Wolves 2-1 Man City: Verdict Thread

[Kenny]

But what if it pushes us up the table and stops us having to look down?

It's the tactics around the formation we need to worry about going forward.

I don't think 3 at the back will be the norm but we will see it a few times this season. Quite possibly next week but not v Bournemouth.

 

[AndyWolves]

Makes it seem like everything from the last Nuno season onwards has been for nothing though!

I was thinking this earlier today!

 

[prawnking]

Like I said, no problem with it if done the right way, but we need strong alternatives for games when we're not massive underdogs also

 

[prawnking]

But what if it pushes us up the table and stops us having to look down?

It's the tactics around the formation we need to worry about going forward.

I don't think 3 at the back will be the norm but we will see it a few times this season. Quite possibly next week but not v Bournemouth.

Agree that we need pragmatism, especially with the cock ups we've made since the 'transition' was mooted under Nuno.

Back then there was a project, now it's really just staying up, so let's do that (hopefully with some great days like yesterday thrown in) and hope the chance of another 'project' comes around soon...

 

[Jinky]

This guy has to wear this shirt at every match from now on.

 

[Aikiwolf]

I'm surprised anyone thinks that the time between Nuno leaving and GON taking the reigns hasn't been anything but a waste of time?

Lage was a travesty of a manager and everything has been firefighting since then?

 

[Wolvensam]

I'm surprised anyone thinks that the time between Nuno leaving and GON taking the reigns hasn't been anything but a waste of time?

Lage was a travesty of a manager and everything has been firefighting since then?

Yeah, it’s not a regression at all - it’s just a total lack of progress. Lage was pants and JL just arrested the very big slide we were on.

 

[lemonjelly]

Not really sure why Cunha attracts such negativity. I can certainly see why Lope wanted him. Seems to me that his price tag is what he is being judged by.

I think he has done OK since arriving and is clearly learning what the Prem is all about. His best game was at Old Trafford and the way he can carry a ball is a really good attribute. Yes, he has weaknesses but I'm sure he will improve those in time. Frankly, he's far from our worst problem.

because he is absolutely brilliant at many aspects of the game - recovering the ball, defending from the front, nipping in to win the ball etc, and then uses that to go on an amazing run, usually beating a number of players, then the shot or final pass is fucking woeful.
He isn't a £40m+ player because of the finishing/final decision.

 

[Alan]

I'm surprised anyone thinks that the time between Nuno leaving and GON taking the reigns hasn't been anything but a waste of time?

Lage was a travesty of a manager and everything has been firefighting since then?

Hey man, we didn’t get relegated. That ain’t nothing.

 

[Tony Towner]

I find it difficult to understand why you wouldn't judge any player by the price tag? I could buy a standard Audi A3, it's a nice car, drives well, has some good internal features and looks very respectable on my drive.
If I paid £60k for it though, it doesn't stop it being any of those things, it isn't however value for money

 

[lemonjelly]

formation plays to the strengths of the front 3 too. They all have pace so know they can bomb forward. Gomes and Lemina sit with the back 3. Neo and Hwang have a whole lot more influence and impact in this formation.
Interesting to see where Sasa fits in to this. He doesn't look the quickest, so I wonder how we'd get Neot and Hwang close to him.

 

[Boozad]

formation plays to the strengths of the front 3 too. They all have pace so know they can bomb forward. Gomes and Lemina sit with the back 3. Neo and Hwang have a whole lot more influence and impact in this formation.
Interesting to see where Sasa fits in to this. He doesn't look the quickest, so I wonder how we'd get Neot and Hwang close to him.

Fantastic achievement to spell Neto wrong twice in two different ways there!

 

[big mean bunny]

Not really sure why Cunha attracts such negativity. I can certainly see why Lope wanted him. Seems to me that his price tag is what he is being judged by.

I think he has done OK since arriving and is clearly learning what the Prem is all about. His best game was at Old Trafford and the way he can carry a ball is a really good attribute. Yes, he has weaknesses but I'm sure he will improve those in time. Frankly, he's far from our worst problem.

He has absolutely been an okay signing, and there is the issue. Its a lot of money to pay for someone that looks like they'd maybe be 3rd or 4th on the list of upgrades needed in strength order.

Last year I compared him to Ayoez Perez, nothing has really changed or swayed me that was too unfair.

 

[Carsy]

It's clearly now an option for games against evidently better sides, but in games where we should be expecting to match the opposition I'm not a fan, you are setting up to protect your weaknesses rather than exaggerate your strengths. In a binary sense you are picking Toti over Bellgarde, I'd be pissed off if we do that against Bournemouth for example

Horses for courses. Against the better teams, where we expect to be under the cosh, then 5 at the back is more suitable. It’s a ‘let’s stay in the game’ approach, which is where we are.

Against the teams in and around us, then not for me. Only the top teams really stick to playing the same way.

The pleasing thing yesterday was, that although we were 5 at the back and tight defensively, the front 3 were athletic and can cover the ground quickly, so we still got players forward.

Also allowed wing backs to go forward at certain times (semedo for 2nd goal) yet we were still structurally sound with Gomes/lemina there to fill in/ 4 defenders just shuffle across

 

[Alan]

I find it difficult to understand why you wouldn't judge any player by the price tag? I could buy a standard Audi A3, it's a nice car, drives well, has some good internal features and looks very respectable on my drive.
If I paid £60k for it though, it doesn't stop it being any of those things, it isn't however value for money

A couple of things, I think:

• Players aren’t machines so I think there is a measure of grace inherently given
• There’s a general acceptance that transfer fees are practically Monopoly Money
• A player’s fee is almost never set by the player in question, always third parties

 

[Carsy]

I find it difficult to understand why you wouldn't judge any player by the price tag? I could buy a standard Audi A3, it's a nice car, drives well, has some good internal features and looks very respectable on my drive.
If I paid £60k for it though, it doesn't stop it being any of those things, it isn't however value for money

I guess you’re right the the fact that Cunha clearly isn’t a bad player. A good player to be fair. But he’s not a 40million pound player.

It’s part of a judgement on a player. Not the full judgement though

 

[Tony Towner]

A couple of things, I think:

• Players aren’t machines so I think there is a measure of grace inherently given

He's played 28 games for us I think. That's enough time for a grace period and time to at least draw preliminary conclusions

• There’s a general acceptance that transfer fees are practically Monopoly Money

When your club pleads to not having money, it's relevant

• A player’s fee is almost never set by the player in question, always third parties

No, but is relevant when discussing whether you are getting fair value for your investment.

I like Cunha and the energy he brings and would start up most if not every week, he's not a £43m player though and for me that price is the benchmark

 

[Lycan]

People keep saying Cunha isn't a #9 but this season against United and City he's put in 2 of the best #9 performances we've seen at Wolves since before Raúl's injury. Scored a good #9's goal against Palace as well.

I get that he needs to score more but personally I've seen enough from him to suggest that'll he'll score goals for us with time. He's one of the first names on the team sheet atm for me, along with Neto he's one of the few players we've got with a bit of an X factor.

 

[Quirkafleeg]

I get that he needs to score more but personally I've seen enough from him to suggest that'll he'll score goals for us with time. He's one of the first names on the team sheet atm for me, along with Neto he's one of the few players we've got with a bit of an X factor.

Hwang as well. Front three is a given at the moment.

 

[Tony Towner]

People keep saying Cunha isn't a #9 but this season against United and City he's put in 2 of the best #9 performances we've seen at Wolves since before Raúl's injury. Scored a good #9's goal against Palace as well.

I get that he needs to score more but personally I've seen enough from him to suggest that'll he'll score goals for us with time. He's one of the first names on the team sheet atm for me, along with Neto he's one of the few players we've got with a bit of an X factor.

Game dependant, when you looking for work rate and link up play he can play the role well. He can't finish though, which is why for me he's not a 9. In a game you are looking to dictate he'd be better deeper behind a 9. Whether we have one or not is another matter.