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West Ham 0 v 1 Wolves: The Verdict Thread

I think he's very good at the role we have him playing for now.

I'm not sure I want him from the start at 0-0 in an away game when we have 0 wins on the board.

It's perfect for him.

It's good for us as a team too.

Cav coming back will help.
 
What a way to win a game that was, an unbelievable end to a strange game but one that we deserved to win. Got to be honest i came on here expecting Traore to be getting high praise but somehow he isn't. Yes he might give the ball away sometimes but so do all of the other players, he might not be conventional but the one difference with Adama is he looks like he's going to either score or create a goal when gets within 40 yards of the goal. He doesn't always get back quickly enough but i don't mind because we are so organised that someone else fills in and we then become a serious threat on the break. The subs changed the game too, both Traore and Bonatini played their part and we went from a side that could win the game to a team that looked like they were going to. We started to create proper chances.

I think you see the game a bit differently on tv and you don't always see a lot from being at the game but with you being so far back at the London Stadium you see pretty much everything. We were superbly organised and even under any pressure West Ham put us under you never really thought we were going to concede until we over committed and Arnautovic got clear but Rui came to the rescue. As for player by player, here goes.

Patricio - Just looks comfortable and you always think he might save anything that is thrown at him. Blocked a couple well early on and his save from Antonio's header was decent but his stop to deny Arnautovic just after Raul had missed a big opportunity was the big save as it was a great chance. He just made himself big and got his face in the way. Communicates fantastically and without doubt one of the best keepers in the league for me.

Bennett - Not sure what else can be said apart from rock solid. He's doing everything well right now whether that's winning headers, tackles or making important challenges to stop opposition sides having the chance to really threaten our goal. Several times he was isolated by West Ham but he just won pretty much everything, the only time he didn't he took Arnautovic out and accepted his yellow card. After we scored he won numerous headers to make sure we weren't under any pressure and he's in the side very much on merit at the minute and going to take some removing.

Coady - Growing in to a Premier League player on this performance, mopped up well several times and lead from the back. Caught one on one with Arnautovic for their big chance but he can beat anyone in that situation so wouldn't hold that against Conor.

Boly - Back to the Willy Boly of last season for the majority of the game apart form one free kick he gave away in the first half and one or 2 misplaced passes but that's going to happen against better players. He defended superbly and he just seemed to be everywhere in the box and he also carried the ball out from the back better too.

Doherty - Cresswell beat him early on and that didn't look great but he improved massively after that and while West Ham did target that side they never really got any joy out of it and Doc got forward well a few times. Could have had at least 1 goal today and should have had an assist too and maybe more if his deliveries were better at times.

Jonny - Solid game really and nothing much came down his side. Linked well with Jota but nothing came of it. Nothing much else to say about his performance.

Moutinho - I've said it before and i'll say it again but he's the best player i've seen play for Wolves. He's got so much time on the ball and just dictates everything, he's also brilliant off it and breaks down play a lot of the time. What a player for Neves to learn from and i'm adamant he could play for any side in the league.

Neves - Solid game and moved the ball well while not being at his best. He's being outshone by Moutinho right now but his closing down won us the game as he knew Sanchez was struggling with the ball and pounced.

Jota - Not the player of last season yet and again he struggled today. He didn't do anything particularly well, probably should have done better with his headed chance and was rightly replaced. He didn't complete one dribble in his time on the pitch and is not combining with anyone well at all. Not sure what the problem is as he's got the ability but something isn't quite right.

Costa - Probably better than Jota but not by a lot if he was. Lots of loose touches and weak when up against players which surprised me with how he played last week and after his cameo in midweek. Would love it if he was as confident as he was in his first season or at the end of last year.

Jimenez - Just runs and runs and runs. He should have had at least one goal and will create chances if we get him the ball in the right places. At times he doesn't make the run off the ball into the channels when we need him to and that sometimes leads us to play in tricky areas and maybe he could do that and not use his energy up chasing their defenders.

SUBS

Traore - Changed the game. We were getting the ball in to the same areas but we now had a player who could take players on and look a threat. This opened spaces up that weren't there before and we looked like we were going to win the game. He lost the ball once or twice to some good West Ham challenges to be fair but no more than Jota, Costa etc do and looked a bigger threat and created more in 30 minutes than they both did with their 132 minutes combined. I know fans have this preconceived view of him and he can be frustrating to some but please look at what he's good at and embrace it, he's going to be some player for us this season and he's nowhere near the player that Villa signed or Boro had in the first half of last season, his end product is there and he beats players for fun.

Bonatini - Looked like the Leo from last season when he came on and he was a threat. Held the ball up well, played a nicely weighted pass to Adama for the goal, played in Jimenez down the line for his own chance and just looked bright. If this Bonatini plays for the rest of the season he's a serious option.

Vinagre - Not on long but gave us something different. Didn't really have much impact but he's got real potential whether that be at lwb or in the position he came on.

We weren't fantastic today but we always had control of the game. Our only trouble was that Jota and Costa again were poor and didn't carry the ball with any threat or look like linking up with anyone to cause West Ham any problems. Adama and Leo changed this and that's why we won the game, there's no doubt about it. The celebrations when the goal went in were fantastic too, we knew we'd won our first Premier League game of the season and we deserved it.
 
Shearer loving us on MoTD!

Thought Nuno made an interesting point in his post match presser about the team needing to learn how to play with Traore as much as Traore needing to learning how to play as part of the team. It suggests he's happy with him as an impact sub at the moment and that we're not ready to have in on for the full 90.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tIdUjSYzpQ&feature=youtu.be
 
Was out all day so missed the game but watching MOTD now, we looked good I thought. Closed down well, dispossessed West Ham a few times, and made some really good chances.

Credit where it's due, Doherty looked like he played well, two good chances, the first one was a good shot and was going in.
Raul found space on a few occasions and really should have scored. Moutinho is absolutely class. What a player. Rui saved our bacon twice and Neves was an absolute hero to dispossess Sanchez and create the chance that won it for us. Special mention to Moutinho and Bonatini for two great passes to set Traore up.

Watching Nuno talk about the "boys" and the fans afterwards makes me realise how much I like him, we are so lucky to have him and I hope he is at Wolves for many years. He just seems so passionate about the club and he gets how much it means to the fans, absolute legend.
 
Only seen the MoTD highlights, but Rui saved us a couple of times - very pleased to have him here

Ruddy is a decent backup, but not in the same class
 
He didn't though, did he. He ran into people, he virtually never passed and he never made a useful run. Until the very end when we should have played him in once and when he scored.

He has a use and a vital one as it is. But if you're asking him to be a world beater - he has some immense physical and natural gifts - he needs to basically learn how to play football. Not "do the good stuff you do more often" because that is not enough.

More or less exactly what I said earlier, mate - and I got accused of being a liar and was basically told my own eyes had made stuff up.

I’m not criticising Adama for being the player he is. We all knew what we were signing and we have to accept that it will probably take a good 12 months or so of being managed by Nuno before we see vast improvements. He’s still going to cause chaos when he features and if it ends with him scoring goals or getting assists then I’ll put up with his infuriating bits of play. He needs to be less selfish, though.
 
During the close season every one was saying we needed an upgrade on Bennet but from the small bits I've seen so far he looks very assured. I realize he isn't the best on the ball but with Willy and Coady in the back line do we really need another ball playing CB?....personally I'm happy enough with a solid 'stopper' in there
 
Was out all day so missed the game but watching MOTD now, we looked good I thought. Closed down well, dispossessed West Ham a few times, and made some really good chances.

Credit where it's due, Doherty looked like he played well, two good chances, the first one was a good shot and was going in.
Raul found space on a few occasions and really should have scored. Moutinho is absolutely class. What a player. Rui saved our bacon twice and Neves was an absolute hero to dispossess Sanchez and create the chance that won it for us. Special mention to Moutinho and Bonatini for two great passes to set Traore up.

Watching Nuno talk about the "boys" and the fans afterwards makes me realise how much I like him, we are so lucky to have him and I hope he is at Wolves for many years. He just seems so passionate about the club and he gets how much it means to the fans, absolute legend.

Even if Neves wasn't up to his usual standard, he still pressed in 93rd minute to get the ball. Sign of a great player is being able to contribute when they aren't at their best
 
Even if Neves wasn't up to his usual standard, he still pressed in 93rd minute to get the ball. Sign of a great player is being able to contribute when they aren't at their best

No arguments from me there. I thought it was excellent and it won us the game.
 
Random thought for the day. I wonder whether Nuno signed or wanted Dendonker? No surprise he didn't start today, but behind Hause on the bench did surprise me. I get the alternative 'getting up to speed' argument, so as I say at the moment just a random thought, but...
 
During the close season every one was saying we needed an upgrade on Bennet but from the small bits I've seen so far he looks very assured. I realize he isn't the best on the ball but with Willy and Coady in the back line do we really need another ball playing CB?....personally I'm happy enough with a solid 'stopper' in there

I couldn't agree more. Don't forget Bennet has actually played 90+ games in the Premier League (albeit with a lesser team). He plays his role to a T.
 
Just to echo the thoughts on Bennett, he just continues to prove us all wrong. Hes been brilliant from the start of the season and I think Dendoncker is going to have a job to dislodge him at the moment. The international break comes at a good time for us I think, lets not forget how many were making their premier league debut against Everton. Neves was at times brilliant but at others a little bit sloppy yesterday but rewind to last season as he adjusted to the Championship he was very similar but game by game he grew and by the end of last season he was just far too good to be anywhere near that league.

Also agree with those calling for Cav hopefully he will be fit soon, I think it might be necessary to rotate a bit with the likes of Jota and Costa while they adapt and improve and Cav brings a different set of characteristics, which I am sure we could have benefited from yesterday.

First hangover of doom for the season but well worth it.
 
TRAORÉ..just saying..adding something different every time he enters the pitch..Raúl should have scored earlier though and what is the problem with west ham..all these great players but no team spirit, opposite of Nunos teams
 
Re West Ham and no team spirit compare to Nuno's Wolves . . . in addition to his tactical prowess we have a manger who demands and expects team harmony and togetherness - both on and off the pitch.

I don't think I've seen a Wolves team more in sync with itself and the fanbase.
 
Though that was adama's worst performance since he joined. Lost the ball.numerous times should have passed the ball. I know his forte is running with the ball but too many times today he lost the ball when he did....
Having said that what a great finish. Superb by Neves to.win the ball
 
Though that was adama's worst performance since he joined. Lost the ball.numerous times should have passed the ball. I know his forte is running with the ball but too many times today he lost the ball when he did....
Having said that what a great finish. Superb by Neves to.win the ball
The thing is when he gets it right, even just one time in 20 he is special and creates something different..he did have a good cross apart from the goal at least..wonder what he could deliver if he started a game for a change and played more mins :)
 
What a day! From the superb beers in Crate through to visiting the most soulless ground I've visited (yesterday was ground number 40 for me).

I thought West Ham were woeful, their central midfield is simply dreadful, Wilshire is so powder puff its unreal. We dodged a bullet in not signing him. Moutinho is simply leagues ahead of him. Dispite his mistake for the goal Sanchez was a better player!

My two pence on Traore, he's awesome. Not smart and will always frustrate but his pace and power plus quick feet will create more often than not.

Costa and Jota aren't quite their yet, Costa being the better of the two but with Cav returning soon and Traore we have options.

Bennett my MOTM, through himself at everything and simply doesn't look out of place. Also Patricio is simply sublime, what a keeper.
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