Lets discuss Fabio and his future .

[Lou Pine]

We've done this to bits. You say look at Neves, but look at Toney, Watkins, Wilson etc at 21 - all playing in the lower leagues. This has been done to death.

What Fabio did last season was fine for a player of his age and suggested he might be a PL striker with time and normal improvement.

You can go back and read the Celtic match thread and see that he was universally praised for his performance there, which changed the game.

Now either he has totally lost the ability to play football since August or there is something more at play.

Are you allowed to bring reasoned debate to a pile on?!

I agree wholeheartedly with what you say. Can I also add that his age-group international form is of a standard that suggests that he has lots of ability?

I doubt that he’s going to be an impact sub as he lacks killer pace or physicality that can make an immediate difference in the embers of matches. He’s more the kind of player who will benefit from the chance to develop partnerships or familiarity with systems. He’s unlikely to get the chance to do that with us though unless there are further injuries/suspensions.

What I see is a lad who cares, works hard and has shown that he can get into positions where he’ll get chances. He’s failed to capitalise on the chances that his ability has presented him with which may have knocked his confidence. I try not to judge him through the ‘big money signing’ lens but through a ‘young player’ lens. It’s much easier to be positive and optimistic when you do that.

 

[Madmalc]

What happened against Sheffield United, is no different to what happened to Hwang against Newcastle.

To stop our forwards unsurprisingly showing that they aren't centre backs our forwards need to remain further up the pitch and not take up positions in our own 18 yard box.

 

[Skrilla]

Not sure whether there's been a player more pampered by this fanbase than Silva.

He lacks the mentality and ability to play at this level. Harsh truth. £35m down the drain. It is what it is, we aren't the first club to have a write-off, happens at every club. It was a mistake to sign him, but mistakes happen.

Sell him for whatever we can get in January and move on. That's the best move for both parties rather than continuing to polish a turd because of the pricetag.

No doubt for the above I'll be labelled as a scapegoater by someone.

 

[Aimless Balls]

I’m only upset with players when they don’t give their best. That’s not the case here.

Why does anyone expect Fabio to score goals in the PL outside of his price tag? Is it his shooting? Touch? Pace? Strength? Leaping ability? Nous? Knack? What’s he got that he’s failing to offer, but will offer if his life is threatened?

 

[Timberwolf]

And it would be a big help if he could score goals

In 15 minutes every four weeks? Okay.

 

[Timberwolf]

Not sure whether there's been a player more pampered by this fanbase than Silva.

He lacks the mentality and ability to play at this level. Harsh truth. £35m down the drain. It is what it is, we aren't the first club to have a write-off, happens at every club. It was a mistake to sign him, but mistakes happen.

Sell him for whatever we can get in January and move on. That's the best move for both parties rather than continuing to polish a turd because of the pricetag.

No doubt for the above I'll be labelled as a scapegoater by someone.

Forget the ****ing price tag!!! There were 11 other players failing on that pitch before Fabio got on. But yeah, let’s crucify a talented kid because VAR ****ed us again.

 

[Olivergoldblack]

Pity we don’t have a traditional reserves team any more.

It must be difficult for a player to play no real football for weeks and then come on and be expected to perform.

A few games and hopefully goals in the reserves would surely help him.

I was thinking the same.

 

[Contrarian]

Forget the ****ing price tag!!! There were 11 other players failing on that pitch before Fabio got on. But yeah, let’s crucify a talented kid because VAR ****ed us again.

The vast majority of them cost less then Fabio. In this world, it's natural to expect that the more you pay, the better quality you get. If only Ferrari would forget the price tag on their cars!

I don't doubt that he has talent. I do doubt that there is anything exceptional about it. I think we could have bought 2 equivalent 17 year old strikers for half the price. Yes, he plays for his countries under 21's, but then so do hundreds of other young attackers.

 

[Skrilla]

Forget the ****ing price tag!!! There were 11 other players failing on that pitch before Fabio got on. But yeah, let’s crucify a talented kid because VAR ****ed us again.

I never mentioned VAR. It's the bigger picture. He also missed a wide open header, not being able to head a ball as a #9 is hilarious.

Take the name and price tag out of the picture - would you want your #9 to have no pace, no strength, can't finish, can't head a ball, extremely soft, goes missing for the majority of games he's involved in? No you wouldn't.

It's the Fabio Silva illusion - "he's only 21, he's still developing". How old does he have to be before we finally write him off as not good enough? How many more nothing performances do fans have to see before they come to that conclusion?

 

[Timberwolf]

The vast majority of them cost less then Fabio. In this world, it's natural to expect that the more you pay, the better quality you get. If only Ferrari would forget the price tag on their cars!

I don't doubt that he has talent. I do doubt that there is anything exceptional about it. I think we could have bought 2 equivalent 17 year old strikers for half the price. Yes, he plays for his countries under 21's, but then so do hundreds of other young attackers.

Coulda, woulda, shoulda; the words of a fool. Jeff could’ve done any number of alternative things with £35m but he didn’t. Fabio is our player. He had nothing to do with the fee paid. To keep mentioning it as a stick to beat him with, smacks of jealous vindictive spite.

 

[Timberwolf]

I never mentioned VAR. It's the bigger picture. He also missed a wide open header, not being able to head a ball as a #9 is hilarious.

Take the name and price tag out of the picture - would you want your #9 to have no pace, no strength, can't finish, can't head a ball, extremely soft, goes missing for the majority of games he's involved in? No you wouldn't.

It's the Fabio Silva illusion - "he's only 21, he's still developing". How old does he have to be before we finally write him off as not good enough? How many more nothing performances do fans have to see before they come to that conclusion?

‘Nothing performances…’? What did you expect him to do yesterday? Sasa did nothing, Hwang did nothing, as did Cunha, Lemina, Semedo, Ran etc etc etc. I’m not saying it was a good performance from Fabio but he did ‘put himself about’. No doubt you were hoping for 21 year old peak Ronaldo, in storm conditions. Laughable!

 

[WolvesAndCows]

I don’t think Shi took a gamble. Doesn’t strike me as the type to put £35m down on a casino table.

More likely he was duped. He was obviously told by people he trusted (chiefly Mendes) that Fabio was the next teenage superstar.

In that case, Shi shouldn't be at the club.

 

[Timberwolf]

In that case, Shi shouldn't be at the club.

Yawn!

 

[Contrarian]

Coulda, woulda, shoulda; the words of a fool. Jeff could’ve done any number of alternative things with £35m but he didn’t. Fabio is our player. He had nothing to do with the fee paid. To keep mentioning it as a stick to beat him with, smacks of jealous vindictive spite.

Not sure how that helps? What do you think the way forward is? And didn't Fabios father get a cut of the fee?

 

[WolvesAndCows]

Yawn!

I'm sure he wouldn't walk off a cliff if someone told him to

 

[Skrilla]

‘Nothing performances…’? What did you expect him to do yesterday? Sasa did nothing, Hwang did nothing, as did Cunha, Lemina, Semedo, Ran etc etc etc. I’m not saying it was a good performance from Fabio but he did ‘put himself about’. No doubt you were hoping for 21 year old peak Ronaldo, in storm conditions. Laughable!

Again, bigger picture.

 

[Bradstonian]

Nope, exactly the response I'd both expect and respect. Police have crime to sort. Some tool says something saft on the internet, they've made no serious threat, there's no history of violence... nothing to see.

If someone sends anyone an actual death threat then they should be found, arrested, charged and convicted. Has that happened here? (If it has, ignore all the above!).

So it has to actually come via Royal Mail on a postcard? No. Social media is a modern method of communication. It’s just as valid as any other form of contact.

 

[Contrarian]

‘Nothing performances…’? What did you expect him to do yesterday? Sasa did nothing, Hwang did nothing, as did Cunha, Lemina, Semedo, Ran etc etc etc. I’m not saying it was a good performance from Fabio but he did ‘put himself about’. No doubt you were hoping for 21 year old peak Ronaldo, in storm conditions. Laughable!

Sasa's goals has won us 4 points from substitute appearances this season. Hwang scored several goals from substitute appearances last season. Yet Fabio can't be expected to do anything from them? That's a nice free pass if you are entitled to it. The others have had to work for it, though. They've earned respect to get them through the off days that all players have.

And no, it's just ridiculous hyperbole to suggest that people are only criticising Fabio because he's not the 21 year old Ronaldo. Though he was sold to us as a generational talent. Just looking like you are able to possibly, once in a while, score a goal against a typical Premier League level defence is the sign I am looking for. And not seeing.

 

[Bradstonian]

Football needs to go back to a basic wage ,,a win bonus ,,and a goals bonus .
80 grande a week isn't going to make you train hard or play hard .
What a waste of money

But how will you recruit players on that basis?

 

[Rhoswolf]

Sadly Fabio found himself at a young age as simply a "pawn in the wider Mendes game", no way his fault and in many ways a victim of all that's wrong with the modern game.

 

[NewarkWolf]

Not good enough. There’s just not much more to say about him sadly

 

[Andywolf74]

We’ve done pretty abysmally whenever we’ve spent £30 million + on a player. Somehow we managed to make a bit of a profit on Nunes, Cunha just doesn’t score enough goals ( and hadn’t been when we bought him ) and Silva’s never been good enough to earn a regular place, despite us struggling for goals for most of the time he’s been here.
For the £70 odd million we paid for Silva and Cunha, we could have had Chris Wood (who for a fraction of the money would have probably scored more than Silva and Cunha combined) and spent the rest on improving other parts of the team.

 

[Bryce]

The straw that broke the camels back it seems. Was never good enough and this now reached a crescendo of that, at a poignant last minute moment and so is in the crosshairs. (is crescendo the right term lol)
Was always way too emotional though for the pro level. Noticed it for opposite reason when he scored against albion and was pictured at HT walking off with a grin like the cheshire cat, trying to joke with another player (Boly, i forget?) when Boly had to calm him down and talk to him. Remember thinking at the time i'd never seen anything like that midway through a game from a pro. Seems like 4yrs later he is still as temperamental. While there is nothing wrong with being this emotional it simply doesnt lend itself to elite sport. Feels like a kid who was told he was gonna be a star and so never became a true pro. So far it looks that way. Also his pace was always problem.
Only an opinion but just saying what im seeing.

He is not a 35m player and never will be
Period

His defensive efforts yesterday were Traore esque at best.

Replace in January

 

[Bryce]

Are you allowed to bring reasoned debate to a pile on?!

I agree wholeheartedly with what you say. Can I also add that his age-group international form is of a standard that suggests that he has lots of ability?

I doubt that he’s going to be an impact sub as he lacks killer pace or physicality that can make an immediate difference in the embers of matches. He’s more the kind of player who will benefit from the chance to develop partnerships or familiarity with systems. He’s unlikely to get the chance to do that with us though unless there are further injuries/suspensions.

What I see is a lad who cares, works hard and has shown that he can get into positions where he’ll get chances. He’s failed to capitalise on the chances that his ability has presented him with which may have knocked his confidence. I try not to judge him through the ‘big money signing’ lens but through a ‘young player’ lens. It’s much easier to be positive and optimistic when you do that.

Mate I get that and I admire what you have put here, but he is playing in the premier league and being paid premier league wages which do far he is failing to justify.

35 million player? Yet to see it .

 

[VancouverWolf]

I think it’s starting to get to the stage where the club itself is having a negative impact on his career. It’s not the club’s fault or Fabio’s but maybe he needs a fresh start where there are no bad memories and no negative association for him.

He never really had a good run of starts….just a subbing there ……another there
Until this season with Gary, practically Nobody was scoring at Wolves for the last three seasons.

 

[I'm the Wanderer]

Maybe if he cut hi......too soon?

 

[Wall heath Wanderer]

I like the lad, I think he has a good footballing brain and doesn't lack effort. He most likely isn't cut out for the Premier league, although he hasn't really had a good run of games in a winning side to get his confidence up.

With his lack of playing time he is most likely a bit too anxious to prove himself, and so will snatch at chances and make silly mistakes, and having the match officials ready to give anything and everything they can against us foesnt help.

It is probably best for all involved if he is able to move in January, and if he does then I wish him nothing but the best and hope he goes on to have a successful career.

I can, and have, slated players for being useless, but only when it's obvious they can't be ***** and don't want to be here. I don't get that vibe from Silva.

 

[clivewolves]

I've only just noticed he has the word 'Resilience' tattooed on his neck. That's what he needs to show now. He's in elite sport. He's got to get over it and come back better.

 

[JamesWolves]

Said in the verdict thread, at this point Fraser is a much better option from the bench and his development is being wasted in place of Silva.

Silva isn't cut out for the Prem, never will be, just flog him in January take the loss and move on best for both parties

 

[Dan G WWFC]

Hhating on Silva as a person is not needed, this whole thing is highlighting the issues we have as a fan base. The idiots that got MGW to hate us, booed Hwang and now this.

100% he needs to leave in Jan, not only for us but also himself!!

Try and find a good place for him, maybe Ajax who are currently struggling. 8-10m with a ridiculous sell on fee.

Let him get his career back on track and if he does we'll gives us a chance to make as much money back as we can

 

[SteveBullsKnee]

i’m not aware of anyone who wanted us to lose to City to see the back of Gary. i think history may be being (re) written as we speak.

Not at all. It’s literally on here. There were several wishing for a City thumping to get rid of the “fraud”. Just use the search facility and you will see

 

[bod101]

" he's only 21 " ....that's been said since " he's only 17 " ..how many more years?
Age is irrelevant, he's not good enough, never has been, never will be ..end of

so 21year old strikers leading the line for premier league clubs are?

 

[Ned]

Not at all. It’s literally on here. There were several wishing for a City thumping to get rid of the “fraud”. Just use the search facility and you will see

Yep. My one issue is that the search facility will come up with 4507 news stories with the word City in it before he finds the posts.

 

[Ned]

so 21year old strikers leading the line for premier league clubs are?

Exactly this. He’s only had 1 season of actually playing regularly as an adult.

I know the fee clearly wasn’t his fault but I wonder whether it held us back from loaning him down the leagues in his 2nd season when it was obvious Lage didn’t fancy him. Loaning a £35m player to league 1 would have been an horrendous look for the club. Also, having loaned him to Anderlecht and PSV last season he’s hardly going to fancy the drop into the championship either.

 

[bod101]

Sorry Bod, usually agree with you but Fabio has never shown the qualities required to be a no.9 in our league and I doubt he ever will. Lacks pace to run behind, can't head a ball, hadsn't got a strong shot, prefers flicks and tricks. It's not lack of consistency it's a kick of natural ability.

i don't think he'll be a no.9 in the traditional sense but his movement and positioning is very good, at the start of the season he was looking decent but the consistency that doesn't come until a bit older

 

[fleck1]

Said in the verdict thread, at this point Fraser is a much better option from the bench and his development is being wasted in place of Silva.

Silva isn't cut out for the Prem, never will be, just flog him in January take the loss and move on best for both parties

Come on that's the same Fraser who came on against Ipswich and looked completely lost. U21 football is miles away from Premier League football, to say he's a better player than a lad who spent last season on loan playing and scoring regular for Anderlecht and PSV is just silly. A good prospect maybe but I doubt he is currently ready to be a regular starter a league or two below us. As for Fabio he needs minutes even if that's in the 21s, being thrown on for 10/15 mins and expected to do something once a month is of no use to us or him. Maybe he isn't cut out for the Premier League, maybe he doesn't want to be here, maybe he's never wanted to be here. But take away the mess Jeff/Mendes created with the fee, Raúl's injury that lead to a 17/18 year old with limited senior football being expected to lead the line in the best league in the world and we've just brought back a 20/21 year old who'd scored 16 goals and got 6 assists last season as a new signing that would have created a lot of excitement and commanded a big fee. He's currently offered nothing for us but limited minutes and game time wont help, he'll be desperate to prove a point to the fans and himself.

 

[Monketron]

Harry Kane, arguably the best striker in the world of his generation, didn't break into the Spurs team regularly until he was 21 and even then he only really got his chance as the club were in trouble and had to resort to Sherwood bringing in youth players.

We need to go and buy a proper no.9 so that Cunha / Hwang and Silva can play their more favoured positions either wide or as a no.10. None of them have really done well when asked to lead the line. Sasa seems like he's not there physically yet to do the job.

 

[superwolves]

The problem Silva has he's not getting game time and has got to the point where he's probably trying too hard to impress rather than letting things happen naturally in a relaxed way. Lopetegui was a manager happy to rotate his team if you didn't perform that week the next guy gets his chance whereas O'Neil is more he's found his best 11 and baring injury suspension will play week in week out. Silva doesn't look like getting a run of games anytime soon other than last resort if we're chasing a game from defeat and how much longer will club and player be happy with that

 

[Timberwolf]

Sasa's goals has won us 4 points from substitute appearances this season. Hwang scored several goals from substitute appearances last season. Yet Fabio can't be expected to do anything from them? That's a nice free pass if you are entitled to it. The others have had to work for it, though. They've earned respect to get them through the off days that all players have.

And no, it's just ridiculous hyperbole to suggest that people are only criticising Fabio because he's not the 21 year old Ronaldo. Though he was sold to us as a generational talent. Just looking like you are able to possibly, once in a while, score a goal against a typical Premier League level defence is the sign I am looking for. And not seeing.

Lol…of course it was hyperbole. I Thought that was pretty obvious really.

 

[Muscat]

I could maybe stomach some of the "not good enough" arguments if Fabio was playing anywhere near the level he was last season, or that we know he can, but he's clearly not. He's not even playing at the level he was for us at 18, never mind what he was doing last season and earlier in this one. I always look back at this clip, from 2:30 in.

Bullying defenders, winning headers, instinctive finishing. And that's not against Liechtenstein U21s, that's against Sevilla in the Europa League. It's also worth remember the Celtic game, you can read the comments here:

Friendly in Dublin

Fabio and RAN need to be starting.

www.molineuxmix.co.uk

Where he was genuinely excellent in a short cameo and changed the game for us. That was a few months ago but he's clearly nowhere near those levels to the extent that he is barely functioning as a footballer. Clearly there is more to it than just ability.

Hwang went 14 months without scoring, we should remember. Raul hasn't scored in about 15 years. Cunha has 4 in nearly a year and Costa scored 1, and even that was a fluke. It's not an easy league to score in and we're not an easy team to play up front for, particularly when you're under overwhelming pressure and devoid of confidence.