Huddersfield (A) 26/2 Build-Up

[playtheace]

4 at the back?

 

[Jinky]

I've got absolutely no idea why we allowed them to have the ball and gain confidence in the first 20 minutes. Get at them early, pressure them across the pitch and force them into mistakes. Once they're a goal behind, they'll collapse into the mire and we can control it from therr. They're a poor side, just like we kept at arms length for last season adopting the very same approach.

Jonny was the only one worth anything more than a 6 tonight.

Agree. The tone was set in the first 20 minutes where we barely touched the ball and completely let them set the tempo and get the crowd on side. Their starting 11 had 8 changes this evening - put them under pressure from the start and get them on the back foot. We literally played in to their hands.

I agree with Trips. Nuno needs to (quickly) find the root cause of this issue against sides towards the lower regions of the table. It would be foolish of us to expect to pick up as many points against the ‘top 6’ next season like we have this. So without those ‘bonus’ points, we need to fathom out a way to beat the rest of the sides - something we’ve really struggled with. I don’t want to criticise him too much but Neves, for example, to the untrained eye - looks like he thinks he can just turn up to these games and coast through them in 2nd gear. It’s not good enough.

 

[Premier Quality]

Is it a case of being worked out and another tweak being required.

I do wonder if sometimes we'd be better with 4 at the back and an extra body in midfield

I don’t think so - we just need something different to break the press - some quick, forward triangles, or someone to beat a man. We were just lacking those things tonight.

 

[The Bion]

I'm not sure it is. Jonny got in plenty of times in the 1st half but we couldn't produce a final ball or chance. Jota got one across to Doc who should've probably done a bit better.

2nd half Doc was in acres of space multiple times but for whatever reason neither Neves or Coady were looking his way, no idea why.

 

[Tony Towner]

Was at the game so apologies if TV proves my thoughts as being inaccurate.

We got what we deserved nothing, I didn't expect them to score but nevertheless they deserved to. Whether it was complacency, bad day at the office or not being arsed we were way off. They beat us really because they ratted around and we didn't have an answer. They are a Championship side in all but name and played like one, yet we didn't have an answer.

Nuno has loads of credit in the bank, but tonight he's worthy of criticism. Why were the team so rattled by fundamental up and at em tactics? Why Cav for Jota, when the latter despite having a poor game was our most promising route to a goal? Why Costa for Jimenez in the same formation at the point when we looked like we were on top? Why not Traore when we needed something different?

Tonight showed the restrictions of a small squad. Of the 3 subs 2 are clearly out of form and the other a significant downgrade when replacing like for like.

 

[Premier Quality]

I think that’s a spot on summary TT

 

[PuntsWolf]

Was at the game so apologies if TV proves my thoughts as being inaccurate.

We got what we deserved nothing, I didn't expect them to score but nevertheless they deserved to. Whether it was complacency, bad day at the office or not being arsed we were way off. They beat us really because they ratted around and we didn't have an answer. They are a Championship side in all but name and played like one, yet we didn't have an answer.

Nuno has loads of credit in the bank, but tonight he's worthy of criticism. Why were the team so rattled by fundamental up and at em tactics? Why Cav for Jota, when the latter despite having a poor game was our most promising route to a goal? Why Costa for Jimenez in the same formation at the point when we looked like we were on top? Why not Traore when we needed something different?

Tonight showed the restrictions of a small squad. Of the 3 subs 2 are clearly out of form and adjust he other a significant downgrade when replacing like for like.

Yep that’s pretty much how it was tbh.

We didn’t look like scoring the conventional route so bringing Traore on for some havoc was a no brainier. Especially when the alternative(s) don’t do anything.

 

[SSB]

All I’m going to hear tonight when I go to bed is that fucking drum. Credit to their fans who were behind their team all match.

 

[jd1981]

Pretty much what TT said, subs were baffling to be honest. Neves should have been hooked instead of Moutihno in reality I’d have left them both on as MGW on current form weakened the midfield.
We seem to have slipped into another rut of poor performances, key thing on Saturday is not to get sucked into Cardiff’s game like we did in December.

 

[sycophantia]

Didn't think MGW was that bad, he was very positive when he first came on, petered out in the end though.

 

[Johnny75]

Why are people do bothered about subs? It's bizarre.

It was our lack of tempo, poor passing and general lack of attacking quality that did for us in the main. We must play with a higher tempo when we have the ball and not let sides have as much of the ball when we are better in midfield.

We have built our success on passing the ball wide and up to our forwards in inside positions, we need to get back to that rather than this pedestrian nonsense over the last 3 games.

 

[jd1981]

Made a couple of passes but that was it, I think a loan spell next season at championship level would do him good.

 

[PuntsWolf]

Didn't think MGW was that bad, he was very positive when he first came on, petered out in the end though.

He wasn’t bad, but he didn’t do anything either, and hasn’t done anything for months.

When you’re bringing on an attacking sub against the worst team in the League, they are supposed to make a difference and he didn’t.

 

[MARKakaJIM]

Is it a case of being worked out and another tweak being required.

I do wonder if sometimes we'd be better with 4 at the back and an extra body in midfield

Think the bigger problem in terms of numbers of bodies in different areas in the games where opponents are more conservative is Neves, often when faced with more negative opponents he comes deeper and deeper trying to find some space to get on the ball but that just ends up with him standing between Coady and Boly like another centre half where he's causing no threat to anyone. If it were me, I wouldn't play Neves in those sorts of games, I don't think it suits him. His range of passing is very good but he's not particularly mobile, he doesn't really get around the pitch so when a team plays deep and defends the full width of the pitch they take away the big spaces where he can pick out those rangey passes and set people away. Moutinho seems to cover a lot more ground when in possession, not necessarily any more threatening or penetrative than Neves but he at least keeps the ball moving, probing away and that moves the opposition around making it more difficult for them to stick to their shape and restrict spaces. Dendoncker isn't as graceful on the ball as those two but he does seem to commit to more forward runs off the ball, in these type of games that's useful in providing an extra body in threatening areas, again it can help unsettle a well organised team and create disruption to their shape.

I think it would be worth trying a trio of Moutinho, Dendoncker and MGW in this situation, there's more movement, more chance of rotation between them and that's better suited to untangling a well organised opposition. They need to show they can do the job when they're forced to play more intricately in tight spaces when faced with a disciplined defence rather than always looking to exploit big spaces in behind or outside an opponent, because if a team sets up to deny you that you're not suddenly going to open those spaces up by having a centre midfielder drop into the backline for no reason.

Sticking MGW in there would also give you the chance to swap it between 352/343 if required, something that's not really on the cards if you use the trio that started tonight.

I don’t think so - we just need something different to break the press - some quick, forward triangles, or someone to beat a man. We were just lacking those things tonight.

I don't think that's an issue that's exclusive to tonight's game. It's generally just not Wolves set out to do, I mean there really aren't that many players in the squad who look to take on their man that often, nor is the emphasis usually on neat interplay between players in tight areas. Wolves are at their best when they can draw a team out and then exploit the spaces they leave open, either down the flanks for the wingbacks or since the switch to a front two the option to just get in behind has been available more often too, the long passing from Neves and Coady is crucial to this allowing Wolves to quickly change the route of attack and punish the big spaces left in seemingly safe areas. When teams are happy to play on the back foot, keep men behind the ball and defend the full width or the pitch it takes away Wolves' main weapon and often they don't look anywhere near as assured trying to pick those defences apart rather they rely on a lapse in concentration or tiredness to eventually provide the big open space they've been looking for, as with Doherty's late goal against Newcastle.

 

[playtheace]

I'm not sure it is. Jonny got in plenty of times in the 1st half but we couldn't produce a final ball or chance. Jota got one across to Doc who should've probably done a bit better.

2nd half Doc was in acres of space multiple times but for whatever reason neither Neves or Coady were looking his way, no idea why.

Exactly what I said, considering we are usually, constantly playing the ball to Doherty, it seemed strange to just leave him standing there for most of the match.

As I pointed out during the match, at one point Doc got the ball and immediately raced down the line for a typical give and go, Dendoncker then turned round and blasted it back to Coady way back in our own half.... Was quite bizzare.

 

[White Wolf]

Embarrassing, just like it was at home. I haven't seen the game so can't say what, but there is clearly something about us failing to beat this kind of low-level opposition, as they are totally awful, one of the worst the league has seen in years and yet we have lost to them home and away (and no, it's not just because we have a bad record against them).

Detest Huddersfield so this is a very annoying result for me, but at least have the comfort of my winnings as I bet against us for this game just in case. Terrible day at the office but the most important thing is picking ourselves back up for Cardiff. Liverpool should do us a favour which means we will still be on the same points as Watford who have a tough run coming up, no need to exaggerate that 7th is lost. Our hopes are dented but we are still totally in the Europa race. On to Saturday.

 

[sycophantia]

Watford is a tough game for Liverpool, they haven't been at their best recently and Watford are about the same level as us

 

[jdrodrigues]

Couldn't watch the game due to classes.

Bloody hell, losing to Huddersfield is a hard pill to swallow, and all your comments are not softening the blow at all.

Let's hope for a better form on Saturday and a win.

 

[MobNet Wolf]

MGW is nowhere near ready. Not a fan of the loan system but not sure we can really afford to develop him off our bench. Think he needs to start every week somewhere in the Championship.

For all his trickery, he loses the ball far far too much. His passing radar is about 30% off and he has that trait of slipping over a lot that is not uncommon in players trying to force it a little too much.

 

[Aikiwolf]

I think Jonny and Cav did fairly well last night with Dendoncker being the pick of the midfield.

Neves looked anonymous and I was surprised it was Moutinho who was subbed off, I also thought bringing Costa on lost us some momentum just as it was building for us.

MGW doesn't need loaning out but we need to stop thinking he can come on and win games for us, he's young and needs to stay and develop with sparse game time for the rest of the season imo.