Wolves 1 Man United 1: “another Neves-esque classic goal” The Verdict thread

[Deutsch Wolf]

IMO that's totally incorrect, but on you go.

 

[Deano]

IMO that's totally incorrect, but on you go.

Agreed. He wasn't great tonight but he's usually class.

 

[The Bion]

Ok own up, who had the lucky socks on? (Me, for one) Watched it on TV in a bar so I can only go by that.

Utd looked better than last season but we were poorer than we were last season - they probably are better but not as much as some seem to think. We never managed to get Jota & Jimenez running at them, and I'd still fancy those two to carve them open on a break, there's not a lot of pace in that backline.

Surprised the 3 CMs made it through 90, Donck in particular looked absolutely spent after about 70. Was expecting to see Saiss, suspect we might on Thursday as I can't imagine the 3 of them will have enough for that game as well.

We were pretty ragged defensively, struggled to cope with their CAM making late runs in, Lingard got in very easily more than once. Fortunately he has a questionable touch, to be generous. Leaving the pen aside thought Coady was pretty poor tbh, his passing was way off at times. He was far from alone in that though, as noted Neves' goal masked a pretty poor performance otherwise - had a moment of dread when he gave it away on about 89m in our own half as we looked outnumbered.

Same as last week we looked a bit flat 1st half (much worse this time mind) and perked up significantly at the start of the 2nd before fading again. Not going to call it a pattern just yet but I'm wondering if they're trying to conserve energy this way by just managing a half *shrug*

Utd probably edged it and it took a worldie to get us something so will take that, easily.

-edit- forgot about Traore, yes he was very good. Found myself wishing he would go at Shaw more as he seemed to turn the ball back a couple times when he didn't need to. Encouraging signs.

 

[Lupo]

Yeah we just weren't at it first half and United were excellent, after their goal I was worried they may do us 2 or 3 but for me the match saving point was just before half time, the absolutely fabulous tackle by Boly on the edge of our area, had that not happened and United scored it would have been game over.

Traore had his best game for us and really transformed our performance. United are a bunch of entitled cunts trying to pressure the ref when things don't go their way, De Gea ran a quarter of the pitch to remonstrate with the ref after we had the audacity to put the ball past him. Moutinho was his usual classy self but Jota a bit off the pace tonight. We coud have brought Neto on sooner, he really impressed me against Pyunik but I wanted to see him against better opponents and I thought in his brief appearance tonight he again showed that he has something about him.

Still United cannot beat us and this United is far better than the one we faced last season.

This team is special and is going places. We are on a level playing field now with the top sides and have little to fear. Bring on Torino and Burnley!

 

[Alan]

IMO that's totally incorrect, but on you go.

I think I've been pretty vocal in my criticism of him tbf.

I honestly can't remember the last time he put in a performance that made me go "yeah, that's the player I know he can be".

 

[MARKakaJIM]

Yeah we just weren't at it first half and United were excellent, after their goal I was worried they may do us 2 or 3 but for me the match saving point was just before half time, the absolutely fabulous tackle by Boly on the edge of our area, had that not happened and United scored it would have been game over.

Traore had his best game for us and really transformed our performance. United are a bunch of entitled cunts trying to pressure the ref when things don't go their way, De Gea ran a quarter of the pitch to remonstrate with the ref after we had the audacity to put the ball past him. Moutinho was his usual classy self but Jota a bit off the pace tonight. We coud have brought Neto on sooner, he really impressed me against Pyunik but I wanted to see him against better opponents and I thought in his brief appearance tonight he again showed that he has something about him.

Still United cannot beat us and this United is far better than the one we faced last season.

This team is special and is going places. We are on a level playing field now with the top sides and have little to fear. Bring on Torino and Burnley!

Think that's a pretty generous take on the Boly challenge! He got nothing on the ball and just got lucky that Martial shagged his next touch after jumping over him, could easily have bought some hefty contact and a red card instead.

Pretty underwhelming performance truth be told. Defensively they were generally solid but struggled to get the ball back any distance up the pitch, United were playing it through into midfield too easily under little pressure from Wolves. The use of the ball was well short of the standard though, particularly in the first half, everything just seemed rushed and forced when generally Wolves have been good at utilising the extra man at the back to play around a decent press. Usually much better suited to playing those sort of teams that look to come onto them and leave some space further forward but today they rarely looked like they could find those gaps.

Strangely seemed like usually trusted ball players in Neves and Coady were two of the worst culprits, so many bad choices with the ball. At one point in the second half it was been down by United's corner flag on Wolves' left, ended up coming all the way back and worked across to Traore but another dead end so he played it back to Coady and he just smashed it straight down the pitch to De Gea. Patience was desperately lacking at times.

Jota never looked like it was going to be his day, he and Jimenez were largely isolated but whilst the latter battled well and made the best he could of it, Jota just seemed to run straight into a tackle every time he had it. Surprised changes weren't made up there sooner, especially after the penalty save thought the swing in momentum might suit some bullish running from Cutrone.

Traore played his best game in a Wolves shirt, similar to Thursday he's showing now that it's not just head down and run any more. He picks his moments a lot better now, actually looks to pass to team mates and put in some better crosses last night. Encouraging that he's showing the same progress across multiple games and against a much better standard opposition than the early EL games too. Still plenty for him to do but certainly heading in the right direction now.

Given the performance can't be unhappy with a point but definitely think there's more to come. United haven't really improved as much as has been let on by some, if hadn't been so many off days in the Wolves team then couldn't have caused them more problems.

 

[Kenny]

Just reading the Sky Sports app and the have Neves as MOTM. Presume they just watched the goal and nowt else. Love Rubes but he was dreadful last night.

The VAR stuff is ridiculous. Tell us what you are looking at at least. Great if you are watching on Sky but 2 mins of fans in the ground having zero clue is beyond frustrating....fully back the fuck VAR chant last night

 

[Lycan]

Don't think Neves was quite as bad as is being made out here, apart from one or two very obviously misplaced passes. Certainly not his best game, don't get me wrong.

If I was going to pick a MOTM for Wolves It'd be Jonny or Patrício I think.

Man Utd were excellent last night though and I think we'll look back on that point quite favourably at the end of the season.

Fuck VAR. Hate it. I don't care what anybody says, it genuinely ruined the celebration for an absolute wonder goal against United in front of the South Bank.

 

[Tredman]

Only watched it on TV, so really good to read all the reports. Sad that I wasn't in my usual seat (RWB zone for 2nd half) to see Traore have a universally acclaimed game - it's probably no secret I've wanted to see him improve and get more of a chance from all.

 

[Tredman]

Good to see everyone else hating on VAR too - it's shit in the ground, could see that from the Utd game last season. It's only there for sky and their subscribers. It's another fuck you to the fans who go.

 

[Boozad]

Don’t think I’ve ever been that stressed at a game before, I was on the verge of leaving when they gave that penalty solely as I was worried about my fucking blood pressure. James should have been off, dirty cheating bastard. And if our goal was worth that scrutiny then why wasn’t their ‘penalty’ looked at? Pogba dived, clear as day, yet they don’t think it’s worth a look like they did with Deeney? Fuck VAR.

Neves was pretty poor last night but to say he’s been poor way back into last season is absolutely ridiculous. And to be honest, there’s only him capable of doing what he did so if we hadn’t have had him playing we’d have lost. Coady’s passing was also atrocious last night and the pair of them gave the ball away as much as each other. Bennett wasn’t much better either.

Boly was immense yet again and Dendoncker ran his bollocks off and he covered Doherty a lot on the right hand side (yes, the right hand side) really well, shame as it limited his impact through the middle. Doherty shouldn’t have started that game, he was miles off the pace, but we’re not party to what Nuno is pre-match so we can only trust his judgement. Jota wasn’t clicking either which really didn’t help.

Traore. Excellent performance, turned the game and put in his best Wolves display by a mile. Great cameo from Neto again, he looks like he could be seriously good. Raul worked his knackers off and Rui’s penalty save was top drawer. On that, no penalty for me, didn’t think it was at the game and still don’t after seeing replays. Yes there was the most minimal of contact but Coady was stood stock still and Pogba made the contact mid way through his dive. Justice was done.

 

[Jinky]

I did have a little chuckle when I saw Neves had been awarded MOTM.

We need to remember that last night was our 6th competitive game of the season, and only Utd's 2nd. We have done very well to get ourselves a point from the position we were in at half time, and once again I find myself tipping the cap to the fitness coaches etc.

Traore totally changed the game (as has been said multiple times) and Shaw immediately dropped 5 yards further back when he got it. Ole had also clearly told Rashford to try and get back to double up on him whenever the ball was on the right hand side. For the first time in the match, they were thinking about us rather than the other way around. Like I said in the match thread last night, we just couldn't cope with their pressing in the first half and were so poor in possession. Fair play to Nuno for whatever he said at half time.

I'm surprised Doc played. It was quite obvious to me that he wasn't fit or at the races from about the 20th minute. Utd were getting a lot of joy down his side and with Bennett underperforming, we did well to get in at half time just one goal down.

Cracking save by Rui from the penalty - it was a good height but Pogba absolutely leathered it. And at the other end, we were inches from nicking the win with Raul's header - I don't remember Utd forcing Rui in to a save or having a chance as cutting edge as that (pen aside) in the second half, so a draw was probably a fair result.

Interesting mix of reviews from last night. Tris/Banjo, who was at the match, said it was a "1-1 hammering". My dad, who watched it on tv, said he was "disappointed with a draw in the end"!

 

[Jinky]

Don’t think I’ve ever been that stressed at a game before, I was on the verge of leaving when they gave that penalty solely as I was worried about my fucking blood pressure. James should have been off, dirty cheating bastard. And if our goal was worth that scrutiny then why wasn’t their ‘penalty’ looked at? Pogba dived, clear as day, yet they don’t think it’s worth a look like they did with Deeney? Fuck VAR.

VAR did look at their penalty and agreed with it.

 

[MARKakaJIM]

Good to see everyone else hating on VAR too - it's shit in the ground, could see that from the Utd game last season. It's only there for sky and their subscribers. It's another fuck you to the fans who go.

See this sort of comment a lot and really don't get it.

VAR doesn't make televised viewing any better, sure it's negative impact is greater at the ground but in it's current form it's still having a negative effect on viewing whether live or in front of a TV screen. Surely it's the clubs that are the beneficiaries? It's there for them to get the right decisions, in theory at least, and thus not lose out on points, and subsequent financial rewards, through incorrect decisions.

 

[Boozad]

VAR did look at their penalty and agreed with it.

Nothing on the screens at the game and no pause or hesitation in what happened. And they shouldn’t have agreed with it even if they did as it was a dive. Two more negative points there for VAR, nobody at the ground even knew they looked at it and if they’re making calls like that then they shouldn’t be anywhere near making football decisions anyway.

 

[Kenny]

And at the other end, we were inches from nicking the win with Raul's header

The one that hit the post?

 

[Aikiwolf]

As someone watching the game at home last night VAR didn't work for me either. A few minutes of people drawing random lines on a screen to show if Joao's shoulder was offside or not.

VAR has impacted the game in a really negative way (and yes, I'm well aware this is confirmation bias for me!)

I've now experienced it in a ground, wholesale confusion and no one knowing what was happening and at home, weird lines and reversal of stills. Not fun.

 

[Kenny]

Nothing on the screens at the game and no pause or hesitation in what happened.

There was. Ref pointed to the spot then stood with his hand on his ear waiting for confirmation. Took about 30 seconds then he pointed at the spot again. Essentially on that one it was an easy for VAR as all they are looking at is if the ref has got it horribly wrong. Pogba knew what he doing and played for the pen but it was one. Simply task for VAR.

 

[Jinky]

The one that hit the post?

Yeah.

 

[Kenny]

Yeah.

That goes in and Neves doesn't score so no snatching a win with that. After it hit De Gea we got it back and won the corner we scored from.

The chance to win it was Jonny (?) from Traore great cross to the far post which he headed straight at the keeper