Villa verdict

[Royal wolf]

No attacking presence as expected but could’ve been different if Ran finished his glorious chance.

Was hoping the Lemina experiment wide left would stop with Bueno starting behind Ran too. We miss him in the middle too much.

 

[Perton Wolf]

It's going to be a rather demoralising run in, and the coaching and playing staff won't be to blame. You just can't expect to consistently compete at such a high level with our severe lack of attacking options.

When will Shi finally be held accountable for the numerous **** ups he's made since Nuno's last season? It's been error after error. The club needs fresh direction from the top.

 

[Monketron]

The most annoying thing is I don't even think Villa were that good. Missing a lot of players, Watkins off 2nd half, if we had the players available to really push them I feel we'd have had success, but in the end they won at a canter.

 

[stevev53]

I thought we played well without a goal threat understandingly . Doyle played well but we need Lemina in his normal position and Ait Nouri up top

 

[Willywolf]

Next.

 

[Sketchead]

Odd to setup in the same way we did vs Coventry when we got battered.

Saying that, we played OK first half and had a golden chance which we missed.

Embarrassing to watch the last half hour. Playing our best centre mid out wide left, because it worked for 20 mins a few weeks back, is mind blowing, particularly when it was tried a couple of weeks back from the start and failed miserably.

Bringing Ait-Nouri off at 1-0 down speaks volumes about how short we are, needing to save him to try and beat Burnley. If we have the same setup on Tuesday we’ll lose there as well.

And let’s not go there again on us letting Fabio and Sasa go on loan with no replacements. It’s literally leaving us with 10 men at the start of every game.

Villa are better than us this season so no real harm done, just frustrating that we’re going into games knowing we can’t possibly win because the squad is so short.

 

[John Wolves Fan]

Massive chance for RAN and if it went in it may have been different.

To be fair we’ve lost to a really good side who took us apart at times. Plenty of other games to pick up points in even if this huge derby defeat stings.

 

[loppers86]

everyone played ok and the right tactics from the coaches.

we just don’t have a squad fit for the PL.

 

[Jefe]

Chiwome, Chirewa and Fraser all getting minutes in a West Midlands derby. **** off, Jeff.

 

[groundhogwolf]

Better than expected with the players available, needed to score when we were on top, move on to the next one and hopefully we get a few players back.

 

[Ned]

Sadly if you play with no goal threat then you lose these games 10 out of 10 times. The lads gave everything but had no real chance of winning, especially after RAN missed his chance.

 

[oldgolded]

Not as disappointed as I normally am when we lose as I genuinely did not feel that we would get anything from this game. Think we are really going to struggle until we get some of the first choice forwards back. Difficult to see where the goals are going to come from against Burnley.

 

[Tring Wolf]

No blame attached to those on the pitch. Gave everything, played well in long periods but ultimately had no real attacking threat. May have been different if RAN had scored but realistically, I still think Villa would have enough (or rather we wouldn’t have had enough).

The side we finished with finishes bottom half of The Championship. Been done to death but we’ve thrown away a couple of great opportunities this season through our own decision making.

Sa 5
S Bueno 7
Kilman 5
Toti 5
Semedo 7
Gomes 6
Doyle 7
RAN 6
Lemina 5
Sarabia 6
Chiwome 6

H Bueno 6

Just have to hope we can get something at Burnley and then have Cunha back for the run-in.

 

[Norway Wolves]

Nothing really to say, we don’t have enough players to compete at this level.

They did their best, it’s all we can ask of them.

 

[Parkfieldswolf]

I really feel for GON and the squad. It’s clear they’re giving their all but without key players it’s just too much to ask kids to come in and make an immediate impact in the best league in the world. If it hadn’t already it should be hitting home with Jeff and Hobbs just how short sighted and negligent it was to let forwards go and get no-one to replace them in January. Personally I wouldn’t care if the season finished today. We’ve over achieved and net our aims of avoiding relegation. It’s a bit defeatist I know but just staying up has exceeded my expectations. I just hope Fosun have a re-think over the summer and reassess what their aims for the club are. If they do not think they can progress us then look to sell us to owners that want to take us forward. I’m not knocking Fosun they’ve obviously done a lot of good for us but it does feel like they’ve run out of ideas and interest.

 

[hollo]

Was it Matt Hobbs or Jeff Shi's decision to allow mosquera, Sasa and fabio to go out on loan in january?The lack of a. striker is a joke.

 

[Wednesbury Wolf]

I dread to think what a full strength Villa side would have done to us today.

 

[Willywolf]

At least the young lads are gaining first team experience

 

[Ches78]

So frustrating. Can't blame GON or players for that result. Played really well 1st half, at worst should have been 1-1. Starting with an 18yo up front on his debut and a bench full of kids. All about injuries and a thread bare squad, at least in terms of forwards. Need to address the obvious squad weaknesses in the summer - no excuses.

 

[Cookyssweetleftfoot]

Sadly if you play with no goal threat then you lose these games 10 out of 10 times. The lads gave everything but had no real chance of winning, especially after RAN missed his chance.

Such a shame after the season we’ve had. Let’s be fair we would be in the bottom 3 if we had to play with that eleven every week and no forward threat.

 

[Cookyssweetleftfoot]

I dread to think what a full strength Villa side would have done to us today.

Or what we could have done with a forward line.

 

[DJLWolf]

Played fine, lads continue to give their all.Full marks to O'Neil and the lads.

I completely understand the financial constraints we've had to deal with, but we're now massively paying the price for not executing an affordable loan or two in January just to beef up the squad a bit.

Unfortunately that decision will more than likely see us limp over the finish line to a 12th-13th placed finish.

I just hope Fosun show enough ambition to keep O'Neil in the summer.He won't be short of offers.

 

[Brixton Wanderer]

That’s on Jeff.

 

[RosehillWolf]

As I said. The RAN miss would bite us on the ****. You just knew we weren’t going to score as the kids we have are not good enough ( yet ) at this level. Our only threat is down the flanks and when the ball does come in , experienced defenders cope easily
It was game over as soon as they scored and it says a lot about Fosuns ambition when Villa have overtaken us as best club in midlands compared to what we did have , and now what we’re dealing with
We won’t get to Europe and we won’t go down and I expect that status quo to be maintained next season
The fans will understand this philosophy for so long but when their ST prices start becoming unaffordable, ( as they are to many already ) … then the patience will erode
Big summer ahead , I expect 2/3 of our players to be sold to generate capital
GON will be given enough to guarantee mid table obscurity
I’m afraid that doesn’t match my ambition

 

[Mutchy]

I dread to think what a full strength Villa side would have done to us today.

What might a full strength Wolves have done to them?

 

[Redhillwolf]

I hate losing to them lot i really do but trying to stay calm because I think we did ok on the whole considering… Things to take from today…
1. Lemina is not a left winger and we need him in the middle!
2. Doyle starts games superbly but then fades as the game progresses.
3. We lack our leader at the back and as a result look so shakey as a defensive unit.
4. Unfortunately our kids look exactly that in the best league in the world.
5. We miss the pace of Neto and Cunha so much in the transition and up top.
6. We all knew this would happen not signing a 9 in January.
7. GON obviously doesn’t fancy Noha yet.
Positives I would take away from are…
1. We only lost to a worldie and a miss hit cross.
2. Santi looks better game by game.
3. We bossed the first 20 of each half.
4. Pitbull was Pitbull!
5. Ait Nouri class at times but had to score!

Gonna take a few days to get over but on to the next! Just please play Mario in the middle Gaz!

 

[WolvesAndCows]

Letting players leave when everybody knew that Neto and Hwang are injury prone, is incredible really

 

[Black Country Wanderer]

Didnt think there was much in it till last 20 minutes or so when they were comfortable and we had the youth side on
A worldie and a fluke won them the game but overall they deserved it we move on

 

[Starsky]

We all would've taken where we are at the start of the season, but I wish the season would end tomorrow if I'm honest.

Feel really sorry for the manager and players who are going to have a pretty difficult last 7 weeks with Jeff's incompetence having finally caught up with us.

Thought Semedo was great, but we lose a lot from Lemina playing him on the left and need to stop that IMO.

 

[hollo]

Letting players leave when everybody knew that Neto and Hwang are injury prone, is incredible really

Was this a hobbs or a fosun decision?

 

[SA Wolf]

The most annoying thing is I don't even think Villa were that good. Missing a lot of players, Watkins off 2nd half, if we had the players available to really push them I feel we'd have had success, but in the end they won at a canter.

Unfortunately, you are right. We have injuries to key players, but this wouldn't be so severe, had we got a squad depth greater than a puddle in the Sahara. Villa, as well as most of the Prem has injuries and suspensions, but most, if not all, have more-experienced players than we have, to call upon. The bench was embarrassing and I fear that we will now limp to the end of the season with a couple of wins and draws, but mostly losses.
The good news is that we are safe from the risk of relegation and most would have taken that back in August, but recent performances have been painful and not in the least, enjoyable.
As you say, Villa won without needing to get out of second gear.

 

[lostwolf]

Sadly if you play with no goal threat then you lose these games 10 out of 10 times. The lads gave everything but had no real chance of winning, especially after RAN missed his chance.

Spot on. We played very well for 30 mins, and thereafter just about stayed in it. You can't win games without an attack, and we didn't have one. I felt sorry for Doyle, he showed in the first part of the game the quality he has, as did Gomes yet again. But with nothing up front you're always going to struggle aren't you?! Thought Doc and Semedo were good, Lemina okay, and as I said, Doyle was decent. There's a lot to like about this team, but without an established striker, and with our two most dangerous players out (Neto and Cunha ofc), we were bound to struggle. This one 100% isn't on the boss.

 

[Justawolf]

I dread to think what a full strength Villa side would have done to us today.

A full strength wolves would have beaten a full strength villa today

 

[Muscat]

I hate losing to them lot i really do but trying to stay calm because I think we did ok on the whole considering… Things to take from today…
1. Lemina is not a left winger and we need him in the middle!
2. Doyle starts games superbly but then fades as the game progresses.
3. We lack our leader at the back and as a result look so shakey as a defensive unit.
4. Unfortunately our kids look exactly that in the best league in the world.
5. We miss the pace of Neto and Cunha so much in the transition and up top.
6. We all knew this would happen not signing a 9 in January.
7. GON obviously doesn’t fancy Noha yet.
Positives I would take away from are…
1. We only lost to a worldie and a miss hit cross.
2. Santi looks better game by game.
3. We bossed the first 20 of each half.
4. Pitbull was Pitbull!
5. Ait Nouri class at times but had to score!

Gonna take a few days to get over but on to the next! Just please play Mario in the middle Gaz!

Agree with most of this apart from Santi - terrible player IMO who ball watches constantly.

I think GON has to take some blame for that. We have common sense solutions for some of our problems that he is not using. Playing RAN at LWB so we can fit our best CM at left-wing is madness.

 

[Parkfieldswolf]

We all would've taken where we are at the start of the season, but I wish the season would end tomorrow if I'm honest.

Feel really sorry for the manager and players who are going to have a pretty difficult last 7 weeks with Jeff's incompetence having finally caught up with us.

Thought Semedo was great, but we lose a lot from Lemina playing him on the left and need to stop that IMO.

I thought Semedo was OK but he needs to improve his final ball. This is his 4th season and I’d wager his assists and goals can still be counted on one hand. He needs extra work on putting a good ball into the box, he gets into the positions but all too often his final ball is disappointing.

 

[Nige100]

What to say about that. Men against boys literally and just shows up our squad management. Those that played with one leg tied to the other by our ownsershiopI have no complaints about.

 

[VancouverWolf]

Played well for part of first half but even then, nor with a lot of intensity.
No real fight in the team today, and that’s not because of injuries.

 

[Redhillwolf]

Agree with most of this apart from Santi - terrible player IMO who ball watches constantly.

I think GON has to take some blame for that. We have common sense solutions for some of our problems that he is not using. Playing RAN at LWB so we can fit our best CM at left-wing is madness.

Totally agree mate, Lemina is such a presence in the middle of the park and taking him out of there is madness….especially when Ait Nouri looks incredible when given that freedom further forward. Hopefully he’ll knock that on the head Tuesday and not put square pegs in round holes. Back to basics but lacking a 9 is costing us massively!

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

Really thought they did well given the circumstances. Unlucky to be behind at half time. Started second half well, kept going until the end rather than feeling sorry for ourselves. There's just no real threat and trying a different kid up top on his own didn't really help either. None of them are ready, and everyone knows it. Couple that with the fact that our most important midfielder is having to play up front and the result is pretty much inevitable. At least it's a short trip home, fearing a miserable M6 journey on Tuesday!

 

[The Wolf In The North]

I'm liking the fact the kids are getting minutes - it feels frustrating now, but it will hopefully reap reward in the future. The danger is that it becomes accepted among the senior players - and management, and above - that our season ended when we lost to Coventry, because we saw with Lage how impossible it was to re-ignite motivation and momentum once the losses started to stack up. Be a real shame if we tumble and end up around 14th or 15th, but it could easily happen. A lot riding on when Cunha returns now.