Southampton Verdict

[Golden_Wolf]

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!!

Actually shocked that's come from you, and that I agree with you lol

 

[Wolf316]

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.

However will he cope?

 

[Abbobrom]

Give their keeper a great deal of credit. England should look at him again.

 

[S G Wolves]

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.

Mate all it was they were waiting for VAR. Couldn't celebrate.. they thought Neto may have been off side. Nothing to worry about here.
Rual was trying like a madman in the 2nd half...

 

[Deleted member 5276]

Feeling extremely frustrated with that. If we play with the intensity we played that last 15 mins, we win that game at a canter.

Rui - Nothing to do. No chance with the goal. 7
Semedo - cost us the goal by not staying with Walcott but a huge upgrade on Matt. 6.5
Boly - looked lost at times such was his positioning and then his usual mix of calmness and sheer disarray. 6
Kilman - Looked pretty solid and impresses me with his calm temperament. 7
Ait-Nouri - OK... decent. 6
Dendonker - Didn't do enough for me today. Some sloppiness and should have scored first half. 6
Neves - I felt his frustration today. Always looking for an out ball but no runners. Nonsense booking. 7
Moutinho - Came to life in the last 15 mins and gave us a display of pure quality in how he manipulated the ball in that period. 6.5
Traore - A bit better today and maybe he's spoilt us. I'm greedy, I just want more from him. 6.5
Raul - Looked lost until the last 15 mins with no support. Fluffed his lines two or three times. Great header but offside. Story of his day. 6
Podence - Continues to frustrate me. I know he has quality but it's really time for some end product. 6

Neto - just what you want from the bench. An immediate impact and we always look like something is going to happen when he plays. 7
Ferreira - No time.

Nuno - surprised everyone with his back line tactics and we just about got away with it. Just wish that sometimes he'd give our players license to take their game to their opponents in the first 60 to 70 mins of a game. I desperately want him to learn and to then trust his players to take the game to the opposition as when they do, we can be really good.

Southampton - Tidy team and you felt they would score because of our own failings rather than what they created. So it proved. McCarthy their MOM for some good saves.

 

[SuperGran]

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.

I think your right

 

[Leamwolf]

For me, we need to cash in on Traore, he is just a pumped up Iwobi.... yes he runs forward very quickly and that scares people , but he can’t link play, his passing game on the floor is not good enough, he rarely makes any intelligent runs off the ball and he is SO lazy defensively. He just doesn’t suit our systems or style of play.

he just needs to be an advanced winger who stays forward and we can’t carry that kind of luxury.

Sell him and then spend it on another more attack minded midfielder, a young project winger like neto. Players who actually fit our style or can add to it with a bit of class.

 

[Hawkguy]

Who was saying that?

I have no idea of names. It was on DAZN right at the end of the match.

 

[northnorfolkwolf]

Amazing when Nuno allows us to attack. I hope this is his wake-up call to realise he has some bloody good attacking players so he needs to find a way to use them effectively. Last 30 minutes was like the Wolves of old. Total domination. When we threw the shackles off we were a different team.

 

[WickedWolfie]

Andre Marriner is a Grade A *****.

 

[Hawkguy]

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

Sure, but we also didn't even have our complete squad in game 1. I'm no less confident in this team than last year's squad.

 

[Netherton Wolf]

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.

And Neves never looked at Nuno when he was subbed

 

[Hawkguy]

However will he cope?

Probably with tears because if he keeps that up he won't be in the Premier League much longer.

 

[Wolf316]

Probably with tears because if he keeps that up he won't be in the Premier League much longer.

He’s 19 FFS!

 

[Oh When the Wolves]

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!!

We are poor against 3 4 3 in a 3 4 3 though.

I would be tempted to go 4 3 3 with Coady in for kilman

 

[molineux man]

Raul looks disinterested

Wasn’t his night but not sure how you can call him ‘disinterested’ - he put in as much effort as anyone.

 

[Wolf316]

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.

Yeah that was weird with Raul just walking away looking like he didn’t care we’d scored.

 

[Oldgold Wolfcub]

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

Our ex players making Traore man of the match but hey what do they know.

 

[S G Wolves]

Probably with tears because if he keeps that up he won't be in the Premier League much longer.

3rd game in PL. Wtf you on man. Get a grip...

 

[northnorfolkwolf]

And Neves never looked at Nuno when he was subbed

I think he came off because he was on a yellow.

 

[reanswolf]

Very pleased with a point today, was very important we didn't go on a bad run and crumble a bit.
Far more enterprising performance with 4 at the back, and I thought defensively we were good. Many young players there who did very well.

1st half our midfield 3 were simply outclassed and chasing shadows of Ward-Prowse and Armstrong, but 2nd half was much better against a very good in-form team. Mostly very good performances and a few iffy ones but Nuno looked quite pleased at the end and so he should. Some very good signs.

PATRICIO -8 - excellent handling as we would expect from our star keeper.
SEMEDO - 8 - looks a superb player with great balance, yes he was momentarily at fault for their goal but he was enterprising throughout.
ALT NOURI - 8 - after a dodgy Leicester performance, he started a little weakly but after the first 15 minutes was again very good.
BOLY - 8 - solid and strong as we expect from our Rolls-Royce.
KILMAN - 8 - after a very difficult week for him personally , I was again very impressed with his assuredness.
NEVES - 6 - he has been excellent for a long period, but struggled today.
MOUTINHO - 6.5 - was a passenger first half but stuck at it and his influence increased as the game went on
DENDONCKER - 5 - typical defenders performance in CM. Good early shot but was largely a passenger for me. No influence in our passing game.
TRAORE - 7.5 - very closely marked but stuck at it and always a danger.
PODENCE - 8 - had a few good efforts on goal and got into dangerous positions, unlucky not to score. Always a threat.
JIMENEZ - 7 - no support first half but better as game went on, unlucky not to score.

SUBS: -

NETO - 8- did very well when he came on, and reacted superbly to score with a bullet.
VITINHA - too late to mark him, but good to see him.

Overall, I still think we need a better CM (so sorry but it just seems obvious every game), but so pleased to see so many good performances, Semedo, Alt Nouri, Kilman, Podence, and steady very high standard as usual from Patricio, Boly. Traore and Jimenez stuck at it admirably after tough spells in the game.

A work in progress, just need to get that quality midfielder in.

Lovely to see Nuno looking enthused, so many good things to draw from that excellent game.

 

[Bostin]

Wasn’t his night but not sure how you can call him ‘disinterested’ - he put in as much effort as anyone.

Not so much his effort, more body language and reaction to the goal.

He misses Jota massively.

 

[marrs-guitar]

Yeah that was weird with Raul just walking away looking like he didn’t care we’d scored.

I think in real-time they were worried it might have been offside. Neto didn't really react either.

 

[JOSWolf]

Really enjoyed the second half. First half wasnt great and the central midfield is still an issue for me. Neves looks way off his game. Very impressed with Ait Nouri, Semedo, apart from the goal. Neto was brilliant when he came on and Podence looked dangerous. The downside was the central midfield though. A big special mention for Max Kilman. Yet another superb performance by him under difficult circumstances. I am sure his Dad would be very proud.

 

[Black Country Wanderer]

Our ex players making Traore man of the match but hey what do they know.

Apparently not a lot

 

[kennyB]

Biggest drawback tonight was Walcott scoring for the first time since the old King died!

 

[Ches78]

Nice seeing Nuno smiling again in the interview....

 

[Hawkguy]

He’s 19 FFS!

He tried to get a call in a spot there was no need and was a huge part to blame for the goal. I'm chalking it up as a lack of judgment rather than a lack of heart at this point.

 

[S G Wolves]

Yeah that was weird with Raul just walking away looking like he didn’t care we’d scored.

Was waiting for VAR.. didn't celebrate. Its all a farce...

 

[WW1963]

Delighted with many aspects of our play, under difficult circumstances, against a very good side. These international breaks have done their best to kill us but we are still within a few wins of challenging top six after a quarter of the season gone - and still yet to find our groove.

 

[sedgwolf1980]

For me, we need to cash in on Traore, he is just a pumped up Iwobi.... yes he runs forward very quickly and that scares people , but he can’t link play, his passing game on the floor is not good enough, he rarely makes any intelligent runs off the ball and he is SO lazy defensively. He just doesn’t suit our systems or style of play.

he just needs to be an advanced winger who stays forward and we can’t carry that kind of luxury.

Sell him and then spend it on another more attack minded midfielder, a young project winger like neto. Players who actually fit our style or can add to it with a bit of class.

Totally respect your opinion but I literally could not disagree more.

We look so much more dangerous when he is on the pitch. He takes up 3 players each time he has the ball for starters. Has to start now for me.

 

[Deleted member 8455jwf]

Should have won game but great to have so many good shooting opportunities. Keep that up and we will score plenty

 

[Oliwolf44]

We've signed a right back who cant defend. Good on the ball but absolutely no defensive awareness. Cant head the ball and under the high ball got no positional sense. Looks dangerous every time they go down the flanks as ait nouri still a kid and learning also.

 

[Ian C]

Our ex players making Traore man of the match but hey what do they know.

They must have been ****ed up in the lounge. Clearly they didn’t watch the game.

 

[Hawkguy]

3rd game in PL. Wtf you on man. Get a grip...

I have a grip. Thanks!

 

[JR WAS KING]

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.

It's exactly how I felt when it went in. No excitement, just expecting VAR to rule it 1mm offside.

 

[AndyY]

Nuno looked and sounded as pleased as i remember after a match!

 

[Glow69]

Credits due new formation. Thought we got better as it went on, especially against a team alot of folk are raving about.

Good snippets of what our forwards could do at the latter stages.

Moutinho back on it, thought semedo was great apart from the mistake but the lead up to their goal wasn't the greatest.

Wouldnt go 4231 against arsenal just yet though..

 

[SanFranWolf]

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.

How can raul look disinterested when in the 91st minute he's running 30 yards at full pelt chasing a lost cause back pass to their goal keeper?

I'd accept 'frustrated' but disinterested? Really?

 

[Hawkguy]

Yeah that was weird with Raul just walking away looking like he didn’t care we’d scored.

Neto didn't celebrate either. He said in the post game interview that VAR hasn't been kind to him so he was just waiting.