Newcastle (A) verdict

[SuperGran]

Thank goodness for a week of recovery

 

[Polish Wolf]

At least we kept going and trying hard. All their goals were lucky and we did not have any luck with the half chances we had.

Fraser looked OK, good touch and strength for a young guy. Sarabia was class throughout.

Can't win them all, particularly when we had ~150m worth of talent missing in the 2nd half.

 

[Golden Arrow]

Did we "manage" the game for next week and beyond.
Can't remember the last time when we were so inept at St James Park; part of the master plan pethaps........

 

[Skrilla]

Thank goodness for a week of recovery

Only two more games this month as well. Albeit both massive in the grand scheme of things.

 

[Jamwolf]

Strange one by Neto. He played so far out wide I thought he might go for a sneaky cigarette in the stand.

 

[SuperGran]

Feel sad that they didn’t get a result for manny mainly

 

[Axle]

It’s funny reading some of the comments about squad depth on here as there is a sizeable contingent of posters who reckon having a small squad is a deliberate strategy: i.e. that to have a set of good players you can only have 12-14 players otherwise they will get upset and go elsewhere.

If this is tge strategy it doesn’t work if you are even moderately successful as the more games the greater the likelihood of getting more injuries.

Therefore the squad / club is not set up for success in my opinion.

 

[Lobo de Ouro]

Today showed that when it comes to planning and building the squad over the last few seasons, Jeff has failed the manager and fans for years!

Too few options and leaving us with hwang and Neto to survive when both have troublesome fitness records was brain dead!

I called it at the end of the window and booom….. proven right!

We literally weakened the squad up to rely on injury prone players and too small a squad in an age where the games are longer due to the stop start nature and long added time periods.

Jeff seems to love to handicap our managers…..

Today seems a strange day to do a "I told you so"... given the information has come out showing we LITERALLY had no choice.

 

[VancouverWolf]

I’m not saying Fabio is great, I’m saying he’s better than the **** all we brought in! My gripe is with no signings, called it last month, got told to stop worrying. We could potentially be without our front 3, this is why you have squads in the premier league. 15 year old lads who’ve never had a sniff in the Carabao cup should not be relied on realistically.

O’Neill is performing miracles, but eventually it won’t be possible, I’d like him to have players at his disposal, this is the hardest league in the world, I think some on here forget this

How much is each league place worth? I think it’s roughly half a million, so it does matter. If money didn’t matter to Wolves they’d not put up the prices of tickets!

Each place is worth about £2.2m…..I think

 

[VancouverWolf]

Jeff Shi Newcastle's MOTM today

Oh come now……aren’t you exaggerating a tad?

 

[Andywolf74]

To use a car running low on petrol analogy, we were running on fumes today.
We’ve done great to be on 38 points at this point and it realistically is a case of focusing on the Coventry game now.
One thing I’m puzzled by is that Bellegarde isn’t a natural centre forward but Fraser is, so why not start Fraser with Hwang and Cunha injured and play Bellegarde out wide, which seems more his natural position too?

 

[Mile End Wanderer]

It’s funny reading some of the comments about squad depth on here as there is a sizeable contingent of posters who reckon having a small squad is a deliberate strategy: i.e. that to have a set of good players you can only have 12-14 players otherwise they will get upset and go elsewhere.

If this is tge strategy it doesn’t work if you are even moderately successful as the more games the greater the likelihood of getting more injuries.

Therefore the squad / club is not set up for success in my opinion.

Happy to stay in the league and funnel players for Mendes & PSR

 

[Golden Arrow]

ThUnfortunately one of those games. All three Newcastle goals had some element of luck. While our chances weren’t stellar, the Newcastle goalie still made some great stops to stop us getting back in it.

Lost 3-0 despite the "luck".
Wolves were never at the races and never did enough against a very average Newcastle side.
Let's be honest, we were not good enough.

 

[maws]

Each place is worth about £2.2m…..I think

If so spending £4m on a loanee could’ve gained us 4 places and £4.5m

 

[northnorfolkwolf]

Feel sad that they didn’t get a result for manny mainly

He said before this walk the last walk he did was to Chelsea away and we lost 3-0. Deja vu?

 

[WolvesAndCows]

Hopefully Gary puts his foot down in the summer, and gets what he wants. Can't be having all this 'tired' talk again. **** knows how we would cope with European football, as well.

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

As someone who decided to give it a miss today I can't help but feel that the ability to accept this defeat on here is quite heavily dictated by whether people spent the entire day travelling in the rain and worse. Huge defeat in the race for the top 8, but, as we knew in advance, we're running on empty really. Gomes would have made a big difference and once Neto went off too, it was always a huge ask. Hopefully they get a couple of days rest now and we're stronger against an annoyingly in form Fulham!

Let's face it, no #9 and a thin squad is where we knew we stood in August.

 

[maws]

Today seems a strange day to do a "I told you so"... given the information has come out showing we LITERALLY had no choice.

Does it? Loans? They would’ve done us

 

[Jefe]

As for the game, we actually played well for 15-20 minutes I thought. The first goal is incredibly bad. We're in total control and we somehow leave Gordon one on one with Kilman, how is this possible?

We started in a way you would not expect in an away game against a good side, and it was costly. Newcastle sat deep, let us have the ball around their area, and set up a trap which we naively sprung. Somehow in open play, Toti is 20 yards outside their box leaving Kilman and Dawson as the only two back against a two man counter - ends up in the net (albeit with a lucky deflection). You should always have one more man back than they have forward in my opinion.

 

[Mile End Wanderer]

Without Hwang, Cunha & Neto fit we won’t go far

 

[wolfslair]

Today seems a strange day to do a "I told you so"... given the information has come out showing we LITERALLY had no choice.

You are correct. Poor form on my part to say told you so today.

But…..

We had a choice….. the club was being poorly run and operated which put us in the hole we were in. So operationally, Jeff and his team were doing a poor job!!

They were doing such a poor job that reactionary and aggressive surgery was needed.

We should have put more football people around Jeff and removed sellers a hell of a lot sooner than we did.

Support the players and the manager as with crap support from the top they have done fantastic.

But Jeff shouldn’t be getting plaudits for systematic failings that caused us to be in the state we were in.

Well done for fixing it, but terrible
Performance facilitated it.

 

[Lobo de Ouro]

Does it? Loans? They would’ve done us

Off the top of my head we ended up £2.2m under the limit. So literally less than £50k per week, without any additional fees.

No one at that price improved us.

 

[Ned]

One game too many. Nothing to worry about, nothing to get annoyed about. The performance was flat, the players were knackered and we have a small squad that’s already depleted as it is yet there was nothing other than 3 silly goals between the two sides.

Honestly just take this one on the chin, chalk it off to fatigue, praise the players’ attitudes for giving everything and then forget about it. Today was no reflection of where we are as a team so there’s literally no need to dwell on this.

Enjoy your evening, folks, we’ll be back to ourselves against Fulham!!!

 

[wolfslair]

Off the top of my head we ended up £2.2m under the limit. So literally less than £50k per week, without any additional fees.

No one at that price improved us.

Why oh why did we end up in such a mess???

Proper questions should be asked

 

[maws]

Off the top of my head we ended up £2.2m under the limit. So literally less than £50k per week, without any additional fees.

No one at that price improved us.

Jan-May? Please don’t do my accounts for me!

 

[VancouverWolf]

Lost 3-0 despite the "luck".
Wolves were never at the races and never did enough against a very average Newcastle side.
Let's be honest, we were not good enough.

Re your last sentence…..ok. Not good enough today.

But Howe must have been very relieved that he wasn’t facing an inform and full strength Wolves team today.
Gary has turned us into a club that is a serious threat to any team………imagine where we might be this time next season?

 

[Lobo de Ouro]

You are correct. Poor form on my part to say told you so today.

But…..

We had a choice….. the club was being poorly run and operated which put us in the hole we were in. So operationally, Jeff and his team were doing a poor job!!

They were doing such a poor job that reactionary and aggressive surgery was needed.

We should have put more football people around Jeff and removed sellers a hell of a lot sooner than we did.

Support the players and the manager as with crap support from the top they have done fantastic.

But Jeff shouldn’t be getting plaudits for systematic failings that caused us to be in the state we were in.

Well done for fixing it, but terrible
Performance facilitated it.

Yeah, tbf I do understand that pov.

We were close the the limits because the powers that be put us close to the limits with previous decisions. But hopefully their later decisions will put us in good stead going forward.


I'm not a fan of Shi, I've said it over and over... he made mistakes, but has also made good decisions... things that will help us long term.

 

[northnorfolkwolf]

Lost 3-0 despite the "luck".
Wolves were never at the races and never did enough against a very average Newcastle side.
Let's be honest, we were not good enough.

I just hope the ridiculously small squad and the injuries to key players will now not blow our season apart. We have worked so hard to get top 10 and Cup QFs to see it all disappear due to this. Today was a game too far but I don't think Bellegarde is a Prem player tbh and I don't think Fraser is anywhere near ready yet for this level. Too many of the others just looked knackered. GON and his medical team are going to have to nurse those standing over the last 3 months. Crazy really that we are in this situation after such a good season so far.

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

Off the top of my head we ended up £2.2m under the limit. So literally less than £50k per week, without any additional fees.

No one at that price improved us.

I think (one again) the frustration is that early January Gary seemed to be very much 'get Sasa and Silva's wages off the books, make room for a striker to come in'. They went and suddenly there was no money (possibly from settling up with Jonny). Honestly don't think keeping either of them was the answer though, no good for Fabio and Fraser offers more as a #9.

 

[Starsky]

Please just rest the lot vs Fulham and come out firing against Cov.

SF is then 24/4 ( I think) when all current injured players - including Hwang - should easily be back.

Manage around the FA Cup now.

 

[Northampton_wolf]

Move on and focus on cup where possible

 

[wolfslair]

Yeah, tbf I do understand that pov.

We were close the the limits because the powers that be put us close to the limits with previous decisions. But hopefully their later decisions will put us in good stead going forward.


I'm not a fan of Shi, I've said it over and over... he made mistakes, but has also made good decisions... things that will help us long term.

Exactly, he did well at the start. Then there were more “football” people around……

They move on, he takes on their role and boom…..

Non football man making decisions.

 

[Stourwolf]

Why oh why did we end up in such a mess???

Proper questions should be asked

That’s the question. Just such poor management to get into this situation.

 

[Ned]

It’s funny reading some of the comments about squad depth on here as there is a sizeable contingent of posters who reckon having a small squad is a deliberate strategy: i.e. that to have a set of good players you can only have 12-14 players otherwise they will get upset and go elsewhere.

If this is tge strategy it doesn’t work if you are even moderately successful as the more games the greater the likelihood of getting more injuries.

Therefore the squad / club is not set up for success in my opinion.

I think it was a deliberate strategy under Nuno to have a small squad because the team didn’t cover anywhere near as much ground as they do under GON and played in a very low block most of the time. Not sure it’s deliberate now though, it should be addressed in the summer.

 

[Incognito]

Two out of their three goals down to extremely poor defending. The first goal a lucky deflection to Isak. Thought we showed a lot of fight and had decent chances in the second half, notably Sarabia. Lads fought to the end. Not too disappointed given all that, enforced changes today and other key players missing. There's a lot left to fight for this season. Oh by the way, well done to Manny Singh for what he has done. Walking all the way to Newcastle. The man's not human! UTW!

 

[Wolfman jack]

Bellegarde is so far off the game, should never be starting. Cant believe hes this bad on training pitch, just barely contributing , aside from a good turn and deflected cross vs Brighton. Showed good fight and spirit second half. If Toti had managed that headed chance, may have been different. Fingers crossed for Pedro and Cunha coming back soon.

 

[Rhoswolf]

As someone who decided to give it a miss today I can't help but feel that the ability to accept this defeat on here is quite heavily dictated by whether people spent the entire day travelling in the rain and worse. Huge defeat in the race for the top 8, but, as we knew in advance, we're running on empty really. Gomes would have made a big difference and once Neto went off too, it was always a huge ask. Hopefully they get a couple of days rest now and we're stronger against an annoyingly in form Fulham!

Let's face it, no #9 and a thin squad is where we knew we stood in August.

Totally agree. Mobility issues has meant I can no longer travel home or away, now have a totally different perspective. 2 years back would have had an over night stay and 5 hr train journey back. Now just turn off and put on new Liam album and forget it.

 

[JOSWolf]

Hwang out for six weeks. Our attack is stuffed unless Fraser and Chirewa, Lemina can step up. Bellegarde isnt a striker and never will be. I really worry such a promising season will just peter out now.

 

[Jefe]

Gary has turned us into a club that is a serious threat to any team………imagine where we might be this time next season?

He needs backing next season.

 

[maws]

He needs backing next season.

Massively plus we will probably lose Neto so a big hole to fill there