Brentford 1-1 Wolves: Verdict Thread

[PuntsWolf]

I agree with majority but on these two:

Nunes - Don’t think i’ve ever felt as sorry for a Wolves player as i do Matheus. He must be wondering what the fuck is going on. I can’t get on board with the negative comments because he’s being played so out of position it’s frightening. There were several periods of play in the first half when he was our furthest forward player and basically playing as the nine and no surprise to me he’s not got a clue what to do or where to be. As soon as he has to drop deep for whatever reason you see what he’s about but this number 10/false 9/ press with Costa role is tactical stupidity. As the for the criticism I genuinely don’t think some understand how out of position he is, how bat shit mental it is what he’s being asked to do and how you can judge him on what we’ve seen so far.

You’re going massively overboard here in defence. He is out of position no one can dispute that and I agree with your assessment of the role. But we’re not playing a CB as a number 10 here. He’s being less effective in the role than Dendoncker was who was a quarter of the fee (and ability allegedly). He needs to offer more. He can also drop deeper if he wants at times. There’s not some force field stopping him doing so.

Podence - Now i’m one of those who can most of the time cope with Podence being Podence. Yes he spends too long on the floor, yes he tries unnecessary flicks, yes he gives the ball away, yes his shooting is mostly shit but he’s got so much ability and if anyone looks like they are going to create something it’s him. I still think in a side set up better with a goal threat and not lower league tactics he is more than capable of being a big player for us. I know lots can’t see past the Podence shenanigans and i get that but imagine if we didn’t have him.

Good teams don’t carry players. And the ones who do carry world class players who score goals. He will never score goals at this (any) level as he has zero composure and shoots like a child. Would be OK in a farmers league but Hwang did well in one of them.

 

[slink]

Love how you mentioned four big negatives with Podence with the caveat of he has ‘ so much ability’. Not sure what that ability is?

I mentioned the negatives because people always mention them with him but not with quite a lot of the other players yet those negatives are always why Podence always looks like he’s going to create something. Yes his decision making lets him down a lot but he along with Neves is the most like to score or create and i do think with a better structure around him would look better.

 

[slink]

I agree with majority but on these two:


You’re going massively overboard here in defence. He is out of position no one can dispute that and I agree with your assessment of the role. But we’re not playing a CB as a number 10 here. He’s being less effective in the role than Dendoncker was who was a quarter of the fee (and ability allegedly). He needs to offer more. He can also drop deeper if he wants at times. There’s not some force field stopping him doing so.

Good teams don’t carry players. And the ones who do carry world class players score goals. He will never score goals at this (any) level as he has zero composure and shoots like a child. Would be OK in a farmers league but Hwang did well in one of them.

I don’t think i am going overboard to be honest. It’s not even the same role as Donk now. It was but now he’s doing half of Diego’s running for him as well hence why he ended up being the most forward player for a lot of the first half. He’s playing to the role he Is being asked to do so he can’t really drop that deep at all unless he’s just going roaming. Do think people are underestimating the difference in the roles and expecting players to play in a completely alien position at this level just doesn’t come like that. His attributes don’t lend to what he’s being asked to do.

Well I’d love to know who else we have. I mean ideally i’d want someone better than Podence too but he’s actually scored twice this season and i’d wager created the most chances for us to. Now he should have more goals and definitely more assists but right now he’s the best of an average bunch. However i do feel he’s the sort of player that would look better with better players around him and to be honest half decent tactics not the league 2 basics we’ve got right now and whatever Lage was looking for.

 

[Wilf Wolf]

Podence’s weakness apart from being weak and easily knocked off the ball is that he doesn’t know the time or the place to try his clever tricks and flicks. They’re fine in the final third when they could open up the opponents defence. All too often he tries stuff where the risk posed to us far outweighs any likely benefit.

One moment against Forest summed him up. He had Bueno to his left in acres of space. A simple ball would almost certainly have given Bueno an opportunity to put a cross in but Podence held on, then held on for a bit more and eventually lost possession to one of the Forest players that he allowed to close him down.

 

[MARKakaJIM]

Podence’s weakness apart from being weak and easily knocked off the ball is that he doesn’t know the time or the place to try his clever tricks and flicks. They’re fine in the final third when they could open up the opponents defence. All too often he tries stuff where the risk posed to us far outweighs any likely benefit.

One moment against Forest summed him up. He had Bueno to his left in acres of space. A simple ball would almost certainly have given Bueno an opportunity to put a cross in but Podence held on, then held on for a bit more and eventually lost possession to one of the Forest players that he allowed to close him down.

Every single player in the squad is guilty of glacial use of the ball.

There was a moment in yesterday's game where Kilman and Neves were trying to play out midway inside Wolves' half. They actually stuck at it fairly well but they moved the ball so slowly, like they were playing with a toddler in the garden, so even though they were passing it around Brentford players they could easily recover position and stop then from getting anywhere. It happens all the time, passes in to feet or behind players rather than ahead of them, passed hit weakly so receivers have to stop and wait for it, there's just so little purpose in what they do 90% of the time.

Compare it to Leeds winner yesterday, awkward ball to the guy out wide but he tries something to spin in behind and gets the break with the defender losing his footing. Nothing really on in the corner for him but works a bit of space and tries to put something in the box. Then when it falls to the guy who scores it's not really a chance as such, ball doesn't sit kindly for him or anything but he chances his arm and his fairly ropey effort catches both Van Dijk and Alisson off guard so he wheels away with the winner. That goal doesn't get scored by this Wolves team, none of the players take the requisite risks with the ball to force the issue and make that goal happen.

 

[Tony Towner]

I'd happily move on from Podence, unfortunately there isn't anyone in the squad I'd happily move on from him to. I'd definitely give Campbell a start in the Cup game though

 

[Quirkafleeg]

Podence did more then Traore yesterday. Our supermarket sweep got absolutely bullied throughout, his pace now is not getting him anywhere as the Premier League are producing faster and faster defenders and full backs.. Podence at least moved the ball forward at every given time, moved inside and out when our number 37 just tried to surprise surprise knock and run but got nowhere..

 

[PuntsWolf]

Well I’d love to know who else we have.

Well we dont as Neto is injured and we signed Hwang and Guedes…

I mean ideally i’d want someone better than Podence too but he’s actually scored twice this season

Two flukes. Hwang scored 5 last season, doesn’t mean he’s good or will likely repeat it.

and i’d wager created the most chances for us to.

It’s a stat I see a lot. I’d have to comb through them to see if it’s accurate. For example yesterday he created 3 chances but two of them were corners and the other the Costa header. I wouldn’t paint those 3 as being “creative”.

Now he should have more goals and definitely more assists but right now he’s the best of an average bunch.

I don’t disagree. But the sooner we stop pretending he is good the quicker we will move away from him and stop relying on him to do things he might do. Take him out and we may play someone who is going to win the ball higher up the pitch make something happen when they are unbalanced. Someone who might get on the end of a cross, score a screamer, score from a lose ball, score from a set piece, defend set pieces, stop opposition attacks. We’re relying on a member of the front 3 who is very unlikely to score in any scenario but might create something but actually doesn’t.

However i do feel he’s the sort of player that would look better with better players around him and to be honest half decent tactics not the league 2 basics we’ve got right now and whatever Lage was looking for.

Better teams wouldn’t play him as he’s not good enough to be carried. They’d have someone who can do all aspects better.

 

[slink]

Well we dont as Neto is injured and we signed Hwang and Guedes…

Well there lies a big problem then because he’s top of that pile. No point over criticising him when he’s the best of the bunch.

Two flukes. Hwang scored 5 last season, doesn’t mean he’s good or will likely repeat it.

He’s still scored them. When we barely score I couldn’t care less how it goes in.

It’s a stat I see a lot. I’d have to comb through them to see if it’s accurate. For example yesterday he created 3 chances but two of them were corners and the other the Costa header. I wouldn’t paint those 3 as being “creative”.

It’s not just that though, he’s involved creatively in most of our moves. Look at the Palace goal, one of his stupid flicks gotnit to Neves for the pass on Bueno.

I don’t disagree. But the sooner we stop pretending he is good the quicker we will move away from him and stop relying on him to do things he might do. Take him out and we may play someone who is going to win the ball higher up the pitch make something happen when they are unbalanced. Someone who might get on the end of a cross, score a screamer, score from a lose ball, score from a set piece, defend set pieces, stop opposition attacks. We’re relying on a member of the front 3 who is very unlikely to score in any scenario but might create something but actually doesn’t.

Again though he’s the most likely we have so surely we need to replace the others first or replace Podence so he becomes the backup. Constantly criticising him though doesn’t help. He was also good off the ball yesterday, pinched it a few times, pressed, won tackles. He’s also doing a lot of that right now which you wouldn’t expect.

Better teams wouldn’t play him as he’s not good enough to be carried. They’d have someone who can do all aspects better.

Better teams always have squad players that can come in but wouldn’t start. Now as i said we would ideally have someone better who scores 10 a season and creates 5 or 6 but we don’t and so he’s the best we’ve got. Plenty of others need to step up more imo but he’s an easy target because of the flicks much like Boubacar is because he’s untidy and tries to play positively. Giving the ball away is always seen as the worst thing but sometimes it’s the intention behind it that needs to be understood more.

 

[Wulfie88]

 

[Paul]

Donck is dead long live Pod

 

[Wilf Wolf]

Every single player in the squad is guilty of glacial use of the ball.

There was a moment in yesterday's game where Kilman and Neves were trying to play out midway inside Wolves' half. They actually stuck at it fairly well but they moved the ball so slowly, like they were playing with a toddler in the garden, so even though they were passing it around Brentford players they could easily recover position and stop then from getting anywhere. It happens all the time, passes in to feet or behind players rather than ahead of them, passed hit weakly so receivers have to stop and wait for it, there's just so little purpose in what they do 90% of the time.

Compare it to Leeds winner yesterday, awkward ball to the guy out wide but he tries something to spin in behind and gets the break with the defender losing his footing. Nothing really on in the corner for him but works a bit of space and tries to put something in the box. Then when it falls to the guy who scores it's not really a chance as such, ball doesn't sit kindly for him or anything but he chances his arm and his fairly ropey effort catches both Van Dijk and Alisson off guard so he wheels away with the winner. That goal doesn't get scored by this Wolves team, none of the players take the requisite risks with the ball to force the issue and make that goal happen.

As I said, there’s a time and a place to take risks. I agree we okay it far to safe in the final third and if Podence kept his risk taking to there he’d be a far more effective player.

The slow passing at the back is all about confidence which is on the floor. You never know, perhaps if we got a manager in who was up to PL standard things like this would improve.

 

[Quirkafleeg]

Donck is dead long live Pod

That reminds me, we caught up with the Villa lot on the M6 and I swear a Villa fan had Dendoncker on his shirt..

 

[Paul]

That reminds me, we caught up with the Villa lot on the M6 and I swear a Villa fan had Dendoncker on his shirt..

Mates a Villa STH, said they keep bringing him on when they're chasing a game!!!

 

[PuntsWolf]

Well there lies a big problem then because he’s top of that pile. No point over criticising him when he’s the best of the bunch.

All I’m saying is he isn’t good and I want people to stop thinking he is, same as a lot of our players. The sooner we get this mindset the sooner we as a club stop having ideas above our station and get out of this mess.

He’s still scored them. When we barely score I couldn’t care less how it goes in.

Absolutely, but it’s not sustainable like is wasnt with Hwang. But he’s also missed some big opportunities which could have got us points. The Spurs one sticks in my head where anything on target is a goal. Yesterday any decent contact has a good chance of going in or forcing the keeper into a save which might push it into someone’s path.

It’s not just that though, he’s involved creatively in most of our moves. Look at the Palace goal, one of his stupid flicks gotnit to Neves for the pass on Bueno.

Not a stupid flick though is it? It’s dropping into space drawing the man and laying it off to a midfielder who then finds the third man who has intelligently ran into the space. This is footballing basics which we don’t do enough of!

Again though he’s the most likely we have so surely we need to replace the others first or replace Podence so he becomes the backup. Constantly criticising him though doesn’t help. He was also good off the ball yesterday, pinched it a few times, pressed, won tackles. He’s also doing a lot of that right now which you wouldn’t expect.

Better teams always have squad players that can come in but wouldn’t start. Now as i said we would ideally have someone better who scores 10 a season and creates 5 or 6 but we don’t and so he’s the best we’ve got. Plenty of others need to step up more imo but he’s an easy target because of the flicks much like Boubacar is because he’s untidy and tries to play positively. Giving the ball away is always seen as the worst thing but sometimes it’s the intention behind it that needs to be understood more.

My dislike is unreasonable and I’m fully aware of it. Maybe because he promises so much but delivers so little when he could quite easily do more. Him and Adama end results are pretty much the same but their play at different ends to the frustration spectrum. They will both never change. And if those 2 continue to form part of a front 3 we are bang in trouble.

 

[Del Woppio]

Podence is without doubt our biggest attacking threat. He also wouldn't get a game for about 14 Premier League teams, because he's a prick, and insanely inconsistent, and is never at 'his best' for more than about 12 minutes at a time

 

[jd1981]

Podence is without doubt our biggest attacking threat. He also wouldn't get a game for about 14 Premier League teams, because he's a prick, and insanely inconsistent, and is never at 'his best' for more than about 12 minutes at a time

Summed it up well he’s our most productive but absolutely nowhere near the required standard.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

It's all very well pointing out Podence's shortcomings (there are plenty, and I'd like us to move him on at the end of the season whatever division we're in), the alternatives right now are Guedes (awful footballer, awful attitude), Hwang (not even sure if he can actually play there at all, obvious technical limitations [ie he looks like a League Two player a lot of the time]) and Campbell (yet to start a league game and isn't exactly prolific at U21 level).

He wouldn't be playing very much if Neto and/or Chiquinho were fit, but they aren't.

 

[GLASGOWOLF]

The over board everything is shit on here lately is fucking ridiculous.

Some are so entrenched in their views when we play well we were shit and going down.

Yesterday we were in total control in a game for 90 minutes a superb piece of skill aside.

If we play like that in the other games coming up, we will take a few points, yes we need to make better choices around the box. Not one player had a bad game yesterday.

Again the consensus yesterday with wolves fans and Neutrals in the bar it was a good performance, and actually deserved the win.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

We have two games coming up (no-one cares about the League Cup). Everything else is at least nearly two months away.

You think we're taking "a few points" from Brighton (beat Chelsea 4-1 yesterday and should have been more, strolled to a 3-0 win at Molineux last time out) and Arsenal (top of the league if they beat Forest later), playing like that?

I'd give us 4/10 over the 90 minutes and Brentford 3/10, it certainly was not a good performance.