I'm going to miss this one as I'll be driving back through France all day Saturday.

Bit chilly last night eh Gem? Safe journey home, hope you've enjoyed your stay in blighty.

comment by Oldgoldilox (U17303)
posted 11 minutes ago
Bit chilly last night eh Gem? Safe journey home, hope you've enjoyed your stay in blighty.
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Thanks bud. I've had a great time and still things to do yet. Going clay pigeon shooting with the lad today and lunch at my sister's tomorrow then another couple of days with my new grandson before heading south on Saturday morning.

glad you had fun Gem lad

I think we'll keep the run going against Palace 1-2

Palace are on a high after beating Man City and are a difficult team to break down. Trincao had a good game last night, but I would be inclined to start Traore for this one and attack their full backs.

I'd take a draw for this one.

Wolves have a centre back problem in January with Saiss and Boly due to be playing in the ACON. Be good if we can bring in reinforcements at the beginning of the transfer window and evidently we are watching the Stoke centre Back Harry Souttar. Not the only Premier League team after him though

Going to Palace on Saturday. Last time I went I had a pint before the game in a 'home' pub which felt safe and had a good choices of Ales. Probably go again this weekend.
Downside with Selhurst Park is that the view from the away seats is terrible. Low down, low roof, lots of stanchions, and the area of the pitch by one of the corner flags is virtually impossible to see

Not bad for a few months work:-

Tottenham are set to pay Nuno Espirito Santo a severance package worth £14m - but a clause in the Portuguese coach's contract would have allowed Spurs to sack him for free at the end of the season if they had failed to finish in the top six of the Premier League. (Sun)

We have to be careful on buying another CB in January. We play with a back three with Coady lying deep in the centre. Any player coming in has to be better than what we have now.


Stoke also play with a back three with Souttar playing the same role as Coady. Not sure that will work, as I don't see him as effective on the left side.

I'm sure Boly will be off to the ACON, but he's not in our side and we have adequate cover with Hoever, Marcal, Dendonker and even Semedo. Heck, even Ait-Nouri could do a decent job.

Good to see Southgate at the match last night.

comment by wolfieinFL (U16306)
posted 1 hour, 26 minutes ago
We have to be careful on buying another CB in January. We play with a back three with Coady lying deep in the centre. Any player coming in has to be better than what we have now.


Stoke also play with a back three with Souttar playing the same role as Coady. Not sure that will work, as I don't see him as effective on the left side.

I'm sure Boly will be off to the ACON, but he's not in our side and we have adequate cover with Hoever, Marcal, Dendonker and even Semedo. Heck, even Ait-Nouri could do a decent job.

Good to see Southgate at the match last night.
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I think you may be a in a minority of one if you think Ait Nouri or Semedo could play in a back three Wolfie. Hoever maybe when he's a bit older and has bulked up a bit. Even Marcal is too short to play back there for me.

Most of the guys that play those positions these days are massive, look at the guys Brighton for example have back there, they're huge. Dont know much about this Souttar lad but I'll see if I can get a run down from some of the local clay 'eds.

Just got back from the clay pigeon shoot via the Bull & Bladder. Glad to find the Batham's as good as ever. Playing some old rock music in the lad's car on the way back to Kiddy, Run with the Wolf by Rainbow seemed particularly appropriate.

comment by Oldgoldilox (U17303)
posted 41 minutes ago
I think you may be a in a minority of one if you think Ait Nouri or Semedo could play in a back three Wolfie. Hoever maybe when he's a bit older and has bulked up a bit. Even Marcal is too short to play back there for me.

Most of the guys that play those positions these days are massive, look at the guys Brighton for example have back there, they're huge. Dont know much about this Souttar lad but I'll see if I can get a run down from some of the local clay 'eds.
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He's like 6ft7 has a brother called John who's a very tidy player

One plays for Scotland the other Australia

You don't need to be a giant to play in defence, especially in a back three and let's not forget that Semedo was a RB for Barca.

Are you playing peek-a-boo DJ, or got a sore head from last nights drinking?

comment by GeminMallorca (U18318)
posted 2 hours, 2 minutes ago
Just got back from the clay pigeon shoot via the Bull & Bladder. Glad to find the Batham's as good as ever. Playing some old rock music in the lad's car on the way back to Kiddy, Run with the Wolf by Rainbow seemed particularly appropriate.
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Haven’t been to the Bull and Bladder for years. An icon amongst Black Country pubs. Used to go there on Saturday nights after Cradley speedway

Sheff Utd drew 1-1 at Forest with Gibbs White getting the Blades equaliser

Sheff Wed beat Sunderland 3-0 with Theo Corbeanu getting a goal and an assist

comment by wolfieinFL (U16306)
posted 9 hours, 6 minutes ago
We have to be careful on buying another CB in January. We play with a back three with Coady lying deep in the centre. Any player coming in has to be better than what we have now.


Stoke also play with a back three with Souttar playing the same role as Coady. Not sure that will work, as I don't see him as effective on the left side.

I'm sure Boly will be off to the ACON, but he's not in our side and we have adequate cover with Hoever, Marcal, Dendonker and even Semedo. Heck, even Ait-Nouri could do a decent job.

Good to see Southgate at the match last night.
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I don't even know where to start with this

The idea of strengthen the squad is to get in better players and not ones just to make up the numbers. That's what Bruno has stated, so if we're going to get another CB then he has to be better and in January there aren't those types of players around. Our style is with a back three and it's working well right now. Only 3 teams have conceded less goals. Every season you've complained about our lack of transfer business, yet here we are sitting 7th and with little more luck in our first three matches, we could have been higher.

Remember, we're still in a transitional period with Bruno and his preference to playing a more aggressive style of football. Nuno was too defensive minded and his sacking has highlighted that at Spurs.

Enjoy the new style, but some are never satisfied.

Plus we've managed without both Saiss and Boly before and this time around will be no different.

All that is great except that Bruno has said countless times we need more players. Also Bruno wants to play a back four eventually. And as for signings, isn't every clubs intention to sign players that improve the situation?

Has Wolfie ever been in favour of us signing players?

comment by Tamwolf (U17286)
posted 3 minutes ago
Has Wolfie ever been in favour of us signing players?
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Well, he did say recently that were "crying out" for a creative midfielder (or two) to replace Joao Moutinho, who should be in the starting eleven every week and offered a new contract

comment by wolfieinFL (U16306)
posted 12 hours, 26 minutes ago
You don't need to be a giant to play in defence, especially in a back three and let's not forget that Semedo was a RB for Barca.

Are you playing peek-a-boo DJ, or got a sore head from last nights drinking?
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Wolfie, you are getting your right backs and right centre backs mixed up again.

In a back three you have what we would traditionally describe as three central defenders, tall enough to defend crosses and win headers against big strikers but a bit more mobile than a traditional CB in a back four. Examples - Coady, Boly, Kilman, Saiss. None of these are full backs, right or left.

Outside of these you have your wing backs, usually more mobile, pacey and thereby shorter guys who both attack and defend on the wings. They track opposition wingers or wing backs and do most of their defending on the ground, blocking crosses and closing down space. Examples - Semedo, Ait Nouri, Johnny, Marcal.

Right backs and left backs play in a back four, and can be similar in build to wing backs but have less attacking responsibility due to the extra midfielder playing ahead of them, though may overlap them if tactics dictate.

Wolves do not play with right or left backs in the current formation. Hope this helps.

Oh dear, he's not going to like waking up to this.