03 Feb 2021 11:17:36
Poor old Arsenal for once they haven’t had the rub of the green shame on wolves for getting a dose of good fortune anybody think that’s the media’s take I certainly do I don’t understand when you’re playing a 4 that however doesn’t come in for semedo after all this guy was brought to play in a 3 and a 4 obviously doesn’t suit him also Cody for me doesn’t play in a 4 we play two systems have players for both be prepared to rotate when needed that aside it was a great win just what the doctor ordered one last thought vitina is surely near a start ðŸ‘ðŸ»ðŸ‘ðŸ».
03 Feb 2021 12:19:30
Ratings part 1
Firstly, let’s not get too carried away. This result does move us to within a hairs breath of safety – 4 or 5 more points and we can surely relax? – but it was a game like no other (until the very next one of course when Saints had 2 sent off against united who put 9 past them) . We got the rub of the green this time – which we were more than owed – and Var for once did its job correctly – although Lacazette was clearly offside so you would have hoped the linesman would have got that right even without VAR and the pen and the two red cards were stonewall.
The first 15 minutes were as bad as I have seen Wolves in a long time. Kilman is obviously not a left back and you felt sorry for him being exposed like that. To be fair to the club we do have 3, (or 4 if you count Saiss), LBs on the books but sadly it appears that all 3/ 4 are now long term injured – assume Otto must be back soon or we really should have signed someone in the window. (It will be interesting to see what Nuno does v Leicester as surely you can’t play Kilman at LB again) .
Apart from the confidence/ footballing ability – the skill/ composure required to retain possession under even the mildest of pressure and pass to a player in the same colour shirt – the thing that was missing and screaming out to all as a major factor in our being overrun/ cut to ribbons in that early period in the game is the thing I mentioned yesterday, our physical ineptness. It is surely a basic that you can run and compete athletically with you opponents. Yesterday Arsenal had too many players who simply were too quick for us. It doesn’t take much to get in behind a defence when they can run past our guys who then just can’t keep up. We are undoubtedly the least impressive side in the league in that regard. Big black marks against the training regime!
It was the system that to some extent masked this weakness last year but time and personnel changes have also contributed to this malaise and need to be addressed in the summer
I know our weakness down the left-hand side must have been Traore’s fault – [ some of the posters on the various other sites I foolishly read were actually saying it was but they think everything is Traore’s fault. (It seemingly used to be Doherty’s but now they are confused, (being polite there), as Semedo, the huge upgrade according to most last August is now also awful according to them – he has actually improved nicely and was fine yesterday – not much did come down our right-hand side, (apart sadly from the goal! ) and going forwards down the right as the commentators commented, we were great! ]– but as Kilman plays on our left and Traore on our right not sure how.
We must though if we are going to play 4,2,3,1 without a top-class LB protect the left side better. This could be via Neto working back harder or the CM on that side providing more cover. 4,2,3,1 is an attacking formation but it is defensively quite narrow. Still not convinced we have the players to play it. Our FBs prefer to be WBs and Coady def prefers two CB partners. What it does do though is allow us to have our best 3 players in the midfield/ attack all on the pitch at the same time.
However not sure the other posters I read last night concur – which makes me sure I am correct!
Podence (our most creative player and the one who made the first goal – he was again kicked off the park and I fear that without top 6 protection his body won’t stand up to the punishment he gets week in week out) was roundly castigated and now seems, alongside Traore and Doherty/ Semedo to be their punch bag of choice. Whilst apparently Traore is the devil incarnate. He doesn’t run – yes he does, doesn’t beat people – yes he does, doesn’t create anything – yes he does, doesn’t pass - yes he does etc etc etc. Everyone is entitled to an opinion but no the earth isn’t flat!
Neto we all agree on though and he was again great – it will be interesting to see how and when posters turn on him?
03 Feb 2021 14:50:21
Thefutureisoldgold. Excellent post my friend as usual 😀. I have said similar on a post. Our quick breaks are constantly stopped by fouls that would be red in penalty area! The laws are the same all over the pitch, referees take note. As if!
03 Feb 2021 15:02:40
Future, I don't like advocating this but Podence probably needs to start learning how to get these guys onto a yellow when he comes in for this type of punishment.
03 Feb 2021 15:08:50
Ratings 2
After the early storm we got a grip in the latter stages of the first half without in truth actually looking too much like we were capable of scoring sadly.
However, all 3 of our attacking mids were individually fine even if each seemed a little isolated and the end product was limited to a few corners. Our threat from these however is diminished by the over use of short corners and conversely the absence of powerful headers of the ball – Jose might improve that as will Saiss if/ when he returns
However, it was not surprising that it was a superb through ball from Podence onto a well-timed forward run – that bit was surprising as until Jose arrived, we didn’t have a CF who could run let alone time a run – that brought about both the goal and the first red card.
Thereafter with so much more space and time life became easier and with 8 outfield players after Lenos daft error it was very relaxed and we managed the game well although surely a few more goals would have made the last 5 mins less stressful – see MU performance!
It is therefore hard to grade players as the 3 periods had such distinctly different characteristics and challenges. It would be easy to mark highly for doing things in period 3 that actually were v easy or mark individuals low for efforts in period 1 when as a team we were simply not at the races.
However
Patrico -7 Made several good saves. Could he have done better/ tried with the goal. Possibly but it was in the corner and bent round Coady after 2 players had missed tackles/ been out muscled and came from a mis control by Semedo so the goal was def not Patricio’s fault!
Semedo – 7 goal was his fault but otherwise played v well and one of the few in that opening 20 mins who came out with any credit. Def improving. Not quite at Doherty level yet, (Doherty would not have been outmuscled by Pepe), but getting there!
Boly - 8 Another v good game. Top man and a leader
Coady – 6 He is not as comfortable in a 4 but as game became less pressurised, he grew into it. Still a solid pro but may not survive as a first choice if we go 4 at the back full-time next year
Kilman 3 Not his fault but totally out of depth as a LB
Moutino 6 2nd half master class including amazing goal. But he is neat and tidy and loves pulling the strings and with no pressure on him and no need to run this was his heaven. First half not so good. Do not be fooled unless we play against team who give us the freedom of the park, he can no longer do it!
Neves 5 Obviously suffers playing in a mid that is over run but battled gamely. Went off early and therefore his mark doesn’t get boosted by the easy minutes.
Neto -8 v good. We need more end product and he should either shoot or go down when fouled in the box. Far too honest! Needs to work on his right foot and his final ball. Drives into box well but always shoots left footed from left hand side meaning angle is always tight and keepers tend to block at near post
Podence 6 Made goal and tried lots of stuff. Not everything came off but rather he tried to be creative than simply settled. A player not appreciated because of the lack of end product/ turnovers but like Traore he can only take the horse to water. Needs more protection from refs as again took a battering. Seems brave and like Jota did bounces up and goes again – not sure he will be able to keep that up though.
Traore 8 Had Soares on toast. V positive throughout – outside of first 15 or so when we didn’t have the ball. If Jose develops as we all hope the link up could be most productive although delighted to see Traore mixing it up a bit more and driving inside drawing fouls. If refs could improve on the Ancient Mariner though and stop, (blow for) more than 1 in 3 that would help!
Jose 7 – neat and tidy link up lay and physical presence. Would it be too much to ask for a bit of pace? However, the opening goal showed a well-timed run doesn’t have to be Usain Bolt like to be effective. Will score and the chasm between him and what went before is grand canyonesque
Subs
Dendonker 5 – Didn’t do much but didn’t need to
Vitor 6 Promising cameo but missed pretty easy chance when put in by Neto
Silva N/ a Literally (yes zero touches) didn’t touch ball in his 4 mins on pitch.
03 Feb 2021 15:21:22
As an example of the foul I was talking about there was one by Partey that I remember. Frankly I was nearer the ball than he was and I'm in Oakham! ðŸ˜.
03 Feb 2021 15:32:59
Arddunby - Brilliant point! Why are we so bad at Ref management? Too honest or just not "big" enough to count? Arsenal weren't as bad as Chelsea but did use the tactical foul to stop Traore and Podence regularly.
Traore is probably his own worst enemy {no he isn't there are numerous posters on Wolves site who can't be denied that title) as he simply keeps going - even when disadvantaged - rather than going down. Not surprising that when even he can't remain upright from yet another foul he sometimes looks distraught and shocked that nothing is given.
03 Feb 2021 17:23:12
Well impressed with you 11.1 secs pb on 100m Thefutureisoldgold.
My pb was 12secs aged 15.
In pe lesson at school.
The arsenal players looked a lot sharper than us, so I agree with your post last night.
All is splendid.
03 Feb 2021 18:24:46
Hi futuregold, I simply can't agree with you re Semedo, He is just not suited to the English game. He has improved slightly.
Defending is poor lack of concentration and position. at times a liability
Yes he goes forward more, but he is afraid to take on his opponent and hardly ever delivers a cross. Very rarely goes to the by line with crosses.
Lets be honest this is a 26yr old experienced player, he is just not good enough what you see now is what you have, Be surprised if he spends many seasons at wolves.
03 Feb 2021 18:30:03
Tks Phil I broke through as an athlete in year 4 at school when I ran 11.7 - which was then a school record and the school was over 250 years old! In year 5 ( 11 in todays money) I brought that down to 11.2 (on "Astro" whilst we normally ran on grass or cinders) and edged it lower in year 12.
My school went comprehensive from Grammar in the late 70s (and the make up of the boys changed enormously) before being closed recently. Sadly though as we have a recent Olympic silver medallist triple jumper as an Alumini I strongly suspect that my record didn't make it to the end of the school's existence.
I would imagine Traore is a sub 11 second sprinter but the squad probably contains several who wouldn't break 13 and one or two who would struggle to break 14.
03 Feb 2021 19:45:40
Yellowstone - I hear you. However it is an improvement compared to where he was at the start of the season. At the moment he is a lower mid table quality player - not out of place in the prem but not much more. I was v v hostile to him early on and perhaps have swung too far to the positive. However relative to other players over the last few weeks he has been ok hasn't he? As to if he stays I suspect he will as we can't afford to replace him with so many other demands on our limited funds and if we sell we will almost certainly struggle, particularly given his contract terms, to get our money back.
However I think we wouldn't be so hard on him if we had paid a few million like we did for Marcal or even £15m like Villa did for Matty Cash or if he hadn't replace Doherty who ( despite what some posters who believe he was Div 2 standard say? ) was a top 6 quality RWB in our system.
He also would look better with a well defined consistent role and in a side playing with more confidence.
You are though correct in that he is not suited to the physical English game or playing for a team where he is expected to defend stoutly and take more responsibility for making things happen going the other way.
I fear we have no other options though and despite as you say him being an experienced pro I still hope for further improvement as we rebound as a team next year
It was bad scouting - brilliant when compared to Silva mind - and a bad deal. The Barcelona tag blinded the club to the, as you say, now obvious realities.
03 Feb 2021 16:37:46
All great reading 😀.
03 Feb 2021 23:04:16
Thanks for the summary thefutureisgold
We really don't need to worry about relegation unless we pick up no more points we are 12 points ahead of Fulham who only have 14 anyway so are they even going to get another 12? Best to think who is 12 points ahead of us and what we can achieve and that should be top half or even 7th yes I am an optimist.