Birmingham 0 Wolves 1 - Verdict Thread

[VanWolfie]

While Ruddy was never troubled and our defence held B'ham to zero goal chances, Wolves did not play well in the second half. Costa should have scored. N'Diaye was not a good replacement for Neves and was lucky to be still on the field, having given the ref two chances in the one incident to award a red. But the ref had not given a red to Roberts for his atrocious foul on Jota early on in the game (which I think it deserved), so he kept his red card in his back pocket. In the end, a most unsatisfying game in which no Wolves player played up to their usual standard. So, it augurs well that we won. A game to forget but one that gives us a ten-point lead over third in the Championship. Premier League looking a strong possibility next season as long as we don't play this sluggishly too often.

 

[nimrod]

2nd goal would have killed it. always gonna be nervy without that. very happy we got through it. great 20 games - 47 points. game at a time, bit by bit.

 

[Jinky]

Delighted with the three points. At the end of the day, we didn’t play well (probably our worst performance of the season) and picked up the win, away from home in a local derby... and yes Sky, it was cold.

Nuno won’t be happy with that second half. We didn’t keep the ball anywhere near as well as we can do (partly because Alf isn’t Neves, and in turn, Saiss struggled) and our game management was poor - we managed to get dragged down to their level and got involved in the silly shenanigans. Had we played football like we know we can, we’d have swept the floor with them.

Imagine being a Birmingham fan. Terrible football. Terrible atmosphere. Terrible manager. Fucking hell. Sooner we are out of this league and all the cloggers that infest it, the better. That’s why it was a really important three points.

Any of the back three or Doherty MOTM for me.

 

[Langers]

I thought Boly and Coady were their usual high standards TBH. Bennett also did well - Ruddy had very little to do as he was so well protected.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Played below par. Undoubtedly.

Three points.

That's the thing that makes champions.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I really wasn't too concerned in the second half despite us playing probably as poorly as we have all season. How worried can you be when the opposition have no shots on target whatsoever, don't get in behind us once, don't even look to have good delivery from out wide and we have a man mountain in Boly at the back? Sure, they had a bit more of the ball, we were slack in possession and didn't kill the game off, and I suppose anything can happen at 1-0. We weren't hanging on though, not in the slightest.

For 35 minutes it was service as normal as we totally bossed the game. On another day we're playing against 10 men for 80 minutes and the officials got that one wrong. Roberts should have been booked for the first challenge and the second is a borderline red on its own. We had chances to finish the game - didn't take them. Stockdale's made some very good saves and of course Helder should be just sticking that past him rather than trying to outdo Cav's goal at Reading. Nuno won't be satisfied with our lack of ruthlessness nor will he be happy that we didn't control the game after half time against what I must say were atrocious opposition. They are very much in danger.

I thought Alf had a good first half but he was a silly boy with the clash with Kieftenbeld/Gleeson and could well have walked. We missed Neves' ability to just take the sting out of the game and he will obviously come back in. Jota proved yet again that you cannot kick him out of a game. Don't blame him for getting angry when Morrison basically headlocked him and that must have been the 10th+ foul on him in the game. The Championship Hazard in more ways than one. Ruddy claimed everything and was so calm. But Willy Boly was the standout - what a player. Absolutely outstanding and I don't even think he needs to try properly in this league. Sailed through the game. Bennett and Coady also did well.

If we achieve our goals then no-one is going to remember that second half. Take the points and the clean sheet and move on.

 

[The Bear]

Saying we missed Neves is like saying I'd miss having a 12 inch cock. Well yeah, obviously!

That game would have been much more comfortable if we'd have put one of those second half chances away. That would have killed them off easily. Instead it put pressure on ourselves and offered them renewed hope. We still restricted them to nothing though and we battled to see the game out.

Very disappointed in Costa's performance. A couple of good runs but his passing/finishing was terrible.

Jota MOTM just ahead of Boly for me.

 

[VanWolfie]

I thought Boly and Coady were their usual high standards TBH. Bennett also did well - Ruddy had very little to do as he was so well protected.

Yes, you're right, Langers, Coady, Boly and Bennett did play well, I should have said, none of the front seven really played as they have done in previous games.

 

[AndyWolves]

How have blues managed to make their Jota look shite? He just doesn't fit into their style of play - I guess because he's an actual footballer

 

[StuardoWulf]

Everybody talks about how this division is tough physical and you have to win ugly sometimes, well we just did. They made it hard and physical and so they should as its their only chance, that said they should of been down to 10 men much earlier. I dont know how Gleeson made so much difference I thought he was shit but fair play to him, that Boga bloke was awful.

 

[Tom Hark]

Enjoyed the result; didn't enjoy the performance. Never really looked under threat, but if that last kick of the game had somehow found its way in ... We're better than that. Yes, winning ugly is effective, but winning pretty is why I love this team so much. How brilliant, though, that a rather drab 1-0 away victory is providing one of this year's meh moments. I wonder whether that was just a general off night or due in large part to Neves' absence. A bit worrying, if so.

 

[Lycan]

We played as poorly as I've seen us play all season and Blues barely got near us. The back 3 were superb.

Missed Neves something fierce.

Fed up of watching shite Championship centre halves kick the fuck out of Diogo Jota and get away with it. It's a clear tactic from opposition managers and the referees need to put a stop to it before he gets badly injured.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Top comment from Cotterill. "Without goal line technology, we might have got away with that tonight". Good argument that. So basically if the officials decided to not bother watching properly and not award a perfectly legitimate goal, you might have got a draw. Maybe. Or maybe we'd have bothered finishing all the other chances we had properly.

 

[The Bear]

I really dislike the scrote that is Cotterill, even before he became their manager, but even more so since.

 

[StuardoWulf]

We played as poorly as I've seen us play all season and Blues barely got near us. The back 3 were superb.

Missed Neves something fierce.

Fed up of watching $#@!e Championship centre halves kick the $#@! out of Diogo Jota and get away with it. It's a clear tactic from opposition managers and the referees need to put a stop to it before he gets badly injured.

I don't think they will protect him, that was a prem ref and he seemed happy enough. Tackles from behind were banned for good reason but nobody really gives a fuck. I think that the EFL love the Championship Hardest League thing and refs are steered to let almost anything go.

 

[Trips]

We had a great week with the 2 home games against Leeds and Bolton, but we just aren't going to produce that all season. What we have done, again, is grind out a result when we haven't been at our best. Hallmark of a great side.

Having said that, as much pressure as Birmingham applied in the second half, they created nothing. Literally nothing. Hardly a surprise as they have zero quality in that final third, just look at their goals for column.

The defence was great all evening, Boly MOTM for me, he was immense.

We missed Neves controlling the midfield, but hey, we've won without him while not being at our best. Take the 3 points and move onto Sunderland. Hopefully bring up the 50 points by 5pm

 

[Kenny]

You only have to look at Man City v West Ham and Huddersfield to see despite having the quality some times you are below par and have to work for the win.

Nuno won't be happy so hopefully a few rockets will kick them into turning it on again on Saturday.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Obligatory stats update: Leo has now scored more league goals than Mason, Dicko, Bodvarsson and Weimann managed between them last season. He has also equalled Costa's tally of 12 (all comps) and he top scored for us last season.

It took us 38 games to reach 47 points last season (4 April 2017 vs Cardiff).

 

[Dinowolf]

I really wasn't too concerned in the second half despite us playing probably as poorly as we have all season. How worried can you be when the opposition have no shots on target whatsoever, don't get in behind us once, don't even look to have good delivery from out wide and we have a man mountain in Boly at the back? Sure, they had a bit more of the ball, we were slack in possession and didn't kill the game off, and I suppose anything can happen at 1-0. We weren't hanging on though, not in the slightest.

For 35 minutes it was service as normal as we totally bossed the game. On another day we're playing against 10 men for 80 minutes and the officials got that one wrong. Roberts should have been booked for the first challenge and the second is a borderline red on its own. We had chances to finish the game - didn't take them. Stockdale's made some very good saves and of course Helder should be just sticking that past him rather than trying to outdo Cav's goal at Reading. Nuno won't be satisfied with our lack of ruthlessness nor will he be happy that we didn't control the game after half time against what I must say were atrocious opposition. They are very much in danger.

I thought Alf had a good first half but he was a silly boy with the clash with Kieftenbeld/Gleeson and could well have walked. We missed Neves' ability to just take the sting out of the game and he will obviously come back in. Jota proved yet again that you cannot kick him out of a game. Don't blame him for getting angry when Morrison basically headlocked him and that must have been the 10th+ foul on him in the game. The Championship Hazard in more ways than one. Ruddy claimed everything and was so calm. But Willy Boly was the standout - what a player. Absolutely outstanding and I don't even think he needs to try properly in this league. Sailed through the game. Bennett and Coady also did well.

If we achieve our goals then no-one is going to remember that second half. Take the points and the clean sheet and move on.

Spot on Deutsch. Could have written that myself if I had your skills.

 

[Tony Towner]

I found that quite annoying to be honest. We are 10 points clear of 3rd before Xmas so I'm nothing to go OTT for obvious reasons, but take the piss after you've put the game to bed not before. Jota and Costa both guilty of trying a showboat finish at 1-0, just finish it ffs. That said it was only what could happen that worried me rather than the belief that it would. Boly the best player on the pitch by a mile, he finds this league so, so easy