Best squad ever???

[wolvesjoe]

Amongst all the complaints from a minority of fans, worth remembering just how thin our squads have been
before this season. Take our best achieving year, 2019-20, and compare to this year´s

Ruddy...........Ruddy
Patricio ........Sa
Doherty.........Semedo
Jonny .............Marcal
Vinaigre..........RAN
Buur............. Hoever
Kilman............Kilmanc
Coady..............Coady
Boly.................Boly
Saiss................Saiss
Bennett..........Mosquera
Neves............Neves
Moutinho.......Moutinho
Dendonker....Dendonker
MGW..............Podence
Traore............Traore
Neto...............Neto
Jota.................Hwang
Jimenez.........Jimenez
Cutrone.........Fabio

Plus Trincao plus Jonny and Jordao to come back from longterm injuries

So a bigger squad, especially when the injured are back.

Sa, Semedo,Hoever, Mosquera, Podence, Hwang and Fabio instead of Patricio,Buur, Doherty, Bennett, MGW, Jota and Cutrone.

Plus the addition of Trincao.

That looks like good squad development to me. Just one midfielder short.

Maybe Jeff Shi does deserve a few apologies, together with some praise and trust.

 

[CelebrityWolf]

Is it just me thinking the squad on the left is better than the one on the right?

 

[henri_camara]

Is it just me thinking the squad on the left is better than the one on the right?

only Jota is a better player in the list

 

[Mutchy]

You should have put Trincao instead of Neto, and included Neto amongst the players to come back from injury.
Where the names are the same in each list, you don't necessarily have the same levels of form or fitness.

 

[CelebrityWolf]

only Jota is a better player in the list

Really? Bennett over Mosquera all day currently. Doherty over Semedo for me as well, what Doherty did with us was fantastic, Semedo hasn't come close yet. Patricio over Sa as well. Jonny over Marcal though granted both still here. Cutrone over Silva currently as well, Silva wouldn't be starting games in Serie A right now.

 

[CelebrityWolf]

A lot of possibles in our squad today I think. Some could blossom of course but others may not. Vinagre has blossomed since leaving.

 

[Hoganstolemywife]

Imo, they're very similar. The big difference was that the left squad played as more than the sum of their parts (until last season). If Bruno can get the current crop doing the same, we will be in with every chance of another excellent season.

 

[pacamac]

Ruddy...........Ruddy - Worse (age)
Patricio ........Sa - Worse (for now)
Doherty.........Semedo - Better
Jonny .............Marcal - Worse
Vinaigre..........RAN - Erm about the same
Buur............. Hoever - Better
Kilman............Kilmanc -
Coady..............Coady
Boly.................Boly
Saiss................Saiss
Bennett..........Mosquera - Dunno yet
Neves............Neves
Moutinho.......Moutinho
Dendonker....Dendonker
MGW..............Podence - Better
Traore............Traore
Neto...............Neto
Jota.................Hwang - Worse
Jimenez.........Jimenez
Cutrone.........Fabio - Better

Got it 4 improvements and 4 downgrades based on your list.

 

[pacamac]

Really? Bennett over Mosquera all day currently. Doherty over Semedo for me as well, what Doherty did with us was fantastic, Semedo hasn't come close yet. Patricio over Sa as well. Jonny over Marcal though granted both still here. Cutrone over Silva currently as well, Silva wouldn't be starting games in Serie A right now.

I went for the overall standard of the player at this present time. To be fair if you base it on what they've done for Wolves the older squad obviously had more opportunity to have proven more.

 

[Mile End Wanderer]

Imo, they're very similar. The big difference was that the left squad played as more than the sum of their parts (until last season). If Bruno can get the current crop doing the same, we will be in with every chance of another excellent season.

We are about 3/4 top quality players from doing something seriously good again!!

 

[WickedWolfie]

Really? Bennett over Mosquera all day currently. Doherty over Semedo for me as well, what Doherty did with us was fantastic, Semedo hasn't come close yet. Patricio over Sa as well. Jonny over Marcal though granted both still here. Cutrone over Silva currently as well, Silva wouldn't be starting games in Serie A right now.

It's all about opinions. I would agree about 50% of that but can see perfectly valid arguments for your comments.

 

[CelebrityWolf]

I think the fact that we are struggling to separate the sides after a few years tells me that we haven't done enough.

 

[WickedWolfie]

I think the fact that we are struggling to separate the sides after a few years tells me that we haven't done enough.

Our Chump winning team was pretty much PL ready and then we made a number of very astute additions. Truthfully the current squad is little if any better than that squad.

 

[Berlin Wolf]

We are about 3/4 top quality players from doing something seriously good again!!

Hopefully, two or three first team quality players added in the January window in the positions needed most.

 

[Contrarian]

only Jota is a better player in the list

Agreed, though he is would be a huge difference. Could imagine him thriving no end in our current style.

 

[Streathamwolf]

Is it just me thinking the squad on the left is better than the one on the right?

I would hope that you are. The direct comparism excludes those coming back from injury, listed later by the OP. They give us a much stronger squad/ bench, although the first 11 have developed individually rather than being upgraded. A box to box M and a CB and I will be very happy, particularly if Jordao, MGW and Shabani eventually become first team fixtures.

 

[Contrarian]

Our Chump winning team was pretty much PL ready and then we made a number of very astute additions. Truthfully the current squad is little if any better than that squad.

The strength in depth seems to have improved. Especially in forward places, now we have Hwang. Midfield looking very light. And also, we had no realistic backup for Doc in the first two seasons. Or was it three? The current backup wing backs/full backs are stronger than having to play Bennett or Burr there!

For me, the only step back is the loss of goal scoring primarily by Jota. Other than Raul, I don't think we have anybody capable of being the 10+ goals a season supporting striker. If each of them, Adama/Trincao/Podence/Fabio could get 7 or 8 each, that would be excellent. But I'm not convinced they can even score 10 between them in total! Hwang is the mystery man, too new to really assess, though promising that he has already turned up and scored where none of our other forwards turn up and score. (and Neto may get 5 or 6 in half a season).

Anyway, I think the squad is stronger than before and that we just need one more composed finisher to be the difference between knocking on the door of Europe qualification ... and finishing 13th again. Unfortunately, those are your £50M+ players, unless you are very, very lucky.

 

[WickedWolfie]

The strength in depth seems to have improved. Especially in forward places, now we have Hwang. Midfield looking very light. And also, we had no realistic backup for Doc in the first two seasons. Or was it three? The current backup wing backs/full backs are stronger than having to play Bennett or Burr there!

For me, the only step back is the loss of goal scoring primarily by Jota. Other than Raul, I don't think we have anybody capable of being the 10+ goals a season supporting striker. If each of them, Adama/Trincao/Podence/Fabio could get 7 or 8 each, that would be excellent. But I'm not convinced they can even score 10 between them in total! Hwang is the mystery man, too new to really assess, though promising that he has already turned up and scored where none of our other forwards turn up and score. (and Neto may get 5 or 6 in half a season).

Anyway, I think the squad is stronger than before and that we just need one more composed finisher to be the difference between knocking on the door of Europe qualification ... and finishing 13th again. Unfortunately, those are your £50M+ players, unless you are very, very lucky.

I would agree that there is a little more quality in the squad as opposed to first eleven and depth in general. Just not as much, after three years, as l would have hoped.

 

[Elvis Wolf]

Really? Bennett over Mosquera all day currently. Doherty over Semedo for me as well, what Doherty did with us was fantastic, Semedo hasn't come close yet. Patricio over Sa as well. Jonny over Marcal though granted both still here. Cutrone over Silva currently as well, Silva wouldn't be starting games in Serie A right now.

Really?
Mosquera is going to be an upgrade on Bennett.
Semedo already is an upgrade on Doherty.
Sa is far better at commanding his area. Excellent perception, of when a quick throw is preferable to a kick. Good kicking skills too.
Marcal is proving to be an excellent acquisition, mindst you so is Jonny, once back to former fitness levels.
Silva gets slated far too much imo.
I Like his work ethic covers the pitch well. Lays off some excellent passes. Draws defenders leaving spaces for attackers.

All relative and a personal opinion.

Wolves ONLY Wolves!

 

[Hot Fuss]

I think all the OP has highlighted in his desperation to heap praise on Jeff (no I won’t be apologising), is that with a bit more ambition we could potentially have have had a squad to push for a top 7 place but in reality havnt greatly improved (despite serious price increases).

 

[CelebrityWolf]

I love how some just over hype some of our players. Mosquera the latest, a couple of decent friendly efforts, nothing more, compared to Bennett who featured when our defence was at its best but yet Mosquera is better. He is a question mark until he proves otherwise, simple as that.

 

[Hoganstolemywife]

I love how some just over hype some of our players. Mosquera the latest, a couple of decent friendly efforts, nothing more, compared to Bennett who featured when our defence was at its best but yet Mosquera is better. He is a question mark until he proves otherwise, simple as that.

On a potentially unrelated note, I think I saw Mosquera on an electric scooter this afternoon.

Not sure what this proves but it was bloody exciting nonetheless

 

[GoldenHorseshoe]

Is it just me thinking the squad on the left is better than the one on the right?

Just you

 

[WickedWolfie]

On a potentially unrelated note, I think I saw Mosquera on an electric scooter this afternoon.

Not sure what this proves but it was bloody exciting nonetheless

Cue comments about him being permanently broken already lol...

 

[Hoganstolemywife]

Cue comments about him being permanently broken already lol...

His coordination was excellent.

 

[GoldenHorseshoe]

His coordination was excellent.

Sounds like his batteries are fully charged as well.

 

[wolvesjoe]

I think all the OP has highlighted in his desperation to heap praise on Jeff (no I won’t be apologising), is that with a bit more ambition we could potentially have have had a squad to push for a top 7 place but in reality havnt greatly improved (despite serious price increases).

No desperation, just honesty, …

 

[wolvesjoe]

You should have put Trincao instead of Neto, and included Neto amongst the players to come back from injury.
Where the names are the same in each list, you don't necessarily have the same levels of form or fitness.

You're free to do your own.

 

[WolfInSheep'sClothing]

You should have put Trincao instead of Neto, and included Neto amongst the players to come back from injury.
Where the names are the same in each list, you don't necessarily have the same levels of form or fitness.

That works both ways though. ie Kilman is better now. Neves looks in the form of his life.

 

[Mutchy]

That works both ways though. ie Kilman is better now. Neves looks in the form of his life.

Totally agree. I deliberately didn’t specify either way.

 

[purplepault69]

Is it just me thinking the squad on the left is better than the one on the right?

No I think the right hand side is the one to support but that wouldnt suit your agenda would it FFS.

 

[Hot Fuss]

No desperation, just honesty, …

That’s your opinion, fair enough.

 

[I'm the Wanderer]

regarding jimenez, right now, i'd say the former was better, obviously.

raul....raul light

if he can get to within 95% of what he was before luiz …he should be good.

 

[wolvesjoe]

I would agree that there is a little more quality in the squad as opposed to first eleven and depth in general. Just not as much, after three years, as l would have hoped.

That tends to reveal a misunderstanding how the development of a squad takes place successfully.

Wolves have changed out 7 players over a two year period, about a third of the squad.

Squad continuity and motivation dictate that that is around the maximum/ideal limit to renewing
a squad over the given time period. Classic mistake of aspirational clubs is to buy too many players and
undermine the core identity of the team. Players form close relationships, both professionally and personally,
and this is the cement that allows success and resilience.

Given those parameters, Wolves have made some exceptional upgrades. We are very reliant on the Portuguese
networks, of course, but it is a powerful resource for the club. Probably responsible for Wolves being the
club outside the top group with the most potential currently, IMV.

Personally I am impressed with the progress made with handling the transtion from the post-Championship
summer, which was such a spectacular success, looked at retrospectively. At a time, when Shi took a lot of ****
for his approach, the careful and progressive thinking in developing the squad should be acknowledged.

 

[WickedWolfie]

That tends to reveal a misunderstanding how the development of a squad takes place successfully.

Wolves have changed out 7 players over a two year period, about a third of the squad.

Squad continuity and motivation dictate that that is around the maximum/ideal limit to renewing
a squad over the given time period. Classic mistake of aspirational clubs is to buy too many players and
undermine the core identity of the team. Players form close relationships, both professionally and personally,
and this is the cement that allows success and resilience.

Given those parameters, Wolves have made some exceptional upgrades. We are very reliant on the Portuguese
networks, of course, but it is a powerful resource for the club. Probably responsible for Wolves being the
club outside the top group with the most potential currently, IMV.

Personally I am impressed with the progress made with handling the transtion from the post-Championship
summer, which was such a spectacular success, looked at retrospectively. At a time, when Shi took a lot of ****
for his approach, the careful and progressive thinking in developing the squad should be acknowledged.

Until recently l might well have agreed with you. The last window, where there was frankly abject failure once again to address long-standing issues, tipped me over the edge.

 

[WolfInSheep'sClothing]

I think all the OP has highlighted in his desperation to heap praise on Jeff (no I won’t be apologising), is that with a bit more ambition we could potentially have have had a squad to push for a top 7 place but in reality havnt greatly improved (despite serious price increases).

Have you watched us this season?

 

[Scallywolf]

Is it just me thinking the squad on the left is better than the one on the right?

Yes.

 

[Bob Wolf]

only Jota is a better player in the list

I miss Jota. Belligerent little so and so.

 

[JonahWolf]

Imo, they're very similar. The big difference was that the left squad played as more than the sum of their parts (until last season). If Bruno can get the current crop doing the same, we will be in with every chance of another excellent season.

Are they not doing so already, performance wise if not result?
Even on Nuno’s best of runs, not sure could honestly say we’ve between at least matched and thoroughly outplayed 4 opponents in a row.

 

[Hoganstolemywife]

Are they not doing so already, performance wise if not result?
Even on Nuno’s best of runs, not sure could honestly say we’ve between at least matched and thoroughly outplayed 4 opponents in a row.

We've won 1 and lost 3.

Performances have been good, yes, but results are all that count. Promising signs but too early to say how Lage will fare.