Aston Villa vs Wolves. The Verdict.

[Deleted member 5340]

If on your travels anyone happens upon a flying ****, rest assured it's not mine... Sadly as this season has gone on, I have found I could not give one.

Typing that hurts... But due to the malaise one currently finds one's self in, surprisingly, not that much.

 

[Glow69]

If nuno goes after a season of a midtable finish. During probably the weirdest set up for a season known which has impacted all. It'll be a crock of ****.

Decent 2nd half.

 

[Ned]

I look at that Villa team and I wouldn't pick a single player to be in our starting 11 ahead of any of ours, so why are we struggling so much?

Going off yesterday’s teams?

Konsa, Mings, Luiz and Watkins.

 

[The_Blade]

Same performance as the last few games. Midfielders playing in defence. Adama off the boil. Jose non existent. Wayward passing and shooting. 1st half sitting back. 2nd half we see a slight uplift but no end product.

Neto is the only threat we have in the team. It used to be several players not so long ago.

Not good enough! It’s the same week in week out.

 

[TheConcourse]

Is that because his side is targeted as a weak link so he has to make more?

Not sure. Haven’t seen the stats.

Villa always overload their left side. Thought he coped with it pretty well apart from one moment where Watkins came inside too easily.

It’s a tough gig playing the WB role. We’re asking players to attack and defend. Jonny can’t do both at a really high level either.

 

[Elvis Wolf]

For my money, the majority of those on here, who continue to be negative and are perpetual moaners, only began supporting us, following the Fosun takeover.

So far they've only experienced the successful side of the club. Now that our performances have taken a slight dip, it's 'sack Nuno', 'the whole squad is useless ', etc etc.

Whereas there are some of us, who began following this great club, in the mid 1950's and have experienced the highs and unbelievable lows , of being part of 'the pack'.

So for us, the current situation is not ideal but perfectly tolerable and part of the journey that is: 'Once A Wolf, Always A Wolf'.

 

[JR WAS KING]

If on your travels anyone happens upon a flying ****, rest assured it's not mine... Sadly as this season has gone on, I have found I could not give one.

Typing that hurts... But due to the malaise one currently finds one's self in, surprisingly, not that much.

Agreed. As long as we're not in the bottom 3, I don't care where we finish up.
This season will only be memorable for all the wrong reasons.

 

[rg4352]

Yesterday was horrendous, I know we played better in the second half, but I still thought our second half was what I’d have still called a poor display 2 seasons ago, just shows how much we are having to rejig expectations based on how dire we are in total.
I love Nuno to bits but I’m at the point now, where I think he is watching the same game as me and yet you wouldn’t know it from his post match interviews.
There is something fundamentally wrong with his tactics and strategy. I’m sick of seeing players with such quality looking like they don’t have a clue, are completely lost, and frankly scared to play attacking football.
I’m sick of seeing players being asked to play in positions that aren’t their natural positions/strength and our attacking players being asked to recover the ball from just outside their own box to stand any chance of building a forward attempt at play.
Jose looks ****, but then I imagine most strikers would with no service and having to dig the ball out from our own half, I can remember Raul looking just as frustrated before his own injury, and if these are the tactics we are going to use, then that won’t change when he does return.
I find it incredibly frustrating that every second half we show a nearly instant improvement, I assume because Nuno tells them to take the shackles off - this shouldn’t be happening against teams that aren’t particularly strong and we can get at them from the off.
It’s also frustrating that we were told clear the air meetings were had, and the result was players wanted to play a back 4 (I presume to allow them to be more attacking) yet this appears to have been ignored since.
I’m at the point where as much as I love Nuno I’m not convinced his management/tactical strategies are utilising the strengths of our players the way they should be, and maybe it is now time to breathe some fresh air into the dressing room (as much as it pains me to say)

PS. I’m hoping this is just based on me being utterly ****ed off with the last 2 games performance, and I’ll cheer up a bit after experiencing sunshine lol

 

[Deleted member yltz11841]

At the moment I'd be happy if we played to win for 60 mins...

How about 50 mins? I mean you wouldn’t want us to be too expectant and entitled you ungrateful person

remember the past etc

 

[Henry Palfrey]

For my money, the majority of those on here, who continue to be negative and are perpetual moaners, only began supporting us, following the Fosun takeover.

So far they've only experienced the successful side of the club. Now that our performances have taken a slight dip, it's 'sack Nuno', 'the whole squad is useless ', etc etc.

Whereas there are some of us, who began following this great club, in the mid 1950's and have experienced the highs and unbelievable lows , of being part of 'the pack'.

So for us, the current situation is not ideal but perfectly tolerable and part of the journey that is: 'Once A Wolf, Always A Wolf'.

I wouldn't go that far, my kids are 20 and 19 and seen plenty of Championship football and obviously League 1. Some are convinced however that 2 seasons of Premier League football and a decent run in the second tier European competition mean that we should be challenging for the title. Look at the teams that have qualified for the Europa league in yhe last decade and see where they are now.
They are impatient and want it now. I don't like it particularly but I can see that the 4 at the back experiment had us in free fall and we have reverted to type to consolidate and take away any chance of relegation.
It's a bugger when the other team try to win matches too.

 

[Sussex Wolf]

In fairness, the poster comments on what they see.

Sometimes.

 

[Sussex Wolf]

The fact that only 2 PL clubs have sacked a manager this season says they probably agree it’s difficult to judge on this season too.

Good point.

 

[Minimalist]

What struck me was even though we had the “inverted” wingers, they both still played very wide; I’d hoped it would mean they played closer to Jose and attacked, instead all it meant was they were trying to cross with their weaker foot.

 

[The_Blade]

For my money, the majority of those on here, who continue to be negative and are perpetual moaners, only began supporting us, following the Fosun takeover.

So far they've only experienced the successful side of the club. Now that our performances have taken a slight dip, it's 'sack Nuno', 'the whole squad is useless ', etc etc.

Whereas there are some of us, who began following this great club, in the mid 1950's and have experienced the highs and unbelievable lows , of being part of 'the pack'.

So for us, the current situation is not ideal but perfectly tolerable and part of the journey that is: 'Once A Wolf, Always A Wolf'.

We all know our history but what we are talking about is where we are right now and what is happening to a team that has lost its identity over a season.

Our plan has seriously derailed. Fosun will already be looking ahead. That’s a given with the Chinese.

Our performances are the equivalent of rolling a turd in gold glitter. I would like to know how we get back to watching a brand of football that all of us crave and have witnessed over the last few years.

 

[Sussex Wolf]

Fair enough, but why sell Diogo Jota then .... and please don’t say it was because he had a dip in form last season, he’s a class performer??

I think frankly because in Neto we had a superior replacement and it wasn’t fair on Jota’s career to hold onto him when another big club came knocking.

Jota was my favourite player and I was sad to see him go. He signed a Jota 18 shirt for my sons 18th, and promptly went on a streak of form which blew away the PL for us. I’ll never forget that. However I’m also pleased for him and think the price we got was good business. In the cold light of day, Jota wasn’t a reliable player for us, and may or may not be for his future clubs. When he’s good, he’s unplayable, outstanding, superb. When he’s off, he’s off and eventually needs dropping and a time on the bench. We said that while he was our player so we need to remember him for his good and bad and not just with rose tinted specs.

 

[maws]

I don’t see us in a relegation battle

We aren’t! 10 games to go we may get to 45-48 points, no team has gone down with that iirc. It’s hyperbole to try abd make out things are worse than they are

 

[tamwolf]

For my money, the majority of those on here, who continue to be negative and are perpetual moaners, only began supporting us, following the Fosun takeover.

So far they've only experienced the successful side of the club. Now that our performances have taken a slight dip, it's 'sack Nuno', 'the whole squad is useless ', etc etc.

Whereas there are some of us, who began following this great club, in the mid 1950's and have experienced the highs and unbelievable lows , of being part of 'the pack'.

So for us, the current situation is not ideal but perfectly tolerable and part of the journey that is: 'Once A Wolf, Always A Wolf'.

So the majority of people unhappy with the style of play only started supporting us 5 years ago? What a load of self entitled nonsense.

May as well just say that the majority of people who have a different opinion to you are lesser fans.

 

[Incognito]

Do everyone a favour and leave it there....

Do yourself a favour and block my posts.

 

[maws]

I understand why he was sold, after all when Liverpool come in what can you do. But all this stuff about Jota having "hit his ceiling" and "running down blind channels" is the stuff of simpletons, it really is.

He is 23 FFS, and still improving. He may well have spells when he goes in and out of form, but without him we have looked devoid of attacking intent, even with Raul fit. If it goes tits up for himat Liverpool, I would have him back in an instant, along with neves my favourite player at Wolves in many years.

The premier league champions came in for him and the offer of champions league football

We had no chance of keeping Jota, I’m not sure why people think we sold him, Liverpool brought him, it’s a big difference. Ask Southampton, or Villa, you get good players in this league then you get the big boys taking them off you. Nothing we can do about it. Leicester won the league yet still couldn’t hold on to Kante Mahrez and Drinkwater

 

[Lou Pine]

So if its not tactical and he knows how to change it why does it happen so frequently?
You think the players take it upon themselves to play that way?

That IS the tactic, hold the opposition til half time then take the game to them when they're ( supposedly) tiring late in the

So if its not tactical and he knows how to change it why does it happen so frequently?
You think the players take it upon themselves to play that way?

That IS the tactic, hold the opposition til half time then take the game to them when they're ( supposedly) tiring late in the game.

I agree that we consciously try to keep things tight first half but it isn’t deliberate to invite pressure to the extent that we have been doing. Nuno is not that much of a gambler. Villa’s chances yday came from individual sloppiness.

 

[5150]

Just another point on the board towards a mid table finish.

Much better 2nd half.

Again, for all the negative amongst, we will not see us back until next season..... so why you all expect a drastic change in performance confuses me.

 

[Deleted member 8123]

Yesterday was horrendous, I know we played better in the second half, but I still thought our second half was what I’d have still called a poor display 2 seasons ago, just shows how much we are having to rejig expectations based on how dire we are in total.
I love Nuno to bits but I’m at the point now, where I think he is watching the same game as me and yet you wouldn’t know it from his post match interviews.
There is something fundamentally wrong with his tactics and strategy. I’m sick of seeing players with such quality looking like they don’t have a clue, are completely lost, and frankly scared to play attacking football.
I’m sick of seeing players being asked to play in positions that aren’t their natural positions/strength and our attacking players being asked to recover the ball from just outside their own box to stand any chance of building a forward attempt at play.
Jose looks ****, but then I imagine most strikers would with no service and having to dig the ball out from our own half, I can remember Raul looking just as frustrated before his own injury, and if these are the tactics we are going to use, then that won’t change when he does return.
I find it incredibly frustrating that every second half we show a nearly instant improvement, I assume because Nuno tells them to take the shackles off - this shouldn’t be happening against teams that aren’t particularly strong and we can get at them from the off.
It’s also frustrating that we were told clear the air meetings were had, and the result was players wanted to play a back 4 (I presume to allow them to be more attacking) yet this appears to have been ignored since.
I’m at the point where as much as I love Nuno I’m not convinced his management/tactical strategies are utilising the strengths of our players the way they should be, and maybe it is now time to breathe some fresh air into the dressing room (as much as it pains me to say)

PS. I’m hoping this is just based on me being utterly ****ed off with the last 2 games performance, and I’ll cheer up a bit after experiencing sunshine lol

Some on here would assume you only began supporting Wolves since Fosun took over. You cannot criticise the regime !!
I attended my first Wolves game in 1972 and frankly, this drivel , week in , week out , is not acceptable.

 

[Kford]

My verdict is that we should of won 2 -0 if it was not for the 2 misses

 

[tamwolf]

My verdict is that we should of won 2 -0 if it was not for the 2 misses

We also would have lost 2-0 if it was not for the 2 Villa misses.

 

[Ironfistedmonk]

I would take : Mings (hate him with a passion, but he is better than Sais and dendonker), Konsa, Luiz & Watkins

all 4 would be a significant step up to what we put out today.

I love Rui too much to replace him with Martinez, but many neutrals would drop him In nets for a combined 11 from today as he is the best keeper on form this season.

I can't stand Mings either so I am massively biased against him but he is too industrial a defender for me, too much hoof so I prefer Saiss. Dendoncker shouldn't really be playing in defence so he gets a pass but Boly is better than Konsa IMO, don't think Luiz would add anything different to what we already have, don't need another defensive minded centre mid, and you'd have to drop Neto/Traore to accommodate Watkins who as far as I am aware hasn't played wide in the Prem yet and his goals have dried up after the early spurt playing up top so I'm not sold on him either, especially with Podence waiting in the wings

Man for man the core of our first team should be doing a lot better than they are, it's the sum of all the parts that isn't working, not enough bodies forward so the attackers are outnumbered and have few options, and our tempo is too slow, I think the intensity Villa play at has been a massive part of their success this season with what I think is a very average group of players

 

[Warrington_Wolf]

I’ve mentioned it before but a lot of people keep bringing up that a full pre season will benefit us.

Forgetting that we again won’t have a full pre season as it is Euro 2021.

What will the excuse be next season when we continue to churn out the same turgid football?

 

[Kford]

Well it was not Nuno fault that saiss missed a sitter than any of could of scored and coady should of scored too . So can’t blame Nuno for those two missing

 

[JOSWolf]

I’ve mentioned it before but a lot of people keep bringing up that a full pre season will benefit us.

Forgetting that we again won’t have a full pre season as it is Euro 2021.

What will the excuse be next season when we continue to churn out the same turgid football?

Agree. It seems there will always be an excuse from a few no matter what. I personally cant see any excuse for that first half yesterday.

 

[JOSWolf]

Well it was not Nuno fault that saiss missed a sitter than any of could of scored and coady should of scored too . So can’t blame Nuno for those two missing

Very true but Nuno can be blamed that we could easily have been 2 or 3 nil down at half time. We were very lucky we werent.

 

[Leamwolf]

I can't stand Mings either so I am massively biased against him but he is too industrial a defender for me, too much hoof so I prefer Saiss. Dendoncker shouldn't really be playing in defence so he gets a pass but Boly is better than Konsa IMO, don't think Luiz would add anything different to what we already have, don't need another defensive minded centre mid, and you'd have to drop Neto/Traore to accommodate Watkins who as far as I am aware hasn't played wide in the Prem yet and his goals have dried up after the early spurt playing up top so I'm not sold on him either, especially with Podence waiting in the wings

Man for man the core of our first team should be doing a lot better than they are, it's the sum of all the parts that isn't working, not enough bodies forward so the attackers are outnumbered and have few options, and our tempo is too slow, I think the intensity Villa play at has been a massive part of their success this season with what I think is a very average group of players

Exactly, I agree word for word with your last paragraph. Plus the “gamesmanship” of screaming for fouls, I have to say they did it a lot less yesterday and how basic to contain are they when the players focused on doing the basics in the second half.

the issue is tactical and the structure of team identity that has been created. Nuno is a defence and safety first manager, he has drilled this into them for nearly 4 years, things have dropped off due to injuries and for the regulars not injured bad form.
But this constant defensive and safety first approach is going to get into the players heads and when things don’t go well they will retreat into plying a more safety first and be less risk averse and my god we are seeing it in spades.

If nuno doesn’t know why these things keep happening in regards to slow starts and when not scoring in a first half has been a commentators quip for nearly two seasons, then I am sorry you are not setting the players up correctly in the build up. Simple as that, because these guys haven’t had these problems playing for their countries this season. Neto scored in the first half of his Portugal debut for gods sake. Adama had a dream start to international football by running hard at international class players, why are we not seeing this in old gold?

the euros, where adama is a cert to get picked and play is where his value will go back up as he will attack people and be told to attack attack attack, when it is becoming abundantly clear he is being told to hold back a bit for us.

 

[Tring Wolf]

For all the criticism of our attacking in open play, the corner routine that led to the Coady/Saiss chances was beautifully executed.

Kudos to whoever came up with that one.

 

[Deleted member 11332]

I can't stand Mings either so I am massively biased against him but he is too industrial a defender for me, too much hoof so I prefer Saiss. Dendoncker shouldn't really be playing in defence so he gets a pass but Boly is better than Konsa IMO, don't think Luiz would add anything different to what we already have, don't need another defensive minded centre mid, and you'd have to drop Neto/Traore to accommodate Watkins who as far as I am aware hasn't played wide in the Prem yet and his goals have dried up after the early spurt playing up top so I'm not sold on him either, especially with Podence waiting in the wings

Man for man the core of our first team should be doing a lot better than they are, it's the sum of all the parts that isn't working, not enough bodies forward so the attackers are outnumbered and have few options, and our tempo is too slow, I think the intensity Villa play at has been a massive part of their success this season with what I think is a very average group of players

Luiz is very good ball carrier when he does it. He's playing a role for them but he's a good all rounder. He'd be good paired with Neves.

 

[Ironfistedmonk]

Luiz is very good ball carrier when he does it. He's playing a role for them but he's a good all rounder. He'd be good paired with Neves.

I do like Luiz, he was the one signing Villa made when they were throwing millions around on ****e that I wouldn't have minded at Wolves but I think we need someone more dynamic to compliment Neves and Mouts, I've not really seen the ball carrier in him and I don't think Nuno would ask him to be that player either

 

[Leamwolf]

Luiz is very good ball carrier when he does it. He's playing a role for them but he's a good all rounder. He'd be good paired with Neves.

The villa fans I know are ****ting themselves that city don’t activate their buy back clause to sell him on for a profit or pep finally knowing he is the successor to Fernandinho that he wanted but could get the work permit to find out.

lose him and greasy in the summer, Martinez or no Martinez they are a great deal of trouble as sanson didn’t look much cop in the games I have seen him play so far.

 

[Incognito]

The premier league champions came in for him and the offer of champions league football

We had no chance of keeping Jota, I’m not sure why people think we sold him, Liverpool brought him, it’s a big difference. Ask Southampton, or Villa, you get good players in this league then you get the big boys taking them off you. Nothing we can do about it. Leicester won the league yet still couldn’t hold on to Kante Mahrez and Drinkwater

Stating the bleedin' obvious is my remit. We're not that blinkered when it comes to "big boys" taking our best players and/or players just wanting to move. What's troubling me is that the SQUAD has been massively weakened by the sale of Jota (Neto was already here for those who keep saying we had a ready made replacement for the FIRST XI). Leicester made decent squad additions for their stars who left, Maddison, Tilemans, the chap at the back for Slab-head, etc.

 

[Supadavewolf]

He is still worth a big fee despite being out of form .

I expect we will get 40-50m for him and then sign some Portuguese under 17 then everyone on here can be delighted they don’t have to watch traore any more

OWTW, I guess we all recognise the quality Adama CAN (potentially) bring to the team.

It's just that we all want to appreciate watching the quality Adama DOES bring to the team - on a far more regular basis.

In my 60-odd years of supporting us, I can't think of another Wolves player who has both exasperated and excited me to such an extent. Talk about extremes!

 

[goldeneyed]

Crap first half - better second half but no cutting edge in last third. Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose....

Jose - so disappointing - statuesque and ineffective. Seemingly disconnected from the rest of the team apart from occasional link up play. Sometimes you wonder whether he is on the field at all. Despite being almost 6ft 3 making no impression in the opposition penalty area. No runs, no guile. Poor service admittedly but he needs to get the team's attention . Body language too passive. No way will we buy him in the summer. So its him or a barking puppy of an 18 year old charging around enthusiastically but ineffectually. No pace makes me think he will struggle to ever be a top striker. Also useless in the air and easily brushed off the ball. Yes he will get better hopefully. But he needs a couple of years and in the meantime...

Neither Captain Coady nor the manager can explain why we are ALWAYS so hopeless in first halves. Clueless.

We need huge changes in the summer. Can see Traore being sold if we can get £40m or more to help finance some team building. Saiss might go too and (sadly) Kilman who Nuno has chosen to ignore for some reason that is hard to fathom. The lack of a striker or two is killing us. Coady is looking increasingly vulnerable. Moutinho had a terrible first half and time to replace him with a quality addition - ideally two. Boly back and a new quality CB will help a defence looking very vulnerable right now. Jose won't be signed and Vitinha looks doubtfull too with no game time given to him. Rait Nouri might be signed but £18m lot is a lot for someone who will be a reserve. Oh for a central midfield player who can ATTACK.

Villa without Grealish did very well in first half and dominated. Unlucky to hit bar twice. But lost all rhythm in second half and we looked more likely winners in the end. But with Coady and Saiss as your main sharpshooters when will this team score? Neto the only bright light but seems to be operating independently much of the time to make SOMETHING happen. Adama disappointing again. Seems to have lost confidence and still making poor decisions. Just want to shake him some times. But at least he occasionally upsets the opposition which is more than Jose and Silva ever do. Come back Podence and fast.

 

[Supadavewolf]

Jose looks ****, but then I imagine most strikers would with no service and having to dig the ball out from our own half, I can remember Raul looking just as frustrated before his own injury, and if these are the tactics we are going to use, then that won’t change when he does return.

This.

Is what worries me.

 

[Deleted member 11332]

I do like Luiz, he was the one signing Villa made when they were throwing millions around on ****e that I wouldn't have minded at Wolves but I think we need someone more dynamic to compliment Neves and Mouts, I've not really seen the ball carrier in him and I don't think Nuno would ask him to be that player either

It's in his natural game, did it loads last season for them. He's being asked to sit and protect for them now, shows his intelligence as a footballer to me.

We may not need anyone dynamic depending on the formation. If it's a flat 2 definitely needed, if we are going to be playing a midfield 5 the 2 are just there to break up play and recycle the ball, think we would be fine for options with what we have.

 

[Westbakejazz]

We all know our history but what we are talking about is where we are right now and what is happening to a team that has lost its identity over a season.

Our plan has seriously derailed. Fosun will already be looking ahead. That’s a given with the Chinese.

Our performances are the equivalent of rolling a turd in gold glitter. I would like to know how we get back to watching a brand of football that all of us crave and have witnessed over the last few years.

Absolutely spot on, some posters have to take you back in time when we were in a lower division, but we are in the here and now. How far we have regressed is painful, I can’t even fathom out how we are trying to play. Me like others have enjoyed our last two seasons with excitement and knowing it didn’t matter who we played we would give them a game. But alas from needing just a couple of quality players last summer to kick on. Well the rest is history