Squad strength

[Darvo]

With just over a day of the window left (and maybe one or two more surprises), is the squad stronger than last seasons or weaker?

Bear in mind that we’ve probably only lost 2 players that we’d have preferred to keep … but have a few new signings now plus players that have returned from loan (Fabio) and from injury (Sasa, Neto, Traore).

one thing is for sure, the balance sheet is stronger and we shouldn’t have to worry about FFP for a while.

 

[WolfInSheep'sClothing]

With just over a day of the window left (and maybe one or two more surprises), is the squad stronger than last seasons or weaker?

Bear in mind that we’ve probably only lost 2 players that we’d have preferred to keep … but have a few new signings now plus players that have returned from loan (Fabio) and from injury (Sasa, Neto, Traore).

one thing is for sure, the balance sheet is stronger and we shouldn’t have to worry about FFP for a while.

We are 2 players per position in most areas, but I think there is less quality in central midfield in particular.

 

[surreywolf]

i dont know but what on earth has happened for this mad trolley dash to kick off this week? I'm relieved but we're all over the shop

 

[Beeches wolf]

i dont know but what on earth has happened for this mad trolley dash to kick off this week? I'm relieved but we're all over the shop

Just our luck when we get to the check-out with the trolley and the assistant says " oh wolves is it, sorry your on stop".

 

[Brockmoorwolf]

We are 2 players per position in most areas, but I think there is less quality in central midfield in particular.

I read somewhere this week that moutinho 3rd and neves 5th were the best press resistant midfielders in the prem in recent seasons. We are going to miss that, but on a positive we now have more mobile midfielders to be the ones doing the pressing rather than hoping to play out under pressure.

 

[MotorWoden]

Its a decent squad with the possible exception of centreback - Bueno is a bit of an unkown in British football. If he turns out to be capable at this level then its down to the coach to make the most of this group of players.

 

[Sedgers]

I think we look weakest on the left side in midfield/attack

 

[Harlow Wolf]

Good question. I actually think we look stronger in attack with Sasa, Silva and a fitter Neto back and possibly Adams as another option. Plus Cunha has started well and Sarabia will surely be stronger this year.

Defence is probably on a par with last season but if Santiago Bueno hits the ground running he could be a better option than Collins plus Hugo and RAN have another years experience. Doc is a solid signing that offers more attacking options.

Midfield - we've obviously lost our biggest names but if rumours are to be believed we'll have more options and strength in depth but perhaps less star quality.

A lot depends on how the new lads settle in but I think we have enough to be better than about 6 other teams.

 

[Wolf in Kenilworth]

I think our squad depth is pretty good.
If Adams comes in that’s a 24 man squad so competition for places will be huge.

Having said that I still think we need a creative midfielder and wide forward lol

 

[Oldskooldayz]

For all the desperation and angst of the last few weeks we've actually got a pretty solid squad of players. This year is all about balancing the books and I'm fairly confident there is/will be enough quality by the end of the window

 

[Greeno]

Just our luck when we get to the check-out with the trolley and the assistant says " oh wolves is it, sorry your on stop".

I think we need one of them quality inspections at some point, though. Numbers aren't necessarily the answer.

 

[surreywolf]

I think we look weakest on the left side in midfield/attack

possibly but RAN can do a good job there. plus neto or hwang

 

[GuzzWolf]

It will depend on how they are stitched together and the tough decisions are good ones. For that reason I hope GON gets some more support. Generally I'm happy there has been a changing of the guard. Bring it on.

 

[Wagstaffe Was Magic]

From the heady days of Raul, Neves, Moutinho Boly and Jota, we’ve dropped a level.

I can’t see this squad finishing 7th. However we will hopefully slot in somewhere around the top of the bottom half of the table.

 

[brianm]

From the heady days of Raul, Neves, Moutinho Boly and Jota, we’ve dropped a level.

I can’t see this squad finishing 7th. However we will hopefully slot in somewhere around the top of the bottom half of the table.

I agree. This squad probably won't finish seventh. However, I think top ten is a good goal. Midtable is reasonable. A relegation battle would be bad in my opinion, especially this season as compared to last.

 

[WickedWolfie]

I agree. This squad probably won't finish seventh. However, I think top ten is a good goal. Midtable is reasonable. A relegation battle would be bad in my opinion, especially this season as compared to last.

I hope that you are right. I fear that you may not fully appreciate the drop in quality both across the squad and in the dugout.

 

[citrus_wolf]

Honestly **** Fosun. Is this what not buying any players is meant to look like?

If they'd told Julen this plan, he'd have likely been content, but they cried that the well was completely dry. He must be looking on thinking 'What the hell?'

We lost a decent coach because Fosun were adamant about the absence of funds, now we're linked with all and sundry

 

[Flaneur]

i dont know but what on earth has happened for this mad trolley dash to kick off this week? I'm relieved but we're all over the shop

We just sold Nunes for a club record fee - Had that not happened, I get the feeling we'd have been looking for loan deals only coming to the end of the window...

£140m+ made in player sales,

Spending only £17.8m so far on:

S. Bueno - £8.5m,
Gonzales - £5m,
Doyle - £4.3m, &
Doherty (free)

We may go on to spend a further £5m loan fee for Che Adams & maybe say a £20m signing as a push seen as it looks like we'd bid around that for Habib Diarra before it was rejected - But even adding those in it would only push the spending to £42m, whereas we've sold £100m more than that.

 

[WickedWolfie]

Honestly **** Fosun. Is this what not buying any players is meant to look like?

If they'd told Julen this plan, he'd have likely been content, but they cried that the well was completely dry. He must be looking on thinking 'What the hell?'

We lost a decent coach because Fosun were adamant about the absence of funds, now we're linked with all and sundry

It does sort of feel like that.

 

[Bill McCai]

Honestly **** Fosun. Is this what not buying any players is meant to look like?

If they'd told Julen this plan, he'd have likely been content, but they cried that the well was completely dry. He must be looking on thinking 'What the hell?'

We lost a decent coach because Fosun were adamant about the absence of funds, now we're linked with all and sundry

Yes but the players we have signed are a clear sign of where are. I’m sure Emery would have laughed this lot out of town.

 

[WickedWolfie]

Yes but the players we have signed are a clear sign of where are. I’m sure Emery would have laughed this lot out of town.

It is certainly more about quantity than quality l agree. Mid-table is likely now our highest realistic aspiration.

 

[brianm]

I hope that you are right. I fear that you may not fully appreciate the drop in quality both across the squad and in the dugout.

I can genuinely say that I am excited to find out. This seems like it will be a good group to get behind.

 

[Poztin]

Nuno never had this squad depth. Whether O’Neil can get a tune out of them is what remains to be seen.

 

[WickedWolfie]

Nuno never had this squad depth. Whether O’Neil can get a tune out of them is what remains to be seen.

In quantity yes. Quality-wise though....

 

[brianm]

Honestly **** Fosun. Is this what not buying any players is meant to look like?

If they'd told Julen this plan, he'd have likely been content, but they cried that the well was completely dry. He must be looking on thinking 'What the hell?'

We lost a decent coach because Fosun were adamant about the absence of funds, now we're linked with all and sundry

To be honest, I don't think che Adams was the kind of signing Lop was hoping for.

The man wanted to be part of a free-spending billionaire project, but he waited until that was no longer the project to join. Sometimes in life the timing doesn't work out.

On the other hand, I bet the current manager, who actually wants to be at Wolves, is licking his lips at all the permutations these signings offer.

 

[Poztin]

In quantity yes. Quality-wise though....

Nuno got the best out of players like Coady and Bennett. He made a team stronger than any individual weaknesses. If O’Neil can do the same with this group there’s no reason why we can’t have a good season.

 

[Hawkguy]

Honestly **** Fosun. Is this what not buying any players is meant to look like?

If they'd told Julen this plan, he'd have likely been content, but they cried that the well was completely dry. He must be looking on thinking 'What the hell?'

We lost a decent coach because Fosun were adamant about the absence of funds, now we're linked with all and sundry

Except... they did. It was stated by, I believe Hobbs, that any business we did concerning incomings would be near the end of the window. Maybe that's a strategy that Hobbs likes. Maybe he finds negotiations with little time left a better way to conduct business, who knows.

Lopetegui didn't want to stay at Wolves. End of story.

 

[Wolf in Kenilworth]

Except... they did. It was stated by, I believe Hobbs, that any business we did concerning incomings would be near the end of the window. Maybe that's a strategy that Hobbs likes. Maybe he finds negotiations with little time left a better way to conduct business, who knows.

Lopetegui didn't want to stay at Wolves. End of story.

Absolutely this.

We could have offered to bankrupt the club to keep him yet he still wanted out.

 

[WickedWolfie]

Absolutely this.

We could have offered to bankrupt the club to keep him yet he still wanted out.

Hmmmm.... and yet what Hobbs had to say was consistent with what JL was saying.... Until the ground shifted again.....

 

[Wolf in Kenilworth]

Hmmmm.... and yet what Hobbs had to say was consistent with what JL was saying.... Until the ground shifted again.....

The moment Lopetegui whinged to the press, and I’m not talking the Balague interview but the very first time, it was only going one way.

 

[Flaneur]

The moment Lopetegui whinged to the press, and I’m not talking the Balague interview but the very first time, it was only going one way.

Nuno whinged to the press too, as did Bruno - The main killer was probably the interview with Balague, asking for players in the press is nothing new & every manager does it.

 

[loppers86]

i dont know but what on earth has happened for this mad trolley dash to kick off this week? I'm relieved but we're all over the shop

Guo?

 

[Coshamwolves]

Honestly **** Fosun. Is this what not buying any players is meant to look like?

If they'd told Julen this plan, he'd have likely been content, but they cried that the well was completely dry. He must be looking on thinking 'What the hell?'

We lost a decent coach because Fosun were adamant about the absence of funds, now we're linked with all and sundry

Get over it he worked his ticket

 

[TF2Wolf]

Imho feels like we are just putting together a very workmanlike squad and I worry where the creativity and goals are going to come from.

 

[WickedWolfie]

Imho feels like we are just putting together a very workmanlike squad and I worry where the creativity and goals are going to come from.

Feels rather like a Mick squad, albeit more foreigners, and l don't mean that in a good way.

All good honest work and bugger all guile. They'll put a shift in.....

 

[Tring Wolf]

Not really sure how to answer the question given I’ve never seen Bueno or Gonzales play. However, unless they’re the reincarnations of Montero and Enciso, my gut feeling is we have significantly weakened the starting XI by selling our best two players and replacing them with a number of ‘squad filler’ signings (admittedly a couple who look like low risk, high potential reward ones).

Guessing the matchday squad currently looks something like:

Sa
Semedo, Dawson, Kilman, RAN
Sarabia, Lemina, Gomes, Neto
Cunha
Fabio

Bentley, Doherty, S Bueno, H Bueno, Doyle, Traore, Hwang, Sasa, Adams

With Jonny, Toti, Hodge, Gonzales and Fraser in the mix.

Decent depth but would have preferred a couple more signings that added genuine quality to the starting XI rather than effective back-up.

Who knows…maybe they’re coming tomorrow…but as it stands, the whole Summer still feels like a big downgrade in terms of quality and ambition.

 

[Oh When the Wolves]

First team is worse (just)

Squad is much better

Strength in depth at CB and CF - and we finally have mobile CFs (which is why the first team is just worse)

But, we’ve lost two quality players in neves and nunes .

 

[WickedWolfie]

Not really sure how to answer the question given I’ve never seen Bueno or Gonzales play. However, unless they’re the reincarnations of Montero and Enciso, my gut feeling is we have significantly weakened the starting XI by selling our best two players and replacing them with a number of ‘squad filler’ signings (admittedly a couple who look like low risk, high potential reward ones).

Guessing the matchday squad currently looks something like:

Sa
Semedo, Dawson, Kilman, RAN
Sarabia, Lemina, Gomes, Neto
Cunha
Fabio

Bentley, Doherty, S Bueno, H Bueno, Doyle, Traore, Hwang, Sasa, Adams

With Jonny, Toti, Hodge, Gonzales and Fraser in the mix.

Decent depth but would have preferred a couple more signings that added genuine quality to the starting XI rather than effective back-up.

Who knows…maybe they’re coming tomorrow…but as it stands, the whole Summer still feels like a big downgrade in terms of quality and ambition.

You have expressed, in longer more erudite form, my feelings. Add a downgrade in the coaching staff too.

 

[Cousins78]

First team is worse (just)

Squad is much better

Strength in depth at CB and CF - and we finally have mobile CFs (which is why the first team is just worse)

But, we’ve lost two quality players in neves and nunes .

Nunes replacement short, hoping for a top player coming in tomorrow

 

[WickedWolfie]

Nunes replacement short, hoping for a top player coming in tomorrow

I fear that is Bob Hope or no hope....