Coventry Verdict

[Timberwolf]

Need to start asking questions about how we are defensively. All our defenders have good games here and there but not consistent enough for me, especially when we arent playing well as a team or come under pressure they fall apart. Noone takes charge back there at all

If only Noone could play for us every week.

 

[Saltyjim]

Dreadful day. Thought we had somehow stolen a win, but poor game management and giving the ball away for the equaliser.
Sa kept us in it but our luck ran out at the end.
Poor decision to allow their opener, looked a clear handball to me and then of course the time it took to keep looking at it was when they scored 2 goals at the.end. Bueno's goal was a classic, but will be consigned to history alongside Raul's at Wembley.

 

[MotorWoden]

Disgraceful performance on the pitch but one caused by our awful January window off it which completely undoes all the great work we’ve done so far this season (and the Albion result). We will never get a better shot of reaching Wembley.

Nothing stuck up top and no real running threat in behind meant the ball just kept coming back. All our own doing though. So many said at the time we were short given Hwang and Neto’s injuries and injury history. We took a risk and it has backfired spectacularly.

Sa 8
Semedo 7
Kilman 4
Bueno 5
Toti 5
RAN 8
Doyle 7
Gomes 5
Lemina 4
Fraser 4
Sarabia 5

Chiwome 6
Doherty 4
H Bueno 7

Fair play to Cov. Thought they were excellent and had a real go. Having two physical first-team ready forwards available really made a difference. We should try it.

Worst I’ve felt after a game since the Watford semi. Like that result, so much of this was self-inflicted.

Hopefully we can regroup with the international break and this season can end in a similar way to how that one did.

I do not know how you can put Semedo on anymore than anyone else. He didnt cuts a cross out at all in the second half and was extremely weak for their first goal. He was as poor as anyone out there.

 

[Willywolf]

Such a weakness down our right flank all game. Not Semedo's fault (though he had a poor game), but I can't believe it wasn't fixed. Sarabia tracks back but lacks any real defensive ability, and Lemina wasn't able to plug the gap because Cov pushed numbers forward centrally.

Cov played very, very well and deserved it. They should have won by far more.

You’re right imo that the problem with the right hand side wasn’t really down to Semedo completely. The whole of the defensive back line were very poor today though. The two CB are supposed to be the reassuring presence, but there is more energy and substance in a wet fart than there was in our two today.

I don’t really understand why Lemina went left today; was a perfect day to flood the centre of the field and break from there.

 

[wolfgar]

The only Europe this lot can look forward to are package hols and a few hastily arranged games in Spain because our exotic pre season somewhere has been cancelled again. Only got themselves to blame. Bottled it today big time. Too many 2 or 3’s out of 10 on show today. Thats probably being kind. Got exactly what we deserved. An extra weekend off watching Coventry enjoying a day out at Wembley

 

[Monketron]

This is not a new issue, GON has had the problem since he took over that in some games, where we try and be a bit more attacking we are SO OPEN to the counter attack and leave way too much space on the transition. That's fine if you're a Liverpool, Arsenal or Man City who have players who can handle that but Wolves do not.

Not helped by the lack of a front line either which allowed Coventry to push up and put us under even more pressure. They knew the likes of Fraser or Sarabia weren't going to beat their back line in a foot race.

 

[WorcesterWanderer]

Exactly. Sa and RAN were the only two out there in old gold and black who looked like PL players.

He either didn't watch the game or just wanted to get a reaction out of people. If it wasn't for those two we'd have lost by more, easily.

 

[Wolvescol]

Paid the price for a paper thin squad , Coventry would have been out of sight if sa was off it , don’t really want to slate players but I struggle to see how kilman holds a place down let alone captain the side , he must be the most laid back quietest footballer on the planet , never smells danger and just marks fresh air , well deserved Coventry

 

[sillytuna]

Kilman was awful, as a defender and a captain. Time to sell, it really is.

That aside, great game where cov deserved the win, wolves forgot how to run a game down, while RAN and Sa played out of their skin.

 

[Royal wolf]

Chiwome was a bright spot. I'd like to see more of him between now and the end of the season. Feel for Fraser. Nothing went right for him but Chiwome impressed me more.

I’ve seen nothing from Fraser to make me think he’ll make it in the championship let alone with us. He’s not good at anything. Granted he’s young and this was only his second start. Chiwome showed far more and should be ahead of him

 

[Willywolf]

And why the **** do we not commit tactical fouls or take people out before allowing them into a threatening position? So naive, and is a really disappointing aspect to our game in truth.

 

[Contrarian]

I agree with what you said in your other post. We essentially get men behind the ball and rely on the brilliance of 2 or 3 of the best dribblers in the league to gain results.

Which is a legitimate tactic don’t get me wrong, but is exposed when we are supposed to control the game or when they are injured.

Yes, agree with that. By now, it shouldn't baffle people how we can play so well against the likes of Spurs ,Chelsea, even Fulham, but look awful against SheffU, Luton.. .and now Coventry.

Also, even when winning games, without those best dribblers,we often turn in these similar, turgid halves. For a while, only held together by defensive solidarity. But with Dawson out... and once Toti was off, we don't have that either.

 

[Ned]

I had a feeling about this game all week but didn’t expect it to be so terrible. The panic and indecisiveness spread through the midfield and defence like an absolute cancer and nobody was there to stand up and be counted.

Team was wrong from the start and looked like shoehorning our best players into the starting 11 in preference of balance.

I’m probably not in the mood for a balanced opinion but it really feels like season over at the moment, if we don’t get injuries back asap then I expect us to fall apart at the seams and finish mid table.

I’m so down right now.

 

[Wednesbury Wolf]

As Sarabia is out for the Villa game let's hope we can get at least 1 forward back for then or things will be even worse up front than today.

 

[Stourwolf]

The good news is we are on tv against Villa so look forward to that.

Oh no !!!!!!!!

 

[Hollywood Wolf]

Some irony in the VAR decision going against us wrongly but taking five mins which in turn gave them the time to score the two late late goals later.

Plus all the time their goalkeeper was allowed ro waste by the ref.

 

[thommo1984]

Gutting, but not going to slate these lads who have worked their nuts off this season to get us this far and in the league position we are in

I will.

That was a disgrace of a performance compounded by the final 4 minutes of injury time that absolutely smacked of arrogance. Hope they feel as terrible as we do.

 

[GY Wolf]

How stupid was that from Sarabia btw? Given our situation

 

[WorcesterWanderer]

The main player we missed was Dawson. No way he’d have let Simms bully him like he did Bueno. Dawson plays we win that game
Fair play Coventry and good luck at Wembley

In theory, matches like this tell the recruitment team where we need to buy. You'd hope.

 

[Sedgers]

Congratulations to Coventry they deserved it.

 

[waggys left foot]

Would have needed divine intervention to get thru the semi final.

Fosun need to reassess why they need to own an English prem club.

Shocked at lackadaisical attitude of some -Lamina ,Gomes,Doc,chief culprits.Fraser was out of his depth .

 

[thommo1984]

I don’t really understand why Lemina went left today; was a perfect day to flood the centre of the field and break from there.

This. Horrible tactics from GON.

 

[Ches78]

Truly unbelievable that a relatively established Premier league club has to field that forward line today - that was all we had, cupboard is bare.

Yes, we have injuries, but all clubs do, and that's why the Premier league is about your squad not just the 1st 11. Not that I expect any lessons to be learnt -its been the same since we sold Jota and relied on Jimenez...

Sa and RAN played well, as did Chiwome- who I'd start ahead of fraser on that showing. Yet again, Kilman is an OK defender, when with someone who can lead and organise, but he's never a captain on the pitch (we'll, as far as I can see) and often gets caught flat-footed...

 

[Royal wolf]

You’re right imo that the problem with the right hand side wasn’t really down to Semedo completely. The whole of the defensive back line were very poor today though. The two CB are supposed to be the reassuring presence, but there is more energy and substance in a wet fart than there was in our two today.

I don’t really understand why Lemina went left today; was a perfect day to flood the centre of the field and break from there.

It worked against Fulham so GON thought it’d work again. It clearly wasn’t so should’ve been altered.

 

[wolfgar]

I will say with the Cov first goal, it was definitely handball, and I think everyone knew that, but they didn’t really want to disallow it. Thats the vibe I got anyhow?

 

[colincameron]

4.4xg at home to a championship side says everything you need to know. Quite unbelievable really. The time they were scored in the grand scheme of things is irrelevant.

Not good enough today and real shame, I think we win that though with just one of Hwang, Neto, Cunha or even Bellegarde fit. All of them being out made us mentally regress, and deep down feel incapable.

I obviously still back Gary but that stems from the manager, a really strange tactical set up right from the poker games in the presser. Over-thought it I think. Too focused on ourselves rather than the opposition all week perhaps. Looked as if very little homework had been done on Coventry and their patterns of play to be honest.

I would really like someone to ask Gary just how were we planning to genuinely win that game?

 

[Royal wolf]

I still blame Dingle Chris

 

[Jefe]

RAN - £50 million to Liverpool. Yes please. He was hopeless today apart from two things.

Ludicrous. RAN and Sa are the only two Wolves players who can keep their chins up. It's the 9 other players to whom your ire should be focused.

 

[Super NES]

I will.

That was a disgrace of a performance compounded by the final 4 minutes of injury time that absolutely smacked of arrogance. Hope they feel as terrible as we do.

I can understand poor performances and showings like today at times where we clearly didn't deserve to win, but that arrogance in the last few mins really annoyed me.

Stay professional, get the job done and play until the final whistle blows.

 

[sillytuna]

RAN - £50 million to Liverpool. Yes please. He was hopeless today apart from two things.

If those two things were to be our best outfield player and our most creative, yep!

 

[Contrarian]

Need to start asking questions about how we are defensively.

Much better when Toti and Dawson are on the pitch. Note how we crumbled even worse once he was off.

All our defenders have good games here and there but not consistent enough for me, especially when we arent playing well as a team or come under pressure they fall apart. Noone takes charge back there at all

Kilman/Dawson/Toti are quite consistent. The problem is injuries. And formation tinkering. Usually some attempt to play 4 at the back because 3 at the back is boring.

At 2-1 in injury time, we didn't close the game down very well at all. The players looked a bit lost as to how to manage it. Something we've shown a few times this season. Lost possession cheaply while trying to attack when it just isn't needed.

 

[oldgold4ever]

Congratulations and well played Coventry. I wish them well in the semis. They deserved it overall but having comeback from the dead, we should really held on. Our collapse in injury time was the stuff of nightmares. It’s down to game management and there was enough experience out there to see the game out. It was like we lost our heads. I can’t beleive how many times we gave the ball away, slid in recklessly or failed to get a block during that last 10 minutes. Then ultimately, Bueno switches off at the back post for 2-2 and surely Kilman has to close down the shot for the winner. You can sympathise with the hand GON was dealt by injuries but heading into injury time 2-1 up, that was really poor from us.

 

[StaffordWolf]

That's weekend absolutely ruined. Probably into next week too.

 

[Alex Rae The Substitute]

For all those who thought we were on some path to redemption from the Watford semifinal humiliation… did they ever conceive we would go on to do something EVEN MORE embarrassing?

 

[Asthmatic Wolf]

I’ve seen nothing from Fraser to make me think he’ll make it in the championship let alone with us. He’s not good at anything. Granted he’s young and this was only his second start. Chiwome showed far more and should be ahead of him

Trying volleys that only van Basten would score didn’t help. More humility needed.

 

[Ned]

Coventry would have licked their lips at that forward line today. It’s a real disgrace that we had to name it in a cup quarter final and will be a disgrace if we have to name it in any PL game.

It’s hard to single out Fraser but he was anonymous today and shows why he was lined up for Shrewsbury in January, no fault of his own he is just not ready yet. Cannot fault his effort and attitude though.

 

[Flea]

Max Kilman is always a trainwreck of a defender unless someone much better like Coady or Dawson is carrying him.
Santiago Bueno isn´t much better to be frank.
We have one decent CB at the club,and that is Craig Dawson.
Unless we strengthen here upcoming summer we will be in trouble.

I´d sell Max to anyone that puts a decent bid in.Would have drove him myself to Napoli last summer but it wasn´t to be.
Kilman is vastly overrated by some and Santiago Bueno is not the answer either.
Let´s pray that Daws has one good last season in him..if not we will leak goals like there´s no tomorrow next season.

 

[Ches78]

I will say with the Cov first goal, it was definitely handball, and I think everyone knew that, but they didn’t really want to disallow it. Thats the vibe I got anyhow?

I'm not overly bothered really - if they hadn't got that they would probably have scored from one of the other umpteen chances they had, or Semedo might have been sent off for kicking that guys nose off etc...

 

[Jamwolf]

Very hard without a front line.

 

[wolfgar]

I'm not overly bothered really - if they hadn't got that they would probably have scored from one of the other umpteen chances they had, or Semedo might have been sent off for kicking that guys nose off etc...

Oh absolutely.