Leicester 1-0 Wolves: Verdict Thread

[AndyWolves]

Traore in a two up front doesn’t work for him. I don’t know why but it just doesn’t

Traore is good when he has the ball at his feet and is facing the opposition goal with space to run into.

He's not good when he's getting the ball either with his back to goal or on the half-turn

 

[Tony Towner]

He's not good in a front 2 for the same reason Matt Jarvis and Tim Steele wouldn't have been. Not identical as Adama keeps the ball closer to feet and is stronger, but ultimately, it's pace and scampering towards the byline rather than guile or making proactive movements off the ball

 

[MARKakaJIM]

He's not good in a front 2 for the same reason, Matt Jarvis and Tim Steele wouldn't have been. Not identical as Adama keeps the ball closer to feet and is stronger, but ultimately, it's pace and scampering towards the byline rather than guile or making proactive movements off the ball

It's weird how he seems to fall into that habit at times as he's actually got really good footwork and with his upper body strength he's got the ability to hold people off in tight spaces too, he doesn't need to be as one dimensional as a kick and rush winger.

He's shown it in bursts various times but never seems to be able to manage it consistently.

 

[Johnny75]

It's weird how he seems to fall into that habit at times as he's actually got really good footwork and with his upper body strength he's got the ability to hold people off in tight spaces too, he doesn't need to be as one dimensional as a kick and rush winger.

He's shown it in bursts various times but never seems to be able to manage it consistently.

Not only that, he's got pace to burn so why he doesn't make runs off the ball, even as just a change to receiving the ball to feet, is perplexing.

 

[prawnking]

It's not an excuse for his underwhelming cameos this season, but I thought he played within himself yet again when he came on v Leicester, wouldn't be surprised if his shoulder still isn't right

 

[Premier Quality]

Not only that, he's got pace to burn so why he doesn't make runs off the ball, even as just a change to receiving the ball to feet, is perplexing.

It is weird to be honest, because it’s documented that he trains hard, takes on board the coaching staff feedback and has a fantastic attitude, and you can see that with the huge improvement in his productivity last season - but getting him to move off the ball has proved almost impossible so far. If he was already moving into space when he received the ball, he’d be practically impossible to stop.

 

[pr0sl0]

I remember a number of quotes from either him or Nuno (or perhaps both) at the start of last season about how he had had to be trained not to just burst forward without hesitation because, as much as he could consistently beat full-backs and get to the byline, there's no way his teemmates would have also been able to get forward in time to receive any crosses/passes. I think that's why he seems to slow down-speed-up-slow down-speed up a lot when working forward more than he does pure speed.

 

[MARKakaJIM]

Was looking at a few highlight videos of him this morning to refresh my memory of what he's capable of and there's some refreshing stuff out there to be fair, some from his time at Middlesbrough seem to show a bit more inclination to move off the ball but I'm not sure how much of it is down to circumstance more than anything else. Seems on those clips he's often behind the play, which I suppose he often would've been in a Pulis team, so then you see quite a bit of him bursting into space through midfield after the ball has been tonked up to some big lad up front. I suppose his opportunities to do that are more limited at Wolves where the approach play is generally more patient so he's not got big spaces to run through a stretched team but instead trying to find small gaps around a retreated, organised defence.

This video was a pleasant surprise though, lots of him coming central and using fleet footwork as much as his sheer pace to get away from people, obviously it's all condensed in a highlight reel but seems a long time since he played like this rather than wearing out the grass near the corner flag.

 

[Jinky]

Was looking at a few highlight videos of him this morning to refresh my memory of what he's capable of and there's some refreshing stuff out there to be fair, some from his time at Middlesbrough seem to show a bit more inclination to move off the ball but I'm not sure how much of it is down to circumstance more than anything else. Seems on those clips he's often behind the play, which I suppose he often would've been in a Pulis team, so then you see quite a bit of him bursting into space through midfield after the ball has been tonked up to some big lad up front. I suppose his opportunities to do that are more limited at Wolves where the approach play is generally more patient so he's not got big spaces to run through a stretched team but instead trying to find small gaps around a retreated, organised defence.

This video was a pleasant surprise though, lots of him coming central and using fleet footwork as much as his sheer pace to get away from people, obviously it's all condensed in a highlight reel but seems a long time since he played like this rather than wearing out the grass near the corner flag.

Some of the attempts to tackle him in that video are appalling! By the time I got to Billing for Bournemouth trying to tackle him I was laughing out loud.

 

[Paul]

Was looking at a few highlight videos of him this morning to refresh my memory of what he's capable of and there's some refreshing stuff out there to be fair,

Did exactly the same How much would you give for this Adama back again

 

[YoungWolf]

I actually thought he was a bit better with regards to receiving the ball centrally on Sunday. It was a better appearance off the bench than recently too, even if it didn't come off for him all the time.

He was actually really good in the second half against Southampton last season when we went 352 with Neto behind Traore and Raul. We played the ball behind their back line to him a lot and we got a lot of success. Wonder if Nuno will be considering that for the next game

 

[Premier Quality]

Great videos those two - and a large proportion of those runs were in central positions rather than being tight on the right as he has been this year.

 

[Carrotdude]

That Liverpool game was such a fantastic match. Remember crowds? Feels like a distant memory!
Seeing that makes me quite like the idea of just letting Traore float around behind Neto and Raul and pick up the ball anywhere he can find space and run at the defence. He will naturally draw 2 or 3 players to him which creates space for the front two.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Great videos those two - and a large proportion of those runs were in central positions rather than being tight on the right as he has been this year.

Yep, and having watched both of them in their entirety i'm now of the opinion that Adama is the best player on earth!

 

[Jinky]

That Liverpool game was such a fantastic match. Remember crowds? Feels like a distant memory!
Seeing that makes me quite like the idea of just letting Traore float around behind Neto and Raul and pick up the ball anywhere he can find space and run at the defence. He will naturally draw 2 or 3 players to him which creates space for the front two.

I think there is something to be said for this idea, but unfortunately I just don't see Nuno moving away from the system he has in place.

 

[The Bear]

Agreed. I'd have him in a free role behind the front two of Raul and Neto too.

 

[Tredman]

He will naturally draw 2 or 3 players to him which creates space for the front two.

That always happens (including on Sunday), we just never seem to take advantage.

 

[MARKakaJIM]

That always happens (including on Sunday), we just never seem to take advantage.

Well considering there are three centre halves welded to the half way line under Vardy's watching brief an extra two men on Traore would merely restore the balance of numbers across the pitch.

This doubling up thing doesn't suddenly grant someone a free pass elsewhere like people often seem to intimate, particularly when you've got it happening on someone in an isolated position like the wing.

 

[Alan]

In fairness to Adama, Raul hasn't been much better at receiving the ball with his back to goal this season.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Well considering there are three centre halves welded to the half way line under Vardy's watching brief an extra two men on Traore would merely restore the balance of numbers across the pitch.

This doubling up thing doesn't suddenly grant someone a free pass elsewhere like people often seem to intimate, particularly when you've got it happening on someone in an isolated position like the wing.

All they're having to do is send two blokes out to box him in towards the corner flag. So he can't cross properly from there, and we can't even recycle possession effectively from that position.