Wolves 1 - 2 Liverpool Verdict Thread

[The Bion]

He made an enormous and obvious difference to their team when they signed him...I'm not saying we should go break the world record (no guarantee in itself, hey Man U?) but as others have said I think another quality CB in the summer to play opposite Boly will really help us kick on. When we're on we're not struggling too much for goals at the moment, Traore's improvement is obviously a big part of that but Neto is starting to flourish and Jota needs to get his mojo back as well. Tighten up at the back and it'll make life so much easier.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

True, but in the 2 games we've played against them we've seen signs he is not a superhuman, Raul picked his pocket causing him to fall on his arse at Anfield, and tonight, when Adama got running at him, you could see the fear in his eyes, i've never seen anyone else even lay a glove on him.

This is all correct. We gave him a concern. ACTUALLY A LOT OF CONCERNS.

The game at Molineux last season he strolled through and was majestic. We have improved so damn much since, and yet he still is superlative. I imagine this is what watching a quicker Bobby Moore or Franz Beckenbauer must look like!

It seems universal among Liverpool fans now that we are the best team that they have played and they want us to get fourth. Let's make it happen!

 

[Carrotdude]

It wouldn’t surprise me if all of the ‘big boys’ in the PL are knocking on the door for Traore in the summer, it’s unbelievable how good he’s become.

 

[Monstrum]

Traore was always a beast, just didnt know what to do with the ball if he couldnt get a shot. Nuno told him cut wide and cross it, thats the major difference. Hes still doing a lot of ball watching standing still and doesnt really defend, but once he has the ball nobody can stop him, not another player in the world like him

 

[James]

It wouldn’t surprise me if all of the ‘big boys’ in the PL are knocking on the door for Traore in the summer, it’s unbelievable how good he’s become.

£100m please... Palace seem to think Zaha is worth that so why not Traore

 

[Norman Deeley]

Every post is pretty much spot on, but Bion hits the nail on the head when he talks about moving to the next level. There was an article in FourFourTwo after the cup defeat which talked about Man United not needing to do anything, they just needed to wait for Wolves to make a mistake – which we did.
In some ways I felt the same last night. Liverpool wait and sure enough, we make a mistake in defence and it’s 1-2. But no-one can deny we’re a top six side: we’ve played Liverpool and Man City twice and come out winning 6-5 on aggregate. The question is, what do we do to move to Bion’s ‘next level?’
I’m a big admirer of Matt Doherty – he’s made the absolute most of his footballing talents – but we need an upgrade. Similarly Conor Coady, much as we all love him, will need an upgrade. The problem is that ‘next level’ costs £40-50m a player. That’s a real problem as they’ll want six figure salaries, which will in turn see Adama and Ruben Neves saying, ‘Hey, what about my salary?’
Two other points from last night – the ages of their front three were 28/28/27: ours were 28/24 (Adama’s b/day tomorrow) and 19 – and you could just see that difference of experience at times.
And enjoy Adama while you can. Hopefully we can hang on to him for next season but never mind the PL, he is on every elite club’s wishlist. For the sake of his career he should stay with Nuno, but who can turn down Real Madrid or Barca?

 

[machin05]

xG

We were higher than Liverpool

https://understat.com/match/11874

Practically neck and neck until the Jota chance at the end. Draw would have been fair, but more than happy with the performance. Not feeling too downbeat about losing, weirdly.

 

[MARKakaJIM]

Great game to watch, chances at either end could've swung the score a couple of goals in either direction but Liverpool's extra individual quality told in the end.

Wolves made enough chances to have had it their way but I think it comes largely down to the quality of the players to make a step beyond that performance, to turn that promise into points. That chance Jimenez had when Traore put him through, he steadied himself and closed in on goal then just smashes it into Alisson's face, if that's someone like Aguero then you know he's hammering that right up into the roof of the net giving the keeper no chance but that's the difference between your good player and your great player. It'll cost a fortune to make those sort of upgrades but they're the type of players that make the difference in the biggest of games. Similar with Jota's chance at the end, it's a bit of an awkward one on his weaker side with little time to set himself but look at what Firmino did at the other end when Henderson slipped him in, didn't rush it, took a touch and put the defender on his arse but rifling it past a rooted keeper, a better player maybe doesn't try and take that awkward chance early like Jota but lets it run across him and shields it from the defender whilst opening up more of the goal for himself.

It's fine margins but that's life against the elite, Firmino v Coady ended up with the defender on his arse and Firmino picking his spot at a canter, Jota v Fabinho ended up with a panicked shot sliced harmlessly wide without the defender even really making a challenge on him.

 

[Jabbawolf]

On their second goal, I’d like to think Boly would have made a decisive intervention rather than letting Salah wriggle free.

 

[Jinky]

Difficult to be too critical after a performance like that, but I have seen some comments floating around regards Coady. Love the bloke - proper leader on and off the pitch. The improvement he has made over the last few years has been nothing short of sensational. But almost certainly a position that we need to look at improving in the summer if we want to make the step up to the next level.

Some of the criticism I have seen from last nights match on him is a bit harsh (not on here, btw). People saying he "ducked" for their first goal and was easily side stepped for the second etc. My concern with Coads is that he is playing a role that is almost custom made for his skillset - but he isn't the quickest player in the world and more often than not, comes out on the losing side when isolated 1 v 1. Couple of times last night Liverpool got through by targeting him and he was bailed out by Rui. He doesn't win a great deal in the air either.

As I say, love the bloke and he certainly has a part to play, but if Fosun/Nuno are as ruthless as we are led to believe, I can see him and Doc being two of the first positions they'll look to improve in the summer.

As for Adama, he is well and truly out there now - everyone is talking about him. I don't think it will be too long before a big club come sniffing around (Klopp has singled him out in both games this season, for example). I think we are sometimes too quick to assume our lads will be off as soon as a big offer comes in - I've seen people thinking Neves will bugger off in this very window if a big club came in with a bid, for example! - but Adama will realise that his step up and his beginning to realise some of his potential is down to Nuno and the background staff. Why would he jeopardise that by moving elsewhere? I reckon the squad is as close-knit as they get and they're all invested in the project of what is being built here.

I don't think any of our big name players will move on in the summer, especially if we secure European football again. The one who I would be most worried about being tempted by a move to a proper big club would be Raul, given his age etc.

 

[playtheace]

Great game to watch, chances at either end could've swung the score a couple of goals in either direction but Liverpool's extra individual quality told in the end.

Wolves made enough chances to have had it their way but I think it comes largely down to the quality of the players to make a step beyond that performance, to turn that promise into points. That chance Jimenez had when Traore put him through, he steadied himself and closed in on goal then just smashes it into Alisson's face, if that's someone like Aguero then you know he's hammering that right up into the roof of the net giving the keeper no chance but that's the difference between your good player and your great player. It'll cost a fortune to make those sort of upgrades but they're the type of players that make the difference in the biggest of games. Similar with Jota's chance at the end, it's a bit of an awkward one on his weaker side with little time to set himself but look at what Firmino did at the other end when Henderson slipped him in, didn't rush it, took a touch and put the defender on his arse but rifling it past a rooted keeper, a better player maybe doesn't try and take that awkward chance early like Jota but lets it run across him and shields it from the defender whilst opening up more of the goal for himself.

It's fine margins but that's life against the elite, Firmino v Coady ended up with the defender on his arse and Firmino picking his spot at a canter, Jota v Fabinho ended up with a panicked shot sliced harmlessly wide without the defender even really making a challenge on him.

Been saying this all season but i don't think its about getting "great" players, for me its about composure with the final ball.
Lost count the amount of times a simple ball to a player in a better position would have got us a goal this season.
We seem to rush that last bit after a meticulous build up.
Ive no doubt that composure will come in time.

 

[Jinky]

And on a separate subject, our move last night which resulted in Adama drilling in the low shot that Alisson saved to his right - unbelievable. I don't think I have seen another side do that to Liverpool this season. What was it - 20-25 passes? Moved the ball from side to side and then got Adama in for a shot. That would have been my team goal of the season if that had gone in, given the opposition.

I've got the match recorded so will have a look tonight at how many passes that was and maybe upload the whole move. An absolute pleasure to see Wolves playing football like.

 

[Langers]

I'm not going to pick faults with that performance because I thought we were superb. I've not seen Liverpool look that uncomfortable or rattled for a long time. They know they were very fortunate to come away with 3 points. We were the better side.

We were a joy to watch at times and to boss possession like we did in the 2nd half was brilliant. Was that REALLY Wolves? Controlling the game against the European champions and arguably the best team on the planet right now?

Weird to say that I enjoyed it even though we have no points to show for it but all I ever want to see from Wolves is a good, positive, committed performance and we certainly saw that.

Biggest downside? The excellent Pedro Neto is less than half my age. Ridiculous.

 

[Tom Hark]

The unique thing about our club among the top sides is that it has been built, not bought. I hope and believe that is why we are not bringing in new players at a rate of knots. I don't think it's that we don't want to spend; rather we are looking for talent that can be moulded to suit Nuno's system and will improve in the process, as opposed to accommodating established superstars. Our team plays for the manager, the fans and each other. The club-as-family ethos that Nuno and Jeff have forged is, I think, what will keep players here so long as Nuno remains, rather than see them bouncing between Europe's top clubs every few years (I honestly don't think Adama would be the same player under anyone else). It's also why I'm confident that Nuno will be our SAF. We do need to achieve CL football, of course, but that is definitely on the menu over the next couple of years, and not entirely out of the question for next season if we play in the EL as well as we did last night. I've always been proud to be a Wolves fan, but now I feel blessed as well.

 

[pavlosmacwolf]

"Hailing Wolves as a “really, really good team who are different to everything else you face during the year”, Klopp said"

I think that is all the praise we need to hear, and for me that makes Nuno the most important face at Wolves despite speculation about individual players. He has created somethim special here at Wolves and it will only get better.
Have watched the extended highlights a few times this morning and frankly I am not so sure Jota's chance was quite as easy as it sounded last night.
the ball is slightly behind him with a defender in front of him, but i agree with whoever it was that talked about Firminio's composure for the second goal, perhaps Diogo needed to take a touch, Doc's header for me was a bigger miss, that should have at least hit the target, but for all that, we ran the world champions as ragged as i have seen them, and I am as proud as Nuno despite the result.
now let's take the wheels off Ole's trolley after a well deserved break.

 

[GLASGOWOLF]

Fanfuckingtastic

 

[Lupo]

755026Gutted to have come away empty handed. We deserved at least a draw and for a large spell of the second half it looked like we would go on and win it. Neto was excellent and is growing game by game. Traore was explosive and scared the shit out of them.

Our goal was superb, need to see the replays of it now.

Liverpool may have won but they know they've been in a game, same as when we went to Anfield. The boys did us proud again.

 

[Pablowolf]

Let's not forget how long it's taken Klopp to get Liverpool playing like that, and we gave them a hell of a game. I'm proud of the lads.

 

[Jinky]

Let's not forget how long it's taken Klopp to get Liverpool playing like that, and we gave them a hell of a game. I'm proud of the lads.

More importantly, who won the scrap? Paddy or Johnny?

 

[Pablowolf]

In the end, they fucked.