Winning trophies

[The Fat Bloke]

Coady on last night saying that the dream and aim is to win trophies.

With Liverpool playing a team of kids tonight, I think we have thrown one away this season.

I know there are other priorities etc etc but a cup is a cup.

 

[WonderWolf]

With a small squad as is we had other, more important, priorities to be focused on.

The players are made of flesh and bone.

Perhaps next season we can hunt everything down better with an extended and more developed pack.

 

[Shirtliffs shinpads]

I am 100% with you on this one, although I think Nuno had worked out that the team we fielded against villa would have had to have been the team for the 2nd leg of the next round anyway, ie with the tight congested city and Liverpool games coming up and with other away games tightly fixed in and the next round of europa also on the doorstep I think it would have been a massive risk to play a full strength team at that stage(villa) just to get knocked out at the next.
That's my take on it anyway.

 

[JadeWolf]

Our priority this year is the league and Europe. We need a few more transfer windows before we have a squad to challenge on different levels.

 

[Shirtliffs shinpads]

In other terms I mean that fielding full strength teams throughout late December January and February in 4 competitions would be an impossibility. The carabao is the lesser of the 4.

 

[Deleted at own request (WeAreTheWolves)]

It's all talk. The club prioritised money this year.

We saw a group game that had very little riding on it as more important than a chance at winning the cup.

The team that played Besiktas could have beaten Villa in the cup and that was rotated. If rest was as important as you all said for justifying the Villa selection he would have done it against Besiktas but he didn't. We let in a last minute goal three days later as well, maybe we'd have won or drawn if Neves/Moutinho/Coady/Dendoncker had been given the night off.

 

[WW1963]

Villa have been totally outplayed by Liverpool's U23 side but have just taken the lead. They have as much chance of winning this trophy as Watford had last season of winning the FA Cup.

Zero.

I'd fancy Wolves to win any trophy they take seriously, but winning the Europa has to be top priority if CL is to be aspired to.

2-0

 

[Nige100]

Villa ain't in a final tonight. Just to reiterate Leicester, Man City and Man Utd are still in the competition I think throwing away a trophy is a bit premature. At worst we threw away another semi final. I think it's been obvious quite early on where our priorities lay this season. EL and another decent PL finish.

 

[ShropshireLad]

It's all talk. The club prioritised money this year.

We saw a group game that had very little riding on it as more important than a chance at winning the cup.

The team that played Besiktas could have beaten Villa in the cup and that was rotated. If rest was as important as you all said for justifying the Villa selection he would have done it against Besiktas but he didn't. We let in a last minute goal three days later as well, maybe we'd have won or drawn if Neves/Moutinho/Coady/Dendoncker had been given the night off.

Got to disagree with you over their second goal. We were containing them well but Traore was injured, had to come off and then run on for the corner, his head wasn’t straight - he was wandering all around that section of the penalty area.

A better plan would have been for Nuno to put a defender on for the free kick if possible and if not send him on to defend the corner. Dropping that point had nothing to do with the team v Besiktas. Jota played well up front and Jimenez didn’t play. Additionally, Mouthinio and Neves didn’t cost us the game through us not scoring twice.

 

[The Fat Bloke]

Villa ain't in a final tonight. Just to reiterate Leicester, Man City and Man Utd are still in the competition I think throwing away a trophy is a bit premature. At worst we threw away another semi final. I think it's been obvious quite early on where our priorities lay this season. EL and another decent PL finish.

True, but it is a walkover quarter final.

 

[colwall wolf]

Villa ain't in a final tonight. Just to reiterate Leicester, Man City and Man Utd are still in the competition I think throwing away a trophy is a bit premature. At worst we threw away another semi final. I think it's been obvious quite early on where our priorities lay this season. EL and another decent PL finish.

Still inter Milan, manutd, ajax and Seville in Europa but we ain’t chucking that away

 

[The Fat Bloke]

We can all dress it up as we like, but I reckon if Nuno had put out even half the first team we could have been looking at a huge 2 leg semi in a cup competition.

Sure we all want to finish high in the Prem and hopefully win Europa League, but still what could have been.

I really wasn’t ***** at the time, but looking back now I reckon it was a bad call.

 

[dizzydonut]

Ifs, buts, and maybes. Maybe if Neves had stayed in the locker room 1 minute longer at half time time it might have been a different result. Villa wise we could have picked up and injury and lost the return league match, people would be on his (Nunos) back. Lets be honest - if any of us knew better - we'd be managing a top team now - we're not and Nuno knows best.

 

[Frank Lincoln]

IT wasn't the starting eleven that disappointed me at Villa, but the lack of options on the bench. This was a competition we could have gone a long way in, but sadly it was designated as the last in the list of priorities.

 

[VancouverWolf]

There was never a guarantee that we would have done well there. Last year Klopp played a 16 year old against us in the Cup and a bet of a weakened team. Even he had to prioritize.

 

[Deleted member 9788]

Because we all knew we were getting this Liverpool team before the villa game didn't we.....

 

[Nige100]

Still inter Milan, manutd, ajax and Seville in Europa but we ain’t chucking that away

Dont understand the relevance of that. I was stating we haven't by any stretch threw a trophy away and pointing out even were we playing Liverpool's kids tonight's winning trophy was no forgone conclusion you are emphasising my point.

 

[Deleted at own request (WeAreTheWolves)]

Because we all knew we were getting this Liverpool team before the villa game didn't we.....

Liverpool's U18s, Oxford and Colchester.

3 in 7 chance that we would be in a semi-final realistically and we'd fancy our chances against the other four at home and maybe even away.

Instead we throw that Villa game but don't throw a game that meant next to nothing. All because you get £500,000 for winning the game that meant next to nothing. The bull**** about the players needing a rest was proved as just that by the fact Nuno played several key players against Besiktas.

This particular incident was so poor from us. I hope there's no repeat against United.

 

[Deleted member 9788]

Liverpool's U18s, Oxford and Colchester.

3 in 7 chance that we would be in a semi-final realistically and we'd fancy our chances against the other four at home and maybe even away.

Instead we throw that Villa game but don't throw a game that meant next to nothing. All because you get £500,000 for winning the game that meant next to nothing. The bull**** about the players needing a rest was proved as just that by the fact Nuno played several key players against Besiktas.

This particular incident was so poor from us. I hope there's no repeat against United.

Hand on heart did you know that we could have played Liverpool u18s until after klopp had a whinge? Also didnt colchester knock out spurs? Not sure on that

 

[AndyWolves]

Please predict right now who Villa will draw in the next round so Smith knows whether to throw the game or not

 

[Deleted at own request (WeAreTheWolves)]

Hand on heart did you know that we could have played Liverpool u18s until after klopp had a whinge? Also didnt colchester knock out spurs? Not sure on that

What's that got to do with anything? We should try regardless. You're advocating throwing a game because we could draw Liverpool?

We could have been in the last 8 and had 3 potential easy ties from a possible 7, that's a fact.

Why couldn't we have played the same team we had against Besiktas?

 

[Deleted member 9788]

Please predict right now who Villa will draw in the next round so Smith knows whether to throw the game or not

**** that i would rather know the lottery numbers or Kelly Brooks password to her to phone to see if she got any naked selfies

 

[AndyWolves]

What's that got to do with anything? We should try regardless. You're advocating throwing a game because we could draw Liverpool?

We could have been in the last 8 and had 3 potential easy ties from a possible 7, that's a fact.

Why couldn't we have played the same team we had against Besiktas?

You know 4/7 is a higher probability than 3/7 right?

Realistically, even if we'd drawn Oxford or Colchester we'd still have to go reasonably strong to make sure we got through.

Plus the semi finals are a two legged affair which really wouldn't help if we progress in the Europa (which we should) and if we beat man there'd be fa cup games to think about.

That's just too much for our squad right now. Even the really big boys (Liverpool etc) would struggle to remain competitive

 

[Deleted member 9788]

What's that got to do with anything? We should try regardless. You're advocating throwing a game because we could draw Liverpool?

We could have been in the last 8 and had 3 potential easy ties from a possible 7, that's a fact.

Why couldn't we have played the same team we had against Besiktas?

1) never said we should throw a game. Nuno clearly wanted to rotate and try different players and unfortunately the competition that always suffers is the league cup. Every premier league team treats it like crap. Personally I wouldn't and would want to win it because I'm a fan but then fans are emotional hence I'm not a football manager

2) You carry on crying saying 3 potential easy teams, of these 1 knocked out spurs and the other is Liverpool. Did you know before the villa game that if we got drawn with Liverpool they would have been playing these kids? That's all I've asked you

 

[Deleted at own request (WeAreTheWolves)]

You know 4/7 is a higher probability than 3/7 right?

Realistically, even if we'd drawn Oxford or Colchester we'd still have to go reasonably strong to make sure we got through.

Plus the semi finals are a two legged affair which really wouldn't help if we progress in the Europa (which we should) and if we beat man there'd be fa cup games to think about.

That's just too much for our squad right now. Even the really big boys (Liverpool etc) would struggle to remain competitive

It's very rare to get three easy draws in a quarter-final of a competition. Very rare.

Yes, so what if we had to go strong? We went strongish against Besiktas when we didn't need to so the players are fine.

The semi-finals are in January, absolutely zero impact on the Europa.

 

[Deleted member 9788]

You know 4/7 is a higher probability than 3/7 right?

Realistically, even if we'd drawn Oxford or Colchester we'd still have to go reasonably strong to make sure we got through.

Plus the semi finals are a two legged affair which really wouldn't help if we progress in the Europa (which we should) and if we beat man there'd be fa cup games to think about.

That's just too much for our squad right now. Even the really big boys (Liverpool etc) would struggle to remain competitive

By saying the squad mate all he's gonna is start crying about the transfer window again... Its all he's trying to gear at.

 

[Deleted member 4456]

Aston Villa were rubbish that night. A little more experience would've seen us into a walkover game against Liverpool with Wembley in sight. We could've at least secured a Europa League place for next season and, with hindsight, we threw away the opportunity.

 

[Deleted at own request (WeAreTheWolves)]

1) never said we should throw a game. Nuno clearly wanted to rotate and try different players and unfortunately the competition that always suffers is the league cup. Every premier league team treats it like crap. Personally I wouldn't and would want to win it because I'm a fan but then fans are emotional hence I'm not a football manager

2) You carry on crying saying 3 potential easy teams, of these 1 knocked out spurs and the other is Liverpool. Did you know before the villa game that if we got drawn with Liverpool they would have been playing these kids? That's all I've asked you

1) What others do is absolutely not relevant to me/you/Wolves.

2) If you're arguing that Colchester are a tough team what chance have I got? Yes, we could lose. Just like we could lose to anyone in the world but you'll forgive me for thinking that we could beat the team 9th in League Two, no matter who they've beat.

As for Liverpool, of course I didn't, nobody did. Talks were scheduled after the draw so no one could. But that's irrelevant as well. If we'd have tried we could have won and as it turns out we'd have had a 3/7 chance of reaching a semi-final IMO.

 

[Deleted member 9788]

1) What others do is absolutely not relevant to me/you/Wolves.

2) If you're arguing that Colchester are a tough team what chance have I got? Yes, we could lose. Just like we could lose to anyone in the world but you'll forgive me for thinking that we could beat the team 9th in League Two, no matter who they've beat.

As for Liverpool, of course I didn't, nobody did. Talks were scheduled after the draw so no one could. But that's irrelevant as well. If we'd have tried we could have won and as it turns out we'd have had a 3/7 chance of reaching a semi-final IMO.

I'm not saying colchester are a tough team. Just pointing out there would have been spurs fans saying they are an easy draw like you are... how did that work out for them?

 

[Deleted at own request (WeAreTheWolves)]

I'm not saying colchester are a tough team. Just pointing out there would have been spurs fans saying they are an easy draw like you are... how did that work out for them?

There's a difference between an easy draw and going through. Colchester is an easy draw but we may not have gone through. Just like drawing that Liverpool side would have been an easy draw but no guarantee we'd go through.

Way to go off topic though. You said you want to see us win things and you'd have tried at Villa, so don't see why we're not on the same page. We ****ed up at Villa.

 

[Deleted member 9788]

There's a difference between an easy draw and going through. Colchester is an easy draw but we may not have gone through. Just like drawing that Liverpool side would have been an easy draw but no guarantee we'd go through.

Way to go off topic though. You said you want to see us win things and you'd have tried at Villa, so don't see why we're not on the same page. We ****ed up at Villa.

So colchester is an easy draw but we may not have got through, so why are you whingeing about 3/7 easy ties implying we would be through to the semis if we got any of them?? You are ****ing contradicting yourself.

 

[Deleted at own request (WeAreTheWolves)]

So colchester is an easy draw but we may not have got through, so why are you whingeing about 3/7 easy ties implying we would be through to the semis if we got any of them?? You are ****ing contradicting yourself.

FFS. There's 7 teams to get. Manchester City would be the hardest, Colchester would be the easiest.

Does that mean we would lose to Man City? No. Does that mean we would beat Colchester? No. But it still makes City the hardest and Colchester the easiest to any normal person.

 

[Fenrir_]

I'd have liked to have seen us with a better bench at Villa and yes, we could well be looking at a two legged semi final coming up. But I don't think people grasp just how hectic the schedule could be

1/1 Watford (PL)
4/1 Man U (FAC)
7/1 Semi 1st leg (LC)
11/1 Newcastle (PL)
14/1 Possible replay (FAC)
18/1 Southampton (PL)
23/1 Liverpool (PL)
25/1 4th Round (FAC)
28/1 Semi 2nd leg (LC)

1/2 Man U (PL)
4/2 Possible replay (FAC)
8/2 Leicester (PL)
20/2 Espanyol (EL)
22/2 Norwich (PL)
27/2 Espanyol (EL)
1/3 Spurs (PL)

Would we seriously have the squad to go full tilt at all those games? If not, which competition are we neglecting? I think if we'd played the kids at Leicester and gone out rather than it being at Villa, people wouldn't be half as bothered

 

[Deleted member 9788]

FFS. There's 7 teams to get. Manchester City would be the hardest, Colchester would be the easiest.

Does that mean we would lose to Man City? No. Does that mean we would beat Colchester? No. But it still makes City the hardest and Colchester the easiest to any normal person.

So why the **** are you crying about about 3/7 easy draws if none of them are a guaranteed win for wolves! You just arguing for the sake of arguing!

 

[Deleted at own request (WeAreTheWolves)]

So why the **** are you crying about about 3/7 easy draws if none of them are a guaranteed win for wolves! You just arguing for the sake of arguing!

Because nothing is a guarantee, that doesn't mean it shouldn't be easy, I don't know how you're not grasping this.

Villa had an easy draw against Liverpool's U23s, agree?
If yes, it still didn't mean before the game that they were definitely going to win, did it?
But, they did and won 5-0 so it turned out to be easy as people would've expected.

That's how I think it would go if we got Colchester.

You're last sentence is funny considering you AGREE with the point that we should be trying to win the cup and wanted Nuno to play a strong team, yet here we are...

 

[Deleted member 5962]

I dont understand the bellyaching tbh. We arent ready to compete for multiple trophies in a year atm, Nuno doesnt even trust our bench enough to make subs atm. We need to recruit intelligently in Jan and the summer and hope we have enough depth to have a proper go next year. In the mean time, lets just enjoy the 2 competitions we are actually trying to perform in.

 

[Deleted member 9788]

Because nothing is a guarantee, that doesn't mean it shouldn't be easy, I don't know how you're not grasping this.

Villa had an easy draw against Liverpool's U23s, agree?
If yes, it still didn't mean before the game that they were definitely going to win, did it?
But, they did and won 5-0 so it turned out to be easy as people would've expected.

That's how I think it would go if we got Colchester.

You're last sentence is funny considering you AGREE with the point that we should be trying to win the cup and wanted Nuno to play a strong team, yet here we are...

That colchester bit is exactly what spurs fans would have been thinking, how did that work out for them? Pride comes before a fall...

Also I haven't said WE should try and win the cup, I said I would because I'm a wolves fan. Emotions are involved. However if I was an employed manager of Norwich city playing in the league cup would be the last of my worries.

 

[ShropshireLad]

Hindsight is a wonderful thing.
We could have fielded players who became injured.

Sod it, that was then and this is now so let’s not get hot under the collar about it.

 

[ShropshireLad]

I dont understand the bellyaching tbh. We arent ready to compete for multiple trophies in a year atm, Nuno doesnt even trust our bench enough to make subs atm. We need to recruit intelligently in Jan and the summer and hope we have enough depth to have a proper go next year. In the mean time, lets just enjoy the 2 competitions we are actually trying to perform in.

Exactly. I was surprised that he didn’t put a defender on in place of Traore at the end. That may have made a difference but who knows...?

 

[Darvo]

Not too long ago we spanked Villa at Molineux. The result didn’t reflect our dominance. I don’t think I want to swap places with them.