Welcome Notice

Hello and welcome to Molineux Mix a forum for Wolves fans by Wolves fans.

Register Log in

Goalscoring

goldfish

Just doesn't shut up
Joined
Apr 23, 2006
Messages
3,494
Reaction score
3,164
We all know this is a huge problem for us. It's also one of the hardest (and most expensive) problems to solve in the transfer market.

But what tactic should we try? Do we go for a Jimenez replacement in the hope they'll score fifteen a season? That seems the obvious answer, but unless we spend £50m+, which we won't, that quality can't be guaranteed.

So do we instead go more with the Arsenal/pre-Haaland Man City tactic of spreading goals around? We'd need three players to get 8+, plus another few who get 5+. Is this feasible?

Neto: if fit, should target double figures. Let's say 10.

Jimenez: double figures would be an improvement on last year, but not beyond bounds of possibility. Let's go with 10.

Hwang: Sneaky feeling he could get a few this season. 8?

Podence/MGW/Silva/Neves/Dendocker: Should all target 5 min, though Neves aside they may not have enough mins to get them. Let's say 18 between them.

That'd be 46 goals. Add in half as many from elsewhere and that's enough to be challenging for Europe if the defence is strong. And there's the advantage of not putting all eggs in one expensive striker basket.

I'd still like to see us sign another striker, but I think it should be someone in the £20m range to support/eventually replace Jimenez, rather than someone £40m+ to take on the goalscoring burden.
 

Alex Rae The Substitute

Just doesn't shut up
Joined
May 14, 2012
Messages
7,444
Reaction score
9,045
Shooting, on target, will make a huge impact I reckon.

Amount of times I see the ball pulled back to Moutinho, Dendoncker, Neves etc and the ball ends up going into orbit each game.

Not just that though, but our attackers getting into the box - just put your laces through it every once in a while. Raul and Hwang particularly guilty culprits of taking a needless extra touch.
 

SquaddieWolf

Just doesn't shut up
Joined
Jul 30, 2019
Messages
2,917
Reaction score
6,167
Tbf on Raul I think he should of had over 10 goals due to the fact we only had one pen last year when the number we should of been given especially now there is VAR is far greater, and no matter how much his form has dipped I would still be confident that he is scoring 9.5 times out of every 10 pens.
 

Northampton_wolf

Just doesn't shut up
Joined
Jul 16, 2019
Messages
10,132
Reaction score
13,671
Shooting, on target, will make a huge impact I reckon.

Amount of times I see the ball pulled back to Moutinho, Dendoncker, Neves etc and the ball ends up going into orbit each game.

Not just that though, but our attackers getting into the box - just put your laces through it every once in a while. Raul and Hwang particularly guilty culprits of taking a needless extra touch.
Thats a good one, for one to score a goal, one must shoot at the goal

In regard to lacing it, raul could do with going back to that style. I typically like how neto tends to put his foot through it.

But then you have adama who always put his foot through it, i can count at least 10 times (genuinely) where he hit the bar/post or straight at keeper save from lacing it
 
D

Deleted member sbk12944

Guest
Shooting, on target, will make a huge impact I reckon.

Amount of times I see the ball pulled back to Moutinho, Dendoncker, Neves etc and the ball ends up going into orbit each game.

Not just that though, but our attackers getting into the box - just put your laces through it every once in a while. Raul and Hwang particularly guilty culprits of taking a needless extra touch.
This box you talk of (no dirty jokes) is this the thing where our keeper stands then our other outfield players line up across the edge of it?
 

goldfish

Just doesn't shut up
Joined
Apr 23, 2006
Messages
3,494
Reaction score
3,164
Thats a good one, for one to score a goal, one must shoot at the goal

In regard to lacing it, raul could do with going back to that style. I typically like how neto tends to put his foot through it.

But then you have adama who always put his foot through it, i can count at least 10 times (genuinely) where he hit the bar/post or straight at keeper save from lacing it
Coady said he was able to block Jota's shot on the line last season because he knew he'd smash it rather than place it, so he just closed his eyes and made himself big.
 

Northampton_wolf

Just doesn't shut up
Joined
Jul 16, 2019
Messages
10,132
Reaction score
13,671
Coady said he was able to block Jota's shot on the line last season because he knew he'd smash it rather than place it, so he just closed his eyes and made himself big.
Exactly, a good striker knows when to lace it and when to place it. I think raul and neto are our most gifted finishers.

Silva scores some cracking finishes for the Portugal u21s needs to replicate that in the big boy time. He always gets in the right places, looked better this year, had some good saves against him
 

WeAreTheWolvesII

Just doesn't shut up
Joined
Feb 15, 2020
Messages
9,052
Reaction score
20,178
I really don’t think it’s a talent issue.

Could be wrong of course but if we had four of Neto, Podence, MGW, Traore, Hwang, Silva, Jimenez on the pitch I don’t see how we fail to create.

We simply don’t get enough men in the box which makes most of our wide play, where we’re usually very good, pretty useless. They can beat the men time and time again but are crossing to one man.
 

Northampton_wolf

Just doesn't shut up
Joined
Jul 16, 2019
Messages
10,132
Reaction score
13,671
I really don’t think it’s a talent issue.

Could be wrong of course but if we had four of Neto, Podence, MGW, Traore, Hwang, Silva, Jimenez on the pitch I don’t see how we fail to create.

We simply don’t get enough men in the box which makes most of our wide play, where we’re usually very good, pretty useless. They can beat the men time and time again but are crossing to one man.

Need two up top for the wingbacks, if you have inside forwards like neto and podence. or playing as a 10.

They arent going to win the ball aerially against usually very physical big premier league centre halfs.

mgw/poden/neto/silva/jimenez,

Silva can link off raul.

But we need to learn especially if it were traore TO RUN IN BEHIND!, for the likes of coady/moutinho/neves to play the pass that they can do.

JOTA / DOHERTY scored a **** ton/ created goals doing it for us, and i cant be harsh on neto as his breakthrough season he did that too.
 

Stafford

Just doesn't shut up
Joined
Feb 20, 2017
Messages
5,567
Reaction score
6,574
With 5 at the back, the wing backs backs need to be doing more, it doesn't have to be a defensive formation. Being able to cross would be a good start.
 
D

Deleted member 8455jwf

Guest
Tempo too slow, counter attacking goals are down across most leagues as teams figured out how to stop them which were a huge source of our goals.

2 samey midfielders and back 3 when you can't counter is asking for failure.

We've always been rubbish at breaking teams down who sit back. Even wins against them usually one nil nicking the odd chance.

Don't care about finishers, care about our abject lack of chance creation
 
D

Deleted member sbk12944

Guest
With 5 at the back, the wing backs backs need to be doing more, it doesn't have to be a defensive formation. Being able to cross would be a good start.
As you say a back 3/5 doesn’t have to be defensive formation though but the really successful teams that play that formation all have 1 thing in common and it’s that they have quite a decent bit of pace in the central areas but especially mobility, we don’t really have any pace or mobility in those central areas.
 

Ned

Just doesn't shut up
Joined
Aug 11, 2018
Messages
7,404
Reaction score
15,658
If we can get a solid and more mobile base then we can take more risks. When we play with 3 at the back there is no reason why both wing backs shouldn’t be going forward at every opportunity and stretching the game.

We need to take more risks in getting players forward, I can only assume that this hasn’t happened because the midfield and defence simply can’t cope with any form of pace or movement unless they have a numerical advantage.

Our attacking mentality has to change from hopeful to expectant and ruthless.
 

Snarlingwolf

Groupie
Joined
Aug 23, 2021
Messages
207
Reaction score
629
The forwards hitting the ball first time at goal, or to a better placed teammate, wherever you are in the box will help. Taking one touch first will inevitably result in a block or a tackle being made.

TRY SOME MORE LONG RANGE SHOTS IN A GAME!!!

Getting players to FOLLOW UP immediately when a shot is sent in at the keeper to “pick up any scraps”.

Training (or forcing them to do it at home in their spare time) all the players in the team to be able to kick the ball, pass, tackle, and shoot powerfully and accurately with EITHER foot. I still can’t believe there are so many professional, even international, players who cannot do this. Ridiculous.

When shooting for goal, not to be just content to “get it on target”, players should be consistently aiming for the POSTS and either bend or fade the ball accordingly by concentrating on the important bit of striking the ball with the correct part of the foot at the appropriate point on the ball. IMO all the players should be able to do this, they are extremely well paid “professionals“ ffs.


There, rant over, I feel better after that. Shall I offer my services for our training sessions?

(ps I’ve watched, played, refereed, coached, managed, and studied the game for over 60 years)
 

Halesowen wwfc

Has a lot to say
Joined
Jun 12, 2018
Messages
1,748
Reaction score
3,029
You dont want actual goals do you? That would give people more reason to moan about listening to the goal music.
 

Sedgers

Has a lot to say
Joined
Mar 3, 2008
Messages
1,267
Reaction score
1,754
We've struggled to score goals since we came back up. And we've actually sold players (Jota and Doherty) that scored a significant number of those goals. Put it another way, if we had had Jota and Doc last season we would have finished in the top 6 in my opinion. We need players that score goals.
 

Peszkywolf

Just doesn't shut up
Joined
Aug 29, 2012
Messages
7,948
Reaction score
4,672
IMO you're immediately going to be down on goals if your chances created are really low. Almost doesn't matter how good your finishers are. Salah had most shots on goal.....and had most goals.....ok it's not a statistical X and y graph, goals:chances. The less breaks we have has cost us goals, but I think the fact we have to make up for our midfield and defensive problems (pace & mobility) means it takes us 3 more passes and more precise passing to get up the other end.
 
D

Deleted member 8455jwf

Guest
The forwards hitting the ball first time at goal, or to a better placed teammate, wherever you are in the box will help. Taking one touch first will inevitably result in a block or a tackle being made.

TRY SOME MORE LONG RANGE SHOTS IN A GAME!!!

Getting players to FOLLOW UP immediately when a shot is sent in at the keeper to “pick up any scraps”.

Training (or forcing them to do it at home in their spare time) all the players in the team to be able to kick the ball, pass, tackle, and shoot powerfully and accurately with EITHER foot. I still can’t believe there are so many professional, even international, players who cannot do this. Ridiculous.

When shooting for goal, not to be just content to “get it on target”, players should be consistently aiming for the POSTS and either bend or fade the ball accordingly by concentrating on the important bit of striking the ball with the correct part of the foot at the appropriate point on the ball. IMO all the players should be able to do this, they are extremely well paid “professionals“ ffs.


There, rant over, I feel better after that. Shall I offer my services for our training sessions?

(ps I’ve watched, played, refereed, coached, managed, and studied the game for over 60 years)
Long range shots are dismal, Neves has like one of the worst long shot percentages in the league
 

Ian C

Just doesn't shut up
Joined
Mar 20, 2016
Messages
3,143
Reaction score
3,218
Also, how many times last season have we won a free kick in the final third for it to end up back with Sa in four passes?

Best not get started on short corners......
 

Contrarian

Just doesn't shut up
Joined
Jul 14, 2018
Messages
14,849
Reaction score
22,645
It's not one thing or another, but many factors combined. It would have to be, our goal scoring is so poor! Any one problem could be covered by a fix elsewhere, but we have none of that.

I do agree, we don't get forward quickly enough. We don't get enough forward. Mentioning Hungary at Molineux is a good comparison,. They played very counter attacking, weren't bothered with possession, yet when they got forward it was fast and in numbers. And they won by 4 goals, which we'v managed only once in 4 seasons , mainly due to an opponent generously gifting us 2 (or was it 3?) , rather than through our vibrant counter attacking.

Though I also really think we don't have goal scorers anyway. While "Ronaldo at his peak wouldnt' score for us" has an element of truth, it's far from the full story. Haaland has no problem scoring for mediocre Norway - 20 goals in 21 games - let that sink in! Lewandoski has also scored loads for a Poland side that has often been very average. A genuine goalscorer would have got more than the paltry 6 that Raul got. Bully at his peak would easily hit double figures in this team!

Passing forwards, picking out players runs is part of it. But also good strikers can make something out of not much at all. Other than Raul, ours just lack that skill of holding a defender off, finding a yard of space and smashing the ball goal wards. Also, total lack of aerial presence.

Look at it the other way, our forwards would struggle to score if they were fronting for Bayern or Man City.

The problem is the huge cost of goal scorers, which is why maybe the club is fishing around the "cast offs" hoping someone will come good. Struck lucky with Raul. Not so lucky with Bonitini, Cutrone, Campana, several others long forgotten (Jose) and probably Fabio and Hwang, too
 

Hot Fuss

Just doesn't shut up
Joined
Aug 27, 2019
Messages
5,694
Reaction score
13,947
Exactly, a good striker knows when to lace it and when to place it. I think raul and neto are our most gifted finishers.

Silva scores some cracking finishes for the Portugal u21s needs to replicate that in the big boy time. He always gets in the right places, looked better this year, had some good saves against him
For all the stick he gets I think Hwang is a very good finisher.
 

WalsallWolf

Just doesn't shut up
Joined
Nov 14, 2008
Messages
13,119
Reaction score
8,700
We have been a 5 at the back side, exclusively, for 5 years now. I think people forget that.

Quite simply IMO we have lost individuals that used to make us a goal threat, both directly and indirectly. The sales of Jota and Doherty and lack of direct replacements in particular are massive factors.
 
Back
Top Bottom