Newcastle 1 - 2 Wolves: The Verdict.

[Tredman]

Nuno got his starting line up wrong .

Good post, but i don't agree with this.

I'm sure Nuno knew starting with MGW and Raul would be better, but with only a few days to recover the sports scientists would have told him whether Raul and MGW were up to starting again, and it would seem he was told they weren't.

 

[Boozad]

If Boly’s gets retrospective action (it won’t) then Lascelle’s push in Traore’s face should as well, that WAS intentional 100%.

 

[Dolph06]

If Boly’s gets retrospective action (it won’t) then Lascelle’s push in Traore’s face should as well, that WAS intentional 100%.

Agreed, was surprised that that incident wasn't given.

 

[PuntsWolf]

Good post, but i don't agree with this.

I'm sure Nuno knew starting with MGW and Raul would be better, but with only a few days to recover the sports scientists would have told him whether Raul and MGW were up to starting again, and it would seem he was told they weren't.

It wasn’t the fact that they didn’t play, more the fact Traore played #9. He should have played wide and Jota down the middle or Cav or whoever. Basically anything but Traore down the middle. Think that’s the last we see as that other than Arsenal like circumstances.

 

[sycophantia]

Lascelle got away with blue murder first half, loads of fouls, mostly cynical, not even a yellow

 

[Alan]

If Boly’s gets retrospective action (it won’t) then Lascelle’s push in Traore’s face should as well, that WAS intentional 100%.

That had me fuming. Adama was clean through.

 

[Tredman]

It wasn’t the fact that they didn’t play, more the fact Traore played #9. He should have played wide and Jota down the middle or Cav or whoever. Basically anything but Traore down the middle. Think that’s the last we see as that other than Arsenal like circumstances.

Can't remember who said it before but Jota and Vini are getting a good relationship, wouldn't want to mess with that. Costa can't do it, suppose Cav could do but perhaps Nuno was still not happy after his complete inability to not give the ball away last weekend. Traore can play at as CF just not in the Raul style. Tbf he did start the move for the first goal by harrying to get the ball back.

 

[machin05]

I actually thought Traore started well. Managed to get Ki booked, and that coupled with Lascelles early booking on Jota he had them running scared and looked like he was gonna cause problems all afternoon. His performance catastrophically dropped off a cliff after about 15-20 mins tho, but I'm not sure Nuno can be blamed for that.

 

[Tredman]

We need to have a new version of Godwin's law on here - you can guarantee within 10 to 20 posts any verdict thread will turn into an Adama discussion [emoji3]

 

[Tyrannosaurus Dan]

Good post, but i don't agree with this.

I'm sure Nuno knew starting with MGW and Raul would be better, but with only a few days to recover the sports scientists would have told him whether Raul and MGW were up to starting again, and it would seem he was told they weren't.

If that's the advice Nuno got from his staff then fair enough I suppose.

Hopefully Jota, Raul & MGW will be our first choice front 3 from now on. I'm not sure who I'd pick in the middle though. We've won 2 in a row with Saiss in there but Moutinho improved us when he came on.

I've seen the elbow now. You can't tell if it's deliberate or not, I'd be disappointed if he got a retrospective ban for it.

 

[Alan]

Traore was just fine I thought, yes he gave the ball away cheaply a few times but so did Morgan and even Jota who many will have down as MOTM.

We don't want to be pinging long balls up to Adama's head obviously but it's hardly his fault we started doing that after they equalized.

 

[NE66Wolf]

A few points from today. I thought we started really well, deserved the lead and were looking the most likely to score the next goal. Their goal perked them up but then the game got very scrappy with both teams continually giving the ball away too easily. Second half I thought we were on top but the sending off didn’t help us until the last 10 minutes, Newcastle seemed to up their tempo and looked more threatening.
I expected Costa to be hauled off early in the second half - he was awful, didn’t seem to have any confidence and not up for a battle. All three substitutions worked well though, particularly when. Moutinho came on and MGW moved further forward. Jota MOM for me, was a pain in there backside all afternoon! Was very composed for his goal. Boly’s elbow looked innocuous to me and even the Newcastle fans all round me thought their player was trying to get the ref to stop the game as we broke away and then time wasting. To be fair I didn’t have the best view of it though.
Traore is so frustrating, gets balls he has no right to get through is acceleration and speed over short distances, beats a couple of players with ease but then gives the ball away.
Team spirit seemed good and we kept going until the end which paid dividends in the end.
I thought Newcastle looked more threatening after the sending off (until they started time wasting), but we still hit the bar and their keeper made two excellent saves before we scored the winner.
Great day out though, three points away from home, climbing the table and Rafa upset!

 

[Deleted Cyber]

MATCH FACTS #NUFC have never lost in 6 previous #PL matches against Wolves.

Benitez has not lost any of his 22 home #PL matches against a promoted club.

Wolves are yet to score more than once in an away league fixture this season.#bbcfootball

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Where's Cyber when you need him?

Amazing what happens when its not November!

 

[Premier Quality]

I actually thought Traore started well. Managed to get Ki booked, and that coupled with Lascelles early booking on Jota he had them running scared and looked like he was gonna cause problems all afternoon. His performance catastrophically dropped off a cliff after about 15-20 mins tho, but I'm not sure Nuno can be blamed for that.

I agree with this - he started well, but then we went really flat - lots of longer balls forward, and we were so far apart, nothing came off. Newcastle were the opposite - whenever we headed it out they were pushed up and picked the ball back up - we hit it long, they won the header and because we were miles away from each other, they had the ball back. We were very poor for those 20 minutes.

 

[Alan]

If that's the advice Nuno got from his staff then fair enough I suppose.

Hopefully Jota, Raul & MGW will be our first choice front 3 from now, though. I'm not sure who I'd pick in the middle though. We've won 2 in a row with Saiss in there but Moutinho improved us when he came on.

I've seen the elbow now. You can't tell if it's deliberate or not, I'd be disappointed if he got a retrospective ban for it.

Saïss and Moutinho for me next match. Neves was really poor today. Something isn't right with him at the moment.

 

[sycophantia]

A few points from today. I thought we started really well, deserved the lead and were looking the most likely to score the next goal. Their goal perked them up but then the game got very scrappy with both teams continually giving the ball away too easily. Second half I thought we were on top but the sending off didn’t help us until the last 10 minutes, Newcastle seemed to up their tempo and looked more threatening.
I expected Costa to be hauled off early in the second half - he was awful, didn’t seem to have any confidence and not up for a battle. All three substitutions worked well though, particularly when. Moutinho came on and MGW moved further forward. Jota MOM for me, was a pain in there backside all afternoon! Was very composed for his goal. Boly’s elbow looked innocuous to me and even the Newcastle fans all round me thought their player was trying to get the ref to stop the game as we broke away and then time wasting. To be fair I didn’t have the best view of it though.
Traore is so frustrating, gets balls he has no right to get through is acceleration and speed over short distances, beats a couple of players with ease but then gives the ball away.
Team spirit seemed good and we kept going until the end which paid dividends in the end.
I thought Newcastle looked more threatening after the sending off (until they started time wasting), but we still hit the bar and their keeper made two excellent saves before we scored the winner.
Great day out though, three points away from home, climbing the table and Rafa upset!

Agree with all this

 

[Johnny75]

I agree with this - he started well, but then we went really flat - lots of longer balls forward, and we were so far apart, nothing came off. Newcastle were the opposite - whenever we headed it out they were pushed up and picked the ball back up - we hit it long, they won the header and because we were miles away from each other, they had the ball back. We were very poor for those 20 minutes.

A big part of that is because Traore and Costa don't drop deep to win the second ball. It's just not their game and Nuno is at fault for asking them to do that.

Hopefully we get a good player in Jan to fill the centre forward role because watching Traore do that role is painful. MGW comes on and he fills that role perfectly with Jota and Jimenez either side. Just like Bobby Firmino does for Liverpool.

I thought we played OK. Nuno got his team wrong from the start IMO but rectified that with the subs and he clearly knew it too. Moutinho looks a far better player with MGW on the pitch as does Jota.

Thought Coady had a stinker, passing was off and his defending was pretty rank.

Jota MOtM.

 

[Premier Quality]

Maybe - although i also think the way we play with two deep lying centre mids means long balls that we can’t control first time means we’re immediately under pressure - none of our front players bar Jiminez are going to beat centre backs in the air or control a ball around chest height while under a ton of pressure, and we have no one behind them.

I thought Traore did ok for 25 minutes (given he’s not a striker), getting the ball and turning, playing some good passes - but you’re right, it’s not his game. Shows how down the list Leo is now, hopefully we can get a new striker in in January and Traore can go back on the wing

Jota absolutely man of the match, and you’re right about Moutinho and MGW - although I’d argue everyone looks better with MGW on the pitch...

 

[Deano]

A big part of that is because Traore and Costa don't drop deep to win the second ball. It's just not their game and Nuno is at fault for asking them to do that.

Hopefully we get a good player in Jan to fill the centre forward role because watching Traore do that role is painful. MGW comes on and he fills that role perfectly with Jota and Jimenez either side. Just like Bobby Firmino does for Liverpool.

I thought we played OK. Nuno got his team wrong from the start IMO but rectified that with the subs and he clearly knew it too. Moutinho looks a far better player with MGW on the pitch as does Jota.

Thought Coady had a stinker, passing was off and his defending was pretty rank.

Jota MOtM.

Agreed on Coady, he has been brilliant recently and probably our best player during our poor run though so I can forgive him this game. Thought Rondon caused us problems, got himself matched up with Coady a few times and won the battle with ease.

 

[SSB]

A long but great day out. You can’t beat a day on the beer followed by an away win at Newcastle