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Countering teams who press us high up the pitch

those were the days

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Both Villa and Fulham pressed us high up the pitch and a number of our players really struggled. Both also did a good job pinning our wing backs back, which meant we didn't commit enough going forward when we attacked. Unlike against Leeds, Villa and Fulham worked v hard off-the-ball which meant we couldn't pass around them to the same extent either. Add to the mix our continuing problems with set-pieces and we have a few issues.

Hopefully Nuno will find the right answers for the next two games and get us back on track. Making some personnel changes should help as there were obvious square pegs in round holes today and some mentally, if not physically, tired players who need dropping or benching. The continuing problem with set pieces may be harder to fix though.

Given how important our wing backs are and how much running they get through, I reckon Nuno needs to give himself better options to change things around out wide from the bench (e.g. Vinagre and/or Graham). Imv, there's no point having 2 centre halves on the bench as they'll v rarely both get used. I also think in games when teams press us high up the pitch and play a high defensive line, we need players like Afobe on much quicker, if not from the start. Just my two pennies worth!
 

Incognito

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I disagree about both wing backs not pushing forward. Doherty pushed forward a lot, especially first half and made our first goal. Problem is that Douglas is struggling. What is needed are a few changes to freshen things up. Keep the same formation, just slot some fresh players into the mix.
 

Padraig

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If the full backs can’t get space they need to move it inside quicker and work the ball to create it. There was no tempo in our play today. We were playing against six 30+ year olds and could have stretched them.
 

Wolfheart

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Wrong.

Villa threw 5 across the back today and it was us who didn’t get enough men forward and allowed them when they did attack to push more up.

They also sat deep when we had the ball and tried to make us find a killer ball or run into them.

Nuno was out thought today and you have to give it too Brucey the ****. He did a number on him.
 
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Mr Wolf

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Not the press for me that’s hurt us.

Douglas unfortunately cannot run past a player & this at times when we need him to stops our attacks dead & we have to start again.

Bonatini is offering zero threat right now, he’s stopped going past players or giving quick little give & goes. When was the last time you saw his quick feet in action committing defenders, drawing them in creating space for the wide players. So easy to mark right now.

We’re once again playing far to deep, pressed or not. We need to be 20 yards further up when knocking it about.
 

those were the days

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I disagree about both wing backs not pushing forward. Doherty pushed forward a lot, especially first half and made our first goal. Problem is that Douglas is struggling. What is needed are a few changes to freshen things up. Keep the same formation, just slot some fresh players into the mix.

Agree it's more Douglas than Doherty who's struggling to get forward. That said, they both faded second-half today and v Fulham and were off-colour in our previous defeat before that against Forest. Not knocking either as they've both been great this season. But when they struggle, Wolves generally struggle, as the wing-backs are key to our formation working. It's a real shame we haven't got deeper cover there as the wing backs get through a lot of running and we could do with some rotation when we have games in quick succession.

Agree with Mr Wolf's comment about Bonatini. He's really struggling and we're kind of looking a bit like Fulham were in the first half fo the season when they lacked a focal point before Mitrovic joined. We are playing too deep too but it's generally because teams are pressing us back more. We could get away with it against Leeds though as we passed around them like cones but Fulham and Villa were working a lot harder for one another off the ball
 
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Our defence of set pieces was **** weak critically, and has been on and off this season. 1-1 at half time, I was very happy, but the 2nd goal, and then the quickfire third (not a set piece, admittedly) killed us.
 

Tring Wolf

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Actually think it’s the complete opposite. With the exception of Fulham who did press us high, teams have sat back against us and tried to flood the midfield.

I don’t think there is that much wrong with our build-up play. Our transition from defence to attack is still excellent but we are being let down by poor quality and execution in the final third (along with individual errors at the back and in goal).

The biggest problem has been the drop in form of Jota and Bonatini. Both started the season sensationally but since just before Christmas, it has been left to Cavaleiro to effectively carry our attack.

We desperately need at least one of Diogo, Leo, Benik or Helder to join/rejoin the party. If they do, we’ll go up.
 
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We just need shooting practice. Teams aren't going to let you walk it into the net every game.
 
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WanderingWolf

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Douglas has to play though for the threat he has with set pieces.

For me the problem is in attack, we have lost that killer edge so teams are happier to push higher up the field. As already stated we need Someone to hit form in the front 3 and we will be fine. Perfect opportunity to get back on track in the next two games
 
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We’re nowhere near clinical enough, Leeds should have been 5 or 6 if we’d put away our earlier chances, against Villa last night even we had chances that we overworked when just hitting it early at least would have worked the keeper and asked a question.
 
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SavageWolf

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Both Villa and Fulham pressed us high up the pitch and a number of our players really struggled. Both also did a good job pinning our wing backs back, which meant we didn't commit enough going forward when we attacked. Unlike against Leeds, Villa and Fulham worked v hard off-the-ball which meant we couldn't pass around them to the same extent either. Add to the mix our continuing problems with set-pieces and we have a few issues.

Hopefully Nuno will find the right answers for the next two games and get us back on track. Making some personnel changes should help as there were obvious square pegs in round holes today and some mentally, if not physically, tired players who need dropping or benching. The continuing problem with set pieces may be harder to fix though.

Given how important our wing backs are and how much running they get through, I reckon Nuno needs to give himself better options to change things around out wide from the bench (e.g. Vinagre and/or Graham). Imv, there's no point having 2 centre halves on the bench as they'll v rarely both get used. I also think in games when teams press us high up the pitch and play a high defensive line, we need players like Afobe on much quicker, if not from the start. Just my two pennies worth!
I put it down to a combination of good wingers/teams that we are playing against with a lack of commitment/bottle from our wing backs. Doc was good first half against Villa and Douglas got in to good advanced positions to cross but he rarely takes on his man and will look for the back/side pass which slows down attacks, where if he committed just a little bit more and ran to the byline and got a cross in I'm sure we would get more joy. His delivery was surprisingly off too which makes me point the finger at him being one of the players that bottled it.
 

Bugsy911

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I put it down to a combination of good wingers/teams that we are playing against with a lack of commitment/bottle from our wing backs. Doc was good first half against Villa and Douglas got in to good advanced positions to cross but he rarely takes on his man and will look for the back/side pass which slows down attacks, where if he committed just a little bit more and ran to the byline and got a cross in I'm sure we would get more joy. His delivery was surprisingly off too which makes me point the finger at him being one of the players that bottled it.

We often don't have anyone in the box to put the cross in.

I'd now and would have done weeks ago start Afobe every game we simply can't afford to leave Bonatini in the team any longer.
 

Stoichkov

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Both Villa and Fulham pressed us high up the pitch and a number of our players really struggled. Both also did a good job pinning our wing backs back, which meant we didn't commit enough going forward when we attacked. Unlike against Leeds, Villa and Fulham worked v hard off-the-ball which meant we couldn't pass around them to the same extent either. Add to the mix our continuing problems with set-pieces and we have a few issues.

Hopefully Nuno will find the right answers for the next two games and get us back on track. Making some personnel changes should help as there were obvious square pegs in round holes today and some mentally, if not physically, tired players who need dropping or benching. The continuing problem with set pieces may be harder to fix though.

Given how important our wing backs are and how much running they get through, I reckon Nuno needs to give himself better options to change things around out wide from the bench (e.g. Vinagre and/or Graham). Imv, there's no point having 2 centre halves on the bench as they'll v rarely both get used. I also think in games when teams press us high up the pitch and play a high defensive line, we need players like Afobe on much quicker, if not from the start. Just my two pennies worth!

Are you sure? Second half possibly when they had wind in their sails but I was surprised how much Villa sat off us first half, they looked terrified after we equalised
 
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we8wba

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Are you sure? Second half possibly when they had wind in their sails but I was surprised how much Villa sat off us first half, they looked terrified after we equalised

Imo didn’t really press us but positioned there players in smart areas to not allow us bringing the ball out

Adomah would be stood in between say Doherty and Batth and could easily put huge pressure on either player
 

Sheriff Woody

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Actually think it’s the complete opposite. With the exception of Fulham who did press us high, teams have sat back against us and tried to flood the midfield.

I don’t think there is that much wrong with our build-up play. Our transition from defence to attack is still excellent but we are being let down by poor quality and execution in the final third (along with individual errors at the back and in goal).

The biggest problem has been the drop in form of Jota and Bonatini. Both started the season sensationally but since just before Christmas, it has been left to Cavaleiro to effectively carry our attack.

We desperately need at least one of Diogo, Leo, Benik or Helder to join/rejoin the party. If they do, we’ll go up.

Bang on the money again Tring.

Even in Fulham game turned on a poor touch whilst we were looking to go forward.

That incisiveness going forward, the buccaneering runs from Jota, the positive link play of Bonatini are missing. Cavaleiro is carrying us up top and he has a tendency to overdo things.

We're in a lull. I genuinely think a Bonatini goal, doesn't matter if it's a 30 pass team move or it's scuffed in or one that bounces over the line off his ****, will lift them. A couple of times Jota has looked to pass to him when he should shoot. I think they're desperately trying to get him a goal.
 
D

Deleted member TW5162

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Actually think it’s the complete opposite. With the exception of Fulham who did press us high, teams have sat back against us and tried to flood the midfield.

I don’t think there is that much wrong with our build-up play. Our transition from defence to attack is still excellent but we are being let down by poor quality and execution in the final third (along with individual errors at the back and in goal).

The biggest problem has been the drop in form of Jota and Bonatini. Both started the season sensationally but since just before Christmas, it has been left to Cavaleiro to effectively carry our attack.

We desperately need at least one of Diogo, Leo, Benik or Helder to join/rejoin the party. If they do, we’ll go up.

This. This is exactly the problem.
 

Fifty Niner

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Both Villa and Fulham pressed us high up the pitch and a number of our players really struggled. Both also did a good job pinning our wing backs back, which meant we didn't commit enough going forward when we attacked. Unlike against Leeds, Villa and Fulham worked v hard off-the-ball which meant we couldn't pass around them to the same extent either. Add to the mix our continuing problems with set-pieces and we have a few issues.

Hopefully Nuno will find the right answers for the next two games and get us back on track. Making some personnel changes should help as there were obvious square pegs in round holes today and some mentally, if not physically, tired players who need dropping or benching. The continuing problem with set pieces may be harder to fix though.

Given how important our wing backs are and how much running they get through, I reckon Nuno needs to give himself better options to change things around out wide from the bench (e.g. Vinagre and/or Graham). Imv, there's no point having 2 centre halves on the bench as they'll v rarely both get used. I also think in games when teams press us high up the pitch and play a high defensive line, we need players like Afobe on much quicker, if not from the start. Just my two pennies worth!

Quit zonal marking for one. I'd also have thought the way to counter this is to play fast and incisive, like we were early season, but we also need to be clinical in front of goal. The latter we most certainly are not of late. We've missed so many chances that the front three are all afraid to shoot. That spreads throughout the team and is particularly showing up our rubbish defence.

But I do wonder if our newly installed foreign contingent are now out of gas. The Portugese PL is 34 games and the Italian Seria A 38. Along with the cup games I think mentally and physically they cannot produce over 90 minutes. Rather like the long distance runner struggling coming off the final bend as the nearest three rapidly close him down in the final sprint to the finish
 
P

Pinhead

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Are you sure? Second half possibly when they had wind in their sails but I was surprised how much Villa sat off us first half, they looked terrified after we equalised
Yeah first half we were tearing them apart and if we had that clinical finish could have gone in 2-1 up but the 2nd half we just didn't do that and I I said in another post did nuno play for the 1-1 by changing the way we played allowing them to press us and keep the ball just like we did against Norwich
 
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