Team v WHU

[JohnB]

Sa
Semedo Kilman Gomes Jonny
Neves Nunes
Guedes Podence Neto
Hwang

Subs - Sarkic, RAN, Mosquera, Ronan, Traore, Moutinho, Costa, Campbell, Beuno

Jonny to protect Gomes (although I’d prefer RAN).
Anything but a False 9 up top (including Hwang).
Neto back to LW.
Moutinho on bench.

Assumes Traore (A) and Raul are unfit and Costa is not ready to start.

 

[WolfLing]

West Ham may be a defining moment for Lage.
It's a must win. He'll definitely be gone if we get a hammering.

I think a win or a score draw and he will be fine.

A defeat or a 0-0 and he might be hanging on by a thread.

 

[AlexWolvesHD]

Sa
Semedo - Kilman - Toti - Ait-Nouri
Neves
Nunes - B. Traore
Guedes - Hwang - Podence

Have Neves drop into a 3rd CB when we have the ball so fullbacks can push on. Use the legs of Nunes and Traore in the middle, have guedes and Podence play narrow and close to the striker leaving space out wide for the overlaps and stick Hwang as striker as he has a more physical presence than Podence and might hold the ball up better.

Stick Costa on the bench incase we desperately need him for the last 15 mins

 

[geowolf]

...........................Sa
Semedo...Kilman....Toti.......RAN
............Neves..................TraoreB
..........................Nunes
....Neto................................Campbell
...........................TraoreA

 

[Northampton_wolf]

Raul unlikely to be fit untill chelsea and probably a cameo, costa fit enough for the bench against west ham, maybe a start against chelsea.

Leaving it Hwang or Guedes up top

But realistically hes going to play podence as a false 9 again..

 

[WolfInSheep'sClothing]

Sa
Semedo Kilman Lage RAN
Nunes Neves Moutinho
Neto Podence Guedes.

 

[Northampton_wolf]

Gallery | Work continues at Compton Park

While some members of Bruno Lage’s squad have now linked up with their national teams, the remaining players have started West Ham United preparations e...

www.wolves.co.uk

Traore training, so hopefully fit for action

Thats boubacar and adama

 

[SuperGran]

Gallery | Work continues at Compton Park

While some members of Bruno Lage’s squad have now linked up with their national teams, the remaining players have started West Ham United preparations e...

www.wolves.co.uk

Traore training, so hopefully fit for action

Thats boubacar and adama

Confuse the opposition by having two traores

 

[bod101]

could be interesting to go

Sa
Semedo Kilman Gomes Jonny
Adama Neves Nunes Neto
Guedes Costa​

or

Sa
Semedo Kilman Gomes Jonny
Neves Nunes
Adama Podence Guedes
Costa
​

or

Sa
Jonny Kilman Gomes Ait Nouri
Neves Nunes Boub
Podence
Costa Hwang​

 

[SuperGran]

Sa
Jonny Kilman Gomes Ait Nouri
Neves Nunes Boub
Podence
Costa Hwang

This with adama coming off the bench

 

[Northampton_wolf]

could be interesting to go

Sa
Semedo Kilman Gomes Jonny
Adama Neves Nunes Neto
Guedes Costa​

or

Sa
Semedo Kilman Gomes Jonny
Neves Nunes
Adama Podence Guedes
Costa
​

or

Sa
Jonny Kilman Gomes Ait Nouri
Neves Nunes Boub
Podence
Costa Hwang​

I actually like all of those but my choice,

would be the 4-2-3-1

Cant see him dropping neto unfortunately but i do think its worth throwing adama in, if costa isnt fit for a start bring neto in and put adama up top.


If we insist on playing a midfield 3 i want boubacar over moutinho

 

[Vinny1971]

SA
Johnny, KIlman, Toti, Semedo
Podence, Neves, Nunes, Traore
Costa, Traore.A

 

[Oh When the Wolves]

Sa
Semedo kilman toti ran
Nunes neves
Traore podence guedes
Costa

 

[Minimalist]

I really want him to start 4 of the forwards.
Fully expect a neves/nunes/Moutinho midfield though..

 

[JOSWolf]

Start 4 of the attackers and Nunes and Neves as the midfield two along with 4 at the back but Lage wont.

 

[Contrarian]

I think Costa is the wild card in this. If we win, I reckon he'll be the one that made a difference. Gives us an edge - if fit and actually used - that we completely lack. Without that edge, we'll get turned over as West Ham will be more up for it.

 

[Northampton_wolf]

I reckon adama will be ready which is very much a positive

Costa good for 20

 

[Fenrir_]

I reckon adama will be ready which is very much a positive

Costa good for 20

Adama ready and Costa good for 20?

Neither will be used, you know it!

 

[manchesterwolf17]

If he doesn't drop Moutinho and at least one of Guedes/Neto for this then he'll never ever learn. I'm already sick to death of him but that would be the final straw for me.

 

[Adrian_Monk]

I think Moyes has more credit in the bank than Bruno. Well, Bruno has none, so that isn't saying much! Giving more time to a manager whose just delivered 6th and 7th finishes makes far more sense. Also, there was an interview with Moyes linked from here and at least he was taking responsibility, not making excuses about needing more time. Moyes mentioned their terrible form since earlier this year and so on. Unlike Bruno, who never says anything that indicates he understands the situation, just excuse after excuse - injuries, needs new players, too many new players, not the right kind of new player etc etc. And if those run out, name check a few individuals to blame.

Having watched West Ham a couple of times, they outplayed Forest and were ridiculously unlucky, hit the woodwork 2 or 3 times and missed a penalty. Saw only the first half v Everton, and they were easily the better team, though I understand Everton turned it around (Incidentally, Everton missing Calvert-Lewin, their main striker. Other clubs have key injuries ,too. It's how you adapt and cope that counts. Or just give up and prepare the excuses, exactly how we've looked for months).

On XG and Xpoints, much is made that we should be higher up the table, if we took our chances. Well, West Ham have higher XG and higher expected points than us.

Just seems that out of us and West Ham, they are the more likely to "click" given a bit more time, and start improving results. Moyes has his faults, but in a relegation struggle, you'd have to back him ahead of Bruno. It's a crucial match, one we have to win. Unfortunately, based on how he handles previous breaks, I have no confidence that Bruno will spend the time doing anything that could give us the edge.

Spot on, all of it

 

[CelebrityWolf]

I reckon adama will be ready which is very much a positive

Costa good for 20

Good to see Max with several bits of tape/strapping on his leg/knee area

 

[manchesterwolf17]

I think Moyes has more credit in the bank than Bruno. Well, Bruno has none, so that isn't saying much! Giving more time to a manager whose just delivered 6th and 7th finishes makes far more sense. Also, there was an interview with Moyes linked from here and at least he was taking responsibility, not making excuses about needing more time. Moyes mentioned their terrible form since earlier this year and so on. Unlike Bruno, who never says anything that indicates he understands the situation, just excuse after excuse - injuries, needs new players, too many new players, not the right kind of new player etc etc. And if those run out, name check a few individuals to blame.

Having watched West Ham a couple of times, they outplayed Forest and were ridiculously unlucky, hit the woodwork 2 or 3 times and missed a penalty. Saw only the first half v Everton, and they were easily the better team, though I understand Everton turned it around (Incidentally, Everton missing Calvert-Lewin, their main striker. Other clubs have key injuries ,too. It's how you adapt and cope that counts. Or just give up and prepare the excuses, exactly how we've looked for months).

On XG and Xpoints, much is made that we should be higher up the table, if we took our chances. Well, West Ham have higher XG and higher expected points than us.

Just seems that out of us and West Ham, they are the more likely to "click" given a bit more time, and start improving results. Moyes has his faults, but in a relegation struggle, you'd have to back him ahead of Bruno. It's a crucial match, one we have to win. Unfortunately, based on how he handles previous breaks, I have no confidence that Bruno will spend the time doing anything that could give us the edge.

Totally agree with this.

WH had an incredibly dubious goal ruled out against Forest as well, whose actual goal was a complete fluke on top of that.

Not to mention the fact they've had European games to play in the week. Whilst also having faced Man City, Chelsea, Spurs and a very in form Brighton.

They actually have some excuses for want of a better word and have been genuinely unlucky, the equalizer at Stamford Bridge being ruled out and as previously referenced the Forest one where they could easily have scored 4 or 5 on any other day.

On the other hand we've been crap with a far nicer set of fixtures. Only one way that game is going next weekend.

 

[PortugueseTennesseeWolf]

Raul unlikely to be fit untill chelsea and probably a cameo, costa fit enough for the bench against west ham, maybe a start against chelsea.

Leaving it Hwang or Guedes up top

But realistically hes going to play podence as a false 9 again..

If he plays a 433 with Podence as a false nine again, he might as well walk back into the locker room, pack his bags and grab a flight back to Portugal

 

[Northampton_wolf]

Lage is aiming for the 33-year-old to be available from the bench against West Ham next week and the former Spain international has now joined full training in preparation.

Wolves handed boost as Diego Costa and Adama Traore join team training

Diego Costa is in full team training and Adama Traore is back with the group after his injury as Wolves’ players put in the hard yards during the international break.

www.expressandstar.com

Costa on the bench?

Adama up top?

Raul getting more and more likely not to play before WC

 

[Contrarian]

Totally agree with this.

WH had an incredibly dubious goal ruled out against Forest as well, whose actual goal was a complete fluke on top of that.

Not to mention the fact they've had European games to play in the week. Whilst also having faced Man City, Chelsea, Spurs and a very in form Brighton.

Very similar to us when we were in Europe and had a bad start in the Premier League. It happens, nobody was talking about sacking Nuno at that time, it was pretty obvious the extra demands on a non-Big 6 squad can have that effect.

 

[Fenrir_]

Very similar to us when we were in Europe and had a bad start in the Premier League. It happens, nobody was talking about sacking Nuno at that time, it was pretty obvious the extra demands on a non-Big 6 squad can have that effect.

On the contrary, plenty were going ape when we had that bad start while we were in Europe (and clearly prioritising getting into the group stages), the negativity was really bad. I'd had enough and it caused me to quit the forum under my previous guise!

But you're right, it can happen when you're juggling lots of games. I found Moyes' comments after the game Sunday interesting, when he basically called out his senior players for not doing their jobs properly. Think he's said it to try and get a response and it can work both ways, but I'd say he knows the kind of characters he has in the dressing room and if it does give them the kick up the **** he wants it to then we could be in a bad place after that game

 

[Contrarian]

On the contrary, plenty were going ape when we had that bad start while we were in Europe (and clearly prioritising getting into the group stages), the negativity was really bad. I'd had enough and it caused me to quit the forum under my previous guise!

Oh right. Yes, there's always "someone", I hadn't remembered it being that bad, but now you mention it... that was the time of the 5-2 defeat by Chelsea? The point is that we soon had that magical week of beating Watford, Besiktas and Man City. Which meant it quickly got forgotten. I know it went pear shaped in the end, but peak Nuno was always capable of that. Bruno has never got close. And you may remember, until recently I was defending him, seem to recall disagreeing with you several times on Bruno. But now I've seen the light (or dark?)

Being reminded of the clamour on here after that bad start, almost makes me think Bruno has got off lightly. As I mentioned elsewhere, we have never been a club that is quick to fire managers. At least half the clubs in this division, he'd be gone by now and nobody would have batted an eyelid, at some he'd have gone last season. Those sticking with managers in bad runs are those where the manager has big credit, like West Ham. Or perhaps Southampton, though he must be running it fine, too, these days.

 

[Northampton_wolf]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1573284427932770304

This lad or adama up top with neto podence guedes to support him.

Costa on at 65/70

 

[Fenrir_]

Oh right. Yes, there's always "someone", I hadn't remembered it being that bad, but now you mention it... that was the time of the 5-2 defeat by Chelsea? The point is that we soon had that magical week of beating Watford, Besiktas and Man City. Which meant it quickly got forgotten. I know it went pear shaped in the end, but peak Nuno was always capable of that. Bruno has never got close. And you may remember, until recently I was defending him, seem to recall disagreeing with you several times on Bruno. But now I've seen the light (or dark?)

Being reminded of the clamour on here after that bad start, almost makes me think Bruno has got off lightly. As I mentioned elsewhere, we have never been a club that is quick to fire managers. At least half the clubs in this division, he'd be gone by now and nobody would have batted an eyelid, at some he'd have gone last season. Those sticking with managers in bad runs are those where the manager has big credit, like West Ham. Or perhaps Southampton, though he must be running it fine, too, these days.

It never takes many, I'd gone before the Chelsea game but reading this place at the time you had people shouting as loud as they could that we were having 'second season syndrome', Nuno had been found out and we were going down! Not much really was going for us in the league at the time, the Chelsea game had nothing in it for half hour, Tomori had his moment, Abraham scored every time the ball went near him and we were 4-0 down. We went to Palace and absolutely battered them for 45 minutes but couldn't score, second half starts, Joel Ward has a speculative shot that's headed for the corner flag, hits Dendoncker, wrong foots Patricio and we were staring at another defeat again!

Then obviously that week with Watford, Besiktas and Man City and everything was fine again, three deserved wins, but you always had the feeling that we could (and would) turn things around. Don't get that feeling now, maybe something that added to it is Nuno would generally give an assessment of a match that most people felt was pretty accurate, Lage is talking some right nonsense after games

And you're right, Lage has got away with more than Nuno did. Said when we appointed him that if it didn't go well the board would get stick before Lage, and it was about February when I got fed up of everyone seemingly giving him a free ride and started opening my mouth to speak against him!

Think one of the biggest problems for me with Lage is we're rarely convincing. Under Nuno you could probably count our lucky wins that we didn't really deserve on the fingers of one hand, with Lage you can probably count our convincing wins on the fingers of one hand, and it makes you think that every win isn't a turning point, just a postponement of the inevitable

Yeah we disagreed, this is almost uncomfortable!! Out of darkness...

 

[Fenrir_]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1573284427932770304

This lad or adama up top with neto podence guedes to support him.

Costa on at 65/70

As much as he's been vilified, there is no reason to play a false nine when he and/or Guedes are available

 

[Northampton_wolf]

As much as he's been vilified, there is no reason to play a false nine when he and/or Guedes are available

Agreed, id rather guedes play off him.

I said it previously right now i dont care about the chelsea result compared to the west ham result.

Give hwang 65 mins of full gas, even if hes ****ed. And then bring costa on, what you get with hwang is energy and he will run and try and do his best to run channels and be disruptive.

Its either that or use adama.

in each situation you play neto/guedes off him or alternatively podence

 

[northnorfolkwolf]

Agreed, id rather guedes play off him.

I said it previously right now i dont care about the chelsea result compared to the west ham result.

Give hwang 65 mins of full gas, even if hes ****ed. And then bring costa on, what you get with hwang is energy and he will run and try and do his best to run channels and be disruptive.

Its either that or use adama.

in each situation you play neto/guedes off him or alternatively podence

None of them are genuine strikers. I'd do the opposite to you, I'd start Costa and give him 65/70 mins and then replace him with Hwang/Guedes.

 

[Northampton_wolf]

None of them are genuine strikers. I'd do the opposite to you, I'd start Costa and give him 65/70 mins and then replace him with Hwang/Guedes.

Id love to start costa but he aint going to be ready for 60, multiple journos and lage stating they are aiming him for the bench

 

[northnorfolkwolf]

Id love to start costa but he aint going to be ready for 60, multiple journos and lage stating they are aiming him for the bench

I obviously defer to Lage and people around Costa but he looks reasonably fit in the training vids issued over the last few days. Also I don't expect/want him to run about like mad; just stay in the area and do the business. His role is not to put in the hard yards but to be a presence in the area.

 

[Northampton_wolf]

I obviously defer to Lage and people around Costa but he looks reasonably fit in the training vids issued over the last few days. Also I don't expect/want him to run about like mad; just stay in the area and do the business. His role is not to put in the hard yards but to be a presence in the area.

Again i agree id rather see him in there but if hes there we must play 4-2-3-1,

I want to see more of boubacar traore to.

I think west ham is one week to soon for him, but with the jimenez reports, costa may well be starting against chelsea and i certainly see him starting against forest.

 

[Contrarian]

This lad or adama up top with neto podence guedes to support him.

Costa on at 65/70

Nothing wrong with his control there. Is he the first of a burst of players all looking 200% better for their international teams than for us? Questions the concept of players needing months to get familiar with their team mates when they go away and look fine after just a few days with their national teams.

 

[Northampton_wolf]

Nothing wrong with his control there. Is he the first of a burst of players all looking 200% better for their international teams than for us? Questions the concept of players needing months to get familiar with their team mates when they go away and look fine after just a few days with their national teams.

I expect our portugal players to look just fine, nunes and neves will look commanding tbh

 

[SydneyWolf]

Sa
Semedo Kilman Toti Jonny
Neves
Adama Nunes Boubacar Neto
Guedes

Costa on for the last 20. Podence, Hwang, RAN all available if we need to change things up. Moutinho on if by some miracle we are in front and need to see the game out

 

[kennyB]

Some things seem to be set in stone at Wolves, Moutinho to start, Adama not. A crap manager.

 

[Northampton_wolf]

Portugal showing they think neves is the man for the future in the midfield, no moutinho and i dont think jaoa will get into world cup squad.