Wolves 0 - 2 Huddersfield: The Verdict.

[Alan]

Those hoping for a change in system will be waiting a while.

Nuno said straight after the game that he won’t be changing it.

I'm interested how he intends to stop teams doing what Watford and Huddersfield have done, then. Although both of Neves and Moutinho not playing completely shite would be a good start.

 

[Deleted Cyber]

Well I am utterly fucked off now. Fucking disappointing weekend on the back of a generally poor month Arsenal aside. For me it's Moutinho or Neves not both. Too lightweight against poorer sides.

 

[jlo]

Thought Jota looked pretty sharp when he was on, his touch and close control looked like the player of last season. I'd have him back in.

Indeed, that's my thinking too. And Jota could player more as a striker in a two if Nuno just adjusted the shape ever so slightly.

Vinagre was a positive, hopefully the next few weeks he can cement that position so Jonny comes back in for Doc instead.

I don't think we need to drop Moutinho at all, but MGW did add a different dynamic. I'd like to see a CM come in for an IF and drop in there. Dendonker in for Bennett might also help bring more opportunities for stepping up a little too.

If we don't change formation at all then I'd like to see 3 changes for the next game - Dendonker, MGW and Jota in for Bennett, Moutinho and Costa. We should change formation though, just the slightest tweaks needed. In which case you'd bring in Dendonker, MGW and Jota for Bennett, Costa and Cav.

Adama added something different yesterday but he is still so far from being the solution. For someone so quick, he does an awful lot of standing still in vital positions. Doc got one cross in where he should've run to the 6 yard box but he stayed out the game on the edge of the box.

Going forwards if this type of performance happens again, and we don't change shape, then Nuno only has himself to blame.

 

[arklowolf]

Those hoping for a change in system will be waiting a while.

Nuno said straight after the game that he won’t be changing it.

Yeah, ridiculous to say it. Whether you change it or not, at least keep your opposing managers guessing.

 

[Deleted Cyber]

I am a bit calmer today. If we have been worked out by a team like Huddersfield or Watford then we really need a plan B. We are not scoring enough goals to come back from even 1 down let alone two.

Personally I would rather have lost to City United and arsenal and drawn with Watford Huddersfield and Brighton as the former good results increased my expectations and the latter were just so disappointing perpetuating the myth that we have an uncanny knack of doing things the hard way.

 

[SLA]

Quite a few comments on the matchday thread about brushing teams like Huddersfield aside. That's fine from supporters, (annoyingly arrogant but doesn't really affect anything) but in the first half, it did look like the team were guilty of believing their own press. But fair play to Huddersfield. They were much better than us.

 

[Johnny75]

Beaten by Leddersford Town and the worst performance of Nuno's reign.

Total shite from everybody bar MGW and Vinagre.

I hope we get back to what we did best last season in possession when we were pressed which was vacate the middle and use the inside forwards to drop deeper and in behind the central midfielders. Mooy is as mobile as a concrete block and yet we made him look like Modric. Only when MGW was on did we look like making their midfield 3 look anything like in trouble.

I'd also like to see us stop this nonsense of shoving Helder out wide and Doc coming inside, it isn't working on any level at any point and needs to be binned. Go back to being an inside forward and wing back pair. We needed player to play inside and between the lines not in the periphery.

It means defensively when we lose the ball centrally that our wide men are out wide, our pedestrian right wing back is lost and our central pair aren't central, we need to get back to what we did and tuck the IF's back in so if we do lose the ball they track back and the central pair make it impossible to run through. Nothing to do with a lack of pace, it's to do with position. At one point when we lost the ball we had Neves, Boly, Coady, Doc and Bennett 25yds in our own half with Costa, Traore, Jiminez and Vinagre all out of the middle and standing on the edges of play. This left MGW up against Billing, Mooy and Pritcard. It was embarrassing.

There is nothing wrong with what we were doing last season and what we did for the first 5 games this season but the changes aren't working. I hope Nuno goes back to that.

Kudos to the person on the Interweb who said Traore has the tactical awareness of a clockwork mouse.

 

[Dart wolves]

Those hoping for a change in system will be waiting a while.

Nuno said straight after the game that he won’t be changing it.

Is this a bluff ?? just to keep other managers guessing ?
If not,and he means what he says, there is gonna be more games like this and this time next year
Nuno will not be our manager

 

[Premier Quality]

The thing is, theoretically, if Huddersfield have four players in centre mid, a quick ball out wide should see our wide players with an absolute ton of space. The problem was twofold - firstly, our centre mids only played passes that went backwards, allowing Huddersfield to set up again - and secondly, whenever we did manage to play the ball into costa or Cav, they either completely muffed the lay off or pass, or they slipped over - either way, we didn’t keep the ball, or move it enough to make space.

I was amazed how much all our players slipped over - Cav even changed his boots at one point. It’s our pitch, at the very least we should know which boots we should be wearing. I didn’t notice Huddersfield having the same issue.

 

[Johnny75]

The thing is, theoretically, if Huddersfield have four players in centre mid, a quick ball out wide should see our wide players with an absolute ton of space. The problem was twofold - firstly, our centre mids only played passes that went backwards, allowing Huddersfield to set up again - and secondly, whenever we did manage to play the ball into costa or Cav, they either completely muffed the lay off or pass, or they slipped over - either way, we didn’t keep the ball, or move it enough to make space.

Our usual out ball is to the wing back as the wide forwards usually tuck inside and take the opposing full back with them leaving the wing back with space. But Huddersfield pressed Neves and Coady into passes backwards and as Costa and Cav were out wide there was no quick ball inside on (the way to beat the press is to move the ball fast and inside). Moutinho was constantly marked by 2 and Jiminez was always trying to back the centre backs up. We had no midfield so when the press came in our only ball was backwards.

That changed when MGW came on as he could at least be central and try and get the ball forwards, only to see Jiminez and Traore fuck off out wide so he had no central target to aim at. It was really frustrating to watch.

 

[YoungWolf]

We definitely need our inside forwards working closer to Raul. For the criticism he has had Diogo is the only one that does this(if anything goes too close), he is the one player we have capable of dropping into, receiving and turning in the ‘half spaces’ for want of a better phrase.

When we rediscover that balance and those individuals like Jota or Costa’s form improves we will create a lot more like we know we can

 

[Johnny75]

We definitely need our inside forwards working closer to Raul. For the criticism he has had Diogo is the only one that does this(if anything goes too close), he is the one player we have capable of dropping into, receiving and turning in the ‘half spaces’ for want of a better phrase.

When we rediscover that balance and those individuals like Jota or Costa’s form improves we will create a lot more like we know we can

I agree with that. I also noticed our lack of tempo yesterday, it looked deliberately slow and you can't do that against the press. It was odd and very poor.

I would drop Costa for Jota and get back to what we do best against Cardiff. Up the tempo and play our expansive but passing football.

 

[The Bion]

Only thing I'd add at this point is that some of our fans need to recognise that the attitude they have towards "teams like Huddersfield" is the exact same attitude shown towards us by fans of "teams like Man Utd/Arsenal" etc etc. We (rightly) do not take kindly to being looked down upon, it might be an idea to remember that and apply it in kind.

 

[Deleted Cyber]

Only thing I'd add at this point is that some of our fans need to recognise that the attitude they have towards "teams like Huddersfield" is the exact same attitude shown towards us by fans of "teams like Man Utd/Arsenal" etc etc. We (rightly) do not take kindly to being looked down upon, it might be an idea to remember that and apply it in kind.

Forget the name of the team. I don't like picking up away points against a top 6 side then losing at home to the team bottom of the league and not just losing, getting our arses handed to us. It will never ever sit comfortably with me. Sorry. If Man utd were bottom and did what Huddersfield did to us I would have been just as pissed off.

 

[Johnny75]

Only thing I'd add at this point is that some of our fans need to recognise that the attitude they have towards "teams like Huddersfield" is the exact same attitude shown towards us by fans of "teams like Man Utd/Arsenal" etc etc. We (rightly) do not take kindly to being looked down upon, it might be an idea to remember that and apply it in kind.

I can't stand Huddersfield. Tin pot club and arseholes for fans. The place is a skidmark on the pants of the world.

 

[Premier Quality]

I agree with that. I also noticed our lack of tempo yesterday, it looked deliberately slow and you can't do that against the press. It was odd and very poor.

I would drop Costa for Jota and get back to what we do best against Cardiff. Up the tempo and play our expansive but passing football.

I agree with that - I’d also put Dendonker in for Bennett - if we have to go backwards in a press, it would be good to have his passing skills to enable us to go forward again and evade that press.

 

[Dart wolves]

I can't stand Huddersfield. Tin pot club and arseholes for fans. The place is a skidmark on the pants of the world.

Ha Ha !! other than that , whats wrong with the place ?? was thinking of buying a holiday home there but youve just changed my mind, think ill go to spain !!

 

[b3h]

Feels like the plays we make have become a bit stale and a robotic

Coady to Bennett
Bennett to Doherty
Costa comes and has the ball to feet, Doherty carries on his run but isn't even after the ball back
Nothing happens and nowhere to go
Costa back to Bennett
Bennett to Coady (incapable of anything else any way)
By this point the opposite wingback has little room


Also feels like Vinagre and MGW are playing a bit more freely and try different things

 

[StuardoWulf]

Costa Jota Traore Cav all blow hot and cold (in most cases this season mostly cold) this is the major weakness over the season so far. Raul puts in 100% but he has not got a strikers instinct (but he isn't supposed to be an out and out striker).
Costa today (and on most occasions) looks like a boy scared to tackle on the deck most the time.
Cav today just fluffed his touches all the time.
Traore is the strongest bloke on the pitch (but hardly ever on his feet). Though in fairness did create at least something.
Jota looked an upgrade but overall ineffectual.
Raul worked his bollocks off but is shot shy.
I think the transfer window is now very important for us. We cant play 343 with the front 3 not creating, may just as well go 442 and lamp the crosses in (which we can't)
Costa is at risk for me he just can't get any consistant form which knowing how good he was 2 years ago is tragic.
I think Jota and Cav will be given time but we need quality now.

Boly just looked like he was half arsed, Coady was the only starter who could claim a decent performance. Bennet was OK ish.
Midfield pairing was overrun no time on the ball but the extra midfielders Huddersfield had in there was not apparent as space for anyone else.
Vinagre was pretty good. Doherty was sluggish and half arsed.
MGW was indeed excellent.
Nuno wont change but for me I'd add MGW in front of Neves and Moutinho and two up front. Problem is we aint got 2 for up front.

I am not going to panic but I was very pissed off last night, but to be fair to the opposition they played well to their strengths and have been very unlucky not to pick up more points this season so far.

 

[Lord Knows]

Beaten by Leddersford Town and the worst performance of Nuno's reign.

Total shite from everybody bar MGW and Vinagre.

I hope we get back to what we did best last season in possession when we were pressed which was vacate the middle and use the inside forwards to drop deeper and in behind the central midfielders. Mooy is as mobile as a concrete block and yet we made him look like Modric. Only when MGW was on did we look like making their midfield 3 look anything like in trouble.

I'd also like to see us stop this nonsense of shoving Helder out wide and Doc coming inside, it isn't working on any level at any point and needs to be binned. Go back to being an inside forward and wing back pair. We needed player to play inside and between the lines not in the periphery.

It means defensively when we lose the ball centrally that our wide men are out wide, our pedestrian right wing back is lost and our central pair aren't central, we need to get back to what we did and tuck the IF's back in so if we do lose the ball they track back and the central pair make it impossible to run through. Nothing to do with a lack of pace, it's to do with position. At one point when we lost the ball we had Neves, Boly, Coady, Doc and Bennett 25yds in our own half with Costa, Traore, Jiminez and Vinagre all out of the middle and standing on the edges of play. This left MGW up against Billing, Mooy and Pritcard. It was embarrassing.

There is nothing wrong with what we were doing last season and what we did for the first 5 games this season but the changes aren't working. I hope Nuno goes back to that.

Kudos to the person on the Interweb who said Traore has the tactical awareness of a clockwork mouse.

Some goods points there Johnny, indeed if we create passing opportunities into the inside forward positions for Moutinho and Neves it gives those players the ability to travel and link again.

By doing so your turning the Huddersfield midfield and the game takes on different dynamics. Suddenly the wingbacks start running the opposite side and the ball into Raul becomes easier. Its a brave system we play and when it comes unstuck it does so with a crash. In Nuno we trust for having the confidence in himself, his players and his values.