Wolves 20/21

[Deery]

Could be doing with getting Diego Costa in on a free, someone to bag a few goals for them because that Silva guy is hopeless.

 

[cyberman]

This is how they normally play big games, they just tend to have Jimenez as an option. They play this way against absolutely everyone, Nuno has no plan B whatsoever.

Not what i watch. Ive seen them blitz City a few times now. Theyve gone at Chelsea and Spurs in the last few weeks alone and dominated them.
They know this way will not beat us but they go out for the point time and time again. It doesnt make sense to me, theyre better than this

 

[Acole9]

I'm at a loss as to how they meet the Premier League's home grown criteria for the 25 man squad. They've only got three English players and the rest of them don't appear to have been trained at the club.

 

[Jacko21]

Is there not a danger that it gets a bit stale for Nuno at Wolves? He’s taken them into the Premier League and Europe with successive 7th place finishes.

But what’s next?

 

[SER19]

Is there not a danger that it gets a bit stale for Nuno at Wolves? He’s taken them into the Premier League and Europe with successive 7th place finishes.

But what’s next?

Looking at them tonight the worry for them is they can't develop their play without risking their solidity. An unbelievably horrible team to watch whenever they play us. He's made them so solid but can he add to that or have a plan b

 

[SilentWitness]

Traore has all the tools to be a great footballer but his decision making is terrible. He had a number of chances this evening to run at your defence that was easing off him in fear and he decided to slow down and pass it instead of knocking it past Maguire or Bailly.

 

[Nero]

Spends too much time greasing himself up.

 

[Born2Lose]

Do wolves do this against the other big sides?

Because it doesn't feel like they do

They've beaten Chelsea and drawn against Spurs this month, but lost to Burnley. That's why I hate them, feels like a team of players putting themselves in the shop window aainst the big teams.

 

[MsNuno]

They've beaten Chelsea and drawn against Spurs this month, but lost to Burnley. That's why I hate them, feels like a team of players putting themselves in the shop window aainst the big teams.

We beat Sheffield United and Crystal Palace and fulham so not really true.

We had a makeshift team 2 18 year olds making their league debut
We have Jimenez boly dendonker marcal and Johnny all first team important players all out injured ,
As well as playing on Sunday night with little recovery time. The young players played well under the circumstances
We definitely need a striker though

 

[Who's Kissing Cameras?]

Do wolves do this against the other big sides?

Because it doesn't feel like they do

They don't. Didn't play this way against Spurs, or Chelsea, or Arsenal, or Liverpool.

 

[mav_9me]

They are doing fine. Not my cup of tea but their next challenge is to develop a playing style.

Wouldn't want Nuno Santos to ever manage us though based on their style of play.

 

[kidbob]

Let's be honest they are a very impressive team and the likes of Neto are only going to get better. They lost their 2 main guys this season and still managed to give us a real scare. They outplayed Spurs too. Nuno has turned them into a very serious side. With a few more signings then they have the potential to consistently challenge for top 4. I see them as no worse than Leicester they just haven't quite assembled the final squad to get there yet.

 

[Eckers99]

Why would they be expected to play the same way against the whole top 6? We struggle against a low block, so they defend on their own 18 yard line whenever we play each other. Tactically, it makes total sense.

 

[cyberman]

Why would they be expected to play the same way against the whole top 6? We struggle against a low block, so they defend on their own 18 yard line whenever we play each other. Tactically, it makes total sense.

So they go for wins against other top sides, get them but play for shit draws against us and that makes sense?

 

[kidbob]

Traore is still pretty crap, for all the hype. Very little actual threat to his game.

That's the main challenge for Nuno. Lot Jota and Jimenez. Make Traore a bench player (which he is perfect for) and find another Neto to play the first team in place of Adama, find a proper striker while Jimenez is out then they are a problem for any team. Super defence and very good counter attacking team that can cause problems for anyone but lack 2 quality attacking players. I don't think Nuno's system is the problem rather than he lacks the 2 more quality players to enact it, since he lost Jota and Jimenez. A replacement for Moutinho would be great for them too.

Neto is insanely good and him or Saka would be dream signings for me.

 

[Djemba-Djemba]

Why would they be expected to play the same way against the whole top 6? We struggle against a low block, so they defend on their own 18 yard line whenever we play each other. Tactically, it makes total sense.

But they never carry any threat against us.

One goal against us in the last 5 games. It's not like we're defensively solid .

 

[kidbob]

They don't. Didn't play this way against Spurs, or Chelsea, or Arsenal, or Liverpool.

That's great tactics though because Nuno understands that attacking us is suicide if you don't have similar quality players. If they went at us then we would outscroe them. Instead they played an almost perfect game where they also created plenty of chances while missing their talisman. Not nice to look at but fine for where they are right now as a team, and smart.

 

[RORY65]

So they go for wins against other top sides, get them but play for shit draws against us and that makes sense?

They don't really do much different, they offered nothing against Chelsea until they conceded, they got battered by Liverpool while they conceded so early against Spurs that they had to play differently, if Bruno had taken the chance in the first half the game would have changed. The difference today was that they usually keep it tight and when the bigger team has to push late on then they become a bigger threat, I guess that's where the lack of rest time and injuries maybe hurt them.

I thought they did have a threat in the first half but lacked the quality and decision making that Jimenez might have given them but by the last half hour they offered nothing and although the goal was fortunate if you just invite pressure then you're always liable to something like that happening.

 

[Jeppers7]

Miserable team.

 

[sillwuka]

Traore is very good at running around at a very quick pace, skinning players but then turning back looking for a short, safe pass.

I don't get the hype.

 

[Mindhunter]

Miserable team.

Yes, I did feel the schadenfreude when they conceded so late in the game. My personal opinion is that teams that play the low-block should be ready for a disheartening result as they are asking for it really.

However, it is something that works for them and they execute it to perfection so I don't really blame them. This is the first time we got all 3 points from them under Ole.

 

[SCP]

Going to be controversial here but if I was the owner (Mendes cough cough) I would start thinking to hire someone to replace Nuno at the end of the season. They look stagnated, even if it is true Jimenez /Jonny injury and Jota going to Liverpool didn't helped them.

Nevertheless, cannot see a big name going there to accept Mendes policy (his clients are there to play and the coach has to follow the rules). And Nuno was Mendes first client so I guess nothing will happen. Anyway they won't get relegated I guess.

 

[el3mel]

Going to be controversial here but if I was the owner (Mendes cough cough) I would start thinking to hire someone to replace Nuno at the end of the season. They look stagnated, even if it is true Jimenez /Jonny injury and Jota going to Liverpool didn't helped them.

Nevertheless, cannot see a big name going there to accept Mendes policy (his clients are there to play and the coach has to follow the rules). And Nuno was Mendes first client so I guess nothing will happen. Anyway they won't get relegated I guess.

Well, that depends on their target really. I think they are content with where they are at the moment, a midtable top 10 team. They don't have the resources to compete for top 7 regularly so it's the question if a new manager will do more?

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

Honestly feck them. They played with no intent to score at all. I'm glad it ended the way it did for their cowardly performance.

 

[SCP]

Well, that depends on their target really. I think they are content with where they are at the moment, a midtable top 10 team. They don't have the resources to compete for top 7 regularly so it's the question if a new manager will do more?

Honestly it's not like if they invest like a Southampton or Brighton tbh, but they are struggling more this season, even if they are setup to be a counter attacking team they lost some quality, don't know if they finish on the second half of the table if their owner will be happy. Tbf don't know what are their real ambitions beside promoting Gestifute players though. If it's only that probably he can stay there.

 

[lex talionis]

Meh.

 

[Eckers99]

So they go for wins against other top sides, get them but play for shit draws against us and that makes sense?

But they never carry any threat against us.

One goal against us in the last 5 games. It's not like we're defensively solid .

They play on the counter against most sides, especially the decent ones. It makes even more sense against a United side that often runs out of ideas against a low block. A point at OT would've been a decent result for a club like Wolves and they've achieved it repeatedly since they came back up, so there's no reason why they'd suddenly change their approach now, playing without their best attacker in their 2nd game in 3 days.

 

[Djemba-Djemba]

They play on the counter against most sides, especially the decent ones. It makes even more sense against a United side that often runs out of ideas against a low block. A point at OT would've been a decent result for a club like Wolves and they've achieved it repeatedly since they came back up, so there's no reason why they'd suddenly change their approach now, playing without their best attacker in their 2nd game in 3 days.

I just don't remember playing a team and having so many awful matches in a row. Not domestically anyway.

I totally get playing against us on the counter but they never seem to show any ambition whatsoever, they play the same way against us at their place too and with a fully fit first 11 playing. And maybe if they'd agreed to the 5 subs rule they'd not be so shattered in game. They've cut their nose off to spite their face with that.

Everyone seems to score against us these days and yet we've kept 4 clean sheets in a row vs this lot.

 

[Chipper]

I'm at a loss as to how they meet the Premier League's home grown criteria for the 25 man squad. They've only got three English players and the rest of them don't appear to have been trained at the club.

You don't have to name 25 players, that's the maximum. Not sure if there's a minimum figure. Wolves only named 18 players altogether so have a small squad in that sense.

It's probably easiest to think of it as at most you can have 17 non-homegrown players named in the squad. Wolves have 14 of those. On top of that they named 4 home grown players originally although one of them, Matija Sarkic, is out on loan at Shrewsbury so they're down to 14 non homegrown + 3 homegrown. They still have room for an additional 3 non-homegrown players if they wanted to buy them.

The rest of their players are all classed as U21 and you can use as many of them as you want without them being registered as part of the main squad. For Wolves this includes Neto, Ait-Nouri, Silva and Hoever plus a few others who have got some minutes here and there.

 

[Morpheus 7]

I've seen Wolves play good stuff since being in the prem. Unfortunately the majority of times they play us it's soul destroying. They just kill the life out of a game, which is good if you want a point. It's up to us to break them down but it's a tough watch. I'm so glad we fluked in a goal at the end. Remembered bruno's debut last year being flat and similar. Feck Jorge Mendes Fc unlucky.

 

[marktan]

Think people are being a bit harsh on Wolves, and Traore. Jimenez is a huge part of the way they play. Most of Traore's assists are to him. He was stop-starting because there's no one in the box to give the ball too.

He's as important as Kane is to Spurs, only Spurs at least have some semi-decent alternatives if Kane were to get injured.

For people disparaging them playing counter-attacking football, it's the exact way we've played under Ole in many big games, e.g. against PSG or City. Only we've had better finishing.

 

[Chipper]

After flogging Jota and losing Jimenez a downturn is to be expected. This season could end up as a bit of a write off, suppose we'll see how happy they are to settle or not in January. The Silva money could have been spent on someone for immediate impact but I suppose he's considered one for the future. Not that it's clear to me who controls the purse strings there anyway.

No surprise their big problem is goalscoring so far this campaign and that they're the 16th highest scorers taking the above into account.

Just 4 attempts from inside the 6 yard box so far, the lowest in the league. These are most commonly big chances with about a third of all such attempts usually resulting in a goal on average.

110 penalty area shots, ranked 8th, not bad.

81 attempts from outside the box, ranked 3rd. Different ways of interpreting that, the smallest chance of scoring but even teams that score lots often shoot a fair bit from distance too as they just shoot more often in general from everywhere. What isn't good is that Wolves are simultaneously high in this stat and last in 6 yard box attempts. Often points to obvious problems that a team are struggling to create really good chances.

The same is revealed by xG, 15.29 expected goals so far this season, ranked 17th, so the 15 they have scored is pretty much bang on. Results-wise the xG table is suggesting that they might be a little fortunate to be as high as 12th, Understat having them 16th overall on expected points.

Highly unlikely to go down so maybe it's just a case of plodding through the rest of the season and going again next season with Jimenez hopefully from their perspective back plus maybe more recruits to give them a cutting edge.

 

[UNITED ACADEMY]

I know they lost Jimenez but they weren’t that good this season even prior Jimenez‘s injury. They lost 4-0 to west ham, got knocked out in EFL Cup by Stoke city and only had 4 wins, 2 draws and 3 loses in the league prior the arsenal game. I was pissed when they chose to play 4 at the back against Liverpool, let’s hope this time they stick with that 5 at the back formation especially against the top sides because they can actually frustrate team with that formation.

 

[KM]

One of the dullest teams in the whole league. Garbage.

 

[SCP]

Just 4 attempts from inside the 6 yard box so far, the lowest in the league. These are most commonly big chances with about a third of all such attempts usually resulting in a goal on average.

Christ that stat is frightening. Those 4 attempts are much different compared to last season? Anyway they already were worse even with Jimenez, and no one speaks but they are really missing Jonny, not to mention Jota, Podence creates but barely scores, only good news for them is Neto, and Kilman is taking his chances too.

 

[SCP]

Think people are being a bit harsh on Wolves, and Traore. Jimenez is a huge part of the way they play. Most of Traore's assists are to him. He was stop-starting because there's no one in the box to give the ball too.

He's as important as Kane is to Spurs, only Spurs at least have some semi-decent alternatives if Kane were to get injured.

For people disparaging them playing counter-attacking football, it's the exact way we've played under Ole in many big games, e.g. against PSG or City. Only we've had better finishing.

Exactly. If I was a manager ( which I am not) the first thing after studying United under Ole at Old Trafford was to play on a medium/ low block setup. Nothing special to be seen here. Can see them being easily trashed at Brighton though.

There’s a lot of self entitled fans who think opponents should play all open when they play against you. Too much FIFA or Football Manager fans this days.

 

[Kostov]

Feck their injuries they played better and with more intent compared to when they had the likes of Dendoncker and Jimenez, and that oiled up cnut turns into prime Ronaldinho when he plays against us, whenever I've seen him he's worse than Andros Townsend, same goes to scouse Coady.

 

[cyberman]

Exactly. If I was a manager ( which I am not) the first thing after studying United under Ole at Old Trafford was to play on a medium/ low block setup. Nothing special to be seen here. Can see them being easily trashed at Brighton though.

There’s a lot of self entitled fans who think opponents should play all open when they play against you. Too much FIFA or Football Manager fans this days.

No. A lot of fans are saying why do they constantly play shit on a stick football againat us and have rip roaring games against others? Its years of this shit and they know they never win playing that way. They literally know they're playing for a point. They arent even a plucky underdog, theyre a rich side who spends a lot of money. Theres no reason for this.
And this low block nonsense is a myrh. Every non top 6 side tries that and it has ended up with Utd only droppong 10 odd points from around the last 65 available v those non top 6 sides.
We struggle v midfield pressure. Teams pressing high causes us problems.

 

[SCP]

No. A lot of fans are saying why do they constantly play shit on a stick football againat us and have rip roaring games against others? Its years of this shit and they know they never win playing that way. They literally know they're playing for a point. They arent even a plucky underdog, theyre a rich side who spends a lot of money. Theres no reason for this.
And this low block nonsense is a myrh. Every non top 6 side tries that and it has ended up with Utd only droppong 10 odd points from around the last 65 available v those non top 6 sides.
We struggle v midfield pressure. Teams pressing high causes us problems.

Oh Christ not you again. First time I had a discussion on this forum with someone was with you. The endless discussions about the Premier League being overrated.

Don’t have much time to discuss this because my post isn’t directed towards Wolves or Nuno, couldn’t care less about that.

For me it’s quite simple. If I am a professional there are 2 options, or I play with a stupid high line at Old Trafford or Anfield whatever you want, lose by 4 or 5 or I setup to a medium low block because that’s the reasonable thing to do when I play against Solskjaer.

Because unless you didn’t noticed Solskjaer United struggles when he has to dismantle low/medium blocks.

They are paid to analyse, to study and to take decisions. They are not there to please opposition fans or to be nice to you.

It’s a result based industry, and you have more than one way to play. Only that. I say this as someone who previously said I wouldn’t pay a ticket to watch Atlético under Simeone.

But I have to accept the rules of the game, believe it or not football didn’t started with the advent of the Premier League, and always existed different football cultures and philosophies. Nothing new here.

So yeah not everyone who is going to play against you will come with open arms or legs and say I love you come and embrace me, attack me and. I will let you score. How naive are you?

Jesus, were you sleeping when Ole won at Paris? How does he play against Guardiola? Do you think the last game against City was a cracking exciting attacking display?

Get a grip and look to the World like it is and not how you feel it should be. Fed up with this nonsensical analysis of self entitled modern football fans.

 

[cyberman]

Oh Christ not you again. First time I had a discussion on this forum with someone was with you. The endless discussions about the Premier League being overrated.

Don’t have much time to discuss this because my post isn’t directed towards Wolves or Nuno, couldn’t care less about that.

For me it’s quite simple. If I am a professional there are 2 options, or I play with a stupid high line at Old Trafford or Anfield whatever you want, lose by 4 or 5 or I setup to a medium low block because that’s the reasonable thing to do when I play against Solskjaer.

Because unless you didn’t noticed Solskjaer United struggles when he has to dismantle low/medium blocks.

They are paid to analyse, to study and to take decisions. They are not there to please opposition fans or to be nice to you.

It’s a result based industry, and you have more than one way to play. Only that. I say this as someone who previously said I wouldn’t pay a ticket to watch Atlético under Simeone.

But I have to accept the rules of the game, believe it or not football didn’t started with the advent of the Premier League, and always existed different football cultures and philosophies. Nothing new here.

So yeah not everyone who is going to play against you will come with open arms or legs and say I love you come and embrace me, attack me and. I will let you score. How naive are you?

Jesus, were you sleeping when Ole won at Paris? How does he play against Guardiola? Do you think the last game against City was a cracking exciting attacking display?

Get a grip and look to the World like it is and not how you feel it should be. Fed up with this nonsensical analysis of self entitled modern football fans.

Thanks for this I guess? A Utd fan on a Utd forum.. Surprise!
Heres where youre making your mistake. In reality, Nuno set out one extreme so you have to phrase your argument to the other extreme to make it credible. Nobody is saying play stupid high lines and wave us through. They dont play stupid high lines v Chelsea, Spurs or fecking City and they regularly get convincing wins from those games. I havent asked Wolves to do anything you have stated here so calm down, relax and read what I have actually posted instead of this over the top nonsense that has left you shouting against a strawman.
And your make believe football analysts can go do one. In reality, their approach will get a draw against us at best hence theyre settling for a draw before a game is kicked.
We've only been regularly beating non top 6 sides for an entire year now who all sit back against us. Make sure to post more analysis of reports you havent seen to keep up to date buddy.