Wolves V West Ham 20.11.21 - build up & matchday

[prawnking]

Moutinho is a bit better than Saiss.

Joao is like Adama, had a wonderful campaign two seasons ago and done precious little since.

Saiss in a PL midfield would be a massive retrograde step though

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

That's very unfair on Moutinho, disrespectful even.

 

[Derby Wolf]

Whilst Saiss has been booked 22 times in 90 games for Wolves in the Prem, he's only been sent off once. (i can't remember what that was for, whether it was 2 bookings or a straight red?)

I think many of those bookings have been rash stupidity, however once he's had that booking he's clearly been very disciplined to then make sure he doesn't get the second booking.

Two yellows away at Palace.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Two yellows away at Palace.

The second being particularly ridiculous. An absolute Mark Venus of a pull back.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Saiss in a PL midfield would be a massive retrograde step though

It would, but our options are so ridiculously limited.

 

[sycophantia]

That's very unfair on Moutinho, disrespectful even.

And also nonsense

 

[prawnking]

That's very unfair on Moutinho, disrespectful even.

Not sure what's disrespectful about quite mild and measured criticism. Unless we're saying some players are untouchable? Count me out of that.

He's been a shadow of himself for a good while now, nothing 'nonsensical' about that

 

[Tony Towner]

He had a down season last year after being run into the ground. I think he's been decent this year, although I expect him to hit another wall unless he's managed better

 

[sycophantia]

He had a down season last year after being run into the ground. I think he's been decent this year, although I expect him to hit another wall unless he's managed better

This

 

[Deano]

He had a down season last year after being run into the ground. I think he's been decent this year, although I expect him to hit another wall unless he's managed better

Agreed on this. Moutinho is still class at times, the issue we have is that shit recruitment across several windows means instead of using him situationally as needed, we run him into the ground, at 35, in one of the most demanding positions on the pitch. The fact we aren't getting the most out of him is a failure on the clubs part.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Apparently we've looked really good this season and he's played nearly every minute, so which is it? We're now good to watch and he's a key player, or we're still stale and he needs turfing out? It can't be both.

I think he's been very good this season, he wasn't helped last time out by a joke referee giving him a joke yellow card after three minutes. He was also not remotely as bad last season as people make out.

 

[prawnking]

Apparently we've looked really good this season and he's played nearly every minute, so which is it? We're now good to watch and he's a key player, or we're still stale and he needs turfing out? It can't be both.

I think he's been very good this season, he wasn't helped last time out by a joke referee giving him a joke yellow card after three minutes. He was also not remotely as bad last season as people make out.

Marcal and Sa played nearly every minute too until the former got injured.

I'm not saying turf him out, I said he'd declined considerably since 19/20.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I don't think he has, he did the same job for us then as he does now.

You could argue his set pieces have gone down the pan (same as Neves), but that's about the only aspect. Covers the ground just as well, defends just as well, his passing is still exactly the same. You're never going to get a YouTube highlights reel out of him.

 

[Alan]

Moutinho and Neves are both individually good enough (at least) for this level. Just think they lack a certain amount of mobility they means that can be exposed when played as a pair against more mobile CMs.

I'd kill for an Idrissa Gueye type to sit behind them.

 

[North Shropshire Lad]

I don't quite understand our set piece delivery. Moutinho still takes [badly] a significant percentage of them, but occasionally when he doesn't (like the Ait Nouri corner for Kilman's header) we still revert straight back to him almost immediately.
Missing the first man on the diagonal free kick or corner has been an issue of his for a while now - but as he's always on them I can only assume he nails nearly every one in training.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Moutinho and Neves are both individually good enough (at least) for this level. Just think they lack a certain amount of mobility they means that can be exposed when played as a pair against more mobile CMs.

I'd kill for an Idrissa Gueye type to sit behind them.

We don't need another player behind that pair!

We need goals from midfield, basically what we ask Donck to do when we play a three but he can't do it.

 

[Alan]

We don't need another player behind that pair!

We need goals from midfield, basically what we ask Donck to do when we play a three but he can't do it.

I think it would work for our theoretical change to a 4-3-3.

Granted, we don't have the CBs for that at the moment so it's all a bit moot.

 

[prawnking]

I don't think he has, he did the same job for us then as he does now.

You could argue his set pieces have gone down the pan (same as Neves), but that's about the only aspect. Covers the ground just as well, defends just as well, his passing is still exactly the same. You're never going to get a YouTube highlights reel out of him.

His set pieces are dreadful, any other player would get pelters for them. He made significant goal contributions during his first two seasons, that's completely dropped off since then. Massively.

His play last year was horrendously conservative - I expect more from a senior player who is so lauded.

 

[darlowolf64]

Can't make it on Saturday if anyone was wanting to go but can't get a ticked... Drop me a PM

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Let me ask Micro.