Wolves 0-1 Arsenal: Verdict Thread

[jd1981]

He may be but if the problems are right through the squad you’ve got a huge problem. His body language exudes frustration and that’s never going to see him produce his best.

I see your point definitely nevertheless it’s still a squad problem as they’re way off it.

 

[Wilf Wolf]

One for those who were at the game I think. It's the off the ball therefore out of shot moments which are telling. There was definitely a discrepancy on here on Monday night between those who were there and those who weren't. There's a lot on Twitter agreeing with Wilf, other than the Hwang moment there wasn't much to see negativity to see on the stream.

He spent a lot of time dropping very deep and whilst I understand judging body language is difficult it seemed to me that he was frustrated. Lots of arm waving, much more than we saw with Neto, and not just when he was involved in the play. We’ve seen how when things have been going well such as the Man Utd game he can be full of himself and lift players around him, yesterday was like night and day compared to that.

 

[Wilf Wolf]

I see your point definitely nevertheless it’s still a squad problem as they’re way off it.

Absolutely. He can see we need better players just as we can. Playing with the likes of Hwang and Guedes would frustrate anyone. He wants to win and he knows we’re not doing everything possible to achieve that.

 

[Langers]

He may be but if the problems are right through the squad you’ve got a huge problem. His body language exudes frustration and that’s never going to see him produce his best.

Yeah I can't disagree with that

 

[jd1981]

Absolutely. He can see we need better players just as we can. Playing with the likes of Hwang and Guedes would frustrate anyone. He wants to win and he knows we’re not doing everything possible to achieve that.

He looks like he genuinely knows that unless he creates something no one else will.

 

[Aikiwolf]

None of this is new for cunha though, he's always been an emotional player. What's new is a drop in performance, however he has:
A) had an injury
B) just announced a child on way
C) media attention

The club is in a death spiral and I think Cunha is aware he's our best attacker - as are all the other clubs in the league so they work to nullify him. No need to focus on nullifying Hwang/Bellegarde they tackle themselves and Guedes/Sarabia rarely get into the game to be threatening.

 

[Wolftone]

I thought Cunha was going through the motions in the first half, but upped his game in the second. The system isn't helping him, he's not seeing 'good' ball enough and I'd say that's frustrating him.
It's unfair to expect him to keep dropping deep to get the ball and then expect him to do something magical, game in game out.
We just look disjointed to me, due to the random way we've signed players.
I'd like to see a new left back or Hugo Bueno, a ball carrying box to box centre midfielder and another attacker (right sided).
No chance of that I know

 

[Wilf Wolf]

I thought Cunha was going through the motions in the first half, but upped his game in the second. The system isn't helping him, he's not seeing 'good' ball enough and I'd say that's frustrating him.
It's unfair to expect him to keep dropping deep to get the ball and then expect him to do something magical, game in game out.
We just look disjointed to me, due to the random way we've signed players.
I'd like to see a new left back or Hugo Bueno, a ball carrying box to box centre midfielder and another attacker (right sided).
No chance of that I know

You forgot the left sided CH!

 

[Wolftone]

You forgot the left sided CH!

I'm ok with Toti, I think. A reliable keeper as well?
Can't be too greedy.

 

[prawnking]

You forgot the left sided CH!

That's Toti mate, he's not getting replaced this window. Priority is to get Doc and Bueno as far away from that back three as possible

 

[GLASGOWOLF]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1883179654166802586

I'm mulling over this red a bit more now, he does go in studs up / first into Docs leg / ankle.

I said in the Bar to Arsenal fans, it was not a red, then they showed that angle and said in the refs defence, studs first.
VP should have hooked Gomez, the ref was looking to even it up, and Gomez gave him the opportunity, second half, the was so poor.

 

[GLASGOWOLF]

Usually in slow motion it looks a lot worse. This still doesn’t look bad. Not even a yellow. Just a feee kick.

It is always a yellow for that tackle, stopping a player going away

 

[Wilf Wolf]

That's Toti mate, he's not getting replaced this window. Priority is to get Doc and Bueno as far away from that back three as possible

So we need another CH as well as Toti unless Dawson makes a remarkable comeback.

 

[Mel Evo]

One for those who were at the game I think. It's the off the ball therefore out of shot moments which are telling. There was definitely a discrepancy on here on Monday night between those who were there and those who weren't. There's a lot on Twitter agreeing with Wilf, other than the Hwang moment there wasn't much negativity to see on the stream.

I think the assessment of Cunha has been fairly covered by various posters in this thread today. You’ve mainly all suggested that’s it’s not a binary thing and I’d agree with that.

At the game you can see he does try hard for periods of play. He is evidently our only significant threat, which allows the opposition to focus on him. He is in a team with some players miles off his level, actually miles off an acceptable level for any professional footballer in the case of a couple. He also responds by literally hiding for periods of play, and not even attempting to help. I mean, that really does happen. Understandable - of course. Acceptable? Depends on your outlook. Seems driven by a genuine desire to win / frustration. Still the sort of thing you tell a kid it’s just not OK to do when you’re in a team.

Normally this is the sorry look of someone on the way out. However, some of the reasons for his demeanour can be positives. Not impossible to imagine that it can be turned around come February, but that needs the kind of support, financial as well as managerial, that seems hard to believe is coming.

Having given our previous ‘manager’ 100% deserved stick, it’s only fair to call out VP for that second half performance though. That’s more annoying to me than the Cunha stuff. Don’t forget Wolves were clapped off at half time and Arsenal needed the break. It was poor management to send them out with that mentality in the second half, and poor not to do anything about it quickly when you could see what was happening. We needed to impose ourselves on the game, the difference in class was too big just to hope it would happen by rights. You might get away with that playing mediocre teams in other leagues, but not against Arsenal. Sort it out VP, it’s your job.

 

[Lycan]

I really wouldn't be getting that worked up about not creating chances against the best out of possession team in the world.

 

[Mel Evo]

I really wouldn't be getting that worked up about not creating chances against the best out of possession team in the world.

Disagree. They weren’t at the races yesterday and in our current circumstances we had to approach that second half in a way that didn’t invite them on to an incredibly deep defence. It’s a not a call for going gung-ho, just don’t sit right back and let them do whatever they want with no agency on our part.

 

[GLASGOWOLF]

I really wouldn't be getting that worked up about not creating chances against the best out of possession team in the world.

We created quite a few, whats worrying for me is the change from taking them.

Sarabia snatched trying to hammer it, Sidefoot cushion accross tge keeper its a goal, take a touch Finish its a goal
Cunha snatched hit it, should have swiveled a player of his quality scores that 8 out of 10
RAN, fuck me dont be Cute, let it drop hit it hard and low, keeper is not saving that.

For me its no surprise we are failing to take our chances it's a lack of confidence, it's being decision making, we need to have clear heads.

 

[Mild 'n' Scratchins]

He absolutely is.

Fabio was ridiculous, especially in the context of us selling Jota for £9m more in the same window, but at least you'd got the unknown there and a stellar youth record. I doubt it personally but there's a case for saying we'll get something back for him in the summer.

Guedes was fully formed when we got him, an absolute shitehawk for years everywhere else, doesn't care, doesn't try, doesn't want to be here (we knew this in advance too), had been turned down multiple times by a manager with a CV that ran for more than half a page, and has crippled us on PSR for years. Goes on loan, is awful, they don't want him. Will leave for free, he is a dreadful footballer. I fucking despise him with every fibre of my being and when Bear says "he came on too late" it makes me fucking angry.

I don't despise him. I despise the person or persons that sanctioned his purchase. Sarabia, for all his faults, is a better player and at least shows some fight.

 

[The Bear]

I don't despise him. I despise the person or persons that sanctioned his purchase. Sarabia, for all his faults, is a better player and at least shows some fight.

Lol where have you seen this? Certainly not for Wolves. He's one of the most half-arsed players I've ever seen in terms of effort.

 

[Mild 'n' Scratchins]

Biggest problem for me is we are not taking the chances that come our way. Sarabia, Cunha and RAN should have resulted in a goal. On the break for the Sarabia chance, which perhaps he had time to bring the ball down before hitting it, just seen stills showing Cunha not being arsed to attack. He was level when Semedo picked up the ball o the edge of our box. When Semedo is well into the Arsenal half, Cunha's nowhere to be seen. That was only 10 mins into the match! Sums up where he's at now. Can't fathom what VP is doing. Biggest mistake yesterday was not bringing on Rodrigo for Sarabia at HT. Gonna cut him slack re Joao, as we evidently don't have any decent options off the bench. But VP doesn't seem able to or didn't want us to up the intensity, when we had the numerical advantage. Worrying. Finally, our support was shit yesterday, which I can half understand. Expected more abuse to be aimed at Fosun. All a bit flat. What has happened to us? Credit to the Arsenal away support. Was pretty decent.