Bournemouth 2-1 Wolves: Verdict Thread

[Poole Wolf]

Pleased to see a game at last but not so happy with the result and the performance Callum Wilson was far too sharp for our defenders and we were very slow to adapt to the rather bouncy pitch. Bournemouth with the extra man in midfield were very quickly on to any Wolves player in possession. Sako in particular in the first half was caught time and time again. There were some good individual performances but Bournemouth controlled the game. I do despise their cheating though and they spent the whole game trying to get one of ours sent off rolling over or playing dead at the slightest contact. We did press back in the second half but were forced to play the ball long as we had lost the midfield and decision making and at times control let us down

Kuszczak 7 - his kicking was appalling but he in reality had little to do. Very nearly saved the penalty.
Doherty 7 - had a good game and made important interceptions throughout. A confident and committed display.
Stearman 4 - Done up like a kipper by Wilson at the corner flag for the first allowing the fatal cross to come in and too slow as Wilson in giving away the penalty. Fought hard throughout the rest of the game.
Batth 7 - Steady and had a solid enough game.
Hause 7 - Very impressed with him. He is only going to get better with experience. Took a lot of responsibility and was not afraid to play.
Van La Parra 8 - Lively all game and always made himself available. Some good runs but Bournemouth defended well against him as a unit.
Edwards 1 - That score could be for Bournemouth as in the first half he only ever passed backwards. Hid at times, hardly ever was where he was needed and got nowhere near the opposition except on a couple of occasions. Possibly the slowest player I have ever seen in a Wolves shirt, the exact opposite of the nippy tenacious midfielders Bournemouth had.
McDonald 9 - Fantastic player. Worldy pass for our goal and fought for the cause all game. When pressed he twisted and turned or used his strength to keep possession. One solo run ended in a shot off target on the run that had a touch of the George Berry's about it.
Sako 5 - Set the wrong time on his alarm clock. Started playing when we were 2-1 down. Terrible first half, reasonable second.
Afobe 7 - Very cool finish for his goal but let down by the midfield.
Dicko 4 - Never got in the game, nothing came off for him.

Subs:
Doyle 6 - Ran around a bit.

Ref: Reasonable but let them run the clock down for the last ten. At least didn't fall for their cheating.

 

[Pilkoman]

I can, and I was there but I chose to ignore you because the only reason you asked that question was as TT said, I criticised Doherty

Maybe Poole Wolf had a better view

 

[Tony Towner]

Poor.

You look at the line up, and you would have expected us to attack them, but we didn't. Sat off of them, let them play through the middle of us and if there was a loose ball you knew which team was going to be first to it, and it wasn't us.

Manager after manager and yet Edwards gets a gig in midfield, it's pathetic. Last season Kenny avoided using him there as much as he could, yet since December he hasn't had a problem with it? It makes no sense to me.

Between the forwards there was nothing. Both too far away from the play, both too far away from each other. Dicko had a poor game but I didn't think he looked like he could go at full tilt.

Our wingers were forced to go and look for the ball, especially Sako, and when he got it there was little he could do except try to create something out of nothing. The Bournemouth players kicked him all game long.

Bournemouth are a good side, who play good football but they aren't anything special. It made me sick to see Surman giving Edwards the run around. Their play acting, harassment of the refereeing and cynical fouls were embarrassing. If they were to go up they'd get roasted in the Premier League.

The first goal was an awful one to concede, Stearman lets in a cross so easily, and Batth loses his man at the front post. amateur stuff. Stearman was lucky to stay on the pitch for the second I felt, maybe lucky that he touch from Wilson was so heavy. And Kuszczak should be saving the penalty. Apart from that Bournemouth created little of note, Kuszczak saved a tame effort from Wilson and Stearman did well to clear off of the line.

We never looked like creating anything either, except for the end of the first half. A magical pass by McDonald and cool finish by Afobe. McDonald came close himself and Afobe could have done better when he hit a strong shot but it was straight at Boruc.

Kusczcak - 6. Little to do. Kicking was $#@! and should have saved a poor penalty from Kermorgant.

Doherty - 4- lazy in everything he does. The warm up he strolled around like he owned the place, he let's cross after cross get in and Pugh turned him inside out time after time. He could actually be OK if he worked on his game and out in the effort but he won't make it further than this.

Batth - 6 - best defender overall, solid in the air and did okay up against Wilson. Passing was poor.

Stearman - 5.- disappointing. At fault in both goals. Beaten in the air too often I felt too. Improved visibly after he gave away the penalty but it was too late.

Hause - 6 - nowhere near as bad as he was made out. He is being played out of position, and therefore is limited attacking wise but he dealt with Ritchie (possibly the best winger in the division) very well.

Van la Parra - 5- poor performance, had so many opportunities to run at Daniels yet chose turn back or go inside. I think he lacks confidence, on the odd occasion he was direct and ran with the ball he opened up spaces for us to attack.

Edwards - 2 (generous) - there was so much wrong with his performance I could dedicate a whole post to it but the thought makes me angry.

McDonald - 9 - happy to talk about Kevin however. Playing against Bournemouth's midfield is hard enough but having to do it on his own is almost impossible, and yet he managed to still be the best player on the pitch. All our good player came through him, best I've seen him play all season. If I was him I'd refuse to play if he gets paired with Edwards again.

Sako - 6 - Bournemouth plays kicked him all game as I mentioned, and on the odd occasion he beat players and created openings but his crossing wasn't great tonight. We didn't get him in good enough positions on the ball.

Dicko - 5 - was always just too far away from the ball, or took just too long on the ball

Afobe - 6 - good finish, and when he got the ball he looked dangerous but he needs to restrain from dropping so deep sometimes or collecting the ball wide. It leaves Dicko isolated.

Subs: Doyle - $#@!.

Thanks for the report. You are normally a glass half full kind of guy, so it must have been poor! I think most people were surprised with the boldness of the selection, so to have not gone for the game given the players on the pitch seems strange. I guess the theory was to catch them on the counter, but if a team is disciplined and keeps the ball and shape like it sounds like Bournemouth did then that's not going to work, particularly if you are behind for most of the game. I personally think that the 4 players up top today is one too offensive player too many away from home against one of the better sides and would rather see Henry or Price in instead of one of them.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

If we're lining up with only two in the middle then we just cannot put Edwards there. He might have an acceptable game in that position one time out of 10. Every other time the game just passes him by completely. This is not news either, he hasn't been able to play there properly since we signed him over seven years ago.

 

[Pompey Wolf]

I'll be lazy and say I agree with most of what YW said, if not all. Pretty frustrated with Kenny tonight from his starting line-up to his substitutions (all we do when quite clearly the system isn't working is bring on Doyle for Dicko in what was surely the most pointless like for like swap ever). It just seemed pretty thoughtless. Unfortunately I would have to be harsher on Hause, not in him as an individual as he is playing out of position and is a kid but at left back tonight I thought he was pretty painful to be honest, particularly in possession. Our right side a was a mess, Doherty is out of his depth and RVLP (who I like) had a really bad night.

A massive word for K-Mac, I've never felt worse for an individual player, the guy had to play for the entire midfield from minute to last and gave it a fucking good go, his performance had everything you'd want from a CM, drive, awareness, strength, class, best I've seen him at this level.

Wasn't particularly impressed with Bournemouth but they were better than us and will probably make the top 6 whilst we won't. All in all a dispiriting night.

 

[Poole Wolf]

There was one incident where we had a throw in and the two nearest players were both double marked. Edwards was the next nearest player and was completely unmarked. He just stood there and never moved the two or three yards forward to receive the ball. He evidently didn't want it.

 

[YoungWolf]

Just seen a photo that suggests the foul by Stearman was outside the penalty area. Frustrating

 

[The Bear]

Thanks for the reports guys. Much appreciated.

 

[Pilkoman]

Sister I think

Matt Doherty has played 30 Games for Wolves this season Is the manager wrong

 

[The Bear]

He's the most senior player we currently have in that position,so that stat is to be expected. Plus he started the season really well.
Iorfa currently looks a more solid defender, but is being taken care of with regards how much he is used being so young.
Unfortunately for Matt he is likely to be behind Iorfa for most of next season.

 

[Pilkoman]

He's the most senior player we currently have in that position,so that stat is to be expected. Plus he started the season really well.
Iorfa currently looks a more solid defender, but is being taken care of with regards how much he is used being so young.
Unfortunately for Matt he is likely to be behind Iorfa for most of next season.

You underestimate Doherty

 

[slink]

You underestimate Doherty

What is it with you and Doherty, just out of interest?

 

[Pilkoman]

What is it with you and Doherty, just out of interest?

Really like him as a player I think he has a great future I hope it's with Wolves

 

[Parkins left foot]

Only just back after a pig of a journey with roads blocked off & diversions making me almost double the journey back and having to use a road I really didn't want too - going to stop going to away games for the rest of the season as we play poorly & lose when I do!.

Too tired to put full scores up, but shows how we see players differently - Poole Wolf thought Doherty was good, sorry have to go with YW as Doherty got turned far too easily and was beaten for pace on a regular basis. Had my heart in my mouth every time it came down his side.

We went with an attacking line up but as said, didn't & had to close my eyes on a couple of occasions when passes were played across the back line only feet away from a Bournmouth player.

And why when we are losing & supposedly chasing the game do we bring all 11 back when they have a corner? The one chance we might of had was a big clearance and use our pace. McDonald tried to run the midfield on his own & couldn't & though some of his passing was off line tonight will forgive that for the superb assist for the goal (also deserved something from his run & shot).

Not the best evening out I have had - even took 1 3/4 hrs for the journey down that should only take 1hr due to a very minor shunt outside Ringwood that gridlocked the area.

 

[slink]

Really like him as a player I think he has a great future I hope it's with Wolves

Fair enough. Do you not think Iorfa is already better than him though and is 3 years younger which doesn't look good for Matt.

 

[Doctor Doog]

Really like him as a player I think he has a great future I hope it's with Wolves

I don't if it means you are going to carry on ruining the verdict thread

 

[Pilkoman]

Fair enough. Do you not think Iorfa is already better than him though and is 3 years younger which doesn't look good for Matt.

It doesn't really matter what I think in the long run What I don't like is so called Wolves fans slagging Doherty and it seems almost hoping he has a bad game

 

[Edgmond Wolf]

Bournemouth played well

I will do a report tomorrow, knackered now

 

[Pompey Wolf]

I hoped Doherty had a good game. He didn't. What do you want from people?

 

[Alan]

Doherty has been shit for three years now. Sure, he was serviceable shit last year in League One, but he was still shit.

I haven't cared for him from day one and there's no reason to start liking him now that the clearly superior Iorfa is available. I'd probably play Stearman there rather than Doherty (slotting in Hause at CB).

Anyway if I was a betting man my money would say that the writing is more or less on the wall for Doherty and that he'll be sold to a low table Champ or decent League One side this summer.