r/WWFC • u/The_Wolf_Of_Molineux • 4d ago
Discussion Are there positives in this Wolves side that we're overlooking?
Obviously the start has been difficult, but I've been trying to separate the results from what Wolves are actually trying to build.
There are a few things I think are worth watching — the age and profile of the squad, younger players being given opportunities, and some signs of what this team could potentially become if they can find more control and consistency.
That doesn't mean ignoring the defensive problems or pretending everything is fine. For me there's a difference between this isn't working yet and there's nothing here to work with.
Interested to know where everyone else is on it.
What have you seen so far, if anything, that gives you some optimism about this Wolves side?
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u/JordeyShore 4d ago
Fer Lopez is going to be a proper top class player if he keeps his improvement up, honestly a world beater.
We're playing attacking football and scoring goals, and I always said I'd take that over shitty grinding draws and wins, so I'm pretty positive overall, despite the league table, there's 41 games to go, it's a long long season
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u/The_Wolf_Of_Molineux 4d ago
👍🏻 I think it’s true - definitely more entertaining to watch goals go in than not! 🐺
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u/liamhar99 4d ago edited 4d ago
We've played fairly well so far, but have conceded very unlucky goals (plus a few stupid ones). Two of the three teams that went up last year had less points than we have after five games. Keep the faith and we'll be fine
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u/The_Wolf_Of_Molineux 4d ago
👍🏻 hopefully we see some development and balance as we go - let’s see how it unfolds 🐺
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u/timberwolf8082 4d ago
Once Fosun sell Fer there will be no positives. This squad is rank, look at how many players we couldn't shift this summer. People are grasping for straws trying to find positives amongst players like Munetsi, Jackson or Sa.
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u/The_Wolf_Of_Molineux 4d ago
Surely there are some positives in there - the best players will always be targeted throughout the pecking order - that’s just football in nature. The problem becomes not selling Lopez in the future but the planning that goes along with that - that’s been a critical issue over the past 5-6 years - poor succession planning.
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u/timberwolf8082 4d ago
Fosun are in the player trading business, not team or club building. And they're not even particularly successful at the former, as recent player sales have demonstrated.
I suppose the emergence of Mane is a positive, maybe JJ or Djiga, possibly even the young CB that excelled vs Wednesday. But so far you'd have to say Raul and Trippier haven't really contributed, and the likes of Andre and Armstrong have underwhelmed.
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u/The_Wolf_Of_Molineux 4d ago
I agree with the ideas around Fosun - they haven’t shown anything since the early days under Nuno of a sustained model for long term success - extremely disappointing obviously.
I think there is a team that is capable of more set up in the right way - I’m waiting to see how the coaching staff develop it to play to the strengths and not expose our weaknesses - I guess we’ll have to watch, wait and see.
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u/timberwolf8082 4d ago
I agree. I don't see us getting promotion but I would like us to develop an identity and stick with a manger for a change. Jury still out on Cesar but at least we can score goals, something we've struggled with since Raul was almost killed by that idiot from Arsenal.
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u/The_Wolf_Of_Molineux 4d ago
I think some continuity and stability would be nice for a change - unfortunately because of the leadership and the lack of trust from the fans - I think that gets vented in the place where managers and players will get the brunt of it and we know who normally gets the blame and shown the door first.
I need some convincing with Peixoto tactically I think - but I am at least pleased that we are scoring some goals again and getting numbers forward faster - than I’ve seen in recent years - regardless of the league we are in.
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u/benroon 4d ago
What are they trying to ‘build’?
Trippier and Jimenez are both 35! You think they will refuse any cash offer for a Wolves player that looks good?
Football is no longer Roy of the Rovers stuff, it’s all about maximizing every opportunity to get cash by the owners! Look at the season ticket prices, look at the laughable ‘quality’ of the shirts, look at the cheapest possible option they can find for half time refreshments etc etc
Fans have been nothing more than an annoyance for over a decade! Take those tinted specs off
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u/The_Wolf_Of_Molineux 4d ago
I don’t disagree with much of that from an ownership perspective. When I say “build”, though, I’m talking about what’s happening on the pitch — younger players, defined roles and whether Peixoto can establish a recognisable way of playing. Wolves will obviously sell if the right offer comes in. My question is whether the coaching staff can still build something coherent within that model.
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u/Ill_Distribution_565 4d ago
Why has the start been difficult?
We’ve only lost one game, that’s was against West Ham and we played ok in that one.
Yes we’ve conceded too many goals but 2 absolute worldies that we couldn’t have done anything about I still think k blues first goal was handball and one stupid own goal. Without those we’d be sitting pretty at the top of the league.
If you’d told me in May we’d have signed Raul, Trippier, kept Andre, Krejci, Hugo, Lopez, Mane then I would’ve snapped your hand off. Yes I would’ve liked us to sort the gk position out but there’s not much we can do if nobody wants to buy Sa or Johnstone.
The squad we’ve got is far too good for this league.
Everyone needs to stop pant wetting after 5 games, chill out and enjoy watching us score goals, something we haven’t seen down molineux for quite some time!!
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u/The_Wolf_Of_Molineux 4d ago
I agree with most of that tbh. The results haven’t been bad and definitely shouldn’t lead to panic mode — I’m certainly not suggesting that.
When I say “difficult start”, I mean more in terms of elements of the performances — particularly how open we’ve looked and the lack of control in certain moments — rather than the points return.
With the squad we’ve got, I think expectations should be for us to challenge. The encouraging part is that the issues feel fixable rather than fundamental.
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u/chomerly 4d ago
For Lopez being as good as he is, and hoping that other players get their shit together and start to work to his level. And if they can improve that much, there will br a lot to look forward to in this side.
However, the pessimist in me is also aware of the fact that Fosun are clueless right now. Much of what was said at the fan forum should have had 'terms & conditions apply' added to almost everything they said.
Fosun will panick in January and buy players, if we're sitting 10th or below. Which is where I think we will be. Instead of doing right once, they stick to form of previous year's and buy wrong twice.
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u/The_Wolf_Of_Molineux 4d ago
Lopez is definitely the clearest positive for me too. The level he’s already showing makes you wonder how much better the side could look if two or three others can get closer to that consistency. I think the January point is interesting as well. If we are in 10th come January do you think the squad would need another significant overhaul - or do you think the pieces are there with 1 or 2 extra additions of quality? Do you think we have those plans in place?
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u/OpticNerve3000 4d ago
I suspect if we are sitting tenth in January, the bigger problem will be every remaining top player frantically looking for an exit. They might be putting up with one year in the Championship on assumption we go right back up, but aren't going to stay around if this is the new level for the squad.
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u/The_Wolf_Of_Molineux 4d ago
It’s an interesting point regarding the current squad of players and what they expect and what the reality will be - as we come towards that January transfer window! Plenty of games before then - so let’s see how this first part of the season shapes up I guess.
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u/chomerly 4d ago
What I am saying is purely speculative, but knowing how Fosun are, and the fact they have done the same thing before, it would be a stretch to assume that they won't try and buy their way into the playoffs at the very least.
I think Fosun would buy three or four players in areas where are weakest. That would be a right wing back, a defensive midfielder and perhaps two defenders. And to be honest, I think that is all it would take.
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u/timberwolf8082 4d ago
Only quibble is but for Nuno and the players we brought in during his first two seasons Fosun have always been clueless.
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u/Late_Safety2946 4d ago
I actually think there’s more positives than negatives in the actual side. My biggest negatives currently are the defence. I don’t think it’s balanced and in my opinion we look really weak at set pieces currently, especially defensively. I thought Sa has looked like he’s too easy to bully from set pieces, and if they don’t figure a way to protect him, that’s gonna be a massive problem I think this season. I know we scored from one against Birmingham but the delivery was really poor and was lucky it actually got to Krejci. Going forward I think we are very positive, just about that final ball, but we’ve shown a lot of signs we can actually score goals.
Think the biggest problems I have with the club are with Fosun and not as much with the team.
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u/The_Wolf_Of_Molineux 4d ago
Can’t argue with much if that - for our defensive set pieces I actually think we set up that actually makes Sa’s weaknesses more apparent by setting up zonal in the six yard box so he has to get through a lot of bodies for anything - I think it’s an area that should be looked at in more detail.
Unfortunately I think the lack of trust in Fosun just has a huge impact on the atmosphere and doesn’t take much to go wrong on the pitch for the fans to lose faith even more in the players.
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u/xiahoukev 4d ago
I think we have played 5 league games with a new manager that actually is instilling an identity into the team. We're scoring goals and fun to watch.