Everton (H) Build up

[YoungWolf]

My turn then

This weekend still represents an opportunity to put some daylight between us and 7th (or at least retain our position in sixth)

Sheffield United v Chelsea (Saturday)
Tottenham v Arsenal (Sunday).

I think I said before the Arsenal game that we now needed to go up a gear, not sure we've been able to do that or play at the speed that Nuno would have liked, so it will be interesting to see how we line up.

I see Nuno going back to 3-5-2.

Patricio

Boly Coady Saiss

Doherty Dendoncker Neves Moutinho Jonny

Jimenez Jota​

Everton play a weird sort of 4-4-2, it's really hard to tell what their plan is but they do have a dangerous front two and in particular I worry about Richarlison (who we struggled with at their place).

I think I'd still prefer Traore/Neto/Podence in a 343 but can see Nuno going back to a front two where we will hopefully have opportunities to break against their two centre backs, particularly with their full backs tending to play a bit higher. I think Mina is back for them though?

Alternatively, if Joao is looking a bit jaded we may put Dendoncker in with Neves, which would put a lot of onus on the front three and wing backs to create I think.

Really could do with a win to take us into next week where we have two very winnable games coming up.

 

[Tredman]

I like Donk a lot, but we look pretty toothless with that 3 in CM if someone doesn’t create a bit of magic. If he plays it should be in place of Neves or Moutinho, that won’t happen. Copying my team from the thread of doom:

Rui
Boly - Coady - Saiss
Jonny - Neves - Moutinho - Vini
MGW
Raul Jota​

MGW is a forward thinking player, might not always come of for him but he is much more of a creative threat than Donk.

 

[YoungWolf]

I don't think Nuno will throw in two players who have played about 5 minutes between them so far (though we could argue he should have used them more already of course). Vinagre had a nightmare against Everton earlier in the season too so not sure if that will play on Nuno's mind. I'd like to see both feature more just don't think it will be from the start.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

It wouldn't surprise me at all to see Nuno go with the same starting team as last night (Adama injury depending)

But i'd like to see us start 352 and then press the Adama/Neto/Podence button with 30 mins to go, i feel when we start with 343 and start Adama we lose the momentum and give the opposition the initiative when we change to 352 and/or take Adama off later on in games, as last night showed.

 

[Paul]

Any news on Traore ? because after the shoulder injury you literally watched the enthusiasm drain from him.

 

[pacamac]

Lot depends on if Neto and Traore are available for me before stating how I'd like us to line up.

But if everyones fit I'd go:

Patricio
Doherty Boly Coady Saiss Otto
Moutinho Neves
Neto
Jimenez Jota

 

[Kenny]

It won't happen but I would like to see a couple of fresh faces put in the 11. Podence and then maybe MGW or even Kilman, Just change things a little as its got a little stale the last couple of games and 1 or 2 changes might add something.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Interesting to see the sudden desire to see MGW, a player that during lockdown many wanted out the club, whilst i agree that we need to freshen things up somehow I haven't seen anything from MGW at any point this season to suggest that he would come in and improve things, quite the opposite.

 

[Kenny]

Interesting to see the sudden desire to see MGW, a player that during lockdown many wanted out the club, whilst i agree that we need to freshen things up somehow I haven't seen anything from MGW at any point this season to suggest that he would come in and improve things, quite the opposite.

Not so much a desire from my view point but just that he is next in line. We don't have a big squad so, if we are going to make changes outside of the norm then he is one at the front of the queue, whether we rate him or not.

 

[Carrotdude]

I’d be tempted to look at 3-5-2 but with Neto, Podence or MGW instead of Dendoncker to link the midfield and attack. Think we need to do something a bit different either way really.

 

[Tredman]

In the past Nuno has not been shy to make changes when the team has not performed well - they usually get one more chance then he makes changes. I'll think we'll see 2 or 3 changes for Everton.

 

[Tredman]

Interesting to see the sudden desire to see MGW, a player that during lockdown many wanted out the club, whilst i agree that we need to freshen things up somehow I haven't seen anything from MGW at any point this season to suggest that he would come in and improve things, quite the opposite.

TBF I think its mainly been me on here, and I've always been of the opinion he will be a very good player and a good proportion of our fans are wankers when it comes to him.

 

[Tony Towner]

Not so much a desire from my view point but just that he is next in line. We don't have a big squad so, if we are going to make changes outside of the norm then he is one at the front of the queue, whether we rate him or not.

It's only 24 hours on so this is still relevant
https://www.wolvesforum.co.uk/showthread.php?p=1341470

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

TBF I think its mainly been me on here, and I've always been of the opinion he will be a very good player and a good proportion of our fans are wankers when it comes to him.

Certainly agree that the fans have been cunty with him, although obviously during lockdown he didn't help with that.

 

[YoungWolf]

Its been since the second half of last season really, based on small cameo appearances. Was bizarre some of the criticism he got, probably the same people furious that we didn't pick him for Newcastle away only a few months before.

His performances since haven't been great but they haven't been as disastrous as made out. The back issue clearly limited his performance too so fingers crossed he is past that. I still have high hopes.

 

[slink]

Where does he play? If we continue to play the 352 as Nuno does then i don't think he fits in either of the Moutinho or Donk positions. If Nuno moves to 2 deeper and 1 in front then obviously he's probably first choice for that position but that requires a change again which i don't think will happen.

 

[YoungWolf]

IMO long term he can play in the 343 as one of the two midfielders. He's got the mobility and technical ability, I'm less sure about defensive discipline. I remember Spurs at home last year where he was fantastic in that position. I can understand why Nuno isn't playing him there currently but I see him as an 8 rather than a 10 personally. He was good when we played him as a kinda false 9 though.

I would like to see him there anyway because I think he'd give us something more in terms of forward movement off the ball.

When he has played in midfield it has tended to be the Moutinho 352 position, to the left of the three.

 

[Tony Towner]

His best game for us was Chelsea at home last year, where from memory he played a sort of floating role behind the front two with license to break beyond them in a 352.

Looking at the team that day Saiss played in CM so perhaps it would need to be Donck and Neves/Moutinho rather than Neves and Moutinho to make that work

 

[Norman Deeley]

His best game for us was Chelsea at home last year, where from memory he played a sort of floating role behind the front two with license to break beyond them in a 352.

Looking at the team that day Saiss played in CM so perhaps it would need to be Donck and Neves/Moutinho rather than Neves and Moutinho to make that work

That was the midfield I was thinking about for last night - Neves/Donk/MGW. But who Nuno picks is a long way second to the intensity and pace they play with. If it's another game with one shot on target we're screwed.

 

[slink]

His best game for us was Chelsea at home last year, where from memory he played a sort of floating role behind the front two with license to break beyond them in a 352.

Looking at the team that day Saiss played in CM so perhaps it would need to be Donck and Neves/Moutinho rather than Neves and Moutinho to make that work

Didn't he play there pretty much in the Cardiff game too and i thought he had quite a decent first half in that game, him Jota and Jimenez definitely combined well for the first goal. That's how he has to play if we're going to play him imo and then it's all about him because he has the ability just doesn't really apply it in games enough.