Morgan Gibbs-White

[Sketchead]

That's the conundrum for a manager to decide upon...it's going to be interesting. If MGW plays loose passes we lose possession, and possession in the middle of the field is crucial when teams like City and Liverpool are aiming for 75% a match and can hit you from any direction in the blink of an eye.

How many goals would MGW create and how many might he cause us to concede? If he loses possession a lot, does he need a minder shadowing him to win the ball back quickly....and then is he really good enough to get that treatment? Is he as good as Tielemans at Leicester for instance?
I guess if they thought he would create more goals than he would concede he'd be in the team....but you know, the Chelsea game and what else can you remember?
Either way, he's been impressive getting into the penalty box this season for Sheff U, far more than he's been able to do here.

The way you're talking it's as if teams should never play with a number 10 or attacking midfielders. Attacking midfielders lose the ball trying to do stuff all the time. Salah, Mane, Jota, Diaz are at it all the time. But the way the team behind them are drilled means they almost always recover well. Same with Maddison, Saka, Odegaard, Bruno Fernandes, Sancho, Havertz, Pulisic, etc. etc. etc.

Sounds as though you want us to play 10 behind the ball that only goes safely sideways. At least you've been following the right team this season!

The way a lot of our fanbase just don't want players to be remotely exciting or to try anything different truly blows my mind. Had it every week about Adama. Our attacking play has been so predictable and boring for large parts of the season without him.

 

[wwbug]

Can he replicate it in the PL? Our best player pre-season but benched as season started proper. Wolves mostly negative style of play doesn’t suit him, nor some others in the team to be fair, and he didn’t have many opportunities to impress in the Wolves team. Wouldn’t surprise me if he wanted a permanent move to Sheff Utd.

But Vintnha, Trincao , Podence Neto , Hwang Silva , even Dendoncker has been used in a forward position , but not him.

Why ? I dont quite get it.

 

[Fifty Niner]

But Vintnha, Trincao , Podence Neto , Hwang Silva , even Dendoncker has been used in a forward position , but not him.

Why ? I dont quite get it.

Nor do most of us. It’s a puzzle and can’t help thinking that MGW and Bruno didn’t see eye to eye over MGW being benched come season’s start.

 

[BlahBlah]

The way you're talking it's as if teams should never play with a number 10 or attacking midfielders. Attacking midfielders lose the ball trying to do stuff all the time. Salah, Mane, Jota, Diaz are at it all the time. But the way the team behind them are drilled means they almost always recover well. Same with Maddison, Saka, Odegaard, Bruno Fernandes, Sancho, Havertz, Pulisic, etc. etc. etc.

Sounds as though you want us to play 10 behind the ball that only goes safely sideways. At least you've been following the right team this season!

The way a lot of our fanbase just don't want players to be remotely exciting or to try anything different truly blows my mind. Had it every week about Adama. Our attacking play has been so predictable and boring for large parts of the season without him.

I'm not saying that at all, I'm saying that's how Wolves are setup to play and it is about a lot more than MGW.
You bring in MGW, what is the rest of the midfield that is "drilled and almost always recover well", bearing in mind that every time MGW has been picked he's then been dropped pretty quickly because we have not done as well with him iin the team?
We don't have those players...as you say, we've watched sideways possession football because the midfield doesn't have the power, pace or agility to play with the same impact as Liverpool

Let me ask you what your midfield would be then, and do you think they would match up to the opposition?

 

[BlahBlah]

If your attacking midfielder loses the ball up the field and you get countered on and concede regularly I can promise you it isn't him who is the problem. Salah has lost the ball the 5th most in the league this year, the Liverpool counter press gets it back and if it doesn't they foul to stop the counter.

You've got it.....so I'd ask you the same question.
What would your midfield be then, and do you think they would match up to the opposition?

 

[Stourport wolf]

****

 

[Stourport wolf]

Overall a **** match for a European final. Rangers did themselves proud and I just hope that there is no more trouble tonight.

 

[DDPPwolf313]

Overall a **** match for a European final. Rangers did themselves proud and I just hope that there is no more trouble tonight.

I'll let Morgan know pal

 

[Mugwump]

I do think he will leave, I think he will really do well also and it's going to leave a bad taste in our mouth. I don't blame the club though. We wanted him here in January and he didn't want to come back.

 

[Flaneur]

Not good enough to be starting for us according to some of our fans though…

https://twitter.com/x/status/1527189421363187713

 

[MontyR]

He’s going to need to be guaranteed a starting place or he’s gone. No way in hell a 22 year old lad (or his missus!) choose living in Wolverhampton over Milan, not to mention playing for AC Milan.

If Milan take it further we’ll need to guarantee he becomes one of our project stars like Neto, Fabio etc, otherwise he’s gone.

 

[hollo]

Mendes would be all over the proceeds of his sale. Sell on clause has to be 25%. Would help with ffp as brought through the academy.
Everything depends on gibbs white extending his contract.

 

[arctic rime]

No one should be guaranteed

 

[Sutton Wolf]

Yup.

Just like Mount, Madison, Ben White, Benrahma, Watkins, Cash, Callum Wilson, Mitrovic et Al.

Chump brigade!

I see AC Milan are looking, but of cause some of our know all supporters think he’s level is the championship. I despair sometimes.

 

[Joshwolf218]

I hope this doesn’t turn into another issue for people to beat the club with although He’s had a great season, and most would want to come back and secure a first team birth.

However when other clubs are sniffing around those in capital and the Ac Milan, you can’t blame him for looking at his options.

So we shall see how this plays out IMO it’s a win-win, 1 he comes back and cements a first team place or 2 we sell him for 15-25 mil with a sell on fee and get a good amount of money in the books for the summer rebuild.

 

[Matt]

It is a bit of a win-win in that sense. I really hope we give him a massive show of faith with a new contract and a place in the team, but ultimately if he does want to leave, then he will do. If AC Milan come back for him, that would be a hell of a move and one I'm sure he'd find difficult to turn down.

 

[Ewok vs Wolf]

As much as I'd like to see him do well at Wolves I just get the feeling Lage won't know where to play or find a system to get the best out of him or really fancy him in general

 

[Deleted member 8455jwf]

Not good enough to be starting for us according to some of our fans though…

https://twitter.com/x/status/1527189421363187713

They have a few English players which would help him, if he wants to go I say £30M minimum. Champions League money and they paid that for Tomori

 

[Deleted member 8455jwf]

You've got it.....so I'd ask you the same question.
What would your midfield be then, and do you think they would match up to the opposition?

MGW as a 10 (or an advanced 8 as people are deciding to call them, as they are more powerful than conventional 10) a destroyer type as a proper sitter (Palhinha could do that) and a ball progressor as the 3rd (need a new one here, not easy to find admittedly).

Not ***** if they are a dribbler or a passer - Sanches could do this.

Now I am thinking about it wonder if Mendes has his eyes on Milan dropping out of Sanches race and getting MGW and us getting Sanches.

MGW/Neto
Sanches/Moutinho
Palhinha/Donk

If we can shift Donk another would be nice to act as the water carrier. Don't have to break the bank for those.

Either than or we go with a double pivot, have MGW behind a loan CF with wingbacks higher up the pitch.

Dreaming probably but that is squad building I'd like to see.

Get a CB in and one more attacking wide man with pace and I'd be happy with that

4 in, Saiss/Neves/Trincao/Marcal/Boly out

Another CF would be nice, but I am wanting to give Fabio a decent run next year, think he showed me enough this season.

 

[Wswolf]

He has found his level. A solid championship player. No where near good enough for the premier league. He wouldnt get into norwichs squad.

 

[WolfLing]

As much as I'd like to see him do well at Wolves I just get the feeling Lage won't know where to play or find a system to get the best out of him or really fancy him in general

It was ridiculed that I'd mentioned Joao Felix and Gibbs-White in the same breath earlier in this thread.

I wasn't comparing them directly as players, but comparing their role in a Lage team.

From what we've seen so far, Lage sets us up fairly well drilled and regimented in how we approach a game.

With Benfica, he took the reigns off and Joao Felix was a huge beneficiary of that. He played almost as a free-roaming forward.

Gibbs-White has been given similar free-reign at Sheffield United this season. He's almost been told to just go out and do his thing, whatever position he plays in.

He probably needs that license to roam to succeed. It's probably why Nuno, who set his teams up in an even more structured and regimented manner than Lage, couldn't find a place for Morgan either.

Gibbs-White's style of play does not translate to a team who are told to play in a specific way. He is creative, he plays instinctively and if he is constrained, it takes away a lot from his game (part of Grealish's struggles at City are down to similar reasons).

So unless setting up in a way to provide players like Gibbs-White that freedom is part of the plan, it's probably not going to work.

 

[SuperGran]

Overall a **** match for a European final. Rangers did themselves proud and I just hope that there is no more trouble tonight.

Morgan’s fault

 

[Corporate Wolf]

As much as I'd like to see him do well at Wolves I just get the feeling Lage won't know where to play or find a system to get the best out of him or really fancy him in general

I am really starting to think Lage doesn't know his **** from his elbow. A Head coach that seems to think Dendoncker can fulfil some element of a versatile wide right midfielder . If I was MGW or even some of the other youngsters on the fringes looking at that tactic I'm not sure what I would have thought to be honest.

I agree that no player should demand a starting slot and MGW is no exception. Perhaps there may be a shift in MGWs attitude if these rumours of Lopetegui come to fruition? Although some of the ITK postings from Mixers about MGW appear to suggest he really does not want to be at Wolves are of concern.

 

[AlexWolvesHD]

AC Milan being linked to him

Edit - Just seen it has been mentioned above

 

[Bradmore Wolf]

Christ, once his GF gets wind of Milan's interest his bags will soon be packed

 

[WeAreTheWolvesII]

These comments about his girlfriend and wanting to go down south are unfair IMO (not that many tbf)

But he's just gone to Sheffield United, not exactly the most fashionable club are they? He's embraced what they're about, so has she going by social media and he's dug in and given his all.

I believe the penny has dropped with him and he's ready to take his career to the next level. It needs to be with us.

Don't like the noises coming out about him maybe wanting to leave - just offer him serious money and make him one of the important players in the team, it's what he deserves.

 

[DDPPwolf313]

So how long until Neves signs for Barcelona and an article appears in the Athletic...

"Wolves without Neves - Bruno discusses solutions from within (MGW)"

 

[Black Country Wanderer]

These comments about his girlfriend and wanting to go down south are unfair IMO (not that many tbf)

But he's just gone to Sheffield United, not exactly the most fashionable club are they? He's embraced what they're about, so has she going by social media and he's dug in and given his all.

I believe the penny has dropped with him and he's ready to take his career to the next level. It needs to be with us.

Don't like the noises coming out about him maybe wanting to leave - just offer him serious money and make him one of the important players in the team, it's what he deserves.

I dont see what hes done to deserve serious money tbh
Dont get me wrong i like him as a player and thought he would be better staying here rather than going on loan,but understand why he was sent out
Whether he has changed his attitude or not is still a question mark
He got himself a reputation for being a Billy Big *******s,and certainly retains his ego
I really hope he has knuckled down and realises he has the talent to really push his career to the next level,hopefully with us
Prove you want it first,then ill say you deserve it

 

[Deleted member 8455jwf]

I dont see what hes done to deserve serious money tbh
Dont get me wrong i like him as a player and thought he would be better staying here rather than going on loan,but understand why he was sent out
Whether he has changed his attitude or not is still a question mark
He got himself a reputation for being a Billy Big *******s,and certainly retains his ego
I really hope he has knuckled down and realises he has the talent to really push his career to the next level,hopefully with us
Prove you want it first,then ill say you deserve it

What is his reputation based off of?

 

[WeAreTheWolvesII]

I dont see what hes done to deserve serious money tbh
Dont get me wrong i like him as a player and thought he would be better staying here rather than going on loan,but understand why he was sent out
Whether he has changed his attitude or not is still a question mark
He got himself a reputation for being a Billy Big *******s,and certainly retains his ego
I really hope he has knuckled down and realises he has the talent to really push his career to the next level,hopefully with us
Prove you want it first,then ill say you deserve it

There isn't a question mark, he's been excellent at Sheffield United.

He has just put in a season that is comparable to Grealish/Maddison level in the Championship. If we bought him he'd be going for £25m by current standards and I presume that means you command a decent wage as well, so that's what he deserves, in my opinion.

 

[Fenrir_]

I dont see what hes done to deserve serious money tbh
Dont get me wrong i like him as a player and thought he would be better staying here rather than going on loan,but understand why he was sent out
Whether he has changed his attitude or not is still a question mark
He got himself a reputation for being a Billy Big *******s,and certainly retains his ego
I really hope he has knuckled down and realises he has the talent to really push his career to the next level,hopefully with us
Prove you want it first,then ill say you deserve it

Doesn't work like that though does it? Gibbs-White could probably get around £50k a week if he transferred, why should he continue to earn significantly less than that just to prove to us he's worth it?

On the back of his season for Sheff Utd Gibbs-White holds quite a few cards. If we want him to stay (and I hope we do) the first thing we need to do is give him a contract reflective of that and get him in line with some of our first team squad

 

[Contrarian]

MGW doesn't work with the defensive midfielders we have had for years. Nor the "Horseshoe of Doom" tactic, again, that we have used just about continually for 5 years now. He's played with a lot more freedom at Sheff U, where here, there was very little freedom in his role, it was all about organisation.

He's on his way to the top, for sure, but not worth him staying with us, unless it's part of a radical team overhaul.

 

[Dr Wolfenstein]

You may as well become a Jehovah's Witness, Morgan.

 

[whitnash wolf ex.dewsbury]

You may as well become a Jehovah's Witness, Morgan.

can`t wait for the Rapture!

 

[Supadavewolf]

can`t wait for the Rapture!

They scared the bejaysus out of me in Jurassic Park.

 

[whitnash wolf ex.dewsbury]

They scared the bejaysus out of me in Jurassic Park.

hope you didn`t jump up and get a rupture

 

[Supadavewolf]

hope you didn`t jump up and get a rupture

No, it's not in my repertoire.

 

[GornalWolf]

Sure it’s been said before but I can’t see where the dislike comes from towards Gibbs-white, or the fact he’s got a chip on his shoulder. Just a young kid who’s enjoying his life in a profession that’s well payed. Yes he weren’t consistently good every time he played but he’s always positive and tries to take the ball forward, just a young kid in a big league. Now he’s had a great loan and some still don’t want to give him the praise he deserves. I must of missed something that he’s done. Hope he goes into the first team next year and gets a good chance, or just get wrote off after 3 average performances

 

[Hoganstolemywife]

I hope he stays, but him going for big money as a failsafe is testament to something going very right after how meh his stock was 12 months ago

 

[Contrarian]

So how long until Neves signs for Barcelona and an article appears in the Athletic...

"Wolves without Neves - Bruno discusses solutions from within (MGW)"

More likely "Wolves without Neves - Gibbs-White also off to Barca"