Wolves 1 Reading 2 - Verdict Thread

[sycophantia]

On my jollies, so didn't see the game nor too many reports. What I have seen is KJ for the 4th match running talking about a lack of tempo. At some point he has to stop speaking like he's unconnected to this and take accountability for it. Perhaps time to drop McDonald as he is our playmaker and more responsible than anyone for dictating the tempo of our play?

I agree with this but not sure who we have to bring in for McDonald

 

[Sedgley Wolf]

I agree with putting PIG at fault for the first. Way too slow.

Now I'm not his biggest fan, but it's harsh to blame Doherty for the second. The only other option he has in that position is to lunge in, giving the Reading player the chance to skip past him and getting into a REALLY dangerous position. As it was, the ball was put in and we had a couple of chances to get a foot in, which we didn't do, thus leading to the goal.

 

[Edgmond Wolf]

I thought Kusack was at fault for the first goal, he should be getting down to that and not getting beaten at his near post. Imo Ikeme would have saved it.

I agree, I thought Ikeme would have saved that but to be fair ku sack has been out for 18 months and looked nervous especially second half

 

[YoungWolf]

Wasn't Kuszczak in the Brighton team last season? Which was only 6ish months ago

 

[slink]

I think it's incredibly harsh on Kuszczak to think he should be saving that. Pogrebnyak takes it very early and gets a good connection on it albeit with his weaker foot. There are a few errors in the goal like Hause' header and Doherty not getting around but the biggest one for me is how after 20 seconds they managed to get a player in between our 2 cbs and the 2 sitting midfielders.

 

[Aikiwolf]

kuszczak wasn't entirely to blame for the goal, there were plenty of errors leading up to the goal but I still feel he should do better. Both with coming out quicker and getting down quicker.

Fair point that he shouldn't have to deal with that situation 20 seconds into his debut!

 

[slink]

I think he could have got down quicker but i'm not sure he saves it still, was a good finish to be fair.

 

[Deleted Cyber]

I think what has rubbed me up the wrong way this season ( and others in our championship days since the turn of the century) is our inconsistency. We flatter to deceive beating teams like middlesbrough Blackburn twice Watford on their own pitch and get slaughtered by Huddesfield and Forest and fail to win against Blackpool away, Brighton, Wigan Home and Charlton (both). Pile this on to giving games away against Reading away and Millwall away and its easy to understand the frustration. That all said we are where most of us expected us to be a top 10 side that needs a little bit extra. Changing the manager wont help that as the club vision is one that does not involve big time charlies on premier wages.
I want us to be more clinical and more creative and to have a plan B. When we get worked out we lose. There should be another way if we need to chase a game or do things differently to get a point or hold on for a win. This is especially true at Home where we are expected to have an upper hand. I thought the crowd has been very supportive and positive on the whole this season but some of our home performances even those that have yielded positive results have been pretty average fair.Still a lack of real spark for me even with Sako. At the risk of a lashing I think we are a bit predictable

 

[lemonjelly]

That's a nonsense. If anything we've been ridiculously consistent this season.
First 8 games, solid, concede only 3 goals, excellent start to the campaign.
November, terrible, opened up way too easily, lose every game.
Since then, an unbeaten run of 8 games, conceding only 4 goals.

I think everyone wants us to be more clinical & creative. It appears KJ agrees, & I suspect he tried that in November. The result is we became very vulnerable at the back & lost games. Badly.
KJ addressed this, by making us more solid. He also brought in Afobe. Price was not only recalled, but brought into the starting line up.

I think we've a good idea of who our first choice back 5 are. Possibly even the first choice 2 midfielders in front of these.

What KJ/we now need to work out is our best options for midfield, possible front 4, work out the best combinations, and the most effective pattern(s) for the players we have at our disposal. Are we 4-3-3 (we're not, at all), or are we 4-5-1 (more often than not), are we 4-4-2 (nowhere near at the mo) & what happened to 4-2-3-1? Working out that, and how we can change from one to the other with appropriate substitutions is key now.

At the moment KJ seems to be throwing on more forwards & suggesting we play 4-4-2 or even 4-3-3 without us looking at all convincing in that style.

 

[Parkins left foot]

Late to this after travelling today (then doing stuff outside whilst the sun was out) - my thoughts have already been made by others, though one that struck me was how often second balls were being won by Reading - the whole team seemed sluggish.

Not saying we would have created more/played better than we did, but would have had more ball to attempt to do so. They just appeared to be quicker at reacting to the loose ball than we were.

(& if you are forced to change 40% of the defensive 5, assuming that Golbourne's absence was concerns over injury, then why change another 20% as well - didn't make sense. Don't think that Doherty is any better than Iorfa in an attack anyway)

PS really good to tick off another 'meet & greet' of a fellow TWFer in LJ - and it was a good trip up despite the result & the fact that I couldn't turn the radiator down in the hotel room as the thermostat was bust so ended up with the window wide open all night, still its their energy not mine)

 

[MARKakaJIM]

That's a nonsense. If anything we've been ridiculously consistent this season.
First 8 games, solid, concede only 3 goals, excellent start to the campaign.
November, terrible, opened up way too easily, lose every game.
Since then, an unbeaten run of 8 games, conceding only 4 goals.

I think everyone wants us to be more clinical & creative. It appears KJ agrees, & I suspect he tried that in November. The result is we became very vulnerable at the back & lost games. Badly.
KJ addressed this, by making us more solid. He also brought in Afobe. Price was not only recalled, but brought into the starting line up.

I think we've a good idea of who our first choice back 5 are. Possibly even the first choice 2 midfielders in front of these.

What KJ/we now need to work out is our best options for midfield, possible front 4, work out the best combinations, and the most effective pattern(s) for the players we have at our disposal. Are we 4-3-3 (we're not, at all), or are we 4-5-1 (more often than not), are we 4-4-2 (nowhere near at the mo) & what happened to 4-2-3-1? Working out that, and how we can change from one to the other with appropriate substitutions is key now.

At the moment KJ seems to be throwing on more forwards & suggesting we play 4-4-2 or even 4-3-3 without us looking at all convincing in that style.

The terrible November form had nothing to do with Jackett experimenting, it was all down to a few key injuries and a complete lack of alternative game plan, the team fell apart.

 

[playtheace]

Late to this after travelling today (then doing stuff outside whilst the sun was out) - my thoughts have already been made by others, though one that struck me was how often second balls were being won by Reading - the whole team seemed sluggish.

Not saying we would have created more/played better than we did, but would have had more ball to attempt to do so. They just appeared to be quicker at reacting to the loose ball than we were.

(& if you are forced to change 40% of the defensive 5, assuming that Golbourne's absence was concerns over injury, then why change another 20% as well - didn't make sense. Don't think that Doherty is any better than Iorfa in an attack anyway)

PS really good to tick off another 'meet & greet' of a fellow TWFer in LJ - and it was a good trip up despite the result & the fact that I couldn't turn the radiator down in the hotel room as the thermostat was bust so ended up with the window wide open all night, still its their energy not mine)

Not just second balls...how much time to Reading give our defence/midfield on the ball for most parts of the match?
Quite a few hurried passes during the match.
Why cant we show the same urgency?
I agree with the poster that points out how KJ knows the tempo isnt fast enough and has said this 3 or 4 times now but nothing is being done about it.
The fact that Doherty played didnt help Vlp for me.
He gives him no outlet down the line, no give and go like Iorfa does...Big mistake to play Doherty on saturday and
just as Vlp starts to come into the game then he takes him off!
Very frustrating game.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

The fact that Doherty played didnt help Vlp for me.
He gives him no outlet down the line, no give and go like Iorfa does...Big mistake to play Doherty on saturday and
just as Vlp starts to come into the game then he takes him off!
Very frustrating game.

Doherty has started laying the ball into the winger then running INSIDE the fullback, right into traffic where the centre halves are. Who is that supposed to help? It means there's no pass on and if we lose the ball we know he has no hope of getting back. Must have done it half a dozen times in the first half alone on Saturday.

The defeat is on Ken I'm afraid, he changed right back for no reason and lo and behold we concede the winner from a cross that doesn't get stopped (surprise surprise), he decided to go 4-4-2 with Edwards after half time as one of a central pair - a role he has performed well probably less than 10 times in his 7 years at the club - and funnily enough we're wide open and they run right through us.

When we switch to 4-4-2 it looks like we've never even practiced it. No-one has any idea what they're supposed to be doing, the forwards are ultra static, we get all the inherent weaknesses of that shape with no positives.

 

[Deleted Cyber]

I agree with putting PIG at fault for the first. Way too slow.

Now I'm not his biggest fan, but it's harsh to blame Doherty for the second. The only other option he has in that position is to lunge in, giving the Reading player the chance to skip past him and getting into a REALLY dangerous position. As it was, the ball was put in and we had a couple of chances to get a foot in, which we didn't do, thus leading to the goal.

I agree with putting PIG at fault for the first. Way too slow.- someone explain PIG? His looks? Looks like Pigsy from Monkey? What?

That's a nonsense. If anything we've been ridiculously consistent this season.

Hogwash( scuse the pun.) We have beaten teams when we were not expected too and lost to teams or dropped points to teams who we should have dispatched. Your statement is only true if you mean that we have been consistent in being inconsistent

The terrible November form had nothing to do with Jackett experimenting, it was all down to a few key injuries and a complete lack of alternative game plan, the team fell apart.

as I said above I want us to be more clinical and more creative and to have a plan B. When we get worked out we lose. There should be another way if we need to chase a game or do things differently to get a point or hold on for a win. This is especially true at Home where we are expected to have an upper hand

 

[Kenny]

I agree with putting PIG at fault for the first. Way too slow.- someone explain PIG? His looks? Looks like Pigsy from Monkey? What?

Pole in Goal

 

[Deleted Cyber]

Pole in Goal

Oh dear- I did him quite the diservice- I will take a yellow:icon_Red-Card: or even a red. You can see what I meant thoughView attachment 810

 

[Penk Wolf]

Pole in Goal

Who the bloody hell made that up - that's awful.

 

[lemonjelly]

What a shit reference that is! :facepalm:

Been thinking a hell of a lot about the changes. I'm torn. Has to be either:
a) one eye on tuesday, or;
b) injuries

Ikeme - no doubting that one. His foot was in a brace.
Golbourne - he's returning from a lont time off. Kid gloves I guess. Wouldn't want him to break down on his return. I can allow this one.
Iorfa - people have suggested injury for him being replaced in previous games. I've not seen confirmation of this, but it is possible.
Dicko - people have suggested his back isn't 100% (he did look like he was holding it a couple of times saturday). I'd be starting Afobe currently, to allow Dicko to recover.

So, if injuries are an issue (plausible, given the above), that makes 1 tactical change - Price for Evans.
However, given the defensive changes, this change absolutely should not have been made. Price offers massive cover to the defence, & is (imo) a brilliant organiser and communicator.

 

[Kenny]

Who the bloody hell made that up - that's awful.

The fans who reside in the Hawthorns

 

[Sedgley Wolf]

The fans who reside in the Hawthorns

Nope, the United lot did. I read it on Red Cafe a few times.

It is slightly :facepalm: but it's easier than spelling his name. Now I consider myself to be a decent speller but I can never remember!