Wolves 2-1 Chelsea: Verdict Thread

[Dire Wolf]

Agree Lemina was MOTM but Gomes was not far behind. He worked his socks off, won numerous tackles and covered every blade of grass.

However, if Gomes had been hooked at HT nobody would have been massively surprised. His 1st half wasn't good. His 2nd half was terrific.

 

[Alan]

I didn’t think Gomes was bad first half. The one big gaffe but otherwise he didn’t stand out negatively to me at all.

Felt our iffy play in the first half was a confluence of a lot of things not working moreso than any one player being particularly off it.

If you want to pick names it would probably be Nelson, just because his crossing is as reliable as chaos theory.

 

[sycophantia]

I didn’t think Gomes was bad first half. The one big gaffe but otherwise he didn’t stand out negatively to me at all.

Felt our iffy play in the first half was a confluence of a lot of things not working moreso than any one player being particularly off it.

If you want to pick names it would probably be Nelson, just because his crossing is as reliable as chaos theory.

He wasn't that bad Alan, yes that big cock up could have cost us but he got over it, the rest of the first half he was ok, second half excellent.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

What a weird game. That first half an hour was absolute bobbins. Fucking terrible stuff. Picked up for the 10-15 minutes either side of half time, and then a cracking header (though standing still seven yards out should never be a goal).

Thought after the goal we actually managed the game pretty well, the timing and the idea behind the subs was sound, and we pretty much had them at arms length until Kilman fell asleep.

Lemina was absolutely fucking phenomenal, what a player he is. Semedo and RAN also very good. Front three were dogshit.

It sounds churlish of me because I'd have been delighted with where we are if you'd asked me in August, but I'm just not feeling it fully though. I just think we should have more of an established style of play, the pressing is good but on the ball I'm still not sure what he wants us to look like tbh, but can have no complaints with the points and the goals, and he is a pretty likeable fella.

It's pretty obvious what we need in January but not getting particularly excited by it as I doubt it will come

I mean it IS churlish as none of us would have had us down for 22 points And we haven't done a Lage job of robbing them with awful performances either.

But I do get it, without Neto I'm not sure what we are, and we can't just hope he's fit forever. Or even here next season.

 

[Alan]

To Gary’s credit, it’s been 8 matches since Neto got hurt again. I don’t think anyone would have expected to take 10 points from such a stretch without him (even if there are a couple of real clanger results in there).

 

[Dire Wolf]

He wasn't that bad Alan, yes that big cock up could have cost us but he got over it, the rest of the first half he was ok, second half excellent.

I think he played like he was trying to make up for his big mistake and was absolutely possessed in that 2nd half.

 

[sycophantia]

I think he played like he was trying to make up for his big mistake and was absolutely possessed in that 2nd half.

Don't get me wrong, I don't think he's the finished article but think he's had a bit of unfair criticism recently, he's coming along nicely but there will be errors such as today. Mainly I think its his decision making let's him down occasionally, hopefully that will come with experience.

 

[PuntsWolf]

Not sure why Gomes is getting any grief for that “mistake”. It’s dreadful from Sa. The ball is out to Semedo. There’s a clear passing angle to start with and then after he dallies just any clipped ball into 20 yards of space sees Semedo on the ball carrying it forward. Even is Gomes touch wasn’t loose, what was he going to do? The blind first time ball out Semedo is tricky and risky as fuck (and difficult on his weak side) and taking a touch was always going to see him in trouble.

 

[Tony Towner]

He belts it out of play for a throw and we reset. It's really poor from him, yes it's a hospital pass, but that doesn't make his part acceptable

 

[Alan]

Both can shoulder fair blame, IMO. Sá probably shouldn’t make the pass but his reaction after the save tells me that exact situation has been practiced and that João went off script by taking a five yard touch into Sterling’s path.

It’s risky to the point of naïvete but equally if Gomes’ first touch is a little better it’s fine.

 

[Jack Regan]

He belts it out of play for a throw and we reset. It's really poor from him, yes it's a hospital pass, but that doesn't make his part acceptable

Yep a better first touch and he doesn't lose the ball, at the very least he kicks it out or gets it back to Sa. The fact that those are his two options though tells you what a stupid pass to him it was in the first place (should have just gone back to Semedo).

 

[Alan]

I’d wager loads of coaches are expecting their CMs to cope with that these days.

 

[Jack Regan]

If there's one guy closing you down then yes, but two puts far too much unnecessary pressure on the player receiving the ball.

 

[Alan]

If there's one guy closing you down then yes, but two puts far too much unnecessary pressure on the player receiving the ball.

Not sure I agree with those coaches tbf.

Charlotte did it obsessively under Lattanzio. Never got less scary.

 

[Jack Regan]

Arsenal yesterday were massively guilty of the same sort of pass against the press (Liverpool really should have punished them for it) and they have far better players than we do. The fact coaches like it doesn't mean it's not stupid and going to cost you goals at some point.

 

[StuardoWulf]

Sky premier 10 to half past

 

[Johnny75]

Our style of play is win the ball high up and then try and try and create something, normally down the outside with cut backs or direct running down the middle trying to commit players. Then when we are deep try and counter with ball carrying.

That's not a style of play.

Running with the ball from deep is something you might try with an U12 side, not a PL side.

We don't play on the counter by the way. Not even close.

 

[PuntsWolf]

Both can shoulder fair blame, IMO. Sá probably shouldn’t make the pass but his reaction after the save tells me that exact situation has been practiced and that João went off script by taking a five yard touch into Sterling’s path.

It’s risky to the point of naïvete but equally if Gomes’ first touch is a little better it’s fine.

The “script” is play the ball into midfield and bounce it out wide, needs to be first time otherwise trouble. Gomes had no clue what’s around him, panicked a bit and didn’t fancy the first time on his weak foot. Even a decent close touch and he’s in bother and Jackson may intercept the return to Sa

Sa just needs to hit it Semedo and I have no idea why he didn’t. This is the moment Sa plays the ball…

Then the moment Gomes receives it. Two players sprinting, he’s fucked on pretty much any touch. First time his only option

 

[Wilf Wolf]

Probably the only thing Jackson did right all game was to move to his right to make the ball to Semedo a bit more difficult. Given Gomes was a fair way away Sa was going to have to play the pass to him with some pace. In the circumstances safety first and a long kick made sense as even if Go es controlled the ball it was going to go back to Sa and he’d have probably had to kick it then.

 

[The Bear]

Gomes should have turned Sterling the first time he was closed down BEFORE the back pass to Sa. He could have carried on the attack and there was loads of space for him to turn to his right away from him as Sterling was coming at him over his left shoulder.