So where do we go from here ?

[Contrarian]

We have never had a worse set of forward players. Proven to be totally useless in front of goal game after game. Do they ever actually practice their finishing, because it is consistently dog dirt and has been for 2 seasons.

It's all icing and no cake! Need to get Sasa up and running fast. Well, not too fast, a gentle jog with no sharp turns.

 

[WWFC4EVA]

Was thinking the same..jinx

I just hope we don't have to wait too long for our next Fantastic day!

 

[Contrarian]

Mad that we're already playing the old 6-pointers in flipping August ffs

Yes. Though not so mad. Because we are fielding almost exactly the same team as last season, woudldn't it be madness to expect a different outcome for the same behaviour? And we now have Bruno Mk2 at the helm. Everton don't seem to have made any significant dealings yet.

It's not unreasonable in the slightest to assume we will both be battling it out at the wrong end of the table. Unless the owners are so horrified by yesterday, the chip in another £100m. And get a manager who knows how to use it.

 

[Wolf 82]

Funniest bit is some of the people on here defending the appointment of GON at the time we’re the same people slagging off that of Lage and putting down his credentials when they are well ahead of GON before joining wolves……

Sooooo funny

Did anyone actually defend the appointment? I thought it was a horrible appointment, literally the only worse options would have been Smith or Lampard.. but, since he was given the position, I will give him a fair chance and get behind him for now.

 

[Stee]

Not going to argue that we need to start scoring some of the many chances we’ve created in the opening two games…

However, I find this flip flop from “how great we looked” to “that’s us relegated” in the space of the opening two games tiresome.

There are a lot of positives right now and we knew our opening fixtures were tough on paper. The ‘where do we go from here’ is to carry on playing positively and creating chances because they will start going in and we will start getting results.

 

[stever]

I just hope we don't have to wait too long for our next Fantastic day!

You got your favourite shirt on?

 

[wolfslair]

Did anyone actually defend the appointment? I thought it was a horrible appointment, literally the only worse options would have been Smith or Lampard.. but, since he was given the position, I will give him a fair chance and get behind him for now.

Many did, saying he was unlucky and will do a good job and was somehow reaching for xg stats a better manager than JL……

 

[WolfInSheep'sClothing]

Lemina - MotM against ManUre; media speculation that he is on Liverpool’s wanted list.

No he wasn't man of the match against manure. The rest of the midfield contributed way more than him, and that's before you look at Cunha.

Liverpool have apparently wanted him for a decade now, yet he ends up at Saints and us when we were rock bottom. Do I think he will go this time? No, cos he isn't good enough defensively to play for Liverpool.

 

[Sussex Wolf]

I think it is the off a cliff drop in standards from Monday to yesterday.

He couldn’t have done or made any meaningful team changes for United.

He definitely had ample time to review things and make tweaks for brighton and we were worse by a big way defensively and in terms of discipline and played into their hands which he didn’t change or replace bad performers till too late.

His comments after the game worry me too….. they are those of a manager who is a media personality and great at sound clips and lack a real understanding of what happened and also respect to the person who took over from whose boots he isn’t good enough to lace up…..

I don’t think that’s fair. First half yesterday, I think it was pretty even, with only the skill of Mitoma separating the teams. Second half was a totally different story, right from the off. I had not seen the video of them coming out until today, but having seen that, and the way we played second half, I have to think something happened at HT to cause the team to lose its composure. As pointed out by others, Neto in particular looked upset, and Sa gave him a friendly pat on his shoulder, so whether it was something specific to him, or he was particularly affected, I’m not sure. But it looks like something did happen at HT to upset the team.

 

[wolfslair]

I don’t think that’s fair. First half yesterday, I think it was pretty even, with only the skill of Mitoma separating the teams. Second half was a totally different story, right from the off. I had seen the video of them coming out until today, but having seen that, and the way we played second half, I have to think something happened at HT to cause the team to lose its composure. As pointed out by others, Neto in particular looked upset, and Sa gave him a friendly pat on his shoulder, so whether it was something specific to him, or he was particularly affected, I’m not sure. But it looks like something did happen at HT to upset the team.

We weren’t as good first half as people on here think…..

We have up as many chances or openings as they did. They ripped us apart down our right too often and with too much ease. Those quick second half goals were replicas of multiple moments they made mistakes on or missed chances with in the first half. So he was given ample warning of what was going to happen and didn’t adjust for it. He showed his nativity and inexperience yesterday.

I think the fact we created and missed good chances papers over the cracks and bad elements of the first half for quite a few.

Thank you for mentioning half time and the drop off and how they came out as I am frustrated with myself that I missed it in my post after I pressed “post”

 

[Wolf 82]

Alright, I’ve managed to last a whole 2 games.. but hear me out;

- RAN is good going forward, but suspect at the back
- Doherty has more end product than Semedo going forward.
- Our wingers/wide forwards, aren’t effective enough currently
- Our Defence isn’t quick enough to play a high line

So, I am advocating 3 at the back again (will need sign an extra CB)

(Against better opposition)
Kilman - Dawson - Toti
Doc - Gomes - Nunes - Lemina - RAN
Cunha - Hwang

(Against poorer opposition)
Kilman - Dawson - Toti
Doc - Nunes - Lemina - RAN
Cunha - Fabio - Hwang/Neto

 

[Contrarian]

We weren’t as good first half as people on here think…..

We have up as many chances or openings as they did. They ripped us apart down our right too often and with too much ease. Those quick second half goals were replicas of multiple moments they made mistakes on or missed chances with in the first half. So he was given ample warning of what was going to happen and didn’t adjust for it. He showed his nativity and inexperience yesterday.

I think the fact we created and missed good chances papers over the cracks and bad elements of the first half for quite a few.

Thank you for mentioning half time and the drop off and how they came out as I am frustrated with myself that I missed it in my post after I pressed “post”

That's how I saw it too. Their first goal felt inevitable, we were already hanging on from the start. After scoring, they dropped a gear and did let us get back in somewhat. But Brighton do play quite open, they do concede chances when they push up.

Even those who don't watch other teams, yesterday they had to watch Brighton. The difference between us was there from first to last minute. They were always in control, at times just swatting us aside. But when it's on the same pitch, the difference in how fluid they attacked, how accurate their passing and movement was, compared to us, was clear. What part is coaching and what is players just not good enough, I don't know. But we still overhit and underhit passes continually. It's never quite right,and our decisions are poor. We see our attackers getting in each others way match after match for 2 years now.

It's all so disjointed - even though we could well have gone it at half time 1-1. Brighton would still have won comfortably. As will any top 6 team against us. One positive is that Cunha looks like he could play in a side with better players around him... as long as he doesn't have to finish. His overall play has gone up a level and is excellent, but those around him just don't look good enough at the moment.

 

[Dan G WWFC]

Where do we go?

The championship

 

[Mile End Wanderer]

Where do we go?

The championship

Change formation first, 343 would suit us more so

 

[Bryce]

3412 might do

 

[Urko]

It’s already beginning to feel like the Solbakken season.

For newbies and non-legacy fans, google is your friend

 

[DanishWolf]

It’s already beginning to feel like the Solbakken season.

For newbies and non-legacy fans, google is your friend

In that scenario who'd be current Dean Saunders replacing GON once we crash out of the FA Cup against a non league team in January?

 

[Urko]

In that scenario who'd be current Dean Saunders replacing GON once we crash out of the FA Cup against a non league team in January?

Hobbs will no doubt appoint Nathan Jones and we’ll be told he interviewed the best

 

[DanishWolf]

Hobbs will no doubt appoint Nathan Jones and we’ll be told he interviewed the best

Scary thing is its not an unlikely scenario at all..

 

[Ned]

The centre midfield surely can’t keep up with the workload all season having to constantly sprint to cover the full backs and support a relatively slow defence, this on top of having to support the attacks too.

 

[O.W.E.I]

Watch a lot of X-files, do you?

No - never seen it.

 

[O.W.E.I]

If you’re right you are my new best friend x

I hope so, I don't have any friends, just the cat.

 

[sillytuna]

Not going to argue that we need to start scoring some of the many chances we’ve created in the opening two games…

However, I find this flip flop from “how great we looked” to “that’s us relegated” in the space of the opening two games tiresome.

There are a lot of positives right now and we knew our opening fixtures were tough on paper. The ‘where do we go from here’ is to carry on playing positively and creating chances because they will start going in and we will start getting results.

It is tiresome and all GON needs to do us keep spirits high and tactics simple imho. Anything else will see us in trouble as he doesn't have the chops. Don't screw up the next two games like the last one.

 

[BigRalph]

Having just watched the second Brighton goal can someone explain why the Brighton player in an offside position right in front of Sa wasn't interfering with play,and as such the goal should have been disallowed. The game may have been different then.

 

[Mile End Wanderer]

CHANGE FORMATION

Sa
Doc Kilman Dawson Toti RAN
Lemina Gomes
Cunha Silva Hwang

Will be like old times, watch us play a lot more comfortably also. Sorry we still have the same issues since Nuno & Lage left.

 

[JOSWolf]

CHANGE FORMATION

Sa
Doc Kilman Dawson Toti RAN
Lemina Gomes
Cunha Silva Hwang

Will be like old times, watch us play a lot more comfortably also. Sorry we still have the same issues since Nuno & Lage left.

Zero back up for the 3 centre backs.

 

[Madmalc]

We trust in Garry O'Neil he kept Bournemouth up, he'll keep us up.
It won't be pretty, but it will be done.
There may be casualties when it comes to bruised egos.
We won't be getting any instant gratification.
Spending £30m or £40m plus on a player doesn’t buy you a get out of jail free card.
The build will be slower to a top 6 finish.
We get behind the team, yes some players have glaring weaknesses, GON will get them playing to their strengths once he works out if they have some to work on.

 

[AndyY]

Zero back up for the 3 centre backs.

Agreed, but do we risk losing because we need to keep a spare CB or do we risk an injury/ suspension to one of our only 3 CB starters?
Injuries/ suspensions happen, but losses are more likely on the balance of probability, and we need to stop that and get some points on the board.
IF we did lose a CB then we would have to adapt and play Lemina there, or maybe look at the free agent market, until we can get Mosquera back in January and/ or buy another one in January.
Needs must imho

 

[Mile End Wanderer]

Zero back up for the 3 centre backs.

Window still open

 

[Krispy Kreme]

They don’t understand the basics that you improve every summer before the season starts, you don’t leave it to Jan when you have to over pay for talent.

Other than last January when have we ever done our business in January?

 

[Wolfmeister75]

Let’s be honest, the World Cup break & Lope making us mean in defence saved us last season. We struggled without all the departures. We’ve got a good chance of finishing 17th only because there’s 3 worse teams than us. Definitely 2 in Luton & Sheff U. Everton are as bad as us but I find this situation utterly depressing. The highs of Nuno leading us into Europe seem a very distant memory. Terrible recruitment previously has cost us massively. How long O’Neil will keep up the aggressive offensive approach without getting points remains to be seen.

 

[wolfslair]

Other than last January when have we ever done our business in January?

That was the point…. Last season instead of buying the players we needed then, we waited till Jan and over paid by a substantial amount.

 

[Krispy Kreme]

That was the point…. Last season instead of buying the players we needed then, we waited till Jan and over paid by a substantial amount.

You're saying that you don't wait to Jan, well Fosun don't have form for waiting till Jan.

 

[Contrarian]

In that scenario who'd be current Dean Saunders replacing GON once we crash out of the FA Cup against a non league team in January?

Or just lose to Luton again, as we did back then.

 

[lostwolf]

McTominey would be a great signing for us

He would, he's a very underrated player, decent in tight positions, can score a few, and pretty tenacious in the tackle. The £30m I've seen mentioned would be a good price too as he's only 26.

I think midfield is the least of our issues at the moment though - centre forward and pace at the back must be the priorities unless GON is planning on playing much tighter.

 

[lostwolf]

I really think this is the case. They never really understood the Premier League, the Big 6 and all that goes with it, as those who have been watching for years and decades do. Other than the promotion season, it's been no-buys, panic-buys or just weird-buys.

Brightons owner supported Brighton since he was a kid. That seems to have helped them bridge the gap with the Big 6 who have billions more to spend, with owners who own the clubs as playthings, or to maximise profit or for political reasons, whatever. And put them ahead of the rest of the pack.

He's put in (not just reinvested) a quarter of a billion pounds. Agree that he's the kind of figure most fans would kill to see in charge, but it just isn't realistic.

Personally, I hope the Saudis take over, the PL dies on it's ****, player wages etc come down and we end up seeing the 50+1 German model in England failing that, someone hits oil in Sedgley!

 

[LosgallardosWolf]

Down

 

[goldfish]

Many did, saying he was unlucky and will do a good job and was somehow reaching for xg stats a better manager than JL……

In the circumstances, he was about as good as we could hope for. That says more about the circumstances than him, though.

Also, his xG stats are awful: Bournemouth overperformed massively last year, largely because of Neto.