Live Match Discussion: 2020/21

[Deutsch Wolf]

Doc never topped four league goals in a season for us, let's not overegg his poaching abilities (lolz).

Saiss has three this season - should be four, belter at Leeds ruled out by a bullshit VAR call - and I wouldn't put him down particularly as a goalscoring asset.

 

[PuntsWolf]

It comes from Nuno’s “control the game” mantra. They feel that if they pass it back and recycle possession then they will maintain control and go again. It worked in the Championship becuase teams would sit off and we could rebuild.

They don’t sit off us anymore, they press. Which leads to us hitting a hopeful ball forward from near half way or going all the way back to Rui where we either have possession on the edge of our own area or a hopeful punt from Rui to halfway.

So from a reasonable attacking position in the opposition half we have more often than not surrendered possession in a more dangerous position to ourselves than where we had it originally.

 

[BillyDee]

And if we score, the opposition regain possession at kick off. Best to just recycle it and not give them the ball...

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Beginning to look as good as certain that Norwich and Watford are returning. How dull.

 

[prawnking]

Doc never topped four league goals in a season for us, let's not overegg his poaching abilities (lolz).

At least we had him at his peak, he's a shell of a player now

 

[sycophantia]

The scenario you describe happens so regularly it's more amusing than frustrating now. I don't know what it is...In those moments we seem to run out of ideas, or lack a bit of faith in what we're trying to do.

I think in nearly every game we have periods where we put teams under pressure but then we seem to just relieve the pressure ourselves. It doesn't do much to test opposition resolve and mental strength.

We've haven't always done this though. Plenty of times under Nuno in previous seasons where you could sense a goal coming (especially second half or late on) and we've duly followed through with a goal or two (usually scored by Jota, Raul or Doc though!!).

don't think its so much running out of ideas but definitely a lack of faith, scared to make mistakes. I can understand that when you've only got one or possibly two players in the danger zone but we just have to be braver and trust our defensive players if we expect to create more goal scoring chances

 

[Jack Regan]

Beginning to look as good as certain that Norwich and Watford are returning. How dull.

Middlesboro v Watford has to be one of the worst games of football I've seen this season (and there's quite a few candidates).

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

It is bad. I watched a league one game the other day and it was pitiful. This isn’t a lot better.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Doc never topped four league goals in a season for us, let's not overegg his poaching abilities (lolz).

Saiss has three this season - should be four, belter at Leeds ruled out by a bullshit VAR call - and I wouldn't put him down particularly as a goalscoring asset.

Do Cup goals not count then?

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

If he is talking about league goals I would say not.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

It gives both Robert Taylor and Craig Davies a better record than 0 Wolves goals so no.

In all seriousness he gets bigged up as far more of a goal threat than he actually was. Four league goals a year (which he managed with admirable consistency for every single one of his final four seasons here) is welcome, but a "nice to have" rather than "let's keep him because he scores goals".

Anyway, he is shit, he's gone, he'll have a succession of clubs trying to get this amazing output from him for the next few years and they'll all fail.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

If he is talking about league goals I would say not.

By way of undermining any of his abilities.

How many goals did Bull score without his Sherpa Van trophy goals? But we all happily and rightly quote the 50+ goals two seasons running, and his total of 306! So i'm not sure why in this instance we are taking goals scored in FA Cup semi finals or Europa league games from Doherty to try and make some clearly nonsense point that he wasn't actually a goal threat when he played as a RWB, 15 goals in 90 games since we got promoted is impressive, and is a goal threat. I know TWF loves to slag Doherty, but this clearly is silly isn't it.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I didn't say he wasn't a goal threat, I said it gets greatly overstated (maybe because Semedo hasn't scored yet).

Anyway I didn't bring him up, I rarely do. I just correct people about him

 

[Johnny75]

don't think its so much running out of ideas but definitely a lack of faith, scared to make mistakes. I can understand that when you've only got one or possibly two players in the danger zone but we just have to be braver and trust our defensive players if we expect to create more goal scoring chances

That's down to the coach and his ability to get his players moving. One thing Nuno doesn't seem to do well is running off the ball. Maybe a new coach may be of benefit to add to his team.

Doesn't need to be Bielsa levels but we need better than Dyche.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Boro v Watford really is absolutely shit.

 

[prawnking]

I didn't say he wasn't a goal threat, I said it gets greatly overstated (maybe because Semedo hasn't scored yet).

Anyway I didn't bring him up, I rarely do. I just correct people about him

I didn't want to get into a Docscussion, the reason I put him in with Raul and Jota is because my memories of the instances of making teams crack under pressure involve those three having a big impact, and none of them have been with us this season (to any great degree, in Raul's case).

Without those personnel and the playing style they were effective in we've clearly lost much of our attacking mojo. You'd think there's enough talent in the squad for Nuno to have a good chance of replicating that, a good summer window would help too.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Jota was massive for us pressing teams which we've never done relentlessly in a Bielsa style, but we used to pick teams off in dodgy areas when they overplayed. He was the master at that.

Adama will never do it and Neto isn't really geared the same way as Jota is (I do think long term he'll be the better player though).

 

[PuntsWolf]

Doc was a goal threat, and so is bloody Saiss, not sure how you can “overstate” 4 league goals from RWB in a team who don’t score that much. We’ve scored 28 goals FFS and 12 of them have been from “open play”. That is truly abysmal for the talent we have available.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

It's that people talk him up as if he were the Ronaldo of right backs. He didn't score that bloody often! And it didn't make up for him being shit at everything else.

 

[PuntsWolf]

It's that people talk him up as if he were the Ronaldo of right backs. He didn't score that bloody often! And it didn't make up for him being shit at everything else.

But you do the same just in the opposite direction? The truth lies in the middle.

And the thing is, it kind of did make up for him being shit at everything else. He was a crucial component in a team that was very successful 3 seasons in a row.

But, without going over old ground...

Is Matt Doherty a good footballer - No
Was he effective for Wolves - Yes
Should he have been easy to replace - yes