How wrong we were ?

[madwolf]

Before the season started and even in the first couple of games there were loads of comments on here saying our defence was not good enough in this League. Bennett was slated daily, Doherty would get torn a new one, Boly was too slow and laid back after first game, Jonny just didnt attack enough and didnt offer what Douglas did.. How wrong we were. Nuno is our biggest signing and gelled us into a well drilled unit. These players have proven they are more then capable at this level. Who would own up and confess. This is confession Sunday. I will start. Forgive me Nuno i have sinned. I had little faith in Bennett and thought how a player that cost nothing could be comfortable in the Prem. I will never question your judgement again. Next....

 

[Flaneur]

I'll admit, the only player I had my reservations about was Coady. Following the away game at Fulham were mitro bullied him for the second goal I thought he might struggle against some of the bigger forwards this season, he dealt with Lukaku tremendously yesterday so I'm very, very happy to have been proved wrong.

****ing love you Coads <3

 

[vini69]

I’m never one to ‘cast the first stone’ so I sit here rejoicing in my pious -almost holy - wisdom and revelling in an almost apocalyptic, gluttonous contempt for all that did.

 

[Woodsetton Wolf]

I agree, they have been magnificent so far. But we still need cover for these in January

 

[madwolf]

I agree, they have been magnificent so far. But we still need cover for these in January

Yeah agree do need reinforcements in Jan but just revelling in our successes so far with a defence that not many believed in.

 

[E is for idiot.]

I thought Doc was a little nervous again yesterday after being superb for the previous three. He didn't play badly, but he did give the ball away a few times when he didn't need to. In general though all of our players have made the step up superbly. Jonny for Douglas was a masterstroke, he's twice the player.

If we think this season is special, wait until next year when Nuno's Wolves are an even bigger draw.

 

[Frank Lincoln]

I will join others in the confessional box. I did not think that Doherty or Bennett were good enough for this league.

Forgive me lord Nuno.

 

[Guzeppi]

Not me! Sorry.
But, just so that this post is not just a brag, let me tell you that Gal Gadot still looks gorgeous.

 

[Lisas Husband]

Of our defence I thought Bennett may struggle to make the step up, and I also had a funny feeling that Nuno wouldn't fancy him has a first choice.

I was wrong, I hold my head in shame.

 

[Adrian_Monk]

I think you can clearly see that Bennett has played at this level before. He looks very assured. Same for Johnny you can tell he's a big game player he relished the challenge yesterday.

Boly I think thought it was going to be easier than it was and appeared lackadaisical but it was lack of mental sharpness really. He's soon wised up and was incredible yesterday.

With Coady and Doherty you can see they probably went into this season wondering if they would hang on to their best opportunity as a footballer of their whole career, to become an established premier league player with an upwardly mobile club. Neither were doing the things they did last season at first, in fact I still think Coady is playing within himself a bit and I think Doc did yesterday as well. You can tell as they grow into the game that it's purely mental with these players. Same for Jota.

I actually don't think we need to strengthen desperately in January. We can afford to wait for the right player to come along. Only up front would I possibly add. I'm confident Dendoncker and Hause could come in and not let us down.

 

[WolvesAreBoringOnCeefax]

confident Dendoncker and Hause could come in and not let us down.

This. I'd also say Vinagre deserves a shot at starting if Jonny/Doc weren't available. We've got options for centre mid and out wide too, in Jan I'd hope we go big on a striker [and if we're hovering 11th-7th territory still we probably could attract someone good and push for Europa places?], but otherwise I like our squad.

 

[Wulfrunian]

I too had my reservations about Coady. Also (like many) thought Neves and Moutinho were too similar. Please forgive me Nuno.

 

[we8wba]

So far so good but we’re also only six games in

Hardly George graham esque quite yet

Let’s hope they continue mind

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

I too had my reservations about Coady. Also (like many) thought Neves and Moutinho were too similar. Please forgive me Nuno.

I was certainly in that club too. My only defence is that I had no idea what an all round player Moutinho was, I was expecting a playmaker, not a ball-winner, playmaker and goal scorer all wrapped up in one. Yesterday Neves won the ball of Pogba and Moutinho finished beautifully - just need them both to stay fit and suspension free now (no offence to Romain)!

 

[wolvesaywe]

This. I'd also say Vinagre deserves a shot at starting if Jonny/Doc weren't available. We've got options for centre mid and out wide too, in Jan I'd hope we go big on a striker [and if we're hovering 11th-7th territory still we probably could attract someone good and push for Europa places?], but otherwise I like our squad.

I doubt Fosun are thinking in the same way. If they can get a player who Nuno sees as an upgrade on an existing player then they will do what they can to get him. We saw that with the summer long chase for Cancelo.

They're not here to prat around in mid table. No matter how gold tinted your spectacles are we do not have a top 6 squad yet.

 

[Andy]

I was slightly concerned about Jonny after the Everton game. I thought he was too right footed and came inside too much that game which I thought slowed our attacks down.

 

[Sammy Chungs Tracksuit]

Before the season started and even in the first couple of games there were loads of comments on here saying our defence was not good enough in this League. Bennett was slated daily, Doherty would get torn a new one, Boly was too slow and laid back after first game, Jonny just didnt attack enough and didnt offer what Douglas did.. How wrong we were. Nuno is our biggest signing and gelled us into a well drilled unit. These players have proven they are more then capable at this level. Who would own up and confess. This is confession Sunday. I will start. Forgive me Nuno i have sinned. I had little faith in Bennett and thought how a player that cost nothing could be comfortable in the Prem. I will never question your judgement again. Next....

Jonny is overall a far, far better player than Douglas however Jonny doesnt offer what Douglas does in terms of attacking threat and ability to cross a ball, but Jonny retains possession brilliantly under pressure, gets forward and knows how to make a tackle. But we have missed the threat of Douglas's crossing, corner delivery and his free kicks as well. It is possible for a player like Douglas with lower overall ability than Jonny to have some strengths that surpass his replacement.

I've always had confidence in Boly's ability to step up. The guy is pure class. He struggled a bit early on but is just getting stronger every game now.

Doherty has been a revelation really. He is playing out of his skin. Question is can he keep that level up long term. Fair play to him though for doing so well this season.

Bennett has always been solid and especially so with a rock like Boly alongside him and Coady covering. The defensive unit is functioning brilliantly on the whole. Man Utd just resorted to lumping it in for Fellani and Lukaku yesterday as the game wore on and they dealt with pretty much everything thrown at them.

 

[1965Wolf]

We have done those things we ought not to have done and we have left undone those things we ought to have done......

 

[Incognito]

I, like others, can claim the moral high ground of having faith and being a true believer. i wanted to give players like Bennett and Doherty a chance, to see how they perform in the prem. Well so far so good. Of course it is still early days but they have all been superb. Think Nuno deserves great credit for just trickle feeding in the changes where he obviously could see we needed strengthening, most obviously Jonny for Douglas. Just one more on Bennett, I swear yesterday he reminded me a bit of Bobby Moore. Shall I get my coat?

 

[The Professional]

Not me! Sorry.
But, just so that this post is not just a brag, let me tell you that Gal Gadot still looks gorgeous.

If Gal Gadot was a football formation, she would be be a flat front two.

 

[manky codpiece]

I, like others, can claim the moral high ground of having faith and being a true believer. i wanted to give players like Bennett and Doherty a chance, to see how they perform in the prem. Well so far so good. Of course it is still early days but they have all been superb. Think Nuno deserves great credit for just trickle feeding in the changes where he obviously could see we needed strengthening, most obviously Jonny for Douglas. Just one more on Bennett, I swear yesterday he reminded me a bit of Bobby Moore. Shall I get my coat?[/QUOTE]
No,leave your coat where it is,I see that Bennett reads the game so well too,but is far quicker than Bobby was.

 

[Guzeppi]

If Gal Gadot was a football formation, she would be be a flat front two.

Barbarian!

 

[Axle]

I always said it would take awhile to adjust and l still think we are. It’s probably going to get easier in some ways and harder in others.

We will get more used to the quality of the opposition and will become more clinical, but teams will work us out and stop us been so expansive, so it’s going to be marginal gains that make the difference.

 

[WW1963]

I still have reservations and expect that by the second half of the season everybody will have done their homework on us.

Two runners from outside the box from any decent dead ball delivery will kill us. Put a man on Coady and our whole game falls apart.

Thankfully, most managers and their spies are stealing a living. A few worked it out in the Championship last season.

 

[Huyton W88lvo]

Danny Ings and Charlie Austin will definitely pose us problems next week imo

 

[HungryLikeTheWolf]

Danny Ings and Charlie Austin will definitely pose us problems next week imo

My biggest concern wouldn't be either of those guys. I'd be more worried if they fielded a player who hadn't yet scored for Southampton. Ignoring Doherty's own goal, the other 5 goals we've conceded have come from players who'd never previously scored for their respective clubs, namely:

Richarlison (2) - Everton
Madison - Leicester City
Laporte - Man City
Fred - Man Utd

Just tongue in cheek of course. Danny Ings will need to be watched very carefully.

 

[Staten Island Wolf]

I actually went to confession recently for the first time in 50 years. It felt good.

 

[QB Wolf]

My only concern was central midfield and getting a decent partner for Neves, once Moutinho was signed I was pleased.

 

[Mr Wolf]

Defensively they have been solid but they can be better in possession than what we’ve seen so far.

Against Everton & Leicester the wingbacks were basically nullified but as it’s gone on they seem to getting up to speed & enabling us to create chances.

 

[Stafford]

January is going to be boring on here, who am I going to fall out with?

 

[themanwhobuiltthemoon]

The more I watch Jonny the more the Douglas decision is starting to make sense

 

[OLDGOLD]

I still have reservations and expect that by the second half of the season everybody will have done their homework on us.

Two runners from outside the box from any decent dead ball delivery will kill us. Put a man on Coady and our whole game falls apart.

Thankfully, most managers and their spies are stealing a living. A few worked it out in the Championship last season.

You may be right. If that happens I reckon Saiss will get more game time and sit deeper

 

[QB Wolf]

You may be right. If that happens I reckon Saiss will get more game time and sit deeper

Instead of who? I really can’t see who is going to get dropped for Saiss.

 

[OLDGOLD]

Instead of who? I really can’t see who is going to get dropped for Saiss.

Neves or Moutinho, but only if we are under the pump at certain points in certain games

 

[WolfLing]

Neves or Moutinho, but only if we are under the pump at certain points in certain games

I think this might be a role fulfilled by Dendoncker when he is fully up to speed.

Can see Nuno sacrificing one of the wide players and going 5-3-2, with Dendoncker shielding the defence, Neves as a deep-playmaker and Moutinho further forward 'doing his thang'.

 

[OLDGOLD]

I think this might be a role fulfilled by Dendoncker when he is fully up to speed.

Can see Nuno sacrificing one of the wide players and going 5-3-2, with Dendoncker shielding the defence, Neves as a deep-playmaker and Moutinho further forward 'doing his thang'.

I am not sure he will change things that much tbh. He is always on about our system. I can just about see him going for a deeper lying midfielder on occasion, but not what would amount to a big change in shape or style.

 

[WolfLing]

I am not sure he will change things that much tbh. He is always on about our system. I can just about see him going for a deeper lying midfielder on occasion, but not what would amount to a big change in shape or style.

A few times last season he changed to a 5-3-2 with Morgan Gibbs-White as the most advanced midfield player, basically in the no.10 role. Moutinho would work there too.

Could be effective if we are holding on to a lead in certain games.

 

[JimmyMac]

I am another who must hold my hands up and say I thought we would suffer defensively this season. I know it's only 6 games so far, but the back 3 have been immense and look every inch premier league footballers. Doc is still confounding all his critics (and if he could perfect his crossing nobody could really criticise him much anymore), Johnny has tightened up the left hand side since he came in - I know he doesn't offer the attacking threat of Douglas, but I think the defensive side of his game and overall play more than makes up for that. Again I have to admit I thought Neves and Mouthino might be too similar and too small in central midfield on their own, but they have proved me wrong once more. The only area we are struggling in at the moment is goal scoring. We create lots of chances and if we could just put more of them away, we could easily be a top 10 team, if not "best of the rest" in 7th. Costa and Jota appear to settling in a bit now and are looking more like we expect them to be and Jimenez is leading the line with aplomb, so I'm hoping as time goes on, we will start getting more clinical with our finishing.

I love what Nuno is doing and I love this team, so we must keep the faith! COYW!

 

[astraltrader]

I too admit I thought our defence would not be able to make the step up to PL level.
Fortunately they have all done this and appear to be improving match by match.
Coady, Boly and Bennet have been exceptional and while I thought getting rid of Barry Douglas was a big mistake - Johnny has been a great choice as replacement.
Nuno is really brilliant!!

 

[Mark Rankines Lovechild]

Jonny is overall a far, far better player than Douglas however Jonny doesnt offer what Douglas does in terms of attacking threat and ability to cross a ball, but Jonny retains possession brilliantly under pressure, gets forward and knows how to make a tackle. But we have missed the threat of Douglas's crossing, corner delivery and his free kicks as well. It is possible for a player like Douglas with lower overall ability than Jonny to have some strengths that surpass his replacement.

I've always had confidence in Boly's ability to step up. The guy is pure class. He struggled a bit early on but is just getting stronger every game now.

Doherty has been a revelation really. He is playing out of his skin. Question is can he keep that level up long term. Fair play to him though for doing so well this season.

Bennett has always been solid and especially so with a rock like Boly alongside him and Coady covering. The defensive unit is functioning brilliantly on the whole. Man Utd just resorted to lumping it in for Fellani and Lukaku yesterday as the game wore on and they dealt with pretty much everything thrown at them.

Have to say I never thought Douglas was that great going forward and was definitely targeted defensively in the second half of the season. Dead ball delivery was phenomenal but rarely took on a man and had no great pace.