Southampton Verdict

[Deleted member 8455jwf]

I see where you're coming from but he has had what, 3 or 4 one on one's this season and fluffed them all? He needs to score those if he is a forward player. Actually he needs to score them as wingback. He needs to up his goal threat a bit for me but had a decent start to the season.

Reckon he should have scored 2. 2nd against Watford is gilt edged and one today was a very good chance. Better chance than I thought on first viewing, the 1st against Watford I wouldn't really expect a RB to score.

 

[theweave]

Some proper Brentford style time wasting by us towards the end. At least we took something from that game

 

[whitnash wolf ex.dewsbury]

Some proper Brentford style time wasting by us towards the end. At least we took something from that game

game management please!

 

[The Wolf In The North]

Well, that was pretty awful, but those three points are as precious as dragon's gold, and that was a very special comeback goal for a player who was really, really starting to struggle up until he crafted that magical release.

Southampton are a terrible football team post-Ings and they're going to have to find themselves a goalscorer from somewhere if they plan to be in the Premier League next season. If your match day squad is relying on Che Adams and Shane Long, you're in deep trouble. Today was a gift, and those three points mean the world because Newcastle next are a different animal with much better players.

The problem (stop me if you've heard this one before) is midfield and Moutinho. And Moutinho is a glorious player, and he has the heart of a lion, and he's won more honours in his career than most of our team could even dream of, but the truth is, Moutinho sets the tempo of the team, and that tempo is too slow. Too slow to control games, too slow for the kind of football Lage is pushing for. Lage is there on the touchline doing his nut trying to get us to play quicker, more instinctively, more forward, and Moutinho is just not that. He's a thoroughbred, he works hard, he has terrific technique, but he is careful, and he is steady, and he is one-paced. It's not working. We may struggle to replace him with a better player, but we're really going to need to replace him with a different one at some point if we're going to evolve. And the same could easily be said about Coady, but Moutinho is the one in the engine room.

Marcal was bad. Really bad. But that's okay, because at least we didn't lose, and because I want Ait-Nouri playing regularly, so, whatever.

Adama looked like an angry person when he was sitting chatting to Neves, and he looked like an angry person when he came on, and he did nothing, except look angry, and Lage needs to be careful. You don't hack off your main asset when he has a tendency to sulk.

There's... not much good to say about today, in honesty, except Raul's goal was wonderful, and Sa was very smart, and it always feels happier after a win. But, to coin a phrase, there were no solutions to be found today along with the points.

 

[Vtrpres]

Great terminology there, disgusting

My apologies. Take it back gladly should have said injuries. Boy do we need some beef in our line up.
One more point. Sa booting high balls up the field to the shortest player in the league? Hope that doesn’t offend anyone.

 

[Black Country Wanderer]

I see where you're coming from but he has had what, 3 or 4 one on one's this season and fluffed them all? He needs to score those if he is a forward player. Actually he needs to score them as wingback. He needs to up his goal threat a bit for me but had a decent start to the season.

Hes had 3 decent chances,should have scored at least one of them,but we have a forward thats missed as many one on ones dont we?
Whats his excuse? "im not a striker" ?

 

[wwbug]

What a relief . Very happy for the points.
We work hard and Jimenez goal was class .
SA was man of the match .
Our play in the last third of the pitch needs improving .

 

[WolfInSheep'sClothing]

Missed a chance but only player who didn't regularly give ball away. Locked down their left wide, Hoever was absolutely torn to pieces by Djenepo. Agenda

Djenepo didn't tear anybody to pieces. He created nowt.

 

[WolfInSheep'sClothing]

What did Semedo do wrong, do you normally rate him and today was just a bad day?

I thought he played quite well today, but how can you ask that question when he has given the ball away last man?
If we still had Rui that would have probably been a goal.

 

[Michellis]

Not the best performance of the season.
However, believe me...that is a massive three points.
And really heartening to see Raul score.

 

[MrwulfAndrew]

It wasnt pretty (the goal aside) but its just great to get the 3 points when we really needed them!

 

[Incognito]

Missed a chance but only player who didn't regularly give ball away. Locked down their left wide, Hoever was absolutely torn to pieces by Djenepo. Agenda

Don't be a daft bugger. That's not my stylee!

 

[jonesy]

With a better cb and cm we would I believe be a very good team. I think these positions restrict the forwards from doing what they do best and score. Great win today against a team we would have lost to last year...... in Bruno we trust!!

 

[derbyrameater]

Either two very poor sides or two very nervous sides.

Marcela is too much of a liability, I haven't a clue what is going in his brain but I would prefer never to see him again until he sorts his brain out.

Almost had a bit of dirt in the eye when Raul scored.

 

[Mugwump]

Poor performance but a welcome 3 points. Imperative we back it up to get the confidence flowing again.

 

[Pagey]

My apologies. Take it back gladly should have said injuries. Boy do we need some beef in our line up.
One more point. Sa booting high balls up the field to the shortest player in the league? Hope that doesn’t offend anyone.

So you apologise, then choose to post a flippant remark about offending people? Forget it aye, first poster on here ive blocked

 

[TheConcourse]

Today's win is all about Raul Jiminez. Our number 9 scores a wonderful individual goal that displayed all the attributes of a fine centre forward. Strength to win the long ball from Sa. Wonderful control and skill to take out two Soton defenders and then the clinical finish! Our number 9 is back and boy do we need him back to his best. I'm sure this is still the start of that journey back to the Raul we all know and love. So patience still required. Please note all you sceptics out there. In general, though this was a so so performance. Podence, Hwang and Semedo, especially the latter, disappointing. But a wins, a win! Onwards and upwards! Singing "Bruno Lage's barmy army" and "our number 9"!

Thought Semedo was excellent first half. Not sure how you’ve managed to discredit his performance and avoided Marcal on the other side who has looked every bit a League 1 specialist for the last two games.

 

[Wolves Heathen]

Today the three points were more imortant than the performance, we got the three points from a good individual goal from a great individual well done Raul and welcome back. The less said about Poddy and Marcal the better, Podence gave the ball away almost every time he had it, and Marcal was just as poor, we seemed to play a lot deeper which suited Coady and he had a much better game, if thats the way we have to play until January then so be it but im sure Bruno wants to play higher up the pitch. Im far from convinced playing two in the middle is the way to go but again it all stems from certain players not having the pace to play Brunoball.

Onwards and upwards, three points against Newcastle next week and we will be well on the way to safety, and our injured players will be one more game closer to being ready.

 

[Deleted member 8455jwf]

I thought he played quite well today, but how can you ask that question when he has given the ball away last man?
If we still had Rui that would have probably been a goal.

Other than it being a hand ball? Charge downs aren't allowed in football

 

[Ernie the Wolf]

I like hoever too. Cant see semedo getting in the team if we go to a back 4. 27 million substitute.

No way!

 

[Willywolf]

Come 4pm, our points total showed 6. Doesn’t matter that we were poor again I guess; sometimes a scruffy win does much more for the confidence than winning at a canter does. Really felt we needed the 3 points today to just ease the nerves of our players, not have them looking towards that bottom 3. I said on an earlier thread that we’ve played well, really well, in games and lost. This feels like maybe it might just give us a shot in the arm that we do know how to win after all.
Great goal by Raul, super performance from Sa, Semedo good, back 3 solid (all 3 of them), Marcal and Podence comical with how often they have the ball away, midfield duo industrious without showing much quality/flair/bite (sure moutinho plays with pillows for feet) and not sure what to make of Hwang yet as he’s only been here two minutes. But JOB DONE today.
Bruno needs to make subs earlier to try and impact the game sooner IMO, especially when midfield is being bypassed and passes are going astray all over the place.

 

[Willywolf]

Many saying they like Hoever and prefer him over Semedo. I think the lad has some quality but I feel Semedo is the better player.
Hoever reminds me of a player trying to model his game on Trent Alexander Arnold, but not being successful… YET. Maybe it’ll happen, but I’m not convinced atm.

 

[SuperGran]

Fans were amazing again

https://twitter.com/x/status/1442159868102672393

 

[Jefe]

Scruffy win, but the three points are very welcome. The story of course is Raul's and hopefully that kickstarts his season. Sa excellent after a wobbly moment. Passing generally very poor which will be of concern to Bruno.

 

[Pagey]

Really can't understand the berating of Semedo, thought he had a steady game, wish he knew where the corners of the goal was though

 

[justanotherwolf]

A few observations from the away end only
1. Sa was great (couple of dodgy kicks aside) although both his major contributions (double save and clearance from the charge-down) were theoretically unneeded (offside and handball respectively). Nevertheless always good to deal with the problem on the pitch rather than rely on the ref or gamble with VAR, so they still count!

2. Both Hwang and Podence playing wide(ish) in place of Traore and Trincao seemed odd to me, since they both prefer to operate more centrally, whereas Traore and Trincao prefer to start out wide (and cut-in, depending on which wing they're operating from).
Attacks regularly broke down in part because we were totally reliant on wingbacks to provide all the width.
Imo if Podence/Hwang is playing and tasked with getting closer to Raul then the other wide attacker must be one or Trincao/Traore to stretch the play (to some degree) and support the relevant wingback (until Neto returns...).

3. I don't get the hate for Moutinho/Semedo from some on this thread (other than they've become scapegoats for the boo-boys).
Based on the last couple of performances it's right that Neves was the one to lose his place and while Moutinho wasn't magic today he sure wasn't terrible, plus has started the season as well as anyone.
Semedo was good defensively with marking and positional tasks and while he didn't offer much offensively, I think this was more down to other personnel not being comfortable in their roles (see 1).
These two are not the problem.

4. I wrote previously about the attacking limitations of Marcal as a wingback, the only difference now is other teams have cottoned on and are exploiting it. Podence just never looked comfortable in his role but did keep trying his all until being subbed.

 

[MotorWoden]

Hes had 3 decent chances,should have scored at least one of them,but we have a forward thats missed as many one on ones dont we?
Whats his excuse? "im not a striker" ?

Yeah, its a fair point. Athough I would say that forward also makes a lot of chances. Either way we really need to start finishing a lot more of those off.

 

[old wittonian]

With a better cb and cm we would I believe be a very good team. I think these positions restrict the forwards from doing what they do best and score. Great win today against a team we would have lost to last year...... in Bruno we trust!!

Didn't we beat them last year ?

 

[Bostin]

Just got back home.

Thought Raul had ****ed it when he cut back back inside. What a bloody feeling when it hit the net. Absolute bedlam in the away end!

Performance was generally crap but who cares, we won.

 

[Nivada]

Is there a points per game thread for this season?

 

[Incognito]

Thought Semedo was excellent first half. Not sure how you’ve managed to discredit his performance and avoided Marcal on the other side who has looked every bit a League 1 specialist for the last two games.

You're right about Marcal but please remind me how much he cost us and the same for Semedo? Look, maybe I'm seeing a different game to a few on here. It's not the first time. However, Semedo is not quite doing it for me. Of course, would have been completely different had he buried one of the three golden chances he's had to score this season...

 

[Contrarian]

Some proper Brentford style time wasting by us towards the end. At least we took something from that game

Would be interesting to find the "Ball in Play" time. Yes we "game managed" as most teams do when a goal up at the end of a match. But I doubt it was to the extent of the 40 minutes that Brentford managed to waste in our match.

 

[Ercall Wolves]

Pleased with the 3 points and the superb goal from Raul which should do his confidence a world of good. Other than that though I thought we were pretty poor throughout and were very lucky to pick up the win.

We were very very unlucky not to pick up points in our first 3 games
Don’t think we were as bad as some people are saying

 

[MattH]

Hwang worked his **** off dropping back and trying to win the ball, we've really missed that from our forwards. Understated but important performance.

 

[Ercall Wolves]

Well taken goal.

Generally crap and a lot of worrying stuff.

3 points is 3 points.

A win is a win... but very, very poor.

I don’t think we were very very poor
If we was very very poor we would have conceded 2/3 goals
We kept a clean sheet

 

[Frank Lincoln]

Wolves won, kept a clean sheet, and Raul scored. All those three added together makes me very happy tonight.

 

[S G Wolves]

Just got back home to Wolverhampton, was genuinely running low on petrol...

Got to the game and realised I didn't have a barcode thingy on my ticket. The stewards were kind enough to let me in.

Not the best game but worth it alone for Raul's goal and celebrations and the Si Senor at the end of the game.

All in all well fought out win. Still chuffed..

 

[derbyrameater]

Also Max did the same tackle as he did against Brentford which led to their goal did the same today but this time he put more meat into it and came away with the ball to start an attack

 

[Contrarian]

With a better cb and cm we would I believe be a very good team. I think these positions restrict the forwards from doing what they do best and score. Great win today against a team we would have lost to last year...... in Bruno we trust!!

Our 3 central defenders (and keeper) were excellent today. As they usually are. One mistake early on from Kilman - rescued by his team mates. Other than that, blocks, headers, clearances, tackles from beginning to end from all three.

Not the defences fault that for the entire match, nothing stuck with the three up front, who once again , looked like they'd never met before today. Apart from one moment of magic from Raul, ably assisted by Sa. If only the others could pass in the final thirds with half the accuracy that Sa launched a 50+ yard kick!

Great result, given that both teams are clearly struggling, could be 3 points that turn out vital. However, I'm surprised in the manner that we won them. We seem to have totally rejected the style that was evolving in the friendlies and first few matches. Today looked just like a performance from last season, in nearly every way. Disjointed, lacking fluidity in attack - though I think the midfield did connect things a bit better than last season, there wasn't this huge gap between defence and attack we used to see. Thats the thing with bias, you see what you are expecting to see! And though most here are convinced we have a useless defence, I don't. And I saw, time and time again, promising attacks wasted by the front 3, and the wing backs, too. Ball won by the defence, then played out to the middle, where somebody , Pod, MArcal, whoever would then proceed to waste it and give the ball away, often from totally unforced errors, which is really poor for top professionals. Repeat about 20 times and that was our first half.

And also like last season, though we didn't play well, somehow we got the win! That is a good habit to have, though it is curious whether Bruno has changed the initial idea, and reverted to the more counter attacking, defensively organised, cautious style. I suppose we weren't quite as deep, especially Donk and MOutinho, who did seem to be linking play, rather than hand holding the defence.

 

[Alex Rae The Substitute]

Result papers over cracks.

A welcome three points. Really pleased for Lage.

Fantastic goal, made up for Raul.

So that’s Norwich and Southampton likely worse than us, just need one more team.