Wolves 3-2 Man City: Delicious Double Verdict

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Sterling on Traore was a foul.

Raul dived (If you're talking about near the corner of the north bank and Steve bull)

The advantage was poor, but if a ref makes 2 or 3 bad decisions it's a hell of lot better than most of the refs we have had who make 8+.

He didn't fall for the penalty or a couple of shitty dives.

 

[Derby Wolf]

Also a word for Dendoncker mugging off KdB in the second half. Takes some balls doing that to one of the best midfielders in the world in the form he's in.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Also a word for Dendoncker mugging off KdB in the second half. Takes some balls doing that to one of the best midfielders in the world in the form he's in.

And his international team mate!

 

[Derby Wolf]

Sterling on Traore was a foul.

Raul dived (If you're talking about near the corner of the north bank and Steve bull)

The advantage was poor, but if a ref makes 2 or 3 bad decisions it's a hell of lot better than most of the refs we have had who make 8+.

He didn't fall for the penalty or a couple of shitty dives.

Just watched the Jimenez one, Fernandinho nudges him with a shoulder as he tries to control the ball, Beglin even clocked it. If you're rewatching you won't think it's a dive on second look, I hope.

 

[StuardoWulf]

Honestly, I didn’t even celebrate the 1st or 2nd goals as I fully expected them to be VAR’d. Doesn’t feel a patch on beating Utd in the FA Cup last season or Villa in the champ.

Was a great game, but can’t really say I enjoyed it. I suspect this will probably be my last season as a season ticket holder, if I can’t feel excited / happy after that comeback, then that says a lot.

Tredman I'm there with you but I just can't give up my season ticket, it makes me fuckin sick this VAR Shit

 

[StuardoWulf]

That was epic.

Replay on amazon at midnight and I'm so wired I'm going to watch all of it.

Watching the pre match coverage now!

Anyway

Rui - saved 2 pens, but could he have held the 2nd? Very harsh? But just a thought. That's 3 out of 3 Sterling saves for him including Asia cup?

Doc - goal aside I thought he was a bit crap, although he did get in some good positions just didn't get fed. What a goal though, so calm in the finish. He's been in that position before, against Brighton away last season and another game this season that he slammed at the keeper, tonight he slotted it. What a goalscoring enigma this bloke is.

Donk - gave away the penalty, and whilst harsh he didn't need to dangle a leg? Also looked at fault for their second with trying to play offside? However probably hedging his bets knowing he'd never catch Sterling - would need to see it again. He was very good other than that.

Coady - good performance, did very well in the air I thought and made 2 or 3 vital challenges when they were in behind.

Saiss - excellent performance, his passing was so good fed our wide players really well and snuffed them out countless times. 1 tackle on KDB was Bobby Moore-esque. Our best defender tonight I thought, yet i was most worried about him pre game.

Jonny - god forward well, and linked nicely with Jota, unlikely not to get a chance when the ref fucked us over.

Neves - was this his best overall game in a Wolves shirt? Did SOOO much work, his tackling, heading, passing and even a bit of dribbling was exemplary, truly superb tonight. MoTM

Moutinho - excellent, but unusually not as good as Neves. A couple of disappointing deliveries.

Jota - could he have scored rather than milk the sending off? Need to see it again, always a threat, decision making slightly off tonight. Always a threat though.

Raul - I didn't think he was great tonight, but he gets a goal and assist!! Barmy.

Traore - again a superb goal and a superb assist, end product now is getting really consistent! It was refreshing to see City not try and kick fuck out of him! I love him

Neto - another really good cameo, actually looking an effective sub option now after a couple of months of that not being the case.

Vinagre - good as well, won a couple of corners and ran hard at a tiring defence.

Ref - thought he had a good game. He missed an early foul by Sterling on Traore, that aside what did he do wrong? (Edit - the non advantage was shit) Maybe could have been harsher on their keeper for time wasting - but few refs do.

Nuno - was patient, made the subs at the right time. Fully expected him to go 352 tonight, but he was right - of course [emoji4]

Pep - took off Aguero, KDB and Mahrez, the 3 players that could have really helped them run the game out and take the pressure off. He unlike Nuno was worrying about Sundays game too much.

What a win though, I never saw it coming at 2-0 especially as their shit housery started to kick in. We have an incredible belief in this squad - how much of that comes from how small it is? I don't want more than 2 coming in for January, with Vallejo going out.

Wrong

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Thanks for your considered response there fella, perhaps explain where you think I'm wrong rather than knocking a post with a one word criticism, nice.

No doubt you'll think I'm wrong when I suggest you're a bit of a fucking bellend.

 

[WOODLANDSWOLF]

I think orgasmic just about covers my feeling. Not just a win but rubbing Sterlings pouty little chops in it. I detest that little man, we have had him stuffed down our throats by the media as poor boy done good and the poster child for race relations in sport and all I see is an arrogant, swaggering, sly, dirty cheating little git!

By gum, I feel better for that. What a day!!!

 

[Norman Deeley]

What a bloody game. Made even better for me - see post #48 on the matchday thread. Whoop!

 

[Tredman]

Tredman I'm there with you but I just can't give up my season ticket, it makes me fuckin sick this VAR Shit

Neither will I probably, more considered in the morning. Won’t change the fact that VAR ruins matches, 2 games this season where I haven’t felt engaged with the game.

I think orgasmic just about covers my feeling. Not just a win but rubbing Sterlings pouty little chops in it. I detest that little man, we have had him stuffed down our throats by the media as poor boy done good and the poster child for race relations in sport and all I see is an arrogant, swaggering, sly, dirty cheating little git!

By gum, I feel better for that. What a day!!!

That’s just random. Didn’t think he did much wrong, the VAR stuff wasn’t his fault and it was Mahrez who dived. He’s a fantastic player, and was very magnanimous at the end.

 

[Norman Deeley]

A few random thoughts without a hangover…

You can never condone people throwing things, but I can understand the sheer frustration with VAR: last night it was hard to escape the feeling that ‘we’re going to give City a pen and they can keep taking it until they score.’

Will we get punished? Well, Fosun can pay a fine. I’m worried about a points deduction, but then they’d have to give City a points deduction for pelting the United players, so probably not.

Traore. Bloody hell. He’s a £70m player now. And he won’t be going anywhere either. God alone knows what he can become after another year with Nuno.
But – like most people I’ve watched the second goal 4,568 times. Every time I wonder how it wasn’t given as a foul on Mendy. But who cares?

And Liverpool on Sunday. We play them again in the league on Jan 23rd, so I can wait until then to beat them. I’d rotate a few players on Sunday, given the players on four cards and that Watford is infinitely more winnable. And they must be mentally and physically knackered.

5th in the Premier League. Three years ago we were losing 2-1 at home to QPR and brought Joe Mason on as a sub. Happy New Year

 

[big mean bunny]

Joe Mason scored this weekend I spotted. The issue with the VAR incident was the refs have been told that standing or catching an opponents foot is a penalty, Dermont Gallagher was explaining it on the post match, it didn't sound like he particularly agreed with it but the ref's follow the rules and mandates set out and they have been specifically told that.

The delay though, was that after they decided it was a pen, they were then checking back for further infringements to make sure the pen was going to be counted, and for me that is the issue as we wanted VAR to make decisions but they have now started to use it to micro management incidents.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

The penalty:

If you're taking *that* long to make a call then it obviously isn't a clear mistake. Is there contact, yes, that doesn't mean it's a foul and Mahrez obviously dived. The encroachment rule is bollocks too, if they have players in the box as well (they did) then it should be null and void as BOTH teams are seeking to gain an illegal advantage. Who the ball actually fell to is immaterial.

STILL getting fucking loads of idiots up and down all game. Watch the match for crying out loud! What are you even doing?!

Pubs were a joke after the game, don't treat it as a normal Friday night when a) there's a massive home game finishing just before 10pm and b) no bugger realises it's even Friday.

End of moans.

I actually didn't think we were very good first half. Yes, the decision is a farce and no doubt played with our minds a little, but we didn't play much football, the wingbacks were both dross, Traore wasn't in the game and for the second game in a row Raul's touch was off.

The second half (and the goal at Norwich) is exactly why you don't take him off, like you wouldn't take Bully off after a bad 45 minutes.

It's a very high bar but that is Neves' best game for us. How to stick £10-15m on your pricetag in one match. Ran the show particularly in the final half hour.

Stupendous first and third goals. In plenty of other years, they'd have won our Goal of the Season award comfortably. Of course, we have much greater choice now...

Saiss was excellent throughout and the pick of the back three (probably should have scored, mind). He's really developed into that role as the season has gone on, far fewer rash fouls, trusting himself to defend properly and we know how good he is on the ball.

Rip up your established top six. We're there now. Arsenal in particular are bloody light years behind us. Look at what we can build on here.

 

[The Saturday Boy]

I think orgasmic just about covers my feeling. Not just a win but rubbing Sterlings pouty little chops in it. I detest that little man, we have had him stuffed down our throats by the media as poor boy done good and the poster child for race relations in sport and all I see is an arrogant, swaggering, sly, dirty cheating little git!

By gum, I feel better for that. What a day!!!

Is it because he is black?

 

[sycophantia]

I may have this wrong, tell me if I am but the penalty decisions were all correct according to the laws and the directives about those laws were theu not? Refs have been instructed to give a pen for foot on foot contact I think (we should have had one on Jota) and as for encroachment, its only players who have a direct impact on the outcome? Don't think the officials could have done any different, mind you I agree that some of the laws have gone bonkers.
Think var is worse if you're at the game, at least on telly you knowwhats going on

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

As for City:

- Rodri is a cracking footballer but doesn't really protect the defence at the moment, he's no Fernandinho
- How did they not buy a centre half, Otamendi is woeful (has been for years, just run at him)
- Mendy is finished
- Taking off KdB was a real howler

You'd expect a team with that much quality and experience to see a game out at 2-0 though, even with 10 men, even away from home. We spooked them. They never really even tried to keep the ball and kill the game. Played into our hands to an extent, we have to be so thankful that we saw the light a couple of months ago and parked Neves further up the pitch.

Shame Jota didn't score at the start of the second half - if nothing else because it would have been an incredible assist for Raul.

 

[BillyDee]

I may have this wrong, tell me if I am but the penalty decisions were all correct according to the laws and the directives about those laws were theu not? Refs have been instructed to give a pen for foot on foot contact I think (we should have had one on Jota) and as for encroachment, its only players who have a direct impact on the outcome? Don't think the officials could have done any different, mind you I agree that some of the laws have gone bonkers.
Think var is worse if you're at the game, at least on telly you knowwhats going on

Strictly speaking yes, but it's still bullshit. Refs have now been told if a foot is stood on to award a pen. That wasn't the case last season, nor even at the beginning of the season, it is an interpretation brought in as a result of VAR scrutiny, much like the revised handball interpretation where any hand contact by an attacker is handball, even if accidental. Absolute crap and only brought in because of VAR. Yesterday Mahrez steps into Doncks stride to initiate contact as he was going nowhere and wins a pen despite not being disadvantaged by Donck's toenail grazing the side of his boot.
As for encroachment, Silva is two yards into the box before Coady is. That is interfering, regardless of whether he actually ends up touching the ball or not.
In addition, the delays just add to the frustration.
Absolute bullshit, it's killing enjoyment of the game.
Fuck off VAR.

 

[Dire Wolf]

On the encroachment VAR decision, it's total bullshit. The Man City player encroached first and there isn't a defender in the world who is going to let him have the possible advantage of that extra yard or 2 in case of a rebound. Coady is only encroaching because he is doing his job properly. The fact that he was able to get to the rebound first is good play from him and the rule is utter, utter shite. Encroachment should only be given if the 1st player to encroach gains the advantage.

 

[Tony Towner]

In the cold light of day both the penalty and encroachment decisions were technically correct. Then you have to ask yourself is that the game you want to watch? Not for me. Obviously I'm delighted we won, but even more so as we can discuss that abomination without looking like sour grapes. As Jeff Stelling said on Twitter RIP football.

As for the missile, there's no condoning it, but with all the emotion Sterling really shouldn't be celebrating in front of the South Bank, nothing makes that acceptable but he was inviting trouble. The biggest problem for us will be what was thrown, a hip flask, for christ sake is it 1920 next week? Because that shouldn't be allowed in the first place that'll make the perfunctory searches getting into the ground more stringent and take longer to get in and the fine heavier

 

[Lupo]

What a fucking night, what a fucking performance, what a fucking result, what a fucking delight!!

We were on top virtually throughout with 61% v 29% possession first half and great attacking play before and after the bastard VAR bullshit.

Proud of each and every one of them and prouder still when my cousin in Italy messaged me after the game saying 'fabulous Wolvesssss, big Traore!!!!'. Each and everyone of them were desperate to win that game and they never gave up even after going 2-0 down. Traore scoring to get us a lifeline was key then his resilience in winning the ball back and setting up Raul - what a beast of a player he has become. Neves had a great game too and Rui had little to do apart from saving a penalty twice (fuck you to hell VAR, I hate you so much).

What a time to be a Wolves fan and Tredman - I hate VAR too and can understand such frustration but when we score, I am still going absolutely mental (especially the 3rd!), I suppose I do give it a thought after my celebration, looking for the ref fiddling with his ear while some suit at Stockley Park looks for any reason to disallow it. Last night's VAR Official was David Coote. Those who witnessed his 'refereeing' at Molineux earlier in the season will have little surprise that last night's VAR officiating descended into chaos.