you:
Wolves goals for 40
Crewe goals for 41

[The Bear]

We all know we haven't scored enough goals FY. We did today. What's your point?

[wolfie smith]

your getting carried away with alladierre, you know hoddle will rest him next game dont yousmileys/smiley2.gif.


cort will not be fit for the rest of the season will he, franky can come in and do a job, its not formations that win games its players and when franky has settled he will be an asset, not sure if he can speak english anyone know? as it is if alli and kenny are firing on all cylinders then anyone in the middle should thrive with chances.


hoddle has taken some real flack for the way he held back alliadiere so he would be eligible for the playoffs, if we make it and its still a long shot will anyone admit it was good management

[Mutchy]

hoddle has taken some real flack for the way he held back alliadiere so he would be eligible for the playoffs, if we make it and its still a long shot will anyone admit it was good management





I'm sureGlenn will.smileys/smiley36.gif

[Goldwolf]

its not formations that win games its players


This season has shown more than ever that this statement simply isn't true.

[glasgowwolf]

its not formations that win games its players


This season has shown more than ever that this statement simply isn't true.





Disagree.... Look at some of the games where we played really well and lost.
The Formation did not Miss loads of chances at home to Burnley
The formation did not fire 2 simple half volleys over from less than 8 yards when it was easier to score both finished 1 - 0.
The formation did not do it's best to give Hull a point yesterday, Edwards and Lescott did.

[Goldwolf]

its not formations that win games its players


This season has shown more than ever that this statement simply isn't true.





Disagree.... Look at some of the games where we played really well and lost.
The Formation did not Miss loads of chances at home to Burnley
The formation did not fire 2 simple half volleys over from less than 8 yards when it was easier to score both finished 1 - 0.
The formation did not do it's best to give Hull a point yesterday, Edwards and Lescott did.





And look at all the games where we've had by far the better players collectively on the pitch and looked a complete mess. Playinga system that has led to one of the best collection of strikers in the division scoring less goals than bottom placed Crewe.


You're picking out a few specifics, but it's naive to just say it's down to a few missed chances. I'm saying that most of the football I've seen this season has involved the players playing in a system that they don't feel comfortable with and that doesn't get the best out of them. And the table proves it.

[Wombourne Wolf]

Did anyone catch the highlights of the Football League U21's v Italys Seria B U21's - Izale McLeod looked electric, quickest player on the pitch and looked to have decent control to.