Wolves 1 Reading 2 - Verdict Thread

[thehistorymakers]

Some of Kenny's post match comments.

"Five points is nothing with 17 games to go but we need to be better that we were today, particularly in the second period. We do need to be better to close that gap but five points is nothing and can be made up. We had a good unbeaten run in the last eight games but I don't think that the last few performances have particularly sparkled and we didn't sparkle today. We are capable and looking to perform better than that.

We couldn't really lift the tempo and get a rhythm to our game. We were struggling to find the next pass and struggling to be fluent. We were looking for a big second-half after getting the equaliser but Reading looked more like scoring and we looked vulnerable on the break and in the second period I thought they deserved that win.
We have now got two games on the road and we look forward to them and we want to put things right from today. We want to be in a situation where we can keep pressure on the top six and keep looking forwards rather than backwards. But we will need to do better than we did in the second period. We started the half ever so flat and couldn't get going but from our own point of view in terms of where we are, yes with the amount of games to go and the amount of points to play for a five-point gap is one that is realistic to try to make up."

Always says it, like it is.

 

[Norman Deeley]

"We started the half ever so flat and couldn't get going..."

So who gave the half time team talk?

 

[Quirkafleeg]

Another poor performance and no getting away with it this week like last week at Bolton. Firstly all the changes. Kuscak for Ikeme and Hause for Goldbourne are the obvious ones through injury. I agree with him dropping Price however in hindsight Evans didn't do a fat lot, and again makes a mistake and blames every fooker else for it like the Derby goal. Sako had to come in and I can see why he dropped Iorfa, man managing a kid who's only started this season many a manager has done this, however watching Doherty is very painful, he's got a touch like a baby elephant and again gives so much space you could build a space station in it. Iorfa is head and shoulders the player Doherty is but Jackett is watching his steps carefully and in reality probably doesn't want him to get too comfortable if you know what I mean.

The first half was a horrid affair with one awful goal and a peach of a header from a cross but sadly that was all. Second half and you would have thought we would have stepped it up, however it was Reading playing the better football and moving it around nicely. They had the lions share of the ball and used it miles better then us, from there 2nd too a free header missed and a couple that Kuscak saved well, we got taught a lesson in the middle of the park. We are sadly finding out even the teams near the bottom first half of the season have far more creative players then in League One. We haven't or cant step it up or look productive simply because the lads in the middle of the park aren't good enough for it. From McDonald, Price to Evans and Edwards there isn't a creative bone in there bodies in this division and its painfully showing. League One was a breeze for Macca sadly even though he's the only means of anything for us he's getting pressured quicker then last season and simply cant cope because of nothing next to him. We are crying out for some production and if we don't find a player soon we'll fly down the table.

Ower football in a nutshell is so easy to play against. Shut the midfield down (McDonald), get two tight onto Sako and VLP and that's Wolves sussed out.

 

[fizzwolf]

Sako is class. But he is not class when the rest of the team decide to play $#@!e footy and make no attempt to control the balL and no-on makes runs or quality passes to him!

He was hiding second half and looked, if not quite blatantly, like he didn't want anyone to give him the ball even if they were able to. Now I'm not saying he was worst player on pitch for us - quite the opposite for his first half performance but to play a passenger???

 

[sycophantia]

I don't know to be honest. He is our talisman and can do great things but he was an absolute passenger second half.

The trouble is, he this too often and we don't have a replacement, also when Golbourne is not in the side we are very unbalanced with virtually nothing happening down the left.

 

[Alan]

If we miss the playoffs this year, will we honestly be looking to replace KJ?

 

[Edgmond Wolf]

We were poor, start to finish

Two enforced changes but drop Iorfa??

Afobe looked good both in attack and just behind attack. Sako looked good first half but faded badly in the second

RVLP delivers a delightful cross...but did bugger all else

Dust ourselves off and go again

 

[FrankMunro-371]

If we miss the playoffs this year, will we honestly be looking to replace KJ?

I certainly hope not.

 

[slink]

If we miss the playoffs this year, will we honestly be looking to replace KJ?

I don't think we will and i don't think many will want that to happen but i think it's something that should come into consideration if he doesn't adapt to where we are. Most will be happy with where we are but i'm not because i look at the position we are in, the position Brentford are in along with the quality of the league in general and i'm pretty certain we have missed a massive chance this season already and probably are on the way to missing out on the play-offs unless something changes.

 

[Edgmond Wolf]

We desperately needed a midfield general to grab hold of the game and move it in our direction

 

[Norman Deeley]

If we miss the playoffs this year, will we honestly be looking to replace KJ?

Anything lower than 8th and for me the answer is yes. There were too many times last season he was out-thought tactically and that's clearly evident this season. He's 53 now and sadly that isn't the age when you are open to new ideas. I don't quite subscribe to the "competent PE teacher" argument re last season but he had a massive advantage. Undoubtedly he has done some good things - but only things that any competent manager would have done - and like a few people I feel he is close to being out of his depth at the top end of the Championship, exactly like MM was a great Champ manager but hopelessly out of his depth in the Premiership.

 

[Aikiwolf]

He was hiding second half and looked, if not quite blatantly, like he didn't want anyone to give him the ball even if they were able to. Now I'm not saying he was worst player on pitch for us - quite the opposite for his first half performance but to play a passenger???

Disagree, he had 3 men on him for most of the second half. Basically means everyone around him didnt do enough to drag defenders away or create space. or move into the space provided by the men marking Sako.

We barely moved the ball until price came on and that is purely down to Evans and kmac.

 

[fizzwolf]

Well it's all about opinion - I saw him spread his hands on more than one occasion when he was in space where it looked lie he was saying "give it someone else". And 1st half he was taking on all and sundry turning in and out then in and out again.

 

[Carrotdude]

Is it a case that Evans should be a direct competitor for kmacs place rather than to play with him? From the little I've seen I'd say it should be either kmacs or Evans alongside price or Rowe or saville when they're available.

 

[Lycan]

I saw him spread his hands on more than one occasion when he was in space where it looked lie he was saying "give it someone else".

Wasn't at the game today but that just doesn't sound like Bakary Sako at all. I can't even imagine it.

 

[big mean bunny]

I am not someone that moans about changes, I don't believe in keep a settled side, think thats and outdated concept but can't be bothered to go into that, but if the other guys had slight knocks or niggles then I am in favour of fresh players starting over them so no issue with that, disappointing to lose obviously, but it's clear to me we can't be included with the playoff contenders. Scoring goals wouldn't be an issue if we were rock solid at the back (similar to the way Hull were when they went up). However we just aren't up to the standard that the top half of this league is capable of. Derby smashing Bolton today is the evidence of that. Great that we are so comfortable, and obviously would love to be proved wrong on this, but can't see us challenging for the playoffs long term.

 

[fizzwolf]

Wasn't at the game today but that just doesn't sound like Bakary Sako at all. I can't even imagine it.

He wasn't to blame for our performance. He was laboured second half and didn't give Hause an outlet anywhere near as much as first half

 

[Carrotdude]

I suppose the fact we have a game on Tuesday influenced selection today.

 

[The Saturday Boy]

An interesting game for the first 20 minutes or so and then it drifted off into a poor quality affair with neither side offering much. Any threat Wolves posed disappeared after their equaliser and bar one half chance we had nothing. The second half performance is as bad as it gets, although Henry added a little when he came on there was little end product.

I think our system has been well and truly rumbled, particularly at home, and it's time to try something different. Edwards is fine when the opposition don't squeeze him out of the game - as they did today. Otherwise he offers nothing of note - as he did today. Afobe played a little deeper when Edwards went off and at least tried to run at their defence but again, no end product.

 

[Aikiwolf]

Wasn't at the game today but that just doesn't sound like Bakary Sako at all. I can't even imagine it.

I didn't see him do that. (Though that's not a 100% Proof he didn't!)