Pre-season friendly thread

[prawnking]

Ah... where were all these mods desperately trying to get things 'back on topic' during the good old days when posters like Cyber were getting rounded on and 'banged' by multiple posters for 'chatting shit', eh?

 

[BGreenWolf]

Don't you just hate the feeling you get when someone's making some decent points, but they're being such a colossal knob about them that you find yourself shying away anyway?

 

[prawnking]

Don't you just hate the feeling you get when someone's making some decent points, but they're being such a colossal knob about them that you find yourself shying away anyway?

Unfortunately mate, forums can be crass and unsubtle and unless you go big and repetitive sometimes it just gets dismissed and brushed aside x

 

[Wolvensam]

I think Mosquera looks a very promising prospect from what I`ve seen in the pre-season friendlies......there!

I can see him in the first eleven come the start of the campaign to be honest. Not sure if that's a reflection on our other CBs or...

 

[Trips]

Ah... where were all these mods desperately trying to get things 'back on topic' during the good old days when posters like Cyber were getting rounded on and 'banged' by multiple posters for 'chatting shit', eh?

Can you cut out your sniping now please, thank you

 

[YoungWolf]

I can see him in the first eleven come the start of the campaign to be honest. Not sure if that's a reflection on our other CBs or...

If we do then it will be a bit of a failure recruitment wise. He looks like he's got all the tools but I'm wary of us throwing him in the deep end when there's enough change going on. I'm hoping for Boly + one other (provided Boly's injury isn't a serious one)

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

I can see him in the first eleven come the start of the campaign to be honest. Not sure if that's a reflection on our other CBs or...

I'm a little concerned that the (over?) reaction to his performances may result in us not signing another CB.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Although i do think Coady will perform far better than 95% of Wolves fans expect, i back him to have a good season, he must be motivated as it seems everyone has written him off, when for me since the Albion game his form was good.

He'll be determined to make that World Cup squad if nothing else.

 

[Loki]

I'm a little concerned that the (over?) reaction to his performances may result in us not signing another CB.

That would concern me too, Premiership is a big step up after all.

 

[prawnking]

I agree that Mosquera looks a prospect. Be interesting to watch his development. Agree I'd prefer an older CB ready to slot straight in as well. Any news on the severity of the Boly injury yet?

 

[Wolvensam]

I don't think there has been any news, but it looked like a hamstring injury to me.

 

[Throbber3]

I agree that Mosquera looks a prospect. Be interesting to watch his development. Agree I'd prefer an older CB ready to slot straight in as well. Any news on the severity of the Boly injury yet?

I would be happy to play him now if we were 3 at the back. He would have Coady and Boly to help defensively.

 

[Bertiewolf]

4-4-2 pretty much means there’s no place for either Neves or Moutihno, both fabulous technicians but nowhere near mobile enough to play in that system.

Yup this for me. You need a real Kante / Rice (even though he’s a twat) type to sit in front and protect the back four. Our inability to play 4-4-2 is all about the midfield not the back four.

 

[AndyWolves]

We've also been playing 442 with two pretty much out and out wingers.

We probably need to look at playing more "conservative" players in the wide positions, which to be fair, Lage has done

 

[Wolvensam]

Yup this for me. You need a real Kante / Rice (even though he’s a twat) type to sit in front and protect the back four. Our inability to play 4-4-2 is all about the midfield not the back four.

I think this is where I'm at too. The lack of a mobile DM is the real problem.

 

[AndyWolves]

I think this is where I'm at too. The lack of a mobile DM is the real problem.

We did look better with Donk in the second half.

It's his best position so maybe we already have an answer

 

[Jinky]

Far from convinced by Trincao from what I've seen and can't really see what area he specialises in? - but I am also conscious that it's very early days and he's still learning/adapting to new surroundings/teammates/manager etc, so this isn't me writing him off. But I am wary of putting *too* much pressure on him as a definitive starter from day 1. On the other hand, Yerson has been a pleasant surprise, and I would be happy for him to start - but only in a back 3 with Coady and Boly alongside him (and I don't think Bruno will do this, even though we look more comfortable).

For me, we desperately need another striker/winger - because I'm not convinced Fabio is ready to be a definite starter either. Having Neto back will be a big boost - but we've no idea how long that will take. Can Podence step up his performances this season and stay injury free? Then the obvious issues in midfield need addressing ASAP (none of Neves, Moutinho or Donk can really play the system Bruno wants together). I'd have one of them alongside the lad from Sporting that we were linked with a couple of days ago in a heartbeat. Even with Yerson looking decent, I still think we're short of a starting DF, as Boly/Saiss will be missing for a chunk of the season and that's before you take in to account things like injuries/suspensions/loss of form etc.

Shopping list (absolute minimum) -

1 x Forward/Winger
1 x CM
1 x DF

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Palhinha isn't the answer, we need someone who can cover the ground quickly in this shape, he looks about as rapid as Mark Atkins.

 

[Jinky]

Palhinha isn't the answer, we need someone who can cover the ground quickly in this shape, he looks about as rapid as Mark Atkins.

Yeah, I’m not completely sold on Palhinha, even if your assessment of him is on the harsh side

 

[GLASGOWOLF]

It's not the result (don't care) and we probably end up nicking a draw without a catastrophic back pass from a kid who won't play a single minute of Premier League football this season.

It's how horribly disjointed and rickety we looked in a back four, which our new overlord wants to play (well, we assume so as that's all he ever played at Benfica and he's started all three friendlies so far with a back four. He doesn't speak so we'll have to guess). You would expect it to look like we'd worked on *something*. In the first half we were beyond atrocious, Mosquera aside. How you can marry absolutely no threat and looking like conceding every time they get in your half is impressive. There was zero pattern of play, Trincao may as well not have been on the pitch, the midfield offered the sum total of zero (shock horror, those two can't play in a 4-4-2) and we looked vulnerable to any kind of ball over the top.

I expect it will improve, I expect we will sign players (at what cost to what we already have, I don't know). It doesn't look very good at the moment, even allowing for some improvement after half time there were scant positives to take from that. It's too easy to say "meh, it's only a friendly", we were shit for loads of that game and loads of the Crewe game. We were ok for a fair bit of the Betis game. I think revolutions tend to be a bit less tepid than this.

He has a lot of work to do, which is not breaking news.

DW yer better than this
We trained yesterday morning
We played 2 friendlies in 2 days
We have been doing double session every day, from what I heard from a pal who watched a few training sessions the intensity was immense.
To much being read in to friendlies, and akso friendlies are starting to be used to prove people pre conceptions.