Wolves 1-1 Southampton - Verdict Thread

[Deleted Cyber]

For me its about creativity against what I would suggest are sides that look at taking a point at molineux as a good result.Against Watford Southampton and Burnley we have had only 5 shots on target scoring 4 goals. OK we haven't lost any of those games but I fear that we may be better on the road this season as counter attacking suits us.

To join in with Johnny and Prawnking my view is as follows

Cutrone and Raul are not a pairing. Jota and Raul are and we are better for it. Traore and Doc are not intuitive in the final third, Doc makes space and sees gaps that Traore doesn't. Neves is still too deep. Donk has not hit any form. Vallejo looks a liability, Coady has made more mistakes in 9 games than he did in the last two seasons.We are not creating enough at home.

That lot added together is about the sum of it for me. Jota back to form, Coady concentrating, Donk finding form and we get better results.

 

[prawnking]

Again you've said nothing. What's the Traore conundrum and why doesn't it work, do we have a general malaise? Why in your opinion is this happening as the stand-ins weren't playing yesterday?

You rarely say we play well, just whine and moan. Try to pick something positive from yesterday, there were plenty of those moments.

Who's rattled your cage and what is this weird crap? Sorry I don't live up to your posting standards, I'm sure you'll live.

Why do I need to explain anything to someone who doesn't even know that Neves went off yesterday due to injury? In fact why do I need to explain myself to you at all? Go and stalk someone else

 

[Deano]

We also had nearly 60% possession so how does that account for not keeping the ball well (if we're just grabbing stats with no real context)...

Oddly Southampton are pretty good away from home. The kind of record through 2019 that you would expect from a top half team. Rubbish at home though, they haven't won at St Mary's since they beat us.

We had 55 % against a poor side at home. It's hardly brilliant, plus I'll.go with the eye test. We don't look as fluid on the ball last season, I think most people can see it.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

We don't look as fluid on the ball last season, I think most people can see it.

That's a real nebulous term though, what do you mean by fluidity?

Donck suffers when Doc isn't outside him as Adama isn't the same kind of player and doesn't offer the same passing options, I'll give you that. Neves was too deep in the early games, less so now. I'm not seeing many other issues. Moutinho for instance is still consistently excellent, Raul and Jota still offer genuine threat, Jonny is still very consistent, there is no massive problem with the team.

Even take out the Reading game if you like, five unbeaten, two conceded along the way (one a deflected OG from a shot that was going wide), should have won against Palace for sure. I don't understand the seeming need to concentrate on the negative. If we were 12th in the Championship then yes.

 

[Deano]

That's a real nebulous term though, what do you mean by fluidity?

Donck suffers when Doc isn't outside him as Adama isn't the same kind of player and doesn't offer the same passing options, I'll give you that. Neves was too deep in the early games, less so now. I'm not seeing many other issues. Moutinho for instance is still consistently excellent, Raul and Jota still offer genuine threat, Jonny is still very consistent, there is no massive problem with the team.

Even take out the Reading game if you like, five unbeaten, two conceded along the way (one a deflected OG from a shot that was going wide), should have won against Palace for sure. I don't understand the seeming need to concentrate on the negative. If we were 12th in the Championship then yes.

We just aren't controlling it from central areas of midfield as well, miscontrolled balls, misplaced passes and sitting off opposition too much . I'm not sure if that is due to personnel not playing as well ie Dendoncker and Neves or something different in terms of instruction. Neves recently seems to think he has a lot more time on the ball than he has and get dispossessed, he is very slow.

I don't think it's overly negative really, sure you get idiots on social media but I think some people are a little disappointed about the fact we are no better than last season after the summers recruitment . Might sound spoiled on the face of it, as this is the best we have had it in most of our lifetimes but you can't afford to stand still in this league, and the club raised those expectations by talking in the media how they were going to go big and aggressive in the market.

 

[PuntsWolf]

Ignoring the league table, it doesn’t really mean anything after 9 games as you can pretty much climb half the table in one weekend, and the “stats”. We aren’t very threatening or entertaining at home.

I’ve listed plenty of reasons why I think that is previously, but it’s a fair concern and I would like it sorting.

 

[Johnny75]

Who's rattled your cage and what is this weird crap? Sorry I don't live up to your posting standards, I'm sure you'll live.

Why do I need to explain anything to someone who doesn't even know that Neves went off yesterday due to injury? In fact why do I need to explain myself to you at all? Go and stalk someone else

So you have nothing useful to contribute. The whole point of a forum is to air your views, people may or may not disagree with them but most folks tend to have something with which they are concerned about or put a point across.

You just whine.

 

[Parkins left foot]

I don't think it's overly negative really, sure you get idiots on social media but I think some people are a little disappointed about the fact we are no better than last season after the summers recruitment . Might sound spoiled on the face of it, as this is the best we have had it in most of our lifetimes but you can't afford to stand still in this league, and the club raised those expectations by talking in the media how they were going to go big and aggressive in the market.

After 1 season back in Pl we are not going to be the finished article & don't have the depth that the best sides have.

The Club may have raised expectations and tried hard to execute that, but however much we performed better than the very vast minority expected (& that includes most of us) we are still likely to struggle to convince some players that they ought to come here & that we can be here long term & challenge to win trophies.

Reality is that, apart from probably only Pool & Man City now, all other teams will struggle with injuries

 

[Johnny75]

We just aren't controlling it from central areas of midfield as well, miscontrolled balls, misplaced passes and sitting off opposition too much . I'm not sure if that is due to personnel not playing as well ie Dendoncker and Neves or something different in terms of instruction. Neves recently seems to think he has a lot more time on the ball than he has and get dispossessed, he is very slow.

I don't think it's overly negative really, sure you get idiots on social media but I think some people are a little disappointed about the fact we are no better than last season after the summers recruitment . Might sound spoiled on the face of it, as this is the best we have had it in most of our lifetimes but you can't afford to stand still in this league, and the club raised those expectations by talking in the media how they were going to go big and aggressive in the market.

I think this is fair. I've seen a lot more pressing this season and we are playing at an obvious lower tempo and a lot more passive where we were more incisive last season and at a higher tempo.

Some opposition are dropping off quicker and making it harder for us that is bleat and our slower tempo is allowing them to do that more.

I hope Nuno changes back to this system as it clearly works better for us.

I agree on the summer recruitment too, it was poor as we haven't improved one position.

 

[Templeton Peck]

That's my main beef - the summer recruitment. Vallejo is nowhere near the level and boasted 12 appearances for Madrid. Ferguson played more times for Man U. Cutrone works hard but the fact I even have to mention that tells you all you need to know.

 

[Boozad]

I'm more than happy to give Cutrone time, there's a decent in there and we'll benefit massively when he eventually does really click I reckon. I know his goal return is far from brilliant so far but he could (maybe should) have had a lot more to his name by now. He's hardly Benteke levels of nothing.

The rest of the recruitment does leave a lot to be desired though, it's already been mentioned that we didn't improve one single position in reality and that's proved to be the case.

 

[prawnking]

So you have nothing useful to contribute. The whole point of a forum is to air your views, people may or may not disagree with them but most folks tend to have something with which they are concerned about or put a point across.

You just whine.

I've been concerned about our recruitment since the summer, and clearly expressed why several times. I'm confused as to why you're taking my mild and infrequent posts so personally when they're neither wholly negative or particularly controversial.

If you don't want to engage with someone you don't have to, but lay off the forum police act. Your posts are hardly thrill a minute

 

[Norman Deeley]

For me – trying to strike a balance – the disappointment with the summer recruitment was the missed opportunity. Having ended last season ahead of Leicester, we’re now demonstrably behind them, and not just in terms of league position. The ‘eye test’ is valid: we’re very evidently not playing as well as last season. And not one of our summer signings would get in our full strength starting XI, which is just bloody daft

 

[Deleted Cyber]

Recruitment is a tough one. We are still new and trying to establish ourselves on the league. Leicester were champions not 4 years ago so they should be a bigger draw. Last season we bemoaned our bench in that we never improved the team with a substitution. Well Cutrone and Neto are both better options off the bench. Vallejo worse. It’s not as good on the eye, teams know what we are about and they are happy to take a pint on a visit.

 

[t3ch]

It’s not as good on the eye, teams know what we are about and they are happy to take a pint on a visit.

I always have a pint when travelling

 

[Tony Towner]

Ultimately if you are going to carry this squad size, with this workload then you need to be successful with pretty much all of your recruitment and stay more or less injury free. If one or both of those fail it's going to hurt.

On the first element we've signed a centre half who isn't fit for purpose and I'm fairly certain won't ever be whilst he's here. On the second we have two positions where both the first choice and backup are/have been out -Jota/Neto + Saiss/Bennett. Cutrone should be Jimenez's backup not his partner, not having Jota or Neto impacts detrimentally on our pace and movement up front.

 

[t3ch]

Cutrone should be Jimenez's backup not his partner, not having Jota or Neto impacts detrimentally on our pace and movement up front.

agreed. Cutrone getting some flack in this thread, but I think he and Jiminez don't compliment each other well, too similar. when all 4 are healthy it should be paired as you mention.

 

[prawnking]

Recruitment is a tough one. We are still new and trying to establish ourselves on the league. Leicester were champions not 4 years ago so they should be a bigger draw. Last season we bemoaned our bench in that we never improved the team with a substitution. Well Cutrone and Neto are both better options off the bench. Vallejo worse.

We have EL football this year, that should be a big draw too. For whatever reason we either aimed low or our top 2/3 targets didn't come off. I didn't believe anyone we signed were seriously our first options in the summer and I don't now.

There are other issues, like the long ball stuff, EL tiredness, trying to crowbar Traore in, Jota not firing/being injured, but the continuing lack of viable alternatives to the tried and trusted first XI doesn't help if players are tired/uninspired.

I'm not as concerned as I was after the Everton and Chelsea games, but something still isn't 100% right

 

[Alan]

Is Neto injured? I wondered why he wasn't involved yesterday.

 

[Kenny]

Is Neto injured? I wondered why he wasn't involved yesterday.

Yep. Injured during the Besiktas game