Moutinho

[goldeneyed]

Moutinho deserves immense respect not some of the rubbish comments that appear here from time to time. At 34 he should be playing the odd game from the outset but should mainly be on the bench ready to settle games down in the final 20 minutes or inject some passing accuracy into the final third if we need to get a goal. Next season would be a season too far for him as a Premier League player but would love it if we got him in as a player coach or simply coach. Fantastic attitude and such incredible knowledge to pass on to our younger players. Of course we should have signed that central attacking midfield player at least a year ago...every time I see Maddison playing I yearn for that kind of player.

 

[Royal wolf]

I agree with Moutinho and think it's time Vitinha is given a bit more of a chance to show if he is capable of doing it here. But people saying Dendoncker does nothing with ball really isn't based on yesterday's game.

Who created the 2nd and 3rd most chances yesterday in the league? I'll give you the first one who was Pedro Neto with 5, a clue for the second who created 4 chances, he's Belgian and plays in Gold.

We do need a dynamic midfielder who can run with the ball and look to play forwards but you absolutely still need Dendoncker and Neves alongside him imo.

I agree. Dendoncker doesn’t need replacing yet, his role just needs changing.

 

[WolfLing]

It’s getting to the stage where there isn’t one combination of our midfield that I feel 100% confident in.

When Neves is on his game, he and Dendoncker are probably our best in a 2.

But we are getting to the stage where we need a new midfield player to push on.

 

[Fenrir_]

It’s getting to the stage where there isn’t one combination of our midfield that I feel 100% confident in.

When Neves is on his game, he and Dendoncker are probably our best in a 2.

But we are getting to the stage where we need a new midfield player to push on.

Swap Dendoncker with Saiss and have the midfield pairing we had in the Championship until we can get a proper box to box player in

 

[Hoganstolemywife]

Mouts is still a technical genius on the ball but he's lost a lot of pace over the past 12 months.

 

[RJs Tankard]

Most of us have admitted how much of a pleasure it's been having him at our club and how he's been the best 'footballer' for years to grace our club. Within 6 months we're now saying he's dropped so far he's not good enough?? I can't believe that's the case at all. He's not being used to benefit what he offers along with a few and thats been the concern of style/formation/mindset of us about the team for a while also.

He'll never lose his ability - but he'll lose his legs and sharpness - and that's what's happened. 6 months is a long time when you're a 34 year old player and the legs are on the way out.

He needs to be given 2 weeks off by Nuno to rest fully - then come back and play roles from the bench. He's no longer quick enough to be a regular.

 

[NewarkWolf]

He'll never lose his ability - but he'll lose his legs and sharpness - and that's what's happened. 6 months is a long time when you're a 34 year old player and the legs are on the way out.

He needs to be given 2 weeks off by Nuno to rest fully - then come back and play roles from the bench. He's no longer quick enough to be a regular.

He was never quick in the first place.

 

[Mile End Wanderer]

Looks exhausted to me. I would rest him for a few games and then give him an hour or bring him on at that time during the game.

 

[Peszkywolf]

Looks exhausted..... but was still expected and wanted to take most corners and free kicks. Obviously has no aerial threat but conserving his energy doing everything seems odd. Agree needs to take a backseat as class as he is.

 

[SanFranWolf]

Arguably the finest player to ever play for us.
The fact that we are flogging him to death is the owners fault closely followed by the manager.

 

[RJs Tankard]

He was never quick in the first place.

Adama has plenty in the bag - Moutinho should ask him if he can borrow a yard of it ;-)

 

[Burford T Justice]

I agree. Dendoncker doesn’t need replacing yet, his role just needs changing.

Completely agree

 

[RMNottm]

Adama has plenty in the bag - Moutinho should ask him if he can borrow a yard of it ;-)

Or better still get Moutinho's footballing intelligence transferred to Adama. Now that is frightening!

 

[Big Saft Kid]

He is past it. Might be able to come on as a late sub, but not a starter and shouldn't have been in the engine room of the team for the last 12 months. Too slow, and now makes up for his slowness with some silly fouls that have cost us. Problem is he is a Nuno favourite. Favouritism is one of Nuno's worst qualities.

 

[WolfInSheep'sClothing]

Arguably the finest player to ever play for us.
The fact that we are flogging him to death is the owners fault closely followed by the manager.

Why is it the owners fault?
Last time we won it was Neves and Dendonker/then Otasowie in midfield. We haven't needed to flog him to death; in the games he hasn't played we have not especially missed him recently. I don't understand it.
Are we trying to break him?

 

[Big Saft Kid]

Arguably the finest player to ever play for us.
The fact that we are flogging him to death is the owners fault closely followed by the manager.

'Arguable' only by people who have been supporting the club for about 5 minutes. I could name you twenty or thirty Wolves players better than Moutinho if we are comparing what they have contributed to Wolves.

 

[RMNottm]

Arguably the finest player to ever play for us.
The fact that we are flogging him to death is the owners fault closely followed by the manager.

Are the owners TIME?

 

[Incognito]

Moutinho sadly looks like he's coming to the end of a great career, with a wonderful couple of seasons with us. Privileged to see a player of his class in the old gold. But all good things must come to an end. He's struggled all season really. He may warrant a place on the bench to offer experience and a steady head if the need arises but that's debatable. Just need to be a bit respectful here and not look to make him a scapegoat for this difficult patch. At least he has an excuse - age! Btw I do not see Donk / Neves as the midfield pairing to take us to the promised land. I'd like to see someone else alongside Neves.

 

[WickedWolfie]

Is he only getting in the team now for his experience?! We are a youngish side is he getting selected to add some experience in there. He's been great for 2 seasons and should have been eased into a supporting subs bench/rotation role in the summer just gone.

That, with the injuries that we've had to experienced players, is my suspicion.

 

[WickedWolfie]

Moutinho sadly looks like he's coming to the end of a great career, with a wonderful couple of seasons with us. Privileged to see a player of his class in the old gold. But all good things must come to an end. He's struggled all season really. He may warrant a place on the bench to offer experience and a steady head if the need arises but that's debatable. Just need to be a bit respectful here and not look to make him a scapegoat for this difficult patch. At least he has an excuse - age! Btw I do not see Donk / Neves as the midfield pairing to take us to the promised land. I'd like to see someone else alongside Neves.

He hasn't been the same player since the first lockdown.

 

[Alex Rae The Substitute]

Had a really good game vs Man United, a glimpse of what he used to offer on a weekly basis.

Unfortunately the good performances have been few and far between this season. It was inevitable age would eventually catch up with him.

Still think he can have a role for us, but starting 2 games per week is too much.

I feel disgusted with myself for saying it, as he is a class above anything else we have when on song.

Anyone else feel robbed of witnessing us at our peak? Eg 6 months of the good times last season, we may never get to see Moutinho in the flesh at Molineux

 

[WickedWolfie]

Had a really good game vs Man United, a glimpse of what he used to offer on a weekly basis.

Unfortunately the good performances have been few and far between this season. It was inevitable age would eventually catch up with him.

Still think he can have a role for us, but starting 2 games per week is too much.

I feel disgusted with myself for saying it, as he is a class above anything else we have when on song.

Anyone else feel robbed of witnessing us at our peak? Eg 6 months of the good times last season, we may never get to see Moutinho in the flesh at Molineux

Assume that the word "again" is missing from the end.

 

[RMNottm]

Had a really good game vs Man United, a glimpse of what he used to offer on a weekly basis.

Unfortunately the good performances have been few and far between this season. It was inevitable age would eventually catch up with him.

Still think he can have a role for us, but starting 2 games per week is too much.

I feel disgusted with myself for saying it, as he is a class above anything else we have when on song.

Anyone else feel robbed of witnessing us at our peak? Eg 6 months of the good times last season, we may never get to see Moutinho in the flesh at Molineux

To be honest when we play a Man City type team I think he has a role (not for 90 mins) the issue is against lesser teams that have driving midfield players they just run past.

Just before he was subbed again West Brom I liked what I saw but I guess he cannot keep up that pace.

We do not know what role he is asked to perform, what influcence he has in the team (I would imagine immense amongst the Portuguese players) or if there contractual obligations.

 

[Jacko7]

Anyone else starting to get really frustrated with his complete lack of form but always getting in the team?

Been a massive fan of his one of my favourite players I've seen for Wolves but he is really struggling this season showing nothing going forward slowing everything down and constantly being run past this season.

He is at that age now where he should not be playing every week and certainly not 2 games a week he needs a spell out the side, back to a back five please Nuno and put Neves and Dendoncker in midfield...

Agree Neves and Donk have been best pairing this season, both out of form (whatever being in form entails). I'd like to see a bit more of Otasowie as he seems unbiased and covers ground effortlessly.

 

[Irish_Wolf]

He hasn't the legs. This was highlighted last season. Not replacing him is just another Nuno big error.

 

[SanFranWolf]

Are the owners TIME?

No Fosun aren’t a magazine however it was obvious to everyone that when we signed Joao that he wasn’t going to play forever.

Fosun had the chance to bring in an understudy and blew it.

Jordao and Vitinha aren’t up to it.

 

[jonesy]

He’s not able for 3 games in a week or even two need to blood vitinha if he is his long term replacement

mouts on his day is a class act but to put that amount of work on Him at 34 is wrong. People need more respect for the guy and nuno more cop on above.

 

[SanFranWolf]

'Arguable' only by people who have been supporting the club for about 5 minutes. I could name you twenty or thirty Wolves players better than Moutinho if we are comparing what they have contributed to Wolves.

For a bit of fun you can go ahead if you like and while you listing Robbie Dennison and Kenny Miller, start a thread to see where Mountinho comes out in terms of the best footballer ever at the club.

I reckon he’ll be in the top 3 (4 if you include Rob Hindmarch)

What I refer to is not contribution by points or trophies but ‘football talent’ otherwise known as ‘class’.

 

[SanFranWolf]

Why is it the owners fault?
Last time we won it was Neves and Dendonker/then Otasowie in midfield. We haven't needed to flog him to death; in the games he hasn't played we have not especially missed him recently. I don't understand it.
Are we trying to break him?

Otasowie is the new Joao Moutinho - you’re having a laugh.

Neves hasn’t been the same player that was in the Championship. When you saw him on the edge of the box with the ball, the next thing rhat you saw was the goalkeeper picking the ball out of the top corner. Not any more.

Donk i’ll go along with.

Fosun have messed up in the recruitment market IMO. We should have brought in an experienced 25/26 year old attacking midfielder with an eye to Jaoa hanging up his boots - not some kids for the U23’s.

Nuno has realised that our kids aren’t up to it and has made that point even clearer by bringing back MGW!

 

[Focke Wolf]

Swap Dendoncker with Saiss and have the midfield pairing we had in the Championship until we can get a proper box to box player in

I agree. I thought Dendoncker was a perfect slot in in defense when Willy was out injured. He didn't let himself down at all. If we revert to a back five, my midfield if we played three there, would be, Neves (playmaker,) Saiss, (workhorse,) and probably Otasowie on what i've seen of him so far. Vitinha needs to eat more greens and get on the weights a bit first. Like a lot on here i think we do need to update the ranks with a midfielder.

 

[WolfInSheep'sClothing]

Otasowie is the new Joao Moutinho - you’re having a laugh.

Neves hasn’t been the same player that was in the Championship. When you saw him on the edge of the box with the ball, the next thing rhat you saw was the goalkeeper picking the ball out of the top corner. Not any more.

Donk i’ll go along with.

Fosun have messed up in the recruitment market IMO. We should have brought in an experienced 25/26 year old attacking midfielder with an eye to Jaoa hanging up his boots - not some kids for the U23’s.

Nuno has realised that our kids aren’t up to it and has made that point even clearer by bringing back MGW!

Rubbish about Neves. He is our best midfielder right now, and the guy we should be building the team around.
And I never said otasowie was the next moutinho. He is nothing like him as a player, but if you play well you keep your place. He played well against Chelsea and next game "Can you play up front? None of our experienced players can."

Moutinho shouldn't have got his place back after the Villa game. He lost us that game. He didn't control it, he gave the ball away in his own penalty area. He got two cheap yellows.
You play well you keep your place. You play badly you lose it, regardless of how many caps you've had in the past.
We win the game next game without him. We haven't won a game since. What has he done of note in those games? Our defence has been terrible. We haven't really controlled all that many of them. He hasn't really created very much. His set pieces have been ****e and
That penalty against Brighton took the ****. If that was an 18 year old doing that he would be sent out on loan to Swansea before he could reach the bench after being taken off.
IT IS THE EXPERIENCED PLAYERS WHO ARE ****ING UP, TIME AND TIME AGAIN. Moutinho us not the impeccable player he once was. We are carrying him now.

 

[The Clock]

I go along with Moutinho might benefit from a rest.
But whilst Dendoncker has more shots (usually off target) and wins more aerial battles, the stats say that Moutinho trounces him in all other aspects

 

[Big Saft Kid]

For a bit of fun you can go ahead if you like and while you listing Robbie Dennison and Kenny Miller, start a thread to see where Mountinho comes out in terms of the best footballer ever at the club.

I reckon he’ll be in the top 3 (4 if you include Rob Hindmarch)

What I refer to is not contribution by points or trophies but ‘football talent’ otherwise known as ‘class’.

For a bit of fun you can go ahead if you like and while you listing Robbie Dennison and Kenny Miller, start a thread to see where Mountinho comes out in terms of the best footballer ever at the club.

I reckon he’ll be in the top 3 (4 if you include Rob Hindmarch)

What I refer to is not contribution by points or trophies but ‘football talent’ otherwise known as ‘class’.

I have been watching Wolves since 1954. I know a class player when I see one. Ever heard of Peter Broadbent, Mike Bailey, Kenny Hibbitt, Peter Knowles, Ron Flowers, Willie Carr, John Richards, Derek Dougan, Norman Deeley, Jimmy Mullen, Roy Swinbourne, just to name a few who made a far, far greater contribution to Wolverhampton Wanderers football club than Moutinho? But all of these were playing for Wolves before Sky invented football in 1992, which is when you probably started watching. Moutinho had one good season with us. Since then he's been pretty gash, but he is a big Portuguese mate of Nuno's which is why he continues to get picked. Arguably our greatest ever player? My ****.

 

[Supadavewolf]

I have been watching Wolves since 1954. I know a class player when I see one. Ever heard of Peter Broadbent, Mike Bailey, Kenny Hibbitt, Peter Knowles, Ron Flowers, Willie Carr, John Richards, Derek Dougan, Norman Deeley, Jimmy Mullen, Roy Swinbourne, just to name a few who made a greater contribution to Wolverhampton Wanderers football club than Moutinho? But all of these were playing for Wolves before Sky invented football in 1992, which is when you probably started watching. Moutinho had one good season with us. Since then he's been pretty gash, but he is a big Portuguese mate of Nuno's which is why he continues to get picked. Arguably our greatest ever player? My ****.

I also go back to the 50s and have seen them play for us.

But you and SFW seem to me to be making slightly different points. You stress the contributions they made, whereas SFW stresses the footballing quality of the individual player.

In the latter case, Mouts certainly - in my opinion - matches most on your list. I think he's a better midfielder than Willy Carr, for instance, though you may disagree. He has shown us - again in my opinion - why he's his country's second most capped player, even though he's not fit to lace Broadbent's boots - yet again in my opinion!

In terms of 'contribution to Wolves' , I fully agree with you. In fairness, Moutinho leaves it all on the pitch for us, and clearly hates it when we lose, but I doubt whether he will ever become a five star Wolves legend, given the fact he joined us at the age he did.

But we also have to acknowledge that times have changed. I don't expect Mouts travels to training on the bus like Billy Wright and many others did - and I'm guessing he's never "borrowed" a bus like Brian Law did (does that make HIM a legend?!).

As you know, BSK, your listed players - especially the earlier ones - gave everything on the pitch for sodall in terms of pay. For that they get my admiration, 100%. Mouts also gives everything on the pitch although he of course gets paid a fortune for it. But at least he does that for us even though when he signed fir us he no doubt could have retired and never kicked a ball in vengeance again.

I simply enjoy the memories of those who gave what they did at the Golden Palace whilst appreciating the full commitment that Moutinho has made here.

 

[Fenrir_]

I agree. I thought Dendoncker was a perfect slot in in defense when Willy was out injured. He didn't let himself down at all. If we revert to a back five, my midfield if we played three there, would be, Neves (playmaker,) Saiss, (workhorse,) and probably Otasowie on what i've seen of him so far. Vitinha needs to eat more greens and get on the weights a bit first. Like a lot on here i think we do need to update the ranks with a midfielder.

It seems like a totally backwards step. But when you look into it, Neves is a far more rounded player than he was then, then the Saiss/Dendoncker part. We've got the better player on the ball playing at the back and the taller, probably more physical player playing in the middle. Sad truth though is I don't think too many are putting Moutinho in there at the moment, still has plenty of class about him but he's getting caught out a lot more than he has in his previous two seasons. Maybe a rest will do him good but right now, he shouldn't be starting (in the league at least - I'd probably start him Friday along with MGW and Vitinha)

 

[Hugh Jarse]

I love how he played but he needs to be used sparingly now.

I'd love to see him involved with the coaching team more. He's skilful, bags of experience, and a model pro. The coaching team needs something different at the minute.

 

[freezin]

Prior to the first lockdown he was looking good. That unexpected break just seemed to do something to him. Almost like his body found it difficult to get back up for it when it restarted.

I'm finding the criticism of Dendoncker a bit strange though. Granted he's missed a few goal scoring opportunities but the lad covers some ground and is a pretty decent all-rounder.

 

[Ian]

I love how he played but he needs to be used sparingly now.

I'd love to see him involved with the coaching team more. He's skilful, bags of experience, and a model pro. The coaching team needs something different at the minute.

Yes I was thinking along the same lines in regards coaching and being a mentor to others at the club..... BUT I remember reading a post on here from someone mentioning that Moutinho is known to sulk and have temper tantrums if he doesn't get his own way??????.
Not sure that was just scurrilous rumours to kick him while he was down but Its something I hadnt heard before.
Ive said it before but unfortunately Moutinho is becoming a bit of a liability now, with his lack of pace, touch and giving away cheap fouls to try and win the ball back.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Yes I was thinking along the same lines in regards coaching and being a mentor to others at the club..... BUT I remember reading a post on here from someone mentioning that Moutinho is known to sulk and have temper tantrums if he doesn't get his own way??????.
Not sure that was just scurrilous rumours to kick him while he was down but Its something I hadnt heard before.
Ive said it before but unfortunately Moutinho is becoming a bit of a liability now, with his lack of pace, touch and giving away cheap fouls to try and win the ball back.

Good! Maybe that's what's lacking in the coaching team at the minute!!!!

 

[Wolf in Kenilworth]

Consider that he also takes our (short) corners and some of our free kicks.

We massively missed the boat in not evolving our midfield. An unproven kid from Portugal is not the answer and neither is Morgan Gibbs O’Hara.