Wolves 2-1 Everton: Verdict Thread

[Deutsch Wolf]

Kieffer Moore is 2021/22's Jordan Hugill. We shouldn't be looking at him as he is shit.

 

[Paul]

I don't know whether Bruno acticely wants us to hold on to what we have, or whether it's just apprehension on the players' part, but it's not good for the nerves. I was convinced we were going to chuck away two points like we did at Leeds.

I honestly don't think we adopted any other kind of approach last night, I thought Rafa spotted what he did wrong and in bringing Delph on shored up their midfield that quite frankly was totally outclassed and bypassed in the first half

 

[HanDoJin]

Yeah, if we're expecting to just see out a game by passing pretty triangles around any top tier side, we'd be wearing red and playing at Anfield. Delph made a world of difference last night, and Everton tried to play 10-15 closer to the halfway line.

Still, considering only Sa, Trincao and Hwang are new to this team there's so many green shoots lately. Back the man in January Jeff

 

[The Saturday Boy]

Everton 1st half were abysmal, by far the worst side at Molineux for some time. They set up with two banks of four when defending that were penned back for the whole half, their 2 up front barely saw the ball. Allowing players like Neves and Moutinho to control the game like they did was a tactical aberration on Everton's part. It took us about 10 minutes to work it out and from then on we were constantly causing them problems with our movement and passing.

2nd half they played Richarlison up front with three midfielders behind but much further forward and Delph in front of their defence. We tried to play the same way but the spaces on the pitch were in different places and I don't think we got to grips with it.

We should have been 3 or 4 up after the first half and probably should have scored a couple in the second...on another day they might have got an equaliser but most of Everton's threat was caused by us rather than anything they had.

Hwang and Trincao tired after about an hour and I think we should have taken both off and maybe brought Dendocker on to sit on Delph and deny him space.

Benitez is no mug of a manager and his half time changes had an impact on the game - but this was a very deserved win, closer than it should have been maybe...

10 games in and we have won half of them and, Villa aside, they have been deserved. There is room for improvement which is probably only going to come with new players but compared to last season this is joyous.

 

[Aikiwolf]

There is room for improvement which is probably only going to come with new players but compared to last season this is joyous.

Jeff Shi wants the laughing emoji back for this.

 

[Quirkafleeg]

I bet he can't either.

I was more thinking of having Moore alongside Raul so we've got two targets so to speak. Have Moore as the target and Raul playing off him.

If we're going to play like that we know that the tricky wingers don't really hold the ball up.

Did you not watch the game last night.. You're trolling me man

 

[The Bear]

We didn't sit back per say but we became very sloppy in possession and refused to commit men forwards plating it safe a lot. That meant we lost out in possession often and the ball kept coming back at us a lot more.

 

[AndyWolves]

Did you not watch the game last night.. You're trolling me man

I'm agreeing with you that Moore can't do the things Raul can

 

[Jinky]

Delph had an impact because he basically sat in the space where Raul/Hwang/Trincao were dropping in to throughout the whole of the first half. I lost count of the amount of times they received the ball in those spaces and were able to turn and run at the defence. Delph stopped that pass being available.

It was a simple tweak from Rafa but it made a difference.

 

[Johnny75]

We didn't sit back per say but we became very sloppy in possession and refused to commit men forwards plating it safe a lot. That meant we lost out in possession often and the ball kept coming back at us a lot more.

I think that was more to do with Everton having Delph on slightly deeper than their two in the midfield.

We also visibly tired and both Hwang and Trincao weren't making those fluid runs as often as they did in the first half. So even when we did have the ball we were all a bit slow.

When they did make the runs along with RAN moving forward we looked as good as we did in the first half.

Moutinho also lost some of his zip on the hour mark which was understandable.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Moutinho also lost some of his zip song the hour mark which was understandable.

Was still winning headers all the way through, which is a pretty damning mark on their central midfield. I doubt I'd seen him win five in his entire Wolves career before last night and then he probably doubled that tally.

They were awful. I'm not sure what they thought they were getting with Rafa, I'm pretty sure it's not what they want.

Also dressed like he'd been working a shift on the bins.

 

[AndyWolves]

Delph had an impact because he basically sat in the space where Raul/Hwang/Trincao were dropping in to throughout the whole of the first half. I lost count of the amount of times the received the ball in those spaces and were able to turn and run at the defence. Delph stopped that pass being available.

It was a simple tweak from Rafa but it made a difference.

Lage even called out in his pre match interview about the space in behind Evertons midfield.

 

[Johnny75]

Like many have said last night's first half was as good as anything served up to us in a few seasons.

The pressing and fluidity was like watching peak Dortmund/ Liverpool.

Neves showed he was world class as did RAN. The latters work rate and touch were just what we needed.

Everton were made to look really poor by the movement off and with the ball. Neves, Moutinho, Kilman, Coady and Saiss always had two options forward and one sideways/ backwards when they had the ball and the passing between the lines was excellent.

We tired in the second half and then defended like warriors for the last 15.

It's so enjoyable to watch Wolves like this, very similar to the first three games but with added finishing.

I think we're 1 box-to-box midfielder away from playing that way for 90 minutes.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Was still winning headers all the way through, which is a pretty damning mark on their central midfield. I doubt I'd seen him win five in his entire Wolves career before last night and then he probably doubled that tally.

They were awful. I'm not sure what they thought they were getting with Rafa, I'm pretty sure it's not what they want.

Also dressed like he'd been working a shift on the bins.

I said this to friends, he looked awful last night, an old man, badly dressed, stressed, he looks tired.

 

[Tom Hark]

I honestly don't think we adopted any other kind of approach last night, I thought Rafa spotted what he did wrong and in bringing Delph on shored up their midfield that quite frankly was totally outclassed and bypassed in the first half

Yes, good point. It's always easier to assume we're doing something wrong than that the opposition is doing something right. Delph was surprisingly effective. It still seemed that we were looking to pass towards our own goal a bit too often and letting them dictate the game but, hey, three points; I'm not going to complain too loudly (unlike after the Leeds game).

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Yes, good point. It's always easier to assume we're doing something wrong than that the opposition is doing something right. Delph was surprisingly effective. It still seemed that we were looking to pass towards our own goal a bit too often and letting them dictate the game but, hey, three points; I'm not going to complain too loudly (unlike after the Leeds game).

I know Iwobi scored (how the hell does he keep doing it against us, he's mince and their fans hate him) but they really should have brought Gordon on earlier. He caused a lot of trouble and actually gave a shit.

 

[MARKakaJIM]

We didn't sit back per say but we became very sloppy in possession and refused to commit men forwards plating it safe a lot. That meant we lost out in possession often and the ball kept coming back at us a lot more.

I agree, think there was a fair contrast to the Leeds game in the way Wolves still looking to play their way out in the face of increased pressure second half, it just faltered more than you'd want. Think players are still in two minds at times between what the new coach wants and what went before so you get situations where they're caught between two stools.

There were a couple of moments in the second half I remember where the intent was there but execution or confidence let it down. Once with Semedo picking up a loose ball, closed down by an Everton player and Trincao was coming short but he didn't risk the pass inside, took a touch across the opponent but just pushed himself to the byline with no space to do anything other than lump it down the line. Needed to back himself to play that earlier pass into Trincao and maybe then he can make the run beyond the pressing opponent to get back on the ball in space. Another where I think Trincao got onto a long ball forward and tried to chest it into the path of Semedo but he was caught short and ended up fouling Gray trying to make something of it, just a bit of a mix up where maybe Semedo hasn't committed to the run or Trincao underhits the lay off but nice to see they're trying to play under pressure.

 

[Paul]

I know Iwobi scored (how the hell does he keep doing it against us, he's mince and their fans hate him) but they really should have brought Gordon on earlier. He caused a lot of trouble and actually gave a shit.

Bloody ugly kid though !

 

[Newbridge Wolf]

Bloody ugly kid though !

Thought they'd put Plug from the Bash St kids on.

 

[Throbber3]

That first half was one of the most enjoyable to watch from a Wolves side for a long, long time; perhaps since we were in the Championship

It was good. But Arsenal and Jota was the tops for me during the time period. Absolutely minced them.