Matheus Cunha

[Ercall Wolves]

So our forward line is going to look very different now

Sarabia Hwang Neto

Don’t forget Fraser

 

[DJLWolf]

The point is that the OP was insinuating that not signing a backup striker in January is the reason why we aren't going to continue our cup run and fail to make Europe, I think losing Cunha, our best player, has significantly worsened us regardless of if we'd signed a backup striker in January.

Palace are missing Eze and Olise right now, and that's a big reason why they're continuing to slide down the table, having backups like Ayew and Schlupp isn't the reason they're struggling, or rather not struggling, they've just been unfortunate with injuries to their best players. You can say the same about Newcastle and Brighton who've struggled with injuries to key players this season.

I'm just surprised we didn't keep Sasa for the rest of the season.I know O'Neil doesn't fancy him and he isn't the profile of player he wants long term, but managers can't just click their fingers and have the squad they want overnight.It always takes 2 or 3 years and for a period of time you have to work with what you've got.

I really hope it doesn't stunt Fraser's progression.The premier league is a very unforgiving place if you aren't ready for it and O'Neil definitely didn't plan to use him like he's going to have to.

 

[loppers86]

I'm just surprised we didn't keep Sasa for the rest of the season.I know O'Neil doesn't fancy him and he isn't the profile of player he wants long term, but managers can't just click their fingers and have the squad they want overnight.It always takes 2 or 3 years and for a period of time you have to work with what you've got.

I really hope it doesn't stunt Fraser's progression.The premier league is a very unforgiving place if you aren't ready for it and O'Neil definitely didn't plan to use him like he's going to have to.

well being in the same position stunted Fabio’s progression (unless of course Fabio was just crap).

 

[Skrilla]

I'm just surprised we didn't keep Sasa for the rest of the season.I know O'Neil doesn't fancy him and he isn't the profile of player he wants long term, but managers can't just click their fingers and have the squad they want overnight.It always takes 2 or 3 years and for a period of time you have to work with what you've got.

I really hope it doesn't stunt Fraser's progression.The premier league is a very unforgiving place if you aren't ready for it and O'Neil definitely didn't plan to use him like he's going to have to.

Earlier in the season there was a lot of noise around giving Fraser an opportunity in light of Evan Ferguson's exploits at Brighton, and Fraser scoring for fun at U23 level. I'm not suggesting Fraser is as good as Ferguson, but I do find it ironic that a lot were calling for him to get more minutes here, before doing a u-turn when it becomes a reality.

I still think he won't play that many minutes as he's still fifth choice behind the current presumed front three of Hwang, Neto and Sarabia, with Bellegarde being first option off the bench. Maybe throw Mini Lemina into the equation as well given the positive early impressions he's seemingly made.

I think you can make a case for every player in this squad being replaceable, with the exception of Cunha, because nobody else in the squad can replicate what he does.

 

[Supadavewolf]

Don’t forget Fraser

Or Chirewa, for whom I'll continue to bang the drum...


... but not inside the ground

 

[DanishWolf]

He might not be lying but he is the man who has put us in this position that has caused us to have to take these measures.

Agree..

 

[theweave]

Cunha isn't a 9 and whoever we bought wouldn't have been able to do what he does so not sure why his injury and the not buying a 9 argument are being brought together

 

[Matt]

Only a few weeks according to the man himself on Instagram. Take it with a pinch of salt as Neto said similar but fingers crossed.

 

[wwbug]

What spectacular stupidity? If being wary about breaching financial regulations is stupidity, then fair enough.

Surely you mean potential major loss of potential income.

Where is this policy of negligence? If Wolves being currently 11th in the premier league table and in the last 16 of the FA Cup shows a lack of ambition then fair enough.

I think the stupidity was not finding replacements for Sasa or Silva . They were not used as they were not needed . Now we are in a different place . Similar to losing Jimenez .

 

[JamesWolves]

Only a few weeks according to the man himself on Instagram. Take it with a pinch of salt as Neto said similar but fingers crossed.

Neto missed nearly 2 months aswell just so people are aware

 

[Evthewolf]

Let’s be honest. If we had kept Fabio and Sasa, how many of us would be thinking they could do a great job? Not I, for one.

It might sound harsh but Fabio had enough chances and whilst you could argue, Sasa didn’t, there was only playing a certain way that would make him useful. A way that Gaz doesn’t intend on playing.

Unless something totally unforeseen had happened, I don’t think either of them were in the long term plans so isn’t it better to play some of the fringe players occasionally to see how they fare?

Obviously, Cunha being out is a massive blow, he is imo, our most effective player but we found a way to cope when Neto was out and it will be a good test to see if Gaz can cope this time around.

 

[Ches78]

Interesting how Brentford have gone out and "proactively" signed a striker, probably to replace Toney when he goes - we can only dream of our club doing something similar...

 

[Clipboard]

Interesting how Brentford have gone out and "proactively" signed a striker, probably to replace Toney when he goes - we can only dream of our club doing something similar...

Great point.

 

[BlahBlah]

Interesting how Brentford have gone out and "proactively" signed a striker, probably to replace Toney when he goes - we can only dream of our club doing something similar...

Assumedly they haven't pushed their debt close to the edge like Wolves have, and they already know they're getting a massive fee for Toney.
An easy decision.

 

[lets all have a disco]

Interesting how Brentford have gone out and "proactively" signed a striker, probably to replace Toney when he goes - we can only dream of our club doing something similar...

Imagine us signing a player today for the summer....and next month he does his ACL..........they would have a field day on here.....

 

[CelebrityWolf]

Cunha isn't a 9 and whoever we bought wouldn't have been able to do what he does so not sure why his injury and the not buying a 9 argument are being brought together

Been laughing at this all morning. Amazing how many folks are completely and utterly clueless.

 

[Aimless Balls]

I’m coming over for Arsenal and Luton. More than 2 months away, hopefully he’s back for those!

 

[Ches78]

Imagine us signing a player today for the summer....and next month he does his ACL..........they would have a field day on here.....

Hmm, yeah, good point! Wrap him up in cotton wool! Guess they might put something about that in the contract?

 

[MikeH68]

I agree with this apart from you can’t really say we flogged Cunha to death. What we did was play our best player when he was fit and available as often as possible. Every club plays their best players.

But yea, everything else is completely stupid and self inflicted by the club.

I guess I don’t mean flogged him to death, but at times he has looked knackered, and we didn’t have a lot of options of the bench.

 

[lets all have a disco]

Hmm, yeah, good point! Wrap him up in cotton wool! Guess they might put something about that in the contract?

Yes I nw.....but with our luck it what would happen.......

 

[WeAreTheWolvesII]

Been laughing at this all morning. Amazing how many folks are completely and utterly clueless.

Have you worked out yet that Hwang would have just been moved to the left of a front three had a new striker signed?

Like where he played and scored the winner in the win over Man City...

 

[JOSWolf]

We are stuffed.

Hwang back will help but doubling Neto and stifling us, as Brentford demonstrated, will become a lot easier.

Agree. The squad just isnt strong enough to cope properly with losing Cunha. It is coming back to bite the powers that be on the backside for not getting an attacker in during January and letting two go. Quite a few of us said we would be in trouble if we got injuries to attackers as we were so light. It is just so frustrating as what has happened here is so predictable and the club really only has itself to blame for leaving our attacking options too light on numbers. Really frustrating.

 

[Black Country Wanderer]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1757801841302098282

Everything points to a grade 2 sprain no surgery

If its a grade 2 as i suspected im confident he will be back after the International break end of March

 

[JOSWolf]

Huge blow. But but but but we didn't need a striker apparently

Its ok. We can look forward to Bellegarde as a no 9. Not his fault but completely those in charge.

 

[JOSWolf]

The concern for me now is also Hwang and Neto are going to have to play every game but look at their injury records at times. It is a path to disaster leaving ourselves so short on genuine attacking options. One of them gets injured and our attack is in ruins.

 

[Stourport wolf]

Cunha pointing to his Wolves badge and doing his hand signal for all around the word at the Albion after he scored, will stay with me forever.
The bloke is a living legend for me, what ever he does in his life and wherever he goes, I will always remember him for humiliating the ****e.
Get well soon Matheus. We miss you mate.

 

[Skrilla]

The concern for me now is also Hwang and Neto are going to have to play every game but look at their injury records at times. It is a path to disaster leaving ourselves so short on genuine attacking options. One of them gets injured and our attack is in ruins.

We can't afford to have backups for our backups JOS. The only club that have that luxury is probably Man City.

 

[WeAreTheWolvesII]

We can't afford to have backups for our backups JOS. The only club that have that luxury is probably Man City.

That's just not true.

No club has the same lack of senior options in attack as us in the Premier League.

 

[JOSWolf]

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

Do you genuinely think that Fraser and Bellegarde will do a better job than Sasa and Fabio? I like Fraser who is promising and Bellegarde who is never a striker but an attacking midfield player but I think both Sasa and Fabio would be better options at this moment in time.

Lets face it. The club have left the attacking options far too weak for a Premier League side and we will now pay for it with Cunha out and if one of Neto or Hwang is also injured at any point as there is no real cover for these three players.

 

[Starsky]

The concern for me now is also Hwang and Neto are going to have to play every game but look at their injury records at times. It is a path to disaster leaving ourselves so short on genuine attacking options. One of them gets injured and our attack is in ruins.

It goes beyond that mate. We've not got a pot to **** in under Fosun anymore and the whole strategy for next season will be based on selling Neto and trying to find 3-4 gems.

If he gets injured, what do we do then?

 

[lets all have a disco]

That's just not true.

No club has the same lack of senior options in attack as us in the Premier League.

Villa.....Watkins , Diaby , Bailey , injured Duran...
Wolves ..Hwang , Neto , Sarabia , injured Cunha...

 

[JOSWolf]

Cover for Cunha? Neither could remotely play the role of Cunha. Man, you could argue Doc would do better than either of them in that role tbh

Thats why you would change the formation and fit Sasa or Cunha in, surely? Lets not pretend we are any better off for letting those two go without signing anyone and having Bellegarde or a kid having to play as the focal point.

 

[JOSWolf]

It goes beyond that mate. We've not got a pot to **** in under Fosun anymore and the whole strategy for next season will be based on selling Neto and trying to find 3-4 gems.

If he gets injured, what do we do then?

Totally agree. Most of us know what will happen in the summer.

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

Its ok. We can look forward to Bellegarde as a no 9. Not his fault but completely those in charge.

We can't though can we? Hwang will be the 9, Neto, Bellegarde and Sarabia will be the options to play wider and deeper. It's not perfect, but do people really think if we'd gone down the back Jeff's sofa and found £5m we didn't have we could be starting with something better? Neto and Hwang up top with Sarabia or Bellegarde in behind in a 352 might turn out to be how we should have been playing all along.

 

[WeAreTheWolvesII]

Villa.....Watkins , Diaby , Bailey , injured Duran...
Wolves ..Hwang , Neto , Sarabia , injured Cunha...

Villa don't always play three like us, sometimes two.

They also have Zaniolo and Morgan Rogers. and McGinn/Ramsey push further up to play off a striker, something our midfielders couldn't really do IMO.

But yep, you could argue they're one short. Any other club?

 

[lets all have a disco]

Villa don't always play three like us, sometimes two.

They also have Zaniolo. and McGinn pushes further up to play off a striker, something our midfielders couldn't really do IMO.

But yep, you could argue they're one short. Any other club?

Yes villa normally play with 4, central midfielders but I didn't mention bellegarde who yuu could argue is similar to you saying Mcguin can push further up....

I would argue Villa are 1 down on us....and I would argue Watkins getting injured could be more catastrophic for then than Cunha for us..... because they would have nobody if he did get injured...

I'm not arguing we aye short....just disagreed we are the only ones...

 

[lets all have a disco]

Totally agree. Most of us know what will happen in the summer.

Well what's the answer in the summer then....most clubs will sell to buy....with all these restrictions....even Newcastle owners....

 

[Aimless Balls]

It’s probably going to be the same-ish thing as right before Pedro went down. Hwang will get his job back on the left, clocking into the middle as the 3-4-3 becomes a 4-4-2 or really 4-4-1-1 and JRB or Sarabia will try to do the old Cunha role, sort of running everywhere linking absolutely everyone with everyone else. Trying to put Hwang in any role where he touches the ball in the first two thirds of the pitch is a poor idea.

 

[JOSWolf]

Have to pray that maybe Enso and Noha Lemina can come to the party and Chiwema and Fraser can have an impact. If two of these can do well and have an impact then things may not look so bleak. We really need Hwang and Neto to stay fit now though but this will be a big ask.

 

[JOSWolf]

Well what's the answer in the summer then....most clubs will sell to buy....with all these restrictions....even Newcastle owners....

I very much doubt they will leave their first team squads as short as ours but we will see.