Manchester City Verdict

[sedgwolf1980]

Worth remembering that we threw both cups to put in that level of effort.

Nothing wrong with the effort, more the complete mismatch in ability tbf.

 

[Jeru360]

Liked the look of Lemina and Sarabia and thought Collins is getting better game by game.

 

[stevev53]

Terrible line up

Terrible tactics

Terrible ref

Shocking subs

Shocking individual performances

No balls . No intent. No belief

Collins only player that deserved to wear the shirt

You weren’t impressed then .

 

[WolfInSheep'sClothing]

There is no point in playing football if you play like that.

 

[bod101]

I thought we did ok first half, potentially something to build on but our 2nd half was awful on the whole. Not sure the subs worked as the midfield completely disappeared.

God awful goals to give away, the playing around the back is a hiding to nothing as we generally just get ourselves in trouble or launch it up the pitch, at which point you may have well just played the ball forward in the first place.

Cunha isn't a 9, so I'm a little concerned as to what formation we're going to play as the pattern of play looks like a team looking to work off a 9, which we don't seem to have.

 

[Wonder Boyo]

Very poor performance, but we were in the game until our collapse in the second half. A terrible Sa error and a dodgy penalty took the game away from us. Still not seen a proper replay of their penalty, but Coote couldn't wait to give it. Disappointing going forward is an understatement, but it is away at City and we had a few new players on. City away won't define our season. Many clubs have had the same experience there.

If you like clutching at straws, the only positive I can find is that we conceded fewer goals at the Etihad this season than:

Bournemouth (4)
Palace (4)
Forest (6)
Man United (6)
Southampton (4)
Spurs (4)

 

[clivewolves]

Routine. I didn't think City had to work that hard for it. The gulf in class was on show.

 

[djmikeydickens]

JL needs to decide what shape and his best 11 is. The front 3 that ended the game for me, Starting midfield and ait Nouri coming in at LB.

 

[sillytuna]

How did Lemina play?

Looked good to me but honestly a little hard to judge when you're defending all game. Lots of effort, never hid, didn't keep giving the ball away ala Nunes today.

 

[JohnB]

Positives - played City twice now. Looked comfortable for 30 mins. City took foot off gas at 3-0. Stronger bench.

Negatives - starting 3 forwards offered no threat and replacements did little until Podence came on. Sa’s passing (again). Dodgy ref (commented on at half-time foul on TV - Hwang fouled by Lewis, Traore fouled, Grealish penalty all wrong decisions - brandishing yellow cards unnecessarily).

Onto next game - looking forward to Liverpool home in 2 weeks but only if club have sorted ticketing out so I’m not surrounded by Scousers again per the cup game.

 

[Bryce]

We expected a defeat. We got a defeat. We need to get points and improvements in other games.

No need for massive hand wringing and gnashing of teeth today.

The problem for me was that several of the players looked like they expected it too . Half ***** performance from Raul Traore Neves and Nunes. Collins was good for the most part. Sa has a brain fart in him . ExpecTed nothing and got nothing. Need something from Liverpool
23 from 18 .

 

[Royal wolf]

Non of our players seem to take responsibility on the ball. Except maybe podence and neves, it’s always the easy option. It’s probably a confidence thing but Kilman is praised for his footballing ability but rarely makes progressive passes until we were 3 nil down and then decided to switch the play.

 

[reanswolf]

Looked good to me but honestly a little hard to judge when you're defending all game. Lots of effort, never hid, didn't keep giving the ball away ala Nunes today.

I'd hoped that Lemina doing the physical work would free up Nunes and Neves a bit, but I guess its the wrong game to assess this.

 

[daniel corfield]

I can't wait to see the back of Neves.
He's a brilliant player, but he's badly hampering the way we play.

 

[TheConcourse]

Nothing wrong with the effort, more the complete mismatch in ability tbf.

Gundogan walked past Neves for the second.

Sa with a total lack of focus.

It’s a lack of effort. Zero intensity or conviction on the ball. No desire to keep the thing when under pressure..

They’re a bunch of pussies this lot.

 

[Hawkguy]

JL needs to decide what shape and his best 11 is. The front 3 that ended the game for me, Starting midfield and ait Nouri coming in at LB.

I actually think I'd slot RAN on the left and Podence on the right. Cunha and Sarabia down the middle. Nunes and Neves behind. Bueno, Collins, Dawson, Semedo at the back.

Maybe Kilman in net lol

 

[rubyloo]

If Sa is still between the sticks by February then I will despair.

When he first joined it looked like he was enjoying himself, now he is a nervous wreck.

 

[sillytuna]

The problem for me was that several of the players looked like they expected it too . Half ***** performance from Raul Traore Neves and Nunes. Collins was ress as lily good for the most part. Sa has a brain fart in him . Ecc xx or Ted nothing and hot nothing. Need f SF one thing from Liverpool
23 from 18 .

Must disagree. Traore did just fine first half while Neves and Nunes worked hard - just didn't play well. Raul worked hard too in fairness but, to paraphrase, he is not the Raul we're looking for.

We can't expect points from Liverpool but the way they're playing right now we need to give them a proper fight, not like the last two games we've played.

 

[SanFranWolf]

No point giving a verdict against them.

We’ve now got a week off, more important than today is that Hobbs doubles down on more transfer business and Lopetegui carries on the brilliant work he’s done so far on transforming the players into believers again.

 

[Royal wolf]

I'd hoped that Lemina doing the physical work would free up Nunes and Neves a bit, but I guess its the wrong game to assess this.

I’m confident that will happen in a more competitive match

 

[Hoganstolemywife]

Our season won’t be defined by today. Wasn’t great, but absolutely zero point over analysing it.

Onwards and upwards.

My stance too.

Big games coming up.

 

[sillytuna]

I'd hoped that Lemina doing the physical work would free up Nunes and Neves a bit, but I guess its the wrong game to assess this.

Nunes had a lot of the ball, just kept giving it away.

 

[Incognito]

Julen got the starting XI wrong and you could argue that Podence, rather than Moutinho, should have come on at HT. Lemina unlucky to be brought off. Having said that, we shot ourselves in the foot right at the start of the second half. Neves double whammy loses the ball in their half, when trying to play a ball in the box, then in the City break gives away the pen. However, worse was to come when our resident clown of a goalie, does what he's been doing best recently, even excelling himself. No doubt in my mind now that he needs to be replaced. Never gonna beat City but we handed it on a plate today. Oh well.

 

[Bacon Sandwich]

Gameplan worked well for 40 minutes. Defended well and restricted them to shots from distance. Then shot ourselves in the foot with two very poor individual errors, which completely killed the game.

Positives were Collins, Kilman and Lemina. Sarabia and Podence looked bright when they came on as did Adama first half.

Bizarrely, feel more confident we’ll get out of this with the new signings.

Sa 5
Semedo 6
Collins 7
Kilman 7
Bueno 5
Neves 4
Nunes 6
Lemina 7
Adama 6
Raul 6
Hwang 6

Moutinho 5
Sarabia 6
Cunha 6
Podence 6
RAN N/A

Don't be silly
Jimenez - did absolutely nothing - 6
Podence - 3 shots in the time he was on - 6
Sadly, Raul barely deserved a 0 today

 

[Jefe]

I suppose there's some morbid encouragement to be taken in that we shot ourselves in the foot rather than City prizing us open at will. City really are not the opposition you want to face when you have a back five tasked with playing out from the back, but lacking the confidence and perhaps the ability to do it. The key was not being able to hold out until half-time. Neves and Sa poor, Lemina MOTM. Referee atrocious as predicted and as usual; spelled it out to us nice and early that we wouldn't be allowed to physically compete with City, and made some very dubious decisions.

 

[manchesterwolf17]

It's City, the best thing that can be done is just forfeiting and not wasting 90 minutes for both sides.

Kinda sums up what I dislike largely about football now, these games are just boring.

They are.

It's not like when MU were dominating the league and you'd be excited to face them. Genuinely believing if you played well on the day you could beat them. Playing Man City is like watching a training exercise. They do it to far better sides than us too mind. Just completely mind numbing. Getting in your own half feels like an achievement.

 

[Starsky]

Really worried that Lop has signed Cunha as the number 9 we need. He's a decent player, but he's not that.

Huge error of judgement if so and not signing a fit for purpose CF this month could see us relegated.

 

[Hoganstolemywife]

Oh, as an aside, ever since I created a thread saying that Collins has been poor, he's been singularly excellent.

Well played again today.

 

[The Wolf In The North]

Felt sorry for Julen. I think he did exactly the right thing at HT, because the forward three from the first half let him down completely - and then, before we could even try and impose any kind of new gameplan, he was then let down again by sloppy play from Neves, and then AGAIN by sheer negligence from Sa.

Lemina was terrific, did exactly what's needed in midfield in a game like this, and both Collins and Bueno were assured considering how much experience and talent they were conceding to those they were up against. Sarabia, Cunha and Podence especially were an improvement over the forwards they replaced.

But whilst City held the knife, we were the ones who leaned in for the throat-slitting, and - along with the frustrating Nunes and the forward three in the first half - Neves and Sa should be ashamed for their half-assed nonsense.

Someone said it perfectly in the comms thread, we were pretty sure to lose anyway, but we managed to do it in a Wolves way that makes you want to put your head through a window.

****ing Sa, man. Tw*t.

 

[Hoganstolemywife]

It's City, the best thing that can be done is just forfeiting and not wasting 90 minutes for both sides.

Kinda sums up what I dislike largely about football now, these games are just boring.

Weird isn't it. When we are playing a competitive game, I'm so excited.

City away fails to capture my interest. They play a different game to everyone else.

 

[Stourport wolf]

Hwang and Jiminez weren't the answer with Lage and are not the answer now. We needed a goal scorer with Lage and we still need one now.

 

[Parkfieldswolf]

Didn’t expect anything got nothing so move on. There were some promising signs going forward but simple mistakes at the back need ironing out. I hate playing any of the big 6 so glad this is out the way. More signings please Jeff.

 

[Pagey]

Didn't deserve anything from the game, but how did city end the match with 11 men on? If we'd been wearing blue we would have 9 and a totally different match?

 

[Asthmatic Wolf]

Agree but at the same time what chances are we creating? At the moment we’d be relying on the #9 to make his own chances.

There are occasions every game where we put the ball across the box and it looks like nothing because the striker (overwhelmingly Raul over this time period) has made no effort to get across his man.

Sarabia did it as soon as he came on and nearly scored.

I’m not saying we’d have scored 40 goals with a proper striker in the team but we’d have a lot more than 12

 

[TheConcourse]

Oh, as an aside, ever since I created a thread saying that Collins has been poor, he's been singularly excellent.

Well played again today.

Excellent today.

 

[SA Wolf]

The problem for me was that several of the players looked like they expected it too . Half ***** performance from Raul Traore Neves and Nunes. Collins was ress as lily good for the most part. Sa has a brain fart in him . Ecc xx or Ted nothing and hot nothing. Need f SF one thing from Liverpool
23 from 18 .

Drink or drugs?

 

[Jawwfc]

We didn't lay a glove on them, they are a class above.

However two individual mistakes from Neves and Sa have cost us... still would've lost but handing two goals on a plate is never easy to take.

 

[Black Country Wanderer]

How many more goals will we give away by trying to play out from the back?
Man City are good enough without giving them 2 goals
Forward line up was as i feared to start with,poor pressing,except for Hwang,no movement,no threat
Looked so much better once Pod,Sarabia and Cunha were on even if they were out of sight by then
Neves and Nunes poor made life so hard for our back line
It was always a hiding to nothing but expected more from those 2 players
We have some winnable games coming up and we need to start getting those points asap

 

[SmiffyWolf]

8 signings needed

Desperately need a striker that scores goals . Not a false 9 or a number 10 or a right forward .

 

[Ewok vs Wolf]

We won't be playing City every week
We didn't get hammered
No need to over react just move on