Wolves 1 - 0 Millwall: A Nervous Cruise

[Kenny]

Jota was outstanding today. Easily my MOTM.

Ref watch for Franky - for 40mins I hardly noticed he was there, so at that point the perfect ref performance I guess then he had a mad 20 minute spell when his decisions baffled you. Started when Saiss did the perfect sliding challenge, won the ball cleanly and kept the ball and a free kick was given (even Nuno lost his shit at that call) then he proceeded to give free kicks for nothing and ignore some fouls, especially a bad one on Leo.

The foul on Jota that some say could have been red, I can see why only a yellow was given as he didn't lunge in and I think Jota went a bit OTT on his rolling around. Then the ref booked for Batth for what was at best a very generous free kick award to Millwall. After that he went back to just reffing with no fuss.

 

[Aikiwolf]

Jota was outstanding today. Easily my MOTM.

Ref watch for Franky - for 40mins I hardly noticed he was there, so at that point the perfect ref performance I guess then he had a mad 20 minute spell when his decisions baffled you. Started when Saiss did the perfect sliding challenge, won the ball cleanly and kept the ball and a free kick was given (even Nuno lost his shit at that call) then he proceeded to give free kicks for nothing and ignore some fouls, especially a bad one on Leo.

The foul on Jota that some say could have been red, I can see why only a yellow was given as he didn't lunge in and I think Jota went a bit OTT on his rolling around. Then the ref booked for Batth for what was at best a very generous free kick award to Millwall. After that he went back to just reffing with no fuss.

Ref wasn't bad today - my brother thinks the perfect Saiss challenge was actually for Batth shirt pulling just after.
I thought the Jota challeneg should have been a red but in the highlights C5 and Sky have seen fit not to show it....

Other than those two talking points he was pretty good imo

 

[Deano]

The Saiss one was actually blown for a tug by Batth. Saiss tackle was a superb and fair challenge.

 

[Kenny]

If that was the case...then fair enough. 7/10 performance it was then.

 

[Siggy]

Totally agreed Siggy. He's clearly got ability and deserves to be around the first team. He just needs experience and when things aren't coming off for him he may struggle to get game time.

As for Marshall, he ran like his boots were made out of concrete. Head and shoulders below anyone else on the pitch, he clearly isn't anywhere near fit enough yet. I also doubt he has the pace or fitness to play wing back.

This is a bit nitpicky though, Wolves were in complete control today. Jota and Saiss were brilliant, personally I'd give Saiss MOTM but it's a really close call, especially as Jota is not only brilliant but doesn't allow himself to be kicked about without giving a bit back!

Saiss was very very good today would be hard to argue between him and Jota for MOTM.

Loved the snapchat by the way have no idea how to reply I'm total noob with it lol.

Will be travelling away a few times this season hope we can meet up so you can remind me of the lyrics to Matt Docs song...

Sent from my HTC 10 using Tapatalk

 

[PuntsWolf]

If that was the case...then fair enough. 7/10 performance it was then.

The Batth foul was a blatant foul also. Stepped across the man when he was round him. Yellow maybe slightly harsh but it was cynical.

Ref wasn't giving some of pushing and pulling, but nor would I expect it to if it was the other way.

Ref was pretty good, but at the same time it was an easy game. Millwall weren't really physical at all.

 

[FrankMunro-371]

We could easily have scored 2 or 3 more. Don't get all this pant wetting about not scoring enough, we still have our (and probably the division's) best attacking player to come back.

But it was not 'pant wetting' as you put it. In the last few minutes Millwall came close to getting a thoroughly undeserved equaliser. Wolves were far superior to Millwall, but we need to put these games to bed. Three home games in the league and only three goals scored. For all our lovely football our shyness in front of goal could become a problem.

 

[slink]

I know it was only 1-0 but this was a quality performance and i was never worried that we were going to concede. It would have been nice to have killed the game which we definitely had chances to do and Millwall got half a chance late on but Ruddy made a comfortable save in reality.

Ruddy - A massive upgrade on anything we've had in recent seasons. He just makes everything look easy and can't understand anyone criticising his distribution, he picked out Vinagre several times and releases it quickly when he has to.

Batth - When the ball was coming to him he did fine but i wasn't impressed with his off the ball work. Lost Gregory a few times in the first half through switching off and got booked for blocking a run/pulling a shirt off the ball for at least the second time. First was when Saiss made the excellent sliding tackle.

Coady - Another excellent game, mopped up a few times and did so with ease. Knocked several diagonal balls out to the wing backs to start attacks and looks a different player.

Miranda - I thought he had an good game, never worried when he was on the ball and looked much better with a wing back closer to him.

Doherty - I thought he was quality in the first half and needed someone else with him instead of Marshall but drove forward well and picked out Bonatini with an excellent pull back. Second half his delivery was very poor but still made several good runs and linked well with others.

Vinagre - Started a bit nervously i thought and was bullied a couple of times but once he settled he got better and better. Douglas has some competition for his shirt and we should be signing this lad if we can. This was only his 4th senior game of football and he looked like he had played 50/60 after the first 15 minutes.

Saiss - To think some didn't rate him last season and now with a better player next to him he looks better than said player who cost £15 million. Did a bit of everything today including getting forward and nearly scored twice, one with his swinger from 25 yards and another with a superb run in to the box.

Neves - Looks every bit the player we thought we had signed and our midfield looks top notch with him and Saiss. Pings passes for fun, wins tackles, intercepts and although his shooting today wasn't the best will score a few more from range before the season is out.

Marshall - Looked unfit still and didn't really do anything. I think had Bright/Cav started here we could have created even more and possibly won by more than 1 goal but he needs games and it was a perfect game to play in as we bossed it.

Jota - He was class from the first minute and Millwall struggled to contain him and he scored a top goal. Looks a massive threat whenever he gets the ball and at times impossible to dispossess. Takes some punishment and the tackle on him in the second half looked a shocked but gives as good as he gets. With him one side and Costa the other we will be some side.

Bonatini - He deserved a goal and was unlucky that his volley late on was blocked superbly and found the keeper in good form for his other 2 decent chances. He does what he's in the side to do and that's link play and provide an outlet up top for players to play off. He's not the most mobile but has good feet and makes some fantastic runs in to the box but our delivery to him has to be better.

SUBS

Bright - Apart from doing too much once in our own half i think he did well. He's so comfortable with the ball and is always looking to beat his man or play little one-twos with Bonatini and Jota. Shooting still isn't where it needs to be but he's quality to watch. Will only get better with games imo.

N'Diaye - Knew he was a big lad but looks an absolute unit. He made one excellent sliding tackle, looked comfortable on the ball and tried to get forward when he could. More than decent first performance in a Wolves shirt.

Cav - Not really on long enough.

I thought it was noticeable in the first half that we tried to get more bodies in the box and at times we had 4 in there, this got less in the second half which meant Vinagre's excellent cross wasn't converted and Doherty's delivery was poor maybe because he only had 1 to pick out but never really tried to. I think the most obvious thing to criticise us with is the fact that we only scored once but on another day we win 3 or 4 nil and Millwall sat very deep. I'm not concerned that we only won by 1 goal again because we created chances and when we have Costa back i have no idea how sides are going to stop him and Jota.

I thought the referee was ok, much better than others that we have had but went through a 15 minute period where he seemed to give everything to them and failed to send off the lad for the tackle on Jota which looked a red at the time but would obviously have to see it again.

 

[Alan]

Quality review, Slink, cheers.

 

[Alan]

But it was not 'pant wetting' as you put it. In the last few minutes Millwall came close to getting a thoroughly undeserved equaliser. Wolves were far superior to Millwall, but we need to put these games to bed. Three home games in the league and only three goals scored. For all our lovely football our shyness in front of goal could become a problem.

If Millwall had scored they would have deserved it. They did not score so the argument is moot.

 

[Quirkafleeg]

If Millwall had scored they would have deserved it. They did not score so the argument is moot.

No they wouldnt have deserved it Alan. Stop talking fucking shit dude.

 

[Alan]

No they wouldnt have deserved it Alan. Stop talking $#@!ing $#@! dude.

I don't think my stance on what teams "deserve" or not is a secret.

 

[Quirkafleeg]

You play controversy as well as Hugh Lawrie plays a Yank...

 

[Penk Wolf]

96% and 90%, that's just ridiculous.

 

[YoungWolf]

To be honest, the way in which Millwall played meant those stats were always going to happen, as impressive as they were.

I think the way we passed the ball in tight situations was very well and will only improve.

I can't fucking wait for Costa to play in this team

 

[Lycan]

If Cardiff showed how to play against us, Millwall showed exactly how NOT to play against us. I thought they were awful.

I wouldn't worry too much about only scoring 1, we created lots of chances.

 

[Kenny]

I wouldn't worry too much about only scoring 1, we created lots of chances.

Agree. If it had been a game where we failed to really test the keeper or chances went high and wide I would be concerned. Their keeper had to make 2 good saves from Leo, 1 from Saiss, Leo had a shot smack a defender in the head (who had no idea about it) that stopped it going in, Jota had on target shot deflected over. Jota had a chance miss by cm's

We made a couple of subtle changes to how we played v Boro & Cardiff - We had a player running into the space left by Leo when he came out or ran into space out wide and 1 of Neves or Saiss got closer to the forward line, so we didn't have 2 sitting players. Made a huge difference when it came to creating chances.

 

[YoungWolf]

Agree. If it had been a game where we failed to really test the keeper or chances went high and wide I would be concerned. Their keeper had to make 2 good saves from Leo, 1 from Saiss, Leo had a shot smack a defender in the head (who had no idea about it) that stopped it going in, Jota had on target shot deflected over. Jota had a chance miss by cm's

We made a couple of subtle changes to how we played v Boro & Cardiff - We had a player running into the space left by Leo when he came out or ran into space out wide and 1 of Neves or Saiss got closer to the forward line, so we didn't have 2 sitting players. Made a huge difference when it came to creating chances.

Yep, I meant to take a picture from my view in the South Bank of exactly that. At times one of the centre midfields (often Saiss) moved up a line to as did a defender from the back three. Which negates the worry about us having three centre halves doing nothing on the half way line. The plan for teams sitting off us is there and I didn't doubt Nuno had one to be fair!

 

[Tony Towner]

To the coaches out there, what do you call the way we set up without the ball yesterday? It wasn't a press as such, nor was it going man to man, it was almost like marking space, but invariably Millwall would pass it to us when they couldn't find a gap so it clearly worked and was impressive

 

[YoungWolf]

As you say we don't really press at all, we have our shape and basically are saying to the opposition 'go on then, try and get through us'. It really limits individual errors too, which is handy as we still have Doherty in the defence and Coady is prone to a ball over the top. But yeah, it's a bit like what Solbakken wanted to do with players looking after their own area of the pitch in relation to where the pitch is just far better organised (and with better defenders overall).

I don't see us conceding many goals in open play (which will inevitably lead to people moaning about our set piece defending, which is actually fine now). But how refreshing to see us with an organised unit out of possession.