Reading (H) build up
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croxdenabbey
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Jinky
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Been at a wedding this weekend in Yorkshire so have thankfully avoided the majority of all the hysteria and backlash from yesterday's result and performance. The bloody groom (a good mate of mine) is a Villa fan too, so that wasn't ideal!
For me, the season kicks off on Tuesday and we're starting with a three point advantage over everyone else. That's the way I'm looking at it. What's done is done and we can't change these last few games, but it's still in our hands and even now (knowing we were 10+ points clear of 2nd place a few weeks back) if someone had offered us this position before the start of the season, there's not a single Wolves fan who wouldn't have taken it. Clean slate from Tuesday and lets just get the job done. Then Jeff & Co can go and spend whatever the hell they like to get us ready for the Premier League.
As far as the starting 11 for Reading goes, I'd like to see some fresh energy and confidence in the starting 11. Not in some sort of weird backlash to yesterday's result, but I have been advocating Will Norris for a while now and I think it'd be the right time to let him have a run in the side. The other issue we have with players like Danny Batth and N'Diaye; is they are inconsistent. They'll put in a great performance one week (for example, both played very well against Leeds) but then follow it up with a horror show a few days later (Villa). It's a trait of a lot of players at this level and that's why many of them will never play regularly in a side in the PL. That's unfortunately the case with Batth, N'Diaye and a few of our other players and it's why - with the benefit of hindsight - starting them ahead of the likes of Ryan Bennett and Romain Saiss (two of our most consistent performers this season) yesterday was a bad idea.
I'd go -
--------------------Norris-------------------------
---------Bennett---Coady---Boly----------------
Doherty------Neves----Saiss-----------Douglas
---------MGW------Afobe-----Cavaleiro---------
Costa has done nowhere near enough to get in the front 3 at the moment, yet every time I see MGW he makes something happen. Let the lad loose - if we can't do it against Reading (a side in a horrendous run of form) and Burton (bottom three) - when can we?
Afobe is ready for a run in the side and must be desperate to justify a permanent move in the summer. We all know he can score goals at this level, sure it means changing the way we play slightly, but we need to win games - so let's play our most natural finisher.
Jota looks shattered, jaded, pissed off, frustrated - whatever you want to call it - he doesn't look right. I'd take him out the firing line. Controversial because clearly he's a fantastic talent - but some of his decision making has been off for a while now. He's lost his touch and confidence in front of goal and it's starting to affect some of our play as we're trying to over-complicate things or play one pass too many.
Leo just can't buy a goal at the moment. I feel sorry for him. But how long do we give him until a goal comes? We're running out of games, the gap is being eaten up every week at the moment, and our 'extra point' in the bag for our goal difference is now more or less gone. Thanks for the goals earlier in the season, thanks for the decent link up play - you'll probably get a permanent deal in the summer - but he has to make way I'm afraid.
One last comment on this game - the crowd will no doubt play a big part. I'm wary of what the atmosphere is going to be like on Tuesday. Nerves are creeping in and we're off a bad result against a local rival. I heard a lot of moaning in the stands against Norwich a few weeks back, and I'm concerned it's going to be even worse if we don't get an early goal or two on Tuesday. It's important that we stick with the lads and Nuno - as I said at the top of this post - we should treat it like the first game of a 10 game season and we've got a head start on the others.
For me, the season kicks off on Tuesday and we're starting with a three point advantage over everyone else. That's the way I'm looking at it. What's done is done and we can't change these last few games, but it's still in our hands and even now (knowing we were 10+ points clear of 2nd place a few weeks back) if someone had offered us this position before the start of the season, there's not a single Wolves fan who wouldn't have taken it. Clean slate from Tuesday and lets just get the job done. Then Jeff & Co can go and spend whatever the hell they like to get us ready for the Premier League.
As far as the starting 11 for Reading goes, I'd like to see some fresh energy and confidence in the starting 11. Not in some sort of weird backlash to yesterday's result, but I have been advocating Will Norris for a while now and I think it'd be the right time to let him have a run in the side. The other issue we have with players like Danny Batth and N'Diaye; is they are inconsistent. They'll put in a great performance one week (for example, both played very well against Leeds) but then follow it up with a horror show a few days later (Villa). It's a trait of a lot of players at this level and that's why many of them will never play regularly in a side in the PL. That's unfortunately the case with Batth, N'Diaye and a few of our other players and it's why - with the benefit of hindsight - starting them ahead of the likes of Ryan Bennett and Romain Saiss (two of our most consistent performers this season) yesterday was a bad idea.
I'd go -
--------------------Norris-------------------------
---------Bennett---Coady---Boly----------------
Doherty------Neves----Saiss-----------Douglas
---------MGW------Afobe-----Cavaleiro---------
Costa has done nowhere near enough to get in the front 3 at the moment, yet every time I see MGW he makes something happen. Let the lad loose - if we can't do it against Reading (a side in a horrendous run of form) and Burton (bottom three) - when can we?
Afobe is ready for a run in the side and must be desperate to justify a permanent move in the summer. We all know he can score goals at this level, sure it means changing the way we play slightly, but we need to win games - so let's play our most natural finisher.
Jota looks shattered, jaded, pissed off, frustrated - whatever you want to call it - he doesn't look right. I'd take him out the firing line. Controversial because clearly he's a fantastic talent - but some of his decision making has been off for a while now. He's lost his touch and confidence in front of goal and it's starting to affect some of our play as we're trying to over-complicate things or play one pass too many.
Leo just can't buy a goal at the moment. I feel sorry for him. But how long do we give him until a goal comes? We're running out of games, the gap is being eaten up every week at the moment, and our 'extra point' in the bag for our goal difference is now more or less gone. Thanks for the goals earlier in the season, thanks for the decent link up play - you'll probably get a permanent deal in the summer - but he has to make way I'm afraid.
One last comment on this game - the crowd will no doubt play a big part. I'm wary of what the atmosphere is going to be like on Tuesday. Nerves are creeping in and we're off a bad result against a local rival. I heard a lot of moaning in the stands against Norwich a few weeks back, and I'm concerned it's going to be even worse if we don't get an early goal or two on Tuesday. It's important that we stick with the lads and Nuno - as I said at the top of this post - we should treat it like the first game of a 10 game season and we've got a head start on the others.
Jinky
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I can't. The other half works long days on Tuesday's and Thursday's so I'm on toddler duty.
playtheace
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1st half yes, but as soon as he got that booking in the 2nd he was walking a tightrope, couldn't commit to any tackle on Grealish or Snodgrass incase of getting another card,it was one of the turning points for me.
I'd have swapped him for Saiss there and then.
Norman Deeley
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Watching that back Bonatini could very easily have stopped that move with a tactical foul just outside the Villa box. And yes, the minute he got booked he should have been replaced, just as Batth should have been hooked at HT. Nuno had a very poor game on Saturday
Dinowolf
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I wouldn't say he played well although I wouldn't say he played badly either.
He is not quite at the level we need against the better sides, so while he looks good against the Leeds of this world, he doesn't against the Villas or Fulhams.
He could probably have a good game against Reading but personally I feel Saiss is more suited to playing next to a player like Neves.
Tyrannosaurus Dan
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I'd replace Batth & N'Diaye with Bennett & Saiss. Up front I'd go back to Costa/Cav/Jota unless Nuno wants to rest one of Cav or Jota for Afobe or MGW.
I'd also like to see Norris start this game and the Burton game but it is unlikely Ruddy will be dropped.
I'd also like to see Norris start this game and the Burton game but it is unlikely Ruddy will be dropped.
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I agree with this bit.
I don't think either Reading or Burton will park the bus this week - Reading don't know how to play that way and really should be there for the taking. They're not very good - we HAVE to be winning this one. I think Burton have to go for it as they're in such a desperate need of points. A draw doesn't help them much.
playtheace
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To be fair, we kinda got away with it at Reading,they had quite a lot of possession 2nd half and no one could have moaned at a draw but we got the killer breakaway goal...although there were a few goal mouth scrambles.
Burton seem to prefer playing away apparently (bloke at work flits in and out with them) they play wingbacks that will love our pitch but i doubt they will have that quality in the final third to seriously trouble us.
Carrotdude
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Big night tonight then, Reading caused us a lot of problems in the reverse fixture if I remember rightly. I’d bring in Saiss Bennett and Afobe for Alf, Batth and Leo. A nice comfortable 3-0 win and convincing performance would do nicely
Tyrannosaurus Dan
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It would be great to get a confidence boosting result but I'd take the 3 points from any sort of performance right now.
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I've had trebles on Cardiff/Villa/Fulham last Tuesday and on Saturday. I've also got a Cardiff/Villa double tonight and a treble on Cardiff/Villa/Fulham at the weekend.
Winning last Tuesday and Saturday didn't improve my mood and I'm hoping that the winning run will soon end.
