Wolves 0 v 1 Leeds: The Verdict Thread

[Freddeno]

Confidence is everything and that is what we need mostly

[Tony Towner]

Your mate sounds like a knob.

A homophobic one, classy guy.

[Tony Towner]

Good footballer though.

Dean Saunders was a good footballer, I'll pass on his judgement thanks

[arklowolf]

Dean Saunders was a good footballer, I'll pass on his judgement thanks

I'm sure Dean's worried.

[Paddingtonwolf]

Cut the homophobic stuff out. Not acceptable.

[Lincs_Wolf]

Just seen the highlights. Another Doherty special for his showreel. I thought the chance in the first half which flicked off the bar he was horribly caught short too. He didn't seem to have much idea where his man was.

[arklowolf]

Cut the homophobic stuff out. Not acceptable.

OK, I was only relaying his text.
Back on thread:
Are the Portuguese too 'lightweight' and are the rest of them mediocre championship players? Is it all zengas fault??
Discuss please.
BTW we're only a point behind super Mick McCarthy's Ipswich, he might be available soon. Shudder.

[Kenny]

OK, I was only relaying his text.
Back on thread:
Are the Portuguese too 'lightweight' and are the rest of them mediocre championship players? Is it all zengas fault??
Discuss please.
BTW we're only a point behind super Mick McCarthy's Ipswich, he might be available soon. Shudder.

Are the Portugese lighweight? Not really. They are on the pitch to be the flair not be all out hard men. if you are expecting them to be diving into 40/60 challenges then you don't really get their game. They get stuck when they need to.
The Rest: Some are, some aren't but we knew that already. Some have upped their game under Walter.
Is it Zenga's fault? Today was. He was put a decent team out and then proceeded to play a formation that didn't suit them (Bod behind Dicko just took him out of the game for 45 mins)

[tredman]

I don't think Costa and Cav are lightweight at all - they are not the biggest players but definitely get stuck in.

When I've seen Tex he does seem a bit less keen on the physical side, but no more so than numerous other players who have been at wolves

The sad thing with this slump is that I think we do have the makings of a pretty decent team.

[Siggy]

Been completely out of the loop today so to come on here and see we have been so poor is really gutting. With the quality we have in our squad mistakes should be compensated for with goals and at the moment it clearly isn't happening. I am a big advocate for a basic 4-4-2 in this league and I think we have the players to play it now. I really have taken to Zenga but if we carry on this way there is only one result. Back to basics next game please Walt!!

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[arklowolf]

I don't think Costa and Cav are lightweight at all - they are not the biggest players but definitely get stuck in.

When I've seen Tex he does seem a bit less keen on the physical side, but no more so than numerous other players who have been at wolves

The sad thing with this slump is that I think we do have the makings of a pretty decent team.

To be honest, when I've seen us (on TV admittedly) we've played some good football.
The first priority has to be not conceding first. Because once we are behind the belief seems to evaporate.
We have to bear in mind that we have some very young players in defence. Batth isn't a captain (at the moment) we need a steadying influence in the middle of the defence, Williamson would have been perfect. In his absence we will have to wait until the next window, but it must be a priority.
As I say there is a pattern and a big problem that we keep going behind, if we can get in front and make the opposition come onto us then I think we might give someone a beating.
I'd be worried about Bodvarssen, don't see him as a goalscorer from what I've seen. We need to get Dicko scoring. Personally I think we have to back Zenga until Christmas if not until the end of the season.

[slink]

They aren't lightweight at all, they do get kicked a lot and quite often referees give them the square root of fuck all. As far as i'm concerned this is all Zenga's fault now as we have seen that when we play in a particular way we are hard to stop but we just don't do it until we need to and sometimes you just can't pick it up in the middle of the game. When we play the high pressing, high tempo game we look like the best team i've seen but far too often we are happy to sit off and then pass the ball about slowly at the back when we do have it. We are quite often still better than the other side or at least their equal but then we get hit with a goal like today.

[slink]

Been completely out of the loop today so to come on here and see we have been so poor is really gutting. With the quality we have in our squad mistakes should be compensated for with goals and at the moment it clearly isn't happening. I am a big advocate for a basic 4-4-2 in this league and I think we have the players to play it now. I really have taken to Zenga but if we carry on this way there is only one result. Back to basics next game please Walt!!

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We don't have the players to play 4-4-2 and today proved it as that is pretty much what we played, far too open in midfield both centrally and in wide areas that Leeds weren't good enough to exploit most of the time and both Bod and Dicko were awful. Go back to 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 and play a pressing game and high tempo from the start, a bit Liverpool light but with a centre forward and not a false 9.

[Paddingtonwolf]

Bod is a great player. He is as good a forward as we have had in some time.

[tredman]

We don't have the players to play 4-4-2 and today proved it as that is pretty much what we played, far too open in midfield both centrally and in wide areas that Leeds weren't good enough to exploit most of the time and both Bod and Dicko were awful. Go back to 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 and play a pressing game and high tempo from the start, a bit Liverpool light but with a centre forward and not a false 9.

Just that for me, we have the makings of a very good 4-2-3-1 team.

Coady and Saiss as the 2 any of the Portuguese 3 and dicko / Graham as the 3 and Bod up top.

The defence is the difficult part for me, but CBJ - Hause - Batth - Iorfa should get an extended run.

[arklowolf]

They aren't lightweight at all, they do get kicked a lot and quite often referees give them the square root of $#@! all. As far as i'm concerned this is all Zenga's fault now as we have seen that when we play in a particular way we are hard to stop but we just don't do it until we need to and sometimes you just can't pick it up in the middle of the game. When we play the high pressing, high tempo game we look like the best team i've seen but far too often we are happy to sit off and then pass the ball about slowly at the back when we do have it. We are quite often still better than the other side or at least their equal but then we get hit with a goal like today.

Fair enough they get 'kicked a lot' that's the Championship. Have any of them been stretchered off yet?
If players can get away with it they will.
Maybe we need to kick a few back?
Refs get things wrong but I don't think there are many that are deliberately biased.

[fizzwolf]

Bod is a great player. He is as good a forward as we have had in some time.

He was as good as you or I today

[Paddingtonwolf]

He was played out of position though. Blame the bloody manager.

[Paddingtonwolf]

Fair enough they get 'kicked a lot' that's the Championship. Have any of them been stretchered off yet?
If players can get away with it they will.
Maybe we need to kick a few back?
Refs get things wrong but I don't think there are many that are deliberately biased.

Costa has been kicked out of at least three games I can think of.

[Dublin Drummer Wolf]

It's all very Stale Solbakken isn't it?

Decent players not being used in a system that suits.

[arklowolf]

[QUOTE=Paddingtonwolf;971952]Costa has been kicked out of at least three games I can think of.[/

If you've spotted it, I'd say a few others have as well
If I was an opposition manager I'd be saying; he's the danger man, stand on him, get stuck into him, he doesn't like it.

[Paddingtonwolf]

Yup. Not wishing to be baldist, but maybe we should go for a manager with some hair...

[Paddingtonwolf]

[QUOTE=arklowolf;971954]

Costa has been kicked out of at least three games I can think of.[/

If you've spotted it, I'd say a few others have as well
If I was an opposition manager I'd be saying; he's the danger man, stand on him, get stuck into him, he doesn't like it.

He was kicked until he couldn't play on. No protection from referees and got the shit kicked out of him. Nothing to do with not liking it for goodness sake.

Lightweight portuguese. The other word you used. Doesn't like it. All far too fucking UKIP in here for my liking so I will leave it for the night.

[arklowolf]

[QUOTE=Paddingtonwolf;971957]

He was kicked until he couldn't play on. No protection from referees and got the $#@! kicked out of him. Nothing to do with not liking it for goodness sake.

Lightweight portuguese. The other word you used. Doesn't like it. All far too $#@!ing UKIP in here for my liking so I will leave it for the night.

Ridiculous post - it ain't my fault.
OK we are on a bad run. It's not the end of the world. Have a word with Frank if you're unhappy with the reffing.

[Alan]

It's all very Stale Solbakken isn't it?

Decent players not being used in a system that suits.

Minus the decent players bit, yeah.

[lemonjelly]

after being excited about seeing a live game for the 1st time in about 12 months, that was unfortunately a bit of an anti climax.

There's definitely a change in culture, the walk to the ground was much more upbeat and atmospheric than anything for a few years to be fair. Supporters were generally in high spirits, and there was a fair amount of consensus that we had an attacking line up, though the bench looked weak, and lacking options (Cavaleiro aside).

The game had more excitement that last year too. However, as has been alluded to we looked like a collection of individuals, not a team. There's some talent there, but it isn't being utilised properly, and thus were ineffective. We played today with zero width, and no real plan, other than lump it towards Bodvarsson. Far too much long ball for a team that has players capable of passing the ball or running with it. And we were too easy to deal with - stick 2 on Bod, as every long ball, and every throw in was directed to him.

Neither team did enough to win really. The only chances Leeds had came from mistakes we made, and we failed to create any real opportunities. First half saw both teams have 1 clear opportunity each. Huge panic ensued when Dicko went down under a heavy challenge after 15 mins, but it was essentially a case of cancelling each other out. Leeds would've taken a point at the start, as they didn't really look to win the game in any seriousness.

Second half we were simply poor. Summed up by Doherty trying to sheild a slowing ball over a 15 yard space to the touchline, having had more than enough time to deal with it, resulting in them catching us out. Sadly, we never really looked like levvelling the scoreline.

Of the defence, Baath was fairly solid, and won most airborne balls. Silvio looked pretty good I thought. He may be a bit slow, but he stopped a few crosses coming in, and did one nice piece of skill to bring the ball out in the 2nd half. I've been a big fan of Hause, but he was poor today, as was Doherty.

Of the midfield 4 (it probably wasn't a 4, but it didn't really seem obvious at any point how we set up) We were far too narrow. Saiss generally looked good to me, couple of nice forward passes, and he got knocked about a bit. Texiera drifted in & out the game, when he's in, he's an asset, though always wants one touch too many. When he's out, it's like we're a man down. Costa was also in & out a lot, and he's the one player who can offer some width, but didn't really. Had a couple of decent efforts, but was roughed up a little too. Edwards was for me our best player, got involved going forward and defensively. Some good interceptions, and short passes. Sadly, the 4 of them didn;t gel or play as any form of unit, similar to the defence really.

Dicko/Bod, as mentioned, Dicko is (on todays showing only 70 % of the Dicko we know and love. This was my first sight of Bodvarsson. From reports, if we can get these 2 to click, we've a chance of scoring plenty. Well, we're a long way off on this viewing. Neither had a good game, though Bodvarsoon, like Costa was kicked left right and centre. Not sure either were 100% fit, and concerned that Gladon was their back up.

Ref - wasn't awful, but was inconsistent with a few decisions - bookings and fouls really. Seemed aware of some of Leeds time wasting though.

On the positive side, nice to see some friendly faces who it's been too long really, and also meet a few new ones - Jabba, Mrs Jabba, & I hadn't realised I was stood with kenny til it was too late...

[FrankMunro-371]

Bod is a great player. He is as good a forward as we have had in some time.

Bod is a very decent player, but great? Sorry, but not a chance.

[milsj099]

I really don't know where to start. May as well start with pointing out that we weren't very good yet should have won. No idea what was going on in Zenga's mind today with the formation and there were still no tactics at all. We were just hoping that Costa and Teixeira were going to come up with something and they did but their end product wasn't good enough.

The referee was awful again, he got so many decisions wrong but they were for both teams. We have had some bad ones who have given everything against us but he just didn't have a clue.

Ratings for our players;

Ikeme - Couldn't do a lot about the goal, still has lead in his boots but did make a great save in the first half that he tipped on to the bar which was strangely given as a goal kick.

Silvio - I thought he was solid at right back, looked composed but was sloppy in possession a few times after defending well.

Batth - Bullied by Wood a little but not especially troubled. I thought he caught his man with a sliding tackle in the second half and a penalty should have been given but haven't seen it again. Still not great in possession.

Hause - I thought he did well in the first, one of our best attacks came through him coming out from the back but second half he looked like he had never seen the ball before with error after error. He still defended pretty well though.

Doherty - May as well played without a left back, he was never at it and should have been taken off at half time, only problem was there wasn't anyone to really replace him because when he was replaced Coady at right back should not happen. His mistake for the goal is unforgivable, no idea what he was doing.

Saiss - Good at what he does, still looks a class above but there was so much space around him it was unreal.

Edwards - Work off the ball was different grade, pinched the ball so many times but still not quick enough or good enough with the ball.

Costa - He's such a threat but his end product isn't always there, should have got us a point right at the end but blazed over. Had 2 shots that skimmed the roof of the net which would have dipped in on another day. Still gets kicked off the park too with no protection from the referees.

Teixeira - Best player for me, he looks like creating so much but either he or someone else then wastes it. Should have scored and Dicko should have scored from his bit of skill but both were wasteful.

Bodvarsson - I think we put Gladon on in Bod's shirt. He was probably along with Doherty the worst player and by a long way. His touch was off completely, his second touch was him trying to win it back off the Leeds player he had controlled it too. Didn't look fit if i'm honest and spent most of the first half on the floor although he was caught quite hard twice, somehow played all game.

Dicko - Still well of the pace but better than Bod. Had he been on it would have scored twice, one from a Leeds back pass that he wasn't quick enough to react to and then once from a Teixeira pass that he took one touch too many

SUBS

Cavaleiro - Doesn't seem like he's played left wing a lot and he's not as quick as Costa but he is a threat in his own way. We have to find a way for him to play because he definitely has the quality but can't keep being asked to do it from the bench when we are struggling.

Coady - Nutmegged within a minute of coming on and looked all at sea, looked like he could play right back if needed earlier in the season but not on this showing.

John - Was only on in spirit for the first 10 minutes he was on as he didn't do anything at all but in the last 5 minutes played a great pass inside the full back to Cavaleiro and then his cross set up Costa for the chance at the end.


I like Zenga and he talks a great game and he's very likable all round but he just doesn't have it. Tactically non existent and blatantly obvious players don't understand this system or the one we have been playing. I wouldn't be surprised if he goes and pretty quickly because i don't think he can turn it around, when we have played well we have looked really good but there are too many halves or games when we look poor and players lack the understanding of what is expected of them. Leeds were worse than us but the fact that they knew what system they were playing and have a style helps them and that's why some of the clubs that are above us who we have beaten are there. You don't have to be great in this league if you know what you're doing, the problem is our players are better than most of the other teams and with better management would be right up there imo.

Probably should say Zenga can't do a lot about individual errors but those errors wouldn't be so costly if we were bossing games like we should and we would then see less errors.

Good summary. Cheers mate.

[GoldFlagFlyingHigh]

Been completely out of the loop today so to come on here and see we have been so poor is really gutting. With the quality we have in our squad mistakes should be compensated for with goals and at the moment it clearly isn't happening. I am a big advocate for a basic 4-4-2 in this league and I think we have the players to play it now. I really have taken to Zenga but if we carry on this way there is only one result. Back to basics next game please Walt!!

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Wow. I really have to question your understanding of our squad here.

[The Saturday Boy]

One shot on target and their keeper didn't make a save in 90+ minutes. And Leeds were a bang average side, their manager described them as competitive which is hardly a glowing endorsement. First time I have seen Saiss and if he has any ability it is wasted playing so deep against a team who had little attacking intent. Playing Bod deep wasn't working, that was clear very quickly and there were other options available to Zenga to change things but he did nothing to change the game tactically.

I still think Zenga should be given until Christmas before any serious review of his position is made but he isn't doing himself any favours.