Villa verdict

[Minimalist]

I thought switching S.Bueno and Killman round worked well. The right foot on the RCB helps. Plus Bueno looks far more mobile than he did the first few times we saw him play.

 

[Kashmire Hawker]

Played alright across the 90 with a great strike (defence was asleep once again though) and a lucky hit being the difference.

Rayan and Doc should have scored too.

At least Gomes looked rather sharp and was excellent after his Wembley exploits.

Think us bringing on the youngsters sends a coded message to Mr Shi, which he better well hear in the Summer.

No disgrace to lose to a Champions League bound side and let’s hope Burnley’s defence falls apart on Tuesday, as it certainly can!

 

[Jefe]

Need to address the obvious squad weaknesses in the summer - no excuses.

Cast your mind back to the first game of last season at Leeds. I remember people freaking out that we had a bench with five academy kids on it (Chem Campbell got 10 minutes off the bench). Today, we had basically the same thing but with an academy kid getting 85 minutes from the start, and Chirewa getting 20 off the bench. The situation is becoming normalised.

Judging by the state of our squad, we're going to need 5 players+ just to avoid this situation again next season, and that's before we broach the topic of losing players like Neto and RAN. Never going to happen - people who think Gary is going to get any sort of substantial backing have their heads in the clouds. Not with Shi in charge.

 

[peter&thewolf]

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

I dread to think what a full strength wolves side would have done to villa

 

[peter&thewolf]

To many of our best players out,the lads done their best with what we had, you can't ask for more

 

[lostwolf]

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

It matches mine. I've only ever wanted us to compete in the PL and not doss about in the Championship. With Newcastle joining the 'big' group soon we're struggling to scrape a European place at best, that's the reality. If you see it otherwise you're frankly delusional.

The thing I can't abide though is saft management, as we had with the Silva, Guedes etc *******s. We've relatively limited funds and we need to be Brightony about it, not Evertony. Keep GON this summer, and the gems in our side, and invest in one or two strikers, and we'll have a chance at top 7 next season.

 

[Rhoswolf]

Cast your mind back to the first game of last season at Leeds. I remember people freaking out that we had a bench with five academy kids on it (Chem Campbell got 10 minutes off the bench). Today, we had basically the same thing but with an academy kid getting 85 minutes from the start, and Chirewa getting 20 off the bench. The situation is becoming normalised.

Judging by the state of our squad, we're going to need 6 or 7 players just to avoid this situation again next season, and that's before we broach the topic of losing players like Neto and RAN. Never going to happen - people who think Gary is going to get any sort of substantial backing have their heads in the clouds. Not with Shi in charge.

Sadly, think you're spot-on

 

[Starsky]

Hope we get Chiwome a good loan next season. He definitely has something.

 

[oldgoldheart]

we played OK. there aren't many seasons when you can watch us and not worry too much about a defeat. we did lose to a side likely to finish top 4 even though they were not at their best today. we played some good stuff but unsurprisingly we had no attacking threat

 

[Super NES]

At a high level, we played well for 30, RAN should have scored, he didnt and we fell back into the trap of thinking keeping the score 0-0 is the definition of success.

I accept we have injuries and a small squad etc, but dont think we help ourselves at times.

Lemina playing on the left is a complete waste - why not H.Beuno at Lwb and RAN further up? Put Lemina back in the centre of the pitch, where he is effective, and one of Gomes / Doyle on the bench, and in turn make that stronger slightly?

Using Semedos pace against a high line is a great idea - the only big flaw here is that his decision making and output when he gets into any remotely promising position is so poor. Having RAN on the other side further up would have given us an extra edge.

For all our nice possession in the first half, we only created one big chance. Compare that to Villa, who looked dangerous whenever they attacked with pace and more directness.

Perhaps the above is because we are so weak and passive when defending. Kilman is a clear example here, backing off until he's effectively redundant. But it's not just him - others are just as guilty. We need to address this and be more aggressive defending as a team.

A top half finish would be a great achievement this season, but we have a lot to address if we want to replicate this next season.

 

[VancouverWolf]

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.

Yes to this.So often his ball to the box usually is low and easily cleared.

 

[rincewind]

Generally we were OK against a very good Villa side but obviously lack a forward line.

 

[Wolf316]

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.

Santi had another good game and was far better than Kilman.

 

[Flaneur]

1. We only lost to a worldie and a miss hit cross.

I wouldn't even call Diaby's goal a worldie - If Kilman stood up straight instead of ducking underneath the ball it would have virtually hit his chest!

I don't wholly blame Gary or the players for today, played well first 20 minutes or so & if RAN tucks his shot away then it could've been a different game.

The squad has been let down by a lack of depth and options overall. FFP or not, how we can be in our 6th season in the Premier League and still have half a bench full of children year after year is quite laughable.

Just need to hope the likes of Cunha etc. are back as soon as poss for the run-in!!

 

[Matt]

Thought we played pretty well up until they scored in both halves and then looked totally lost. I’m sure everyone thinks this about their team but we don’t half concede some poor goals. Ultimately though it came down to our lack of threat up front, we had absolutely nothing (as expected). Not the lads fault though.

 

[John Wolves Fan]

I think today’s game just showed the levels there are in the premier league. Both teams were decimated with players out but the top 5 or 6 clubs have more strength in depth to call on.

Can’t ask any more from the players today.

 

[Scallywolf]

No goal threat, other than the glaring miss by RAN and in the end it was a straightforward win for Villa.

Men against boys in the end and it is so noticeable that none of our senior players trusted our kids and never passed the ball to them (can’t recall one pass in 90 odd minutes). Says it all imo and Jeff, Hobbs and Fosun must give GON some ammunition in the summer.

As other Mixers have said, the 11 that finished the match, were bottom half championship level. Our bench was, well, no comment. All a bit of a joke and an embarrassment!

 

[WickedWolfie]

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.

Playing in a constantly losing team and trying to perform off scraps hardly does anything positive for the kids' confidence though.

 

[stevev53]

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

Are you real

 

[lostwolf]

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.

His work on the wing is night and day better than pre-O'Neill. His almost obsessional tendency to cut back has been replaced by a mixture of decisions, going back and forwards. He's sooo much better now, defensively solid and a threat going forwards AT LAST. I disagree about his balls in, the problem there is the lack of threat in the box ot his delivery imo.

 

[Incognito]

OK we're missing all our first choice attack. I get that. However, if Lemina up front wasn't the answer against Cov, how would it be the answer against Villa!!!!!? We all know he's better, we're better, with him and Gomes in midfield. Big **** up from GON, again! Having said that, RAN has to put that chance away. Put it away then worry about being offside, which he wasn't. Their first goal - no complaints. Their second goal, lucky to say the least. We've had a good run against them, so **** it.

 

[cannockwolves]

Cast your mind back to the first game of last season at Leeds. I remember people freaking out that we had a bench with five academy kids on it (Chem Campbell got 10 minutes off the bench). Today, we had basically the same thing but with an academy kid getting 85 minutes from the start, and Chirewa getting 20 off the bench. The situation is becoming normalised.

Judging by the state of our squad, we're going to need 5 players+ just to avoid this situation again next season, and that's before we broach the topic of losing players like Neto and RAN. Never going to happen - people who think Gary is going to get any sort of substantial backing have their heads in the clouds. Not with Shi in charge.

All Shi is doing is enact the strategy set by Fosun (Chairman Guo), the geopolitical situation has changed since they brought us and I bet any money Guo probably loves Shi for navigating what is effect a rigged competition - it doesn't matter how much money the owner has when player spending is linked to turnover.

Has there been mistakes, of course there has but we are likely finish 10th - 12th in the most competitive league in the world.

In effect almost half the premier league and 72 other English clubs would trade places.

I am just delighted we are 99.99% certain of another premier league season. I don't think we will be this wreak next season. Even if they have to pack the squad with out of contract players, the wage bill can stand 4 or 5 additions after what we have moved on.

 

[Golden Arrow]

A stroll in the park for them in fairness, a bit like it was for Coventry.
I'm not expecting anything else tbh until we can welcome back players who can find the net.
If the primary aim is just to remain in the greed league then we're doing absolutely fine.

 

[Pessimistic Wolf]

I think we broadly did about as well as we could have. Play that game 10 times with the same players and we might nick a 1-0 win twice. We obviously have no real attack, and even with the best coaching we have a slightly leaky defence.

With the injuries we have and our squad size, there's not much more we can do.

We have some really talented players, most of whom are injured.

We have some reliable players who are good enough under a good coach (and I do believe we have a good coach).

We have some players who perhaps aren't quite at the level needed, but many in this camp are still kids.

Realistically, Chiwome, Fraser and Chirewa would be nowhere near the starting line up of any Premier League team that was fully fit. That's no slight against them - they're just not ready yet.

Why are we in this position? There's no simple answer, as is often the case with complex issues.

A bit of bad luck.
A financial regulation framework that promotes sustainability at the expense of competitiveness and rewards historic wealth over new wealth.
Some poor organisational and strategic management.
Some poor transfer decisions, coming in and going out.

There's no easy fix, and some of these issues are our of our hands. The best we can do is through marginal gains, chipping away and improving on the things that are in our control, like transfer targets and long term squad planning.

 

[WickedWolfie]

All Shi is doing is enact the strategy set by Fosun (Chairman Guo), the geopolitical situation has changed since they brought us and I bet any money Guo probably loves Shi for navigating what is effect a rigged competition - it doesn't matter how much money the owner has when player spending is linked to turnover.

Has there been mistakes, of course there has but we are likely finish 10th - 12th in the most competitive league in the world.

In effect almost half the premier league and 72 other English clubs would trade places.

I am just delighted we are 99.99% certain of another premier league season. I don't think we will be this wreak next season. Even if they have to pack the squad with out of contract players, the wage bill can stand 4 or 5 additions after what we have moved on.

Re your last para you absolutely need to be right because for sure the PL will be stronger next season. There won't be three no hopers.

 

[Incognito]

Santi had another good game and was far better than Kilman.

Thinks he's over-rated. Him and Kilman are not a patch on Dawson, who we've missed equally as much as the three amigos up front.

 

[TelfordWolf]

Are you real

Few weird posts from Wednesbury tonight… villa fan alert?

 

[mcwolf]

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

or what a full strength wolves side would have done to villa

 

[WickedWolfie]

Few weird posts from Wednesbury tonight… villa fan alert?

To be fair to Wednesbury l don't agree with some of his political views but have no doubt about him being a Wolves fan.

 

[Incognito]

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

I'd have preferred all those three up front, and Lemina in midfield, from the off though.

 

[Jamwolf]

Any club can handle injuries, but not when your three top strikers are out at the same time.

 

[BCWolf]

Expected us to lose by more than two goals so I suppose it's glass half-full. Cannot blame the players for not being good enough.

Sooner Fosun are gone the better, hopefully before they drain the spirit of the entire club.

 

[thommo1984]

Cast your mind back to the first game of last season at Leeds. I remember people freaking out that we had a bench with five academy kids on it (Chem Campbell got 10 minutes off the bench). Today, we had basically the same thing but with an academy kid getting 85 minutes from the start, and Chirewa getting 20 off the bench. The situation is becoming normalised.

Judging by the state of our squad, we're going to need 5 players+ just to avoid this situation again next season, and that's before we broach the topic of losing players like Neto and RAN. Never going to happen - people who think Gary is going to get any sort of substantial backing have their heads in the clouds. Not with Shi in charge.

Great post and really puts it all into perspective. Amazed some people are so easy to look past the situation we’ve put ourselves in - that last half hour or so was ludicrous, a totally self-inflicted shambles.

 

[purplepault69]

everyone played ok and the right tactics from the coaches.

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

Squad fit for the Prem ? , you make it sound like we are pushing for promotion from the Chump rather that a team well established in the Prem and close to a European spot --christ sake what else ?

 

[Wolf 82]

Hopefully not a sign of what these last 10 games are gonna be like.. worked hard, but clumsy at both ends of the pitch.

 

[WickedWolfie]

Squad fit for the Prem ? , you make it sound like we are pushing for promotion from the Chump rather that a team well established in the Prem and close to a European spot --christ sake what else ?

Dear old Jeffrey did say that we should consider ourselves to be like a newly promoted team.... Now you can see why!

 

[wallace]

It's amazing we are in the position we are with such a ridiculously small squad for a premiership season.
Neto and hwang aren't players that will play a full season with their injury record so it was always likely they would have periods out but the risk of this happening was taken.
Collect a few more points while causing a few upsets in the final games, get the kids experience now.

Oneil has fulfilled his remit and will look to signing an enhanced contract this summer while we hope for signings to build a more capable squad and give the chance of quality loans to the younger players.
The last 9 games have a different perspective to a month ago.

 

[Parkfieldswolf]

His work on the wing is night and day better than pre-O'Neill. His almost obsessional tendency to cut back has been replaced by a mixture of decisions, going back and forwards. He's sooo much better now, defensively solid and a threat going forwards AT LAST. I disagree about his balls in, the problem there is the lack of threat in the box ot his delivery imo.

Whilst I agree he has improved a lot under GON I still believe his final ball is poor. If he can’t get it beyond the 1st defender it doesn’t matter who the strike force is they won’t convert if the ball doesn’t reach them.

 

[WickedWolfie]

Hopefully not a sign of what these last 10 games are gonna be like.. worked hard, but clumsy at both ends of the pitch.

I fear that it is exactly what they will be like.

 

[Fifty Niner]

Judging by objective reports, we played quite well but thanks to injuries we had no creativity. We’ve now lost 3 in 4 including Coventry game.

Post Coventry GON played down our hopes for Europe and also gave notice that with our situation the rest of the season will be a struggle.

Thankfully we are safe. I hope they have a much better plan in place for summer transfers.