Sheffield United 1 - 0 Wolves: The Verdict

[Norman Deeley]

Tell you what mate, talk to me like I know you're capable of doing or don't bother. That's out of order.

Sorry, but sometimes you're wrong. We're all wrong sometimes and you're no exception. The key point is that we've scored 4 goals in 5 games, three of which were against very poor teams, and we've had very few shots. It's not "that's football sometimes" it's a real area of concern and Cyber is right to highlight it. It's an area of concern for the rest of this season and - if Nuno doesn't address it - for next season as well.

 

[Deleted Cyber]

Again, I find the level of doom and gloom more depressing than the actual football. It's too much.

Its not doom its fact. Unlike this champions league dreaming shite and where will we finish threads. I am the only person to have us finishing below 7th. One other put lower in error. However. I may well be right. Unfortunately. There is nothing good about this weeks matches. They sucked. Rightly the team is getting a few pelters.

 

[AndyWolves]

We all did Fred, no one wants to lose. Defeats and wins both need perspective though

 

[Del Woppio]

Since the City game, we've scored 16 goals in 17 games, domestically, and 9 of those came in 3 games. We've looked pretty easy to defend against since the lockdown, I don't think anybody could argue with that. If we're not offering European football of any description next season, then we're going to find it hard to attract and retain players. Credit for going for a 343, but I think he also needs to take the handbrake off a bit. He needs more players that he can trust, but we knew that in the summer. I hope he asks for, and gets, a lot more in the next window

For the avoidance of wailing from the thought police, of course this is still the best it's been in my lifetime.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Sorry, but sometimes you're wrong. We're all wrong sometimes and you're no exception. The key point is that we've scored 4 goals in 5 games, three of which were against very poor teams, and we've had very few shots. It's not "that's football sometimes" it's a real area of concern and Cyber is right to highlight it. It's an area of concern for the rest of this season and - if Nuno doesn't address it - for next season as well.

Sorry pal but that isn't the issue.

Let's break it down.

That's largely wank.

Nice. Don't think I've ever talked to you like that, you certainly don't get to talk to me like that.

You're watching from the perspective of someone who's still comparing it to 0-0 with Stevenage.

Don't think you get to tell me why I think what I think, ta.

Pudding of a pitch my arse

Yes, yes it was.

it wasn't a pudding of a pitch for Sheffield United

Because they put two physical forwards on, went route one and even on aimless stuff, they were able to occupy our back three and force territory if nothing else. We don't have the option. Criticise the club and manager for that if you really want to. They certainly weren't passing it well or running with the ball.

Disagree with me all you like, I don't care about that, but as I say, that was totally out of order.

 

[Deleted Cyber]

Since the City game, we've scored 16 goals in 17 games, domestically, and 9 of those came in 3 games. We've looked pretty easy to defend against since the lockdown, I don't think anybody could argue with that. If we're not offering European football of any description next season, then we're going to find it hard to attract and retain players. Credit for going for a 343, but I think he also needs to take the handbrake off a bit. He needs more players that he can trust, but we knew that in the summer. I hope he asks for, and gets, a lot more in the next window

For the avoidance of wailing from the thought police, of course this is still the best it's been in my lifetime.

Thats not in dispute. Its true for me too and I am a 50 something. But when they are shite they should and can be called shite and this week we have been shite.

 

[Freddeno]

Since the City game, we've scored 16 goals in 17 games, domestically, and 9 of those came in 3 games. We've looked pretty easy to defend against since the lockdown, I don't think anybody could argue with that. If we're not offering European football of any description next season, then we're going to find it hard to attract and retain players. Credit for going for a 343, but I think he also needs to take the handbrake off a bit. He needs more players that he can trust, but we knew that in the summer. I hope he asks for, and gets, a lot more in the next window

For the avoidance of wailing from the thought police, of course this is still the best it's been in my lifetime.

Agree with that Del, good post

 

[The Bear]

Jota was absolutely fine tonight, his usual decisions when running with the ball aside. He's already been dropped against Arsenal and it was noticeable how much we missed his running. He needs to stay in the team. Traore is the one for me who needs to mainly be used as an impact sub from now on. He's never done anything when starting recently and he's much better against tired legs. Neto should be ahead of him at the minute.

And why are people saying what's happened to Boly? Er nothing he just had a slightly off game by his standards. He's been fine apart from tonight.

Bringing on Donk is what killed the game for us. It gave them all the impetus and they were the only ones who looked like scoring, which they did from a very good cross and header. Questions over Boly and Jonny but that's going to happen from time to time with balls into the box.

Against Arsenal Nuno got his starting XI wrong and tonight he got his subs wrong. Someone mentioned we only have a squad of 13-14 players. This is very much what Nuno wants. He's on record as saying it, because the stats say even with big squads only 13-14 players get the majority of minutes. Of course the downside to that is you have a lack of options when it comes to choosing your subs. But that's what the guy wants.

 

[Deano]

Jota was absolutely fine tonight, his usual decisions when running with the ball aside. He's already been dropped against Arsenal and it was noticeable how much we missed his running. He needs to stay in the team. Traore is the one for me who needs to mainly be used as an impact sub from now on. He's never done anything when starting recently and he's much better against tired legs. Neto should be ahead of him at the minute.

And why are people saying what's happened to Boly? Er nothing he just had a slightly off game by his standards. He's been fine apart from tonight.

Bringing on Donk is what killed the game for us. It gave them all the impetus and they were the only ones who looked like scoring, which they did from a very good cross and header. Questions over Boly and Jonny but that's going to happen from time to time with balls into the box.

Against Arsenal Nuno got his starting XI wrong and tonight he got his subs wrong. Someone mentioned we only have a squad of 13-14 players. This is very much what Nuno wants. He's on record as saying it, because the stats say even with big squads only 13-14 players get the majority of minutes. Of course the downside to that is you have a lack of options when it comes to choosing your subs. But that's what the guy wants.

I don't think that is what he wants. Small squad, fine. However we have tried to sign additional players which just haven't worked - Cutrone and Vallejo no longer with the club, Jordao not ready or not trusted and Podence not being trusted either. The only player that we signed during this season's windows that has had a positive impact is Neto.

Under Nuno the group he selects from is always going to be relatively small but Wolves still need a couple more options to select from at the very least, and this Summer window the hit rate on signings needs to be better than it has during the last 2.

 

[The Bear]

Well he's been quoted saying it so he must know what he wants.

Key signings for good money will be for the first XI. The people they replace will naturally drop into the bench.

The likes of Neto and Podence were bought because we had a lack of quality options off the bench and the squad needed them. Ultimately his goal is to improve the first team.

 

[PuntsWolf]

Well he's been quoted saying it so he must know what he wants.

Key signings for good money will be for the first XI. The people they replace will naturally drop into the bench.

The likes of Neto and Podence were bought because we had a lack of quality options off the bench and the squad needed them. Ultimately his goal is to improve the first team.

Small squad isn’t 12 players...

 

[Freddeno]

Small squad isn’t 12 players...

12 players is not a squad..its like a first team and one sub

 

[YoungWolf]

Some of youse need to get a fucking grip.

Better team first half. Passed it fine, a lot of "nearly" moments (Raul scores if he controls it even vaguely properly, Jota should have shot, Jota hacked down when he was just about to be clean through, free kick off the bar) and not overly troubled.

Conditions were woeful, got worse as the game went on and we didn't adapt properly. Should have taken Adama off earlier, he was doing nothing and we totally lost midfield. By the time we changed it was neither fish nor fowl, we lost a threat on the break but we'd already lost momentum for too long for it to make any difference.

Podence would have been no good tonight, no-one could run with the ball on that pudding of a pitch in the second half.

Good ball in, good header for the goal. Sometimes you just hold your hands up. Freakish how they got a corner in the first place with it pinballing around but that's football sometimes.

Nothing is too different from the three games we won, we scored then, we didn't in these two.

Doc got a bit of a doing from Stevens.

Disappointing to lose like that of course but 6th is in our hands and for all the lofty dreaming, that is what we are. Oh noes, how will we ever cope.

Yup, agree with a lot of this.

I’m not sure why Jota is the one people think should be dropped. He’s looked most likely to create in the last two games by a distance. Looks sharper too. I’d be sticking with him for Everton.

I thought the Dendoncker sub sent the wrong message and didn’t achieved what we wanted anyway. Would have gone with Podence at that point. Agree the conditions weren’t ideal for him but think he could still have impacted the game positively

And as little as we created ourselves neither did they, they just got the goal off a set piece which we will be extremely disappointed with.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Wonder how many of these comments would exist if Egan had headed the ball over the bar?

We were pretty shit against Bournemouth but that was all hunky dory as we won.

I don't know why everything has to be so binary. I would say tonight we were 7/10 first half, 3/10 second half, 0-0 would have been about right (as neither keeper had much to do) and then they score 20 seconds from the end. Ah well.

You know what, I'm a grown man, I don't need to pretend to have rage when we weren't that bad and we're 6th in the Premier League on merit. When we're total shite - as we have been under Nuno occasionally, both Huddersfield games and Cardiff away last season, for instance - I'll say so. I don't need to invent it.

 

[Freddeno]

Wonder how many of these comments would exist if Egan had headed the ball over the bar?

We were pretty shit against Bournemouth but that was all hunky dory as we won.

I don't know why everything has to be so binary. I would say tonight we were 7/10 first half, 3/10 second half, 0-0 would have been about right (as neither keeper had much to do) and then they score 20 seconds from the end. Ah well.

You know what, I'm a grown man, I don't need to pretend to have rage when we weren't that bad and we're 6th in the Premier League on merit. When we're total shite - as we have been under Nuno occasionally, both Huddersfield games and Cardiff away last season, for instance - I'll say so. I don't need to invent it.

It was fine, if you didnt wanna win the game..but i wanted to win, hence my frustration at no subs when we were totally appalling second half..

 

[Premier Quality]

It’s disappointing because we are a better side than sheff Utd, but the substitution completely changed the dynamic of the game. We all know how they play with the overlapping centre backs, going two up front allowed them to completely box us in, it was appalling tactics.

We need to qualify for Europe to keep our players - missing out would mean we’re likely to lose several of our best, and our probably wouldn’t get our top targets either. It would be a huge step back at a time we’re on the verge of taking a big step forwards.

I know some people hate any type of criticism, but a forum, and particularly a match thread is the right place for discussion, positive or negative.

 

[Charlie Wolf]

After two disappointing results I’m not gonna jump onto the negative bandwagon or say it’s another bad day at the office and all that shyte, although agree that since lockdown we have been tepid. Irrespective of length of our season they are professional athletes and have had the two month break to recover. Fact is we have looked jaded and never managing to get out of first gear since lockdown, where too many players have not hit the ground running. We have four more games to put that right

I did mention after the Arsenal game that win the next two or lose the next two would create very different responses.

We did improve today but teams have now found a way to nullify our competitive advantage....put a press on our back three, nothing extensive just close down space and passing options quicker, stop the Coady diagonal out ball by staying wide, double or treble up on Adama, allow the cross but fill the middle of the box to stop Raul

I’ve loved our last two seasons under Nuno in the Prem, it’s been like a rollercoaster ride, but see now that our counter attacking only works perhaps once in ten and then have no attacking intensity and limited or none existent Plan B. There is also a reason we play with an ultra deep sweeper, yes it suits our style, but it’s mainly because we don’t have two quality ball handling centre halves or ones that put their bodies on the line, that would allow us to play a conventional back four. It’s like we play the percentages, where the opposition quality in the last third is normally crap and hopefully any decent quality balls into the box or pumped forward are cleaned up by Coady due to this positioning and footballing brain

Watch Man U, Chelsea, Man City, even Palace and they are relentless when they smell blood. We have to learn this as our game is far too defensive even against the so called lesser teams.

So where ever we finish we need to think like a big club and invest as needed within the financial rules if we are to kick on and challenge the big boys, otherwise we will go backwards and up as mid table fodder. I know, easier said than done but if that means cashing in on Raul or Adama then so be it, buy bigger better and reinvent ourselves

Remember, no one is bigger than the club.

Onwards and upwards COYW

 

[Deleted Cyber]

Wonder how many of these comments would exist if Egan had headed the ball over the bar?

We were pretty shit against Bournemouth but that was all hunky dory as we won.

I don't know why everything has to be so binary. I would say tonight we were 7/10 first half, 3/10 second half, 0-0 would have been about right (as neither keeper had much to do) and then they score 20 seconds from the end. Ah well.

You know what, I'm a grown man, I don't need to pretend to have rage when we weren't that bad and we're 6th in the Premier League on merit. When we're total shite - as we have been under Nuno occasionally, both Huddersfield games and Cardiff away last season, for instance - I'll say so. I don't need to invent it.

Oh for christs sake. Accept it. We have been bloody awful this week. We have had one shot on target again for the second match running. We have not scored for the second match running. We look about as threatening as Alan Carr with a saucepan. These last two games were 6 pointers. If you cant perform in those games when can you? 8 wins against the bottom 5 a remarkable double against Citeh and pretty much fuck all else. Dont get me wrong , its still a good season but it could have been A GREAT SEASON.

 

[Del Woppio]

People were saying it before the goal tbf its not just about the result, it's the performances. We'll finish 6th to 8th, which is very good-to-great. But that shouldn't preclude a series of poor performances from discussion and/or criticism. 9 points from 5 is good form on the face of it, and of course grinding wins out when you're not purring is a good habit, but it's a worry that the not purring is more constant than the results, if that makes sense. It's a tight league, and Nuno is a naturally conservative manager, and by hook or by crook he'll get results, but the lack of creativity and ambition is bound to be a talking point, especially as our post lockdown fixtures are probably harder in the second half of the mini-season than they were in the first

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

We have been bloody awful this week.

Well we haven't, have we.