Wolves - Sevilla EUROPA LEAGUE QUARTER FINAL Math thread

[pacamac]

Might draw some flack but hey ho, I don't think Sevilla are particularly that good. Technically very nice but as an attacking threat they were seriously lacking, nothing upfront, all neat and tidy but overly reliant on crosses and without us switching off at the last they never really created anything.

They were basically there for the taking first 20 minutes until they dropped a midfielder back in to nullify Traore. Had Raul or then the officials done the business I think we probably win the game (but who knows in that regard?).

What I will say is, I'm still proud of where we are and what we've achieved this season? It's a little disappointing as we probably should have qualified for Europe again through the league. However a few new players in and we can definitely push on again.

Or maybe they are good but so are our team and negated them brilliantly (for 87 mins at least).

 

[Gonby's Games Gone By]

The major threat in my opinion to our progress is the over expectation the last two seasons success might bring.

How would that come about? Fosun assuming they've done enough and not investing? The fans orchestrating the removal of Nuno when we finish eighth next year? I don't think either of those scenarios are very likely.

The only thing standing in our way as I see it is FFP. We've overperformed thus far and the finances can't keep up.

 

[pavlosmacwolf]

I have just read the whole of this thread, and complement most on some very balance arguments one way or another.

Personally I think we have been fucked for the last month, with Mutinho and especially Raul suffering in the last three or four games.
But!! As a wolves fan since 1957, I will say I am as proud as a dog with two cocks at what has been achieved at wolves, by the new owners , the management, and of course the players themselves.

I am of the school that next season with the new signings Juno clearly wants and nowhere near 60 games will see us move on again, and maybe nick a cup in the process.

My final point is just to say that when I was a kid, using the word "Beaver" was a way of saying "cunt" without getting a slap around the head from your dad.

 

[Derby Wolf]

https://www.reddit.com/r/soccer/com...t_is/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share

Some light relief

 

[Harry J]

To press or not to press?

It's the day after and i'm still feeling very disappointed. Not because we lost. I'm used to that. It was more to do with how we lost. I haven't read through all of this thread so apologies if this point has been made elsewhere.

For me there was a striking and crucial difference between the two teams. Sevilla operated an advanced, coordinated and aggressive press against our back three. The only solution we had to this was a series of long balls that invariably conceded possession. In contrast our press was far weaker. We seemed happy to be in our 'shape' and didn't really press until Sevilla were in our half. This let them build comfortably from the back, far more easily retain possession and subsequently gain in confidence. As it happens their attacking threat wasn't great but the dynamic of the game was such that the pressure eventually and inevitably resulted in them scoring.

A few questions arise from this. Is our only possible response to a high press a long ball? Perhaps that's the difference between where we are and Champions League level. Players with the ability to play round and through such a press. Also was our apparent retreat into our 'shape' and apparent lack of urgency in chasing the ball down in their half a tactic? I'm not completely convinced by the tiredness argument (apart from Raul, who we seem to over rely on). All of the players had a lengthy rest during lockdown.

 

[PuntsWolf]

It's the day after and i'm still feeling very disappointed. Not because we lost. I'm used to that. It was more to do with how we lost. I haven't read through all of this thread so apologies if this point has been made elsewhere.

For me there was a striking and crucial difference between the two teams. Sevilla operated an advanced, coordinated and aggressive press against our back three. The only solution we had to this was a series of long balls that invariably conceded possession. In contrast our press was far weaker. We seemed happy to be in our 'shape' and didn't really press until Sevilla were in our half. This let them build comfortably from the back, far more easily retain possession and subsequently gain in confidence. As it happens their attacking threat wasn't great but the dynamic of the game was such that the pressure eventually and inevitably resulted in them scoring.

A few questions arise from this. Is our only possible response to a high press a long ball? Perhaps that's the difference between where we are and Champions League level. Players with the ability to play round and through such a press. Also was our apparent retreat into our 'shape' and apparent lack of urgency in chasing the ball down in their half a tactic? I'm not completely convinced by the tiredness argument (apart from Raul, who we seem to over rely on). All of the players had a lengthy rest during lockdown.

Sitting deep and “parking the bus” is how we play. We literally never press better teams in their own half. The plan is then to break quickly on the counter. Unfortunately there was no counter as Sevilla forced us into these long balls which were either shit or we lost control of it if we got on the end of it and couldn’t sustain possession long enough to get players up the pitch.

It is strange that a midfield of Neves and Moutinho we were so bad at keeping the ball. But this is where our WBs need to be more of an outlet to beat the press. Unfortunately Doc and Vinagre aren’t good enough when pressed to maintain possession so the only option ended up being to bypass midfield.

Sevilla are a good team but bit disappointing that we treated them like peak Barca. We’re better than what we showed last night despite understandably not being at their level yet.

 

[Premier Quality]

Is our only possible response to a high press a long ball?.

Yes. We’re not good enough to play our way around it, our midfield can’t do it, and doc can’t do it - hence we hump it or hope Traore can run past everyone.

 

[Sniffer]

Rennes celebrating at 3 in the morning as we were the only side who could stop them qualifying for the group stages of the Champions League.

https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...bours-as-champions-league-anthem-plays-at-3am

 

[Dinowolf]

What makes it worse is the penalty should have been retaken for two separate reasons. We have VAR in place and they missed two obvious errors - madness.

Just something else to ponder about, the defender who committed the encroachment and headed the ball away, was their No. 20 Diego Costa, who had just received a yellow card for the tackle on Traore that gave the penalty. So if VAR had done their job and called for a re-take, then Costa would have received a second yellow and been sent-off.

 

[PuntsWolf]

Just something else to ponder about, the defender who committed the encroachment and headed the ball away, was their No. 20 Diego Costa, who had just received a yellow card for the tackle on Traore that gave the penalty. So if VAR had done their job and called for a re-take, then Costa would have received a second yellow and been sent-off.

When did encroachment become a yellow card offence?

 

[The Bear]

It isn't. Coady certainly didn't get booked against Man City.

 

[Dinowolf]

It isn't. Coady certainly didn't get booked against Man City.

I thought he did. Ah well, my bad.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

The only booking for encroachment that I can remember was for Zaire in the 1974 World Cup. Special case. Ref blew his whistle for the penalty to be taken and the centre back steamed into his area before the forward moved and kicked the ball off the spot straight into the stands.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

The only booking for encroachment that I can remember was for Zaire in the 1974 World Cup. Special case. Ref blew his whistle for the penalty to be taken and the centre back steamed into his area before the forward moved and kicked the ball off the spot straight into the stands.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZidgbWMgg9Y

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Ah my memory had it as a penalty, but I guess that is still encroachment of a type!