Fabio Silva

[Mugwump]

Genuinely interested to know your reasons for being a fan of his, and thinking his potential is great on the back of what we’ve seen so far.

The best I’ve heard people say so far is ‘at least he gets into good positions to miss’.

Think i've gone through it before, but i just think he is a very intelligent player. You can see his movement, the way he picks his passes he see's the game very well. Him getting into good positions to miss is another thing, good players dont even do that, but its not a saying i'm a fan of. I cant remember the exact game, but i saw him playing for Portugal against Italy for some reason on TV one night when i couldnt sleep and he just looked like a very good footballer.

I can also see why people dont think he has much to his game. He isnt quick, hasnt been able to head the ball well, hasnt been clinical enough in front of goal and he isnt pulling up any trees really. I still put it down to his age. He is 18 years old and clearly not physically ready to be playing 90 mins in a struggling team that doesnt create a lot. Like i keep saying, we have thrown him in when he isnt ready and we arent nurturing him very well. I really hope we hold our nerve with him. Clubs like Chelsea have had players come back to haunt them ( Salah, De Bruyne, Lukaku ) because they didnt have the patience to stick with developing young players.

 

[MrwulfAndrew]

Did you not watch the Albion game?

He took that well. That is the only good thing he has done since his £35m transfer. His chance to conversion rate is appalling. A goal against the albion and a penalty does not make him a finisher.

 

[YouGottaRaulWithIt]

Because maybe you underpayed for a previous player in a year you couldn’t afford it? Or maybe you’re overpaying so your agent collects his commission within a particular ffp timeline? It’s all Mendes money. We take hit here for a bounce there.

You never worked in sales did you?

Ever wonder how Moutinho was so cheap? Or Rui? Or how our payments get structured!

The fee paid for Fabio likely had not that much to do with Fabio and a lot to do with UEFA. FFP, most of all Mendes and prior and future transfer fees and commissions. Timing is everything, These aren’t isolated, one off deals... keep moving the cups and no one will figure where the ball is.
How much did we get Porto out of the fire? I wonder who gets Porto’s next wonder kid at a sizeable discount etc...
If I was real cynic I’d say we likely have already agreed Neto to Juve to replace CR9 and know the fee for a years time and are laying off some of the commission now so we can spend it at the time...

Blimey, talk about conspiracy theories.

 

[Deleted member 11332]

He took that well. That is the only good thing he has done since his £35m transfer. His chance to conversion rate is appalling. A goal against the albion and a penalty does not make him a finisher.

Scored 2 in the paint trophy thing enall, both good finishes. Shows he's got it in his locker. He's snatched at a few, which all strikers do when low on confidence. He'll score goals, that I'm confident of.

 

[Bostin]

Think i've gone through it before, but i just think he is a very intelligent player. You can see his movement, the way he picks his passes he see's the game very well. Him getting into good positions to miss is another thing, good players dont even do that, but its not a saying i'm a fan of. I cant remember the exact game, but i saw him playing for Portugal against Italy for some reason on TV one night when i couldnt sleep and he just looked like a very good footballer.

I can also see why people dont think he has much to his game. He isnt quick, hasnt been able to head the ball well, hasnt been clinical enough in front of goal and he isnt pulling up any trees really. I still put it down to his age. He is 18 years old and clearly not physically ready to be playing 90 mins in a struggling team that doesnt create a lot. Like i keep saying, we have thrown him in when he isnt ready and we arent nurturing him very well. I really hope we hold our nerve with him. Clubs like Chelsea have had players come back to haunt them ( Salah, De Bruyne, Lukaku ) because they didnt have the patience to stick with developing young players.

I can’t disagree with what you say tbh. Everyone is desperate for the kid to do well but I honestly can’t see anything in him..... and I class myself as an optimist!

 

[Kebab Warrior]

Blimey, talk about conspiracy theories.

Our owners own a massive stake (indirectly) in Mendes agency and make money of both ends of any deal as does Mendes. They quite literally ‘conspire’ so it’s not a theory.

 

[JOSWolf]

He looked lost again tonight. I feel for him and blame many others for us having to be playing him like this when it shouldnt be the case as he looks nowhere near ready yet. Our lack of attacking options looks worrying. Left ourselves too short in this area and it is showing massively this season.

 

[Flea]

I sometimes wonder if we are the victims of a mixup here and bought the wrong Fabio Silva.
He reminds me more of a guy from the street than a so called generational talent.
As a striker he is pretty awful,and I see absolutely no signs that this guy called Fabio Silva can turn it around.

Maybe he´s worth 350K..35 Mill Pounds is the biggest highway robbery our club has ever had to endour.

What a waste of alot of money.Awful biz beyond words..much worse than Blobby Taylor.

 

[Deleted member 11332]

He looked lost again tonight. I feel for him and blame many others for us having to be playing him like this when it shouldnt be the case as he looks nowhere near ready yet. Our lack of attacking options looks worrying. Left ourselves too short in this area and it is showing massively this season.

With respect Jos, we could have Gerd Muller up top. We barely create a chance in 90 mins.

 

[Kebab Warrior]

He looked lost again tonight. I feel for him and blame many others for us having to be playing him like this when it shouldnt be the case as he looks nowhere near ready yet. Our lack of attacking options looks worrying. Left ourselves too short in this area and it is showing massively this season.

Agreed. He also clearly isn’t a hold up player either, so no only is he out of his depth he’s also totally out of position with his back to goal.

 

[JOSWolf]

With respect Jos, we could have Gerd Muller up top. We barely create a chance in 90 mins.

Very true as well. Nuno and his coaches totally to blame for our abysmal negative style of play that creates the square root of **** all in most games now. Sick an tired of seeing other teams create numerous chances in games whilst we seem happy with a couple of chances and never enough players in the opposing box.

 

[Sketchead]

Positives: looked like he gained a yard of pace since last time I saw him running full pelt. I thought that only happened on Football Manager - does that happen in real life too?

I also trust his first touch more than any other of the ‘new’ youngsters we’ve brought in.

Negatives: I honestly don’t see how we can play him again this season if Jose stays fit? Think it could be time for him to go back to the 23s for their midweek fixtures.

 

[Contrarian]

Scored 2 in the paint trophy thing enall, both good finishes. Shows he's got it in his locker. He's snatched at a few, which all strikers do when low on confidence. He'll score goals, that I'm confident of.

Absolutely. However, it will be a few years before we know at exactly what level.

 

[MrwulfAndrew]

Positives: looked like he gained a yard of pace since last time I saw him running full pelt. I thought that only happened on Football Manager - does that happen in real life too?

Negatives: I honestly don’t see how we can play him again this season if Jose stays fit? Think it could be time for him to go back to the 23s for their midweek fixtures.

I give him that, he did look a tad quicker

 

[Chisels_n_ommers]

Agreed. He also clearly isn’t a hold up player either, so no only is he out of his depth he’s also totally out of position with his back to goal.

Putting ability and effect on a game to one side for a minute, there's an important point to make....

If you're physically not ready, not yet grown into your body and still a boy then you've got loads more chance of getting injured playing against proper seasoned blokes like the Southampton Centre halfs etc.

I'm all for toughening them up, but you have to be considered about it.

So to spend 35m and then put them at that risk is mind boggling.

 

[BlahBlah]

Positives: looked like he gained a yard of pace since last time I saw him running full pelt. I thought that only happened on Football Manager - does that happen in real life too?

Currently he's just a big boy working hard in training, but he's not a man and hasn't filled out into anything strong enough yet.
I don't think he'll ever be blessed with true pace no matter how hard he works, but positioning, timing and strength will be his forte. He's just not ready for this level yet by any means.

 

[Norwegian Wolf]

Scored 2 in the paint trophy thing enall, both good finishes. Shows he's got it in his locker. He's snatched at a few, which all strikers do when low on confidence. He'll score goals, that I'm confident of.

Optimism is a very good thing, but being confident that he will score goals based on getting 2 against Doncaster's reserves is probably as close as it gets to scraping the barrel.

 

[thommo1984]

Honestly I just feel gutted for the lad. As someone (can't remember who, sorry) said on the comms thread, we've pulled him out of the one place he should be right now and dumped him somewhere he absolutely shouldn't, and essentially made him a high profile laughing stock in the process. He's been hung out to dry.

 

[Contrarian]

With respect Jos, we could have Gerd Muller up top. We barely create a chance in 90 mins.

I don't really accept that. Not Gerd Muller anyway. The guy was possibly the most lethal finisher I''ve ever seen, could score goals out of nothing. Still - any mere mortal not at that level would struggle!

Having said that, I know we weren't playing our real forward line. But nothing stuck with them today. They did get the ball, passes were attempted, but literally none of Vitinha/Silva/MGW have the ability and/or confidence to take a man on. They just wanted to get rid without making a mistake - which led to mistakes, of course.

As soon as Neto and Traore on, the ball is staying with the forwards more. Surely that tells you it's about the quality of those forwards? Neves and Mountinho were still on. The formation looked the same. Only Neto and Traore don't treat the ball as a hot potato and go into a panic to get rid of it like the 3 starters did and basically, "always" do. They are just not good enough - yet.

 

[Ewok vs Wolf]

The way we are playing Raul would find it tough going nrvermind an 18 year old trying to find his way
I thought he tried hard and showed some glimpses but hadno support or help today.

 

[Corporate Wolf]

I don't really accept that. Not Gerd Muller anyway. The guy was possibly the most lethal finisher I''ve ever seen, could score goals out of nothing. Still - any mere mortal not at that level would struggle!

Having said that, I know we weren't playing our real forward line. But nothing stuck with them today. They did get the ball, passes were attempted, but literally none of Vitinha/Silva/MGW have the ability and/or confidence to take a man on. They just wanted to get rid without making a mistake - which led to mistakes, of course.

As soon as Neto and Traore on, the ball is staying with the forwards more. Surely that tells you it's about the quality of those forwards? Neves and Mountinho were still on. The formation looked the same. Only Neto and Traore don't treat the ball as a hot potato and go into a panic to get rid of it like the 3 starters did and basically, "always" do. They are just not good enough - yet.

Vitinha and MGW simply are not good enough for the Premiership, yet somehow Wolves coaching team seem to think they are.

 

[The Wolf In The North]

I think Silva was actually okay tonight, in most areas. He ran a lot (I know that sounds sarcastic, but he did) and his touch was decent. He was possibly the only player, as well as MGW and then Neto late on, who showed for the ball instead of waiting for someone else.

But, my god, he looked even more eighteen-y than usual. He was freezing cold, in that shivery "needs to be indoors" way, he was going down like a skittle, and he just looked so miserable when he was hooked. Zero confidence and made of twigs and string right now. He REALLY needs a year of playing experience and gym work.

 

[MontyR]

Going to go against popular opinion on here. I thought he was growing into the game and beginning to look dangerous. I was actually annoyed that he was directly swapped with Jose, rather than Jose coming on to move to a 4-4-2 with him. He looked to have good chemistry with MGW and Vitinha, and it was nice to see the lads attacking through the middle rather than swinging in crosses.

The result is on the more experienced players tonight. The younger lads definitely had the better game and their future looks promising.

 

[Ian]

Willian Jose, an experienced centre forward, has fared no better.
It is the system, not the player.

I'd say its the combination of the two.
We create few if any chances so it magnifies the pressure and puts the spotlight on the strikers when they can't put the one half chance that comes their way in the back of the net...
Strikers in other teams may have numerous opportunties during a game to score, ours have 1 or 2 if lucky!

 

[thommo1984]

The way we are playing Raul would find it tough going nrvermind an 18 year old trying to find his way
I thought he tried hard and showed some glimpses but hadno support or help today.

Raul was struggling (before his injury), we seemed to have forgotten that all of our current issues date much further back than Raul's injury/Silva's introduction.

 

[daniel corfield]

Although not all Fabio's fault, and I do feel for him.

There's seriously better strikers in the Conference North.

 

[Norwegian Wolf]

Raul was struggling (before his injury), we seemed to have forgotten that all of our current issues date much further back than Raul's injury/Silva's introduction.

Yeah....but the win at Arsenal left us in the European places and a point off the Champions League. Maybe things weren't so bad then after all.

 

[thisisgil]

He took that well. That is the only good thing he has done since his £35m transfer. His chance to conversion rate is appalling. A goal against the albion and a penalty does not make him a finisher.

To be fair, if we have a winger who doesn't create assists in Adama, why not have a striker who doesn't score goals?

 

[daniel corfield]

To be fair, if we have a winger who doesn't create assists in Adama, why not have a striker who doesn't score goals?

Ask Raul if Adama can assist mate..

 

[WW1963]

Willian Jose, an experienced centre forward, has fared no better.
It is the system, not the player.

I and most others can see a goalscorer in Jose.

But not in this system.

I think that even a fully fit Raul would struggle.

 

[reanswolf]

Raul was struggling (before his injury), we seemed to have forgotten that all of our current issues date much further back than Raul's injury/Silva's introduction.

Bang on, he looked lost without a partner so may be Jose alongside will help address that. Jota is a big miss even if his form was patchy, he would always be a live-wire who pulled defenders different ways. Now there is no one.

Fabio and Vitinha, talented though they are, are not ready for premier standard games, it may be a few years til they develop that physicality. I understand the clubs philosophy here in getting in young players for the future, but not whilst they are going to be thrust into the first team before they are ready and not if their extortionately risky and excessive transfer fees inhibit the growth and development of the first team.

The strategy has gone from boost to bust, from thoughtful to thoughtless, because we can't develop essential areas of the first team, and have allowed obvious weaknesses to surface. 4 midfielders yesterday but still we sat so deep, unable to maintain control there. Though with such a lightweight attack we gave ourselves a huge uphill struggle from the outset, as we all recognise.

 

[thommo1984]

Yeah....but the win at Arsenal left us in the European places and a point off the Champions League. Maybe things weren't so bad then after all.

Sure, but there were 15 teams within a couple of points of champs league at that point.

 

[Wolf316]

To be fair, if we have a winger who doesn't create assists in Adama, why not have a striker who doesn't score goals?

How is it Adamas fault that our strikers can’t score from chances he creates?

 

[colwall wolf]

once again it's not the players fault, he's too raw and we discovered this in december when we HAD to utalise him, since then we recalled cutrone and signed jose. so to keep feeding silva to the lions when clearly isn't ready is now doing him more damage than good! why loan cutrone out? i don't rate him but would made more sense to loan silva out! can only blame the manager here,once again nice one nuno!

 

[Grendel74]

As someone somewhere else said, these kids bear no responsibility for the money attached to them. Out of Fabio and Vitinha, the latter looks slightly more at home but he was played out of position last night and looked lost. I echo the more positive remarks about Fabio (with ball at feet he has something about him and seems to read the game well), but I also agree his lack of physicality is a problem. I too feel sorry for him. Someone in the pre-match thread noted playing Otasawie would have made more sense with that front lineup and for me that’s bang on. We play, essentially, with a back 7 unless we’re losing. We take no calculated risks. And the gap between defence and attack is horrendously large. It’s like we’re completely reliant on Neves to bridge it with passing and this always invites pressure when we don’t have the ball. The tactics more than the selection last night were at fault, and certainly not any one player.

 

[RosehillWolf]

Are we committed to buying Jose in the summer. He did no better than Silva when he came on , in fact , he’s not that much better is he ?

 

[Tring Wolf]

Are we committed to buying Jose in the summer. He did no better than Silva when he came on , in fact , he’s not that much better is he ?

I think Jose’s looked really good in the games he’s played. Gives us much more of a focal point and links the play really well. Unlucky not to score twice against Palace, won the penalty against Arsenal then quieter against Leicester where he didn’t get much service.

I’d 100% buy him if the fee is around the £17m being speculated.

 

[Contrarian]

Vitinha and MGW simply are not good enough for the Premiership, yet somehow Wolves coaching team seem to think they are.

Yep. And Silva is probably not even good enough for the Championship yet. Hoever and Kilman look the most capable at the moment, maybe lower half of the table level, though.

 

[kentish wolf]

Feel sorry for the lad.
But we need goalscorers NOW
not a rabbit in headlights.
.

 

[Highlandwolf2]

And I thought Frankowski was poor. Totally nonsensical signing; no better and no more potential than many other young players of his age I have seen here. Whoever sanctioned his recruitment should have been sacked weeks ago (with no exceptions). Might make a fair player but the transfer fee...... flipping eck