Wolves 2-2 Hull - Verdict Thread.

[Irish_Wolf]

If you read back through the build up thread then there were LOTS of people suggesting Bennett. In fact, I got pelters for suggesting we should have given German Phil a chance!

German Phil is a mythical creature.

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[Deutsch Wolf]

A few observations:

- Ruddy made at least one very good save in the second half and I think he got a touch on Hector's header which got given as a goal kick. One messy moment in the first half but he played well on the whole

- Bennett at RWB didn't work, but we really were stuck for options. Still not having it that putting a LWB there would have been any better

- Delighted for Buur Rasmussen to get his goal after he got some disgraceful stick vs Bristol Rovers

- Saiss should have buried his chance after two minutes and that would have been a very different game

- Ridiculous from both Costa and Miranda for the penalty

- N'Diaye played ok in parts, but he vacates midfield too easily and it leaves us open

- Jota didn't look quite ready (wasn't a pen either, we got a rare decision in our favour there)

- Afobe was crap when he came on, still going to be very much in the balance whether we sign him or not

- Great save from McGregor near the end from Boly's thunderbolt and we could have pinched it

- We'll still win the league

 

[Norman Deeley]

I put money on Wolves to win the Championship before the season started at 14/1 so I am a little concerned at the moment.

So did I - some fairly decent bets at 16/1 with Bet365. I've hedged some of those on Betfair so I'll still win plenty even if we don't go up as Champions, plus I have plenty of 11/2 Wolves to be promoted. So financially finishing 2nd is fine. But I want us to win the league a) because I am a Wolves supporter and b) because we play the best football and we deserve to win the league, not Cardiff with their bloody long ball hope for a knock-down bollocks

 

[rather sceptical wolf]

As for last night, while it obviously didn't work out for us, I can sort of see Nuno's reasoning behind the team selection. With our main creative force out and no viable attack minded option at rwb, I guess he would have wanted to shift the creative responsibility from midfield towards a very fluid front three who we all know are capable of creating chances out of nothing. With Saiss obviously knackered and Alf fond of making forward runs - and not so much of maintaining defensive balance - Bennett would have been chosen to balance things a bit more. Had Saiss and Jota been up to speed I think we would have secured a narrow win without too much trouble.

Btw, is anyone else starting to think Alf, bar playing the occasional blinder, is looking awfully similar to our very own Dave? Lots of running, but does he really contribute a whole lot more...?

 

[Langers]

Btw, is anyone else starting to think Alf, bar playing the occasional blinder, is looking awfully similar to our very own Dave? Lots of running, but does he really contribute a whole lot more...?

Incredibly harsh. He's much better than Edwards - it's not even close.

Not sure if I'd sign him on a permanent deal TBH, but he's played his part this season.

 

[NoodleWolf]

I think I can understand the worry - Cardiff and Fulham have both been in super-human form that almost defies probability, but we are still in an outstanding position we'd all have taken at this point if asked at the start of the season.

Still in our hands, and even considering the occasional under-par performance, we're still a very good side more than capable of winning the majority of the remaining games (I'd say all, but we all know how football can be - though I admit it would be nice to see football happen to Fulham and Cardiff so we get it officially wrapped up sooner!)

 

[Derby Wolf]

A few observations:

- Ruddy made at least one very good save in the second half and I think he got a touch on Hector's header which got given as a goal kick. One messy moment in the first half but he played well on the whole

- Bennett at RWB didn't work, but we really were stuck for options. Still not having it that putting a LWB there would have been any better

- Delighted for Buur Rasmussen to get his goal after he got some disgraceful stick vs Bristol Rovers

- Saiss should have buried his chance after two minutes and that would have been a very different game

- Ridiculous from both Costa and Miranda for the penalty

- N'Diaye played ok in parts, but he vacates midfield too easily and it leaves us open

- Jota didn't look quite ready (wasn't a pen either, we got a rare decision in our favour there)

- Afobe was crap when he came on, still going to be very much in the balance whether we sign him or not

- Great save from McGregor near the end from Boly's thunderbolt and we could have pinched it

- We'll still win the league

The header was saved by Ruddy all day long.

Sit in NL3 in line with the left post and we were all gobsmacked it wasn't a corner, the linesman on that side not seeing it either is beyond parody.

 

[SSB]

I bet on Jota top scorer... Just need a few hatricks!

I have him in the top four so still a chance.

 

[Aikiwolf]

Incredibly harsh. He's much better than Edwards - it's not even close.

Not sure if I'd sign him on a permanent deal TBH, but he's played his part this season.

I don't think it's that harsh, he's better than DE but they both have a similar poor touch and awareness of their midfield counterparts or opposition.

 

[Deano]

I don't think it's that harsh, he's better than DE but they both have a similar poor touch and awareness of their midfield counterparts or opposition.

I agree, better than Edwards but definitely not a player we should be signing going forward.

 

[rather sceptical wolf]

Don't get me wrong, he's obviously a much better player, but you do wonder where he fits in, and not only in under our style of play. Judging by most of his performances he would severely unbalance any team not completely bypassing midfield a la Stoke under Pulis.

 

[Alan]

N'Diaye would be much better suited for a midfield three. In a pair he gets forward too much and leaves space behind him that Saïss simply can't cover.

Comparisons to Edwards are genuinely unbelievable, though.

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[PuntsWolf]

He goes on charging runs but he isn’t going to do that by his own choice. If it was an issue Nuno would be telling him not to, it’s obviously something Nuno is happy for him to do.

 

[rather sceptical wolf]

He goes on charging runs but he isn’t going to do that by his own choice. If it was an issue Nuno would be telling him not to, it’s obviously something Nuno is happy for him to do.

If that's his game then maybe Nuno prefers to play to his strengths rather than doing a poor impression of Saiss or Neves. You never see either of them playing the Alf role, it would be quite a coincidence that he should perefer that kind of midfielder every time and only when Neves or Saiss is unavailable. Like said Dave, I suspect he simply can't help himself. Not to exaggerate their similarities as players, both fulfill a particular niche and one which, in my humble opinion, happens to be quite unsuited to the way we play most of the time - the two holding midfielders are essential for balance and to link up play in between flying wingbacks and wide forwards.

 

[PuntsWolf]

If that's his game then maybe Nuno prefers to play to his strengths rather than doing a poor impression of Saiss or Neves. You never see either of them playing the Alf role, it would be quite a coincidence that he should perefer that kind of midfielder every time and only when Neves or Saiss is unavailable. Like said Dave, I suspect he simply can't help himself. Not to exaggerate their similarities as players, both fulfill a particular niche and one which, in my humble opinion, happens to be quite unsuited to the way we play most of the time - the two holding midfielders are essential for balance and to link up play in between flying wingbacks and wide forwards.

They never do the Alf role as they both make Batth look quick, and simply cannot do it. If Nuno wanted him to sit alongside Saiss, then he could. He’s a professional footballer who can control a football, run with it and hit a long pass (Dave Edwards can do none of those things by the way).

Playing a box to box midfielder is generally unsuited to how we player, however it has had its uses, particularly against teams making no effort to attack us or sometimes on the counter. I agree he would be better suited to a 3.

 

[rather sceptical wolf]

You'd think Nuno has tried him out in various roles in training though. If it had worked he probably would not be playing box to box when it clearly isn't what we need. It could be down to stuff like positional awareness or simply the technical skills to move the ball quickly enough with the required precision.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I wasn't that keen when we signed him based on his performances for Sunderland and Hull, both of them pretty much parked him in front of the back four and asked him to be a destroyer. He didn't look very good.

That is not his role, he's a strange kind of player, not least because he's always prone to having 5-10 minute spells where it looks like he's never played football before.

 

[playtheace]

Would like to have known if Bennett would have worked last night if we had decided to actually pass to him.
It was painfully obvious they werent going to utilise him even though he made several runs,waving his hand in the air.
We stopped trying to give the ball to Douglas after half hour even though his young, loanee marker was on a yellow.
Second half Boly constantly played the ball elsewhere but to Douglas to run on to and what happens when we did decided to pass to him late on....

 

[Alan]

Just been watching the highlights and I have to say I'm really surprised no one has called out Boly for his role in Bennett's OG.

 

[Deleted Cyber]

So did I - some fairly decent bets at 16/1 with Bet365. I've hedged some of those on Betfair so I'll still win plenty even if we don't go up as Champions, plus I have plenty of 11/2 Wolves to be promoted. So financially finishing 2nd is fine. But I want us to win the league a) because I am a Wolves supporter and b) because we play the best football and we deserve to win the league, not Cardiff with their bloody long ball hope for a knock-down bollocks

I feel the same. However the Cardiff way has worked for them. It hasnt got any of their palyers in the team of the season but its got trhem the points on the board. I am really looking forward to Fridays match to see if we have learnt from the first game and treat them differently on their own patch.