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ExiledAjax

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Fielding, Flint, Pack, Bryan and Reid.

Just been chatting to a Wolves supporting mate of mine about the reasons behind our respective team's form this year.  Perhaps the causes of Wolves' success are a little more obvious but for me one of the main reasons we're doing well is that these five men are in the squad, and all are in good, if not the best, form of their career. 

Those five have been at the top of the Championship and the bottom of L1 together, and in almost every position between.  They've won trophies together, they've had record bad runs together, and yet they are all still here.  In Reid and Bryan's case they've come through the academy together.  We know that Pack and Flint are very good mates, and we know that Flint and Fielding through one hell of a party. 

It seems to me that these five are the core of this team, both in spirit and in a tactical sense.  Indeed, now that we play Reid up front they are very much the spine that is so often cited as being crucial to a successful squad.

When was the last time we had a similar core of long-standing players, in a variety of positions, who got on well off the pitch and were all enjoying a purple patch?

Inspired in part by @bcfctim in the 3 goals away from home thread.

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10 minutes ago, Kotsy said:

Add Smith - Super 6

Yeh, only reason I left him out was that he joined in Summer 2014 so missed the 2013/14 season when we scraped the bottom of L1.  Possibly a bit harsh of me as Reid and Bryan weren't ever present that season - although they did get 32 and 28 apps respectively.

But I agree since then he's been integral; one of my favourite players - when he's not at RB.

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For me, Pack lacks the consistency to be seen as a key player. I like Pack, but I never feel I know which Pack I am going to get in a game. The one who controls the game and wins the ball consistently, or the one who get's easily harried off the ball,  loses the ball trying to make the hollywood pass and picks up silly bookings. 

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44 minutes ago, ExiledAjax said:

Fielding, Flint, Pack, Bryan and Reid.

Just been chatting to a Wolves supporting mate of mine about the reasons behind our respective team's form this year.  Perhaps the causes of Wolves' success are a little more obvious but for me one of the main reasons we're doing well is that these five men are in the squad, and all are in good, if not the best, form of their career. 

Those five have been at the top of the Championship and the bottom of L1 together, and in almost every position between.  They've won trophies together, they've had record bad runs together, and yet they are all still here.  In Reid and Bryan's case they've come through the academy together.  We know that Pack and Flint are very good mates, and we know that Flint and Fielding through one hell of a party. 

It seems to me that these five are the core of this team, both in spirit and in a tactical sense.  Indeed, now that we play Reid up front they are very much the spine that is so often cited as being crucial to a successful squad.

When was the last time we had a similar core of long-standing players, in a variety of positions, who got on well off the pitch and were all enjoying a purple patch?

Inspired in part by @bcfctim in the 3 goals away from home thread.

No Baker ? For me probably our best defender.

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19 minutes ago, ExiledAjax said:

On this season's showing sure, he's been excellent, but he wasn't part of the double-winning side and he missed "the run" in 2016/17. He hasn't been through the same bonding experiences as the others. 

It seems that our recruitment now involves an element of fitting in with the group too - most of the new recruits seem to anyway (apart from the one we shipped out). I entirely agree with your theory about those players being together through thick and thin though.

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8 minutes ago, Red Right Hand said:

It seems that our recruitment now involves an element of fitting in with the group too - most of the new recruits seem to anyway (apart from the one we shipped out). I entirely agree with your theory about those players being together through thick and thin though.

Agreed, and for me that is how recruitment should be.  Rather than attempting to assemble a team we now have a small core of players - the real essence of the team - to which we are trying to add.  I hope that makes sense as I think it is a crucial distinction.  It means that there is an existing foundation of people that is solid and runs through the team - and to an extent the support staff.

It's as though you've built a house with deep foundations, strong beams and solid walls.  Only once that is all in place can you add some nice carpets, a layer of paint and ultimately a £5.4m piece of Senegalese artwork (careful though - it's fragile).

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44 minutes ago, ExiledAjax said:

On this season's showing sure, he's been excellent, but he wasn't part of the double-winning side and he missed "the run" in 2016/17. He hasn't been through the same bonding experiences as the others. 

who was your wolves mates top 5?

surely most of there top players have only just joint so the relevance of your top 5 is a bit pointless? 

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3 minutes ago, Littlesh*t said:

who was your wolves mates top 5?

surely most of there top players have only just joint so the relevance of your top 5 is a bit pointless? 

We weren't really comparing individual players, and those guys aren't necessarily my top five players from our squad.

He was saying that Wolves are where they are because they've spent cash on players who are realistically too good for the championship, have gone all in on with Mendes and have a manager who is genuinely excellent. 

I countered that by saying that I think one of the reasons we are doing well is that we have this core of players who may be limited individually but who form a very strong foundation onto which a good manager can build a great team.

 

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1 hour ago, Port Said Red said:

For me, Pack lacks the consistency to be seen as a key player. I like Pack, but I never feel I know which Pack I am going to get in a game. The one who controls the game and wins the ball consistently, or the one who get's easily harried off the ball,  loses the ball trying to make the hollywood pass and picks up silly bookings. 

Exactly. I sort of feel with Pack you get 1 good game in every 4. He can be quite careless in possession. And what is this obsession of his of passing the ball across the middle deep inside our own half with the opposition lurking about??

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Bobby Reid is pretty much doing exactly what Tammy did all of last season. Poachers' goals. Right place, right time. Not wonder goals, but tap ins. Which is great. 

I feel we are 3 players away from being a very very good side: solid right back (can't judge Pisano yet), a creative midfielder, and another striker. If Fielding learned how to kick, he'd be even better. He was better against Preston last Tues so maybe he is learning. 

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3 hours ago, ExiledAjax said:

When was the last time we had a similar core of long-standing players, in a variety of positions, who got on well off the pitch and were all enjoying a purple patch?

Late 70s?

Cashley, Sweeney, Merrick, Gow, Tainton, The Cheese and Ritchie - the superb 7....but the rest of the squad seemed equally tight knit both on and off the pitch...

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1 hour ago, Fat Cigar said:

Bobby Reid is pretty much doing exactly what Tammy did all of last season. Poachers' goals. Right place, right time. Not wonder goals, but tap ins. Which is great. 

I feel we are 3 players away from being a very very good side: solid right back (can't judge Pisano yet), a creative midfielder, and another striker. If Fielding learned how to kick, he'd be even better. He was better against Preston last Tues so maybe he is learning. 

I really rate Pisano, I think he is a very good right back and we do miss him for sure. As for Frankie, if he hasn't learned to kick by the age of 29, we probably need to accept that's one of his flaws, it doesn't really cost us points, but a pain when we lose possession. :yes: 

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10 hours ago, Port Said Red said:

For me, Pack lacks the consistency to be seen as a key player. I like Pack, but I never feel I know which Pack I am going to get in a game. The one who controls the game and wins the ball consistently, or the one who get's easily harried off the ball,  loses the ball trying to make the hollywood pass and picks up silly bookings. 

Pack has been usurped by Brownhill - didn’t see that at the start of the season.  Still a decent player, just Josh has grown.

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