Wolves 0-4 Burnley: Verdict Thread

[Norman Deeley]

I'll forgive most things, but I won't forgive a lack of effort. Neither do I find it easy to forgive a manager who knew exactly what questions were going to be asked in the Burnley exam but still managed to get 0/10.
In the Blades and Fulham games we played Championship level football - today we weren't even at that level. People say give Nuno the summer and some backing but - if, as we are told, he has the final say on players - this is the manager who has signed Cutrone, Semedo, Silva and Podence (seriously, son, act like a grown up) for something close to £100m. I've absolutely no faith in our coming summer recruitment and, if we can carry on playing as we've done in the last 3 games, we are relegation candidates next season.

 

[AndyWolves]

The absolute only positive I can muster is that we've come far enough now that we can actually afford to play like we're on the beach.

This is not attempt to justify anything, merely an attempt to find a positive from today before you all pile in.

 

[Keef]

Just wondering if Nuno has already said he's off at the end of the season, maybe it's not working without seeing family, maybe he knows he's gone as far as he can with us, and it'll be announced right after the last game? Could explain the no plan, no fight, players not giving a toss?
I'm not ITK, just pure speculation on my part, and just throwing it into the discussion.

 

[redvictor]

I'll forgive most things, but I won't forgive a lack of effort. Neither do I find it easy to forgive a manager who knew exactly what questions were going to be asked in the Burnley exam but still managed to get 0/10.
In the Blades and Fulham games we played Championship level football - today we weren't even at that level. People say give Nuno the summer and some backing but - if, as we are told, he has the final say on players - this is the manager who has signed Cutrone, Semedo, Silva and Podence (seriously, son, act like a grown up) for something close to £100m. I've absolutely no faith in our coming summer recruitment and, if we can carry on playing as we've done in the last 3 games, we are relegation candidates next season.

I think his players let him down badly today. I'm sure they knew how Burnley would play, but for some reason his players thought they could stroll around like a bunch who had just turned out the pub for the Sunday after the pub league.
He's almost saying it (Nuno) in his interview on the Wolves page, but he's not a Jose "throw em under the bus" Mourinho.

 

[BeaverWolf]

Just wondering if Nuno has already said he's off at the end of the season, maybe it's not working without seeing family, maybe he knows he's gone as far as he can with us, and it'll be announced right after the last game? Could explain the no plan, no fight, players not giving a toss?
I'm not ITK, just pure speculation on my part, and just throwing it into the discussion.

His demeanour is not encouraging.

 

[Wilf Wolf]

Just wondering if Nuno has already said he's off at the end of the season, maybe it's not working without seeing family, maybe he knows he's gone as far as he can with us, and it'll be announced right after the last game? Could explain the no plan, no fight, players not giving a toss?
I'm not ITK, just pure speculation on my part, and just throwing it into the discussion.

It wouldn't surprise me if it has crossed his mind.

 

[redvictor]

Just wondering if Nuno has already said he's off at the end of the season, maybe it's not working without seeing family, maybe he knows he's gone as far as he can with us, and it'll be announced right after the last game? Could explain the no plan, no fight, players not giving a toss?
I'm not ITK, just pure speculation on my part, and just throwing it into the discussion.

Nah, he's commited as he always was. It's clearly a struggle for everyone at this point in the season. Yes, i know they get paid well but they are human. I haven't had a holiday since late 2019 (and it was a working holiday) and to be honest i am mentally drained to the point it's a struggle getting up in the morning. I'd imagine the whole team/staff are the same right now.

 

[AndyWolves]

I think Nuno has to think about the effect of not giving much game time to anyone else other than the usual suspects. Players need breaks / rest occasionally and also a reminder that if they play like ass or don't put the effort in they'll be out of the team.

Whether consciously or not, our starting eleven could look at the bench and be thinking "not one of them has a chance of starting over me".

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

He'd go now if he were that intent on leaving. What would be the point in him hanging around for another month?

We could stick anyone in charge for the remaining games, it wouldn't matter. I don't think that's the issue and while as I say, you absolutely cannot absolve him from blame - he sets the team up, he keeps picking repeat offenders in terms of offering nothing, we keep playing at completely the wrong tempo and invite trouble (it isn't an accident that we keep conceding first), it was up to him to make sure we played better in the second half and if anything we were worse - I'm not so sure what he can do about Boly inexplicably missing that header, Coady defending like that against Kevin Davies II (we all remember what we thought of the guy who defended like that against the original Kevin Davies years ago), Adama passing the ball straight to one of their players in our own box, or José deciding that marking, jumping and heading aren't something that he does despite it literally being his job.

 

[BeaverWolf]

I'll forgive most things, but I won't forgive a lack of effort. Neither do I find it easy to forgive a manager who knew exactly what questions were going to be asked in the Burnley exam but still managed to get 0/10.
In the Blades and Fulham games we played Championship level football - today we weren't even at that level. People say give Nuno the summer and some backing but - if, as we are told, he has the final say on players - this is the manager who has signed Cutrone, Semedo, Silva and Podence (seriously, son, act like a grown up) for something close to £100m. I've absolutely no faith in our coming summer recruitment and, if we can carry on playing as we've done in the last 3 games, we are relegation candidates next season.

Nuno has not learnt anything about how to play Burnley. Very worrying.

 

[BeaverWolf]

He'd go now if he were that intent on leaving. What would be the point in him hanging around for another month?

We could stick anyone in charge for the remaining games, it wouldn't matter. I don't think that's the issue and while as I say, you absolutely cannot absolve him from blame - he sets the team up, he keeps picking repeat offenders in terms of offering nothing, we keep playing at completely the wrong tempo and invite trouble (it isn't an accident that we keep conceding first), it was up to him to make sure we played better in the second half and if anything we were worse - I'm not so sure what he can do about Boly inexplicably missing that header, Coady defending like that against Kevin Davies II (we all remember what we thought of the guy who defended like that against the original Kevin Davies years ago), Adama passing the ball straight to one of their players in our own box, or José deciding that marking, jumping and heading aren't something that he does despite it literally being his job.

What is your view on Traore being so deep in his own half? We all know it is not his strong point. He always draws at least 2 players so leave him higher up the pitch. It is what Burnley would do!

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Well, we've never left him up when defending set pieces so I wouldn't expect us to start doing it now. I would personally because he's an outright liability back there, but we won't. Besides which, whether we make the wrong tactical choice or not, that doesn't mean he gets a free pass for playing that kind of ball in that situation, I wouldn't expect that off any professional player, I can't even fathom what he was thinking. Then the execution of it was complete dogshit, in keeping with the rest of his "performance" today.

Somehow he wasn't even our worst player on the day. Might not even have been in the worst three.

 

[BeaverWolf]

Well, we've never left him up when defending set pieces so I wouldn't expect us to start doing it now. I would personally because he's an outright liability back there, but we won't. Besides which, whether we make the wrong tactical choice or not, that doesn't mean he gets a free pass for playing that kind of ball in that situation, I wouldn't expect that off any professional player, I can't even fathom what he was thinking. Then the execution of it was complete dogshit, in keeping with the rest of his "performance" today.

Somehow he wasn't even our worst player on the day. Might not even have been in the worst three.

So you sort of agree that he should be left higher up the pitch - it is certainly what I would like to see. Part of the problem for Traore is that Nuno tries to get him to play in what is actually an ineffective way - we cannot all play like Man City - you need the best players in the world to do that. Something Dyche understands.

 

[Charlie Wolf]

In the match day thread I used the words significant surgery is needed, which was based on the performances over the course of the last year or so, that have been a ‘curates egg’ at best, irrespective of the various causes. This was bought home today by a truly unacceptable performance.
In forward planning I believe most people know that this is a big window for us and Nuno, and, while we know that it won’t be a spending spree, it’s clear that we need a couple of signings that are a statement of intent. This may not fit with some people but we cannot have any sentiment with our dealings and several of our ‘mainstays’ may have to be moved on if we are to progress, which may include the likes of Coady, Saiss, Dendonker, Adama and yes even Neves, while they have any stock value
In respect to the game, we have gone back to a team that has a soft underbelly, the team is totally lacking confidence, direction and leadership. Let’s start by establishing if our potential have these traits and ability in the last few games and close season and build a squad with more depth and resilience.
We haven’t overachieved and we are where we are, but we will struggle next season without change IMO. God forbid no one wants another season like this or a game like today.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

In general play he can't just hang around the halfway line and hope we clear it in his vague direction. Part of that role is helping out defensively. Unless he's playing up front, but that's no good because he can't hold the ball up for shit, can't head the ball and hardly ever scores.

Off set pieces, yes.

If he's more hindrance than help in general defensively (he is) then that's a deficiency in his game. That's a minimum of two goals right off the top of my head he's cost us through amateur level play this season. Against Albion by running straight into traffic 30 yards out (then refusing to get off his arse when he didn't get a free kick, which it wasn't) and today. Nearly repeated the former trick as well today.

Anyway, as appalling as it was from him today in every respect - I'm not exaggerating for effect when I say 0/10 - I don't want to be accused of picking on him, there were far greater culprits today. All three centre halves, Dendoncker and José were all worse.

 

[Paul]

Not disagreeing with you as you know I have the upmost respect but I really can't see how you could pick 'worse' from that lot today ?

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Not disagreeing with you as you know I have the upmost respect but I really can't see how you could pick 'worse' from that lot today ?

If you want some vintage comparisons to go with how they played today:

Boly: Eric Young
Coady: Simon Coleman
Saiss: Kaspars Gorkss
Dendoncker: Jens Dowe
Adama: Tim Steele (with the needless, how can you get yourself [nearly] sent off dickhead trait of Darren Ferguson)
José: Mike Small

So yeah, that kind of "worse".

 

[jd1981]

The last 2 wins have come against sides going down, in dreadful form and very little goal threat.
Probably only those 2 and Southampton who’s performance levels are worse than ours.
2/3 home games against West Ham and Burnley have been a defensive car crash and a lot it avoidable and simple stuff for players at this level.

 

[PuntsWolf]

Missed the first 60 mins, was out and tried watching on my phone but signal was too poor.

Made it back for the last 30, and despite being 0-3 down we didn’t make Pope make a save and then even managed to concede again, and it could have been more. We’re truly awful going forward (we were even with Raul) and we’ve always been prone to giving goals away. This isn’t good and it isn’t new. The manager really needs to sort it. Been in the “don’t really care if he goes camp” for 3 months or so, but hoped he could get us playing more entertaining football but it still hasn’t happened. It’s still dreadful but we’ve managed to scrape enough results.

I don’t think we overachieved before. A spine of a team consisting of Portugal’s record caps for a GK, Portugal’s second most capped player ever, exciting midfield prospect, CM in the squad of the best country in the world rankings, one of the best all round forwards In Europe and a player we’ve sold for £45m to the champions. We may not have the biggest wage bill in the league but that’s mainly due to us only having about 13 senior players and not because we don’t have good players.

Finally on the goals regarding Rui. First one is a very good finish, couldn’t have picked a better spot of he tried. Passed Rui at ground level and was right inside the post. Goal from the corner is dreadful thoigh. He does the classic “I’m going to push all the players who are near me” instead of just going for the ball which is 3 yards out. That just has to be the keepers.

 

[Alan]

Think the 8 games idea is nonsense - you either back him and give him time, or get someone else in with their own recruits.

If we’re on something like 8 points after 8 games his position won’t be tenable, IMO.