Man Utd v Wolves - The 'be nice to one another' verdict thread.

[Aikiwolf]

Thought we played the second half for a draw, sat 10 yards deep and didn't really test a poor man u team.

At least Podence won 2 out of two headers though....

 

[Deleted Cyber]

Fair result. Man Utd looked solid and stuck to a game plan. Played four times now and still not beaten them so they aren’t that shabby!

It’s a compliment they set up as much to stop us as beat us. Don’t see Jota as Raul back up and we lost our attacking threat significantly after the first sub but that’s not a dig at Neto and podence.

 

[NicholasG1973]

I’ll say it again, I don’t know what role Doherty’s is any more.

He was embarrassing bad today, and he’s been bad for a while.

When we used to play two centrally, he used to cut in off his wing and be a goal threat - or even be the furthest forward getting on the end of crosses.

With Adama in front of him, he can never get forward now because Traore is always fifteen yards in front of him.

So the ball goes backwards or sideways.

And he can’t tackle, doesn’t have the pace to track his man - so he’s also a defensive liability.

The problem is options - I’m not convinced we’ve got anything else.

 

[YoungWolf]

Defensively he was fine.

But he doesn’t look sharp at all and he is giving the ball away what feels like a huge amount. He’s important to our system but I imagine we will be looking at upgrades (unless we want to integrate Matheson in the summer - probably too early to say)

 

[Alan]

Thought Shaw was their best player tbh.

Wan-Bissaka was streets ahead of almost everyone else on the pitch, I thought.

 

[Alan]

Defensively he was fine.

But he doesn’t look sharp at all and he is giving the ball away what feels like a huge amount. He’s important to our system but I imagine we will be looking at upgrades (unless we want to integrate Matheson in the summer - probably too early to say)

I agree that he's been fine defensively, but going forward he looks like he's moving at half speed. I suppose it's possible he's carrying an injury but then we've seen Nuno trust Oskar Buur previously, albeit not in the league, yet for now we persist with a hobbled version of last year's Doc.

It's a difficult one but I have to guess that we'd have brought in someone to compete with Doc if Nuno/the club were worried about it.

 

[Dennisons Wrong Foot]

Tend to agree. Defensively Doc wasn't bad, but offensively he has offered very little for quite a while and has fluffed it whenever he does get a goal chance. With Vinagre out we can't just move Jonny over (and he was poor today). I guess the hope is that Matheson will be considered good enough sooner (next season) rather than later - since what little I have seen of Buur suggests he is okay rather than great. Can't see us looking to sign a replacement unless we do achieve Champions League, and even then unlikely.

 

[WolfmanOz]

Jota a is a shadow of the player of the last 2 seasons. Notwithstanding his recent injury he’s just scored 3 league goals all season.

I would be starting Neto as he’s been much more impressive.

Also WTF ! - I’ve read a number of the post-match reviews of the game and it appears ManU were playing by themselves, albeit poorly. I absolutely detest the incessant coverage of the Sky 6 to the detriment of all others.

 

[Deleted Cyber]

We didn’t even get a sentence on motd. All about Man Utd

 

[east-coast-wolves]

We all knew he would but I think Nuno probably got it wrong to being Jota back in. He's still making consistently wrong decisions this season and Neto had been playing so well.
The return of the flat 343 also does not bring the best out of Adama.

Should probably have won regardless, Saiss with his head or Jota in his one brilliant run after beating the whole defence.

Defended very well too, didn't give up too many chances at all. Podence lively in his cameo, be interesting to see if he gets a chance to start soon. Fantastic to see Boly back too, he brings so much to that defence, deserved the clean sheet on his return.

I think we were a little too fearful of their pace and so never truly went for it but tbf, Fred and Shaw in particular broke up counter attacks particularly well and a draw a fair result.

 

[arklowolf]

People can moan about Doherty's and Jota's form, but to be positive there is no lack of effort from any of our players. That is the important thing.
Players go in and out of form, sometimes they have to play through their dips in form, the only way to do that is through maintained or increased effort.
They will come good again.

 

[Paul]

What's the news on Adama ?

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Nuno said after the game that he was in pain at HT from his shoulder but came out to play anyway.

Nothing too bad at the end, just a kick on the calf, he'll be fine from that one.

A bit surprised at the general downbeat nature, I thought we played well in patches, draw probably about right, Podence looked very good indeed when he came on. Neves was the best player on the pitch, Raul and Jonny also played well.

 

[Gonby's Games Gone By]

I didn't think Jonny had his best game, Dan; agree with the rest of that, though. I felt it was an enjoyable game and a good point in the end, though three points and fifth place would have been lovely.

 

[Lycan]

Nuno said after the game that he was in pain at HT from his shoulder but came out to play anyway.

Nothing too bad at the end, just a kick on the calf, he'll be fine from that one.

A bit surprised at the general downbeat nature, I thought we played well in patches, draw probably about right, Podence looked very good indeed when he came on. Neves was the best player on the pitch, Raul and Jonny also played well.

There was a lot of negativity in the ground as well. I dunno, I thought we were alright. Also not raging about walking away from Old Trafford with a point. Just the kind of match that you get sometimes when 2 counter attacking sides cancel each other out.

Apart from the deflection and Dalot's chance I thought we were comfortable defensively. Great to have Boly back, I'd almost forgotten how good he was. Even just his presence on the pitch is huge for us, it's not even slightly harsh on Dendoncker, Willy just has to play.

Going forward we struggled to open them up, I thought Maguire and Lindelof were just as good for them as Coady & Boly were for us. Probably the best I've seen 2 centre halves play up against Raúl this season. The Jota chance was very nearly that bit of individual magic that that game needed to break the deadlock but it just didn't fall for him right after he cuts inside.

Also, special congratulations to the Man United fans for overtaking Everton & Arsenal as the worst home fans I've ever seen. Football in a library.

 

[NoodleWolf]

I thought we were great. United did go close a couple of occasions but at the same time, I never reaaally felt like they were going to score. Ruben was outstanding and like he said in the post-match, he felt we'd controlled it, even when United were on top possession and pressure-wise in the 2nd half.

Thought Boly looked understandably a bit rusty in that first half, but was back to himself in the 2nd and great to see him return. Not really sure about the complaints re: Jota. He looked a threat throughout, some excellent direct running and nice touches, didn't really do a lot wrong, no glaring moments I can recall where he failed to spot an obvious pass or was sloppy, etc. Shame he couldn't quite get a decent connection on the one where he cut through them. Thought Podence looked sharp too.

Could we have been better going forward? Of course, always looking to improve, but still a really solid, if risk-free performance and United defended well for the most part. Happy to take a clean sheet and a point away from a close rival.

 

[Monstrum]

Boly was the highlight for me, no coincidence our first clean sheet for ages was his first game back. Neves played really well too, raul did well but had limited service. Traore was not his usual self, shaw did an incredible job defending him but manu were way too physical, got away with tons of fouls that should have been called/carded. Can you imagine messi/zaha/etc being focused and fouled so much?
Decent point, what worries me a little is that we are really missing quality finishing, we had a few chances and fluffed them all. Jota hot and cold, few brilliant runs and dribbles and few really frustrating decisions

 

[Jinky]

I said it in the comm thread, but one of the common themes of Jota’s game when we first signed him was the early shot. He took defenders and goalkeepers by surprise. At the moment he seems scared to shoot. A good 3-4 times yesterday when he could have had a pop, he overran the ball and gave it away. I can understand why Nuno went with him, but it was a tad harsh on Neto who had been playing well and was in good form. Neto would also have carried the ball up the field, but he almost certainly would have got a few shots off and who knows, one of them could have gone in? For me, that was the one mistake by Nuno yesterday. No arguments on Boly coming straight back in - the bloke is immense and we’ve definitely missed him.

Other than that, I’ve felt the criticism of Doc in recent weeks was a bit OTT - but he stuck out like a sore thumb yesterday. We can’t really afford to keep playing him in the hope that he somehow picks up some form again - but we have no other options in that position so we have to.

Yesterday evening I felt it was an opportunity missed. I’m still feeling that a little this morning. Worst Utd side we’ve faced in years, level on points with them - and we were very cautious. But looking at it again, that’s as well as I’ve seen Utd defend this season (Shaw did very well against Adama - I was expecting a bloodbath there) and the two CB’s did well against Raul. We can’t grumble TOO much with a point away at OT, but equally, I can’t help but feel if we’d started with Neto and just gambled a little bit more we’d have got all three points. Given how many games we’ve gone 1-0 down in, I do see it from both sides.

 

[WolfmanOz]

I said it in the comm thread, but one of the common themes of Jota’s game when we first signed him was the early shot. He took defenders and goalkeepers by surprise. At the moment he seems scared to shoot. A good 3-4 times yesterday when he could have had a pop, he overran the ball and gave it away. I can understand why Nuno went with him, but it was a tad harsh on Neto who had been playing well and was in good form. Neto would also have carried the ball up the field, but he almost certainly would have got a few shots off and who knows, one of them could have gone in? For me, that was the one mistake by Nuno yesterday. No arguments on Boly coming straight back in - the bloke is immense and we’ve definitely missed him.

Other than that, I’ve felt the criticism of Doc in recent weeks was a bit OTT - but he stuck out like a sore thumb yesterday. We can’t really afford to keep playing him in the hope that he somehow picks up some form again - but we have no other options in that position so we have to.

Yesterday evening I felt it was an opportunity missed. I’m still feeling that a little this morning. Worst Utd side we’ve faced in years, level on points with them - and we were very cautious. But looking at it again, that’s as well as I’ve seen Utd defend this season (Shaw did very well against Adama - I was expecting a bloodbath there) and the two CB’s did well against Raul. We can’t grumble TOO much with a point away at OT, but equally, I can’t help but feel if we’d started with Neto and just gambled a little bit more we’d have got all three points. Given how many games we’ve gone 1-0 down in, I do see it from both sides.

Excellent summary !

 

[sycophantia]

Frustrated with the result but a draw is fair enough. Nice to get a clean sheet. We're not quite there yet but getting there. Thought Jota haf a normal game for him, wriggling through defenders, just not quite falling for him yet. Couldn't understand why Magiure pulling down on Traores arm isn't a penalty, think he did it to someone else later, Jota?