Tottenham 2-2 Wolves: Verdict Thread

[Deutsch Wolf]

2 points to 18 th, effectively 3 with GD.

Not something we should be 'celebrating' so to speak, but given the context of the season and where we were I'm chuffing delighted.

One week ago I think we were dead if we lost (and we would have done under Gary O'Monday Night Football or a youth team caretaker)

Now we look like we'll be ok

 

[HanDoJin]

Looking forward to seeing a better angle for the JSL goal because that ball bobbled on the way towards him. Unreal finish

 

[PuntsWolf]

2 points to 18 th, effectively 3 with GD.

Not something we should be 'celebrating' so to speak, but given the context of the season and where we were I'm chuffing delighted.

3 point gap (GD) to Leicester and a big 5 to Ipswich (just imagine if we didn’t gift them 3 points), is pretty significant given how poor they are. We should at least be matching them to the end of the season.

Testament to Vitor getting us out a hole so quickly. But we’ve been lucky they’re so poor that our awful form under GON and the inability of the club to act is looking like it won’t matter.

 

[YoungWolf]

That was the most encouraging performance of the 3 under Vitor so far imo. Almost Nuno esque with a lower quality group of players on the pitch.

Think it says enough that Cunha came off at half time and we still played in a similar manner. Surprised by how negative Spurs were second half, dunno how much by design but we more than deserved a point anyway.

Doherty being our best centre back isn’t what I expected from the change in manager but him and Bueno have been really good. Still need two centre backs but we may get away with only bringing in one for now.

Thought all the forward players had positive impacts in different spells across the game, and our midfield until Doyle came on was brilliant. I had a great view in the Spurs end of the whole pitch from the side and our shape has so quickly improved it really tells you everything about the previous head coach’s understanding of the game.

 

[Lupo]

Looking forward to seeing a better angle for the JSL goal because that ball bobbled on the way towards him. Unreal finish

I thought it had hit the top of the net when it first happened and only when the players celebrated did it confirm it was in

 

[WVWolf]

Spurs' makeshift defence meant we were always likely to score, and get chances.

But, they're still a very strong midfield and attacking unit, and we actually coped pretty well with them, which is the most pleasing thing.

First half was a bit frantic, and they definitely ended stronger. Justice was done with the penalty miss, but Dawson got shown up a lot in that period. Also, another set-piece goal that's in and around him. Not blaming him specifically, but he used to be the one that won every header, now he gets nowhere near it. The strength and power that he did have has gone.

I'm pleased for the players that they've coped, and technically won, without Cunha. We weren't carving them open, but we looked dangerous and the TV showed from 75-85 we had 79% possession, which is some going.

I thought Ait-Nouri was very good but you still feel he can do even more.

Tommy Doyle was one negative. He was very slow on the ball and looked off the pace (why didn't he foul Maddison in the last minute?) but, to be fair to him, that's unusual.

R. Gomes and Forbs added energy without doing anything amazing.

Doherty was excellent. Kept Son quiet.

We're a good side now under Pereira, and if he can address the glaring problems (Dawson, Bellegarde & S. Bueno to a degree), it's hard not to be optimistic about what the future could hold under Vitor.

 

[Tony Towner]

3 point gap (GD) to Leicester and a big 5 to Ipswich (just imagine if we didn’t gift them 3 points), is pretty significant given how poor they are. We should at least be matching them to the end of the season.

Testament to Vitor getting us out a hole so quickly. But we’ve been lucky they’re so poor that our awful form under GON and the inability of the club to act is looking like it won’t matter.

I do wonder whether the 3 promoted clubs is going to be a permanent thing with only an exceptional fuck up, the like of which we've tried this season or a tremendous managerial effort being the difference every now and then? There's nothing about Sheff U or Burnley 1 or both of which are coming up that would think they'd be significantly better than last year.

 

[Mild 'n' Scratchins]

Great point despite a very shaky GON like defensive performance, especially Dawson. A couple of decent goals. YSL does like the ball played to his feet just wide of the goal. What a finish from him, adding to a well worked Hwang first half goal. Vitor made some enforced and some tactical subs, all of them worked, apart from Doyle who gave the ball away in dodgy positions. But Forbs and Guedes played well coming on. Hopefully Cunha and Andre are OK. This new manager really has made a difference, hasn't he? Who'd have thought @Jeff Shi and @Matt Hobbs! Wasn't a pen by the way, typical crap ref! No need to make a decision. Let VAR do it's job...

 

[Alan]

Nothing another manager could do with this group of players though .

BMB hit the nail on the head, there was enough wrong to not let the great and the good think all is now OK and not get defensive reinforcements

Not said that though, or haven’t meant to. This group can keep us up, but there are multiple spots we could improve.

 

[Tony Towner]

Not said that though, or haven’t meant to. This group can keep us up, but there are multiple spots we could improve.

I know, YOU didn't

 

[Alan]

I know, YOU didn't

Hard to guess how many grudges my stupid optimism generates innit

 

[Wilf Wolf]

What we didn’t know a week ago.
1. This group of players are capable of playing like a mid-table team. GO had turned them into a rabble that looked nailed on for relegation.
2. A manager could turn things around instantly.
3. Guedes can make a good contribution in the PL.

What we knew and today confirmed.
1. Bellegarde is miles short of PL quality. Hopefully we never have to see him in a Wolves shirt again
2. Tommy Doyle is too lightweight to play as a deep midfielder. Be nice if Lemina or Traore are available sooner than later.
3. Larsen is nowhere near the finished article but he knows how to finish which is the main job of a striker.

 

[Mel Evo]

Well, most of us knew points one and two from that first list and had been saying so for some time. The third point is still debatable.

 

[Squeak]

Spurs' makeshift defence meant we were always likely to score, and get chances.

But, they're still a very strong midfield and attacking unit, and we actually coped pretty well with them, which is the most pleasing thing.

First half was a bit frantic, and they definitely ended stronger. Justice was done with the penalty miss, but Dawson got shown up a lot in that period. Also, another set-piece goal that's in and around him. Not blaming him specifically, but he used to be the one that won every header, now he gets nowhere near it. The strength and power that he did have has gone.

I'm pleased for the players that they've coped, and technically won, without Cunha. We weren't carving them open, but we looked dangerous and the TV showed from 75-85 we had 79% possession, which is some going.

I thought Ait-Nouri was very good but you still feel he can do even more.

Tommy Doyle was one negative. He was very slow on the ball and looked off the pace (why didn't he foul Maddison in the last minute?) but, to be fair to him, that's unusual.

R. Gomes and Forbs added energy without doing anything amazing.

Doherty was excellent. Kept Son quiet.

We're a good side now under Pereira, and if he can address the glaring problems (Dawson, Bellegarde & S. Bueno to a degree), it's hard not to be optimistic about what the future could hold under Vitor.

He can address the Bellegarde problem by never playing him again and shipping him off in the next month.

I'm not into writing Dawson off at the moment either. Sure he's not at peak form and has looked unsteady but you don't turn into a bad player in half a season. I have half a feeling something else is going on with him. No idea if he is carrying a knock or if it is something else such as GON being in his head earlier in the season, but I still think he's a decent player and would be useful coming off the bench if our recruitment team does its job and gets us a defender or two.

Bueno has done OK IMO. Decent enough although a little slow.,

Doyle... agree he was poor today. 2-1 down and he's ambling around with the ball and doing nothing with it.

Ait-Nouri - don't agree he was very good because he seemed to run into cul-de-sacs all the time and failed to get the ball across so many times.

 

[Wilf Wolf]

I do wonder whether the 3 promoted clubs is going to be a permanent thing with only an exceptional fuck up, the like of which we've tried this season or a tremendous managerial effort being the difference every now and then? There's nothing about Sheff U or Burnley 1 or both of which are coming up that would think they'd be significantly better than last year.

I think Leeds might make more of a go of it - if they don’t fall apart again.

 

[NicholasG1973]

Just on the train back from the game and, at 2-1 down, we’re losing that by a few under GON.

Didn’t panic, played sone tidy football and well deserved a point. Don’t remember Sa making a save of note, other than the penalty.

Quick observations - Vitor will soon learn that Doyle can’t play in a central two, Guedes again looked lively off the bench and André and Joao totally had central midfield tied up.

Bellegarde didn’t offer anything and I’m still not sure what he is - RAN looks great……sometimes. Would love to see him more direct and at his man more often - too often today he slowed play down and came backwards to safety.

Looked a great finish from JSL - should Forster get beaten from there? Looked like a bad one to concede from him.

A great point and well deserved.

Amazing what a decent coach can do with decent players.

Should have done it a year earlier.

 

[Wilf Wolf]

Just on the train back from the game and, at 2-1 down, we’re losing that by a few under GON.

Didn’t panic, played sone tidy football and well deserved a point. Don’t remember Sa making a save of note, other than the penalty.

Quick observations - Vitor will soon learn that Doyle can’t play in a central two, Guedes again looked lively off the bench and André and Joao totally had central midfield tied up.

Bellegarde didn’t offer anything and I’m still not sure what he is - RAN looks great……sometimes. Would love to see him more direct and at his man more often - too often today he slowed play down and came backwards to safety.

Looked a great finish from JSL - should Forster get beaten from there? Looked like a bad one to concede from him.

A great point and well deserved.

Amazing what a decent coach can do with decent players.

Should have done it a year earlier.

The only way any keeper stops Larsen’s shot is if it hits them.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I'm not into writing Dawson off at the moment either. Sure he's not at peak form and has looked unsteady but you don't turn into a bad player in half a season. I have half a feeling something else is going on with him. No idea if he is carrying a knock or if it is something else such as GON being in his head earlier in the season, but I still think he's a decent player and would be useful coming off the bench if our recruitment team does its job and gets us a defender or two.

He was crap after Christmas last season too.

Also you pretty much never bring CHs on unless you have to. He's 35 before the season ends, he's finished (not in an Antti Niemi way).

 

[Templeton Peck]

Larsen is excellent I'm not sure I see him as 'nowhere near the finished article'.

 

[Tony Towner]

What we didn’t know a week ago.
1. This group of players are capable of playing like a mid-table team. GO had turned them into a rabble that looked nailed on for relegation.

I'd argue this. We've always has a lower mid table squad with a League 1 manager