Sheffield United 1 - 0 Wolves: The Verdict

[Alan]

I'm trying not to overreact here, but that's two matches, two losses, two shots on target.

Not good enough. Not even close.

 

[t3ch]

phew, the game's over, I don't have to keep watching whatever that was

 

[Wilf Wolf]

Too predictable. Everything comes from out wide and if we threaten the opposition take a yellow. Need more creativity from midfield to make the opposition think a bit.

 

[Tredman]

Not good at all, second game in a row where we have been sloppy in passing and lacking urgency. The sub to bring on Donk clearly said everything about our intentions.

We’ll be lucky to finish 8th, best hope City actually are banned and a team above us wins the FA Cup.

 

[Dire Wolf]

Shit. Move on. Though looking at the rest of our fixtures I can't see where we will get another win. We might not even finish top 8.

 

[malta mick]

The worrying thing apart from our recent poor performances is that if we fail to make European competition, we could both lose a player or two, and fail to attract our alleged targets.

 

[White Wolf]

Frustrating again. We seemed ropey there at the end, couldn't get out - had a sneaky feeling Blades would score. That was too negative in the second half and Nuno has to be more proactive with the substitutions!

6th would be excellent but I'm unsure if we will get that now, need other teams to help us out against Sheffield United and Arsenal because I can't see us taking 6 points from our next two. Worrying performance today. Need to turn things around soon.

 

[Premier Quality]

We were marginally the better side in the first half. Second half was pretty even before the sub, Traore not at his best but still most likely to create something. I wouldn’t have complained if he’d been subbed for podence tbh, but putting Donk on killed us - they didn’t have to keep people back to watch out for his pace, and just pushed on and swamped us.

Don’t know what Nuno was playing at there, huge error. He’s still the best manager we’ve had in my lifetime, but that was really poor.

Need to pick up sharpish to get a europa league spot, our cushion has gone.

 

[Tony Towner]

Sloppy passing for the second game running. Even balls between the defence are being knocked behind them.

If we could pay the ransom for whoever has kidnapped Boly that would be appreciated.

The lack of a squad or at least a lack of one Nuno trusts is killing us. We have 12 players he'll start and another one he'll give meaningful game time to. It's just not sustainable.

Souness summed it up, the winning goal was about desire, Jonny has to stop the run because if he doesn't when you are zonal Boly has no chance

 

[Alan]

Also, I hate to do this again, but after a good first half, Neves completely vanished in the second 45.

These are the games he has to take over. Instead, he pulled a Houdini. People were talking about wanting 100m+ for him not long ago. If anyone is going to pay that, then we have to treat performances like he just put in as unacceptable. End of.

 

[Freddeno]

Piss poor and nothing from the bench

 

[Derby Wolf]

Had the feelings of Huddersfield away last season for the last 20 minutes. Not really surprised by it.

Our right side were rank, Boly seemed very nervous and very out of character, Doherty couldn't find a gold shirt if he played till midnight and Traore aside from one run in the second was pretty quiet because of his shoulder. Not calling Adama but he retreated into himself a bit after it popped away at United and same happened here.

Jota started well, and was industrious but faded as the game went on. Raul was decent defending corners but anonymous in their half.

I think Nuno has got to use Podence tonight that he's used one sub to try and ensure a fairly useless point is really poor imo.

We're at risk of fizzling out and if he doesn't use the squad members completely fatigued when the Europa resumes.

 

[YoungWolf]

Also, I hate to do this again, but after a good first half, Neves completely vanished in the second 45.

These are the games he has to take over. Instead, he pulled a Houdini. People were talking about wanting 100m+ for him not long ago. If anyone is going to pay that, then we have to treat performances like he just put in as unacceptable. End of.

Thought he was our best player

 

[PuntsWolf]

7 shots on target in 5 games. Let’s be honest, all the games have been fucking dull. We just have two players way too good for the shit and we took our one chance. We had players too good for these but just too negative.

Not sure at which point we say Jota is out of form or just not good enough. Great carrying the ball between the boxes but when some actual quality is required greatly lacking. Doesn’t help that we exclusively attack on the counter so there’s rarely much alongside him.

 

[Norman Deeley]

Well, like a few other people I’ll try not to be too negative, but that was awful. As Cyber says, the stats don’t like and 6 shots on target in 6 hours is relegation form, never mind Europa League. Anyone who says, “Bad day at the office, just move on” is simply a fool.
So many players a mile off it tonight - what the hell has happened to Boly? – and we seem to have a squad of 13 players. I really don’t know what to say about that performance. Just absolutely fucking awful & the substitution of Traore showed all the tactical acumen of a 12 year old on Championship Manager

 

[prawnking]

If it was that easy to get 6th in the PL using only 12 players the likes of Utd, Spurs and Arsenal would have been doing it for years and saving on the wage bill. Who could we have brought on to rest legs or effect change? Nuno seemingly doesn't trust Podence or MGW much and Kilman, Burr, Jordao and Campano are really just squad fodder? Even Sheff Utd can cope without Fleck, Lundstrom and McGoldrick, we look stretched even with pretty much a full squad! Nuno needs to revise his squad dogma if we're going to progress next season, if we have 20 players they need to be 20 players that we're comfortable playing

 

[AndyWolves]

We just aren't that much of a threat going forward and not quite as solid at the back. It's not just one player there seems to be a something spreading through the squad, Jonny has been the only one really at the races since we've come back.

They're good players but they just don't seem quite "at it" since the restart. Almost like they need a good shake!

I'd be tempted with 3412 next game and MGW in the hole if Neto isn't back. Traore off the bench if we need him

 

[The Bion]

Raul was ok - lot of things didn't come off for him but he kept trying, was generally tidy and worked hard. Didn't have a lot of help around him.

Few others didn't do a huge amount wrong, but that's about as far as I'm willing to go in terms of praise (and its debatable to call it that)

Jota's completely off form and needs to be dropped. Yes yes, he brings more than goals, etc. But he's back in his old rut where he plays with his head down, tries to dribble past everyone in his path (losing it a lot) and his general play is just sloppy. He's far from alone in that, but we are desperately struggling for goals right now and if a change is going to be made, he's the obvious candidate IMO.

I realise it's not the case but the 2nd half was so low energy and ponderous (some of that will be down to Sheff Utd being very solid) we could've kept playing until the weekend and might not have mustered a shot, let alone score.

And yes, the sub - singular - was not good. Reminded me of the semi when we lost our best/only attacking outlet and just invited pressure. Which is a concern because it suggests Nuno is not learning from his mistakes.

Something needs to change.

 

[Parkins left foot]

2 sides that had respect & were wary of each other - a game that needed a bit of inspiration or a mistake which we didn't really get.

Too defensive from Nuno tonight. Leander on is fine if we were 1 up at that point, but him for Traore then merely allowed Utd to feel that they could risk going forward more in the last 10 mins & a set piece is always an opportunity.

Traore for Podence I could have stomached as they would still need to be wary of the quick attack.

We have had more games than anyone else this season with a smaller squad & it does seem to be telling now - are we running out of steam. Some changes will be needed, but what & who?

 

[Alan]

Thought he was our best player

He was in the first half.