Wolves pre-season friendly THIS AFTERNOON 3pm

[simFox]

Dreading the arsenal game now, this last run will knock our players and put them on a downward spiral again. Vardy needs confidence to play well as he seems to fall into a rut easily.

 

Not a good start.

[ian_marshall]

We keep hearing it's pre-season it's just a fitness exercise and we need to preserve our energy levels, but anyone who knows anything about fitness at an elite level will tell you that specificity is one of the most important factors considered when planning a successful periodised training programme. The player's base fitness in terms of optimising lactate thresholds, Vo2 Max levels, strength and conditioning, along with flexibility should be in place now, which I'm certain that they will be given the high standards that our Sports Science team set themselves, so I doubt that they are dictating our tactical approach in order to minimise fatigue at this early stage.

 

In fact if we plan to play a high energy pressing game this season I actually think that they'd encourage the team to open up a bit in pre-season to help with the adaptation needed ahead of kick off in two weeks time, afterall you wouldn't train for a marathon by solely focusing on sprint training. 

 

It seems to me that the decision to get men behind the ball and play long balls up to the striker's is a tactical decision implemented by CS and his coaching team which is a little concerning as currently from what we've seen in pre-season there really is no purpose or thought in the way that we are moving the ball. It appears the days of us playing incisive balls in behind the opposition's backline and using triangles to open up the opposition are long gone, replaced by unintelligible long balls with the sole focus of trying to give Vardy something to chase. 

 

I like CS as a man and I think he generally talks a good game in his pre/post match interviews, however none of this seems to be translating onto the pitch which is a little concerning. A small part of me is slightly worried that the only constants over the last 18 months aside from the playing personnel (which is selected by the manager/coaching staff) are CS and JR. I'll reserve judgment until the season starts but as it stands there are signs that we won't see the type of progression that the owners seem to crave. 

 

Will we get relegated?!? No. The end of season run-in coupled with our superior fitness in the final third of the season will see us pick up a higher points tally than those teams in and around the relegation zone; I'm certain of that. However, at this moment in time I'm not overly convinced we look much better than perennial mid table plodders such as the likes of Stoke, West Brom, and West Ham so if the owners are genuinely serious about breaking into the top seven then something will have to change moving forwards.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Fox42 said:

I'm not as worried as most are. Remember how average our preseason of 2013 was?

It's not the results as everyone agrees, It's the tactics and lethargy.

 

 

2 hours ago, StriderHiryu said:

For reference, here are our results of our preseason when we won the title. Slightly better, but not exactly indicative of what was about to happen.

 

It is very early to be writing anyone off, but I do agree that the warning signs are there for all to see. We played yesterday like the team that went sliding down the league last year instead of the the reinvigorated powerhouse that beat Sevilla. 

 

Personally I feel like we need freshening up. Someone class in the middle of the park that will put their foot on the ball and make things happen. I was hoping Iborra might be this player (and he still might be) because complacent is the word I would use to describe yesterdays performance. I felt like we disrespected Wolves and they made us pay.

Irrelevant to the discussion.

 

 

1 hour ago, RowlattsFox said:

The worrying thing is I think we can all predict that the team yesterday will be the team on the opening day. 

 

I'm looking down rather than up this season, and I thought that before losing yesterday. We haven't improved, and the problem areas are still problem areas. 

 

Hopefully this make Shakey think about our approach and target players who can add something different. 

Sadly I agree. That was Shakey's A team.

 

 

1 hour ago, North East Fox said:

This was a friendly right? F me, we've all watched football for a long time. It means sweet fa. I might do the research shortly on the correlation between friendly results and actual football results.  Just have a word!!

We have all watched Friendly games for a long time and we've watched league games. No-one is going on about the result. Some of us are concerned with the tactics, formation and player attitude.

 

 

1 hour ago, MC Prussian said:

Let's get back to this after our first five games in the league!

 

The amount of scaremongering and overreaction following a defeat against a Championship side that have stacked up massively in terms of (expensive) personnel and are ahead in the pre-season is indeed staggering. Plus, you might find it an excuse, but I'm saying we're still suffering from jet lag and I don't think participating in the Hong Kong tournament was the right thing to do in terms of sportive development, it was merely a marketing ploy and could potentially cost us dearly. For every hour of time difference, you need a full day of recovery upon your return. Our team is not back to their best yet.

 

I'm curious to find out how we do against Borussia Mönchengladbach and whether the players will have upped their ante until then.

After 5 league games, so about the 20th September. When does the transfer window close? 3 weeks before then? oops!

 

Can't agree with your jet lag theory either. Even France is 1 hour different. You don't really think you need a day to get over a first class trip from Paris to London do you?

 

I'll agree that  the team is not back to it's best though. It's been over 18months since then.

 

 

1 hour ago, MC Prussian said:

We've got a more than decent side on paper, and it all depends on freshness of legs and the right attitude amongst the players. Personally, Mahrez' behaviour put a bit of a dent into the general euphoria following our good second half of last season, his transfer antics have been a joke. He's got quite something to make up for it (should he stay).

Slimani needs to finally come out firing on all cylinders, too. But it's not just him and his Algerian fella that I'm disappointed in and that I'm expecting more of now - we've had a handful of players who couldn't call upon their best behaviour and effort. Playing Drinkwater with that injury was a bit silly and dangerous (shooting yourself in the foot), Chilwell made the odd error here and there and Gray needs to get rid of his selfish attitude, playing with King felt more like having a simple passenger on board that needs care and attention.

 

Huth will be back in a few weeks' time, and I don't see our recruitment policy coming to an end yet. Another right-back would be crucial, as would be an attacking midfielder in the middle. What I've seen of Iborra so far is that he's fantastic covering the area from the halfway line back to our back four with his defensive duties, so we still need more impetus going forward.

 

On paper we have a top 5 side. Sadly games are not played on paper. Our player's legs are all fresh it's their attitude that isn't and the crazy tactics we are employing. Blaming slimani is a joke. Even if he was given a run in the team it'd change nothing - the team tactics are only centred around Vardy, that doesn't suit Slimani, it doesn't suit Mahrez - wouldn't surprise me if that is a major reason that Mahrez wants out. We should be setting the team's game up all around Mahrez - he's our best player - instead he's having to do things he can't (run back and defend, press high) because it's all about Vardy.

 

Then blaming Chilwell and Gray - they haven't had a chance to show anything.

 

Your blame should be squarely on Shakespeares tactics and philosophy, ageing players and certin player attitudes.

 

1 hour ago, North East Fox said:

Well yes, exactly. Just for fitness. So if we'd won 3-0 how much would people look into it?

I'm not trying to deny it's better to win but this will have no bearing on how we'll do this season. And if a footballer is professional they should understand is was just a friendly and as a professional the last game has no effect on the next, especially a fkn friendly.

Do you really understand Pro sport fitness?

 

 

1 hour ago, Carl the Llama said:

Let's not forget that Wolves made 7 subs throughout the game while we were deliberately giving our lads a 90 minute runabout, the only sub being the forced replacement of Slim.  Yeah the game was boring as but any attempt to interpret the result in the same way you would a competitive fixture is utterly pointless.

 

This was very confusing. We can play as many subs as we want. shakey wants to put the players through a full 90 mins. The players jog around without effort for 90mins.

 

Wouldn't it have been better to get them to play high tempo, high CV for 60 or 70 mins or 80 if they could manage it and then sub them off. The result was unimportant, their fitness was everything.

 

[MC Prussian]

4 minutes ago, FIF said:

After 5 league games, so about the 20th September. When does the transfer window close? 3 weeks before then? oops!

 

Can't agree with your jet lag theory either. Even France is 1 hour different. You don't really think you need a day to get over a first class trip from Paris to London do you?

 

I'll agree that  the team is not back to it's best though. It's been over 18months since then.

 

Finding the trot in the first few games of the new season has little to nothing to do with our activity in the transfer window! Like you say it yourself, we do have a more than decent team on paper, that much you agree with me. The backbone is there, we are rather well-equipped and only need maybe two more new faces coming in (RB & CAM, in my opinion).

 

Jet lag might not be in effect when traveling to France, because it's that close, but you can surely see the argument with Hong Kong, don't you? They are six hours ahead of central Europe, seven of the UK. Plus, the traveling/flying to and from the place. It has been proven that jet leg effects your performance as an athlete. Do you remember how well we fared at the start of the 16/17 season, following the monster tour to the US last summer?

[MC Prussian]

10 minutes ago, FIF said:

On paper we have a top 5 side. Sadly games are not played on paper. Our player's legs are all fresh it's their attitude that isn't and the crazy tactics we are employing. Blaming slimani is a joke. Even if he was given a run in the team it'd change nothing - the team tactics are only centred around Vardy, that doesn't suit Slimani, it doesn't suit Mahrez - wouldn't surprise me if that is a major reason that Mahrez wants out. We should be setting the team's game up all around Mahrez - he's our best player - instead he's having to do things he can't (run back and defend, press high) because it's all about Vardy.

 

Then blaming Chilwell and Gray - they haven't had a chance to show anything.

 

Your blame should be squarely on Shakespeares tactics and philosophy, ageing players and certin player attitudes.

The players I mention I blame for some blunders last season, and I think you'll understand that Mahrez, Slimani (to some extent), Drinkwater, Chilwell (although part-inexperienced at that level) and the frightening mishaps of Huth and Morgan early into last season were really our major downfall and all in parts responsible for a rather disappointing campaign. Add to that Gray's apparent selfishness and it's a frustrating mix. Only a handful of players can come out of last season with their heads up high. Schmeichel, Simpson and Albrighton spring to mind.

 

Here's to a better season and that our players can revert to teamwork, putting unity ahead of ego.

[Guest]

16 minutes ago, MC Prussian said:

Finding the trot in the first few games of the new season has little to nothing to do with our activity in the transfer window! Like you say it yourself, we do have a more than decent team on paper, that much you agree with me. The backbone is there, we are rather well-equipped and only need maybe two more new faces coming in (RB & CAM, in my opinion).

 

Jet lag might not be in effect when traveling to France, because it's that close, but you can surely see the argument with Hong Kong, don't you? They are six hours ahead of central Europe, seven of the UK. Plus, the traveling/flying to and from the place. It has been proven that jet leg effects your performance as an athlete. Do you remember how well we fared at the start of the 16/17 season, following the monster tour to the US last summer?

I understand that a flight from Hong Kong will affect you a little, but these players flew business class and have been back a few days. It's really not that arduous and no excuse for their lethargic play. thos who played against MK Dons had a day less yet put far more effort in.

 

 

12 minutes ago, MC Prussian said:

The players I mention I blame for some blunders last season, and I think you'll understand that Mahrez, Slimani (to some extent), Drinkwater, Chilwell (although part-inexperienced at that level) and the frightening mishaps of Huth and Morgan early into last season were really our major downfall and all in parts responsible for a rather disappointing campaign. Add to that Gray's apparent selfishness and it's a frustrating mix. Only a handful of players can come out of last season with their heads up high. Schmeichel, Simpson and Albrighton spring to mind.

 

Here's to a better season and that our players can revert to teamwork, putting unity ahead of ego.

I'm not saying that bit part players like Slim, Chilwell and Gray didn't make mistakes. Huth and Morgan but far moreso Fuchs were a nightmare and you are letting Simpson off to lightly as well. Our defence for over half a season was an abomination unaided by a miserable midfield and a useless attack. However you are still failing to attach any blame to the players at most fault - the players who were so good they won us the league title and were voted as some of the best in the world.

 

Vardy was a lazy abomination until his miraculous re-invention near the end of the season, Mahrez convinced himself that he always had 3 players marking him even though in reality he had 1 and then 2 because he dithered on the ball for so long and Fuchs was re-designing his clothing brand and thinking of some very funny twitter comments when he should have been defending, Morgan I think was already one of the Walking dead. 

 

The players were never there until CR was sacked and they got the blame. The change in Vardy,Fuchs and Simpson in particular was extraordinary. Mahrez sadly never recovered and he has actually looked better in this pre-season than he did through the Prem season last year.

 

These are only my bitter opinions though and I too hope for a better season. 

 

I fully believe we can challenge for european places - the league is not very strong - but we need player attitude and Manager's tactics to improve as well as an RB, CB and attacking player brought in.

 

Albrighton should be the marker that other players have to match for effort, attitude and intensity (with better skill of course).

[KingsX]

7 hours ago, MC Prussian said:

we're still suffering from jet lag and I don't think participating in the Hong Kong tournament was the right thing to do in terms of sportive development, it was merely a marketing ploy and could potentially cost us dearly. For every hour of time difference, you need a full day of recovery upon your return. Our team is not back to their best yet.

 

Results since Asia Trophy clubs' return:

 

Palace 1 Metz 1

 

Liverpool 3 Hertha Berlin 0

 

WBA 1 Burton 0

Bristol Rovers 2 WBA 1

 

Tiny -- and preseason -- sample; but you can't say those results are clearly out-of-sorts like ours.

[lifted*fox]

The players aren't flying ****ing cattle-shed like the rest of us to HK. They'd have flown business / private with private booths to nap in. It ain't really all that bad. I've done HK and back for business and it really doesn't **** you up all that much once you've had one decent sleep. Excuses, excuses. 

 

Why are people so quick to try and make excuses for the poor effort from players who earn huge money to be professional at their sport? I don't understand this need to wrap them in cotton wool. Man the **** up and do your job. 

[WigstonWanderer]

1 hour ago, daz*dsb said:

The players aren't flying ****ing cattle-shed like the rest of us to HK. They'd have flown business / private with private booths to nap in. It ain't really all that bad. I've done HK and back for business and it really doesn't **** you up all that much once you've had one decent sleep. Excuses, excuses. 

 

Why are people so quick to try and make excuses for the poor effort from players who earn huge money to be professional at their sport? I don't understand this need to wrap them in cotton wool. Man the **** up and do your job. 

Plus they maintained a schedule around Middle Eastern time to avoid too much disruption, so had breakfast around midday for example. Aside from the minor discomfort of the additional travel time (in First Class), it would have seemed more like a trip to Dubai.

 

For me the issue was not the result but the apparent lack of effort. The Asia tournament was OK imo.

[the fox]

I despise how the team is playing! Are we a defence oriented team? We can't keep up with fast paced teams so no! Or we a counter attacking team? Again, no! Can we build the play from behin...... Shouldn't have asked!

 

What an underwhelming team! I voted no in the "are you happy with our transfer activity" before the preseason when people where OK, but it seems that they are finally seeing what's gonna happen.

 

Ugly football and no wins and will be battered by teams that play 3-5-2 (which seems like the new trend in the prem) so yeah, not looking to next season!

[CosbehFox]

3 hours ago, KingsX said:

Results since Asia Trophy clubs' return:

 

Palace 1 Metz 1

 

Liverpool 3 Hertha Berlin 0

 

WBA 1 Burton 0

Bristol Rovers 2 WBA 1

 

Tiny -- and preseason -- sample; but you can't say those results are clearly out-of-sorts like ours.

Pretty indicative of how pre season is pot luck on results to a point. 

 

I'd rather have us finding problems now than hiding it. 

 

Its the same every year; bad results people get concerned and start moaning. These plenty of examples at this club of underwhelming pre seasons what led to good seasons and good results in pre season what became stinkers (that Sousa one stands out because of how woefully unfit we were at Palace first game) 

[Dr The Singh]

Not so worried about the result, the performances however have been shit, that worries me

[foxfan92]

We gave Barcelona a decent game last preseason then lost to a very depleted Hull. 

 

I always think our season goes the opposite way to our preseason. I know seasons when I start the first game feeling optimistic we normally lose and start the season badly and vice versa. 

 

I just think the team like to play with our emotions - false hope or misplaced pessimism.

 

Lets hope for all the talk of doom and gloom when the seasons really starts we come out all guns blazing!

[brucey]

I'm hoping that the Wolves performance/result will have given the players a bit of a kick up the backside.

Seeing them in the tunnel and walking out onto the pitch, they were all laughing and smiling to an extent I've not seen before. It didn't feel like they were taking it seriously.

Ndidi sounded really depressed in his post-match interview, and it's been really quiet on their social media. Here's hoping they're busy reflecting on it.

[brucey]

If all else fails, maybe we could try spamming the players with snake emojis 

[MC Prussian]

6 hours ago, daz*dsb said:

The players aren't flying ****ing cattle-shed like the rest of us to HK. They'd have flown business / private with private booths to nap in. It ain't really all that bad. I've done HK and back for business and it really doesn't **** you up all that much once you've had one decent sleep. Excuses, excuses. 

 

Why are people so quick to try and make excuses for the poor effort from players who earn huge money to be professional at their sport? I don't understand this need to wrap them in cotton wool. Man the **** up and do your job. 

I really don't understand how some fans can get so massively wound up over a pre-season result or a performance with two more matches to go. What matters is how we fare in the league starting August.

 

And just because you yourself haven't had issues with traveling to and from HK doesn't mean professional athletes don't. They may have prepared before partaking in the tournament, but what about the sleeping pattern and working rhythm coming back? They have different training regimes to the rest of us and need to pay more attention to their body functions, as it is their capital. At some stage your body has to adjust to the time difference. I'm not saying it is THE reason why the squad has come across so lacklustre in recent matches, but it certainly is one factor among others.

 

You call it an excuse, I call it an explanation.

 

Besides, as other results have shown, Liverpool and Crystal Palace have also been suffering lately. Coincidence?

[Sampson]

Do people not remember how bad we were in pre-season of our 2013-14 Championship winning season? There was absolute meltdown on here after our performances against Monaco and Northampton - people saying Pearson must go and we were going down. Then we went on to break just about every club record for most points, wins, longest winning run etc. in the book.

 

Chill the **** out people. Pre-season means absolute shit. It's just about getting fitness up.

[WigstonWanderer]

On 30/07/2017 at 00:25, daz*dsb said:

 

This was the equivalent of Pavarotti hopping in the shower and fingering his bum for 90 minutes. Didn't even so much as bother singing.

This has to be one of my all time favourite comments. Even had to share it with the wife who's now had to visit the loo.

[The Bear]

A piece on our friendly, plus some other stuff about us for anyone who's bored at work.

http://oscillatingwildly.net/reaction-wolves-1-0-leicester-city/

There's a great line about Harry Maguire in there too...