Wolves 0-1 Villa: Verdict Thread

[prawnking]

I feel like we're (predictably) getting a bit of desperate club defending coming to the fore again now as soon as any criticism rears its head.

I think after roughly a third of the season it's perfectly appropriate to be discussing whether at this time the £60 odd million spent on Semedo and Silva was a smart move.

Despite some people wanting to facetiously write it off, it's a lot of money for a club our size

 

[PuntsWolf]

If it was Doc he’d be getting pelters.

As for Mike Dean. I used to back him and say he was a good ref. I take it all back. He’s a massive ****. He’s right next two the Podence and Moutinho incidence and somehow gets them totally wrong and is so confident in saying so.

 

[prawnking]

I don't think Semedo has stunk the place out, he's looked to have some dynamism about him in some games and will probably come good, it's just a hefty investment for that position so he can certainly expect a spotlight on him.

As I said yesterday, if his defending isn't top notch then we need to get him contributing with assists (he doesn't seem like he has goals in him)

Re: Fabio, there isn't a person on this board who doesn't wish him well or see his potential, the question for me seems to be whether he was a bit of a vanity purchase at this point in time

 

[Paul]

If it was Doc he’d be getting pelters.

As for Mike Dean. I used to back him and say he was a good ref. I take it all back. He’s a massive ****. He’s right next two the Podence and Moutinho incidence and somehow gets them totally wrong and is so confident in saying so.

Imagine if it was Saiss ? The angry mob would be out in force

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Let's not go rewriting history about Doherty, please.

If we wanted to go to a back four and knew this in advance (only Nuno and the coaching staff can say, really) then we were 100% right to bin him off as he was consistently the worst RB in the Championship for years. His new club have tried playing him there and he now can't even make the bench for them in league games.

I did and continue to expect more from Semedo as thus far he hasn't been worth the money. But safe to say I still have more faith in him playing that role competently than his predecessor.

 

[Tony Towner]

For me there isn't an argument to say Semedo had a good game except for the penalty. The penalty is his defining moment, just like thinking about what he was having for tea when Walcott went past him in the last home game was. There is no except for. Being ok and that's all he was before then doesn't allow you one massive brain fart a game

When Saiss gave the penalty away against City, that was agreed by all, but Semedo is judged by different standards it would appear.

The fee is relevant here, we spent it for a 27 year old International defender to immediately improve the team. That line works for Silva, we've bought for potential, it doesn't for Semedo.

 

[prawnking]

Let's not go rewriting history about Doherty, please.

If we wanted to go to a back four and knew this in advance (only Nuno and the coaching staff can say, really) then we were 100% right to bin him off as he was consistently the worst RB in the Championship for years. His new club have tried playing him there and he now can't even make the bench for them in league games.

I did and continue to expect more from Semedo as thus far he hasn't been worth the money. But safe to say I still have more faith in him playing that role competently than his predecessor.

But in that case we should be holding Semedo to significantly higher standards than someone of Doc's limited ability and cost, surely?

 

[Jabbawolf]

Didn’t see the game, as playing golf, but, given the players we invested in over the summer, the question for me remains how do we play 3 at the back, but end up with attacking options down flanks and through the centre.

Don’t care about possession stats, but do care about creating chances.

 

[PuntsWolf]

Let's not go rewriting history about Doherty, please.

If we wanted to go to a back four and knew this in advance (only Nuno and the coaching staff can say, really) then we were 100% right to bin him off as he was consistently the worst RB in the Championship for years. His new club have tried playing him there and he now can't even make the bench for them in league games.

I did and continue to expect more from Semedo as thus far he hasn't been worth the money. But safe to say I still have more faith in him playing that role competently than his predecessor.

I’m not rewriting history? Doc was shit. But Semedo isn’t pulling up any trees and seems to be getting a bit of a free pass other players wouldn’t/didn’t get.

The narrative “he was good except the penalty” is ridiculous. It’s a pretty big and important exception! He wasn’t even good. He wasn’t bad but he was merely functional. He offered nothing of note In an attacking fashion and looked uncomfortable at times defensively. Conversely Marcal was untroubled defensively and did the basics well maintaining shape in an attacking sense. A stop gap LB is outperforming our potentially record signing. It’s not good enough.

 

[Tyrannosaurus Dan]

While both players were at fault, you can’t quite compare the penalty yesterday to the Man City one.

Saiss made a ludicrous decision to slide in v Man City, he was never going to get anywhere near the ball. Semedo doesn’t make a challenge yesterday, he just gets done for pace and then stumbles in to the back of him. Not that I’m trying to defend him, he shouldn’t have got himself in a mess in the first place.

 

[Deano]

I’m not rewriting history? Doc was shit. But Semedo isn’t pulling up any trees and seems to be getting a bit of a free pass other players wouldn’t/didn’t get.

The narrative “he was good except the penalty” is ridiculous. It’s a pretty big and important exception! He wasn’t even good. He wasn’t bad but he was merely functional. He offered nothing of note In an attacking fashion and looked uncomfortable at times defensively. Conversely Marcal was untroubled defensively and did the basics well maintaining shape in an attacking sense. A stop gap LB is outperforming our potentially record signing. It’s not good enough.

Fully agreed and in the games they have played on the whole Marcal looks a much better player for less than a tenth of the price.

If Nuno did pre plan 4 at the back I think Semedo is going to turn out to be an incredibly bad piece of business . In flashes I can see how he could work as a wing back as he has a nice turn of pace and can carry the ball but he's not very good positionally and absolutely hopeless at defending 1v1

 

[Tony Towner]

While both players were at fault, you can’t quite compare the penalty yesterday to the Man City one.

Saiss made a ludicrous decision to slide in v Man City, he was never going to get anywhere near the ball. Semedo doesn’t make a challenge yesterday, he just gets done for pace and then stumbles in to the back of him. Not that I’m trying to defend him, he shouldn’t have got himself in a mess in the first place.

Done for pace? By John McGinn?

He wasn't done for pace, he switched off with his legs wide open and was done by a bit of skill and then piled into the back of him

https://twitter.com/x/status/1337880406851522563

 

[sycophantia]

I know people on here hate motd, but last night Shearer (who is pretty good imo) didn't think Mouts was even a foul never mind a yellow. Also he was pretty complimentary about Silva and indeed thought Semedo played well apart from the pen

 

[sycophantia]

Done for pace? By John McGinn?

He wasn't done for pace, he switched off and was done, by a bit of skill and then piled into the back of him

not really pace, just turns him and gets behind him

 

[The Bear]

I don't agree that Silva is lightweight. I actually think his strength is pretty decent for an 18 year old. He holds people off well with he ball at his feet and gets stuck in alongside them when trying to win it. Yesterday he struggled with being fouled every time he tried to string any kind of move together. That's not going to happen in every game.

 

[Johnny75]

Didn’t see the game, as playing golf, but, given the players we invested in over the summer, the question for me remains how do we play 3 at the back, but end up with attacking options down flanks and through the centre.

Don’t care about possession stats, but do care about creating chances.

Bin Adama, he can’t play as a wide player in that formation. Semedo should be running down the line and putting crosses in.

Play 3-4-1-2 or 3-4-2-1 with the thre forward players narrower and fluid and the wing backs providing the width.

We started the season with the silly notion that playing three up front but as wide as possible would stretch the defence. It didn’t work and Nuno moved to the system we have now.

I think 4-2-3-1 can work but not with our current personnel. For all those deriding Semedo can they tell me what Marcal did that was so different? He too would’ve given away a pen had Traore not been offside.

 

[Johnny75]

I’m not rewriting history? Doc was shit. But Semedo isn’t pulling up any trees and seems to be getting a bit of a free pass other players wouldn’t/didn’t get.

The narrative “he was good except the penalty” is ridiculous. It’s a pretty big and important exception! He wasn’t even good. He wasn’t bad but he was merely functional. He offered nothing of note In an attacking fashion and looked uncomfortable at times defensively. Conversely Marcal was untroubled defensively and did the basics well maintaining shape in an attacking sense. A stop gap LB is outperforming our potentially record signing. It’s not good enough.

I have no idea what you were watching to have that view, was it the radio?

 

[Tony Towner]

I know people on here hate motd, but last night Shearer (who is pretty good imo) didn't think Mouts was even a foul never mind a yellow. Also he was pretty complimentary about Silva and indeed thought Semedo played well apart from the pen

The only positives about the red card are the game was already gone and he probably wouldn't have started on Tuesday anyway I'd have thought.

 

[Tony Towner]

He too would’ve given away a pen had Traore not been offside.

I don't think it plays into his thinking so I'm not defending the challenge, but if Traore isn't offside then Marcal isn't that half a yard behind him and therefore doesn't make it like that.

I do think it's fair to judge both relative to expectation/investment though.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Marçal's price was low due to his age, contract status and the relative parlous state of French football (their broadcast deal has just gone up in smoke btw, so if we are after some bargains next month...)

I think given he was a regular in a team that made the CL semi-finals then he was expected to be decent, which he is. He isn't a stop gap LB at all, he's a career LB, Lyon only played him at LCH for one season.