Matheus Cunha

[Stafford]

How much damage will this have on O'neil?

Jiminez injury finished Nuno, as it's hard for fans to realign expectations.

 

[goldeneyed]

This was always waiting to happen. Yes many of us warned this could easily happen but all that matters is the club's extraordinary incompetence over so many Windows to sign a decent CF. And then of course jettisoned Sasha and Silva when there was apparently no money to sign anyone half decent. Whatever way you look at it it's sheer poor management. Scraping above the relegation places is all that is left for us now. Pathetic.

 

[Jefe]

You'll be hard pushed for me to like or defend Fosun, but I'll give enough trust to not waste funds when we've had a 'cut our cloth' season in which the objective was to simply stay in the league, which is all but done.

You've unwitting emphasised the issue fans have with Fosun, though. It hasn't realistically been an 'avoid relegation' scenario for months now, and has actually evolved into an, 'outside bet for Europe and / or an FA Cup' scenario. If in the realisation of that, Shi is still unwilling to release a relatively modest loan fee which could be offset in the Summer with a sale, what is that if not a palpable lack of ambition? I doubt Gary O'Neil is as sympathetic to their position as you are.

 

[sc91]

I believe it will cost us a genuine shot at 7th place and a chance to reach the FA Cup semi-final minimum, potentially winning it if you get lucky with the draw.

So, quite a lot.

I mean you are a glass is half empty kind of guy, so I can see why you'd think that.

Personally have a bit of faith in the bloke in charge that he'll be able to setup Wolves to deal with any injuries.

 

[WeAreTheWolvesII]

I mean you are a glass is half empty kind of guy, so I can see why you'd think that.

Personally have a bit of faith in the bloke in charge that he'll be able to setup Wolves to deal with any injuries.

Well we'll see won't we.

My prediction is that as soon as our season is over for either of those aims, you will be on here saying survival was the aim anyway. Therefore, we can't really get anywhere from this discussion. But, you don't like Fosun

 

[Skrilla]

I believe it will cost us a genuine shot at 7th place and a chance to reach the FA Cup semi-final minimum, potentially winning it if you get lucky with the draw.

So, quite a lot.

Nobody we signed in January was going to replace what Cunha gave us. They’d still be on the bench this weekend, behind Neto-Hwang-Sarabia.

Yes we could have used some depth, but losing Cunha until the end of the season was going to derail our season regardless of what happened in January.

I don’t expect you to admit this, as you’re too busy gloating about the fact our best player just got injured to prove your point.

 

[sc91]

You've unwitting emphasised the issue fans have with Fosun, though. It hasn't realistically been an 'avoid relegation' scenario for months now, and has actually evolved into an, 'outside bet for Europe and / or an FA Cup' scenario. If in the face of that, Jeff is still unwilling to release a relatively modest loan fee which could be offset in the Summer with a sale, what is that if not a palpable lack of ambition? I doubt Gary O'Neil is as sympathetic as you are.

I'd prefer realistic over sympathetic, facts are Wolves are (say were) flying close to the sun with regards to finances. If fans are disappointed because the season has gone better than expected and now they expected more, then that's on those fans, not the club. The club deals in the nuts and bolts of reality, if it was deemed to much of a financial issue to get another striker in, in the hope it gets another place or two in the league, then that's fine by me, when those in charge of the club have only the aim of steady the ship and stay in the league.

 

[WeAreTheWolvesII]

Nobody we signed in January was going to replace what Cunha gave us. They’d still be on the bench this weekend, behind Neto-Hwang-Sarabia.

Yes we could have used some depth, but losing Cunha until the end of the season was going to derail our season regardless of what happened in January.

I don’t expect you to admit this, as you’re too busy gloating about the fact our best player just got injured to prove your point.

Get your retaliation in first, I like it.

I don't need to get into silly arguments like this. We all know how you defended the club non-stop in January and ridiculed anyone who questioned the policy. I don't need to remind the many posters you had a dig at.

Now, you've got it completely wrong and you clearly know what's coming. So you come out with this tosh. 'Sorry, I got it wrong' would've been a lot easier but I understand your stance, no worries.

 

[sc91]

Well we'll see won't we.

My prediction is that as soon as our season is over for either of those aims, you will be on here saying survival was the aim anyway. Therefore, we can't really get anywhere from this discussion. But, you don't like Fosun

My aim for the season at the start was survival, even during this mini run my opinion was the shot at Europe was through the cup and not the league, even at the start of the season and the last I've consistently said I'll take finishing 17th as long as the football is entertaining, so this might be a surprise but I am quite happy with this season.

 

[Bostin]

For every place we now finish down the table, it will cost us £2m

 

[WeAreTheWolvesII]

My aim for the season at the start was survival, even during this mini run my opinion was the shot at Europe was through the cup and not the league, even at the start of the season and the last I've consistently said I'll take finishing 17th as long as the football is entertaining, so this might be a surprise but I am quite happy with this season.

Yes, we are all happy. Expectations change and wanting an owner who actually does try (not sc91 version of trying) to be successful, is all I want.

What we get is owners who have actively made us worse in two of the last three windows mid-season.

 

[Skrilla]

Get your retaliation in first, I like it.

I don't need to get into silly arguments like this. We all know how you defended the club non-stop in January and ridiculed anyone who questioned the policy. I don't need to remind the many posters you had a dig at.

Now, you've got it completely wrong and you clearly know what's coming. So you come out with this tosh. 'Sorry, I got it wrong' would've been a lot easier but I understand your stance, no worries.

You still haven’t answered my post there have you? Was anyone we signed in January going to replace Cunha?

 

[Bognor_Wolf]

You've all but wrote him off as being able to contribute before he's even had a chance to do so.

The same people that moan about Fraser playing, will then moan that the academy doesn't produce anyone, will then moan about how we sold a player that didn't get a chance here and is now flourishing. It's a non win scenario.

I said at the time and still stick by it. Our mission for this season is all but done, so if there is a chance to try and build players into the team from the youth systems, to get used to the senior players and how GON wants us to play, this is the time.

We have seen with young Fabio Silva this league is very unforgiving last thing Fraser needs in his development is to be thrown in completely unready because we dont have anyone else..... Like I said before and continue to say I hope he does well for his and our sake but feel it a way to much pressure to put on someone with pretty much zero first team experience.

 

[Northampton_wolf]

That yuri alberto agent fiasco is looking really painful right now

 

[Ned]

Nobody we signed in January was going to replace what Cunha gave us. They’d still be on the bench this weekend, behind Neto-Hwang-Sarabia.

Yes we could have used some depth, but losing Cunha until the end of the season was going to derail our season regardless of what happened in January.

I don’t expect you to admit this, as you’re too busy gloating about the fact our best player just got injured to prove your point.

You’ve got a point but now there is one less option to play in a forward line. This means that Neto, Hwang, Sarabia and Bellegarde will have to muddle through with Fraser as backup.

 

[sc91]

Yes, we are all happy. Expectations change and wanting an owner who actually does try (not sc91 version of trying) to be successful, is all I want.

What we get is owners who have actively made us worse in two of the last three windows mid-season.

Great, then hope for another owner, Wolves ceiling is about 7th in a year where the chips fall, in a normal year we are just a mid table side. There is no interest in putting the funds in place to become a consistent powerhouse, not to mention the rules in place mean we can't.

If you are hoping for constant 'ambition', then you are constantly going to be disappointed.

 

[WickedWolfie]

We have seen with young Fabio Silva this league is very unforgiving last thing Fraser needs in his development is to be thrown in completely unready because we dont have anyone else..... Like I said before and continue to say I hope he does well for his and our sake but feel it a way to much pressure to put on someone with pretty much zero first team experience.

Spot on. Equally dangerous though albeit for different reasons is pushing Hwang back too soon or over-working the sadly slightly injury-prone Neto.

 

[Hoganstolemywife]

Dunno why anyone thinks keeping Silva or Sasa would make up for the loss of Cunha.

O'Neill didn't...

 

[Northampton_wolf]

Gary should be able to spread proper light at next presser and give proper ideas. I expect he will bat things about and not saying anything concrete

Liverpool is what 3 months 12 weeks , will depend if he has to have surgery or not. He might be in training again by then but unlikely to play massive loss for fa cup run

 

[WeAreTheWolvesII]

You still haven’t answered my post there have you? Was anyone we signed in January going to replace Cunha?

Sorry, I was being nice because it's such a daft question.

Anyway, no we wouldn't have signed a player as good as Cunha because he is excellent.

However, that does not mean you don't sign anyone. It means you sign a striker and play a front three of Hwang, new striker and Neto, which could have been pretty good and helped make up for the massive loss that Cunha is.

Or you have a front three of Neto, Hwang, Sarabia, and you're bringing on a new forward instead of Bellegarde, who me and you both agree hasn't been good enough, or Nathan Fraser.

Let's not forget, O'Neil wanted a striker and a winger. If the owners had delivered on what he thought he could get, the loss of Cunha would be reduced. They didn't, so unfortunately I fear it will be a massive setback.

 

[Northampton_wolf]

We have seen with young Fabio Silva this league is very unforgiving last thing Fraser needs in his development is to be thrown in completely unready because we dont have anyone else..... Like I said before and continue to say I hope he does well for his and our sake but feel it a way to much pressure to put on someone with pretty much zero first team experience.

Every goal fabio scores for rangers also going to hurt right now

 

[Parkfieldswolf]

Sod’s Law just as he and the team were hitting form he’s injured. The sheer stupidity of not bringing in cover in January is laid bare. I’m still a glass half full type though and accept this season could have gone much worse. Jeff in the summer sell those high cost players you saddled us with and give GON a fair crack of the whip.

 

[WolfLing]

We have seen with young Fabio Silva this league is very unforgiving last thing Fraser needs in his development is to be thrown in completely unready because we dont have anyone else..... Like I said before and continue to say I hope he does well for his and our sake but feel it a way to much pressure to put on someone with pretty much zero first team experience.

It depends on character. Easy to say the opportunity came too soon when it doesn't go as well as you'd hoped, when equally it could be the making of someone.

I'm all for sink or swim scenarios. I think the ones that will be good enough will thrive in those circumstances.

 

[WeAreTheWolvesII]

Great, then hope for another owner, Wolves ceiling is about 7th in a year where the chips fall, in a normal year we are just a mid table side. There is no interest in putting the funds in place to become a consistent powerhouse, not to mention the rules in place mean we can't.

If you are hoping for constant 'ambition', then you are constantly going to be disappointed.

You're arguing points I'm not making.

"Wolves ceiling is about 7th in a year where the chips fall." - the chips were falling this year!! That's the whole point. A terrible Chelsea, rivals like Brighton and West Ham focusing on Europe later in the season, Newcastle injury situation.

Plus, we're a home game vs Brighton away from being in the FA Cup QF. What more do you want for a sign the chips may be falling our way?

I haven't asked for constant ambition because it's unrealistic.

Next season we could easily be scrapping for 17th. This season, like 2022, we had a chance and the owners ruined it by a terrible January.

 

[sc91]

Sorry, I was being nice because it's such a daft question.

Anyway, no we wouldn't have signed a player as good as Cunha because he is excellent.

However, that does not mean you don't sign anyone. It means you sign a striker and play a front three of Hwang, new striker and Neto, which could have been pretty good and helped make up for the massive loss that Cunha is.

Or you have a front three of Neto, Hwang, Sarabia, and you're bringing on a new forward instead of Bellegarde, who me and you both agree hasn't been good enough, or Nathan Fraser.

Let's not forget, O'Neil wanted a striker and a winger. If the owners had delivered on what he thought he could get, the loss of Cunha would be reduced. They didn't, so unfortunately I fear it will be a massive setback.

What's the setback? The position this season?

 

[DanishWolf]

It's not so much a matter of whether any of the rumoured January signings could adequately replace Cunha. Its obvious they couldn't.
But what's quite important is that not having the same type of striker available to replace him significantly changes the way we're able to play.
We can't press the same way, we can't hit teams with pace the same way.
That's why it's was so important to get a striker in this January, and also by the way why Sasa and Silva wouldn't be the answer either, although I'd say I'd rather have them than nothing.

 

[WeAreTheWolvesII]

What's the setback? The position this season?

Cunha's injury...

 

[OoohRobbieRobbie]

I expect to see RAN on the left of the front 3 on a fair few occasions between now and the end of the season.

 

[sc91]

You're arguing points I'm not making.

"Wolves ceiling is about 7th in a year where the chips fall." - the chips were falling this year!! That's the whole point. A terrible Chelsea, rivals like Brighton and West Ham focusing on Europe later in the season, Newcastle injury situation.

Plus, we're a home game vs Brighton away from being in the FA Cup QF. What more do you want for a sign the chips may be falling our way?

I haven't asked for constant ambition because it's unrealistic.

Next season we could easily be scrapping for 17th. This season, like 2022, we had a chance and the owners ruined it by a terrible January.

They weren't in my opinion. It would have taken a hell of a run to get in.

The home game against Brighton, has that been played? Just checking as you seem to have us down as now lost it?

Where's the faith in our manager to continue to earn his stripes?

 

[clivewolves]

As others have said, it's not a surprise. A player who sprints and runs as his main attribute, and plays as many minutes as he has is at risk.

Hwang and Neto have had the same issues. How we mange them going forward for the remainder of the season will be interesting.

Just get on with it. Use the young players when we can. Adapt to the situation.

 

[Kebab Warrior]

Oh well I’m sure playing Sarabia, Hwang and Neto every game won’t have any negative consequences, they never get injured.

Next cynical prediction, Neto’s hammy goes last game but one, meaning no sale in the summer. Due to FFP pressure, we then have to sell a recently fit Cunha and Gomes. O’Neil leaves in disgust.

As a bonus, we announce a redevelopment of the Steve Bull stand using shoeboxes and a Spider-Man duvet, bedroom fort style. We then let planning lapse due to lack of funds.

Writes itself at this point.

 

[northnorfolkwolf]

How much damage will this have on O'neil?

Jiminez injury finished Nuno, as it's hard for fans to realign expectations.

You can't compare the 2 injuries. One was life threatening, the other a hammy?

 

[Bognor_Wolf]

It depends on character. Easy to say the opportunity came too soon when it doesn't go as well as you'd hoped, when equally it could be the making of someone.

I'm all for sink or swim scenarios. I think the ones that will be good enough will thrive in those circumstances.

There is a reason though Premier League clubs don't do sink or swim situations with academy players and choose to send them out on loan (most multiple different clubs/levels).

 

[WickedWolfie]

Oh well I’m sure playing Sarabia, Hwang and Neto every game won’t have any negative consequences, they never get injured.

Next cynical prediction, Neto’s hammy goes last game but one, meaning no sale in the summer. Due to FFP pressure, we then have to sell a recently fit Cunha and Gomes. O’Neil leaves in disgust.

As a bonus, we announce a redevelopment of the Steve Bull stand using shoeboxes and a Spider-Man duvet, bedroom fort style. We then let planning lapse due to lack of funds.

Writes itself at this point.

The sad thing is that elements of this smack of the truth....

 

[Northampton_wolf]

You have to rotate sarabia, bellegarde and use as 10s wingers.

Play hwang as central strike replace with fraser off bench and blood him.

Get others like chiowme and the other lad we signed in around first team training

Get lemina and enso up to speed and minutes from the wing where we need

Expect to see more chirewa


I expect RAN will have a free role as the maverick he is and the playmaker that gon sees him as.

With hopefully bueno upto speed so we dont keep playing doc every other game as WB option

 

[sc91]

There is a reason though Premier League clubs don't do sink or swim situations with academy players and choose to send them out on loan (most multiple different clubs/levels).

Good thing Wolves aren't currently in the ocean?

 

[Jefe]

I'd prefer realistic over sympathetic, facts are Wolves are (say were) flying close to the sun with regards to finances. If fans are disappointed because the season has gone better than expected and now they expected more, then that's on those fans, not the club. The club deals in the nuts and bolts of reality, if it was deemed to much of a financial issue to get another striker in, in the hope it gets another place or two in the league, then that's fine by me, when those in charge of the club have only the aim of steady the ship and stay in the league.

Let me put it this way. Jeff balked at a £4m loan fee for Broja, which would suggest any fee would need to be, what, £1m-3m? Even if this modest sum somehow put Wolves over the PSR red line, Jeff would have had a period in the Summer before the new accounting phase to deal with it. I believe he would have been able to achieve this comfortably, perhaps with the sale of a single player; any likely fee for Neto for example would dwarf it with ease.

Instead, he feels the season is "mission accomplished" in February and that we don't need to anything else, other than coast through to May where we reassess. You may be fine with that, but I doubt many paying supporters think it's acceptable when a new, realistic goal has availed itself as a result of the manager's excellent work. It's not, "a couple of places" - I understand 8th place is potentially a European finish this season, from which Wolves are a mere 4 points away.

 

[WeAreTheWolvesII]

They weren't in my opinion. It would have taken a hell of a run to get in.

The home game against Brighton, has that been played? Just checking as you seem to have us down as now lost it?

Where's the faith in our manager to continue to earn his stripes?

No it wouldn't. We're four points behind right now. It's still not impossible if we were good enough.

It's not about 'faith' in the manager. It's Brighton are better than us when we don't have Cunha. It would have been hard enough with him.

 

[SuperGran]

How much damage will this have on O'neil?

Jiminez injury finished Nuno, as it's hard for fans to realign expectations.

His remit is to stay up this season

 

[Northampton_wolf]

His comments are very passive and just shifting

Matheus is already working on it, cant mean surgery then




Speaking on Wednesday, O’Neil said: “It’s a fairly significant injury to his hamstring. There’s no timeline on it. I’ve spoken to Matheus a lot and he just wants to keep pushing to get back as soon as he can.

“He’s started working on it already, so we’re just going to monitor it week by week, day by day, see how far he can come and how quickly we can get him back. He’s keen to get back out there as soon as possible.






My Points:

There will be a better update by presser