Shrewsbury 2 - 2 Wolves: The Verdict

[Deutsch Wolf]

Just relieved to still be in it after that. I understand squad rotation but we’re comfortable in mid table and can afford to go full pelt at this. For me play side that started last week and we’d have won today.

Aye, there's an argument that today was more important than the West Ham or Everton games, given where we are.

 

[jd1981]

Aye, there's an argument that today was more important than the West Ham or Everton games, given where we are.

Yep the myth also that a good cup run hinders your league form. Reached the Q/F in 02/03 and got promoted.

 

[Parkins left foot]

Aye, there's an argument that today was more important than the West Ham or Everton games, given where we are.

Quite possible that the bottom 3 will struggle to reach the 32 points we already have, let alone any others we get in the last 15 matches so should really be going full tilt at this comp - with a decent draw we can get a final

 

[PuntsWolf]

Our issue today was Costa, Traore and MGW putting in 1/10 performances in the first half and as result everyone else was struggling to get above 5/10.

I don’t think MGW got above 1/10 before he was hooked and Costa wasn’t far Behind. At least Traore upped his game In the second half, but he is always going to destroy tired L1 full backs. It’s worrying though that Costa still couldn’t influence the game? If you didn’t know any better and we’re told he was a 17 yr old debutant you’d probably believe them.

I don’t think the lack of a striker thing is that much of an issue. Today is a one off. They are playing in a windy ploughed field, a leveller. Playing a first choice behind them I’d think Traore could step in and probably Cav. There’s no point singing a striker who isn’t going to play, nor will they come. We’re better off going with what we got.

 

[Kenny]

Replay on the 5th or 6th then? Not ideal.

We do benefit from our next League game being moved to the Monday night though.

 

[Templeton Peck]

Costa was bloody awful. Traore OK in the second. Cav got an assist then made some awful decisions thereafter. Doc was easily the best of the fringe players. 2 terrible goals conceded.

 

[PuntsWolf]

Yep the myth also that a good cup run hinders your league form. Reached the Q/F in 02/03 and got promoted.

Really pisses me off that. Same with the europa league, load of bollocks. Burnley aren’t shit because they were in the EL, it’s because they are shit and continued to be shit long after they were out of it. Now they’ve picked up some results during and after Christmas, when they should be the most tired from the EL, work that one out...

It’s a few extra games, and with us having zero European games not a problem. The big teams will play most their best players in both the league and Europe, and then possibly the FA cup, AND the league cup. It’s a slight problem for them, a few extra Fa cup games for us is not.

 

[Deano]

The Europa makes a big difference. Flying out to different countries on a Thursday then straight back to a league game on a Sunday is a problem if you don't have the squad to cope. It's not only Burnley it has affected relatively recently. Newcastle went from top 7 to nearly relegated one year.

 

[big mean bunny]

Burnley didn't even make the EL group stage neither did they?

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

The Europa makes a big difference. Flying out to different countries on a Thursday then straight back to a league game on a Sunday is a problem if you don't have the squad to cope. It's not only Burnley it has affected relatively recently.

You sure, Stoke, Southampton and Swansea finished more or less where they did the year before when they were in it. Wigan and Blues played in it when they were in the Championship, so way more games, and both made the playoffs.

I think Ipswich are the last team to go in it and perform markedly worse the next season, it was still the UEFA Cup then, they were out before Christmas and probably just shit anyway. And it was 17 years ago.

 

[Deano]

You sure, Stoke, Southampton and Swansea finished more or less where they did the year before when they were in it. Wigan and Blues played in it when they were in the Championship, so way more games, and both made the playoffs.

I think Ipswich are the last team to go in it and perform markedly worse the next season, it was still the UEFA Cup then, they were out before Christmas and probably just shit anyway. And it was 17 years ago.

Didn't Newcastle go from 7th to very close to relegation when they were in it?

 

[Parkins left foot]

Costa's injury is irrelevant now - he's either got over it or he never will

Signs are not that good so far

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

They finished 5th in 2011/12 (ludicrously overperformed) and then bought one first team player (Anita) in the summer of 2012, that was what did for them - as well as Pardew being the streakiest manager in the world, he's either on a huge winning run or awful, nothing else.

 

[Deano]

They finished 5th in 2011/12 (ludicrously overperformed) and then bought one first team player (Anita) in the summer of 2012, that was what did for them - as well as Pardew being the streakiest manager in the world, he's either on a huge winning run or awful, nothing else.

5th then 16th the following season while getting to the Europa league quarter finals though. I'm willing to bet those extra games had some baring on some of their league results. Playing a game away on a Thursday night isn't ideal really unless you have got a good sized squad to cope with it. I think if we qualify for it this season we'd need to make the squad bigger than it is now.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Still though, one example since 2002...

If I've missed any others then fair enough but looking at mid-sized teams and they *didn't* struggle, I'd say it is what you make it. And Burnley can fuck off with using it as an excuse, they played Aberdeen in one of the rounds and were done before the end of August.

We would need a bigger squad, yes.

 

[PuntsWolf]

The Europa makes a big difference. Flying out to different countries on a Thursday then straight back to a league game on a Sunday is a problem if you don't have the squad to cope. It's not only Burnley it has affected relatively recently. Newcastle went from top 7 to nearly relegated one year.

Burnley didn’t even qualify for the damn thing. All their games were against shit munchers in pre season. They should have been more prepared, not less.

 

[Parkins left foot]

Burnley didn’t even qualify for the damn thing. All their games were against shit munchers in pre season. They should have been more prepared, not less.

If you go out that early then not that much different to playing pre season games (which presumably they didn't) - shouldn't impact that massively

 

[Deleted Cyber]

Still though, one example since 2002...

If I've missed any others then fair enough but looking at mid-sized teams and they *didn't* struggle, I'd say it is what you make it. And Burnley can fuck off with using it as an excuse, they played Aberdeen in one of the rounds and were done before the end of August.

We would need a bigger Better depth of squad, yes.

Fify

 

[Wolfmania]

How did Giles fare overall?

 

[Tony Towner]

Burnley didn’t even qualify for the damn thing. All their games were against shit munchers in pre season. They should have been more prepared, not less.

My issue as I said to Tredman is the depth of squad and Nuno's preferences. At the moment if we were to change 11with zero injuries it would be something like:

-----------------------Ruddy-------
---------John------Kilman------Saiss----
-----Buur------MGW------Watt-----Vinagre
--------Traore------Cavaleiro------Costa

I suppose we could keep the likes of Batth and Hause around, but is that really in anyone's interest?

Burnley dumped it in the end anyway.

If we get in it'd be a wonderful adventure, I just think we are a long way off being cut out for it.