Southampton Verdict

[silverwolf]

Lots to do

 

[Autistic Kangaroo]

We did ok against a team on form without arguably our best player at the moment

 

[wanderer24]

Heading in the right direction

 

[Royal wolf]

Ironically as Southampton played a back four I feel our traditional formation would’ve done them tonight. Disappointing again in the first half but can’t complain with the result

 

[Aimless Balls]

Felt like both teams went unpunished.

 

[Golden_Wolf]

Felt a bit frustrated we didn't win. Looked much better in a 4 - 2 - 3 - 1 going forward.

Lacked a clinical edge at times tonight, but similar to Newcastle, and a mistake at the back biting us in the ass.

 

[Hawkguy]

Well according to an expert getting paid money to talk about the game.. we are off to a worse start than last year. Not much but a little because we have a weaker starting squad.

At this point last year we had 11 points. We have 14 this year...

the ****?

2-5-2
vs
4-2-3

Also Jota was our best player and we're really missing Doherty .....

 

[Ned]

Could have won, could have lost.

The performance was good at times, very good at others and shocking some of the time.

It was one of those games where anything could have happened really!!

 

[Ches78]

Same old, same old. Start too negatively, poor first half, go behind, then turn it on... Still, a decent(ish) point after internationals and covid things, playing different formation for first time, and Vitinha got a few mins...

 

[Bostin]

Something not quite right with some of them.

I don’t know if it’s because of the contracts that have been signed, or maybe the success we’ve had.

Raul looks disinterested, Adama always moaning, Dendoncker barely trying, and to top it off none of them celebrated the goal together! Jiminez just looked peed off that he hadn’t scored.

Have they lost some of that togetherness? Not sure. But something feels off and it’s evident in the disjointed performance.

 

[Ned]

I do feel like we’ve dropped 2 points though.

 

[Bugsy911]

Better composure in front of goal we would have won but that's our problem....don't see the goalscoring issues being fixed within the current squad.

 

[Golden_Wolf]

Also we can put paid to Moutinho being past it. Much better when Neves went off.

 

[VancouverWolf]

Great to see us going forward more often and making chances. With that approach we‘ll get more goals. We were hungrier than we usually are.
The play between Patricio, Boly and Killman made me nervous at times.
Some great passing from Raul.

 

[Hoganstolemywife]

Really good last 25.

Really bland the rest of the game. Better watch than Newcastle.

I thought we had the chances to win the game, but Southampton missed two absolute sitters so a point is fair.

I understand this is a transitional season and I'm perfectly happy to accept that in theory. It just gets a bit infuriating during game sometimes!

 

[RosehillWolf]

Definitely 2 points dropped. Should have made subs a lot earlier. At least we keep going. I’ve seen Wolves teams in the not too distant past that would have lost that

 

[Golden_Wolf]

Well according to an expert getting paid money to talk about the game.. we are off to a worse start than last year. Not much but a little because we have a weaker starting squad.

At this point last year we had 11 points. We have 14 this year...

the ****?

2-5-2
vs
4-2-3

Also Jota was our best player and we're really missing Doherty .....

Who was saying that?

 

[Deleted member 7862Bler]

Jonny will be like a new signing when fit.
Why was Walcott wearing a pony tail and white tights?

 

[WeAreTheWolvesII]

Very promising. 4-2-3-1 was exciting. 20 shots, 9 on target, as many as I can remember us for ages.

Played on the front foot, attacked well - against a good side.

You have to do a back three at Arsenal, and probably most our upcoming games in fairness, but that’s a great sign that we can play that way imo.

I genuinely don’t get any negativity, we’ve not played that well going forward for a long time.

We utilised the space on the left that comes up with Traore on.

Semedo, a good player, switched off, otherwise that second half was near enough one way. We have away a few too many chances but overall that was pleasing and something to build on. Again, against a good side!!

 

[Chisels_n_ommers]

We look far far better when Dendoncker anchors more allowing our forward players to do their thing and also shielding the defence.

This was the base for the last 20 minutes (Neves substitution onwards).

 

[groundhogwolf]

Played a completely different shape to normal, and bettered a team in form, good performance, just need to finish a couple of the many chances created

 

[Incognito]

4-4-2 is a new work in progress. As a first try at that formation in yonks, not bad to end up with a draw against a decent Soton side. Although, what would have been the result had Ings been playing for them? Chances enough for us to have secured the win but then again Jersey Joe Walcott missed a sitter to make it 2-0 to them and possibly game over. As it was, we fought back gallantly and like I said had chances to win. Nice to see Adama get a run out although he was his usual frustrating self with poor end product. He did win his fair few 50/50s though. Semedo dreaming for their goal and seemed to play the ball out a lot today when simple give and go's were the better option. Our MotM, for me it was 5'7" of football heaven. Welcome back Mouts! Looks like he found his feet again today.

 

[Ian C]

Neto has to start all of our games.

 

[Deleted member 11332]

Played some decent stuff. Game changed when Neto came on. Adama waste of a shirt.

 

[Locks Heath Wolf]

Just can’t help thinking this season is a big opportunity and our lack of goals is going to keep us mid table. (Saying that would still be happy with that at end of season I guess!!!)

 

[Deleted member 11332]

Well according to an expert getting paid money to talk about the game.. we are off to a worse start than last year. Not much but a little because we have a weaker starting squad.

At this point last year we had 11 points. We have 14 this year...

the ****?

2-5-2
vs
4-2-3

Also Jota was our best player and we're really missing Doherty .....

We've played much worse teams than we did at the start last year, it's not as simple as you are making here.

 

[Alex Rae The Substitute]

We weren’t as bad with 4 at the back as I feared we would be.

Missed a lot of good chances, but finished the game feeling pleased with the draw.

Still seem way off our performance levels of the last couple of seasons. Can’t quite put my finger on why that is. I think it’s a lack of zip to our play, most of the season I’ve felt our decision making has been just a split second too slow.

Overall, it was nice not to lose, especially having gone a goal down. Could easily lose to Arsenal and you don’t want to go three losses in a row.

 

[Black Country Wanderer]

Thought it was a decent game

Could have gone either way,we certainly had the better chances although Walcott should have scored a second

Yes we were open at the back but looked to carry more threat going forward,just wish Raul could get his mojo back for more than 10 minutes a game. and Traore could learn to pass to a team mate once in a while

Overall some good spells,and a few dire ones defensively,but with the changes i guess it was to be expected,hope we try this formation again, certainly gives a more open game

 

[Kashmire Hawker]

I've seen better, but certainly seen much worse!

Pedro's introduction, finally sparked the full life of the boys, of a performance with many more attempts on goal and a sense that we could have nicked that.

Still, a bad goal to concede defensive wise and I'm sure that is what will cheese Nuno off the most. Understand that Max wouldn't have naturally been at his best, due to his father's passing so for him to play at all - in such circumstances says all you need to know.

14 points (3 points more) and 9th place (4 places more) than this stage in 2019/20 is progress and with us still ahead of Arsenal, Man City and Man Utd, along with being 10 clear of trouble is decent at the quarter point.

 

[Antonline1987]

Played well against a inform team. Alex McCarthey MOTM on another day it's a win but we have nothing to change a game on the bench it's great having players with massive potential but we need some more depth for the hear and now to be able to get wins in games like tonight

 

[Ditton Wolf]

Thats what I like about this forum we all watch the same game but have different opinions on our players performance.
Thought Semedo was class apart from that moment of madness and losing the player.
Playing 4 at the back more shots 20 - 9 on target, another option for Nuno.
Strange 2nd half we had more attacking threat and Mouts stepped up, especially after Neves went off.
Nouri will be some player for us in the future but had moments where he was poor in possession and crossing was awful.

Good for confidence and momentum moving into some difficult fixtures. Good point overall and Capt Coads back against the Gooners !!

 

[JadeWolf]

2 points dropped, defo. Better team. All things considered it’s a decent point but should have been much more.

 

[marrs-guitar]

I was disappointed with our composure during the last 5 minutes. We let Southampton hold possession and even have a dangerous corner due to silly fouls and totally wayward passes (Vitinha just smacked the ball backward to nobody at one point). There was a winning goal in there for us if we had been sharper. The days of our late winners seem to have vanished into the past.

 

[Incognito]

Something not quite right with some of them.

I don’t know if it’s because of the contracts that have been signed, or maybe the success we’ve had.

Raul looks disinterested, Adama always moaning, Dendoncker barely trying, and to top it off none of them celebrated the goal together! Jiminez just looked peed off that he hadn’t scored.

Have they lost some of that togetherness? Not sure. But something feels off and it’s evident in the disjointed performance.

That was strange. I thought it was because they were worried about VAR chalking it off. I hope that was the case. I think the players need the fans back.

 

[Ewok vs Wolf]

Mixed bag
Defensive we were understand a bit unsure
Neves Moutinho dink just didn't do enough for 70 mins
Alt nouri very shaky error prone and hurts his confidence
Neto has to start
Traore not doing enough
Raul was poor for 70 mins
Ref was abysmal

 

[Wolf316]

Decent point against one of the most inform sides in the league.

 

[clivewolves]

A draw seems a fair result.

I didn't expect a back four and I expect we'll revert to a back three when Coady returns. I think it should be an option in the future though. We obviously struggled positionally at times which you would expect given we haven't played four at the back for over three years.

I don't usually criticise refs but I thought tonight he was really bad. He let so many cynical fouls go which stopped our attacks. To have Traore being cynically fouled four or five times without a yellow being given and then Traore being booked for a standard foul was a joke.

I think Semedo, despite his error for the goal, had a good game. My man of the match. As a team, I don't think we really clicked until we were a goal down which was frustrating. As soon as they scored we suddenly came alive and had players playing up alongside Jimenez.

Some positives and some negatives tonight. Southampton are a good side in good form so I can't have too many complaints.

EDIT.
One more thing. I actually succumbed to the influence of VAR. I didn't celebrate the goal as I thought Neto was likely offside. So the one big moment of the game I didn't celebrate. I think that's the first time it's happened to me. Not good.

 

[sedgwolf1980]

I have said this before, and will say it again, win lose or draw.... we are just going thru the motions until the fans are back in. I’m not saying it’s right, and I’m not saying we should be any different to any other club, but it doesn’t stop it being true.

Each game is nothing more than a glorified friendly. The fact Nuno is by far the most vocal of any PL manager about the absence of fans says it all. He knows it too.

Throw in the fact we have players jetting off left right and centre, COVID tests throwing plans into complete farcical levels, kick off times all over the place. The season is a complete non starter.

Roll on 2021-22.

 

[Hawkguy]

Not pleased with Ait-Nouri on the goal. Semedo didn't play it well but Nouri put them all in a confusing scenario.

A little knock like that? You better not be crying on the ground in our zone. I'll give him a pass this time but if I see it again, he'll be on my **** list.

 

[Oh When the Wolves]

Well everyone got what they wanted

4 3 3 and traore starting

Patricio - 6 good handling . Dreadful kicks

kilman 6 - did well defensively . But in possession was dreadful. Rarely forwards beyond neves

Boly 7 - played very well second half

Semedo 5 - can’t fall asleep like that . You need a shout from your right mid in those circumstances though and he ain’t going to get it from traore

ait nouri - 6 weak for the goal but maybe unlucky . Confidence grew in second half

neves - 5 poor game . Didn’t take enough responsibility to go forwards imo

dendoncker and moutinho. - 5 . These were the two most key players on the pitch and offered nothing . Moutinho much better final 15 but soton sitting back suites him. I don’t know why moutinho takes set pieces . Dreadful

traore - 6 . 2 men On him yes . But no game awareness . Losing the ball when 3 men are free is unacceptable . Always a threat but no good if the final ball is poor

podence 5 - poor tonight. Didn’t seem himself . Couldn’t get into it

Jimenez 5 - also poor . Nothing came off for him

Neto 6 - bit of energy about him changes it . Good finish . Should have taken another chance tho


We were too sloppy and wasted chances. Dendoncker Neto and podence all have to score.

can’t be too disappointed with a radical change in formation with two days on the training ground . Tough fixtures to come . May suit us better .