Breaking down the defensive teams

[Arky_R]

we all know our best performances have come when we’re organised and counter attack and it’s beautiful to see. It’s really exciting us as fans and we do it so well.

Our lesser performances have come when we have to take the game to the opponents. We need to dictate and turn the possession into goals. This will obviously be Nunos summer holiday homework.

Our friend Paul Merson talks about it here: Paul Merson states Wolves have to improve against lesser teams next season - The Boot Room

So for all those who watch way more football than me. How should we do it? How do the very top teams do it. Is it the formation? Or the tactics? Or just get in better players? I think having some better attacking players will certainly allow us to keep on the pressure when Jiménez and Jota are taken off.

Unfortunately i don’t have the time or patience to watch other teams much but I do like how Man City close down higher up the pitch. Maybe that’s something we could do?

I’m sure next season will be harder with managers aware of how we play but hopefully with the right additions we can still play the exciting brand.

We must however find a way against the teams that frustrate us. Do that and we shoot up the table some more!

I realise this isn’t a particularly easy question to answer but bouncing some ideas around should be interesting.

 

[E is for idiot.]

I think a number 10 who is good in tight spaces is what we need. Someone who can unlock a defence and make a bit of space for other players. Also a right centre back who is better on the ball than Bennett. Someone who can move into midfield and help to create overload situations.

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

Play Neves further forward.

 

[cannockwolves]

Moutinho has been fantastic and is a terrific footballer who makes us tick but if he is off his game or we need more drive I don't see enough quality in the squad who can run from deep. You used to see Sterling at City doing it a lot before they started playing him more up front. It's having that player can just break though the lines a bit. MGW is the only one but I am not sure he is upto it for a team at the top end of the table just yet.

We have all said we don't have enough out and out strikers. With the change in system we need to move on Costa and possibly Cav (although I really like him) and get two real strikers in who can come in and take the load off Jimenez and Jota. Maybe Ennis has what it takes?

Finally against the poorer teams maybe we want Neves 15 yards higher up the pitch. I only saw a few highlights but to me I thought Neves looked more involved higher up the pitch against Watford?

 

[Wolf in Kenilworth]

We need more than bringing Adam or Vinagre in after 70 minutes to change things for us.

So much of our play is wing based we need more central reinforcements. An attacking midfielder, number 10 etc should be one of our priorities in the summer IMO.

 

[ManSolo]

Left foot on left wingback together with pace and trickery.
Cardiff at home is pretty much the blueprint to follow.
3412 formation with skillfull pacy wingbacks.

 

[Minimalist]

I think a number 10 who is good in tight spaces is what we need. Someone who can unlock a defence and make a bit of space for other players.

I know few will agree with me on this but I would like to see Costa reinvented for this position next year, assuming we keep the same formation.

 

[inaglasshouse]

As you know by now I'm a keen student of the game. I therefore suggest we sign Messi.
If he's not available then we need similar e.g. the Venezuelan Messi or maybe the Iraqi Messi.
Some may mock me but trust me, Messi or a Messi clone is what we need if we want to beat Middlesbrough next year.
This is getting very Messi now so I will leave it at that.

 

[Amiga-wolf]

Left foot on left wingback together with pace and trickery.
Cardiff at home is pretty much the blueprint to follow.
3412 formation with skillfull pacy wingbacks.

I have never understood why a formation that worked so well against a lower placed team, has never started since. Traore and Vinagre both have pace and love to take the game to the opposition. We dominated against Cardiff with both Traore and Vinagre impressing.

If we want to continue with 5 at the back, they are not going to be under any real pressure from teams struggling to score. Traore and Vinagre bombing forward with pace would seem an obvious way to get behind any team set up to defend.

 

[Ponty]

Against packed defences you need to get bodies in the box to take half chances that arise when the ball drops from deflections, blocks, half-clearances etc. We need to gamble a bit more., for example against Brighton did we really need Bennett, Boly and Coady to take care of Murray? Of course we didn't and we should have pushed players forward.

 

[merseawolf]

I know few will agree with me on this but I would like to see Costa reinvented for this position next year, assuming we keep the same formation.[/QUOTE
I love watching Costa on the ball but sadly I just can’t see him recapturing the form needed to get into our first 11 at the moment let alone when there is going to be the need for more points to progress next season.
Beating the teams towards the bottom end of the table in my opinion will just take a bit more committing players forward and having patience and confidence to take that extra pass or touch in the final 1/3 to carve out and create better chances. I think this is vital especially in the first half when the first goal is so important. Concede that first goal really does give any team in The Prem so much encouragement to hold on to what they have and slow the game down.

 

[Bob Wolf]

Can Wolves Leave the Chasing Pack and Join the Premier League's Big Six? | StatsBomb

Chaps over at statbomb seem to be mulling over this very problem.

 

[Tojo the grass]

To me it is a conundrum that we cannot break down the more defensive premier league teams, but did not have the same issue against the majority of the championship teams last season, or did we against the better ones?

 

[JonahWolf]

I think a number 10 who is good in tight spaces is what we need. Someone who can unlock a defence and make a bit of space for other players. Also a right centre back who is better on the ball than Bennett. Someone who can move into midfield and help to create overload situations.

This, or rather, these.

Players like Maddison at Leicester.
He picks up the ball between the opposing DM and back-line, and runs at people. Moving them around, getting them flustered.
Looking for a pass and popping it off, then back on the move. Possibly for a return, or just to give defenders something else to worry about.
All of this creates the holes for Vardy.

And the Bennett upgrade is very valid.
When Boly strides forward, someone has to go to him.
That’s an opponent moved away from where they want to be, with 2-4 likely passes in front of him.
Bennett mostly doesn’t offer that.
You can blatantly see he doesn’t have that confidence and conviction when stepping up, don’t even necessarily have to go and press him hard (Spurs did this, they ignored Bennett and closed off his angles instead, and he panicked).
He won’t fake a pass and roll past his man, he’s unlikely to attempt at least a couple of the options ahead....all adds up to a serious detriment to our attacking game, making it much easier to defend against.
Even contributes to the ‘wasted man’ of Coady and Neves being so deep.
If our RCB could confidently/competently step out as Boly does, there’s far more width and spaces created for quick switches and QB balls.

 

[E is for idiot.]

This, or rather, these.

Players like Maddison at Leicester.
He picks up the ball between the opposing DM and back-line, and runs at people. Moving them around, getting them flustered.
Looking for a pass and popping it off, then back on the move. Possibly for a return, or just to give defenders something else to worry about.
All of this creates the holes for Vardy.

And the Bennett upgrade is very valid.
When Boly strides forward, someone has to go to him.
That’s an opponent moved away from where they want to be, with 2-4 likely passes in front of him.
Bennett mostly doesn’t offer that.
You can blatantly see he doesn’t have that confidence and conviction when stepping up, don’t even necessarily have to go and press him hard (Spurs did this, they ignored Bennett and closed off his angles instead, and he panicked).
He won’t fake a pass and roll past his man, he’s unlikely to attempt at least a couple of the options ahead....all adds up to a serious detriment to our attacking game, making it much easier to defend against.
Even contributes to the ‘wasted man’ of Coady and Neves being so deep.
If our RCB could confidently/competently step out as Boly does, there’s far more width and spaces created for quick switches and QB balls.

Yeah. Bennett is still valuable obviously because against stronger sides his defensive skills are very useful. But against weaker sides we need someone who can create too.

 

[WickedWolfie]

I know few will agree with me on this but I would like to see Costa reinvented for this position next year, assuming we keep the same formation.

IF, and it's a bloody big if, we could get the Costa of his first season here back, l would be inclined to agree. The post-injury Costa, except for odd flashes, has been woeful.

 

[KBWWFC]

The problem is more in the formation.
If teams sit back and leave one person upfront, we have three players occupying that space, leaving us a man short in other areas.
For me, Coady should be pushing up further in these situations, letting neves and Co to play higher in their half.

 

[WickedWolfie]

As you know by now I'm a keen student of the game. I therefore suggest we sign Messi.
If he's not available then we need similar e.g. the Venezuelan Messi or maybe the Iraqi Messi.
Some may mock me but trust me, Messi or a Messi clone is what we need if we want to beat Middlesbrough next year.
This is getting very Messi now so I will leave it at that.

Messi not least cos we won't play Boro next season (unless we draw them in the Cup)..

 

[Bostin]

Bring back Bonatini

 

[WickedWolfie]

Bring back Bonatini

With all due respect to Leo and his efforts last season, nope!

 

[Bostin]

With all due respect to Leo and his efforts last season, nope!

He broke down the defences of every bird in Wolverhampton, the lad can do a job!

 

[WickedWolfie]

He broke down the defences of every bird in Wolverhampton, the lad can do a job!

Agreed, he is reputedly good on that job...

 

[inaglasshouse]

Messi not least cos we won't play Boro next season (unless we draw them in the Cup)..

Not certain, Albion draw/win today n Boro win they are in the play offs.

 

[JonahWolf]

Agreed, he is reputedly good on that job...

Given the vastly lower number of openly gay footballers compared to general population, and no knowledge of whether Leo’s interests extend that way, can’t see him having much success in funnelling his greater talents onto the pitch.

 

[WickedWolfie]

Not certain, Albion draw/win today n Boro win they are in the play offs.

I must admit that l'd like Tiny Penis to knock the **** out off the playoffs - would be effing hilarious..

 

[inaglasshouse]

I must admit that l'd like Tiny Penis to knock the **** out off the playoffs - would be effing hilarious..

Yep I'm hoping. I only just realised it's tommorow not today.

 

[Oldgold Wolfcub]

Against packed defences you need to get bodies in the box to take half chances that arise when the ball drops from deflections, blocks, half-clearances etc. We need to gamble a bit more., for example against Brighton did we really need Bennett, Boly and Coady to take care of Murray? Of course we didn't and we should have pushed players forward.

One simple thing I would encourage, if it is allowed, where there is a packed defence is to whack the ball against their legs looking for deflections rather like in billiards.

 

[DasWolf]

We need to play Neves further forward. We need to attack far more aggressively, and not tap the ball around. We should not be passing the back from the final 3rd unless unavoidable.

A massive mistake is playing Tiki Taka against compact defensive teams, when all it does is give them all the time they need to get back into shape. Look for overlaps, use skill to play through the opposition (see Jota's great chance against Brighton 1st half).

We should never be defending the opposition's goal for them.

 

[Honved]

Said it before, what we need is to somehow sign a younger version of Moutinho to play ten yards in front of the current Moutinho. Someone with his intelligence and skill, but faster legs.

 

[Deleted member 4152]

I know few will agree with me on this but I would like to see Costa reinvented for this position next year, assuming we keep the same formation.

How on earth did you come to that conclusion? Costa is shot.

 

[DPE]

It will happen over the next few seasons but for now I prefer to be beating Man U than Cardif.