Wolves 2-3 West Brom: Verdict Thread

[Wolvensam]

This is the thing though. When a manager attempts to drastically change something, and ask players to do new things - it's quite often bad before it gets good. Usually though it's with a new manager. Everyone is making mistakes, finding it hard to get out of previous habits and getting caught inbetween. We have to take the pain before it becomes good again - and hopefully that will make us stronger.

Well said. With this in mind my suggestion to go to a 3 probably isn't a good one and we have to stick with this system, as painful as it is to watch currently.

 

[Deleted Cyber]

Cyber - weren’t you the guy that was slating our performances post lockdown saying we needed to create more chances, have more shots and how predictable we had become. Now we are doing those things you’re complaining we’re crap elsewhere. You’re the guy who complained we were beating top sides and not bottom sides and then complained when it was the other way round. You’re the guy that said it was the worst performance Under Nuno, now you’re not. You change you’re opinion to see the negative at all times.
I’d say the thread has been realistic. We weren’t great first half, crap second, have too many mistakes in the defence need to turn round our form. I think everyone is singing from a similar song sheet.

That’s cheered me up coming from the guy who chastised an entire thread at half time yesterday and now seeks to wipe some egg off his face and onto mine. You went a bit quiet in the second half though. Wonder why

yes we had become far too predictable and we still are far too predictable. We are pedestrian and lack zip and the majority of passes are square or backwards. It is very cautious and I am fine with that if it works and wins matches. In 2020 we won 9 games 1 0 so the end justifies the means. Just look at the dull as ditchwater thread . Lots of really good examples of where we could improve. When it stops working people like me will highlight the areas that frustrate us watching in.

Anit’s wonderful that we now don’t beat the top sides but still lose to the bottom sides. Arsenal and Chelsea wins papered over cracks that the mighty Burnley ,West Ham and West Brom expose. We cannot play Crystal Palace every week you know.
A number of you called several others including me , negate when I said we were nowhere near a top six side even when we were close to it points wise at the end of last season. I am comfortable that my eyes haven’t deceived me and we look a team from the lower third of the division. And that’s a shame , for uefa quarter finalists on merit 6 months ago.
For a season where much was promised, kicking on, building on two great 7th place finishes it is quickly turning very sour. As a team we don’t defend well , particularly at set plays, we don’t create chances on the box enough, many of our efforts on goal are from range and we therefore don’t score enough. The table doesn’t lie. We are where we deserve to be. I can’t help looking at the comments saying the club was looking to rebalance the squad and surely I am not the only person on here extremely disappointed with the January so far, given results and performance of Cutrone and MGW who have shown little to say they are any where near the answer.

it is a torrid spell that Nuno needs to draw on all his expertise to get us out of and the 5 or 6 first ream players currently playing below expectations need to find some form and quickly.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

But there's the contradiction, surely. You massively overstated how good we were last season and whined about us not making the Champions League (we evidently were nowhere near that level) and now you reckon we're absolutely shite (we aren't). It's relentless negativity no matter what we do.

We're a mid-table team, always have been under Nuno, and the margins between 7th and 14th (or so) are not very big.

 

[Deleted Cyber]

But there's the contradiction, surely. You massively overstated how good we were last season and whined about us not making the Champions League (we evidently were nowhere near that level) and now you reckon we're absolutely shite (we aren't). It's relentless negativity no matter what we do.

We're a mid-table team, always have been under Nuno, and the margins between 7th and 14th (or so) are not very big.

Now that’s not really true is it. I was pissed off st missing out on Europe because of poor games at Sheffield United and. Burnley where we contrived to concede late goals to drop the points that ultimately put paid to Europe. If you look at the thread next six games From feb 2020 I was very cautious in my hopes against Villa West Ham Bournemouth and Brighton and we took 10 points. Having got in the position to qualify for Europe it was disappointing not to make it.
Wolves have some quality players but at the moment they are in a bit of a rut. It happens. I agree we are a mid table team but I have said that for three years and been called negative for saying it. You can’t have it both ways.
We have lost games to teams in the last three seasons that are definitely worse than us. Previously we best teams that were better and it gave us a false positive. Losing to any side at home, who have one win in 18 league games, the worst defensive record in the league and to concede three goals to them was for me very Wolvesy

 

[prawnking]

But there's the contradiction, surely. You massively overstated how good we were last season and whined about us not making the Champions League (we evidently were nowhere near that level) and now you reckon we're absolutely shite (we aren't). It's relentless negativity no matter what we do.

We're a mid-table team, always have been under Nuno, and the margins between 7th and 14th (or so) are not very big.

Your playing down of our previous ambitions and performances doesn't quite convince, and also doesn't quite gel with how Fosun and Nuno evidently see us, based on their decisions since the last season ended.

We've fallen behind Everton, Southampton, West Ham, bloody Villa and even further behind Leicester and Spurs than we were. That's not on Cyber! Our peers at the moment are basically Palace or Newcastle, both of whom have staying up as a priority.

If staying up is our priority, why the vanity summer signings and complacent talk on here of how we can tweak and faff around this season and still be OK? It suggests a stronger foundation than just a lower mid table team to presume that. I'd say it's only teams with real ambition and solidity that can afford that kind of hubris.

It's convenient now, when it's going a bit tits up, to downplay us, but I remember speaking to you in the summer of 2019 and saying we needed better signings to avoid standing still and being told that we were better than the teams around us already (the West Hams and Everton) so had less to do. So we can all get carried away and be bullish about our chances.

 

[YoungWolf]

We've fallen behind Everton, Southampton, West Ham, bloody Villa and even further behind Leicester and Spurs than we were.

We don't really know this yet though. Southampton, Everton and West Ham aren't actually that far in front of us "performance" wise. Villa have been weirdly good but Grealish has basically been world class this season, The former two there in particular have over-achieved in terms of results a lot, too. Southampton are really struggling to score at the moment and their fans are really upset over the lack of squad depth (sound familiar?!). I think it is too soon to be saying how we've fallen behind these clubs etc - I don't think one poor season necessarily does that - as long as we don't do something daft like get relegated.

We are where we deserve to be at the moment, no doubt. I don't think it's necessarily hurting us long term just yet, but we'll see!

 

[Jabbawolf]

Ok, Louie and Dan - what would your ultimate formation and personnel look like with what we have, and who are the players to upgrade in the near future?

 

[jd1981]

If where we’re now is where we finish I’d say it’s been a poor season which would definitely need some improvement next but not involving an overhaul.
To counter that tho does coming 14th keep your best players content?

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Ok, Louie and Dan - what would your ultimate formation and personnel look like with what we have, and who are the players to upgrade in the near future?

Depends on form etc but:

-------------------Patricio-------------

Semedo------Coady-------Boly-----Jonny

-------------Neves-------Moutinho------------

-------Adama-------Podence--------Neto------

-------------------Fabio (obviously Raul when fit)--------

We'll see how RAN, Adama, Podence go in terms of upgrades and I do think we need a new CH at some point.

 

[Parkins left foot]

Kept off here for the last 24 hrs approx - not going to comment on the match as am sure that it has been done to death (& not reading through that number of pages).

Am sure that it has been said, but sure that this was not the season to try a major evolution given the marathon last year, no real gap between seasons & no preseason (& that's before the sales and additional injuries).

Need to revert back to what the team knows as a system & get what we can in the second half - we are not a bottom 3 team, nor are we a top 6 challenger at the moment so just make sure that we are still there at the end & try to put in a FA Cup challenge (you have to win to progress & any win bolsters confidence).

We do need playing help, but we all know that Jan is a difficult time to be able to do that sensibly so not sure that anything dramatic will occur on that front.

 

[prawnking]

We don't really know this yet though. Southampton, Everton and West Ham aren't actually that far in front of us "performance" wise. Villa have been weirdly good but Grealish has basically been world class this season, The former two there in particular have over-achieved in terms of results a lot, too. Southampton are really struggling to score at the moment and their fans are really upert over the lack of squad depth (sound familiar?!). I think it is too soon to be saying how we've fallen behind these clubs etc - I don't think one poor season necessarily does that - as long as we don't do something daft like get relegated.

We are where we deserve to be at the moment, no doubt. I don't think it's necessarily hurting us long term just yet, but we'll see!

I didn't mean 'fallen behind' as a conclusive end point.

It's getting to the stage where the amount of faith required to believe all these factors are going to just fall in our favour is getting beyond being 'glass half full' and into 'unrealistic' ...

Fabio will work out great in a couple of years, Nuno will sort his head, our dysfunctional playing style and disconnected recruitment out, this season won't hurt us and we'll be back to challenging next season... It's too much for me to go along with all that

 

[northfield wolf]

I would give my right arm to finish 14th at the moment. Still cant see where the next win in the league is coming from. It should have been yesterday.

 

[YoungWolf]

Depends on form etc but:

-------------------Patricio-------------

Semedo------Coady-------Boly-----Jonny

-------------Neves-------Moutinho------------

-------Adama-------Podence--------Neto------

-------------------Fabio (obviously Raul when fit)--------

We'll see how RAN, Adama, Podence go in terms of upgrades and I do think we need a new CH at some point.

I'd be playing Dendoncker in for Joao at moment but as a pure DM not how Nuno uses him but pretty much same for me.

Then I'd be looking for a centre back, centre midfielder and additional wide player (who can also cover up front). The first two need to be serious upgrades though, have to get that right to kick us on.

 

[prawnking]

Still cant see where the next win in the league is coming from.

Probably where we least expect it, I think Nuno and the team still have that in their locker

 

[northfield wolf]

I hope so, this lot gave me a sleepless night .

 

[Paul]

why the vanity summer signings and complacent talk on here

Every one of your posts contain a dig, don't they ?

 

[t3ch]

we'll pull off random upsets and lose 'gimme's same as always. our form is terrible but a win will come.

besides, with the terrible habit of playing to the level of our opponent, maybe chelsea is actually the best chance for a win.

 

[oslowolf]

Agree with that DW. Anybody who went to Huddersfield will know how bad we were that night, a game i will never forget for all the wrong reasons against one of the worst Premier League teams ever. We all knew what was coming that night.

Back to today for one moment, there was one real bright spark for me and it's the only thing i can hold on to and that is Fabio is gonna be some striker as long as he keeps his head on his shoulders. His movement is so good, just seen Ian Wright did a little package about it on MOTD and it just shows how good it is. If Nuno can get us set up right he could really start to thrive even this season. His goal today too, the fact that he tried to chest the Saiss cross down first but then the shrug off and finish were sublime. It's a shame that not everyone can see this, i actually feel sorry for anyone who can't see how much potential he has or even how good he is now.

I dont think many has problems seeing that his positioning and runs are good. His physical abilities are the ones that needs to improve. He wasnt fast or strong enough to play on the left against Everton nor as a cf alone in the current set up. Dendoncker has those abilities. And i am pleased to see that he often is present in the box. This will also open room for Silva to exploit.

 

[prawnking]

Every one of your posts contain a dig, don't they ?

Think you're projecting a bit here. It's hardly much of a dig, just an adjective. No more a dig than people constantly referencing 'the usual suspects' or labelling everything 'negative'.

Never see you highlighting that.

At least you got your Johnny 'like' anyway... Someone else happy to dish out the digs and actually laugh at people's posts.

Excuse me if I don't take decorum lessons from either of you seriously!

 

[Johnny75]

I'd be playing Dendoncker in for Joao at moment but as a pure DM not how Nuno uses him but pretty much same for me.

Then I'd be looking for a centre back, centre midfielder and additional wide player (who can also cover up front). The first two need to be serious upgrades though, have to get that right to kick us on.

I think a CB and a CF (Raul can play wide in a front 3 too) are a must.

I'd like to see Otasowie get a run in the midfield spot as I think he could be good in a box to box role.