Strength side available all season
Can field strongest side against Villa in the cup, which to my mind is -
**Petrovic
*Gusto (Chalobah) Badiashile Colwill *Chilwell (c)
Caicedo Enzo (Gallagher)
Palmer Nkunku Chukwuemeka
Jackson
Make no mistake...that's a strong lineup [which I believe competes against any, nobody can tell me otherwise], criminally underutilised as an outfit for one reason or another.
Nkunku our most influential and effective attacker operating from just off the main forward, only started twice thus far, and wasn't afford the luxury of a very capable Chukwuemeka connecting in the final third for long in his absence. Both these difference-makers haven't started together since final match of pre-season against Dortmund.
Run with that same starting quality front 4 for the next four matches vs Villa, Palace, City, Liverpool...enough preparation and recovery time between them to make that stick in the lead-up to League cup final. Window of opportunity and continuity for once
I'm not sure both Chilwell and Gusto will play two matches within three days or three matches within 8 days. Managing minutes to prevent injury, the wise play here. (No guarantees Colwill plays, 🤞 he's available).
Delicate juggling act between injury prevention and tip-top conditioning for Badiashile, Chalobah, Chilwell, Gusto.
*One of two things maybe happens...either Gilchrist or Chalobah starts right-back, with Gusto rested or Gusto / Colwill starts LB, Chilwell rested.
** Perhaps Rob gets a run-out back from injury, if deemed fit.
Quality settled backline certainly more challenging than midfield or attack at this moment with so many fitness concerns (and overutilitsed unfit for purpose finished defender).
Minutes played across all competitions in descending order (for context) -
Disasi, 25 (CB): 2,575 minutes
Silva, 39 (CB): 2,311
Colwill, 20 (CB): 2,099
Gusto, 20 (RB): 1,294
Cucurella, 25 (LB): 974
Badiashile, 22 (CB): 800
Chilwell, 27 (LB): 657
James, 24 (RB): 451
Maatsen, 21 (LB): 376 (Fit all season, scandulous!)
Gilchrist, 20 (CB): 160
Chalobah, 24 (CB): ZERO
Fofana, 23 (CB): ZERO
Disparity in minutes between (my idea of) the main key defenders (highlighted) is disproportionately bad, compounding the issue.
The ones I'd want to have the most minutes are the ones with the least.
Total minutes accumulated for three of backfour in Badiashile, Chilwell and James altogether doesn't amount to Colwill', goes to show how unavailable they've been.
Night and day comparison with the teams considerably ahead that have been able to proportionally spread the gametime minutes between the first choice and backups.
Ideally once we're in good shape, back 4 should consist of -
Reece (Gusto), Badiashile, Colwill, Chilwell
Gilchrist, Disasi, Chalobah, Gusto
Back 3/5 -
Reece, Chalobah / Disasi, Badiashile, Colwill, Chilwell
Now that we've got as close to full...
posted on 6/2/24
comment by Striketeam7 - There used to be a football club over there (U18109)
posted 1 hour, 6 minutes ago
comment by WeekendOffender (U22920)
posted 2 hours, 31 minutes ago
13 is less than 12!!
An rare insight into the mental arithmetic and intelligence of a MugMuppet
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes I had us and Villa’s points mixed up, you win this round, a rare victory, enjoy
----------------------------------------------------------------------
"rare victory"
Do me a favour MugMuppet!! I'm bored of continually embarrassing you, you absolute thundercunt.
posted on 6/2/24
comment by WeekendOffender (U22920)
posted 1 hour, 59 minutes ago
comment by Striketeam7 - There used to be a football club over there (U18109)
posted 1 hour, 6 minutes ago
comment by WeekendOffender (U22920)
posted 2 hours, 31 minutes ago
13 is less than 12!!
An rare insight into the mental arithmetic and intelligence of a MugMuppet
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes I had us and Villa’s points mixed up, you win this round, a rare victory, enjoy
----------------------------------------------------------------------
"rare victory"
Do me a favour MugMuppet!! I'm bored of continually embarrassing you, you absolute thundercunt.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Your own board can’t stand you and everywhere you go you leave a stink.
You chatting pure shiete on the United board yesterday about Martinez and we’re rightfully put in your place.
Halley’s Comet comes round more often than you’re right you stinking sewer dwelling khunt
posted on 6/2/24
All genuine Wolves fans love the Weekend Offender.
posted on 6/2/24
I'd love to know if these owners could have a clean slate & do this all over again if they'd go down a different (more instant success) approach of less acquisitions & more flexibility with the wage bill. Cos if you put together a different starting XI we could've realistically had by this summer with all this money spent, and the silver tongue they seem to have convincing players of the "project", it's serious PL/CL contender stuff. Might look something like this :
Maignan
James-Gvardiol-Jae-Chilwell
Rice-Enzo-Bellingham
Nkanku-Kvaratskhelia
Osimhen
This is a standard case of looking at something too closely, having an idea & missing (a) the point, & (b) what's right in front of your face. If you have the means & desire to build a completely new team with money not being a hinderance, just buy all the best players you can!
posted on 6/2/24
The point with these guys imo is they first look at the balance sheet and buy assets that fill the sheet.
From their perspective they have bought 30 new younger playing assets with potential,the majority of which will increase or at the very least hold their value, in their opinion.
Using some concocted formula age + profile = potential = value now + value in 2/3 years = profit or money back.
In their eyes they've spent :
2.5bln on the club, 1.1 bln on new players= 3.6 bln invested.
They've sold 400m + of player assets.
They have another 100m + of player assets surplus yet to sell.
3.6 bln - 500m = 3.1 bln assets investment.
Also they have borrowed 500m so in fact they have only put increased the investment by 100m over what they paid and totally rebuilt the squad with a younger profile and have reduced the wage bill by 30% down 80m from 240m to 160m.
Makes sense on paper
But the reality is miles off.
They have bought poorly.
Overpaid for the quality of what the squad represents.
They have not created a competitive football side good enough to maintain the required top level status, which is required to guarantee the clubs elite level of income.
They have crashed & shrunk the clubs economy.
They've created a FFP straight jacket for the club, as the club must first use its decreasing resources first to comply and there after continue to rebuild or in fact undo the abysmal mess they have created.
They are carrying players on ridiculous extended contracts and cannot afford to offload at a loss as the clubs economy doesn't have the bandwidth to allow for such losses
if the squad was as you have suggested was at a level where it could maintain elite competition the financial restraints FFP requires would not be such an issue as the clubs revenues would be significant stronger.
There are suggestions that in next FFP reporting window the club must first balance 100m before it can move, i.E bring in new players, off load any poor buys or even compensate any managerial layoffs , if the club wanted to change Poch and his backroom staff.
Im sure it that figure is reliable though, but never the less the squad is at least 4/ 6 players short of what might make it competitive at a top 6 level.
The whole matter defies logic
Oh yeah and to top it off , the club in its current state is unlikely to be worth no more than 1.5 bln, 1 bln off what they paid 20 months ago
posted on 6/2/24
Im sure it that figure is reliable though, but never the less the squad is at least 4/ 6 players short of what might make it competitive at a top 6 level.
Im not sure that figure is reliable though
posted on 6/2/24
It makes sense if you believe you've got no foundation to build from, so an argument can be made for quantity over quality. Or you take a certain revenue stream, like CL income, for granted.
I can see how they think this looks really smart. The younger the player, the more scope for amortizing their contract (before UEFA changed the rules). The more obscure the players reputation, the more willing they'll be to accept performance related contracts & the wage bill is stable. Sounds logical but it doesn't recognize that if you're willing to investment record numbers at the start for the benefit of long term growth, then just buy the best players (because there's less of them, so it budgets itself by comparison) and allow the asset to keep growing organically as it has been for the last 20-25 years. In truth they could've done nothing & the asset still becomes more valuable, the benefits of owning a stable Premier League team.
They've lost themselves in this idea & can't see the wood from the trees now. Nobody with the resources has attempted this before because it's stupid ... if you have the money, just assemble the best team.
posted on 6/2/24
Unequivocally imo their strategy has failed.
What we have going forward, is a very poor squad, made up of talented prospects.
Lacking leadership, experience, strength in depth.
A defence vulnerable to injury, not fit for purpose.
An overpriced rudderless midfield.
An attacking force who cannot convert more often than not.
Another managerial set up who cant set a standard and coach.
Sporting directors who are totally spark fckn out.
and finally an ownership who have exposed their own astounding level of ignorance regarding the world class sporting franchise that they took control, whilst squandering the best part of 2.5 bln.
Imo, the whole absurd mess clearly illustrates their ignorance & that their grand plan / strategy is an abstract failure.
posted on 6/2/24
Agree, but my point is if you intend to invest heavy sums of money the strategy is flawed anyway, and even if it works against the odds is an unnecessary gamble.
This is a vanity concept. I've done it on Football Manager numerous times down the years - I know if I manage a big club I could buy all the best players but then the game's too easy, so I challenge myself by doing what they've done
posted on 6/2/24
This is a vanity concept. I've done it on Football Manager numerous times down the years - I know if I manage a big club I could buy all the best players but then the game's too easy, so I challenge myself by doing what they've done
———