Wolves Academy Thread

[Tony Towner]

Make it any of Semedo, Jonny and RAN then, all better suited to being decent full backs than attacking wing backs imo. You are still losing an attacking option with any of them, even if the competence level as wing backs rises

 

[AndyWolves]

The u18 game last night was a great example of everything we do wrong...until we changed formation.

 

[Johnny75]

But if you’re playing a back 3, you can quite easily have less players at the back than a back 4? Like we did at Spurs.

Can’t speak for the U23s but in the first team movement is no better. The times we’ve gone to a 4 a few times this season and even against ten men twice have looked more useless.

We also end up with Neves dropping into to CB to receive the ball so we end up no better off, if anything worse.

My gut would tell me it isn’t ability but then evidence to the contrary suggests otherwise.

But it’s not the formation causing the problems. It’s either the individuals or what the individuals are being asked to do. We could quite easily be just as shit in a 4 if the individuals are the same and the tactics are the same.

It is and it is the tactics.

It's the same with the 23's and the 18's. This isn't a coincidence.

I've no doubt Steve Davis will be defending himself this morning or be out of job for changing to 4 at the back.

We are beyond awful with 3 at the back at youth level.

 

[MARKakaJIM]

It's risk Vs reward. Even if we beat the press the risk to the opposition is less if we have more of our players in defensive positions.

The more players we move up the pitch the more risk to the opposition if we beat the press hence the less likely the opposition are to press with as many players..... because they need to cover the threat.

It doesn't have to mean more players in defensive positions!

You push the wingbacks up and they're not really defenders when you're in possession, you get your midfield to actually play in midfield and you're left with 3 centre halves defending. Look at Liverpool when they have possession, Fabinho sits back to help protect the centre halves and the full backs are miles up the pitch, they end up with a quasi back three half the game.

You can fix the issue without changing the formation, it's an excuse, a cop out.

 

[PuntsWolf]

Make it any of Semedo, Jonny and RAN then, all better suited to being decent full backs than attacking wing backs imo. You are still losing an attacking option with any of them, even if the competence level as wing backs rises

I whole heartedly agree that none of those are better suited to WBs than FBs. But that is more of an issue when you are on in the attacking third, not when you’re in your own.

 

[Johnny75]

Well yeah. But they aren’t going to play out then back any better in a 4 becuse they aren’t good enough. Not because of the formation they are playing in.

We would and that's tactical. Giving Hoever and Marçal less importance going forward and allowing them to tuck in as actual full backs if needed would take pressure off them, allowing CB's to carry the ball forward from deep (as the 18's did last night) and beating the press a different way.

It is certainly the formation and tactics that are killing us at every level.

 

[PuntsWolf]

We would and that's tactical. Giving Hoever and Marçal less importance going forward and allowing them to tuck in as actual full backs if needed would take pressure off them, allowing CB's to carry the ball forward from deep (as the 18's did last night) and beating the press a different way.

It is certainly the formation and tactics that are killing us at every level.

If Neves drops into defence to receive the ball then the rest of it all falls down before you consider the rest.

Your CBs can carry the ball in a 3, with less exposure, and they have done at times.

If they don’t do it in 3 they aren’t going to suddenly start doing it in a 4. They’ll pass to Neves he will hit a long ball out wide - the horseshoe.

 

[Johnny75]

If Neves drops into defence to receive the ball then the rest of it all falls down before you consider the rest.

Your CBs can carry the ball in a 3, with less exposure, and they have done at times.

If they don’t do it in 3 they aren’t going to suddenly start doing it in a 4. They’ll pass to Neves he will hit a long ball out wide - the horseshoe.

This isn't true. The WB's were in front so the exposure of the CB loses the ball is down the flank. FB's cover centre backs if the press is on and are generally deeper as it draws defenders out. It's why Leeds get beaten consistently.

I agree on the Neves part and again that's tactical and shows dear from the coach. It's just piss poor tactically.

This is the academy thread though and the point made at the start is that 3 at the back is endemic in the club and it isn't working at any level.

It does work if we play 4 at youth level.

 

[YoungWolf]

It is and it is the tactics.

It's the same with the 23's and the 18's. This isn't a coincidence.

I've no doubt Steve Davis will be defending himself this morning or be out of job for changing to 4 at the back.

We are beyond awful with 3 at the back at youth level.

The U18s have performed very well playing a back three this season?

 

[Johnny75]

The U18s have performed very well playing a back three this season?

From what I've seen, no. It's been the same static long ball dirge.

I haven't seen every game though.

 

[PuntsWolf]

This isn't true. The WB's were in front so the exposure of the CB loses the ball is down the flank. FB's cover centre backs if the press is on and are generally deeper as it draws defenders out. It's why Leeds get beaten consistently.

I agree on the Neves part and again that's tactical and shows dear from the coach. It's just piss poor tactically.

This is the academy thread though and the point made at the start is that 3 at the back is endemic in the club and it isn't working at any level.

It does work if we play 4 at youth level.

I think we are sort of singing from the hymn sheet.
We are both highlighting why it isn’t working. You are saying it’s down to the system, I am saying it’s down to poor execution of the system.

I would like to play a back 4 as I feel it suits individuals better. But at the same time if the execution of the system is off (or poor individuals withi it) then it isn’t going to make any real difference.

 

[AndyWolves]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1503418490237165578

 

[YoungWolf]

1-0 up. Harkin with the goal. Not seen any of the game though

 

[Tony Towner]

One for those who watch the U23's. They play Harkin in the middle of a front 3 presumably as a false 9. That's not something he can sell himself on in adult football and he's obviously not going to be a conventional 9. What would he be if we were looking to loan him out in the next 12 months? He's 19 in a couple of months so presumably stopped growing height wise

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

4-0 (Harkin 2, Marques, Hodge)

 

[YoungWolf]

One for those who watch the U23's. They play Harkin in the middle of a front 3 presumably as a false 9. That's not something he can sell himself on in adult football and he's obviously not going to be a conventional 9. What would he be if we were looking to loan him out in the next 12 months? He's 19 in a couple of months so presumably stopped growing height wise

He’s probably still got a bit of growing in him (potentially) I think but probably as a wider forward I imagine.

 

[AndyWolves]

A few places have Harkin listed as a winger, I wonder if we only play him as a false / rotating 9 because Carty is so ineffectual.

 

[Trips]

Was at the game last night, the 2 wingbacks were both superb. Lembikisa easily MOTM, great performance. Toti looked good, Mosquera was a little rusty - couple of errors but a couple of decent blocks.

Cundle tidy in midfield, Perry not really involved first half but much better 2nd.

Harkin put himself about, and Campbell looked like a better first team option than Trincao.

They played some really nice stuff at times, although Albion were appalling and gave us so much time on the ball in midfield

 

[AndyWolves]

U23s 2-0 Vs villa at HT

Perry FK for the first

https://twitter.com/x/status/1504881832101306377

Campbell with the second

https://twitter.com/x/status/1504890035719520271

Both quality goals to be fair

 

[Jolemai]

3-0 currently