Musings from Molineux 23/24

[gullykular]

With the players back for pre-season training, thought I'd start a new thread running down all of the content I'll be producing on behalf of Wolves Fancast.

Starting with 5 potential new centre backs we could target to replace Nathan Collins (and potentially Max Kilman):

Hero - Raul Jimenez - Wolves Fancast

There’s a distinct sense that as Wolverhampton Wanderers fans, we’ve been totally desensitised to what it means to have a functioning forward line. Covering the 3 full seasons that have passed from August 2020 to June 2023, Wolves have played 127 games, scoring 121 goals. Most people would...

t.co

Gully's Tactical Analysis: Wolves 2-1 Man City

Gully has a look at a momentous win for Wolves and Gary O'Neil as they beat treble holders Manchester City.- Out of possession plan- Man-to-man in patches- H...

www.youtube.com

Gully's Tactical Analysis: Wolves 1-1 Aston Villa

Gully discusses what made the weekend's derby with Villa such a stalemate and lauds Boubacar Traore.Follow us on all our platformsTwitter - https://www.twitt...

youtu.be

Gully's Tactical Analysis - Bournemouth 1-2 Wolves

Gully fills in the gaps from Gary O'Neil's appearance on Monday Night Football as he took all three points from his old stomping ground at Bournemouth.Follow...

youtu.be

Gully's Tactical Analysis: Wolves 2-2 Newcastle

Gully's Tactical Analysis covers how Wolves implemented a hybrid shape in and out of possession to stifle Newcastle's strong right flank and offers his views...

youtu.be

Gully's Tactical Analysis: Wolves Review after 12 Games

Gully takes stock of Wolves' season - and improvement - under Gary O'Neil so far.Follow us on all our platformsTwitter - https://www.twitter.com/wolvesfancas...

www.youtube.com

Gully's Tactical Analysis: Fulham 3-2 Wolves

An impassioned rant from Gully as the tactics go out of the window for this analysis of the defeat to Fulham. Follow us on all our platformsTwitter - https:/...

youtu.be

Gully's Tactical Analysis: West Ham 3-0 Wolves

Gully makes a case for the back four as he delves into the conditions around why Wolves conceded their first two goals and talks up elements of the performan...

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Gully's Tactical Analysis: Wolves' 3 Wins Over Christmas Explained - Part One

A two-part special covering Wolves' 9-point haul over the Christmas period, beating Chelsea, Brentford and Everton, racking up 9 goals in the process.Firstly...

youtu.be

Gully's Tactical Analysis: The Rise of Matheus Cunha

Our resident tactical analyst talks about the tactical tweak that has helped unleash the form of Matheus Cunha.Follow us on all our platformsTwitter - https:...

youtu.be

https://x.com/molineuxmusings/status/1767566396731384100?s=20

 

[gullykular]

Hero - Raul Jimenez - Wolves Fancast

There’s a distinct sense that as Wolverhampton Wanderers fans, we’ve been totally desensitised to what it means to have a functioning forward line. Covering the 3 full seasons that have passed from August 2020 to June 2023, Wolves have played 127 games, scoring 121 goals. Most people would...

t.co

Some thoughts after Raul's departure

 

[gullykular]

First tactical analysis video of the season, looking at our man-to-man approach and where it fell down versus Brighton

 

[The Clock]

Longing for some amusings from Molineux.

 

[gullykular]

Longing for some amusings from Molineux.

One day soon I'm sure!

 

[gullykular]

A data-led look at our new signings after a flurry of activity towards the end of the transfer window.

 

[gullykular]

Walking through the story of the game, the reasons for success and the reasons for our demise in the second half.

 

[A3wolf]

Walking through the story of the game, the reasons for success and the reasons for our demise in the second half.

Thanks Gully!

 

[gullykular]

In defence of Gary O'Neil as we take a point from Kenilworth Road

 

[SuperGran]

In defence of Gary O'Neil as we take a point from Kenilworth Road

Thanks gully

 

[Chisels_n_ommers]

In defence of Gary O'Neil as we take a point from Kenilworth Road

There wasn't a fat lot of joy Luton had you say in your video....

Did they not hit the post,
have one goal bound cleared by Kilman,
Had one ruled out for a marginal offside
Have a point blank header straight at Sa?

Your video makes it sound as though we were strolling to a victory until the penalty decision. Those four goal frights came before the penalty.

You don't touch on the point that our coach, deciding to look for a draw (which I don't disagree with when it went to 1-1) decided that the best way to achieve that was to keep Neto up front alone allowing not only the ball to come back without being held up, but also to allow Luton's back line to carry the ball unchallenged deep into our half and build wave upon wave of attacks from there.

 

[Wolf of Salop]

In defence of Gary O'Neil as we take a point from Kenilworth Road

Thanks Gully. Nice to hear some facts and also an explanation of the reality that faced us on Saturday. Positivity is far nicer to deal with as opposed to the contrary option some on here are obsessed with.

 

[Arcadius]

Thanks Gully!

 

[gullykular]

There wasn't a fat lot of joy Luton had you say in your video....

Did they not hit the post,
have one goal bound cleared by Kilman,
Had one ruled out for a marginal offside
Have a point blank header straight at Sa?

Your video makes it sound as though we were strolling to a victory until the penalty decision. Those four goal frights came before the penalty.

You don't touch on the point that our coach, deciding to look for a draw (which I don't disagree with when it went to 1-1) decided that the best way to achieve that was to keep Neto up front alone allowing not only the ball to come back without being held up, but also to allow Luton's back line to carry the ball unchallenged deep into our half and build wave upon wave of attacks from there.

And in the grand scheme of things, that doesn't constitute a lot given away given we played for an hour with ten men. A shot from distance that hits the post is just something that can happen. Maybe my demeanour is more a counter to the sheer panic that has set in from what I've seen elsewhere, but I really don't think its useful to cry about the manager given the way the game went. Nobody seems to want to try and understand how football matches play out, context is everything. It's widely accepted playing one of the newly promoted teams early is the worst time to catch them and when you throw in how green Luton as a club, playing staff and fanbase are to this, it's obvious they are going to give us a tough period within a game. Like I said, if we finish that game with 11, we win and we almost did it with 10.

 

[Adrian_Monk]

It's widely accepted playing one of the newly promoted teams early is the worst time to catch them

Whilst I agree with the theory, the reality is they are so bad they've only managed 3 points between them out of a possible 48. Also, all three of the promoted sides last year picked up later on in the season, so I'm not sure the element of surprise is quite the advantage it perhaps used to be.

We may disagree on Lopetegui and 0'Neil but I'm a big fan of your videos and the Fancast in general - great work as always Gully thanks for sharing

 

[DJW]

And in the grand scheme of things, that doesn't constitute a lot given away given we played for an hour with ten men. A shot from distance that hits the post is just something that can happen. Maybe my demeanour is more a counter to the sheer panic that has set in from what I've seen elsewhere, but I really don't think its useful to cry about the manager given the way the game went. Nobody seems to want to try and understand how football matches play out, context is everything. It's widely accepted playing one of the newly promoted teams early is the worst time to catch them and when you throw in how green Luton as a club, playing staff and fanbase are to this, it's obvious they are going to give us a tough period within a game. Like I said, if we finish that game with 11, we win and we almost did it with 10.

I appreciate your tactical analysis greatly but I'm not sure how you can conclude we win with 11 on the pitch, we were being completely dominated when we had 11 on the pitch. Yes we had come back into the game slightly after a tactical adjustment, but hardly enough to conclude we would have won. Its the atrocious standard of the football played in the first 30mins that has driven people to despair. It was truly shocking.

 

[Werewolf of Wombourne]

And in the grand scheme of things, that doesn't constitute a lot given away given we played for an hour with ten men. A shot from distance that hits the post is just something that can happen. Maybe my demeanour is more a counter to the sheer panic that has set in from what I've seen elsewhere, but I really don't think its useful to cry about the manager given the way the game went. Nobody seems to want to try and understand how football matches play out, context is everything. It's widely accepted playing one of the newly promoted teams early is the worst time to catch them and when you throw in how green Luton as a club, playing staff and fanbase are to this, it's obvious they are going to give us a tough period within a game. Like I said, if we finish that game with 11, we win and we almost did it with 10.

Agreed, people are seizing on the poor games and passages of play as our base level and extrapolating from that that we are certainties to go down but are completely ignoring the good. We played fantastic football and completely dominated Man Utd and should have won comfortably, a couple of glaring misses and a rank refereeing decision cost us. Apart from a ridiculously heads gone 10 minutes after half time we matched Brighton and we played a very good Liverpool side off the park for 45 minutes, losing because we couldn't keep up the intensity for 90 minutes and match their subs bench.

In between there has been some average stuff and some poor stuff. We don't yet know what our base level is for the season

 

[gullykular]

Mate fair play on your video but your last sentance is total rot…….

Edwards was steps ahead of O Neil and we had no shots in the first half, so for the lovely touch map you show, you don’t talk about the quality of the possession or what it created which is actually nothing. Possession is great, but if you don’t attack or create chances you don’t score, so how can you suggest with 11 we win as with 11 we created nothing before the red card?

You downplay Luton, almost disrespecting them in a way. I do understand how football matches play out and how red cards can impact a game. It is all in how the manager adjusts, many teams with ten men score equalisers and even winners, it is a mindset approach. GO sacrificed all positivity and went lucky long balls to a small winger who was gassed against 6ft plus traditional English league brick**** house cb’s, it was amateurish at best! He took off the striker for a CDM, he by doing that allowed Luton’s CB’s to control the game as b.traore sat deeper and didn’t press from higher, Neto was gassed so a fresh specialist forward was needed.

You say we were likely to win, our goal was a long raking pass to Neto who who worked wonders to score in a way no other in the squad could have and a bundled FK. That isn’t indicative or showing signs we would have won the game at all…..

They were the far superior team, you also neglect that the fact the adjustment was only needed because GO is the only person in football who seemingly doesn’t know they are a left flank dominant team and he let them attack nelson too easily for far too long. Seeing as this is their gameplan every week, would you not say that is tactically and strategically inept by GO?

And if he'd gone for the jugular and we'd lost the game he'd have been hung drawn and quartered anyway. The bloke can't win with the fanbase at the minute and it's distorting people's views of football. I get the lack of empathy around the club right now, but having adjusted the shape, we were in no danger of letting that game slip until the red card. I watch games back to ensure I'm confident in my assertions and second viewing nearly always adjusts my viewpoint. The live feelings are always heightened, but in reality Luton were a limited side playing on an atmosphere and favourable conditions and still mustered up not very much. It's also a group of players whose managers knows them inside out, versus a guy still figuring out what situations he can trust his players in. Hwang and Cunha proved they can't play in those scenarios IMO and that's a huge problem. Players not winning duels is a massive issue, loose passes, bad touches, all things a manager cannot impact from the sideline. Once the shape changed it was fine.

 

[gullykular]

I appreciate your tactical analysis greatly but I'm not sure how you can conclude we win with 11 on the pitch, we were being completely dominated when we had 11 on the pitch. Yes we had come back into the game slightly after a tactical adjustment, but hardly enough to conclude we would have won. Its the atrocious standard of the football played in the first 30mins that has driven people to despair. It was truly shocking.

Because I understand that games have an ebb and a flow to them and that the more time we spent in possession, the less involved the home fans would have been and the more territory we would have gained. Football matches aren't linear experiences, just because we started badly doesn't mean we would finish badly, it's a hypothesis which can't be proved either way because we had 10 men, which contrary to popular belief it seems is a negative situation to find yourself in.

 

[gullykular]

Whilst I agree with the theory, the reality is they are so bad they've only managed 3 points between them out of a possible 48. Also, all three of the promoted sides picked up later on in the season, so I'm not sure the element of surprise is quite the advantage it perhaps used to be.

We may disagree on Lopetegui and 0'Neal but I'm a big fan of your videos and the Fancast in general - great work as always Gully thanks for sharing

Thanks Adrian, appreciate the support. More teams will drop points at Luton I'm confident of that, the fact that we're the first is problematic for fans, but they've only played 2 home games.

 

[Contrarian]

And in the grand scheme of things, that doesn't constitute a lot given away given we played for an hour with ten men. A shot from distance that hits the post is just something that can happen. Maybe my demeanour is more a counter to the sheer panic that has set in from what I've seen elsewhere, but I really don't think its useful to cry about the manager given the way the game went. Nobody seems to want to try and understand how football matches play out, context is everything. It's widely accepted playing one of the newly promoted teams early is the worst time to catch them and when you throw in how green Luton as a club, playing staff and fanbase are to this, it's obvious they are going to give us a tough period within a game. Like I said, if we finish that game with 11, we win and we almost did it with 10.

As long as it's balanced out by realising that the same thing can happen when we get a good result. We won a fair few points last season (and v Everton this season) while not being on top anywhere near as much as Luton were against us on Saturday.

Sometimes playing newly promoted teams early is the best time. eg Bournemouth early 9-0 defeat last season. Sheff U 8-0 defeat the other day. Chelsea have scored fewer than us - but beat Luton 3-0 the other week. For me, the one main word in context is: Luton.

One of the least resourced teams to enter this league in recent years. We've had several poor performances in this league - Huddersfield, for example. But they were in the second (or third?) season in this league. Similar to the hammerings by Burnley, or even the defeat to Bournemouth last season. We performed better in those games against stronger teams.

Given all that, while I understand the desire to extract some positives, I can't suspend disbelief enough to conclude anything other than the Luton match was our worst perfomance in the 5 years since promotion. I think Luton simply have a better manager than us, who prepared them better. Which begs the question - which team has a worse manager than us in this league?

 

[wolfslair]

And if he'd gone for the jugular and we'd lost the game he'd have been hung drawn and quartered anyway. The bloke can't win with the fanbase at the minute and it's distorting people's views of football. I get the lack of empathy around the club right now, but having adjusted the shape, we were in no danger of letting that game slip until the red card. I watch games back to ensure I'm confident in my assertions and second viewing nearly always adjusts my viewpoint. The live feelings are always heightened, but in reality Luton were a limited side playing on an atmosphere and favourable conditions and still mustered up not very much. It's also a group of players whose managers knows them inside out, versus a guy still figuring out what situations he can trust his players in. Hwang and Cunha proved they can't play in those scenarios IMO and that's a huge problem. Players not winning duels is a massive issue, loose passes, bad touches, all things a manager cannot impact from the sideline. Once the shape changed it was fine.

Having a striker isn’t going for the jugular, that is a grossly over simplistic view.

We needed a proper striker to offer an outlet/point up front. Someone who could actually have done the job he asked a physically out matched Neto who didn’t stand a chance and was gassed was asked to do.

In no danger? They had 20 chances, kilman cleared one and they had a close chance before we scored.

And actually a manger can impact missed passes and lose passes…… it is called tactical adjustments and telling them to either keep
It simple or give the passer or receiver instructions from the touchline about movement and playing the more simple balls to recycle possession. So GO very much can influence these things to say he can’t is disingenuous and frankly false as they are there to coach and manage the team from the sidelines.

 

[gullykular]

As long as it's balanced out by realising that the same thing can happen when we get a good result. We won a fair few points last season (and v Everton this season) while not being on top anywhere near as much as Luton were against us on Saturday.

Sometimes playing newly promoted teams early is the best time. eg Bournemouth early 9-0 defeat last season. Sheff U 8-0 defeat the other day. Chelsea have scored fewer than us - but beat Luton 3-0 the other week. For me, the one main word in context is: Luton.

One of the least resourced teams to enter this league in recent years. We've had several poor performances in this league - Huddersfield, for example. But they were in the second (or third?) season in this league. Similar to the hammerings by Burnley, or even the defeat to Bournemouth last season. We performed better in those games against stronger teams.

Given all that, while I understand the desire to extract some positives, I can't suspend disbelief enough to conclude anything other than the Luton match was our worst perfomance in the 5 years since promotion. I think Luton simply have a better manager than us, who prepared them better. Which begs the question - which team has a worse manager than us in this league?

I mean I've tried to explain why the game went the way it did in a 13 minute video, but if people don't want to believe what they don't want to believe then it's a pointless exercise having the debate. I don't think I'm actually trying to put a positive spin on it, just a realistic one. Because the doom-mongering is so far-fetched for me right now. Nobody can make claims as to the quality of our manager at this stage, good or bad. 7 games. It's no time at all.

 

[wolfslair]

I mean I've tried to explain why the game went the way it did in a 13 minute video, but if people don't want to believe what they don't want to believe then it's a pointless exercise having the debate. I don't think I'm actually trying to put a positive spin on it, just a realistic one. Because the doom-mongering is so far-fetched for me right now. Nobody can make claims as to the quality of our manager at this stage, good or bad. 7 games. It's no time at all.

It is elite sport gully, I have had colleagues sacked in my former lifer and seen academy coaches sacked in a month.

It is very clear at this level that he is out of his depth and making the same mistakes he made routinely at Bournemouth. Watch/listen to any Bournemouth fan, then re-watch our performances and you would then be very concerned

 

[gullykular]

Having a striker isn’t going for the jugular, that is a grossly over simplistic view.

We needed a proper striker to offer an outlet/point up front. Someone who could actually have done the job he asked a physically out matched Neto who didn’t stand a chance and was gassed was asked to do.

In no danger? They had 20 chances, kilman cleared one and they had a close chance before we scored.

And actually a manger can impact missed passes and lose passes…… it is called tactical adjustments and telling them to either keep
It simple or give the passer or receiver instructions from the touchline about movement and playing the more simple balls to recycle possession. So GO very much can influence these things to say he can’t is disingenuous and frankly false as they are there to coach and manage the team from the sidelines.

You're making like he just sent the players out to make their own way through the game. If he'd had a pre-season and we'd produced such a performance I'd be concerned but he's had no time at all with the group to put them into distinct patterns of play. Throw in the fact Kenilworth Rd is a visibly smaller pitch and the fact a load of our players just played badly, and you end up with the 20 minutes at the start of the game we saw. As for the subs, if you mean bringing on Kalajdzic to play with his back to goal, you're just asking Luton to step up on to us an extra 5 yards up the pitch and cause us more problems in trying to pose any threat. He's not a battering ram of a striker and neither is Fabio, which showed when he struggled against Liverpool.

 

[gullykular]

It is elite sport gully, I have had colleagues sacked in my former lifer and seen academy coaches sacked in a month.

It is very clear at this level that he is out of his depth and making the same mistakes he made routinely at Bournemouth. Watch/listen to any Bournemouth fan, then re-watch our performances and you would then be very concerned

As I've said many times, contextualising O'Neil's performance so far at Wolves with what happened at Bournemouth is a pointless exercise, it's not the same situation. The fact is nobody has a true read on his capabilities as a manager

 

[wolfslair]

As I've said many times, contextualising O'Neil's performance so far at Wolves with what happened at Bournemouth is a pointless exercise, it's not the same situation. The fact is nobody has a true read on his capabilities as a manager

It isn’t a pointless exercise though….. it is how you look at his learned behaviours and what he will do historically in situations.

You do videos on analysis, but have just shown you don’t look at historical evidence of performance or behaviours. Bit odd that mate, when that is a key part when doing scouting and player reports ahead of playing them.

It is very relevant to look at his time at Bournemouth, as the circumstances he is in regards to us and them being in relegation battles are almost twinned…….

Well the Bournemouth fans and chairman did see him and know him and his abilities and neither were sad to see him go or even sack him.

The chairman said he nearly sacked him in the feb due to the performances not just results and then the fans weren’t sad to see him go.

 

[gullykular]

It isn’t a pointless exercise though….. it is how you look at his learned behaviours and what he will do historically in situations.

You do videos on analysis, but have just shown you don’t look at historical evidence of performance or behaviours. Bit odd that mate, when that is a key part when doing scouting and player reports ahead of playing them.

It is very relevant to look at his time at Bournemouth, as the circumstances he is in regards to us and them being in relegation battles are almost twinned…….

Well the Bournemouth fans and chairman did see him and know him and his abilities and neither were sad to see him go or even sack him.

The chairman said he nearly sacked him in the feb due to the performances not just results and then the fans weren’t sad to see him go.

And the quality of our playing staff sits where on the spectrum? Because last I checked it's better than the group available to Bournemouth last season. I do analysis based on the information to hand. Try and make sense of Bournemouth last season and you have a typical relegation battler, with elements of fortune (as did Wolves), being on the right side of margins (as did Wolves) and some improbable results (as did Wolves). There isn't a distinct amount of logic to draw from it, especially considering he came in after the season had commenced as well.

 

[wolfslair]

And the quality of our playing staff sits where on the spectrum? Because last I checked it's better than the group available to Bournemouth last season. I do analysis based on the information to hand. Try and make sense of Bournemouth last season and you have a typical relegation battler, with elements of fortune (as did Wolves), being on the right side of margins (as did Wolves) and some improbable results (as did Wolves). There isn't a distinct amount of logic to draw from it, especially considering he came in after the season had commenced as well.

It sits higher, yet he has made the same striker replaced by a CDM on two occasions which was an almost weekly sub he made at Bournemouth already.

Look at his behaviours, the regression in the speed and numbers we attack in, plus the varying lines the players ran since the JL
Set up of the UTD game. Each week we are playing more rigid and less free like his Bournemouth team.

He is moving us into his comfort zone as a coach which is more rigid and structured very much in line with the coaching and courses being run by the FA right now up and down the country. He is a textbook modern day FA trained coach, very little intuition and actual flair for the game with a rigidity and almost fear of flair and outside the box play. It is what I saw as I was leaving and all I hear from friends and former colleagues when they see the new generation of coaches coming through.

It is actually the free thinkers and the more radical coaches who are struggling and finding it harder to get qualified.

GO and his approaches based on homework and research of his style to date and behaviours are perfect for an age grade coaching job and not premier league management

 

[Bostin]

The only thing that Wolves fans can judge GON on, is his time at Wolves.

It's been 7 games, which is no time at all.

It's obvious that many do not like the bloke because he's not Lopetegui or some other supposed 'elite level' manager.

 

[wolfslair]

The only thing that Wolves fans can judge GON on, is his time at Wolves.

It's been 7 games, which is no time at all.

It's obvious that many do not like the bloke because he's not Lopetegui or some other supposed 'elite level' manager.

Why doesn’t GO’s past matter?

When we appointed Lage his league win and attacking/goal scoring records were ripped to shreds and diminished by so many on here?

Why is he getting all the excuses and room that Lage never got?

Lage wasn’t backed by many on here and the stands from the start, and people were slagging him off very very early into his reign.

Xenophobia is real on the mix…… as the room and excuses for GO compared to Lage who actually had won things is bad

 

[Bostin]

Why doesn’t GO’s past matter?

When we appointed Lage his league win and attacking/goal scoring records were ripped to shreds and diminished by so many on here?

Why is he getting all the excuses and room that Lage never got?

Lage wasn’t backed by many on here and the stands from the start, and people were slagging him off very very early into his reign.

Xenophobia is real on the mix…… as the room and excuses for GO compared to Lage who actually had won things is bad

Be careful what you're accusing people of.

It makes no odds to me. I'll give any manager, regardless of race, nationality or managerial background a decent amount of time before I start making judgments about whether he's good enough for the job.

 

[gullykular]

It sits higher, yet he has made the same striker replaced by a CDM on two occasions which was an almost weekly sub he made at Bournemouth already.

Look at his behaviours, the regression in the speed and numbers we attack in, plus the varying lines the players ran since the JL
Set up of the UTD game. Each week we are playing more rigid and less free like his Bournemouth team.

He is moving us into his comfort zone as a coach which is more rigid and structured very much in line with the coaching and courses being run by the FA right now up and down the country. He is a textbook modern day FA trained coach, very little intuition and actual flair for the game with a rigidity and almost fear of flair and outside the box play. It is what I saw as I was leaving and all I hear from friends and former colleagues when they see the new generation of coaches coming through.

It is actually the free thinkers and the more radical coaches who are struggling and finding it harder to get qualified.

GO and his approaches based on homework and research of his style to date and behaviours are perfect for an age grade coaching job and not premier league management

You clearly have a load of preconceived views on coaching which are impacting the way you view GON, which I think is unfair. It's 7 games of football. If you had 7 weeks to achieve the kind of results GON's trying to achieve you'd suggest you wouldn't be able to hit your target I'm sure. Take a step back, consider how many points you'd have expected us to have, the % of time we've spent playing well vs spent playing badly so far this season and some of the context around the start of the season and you'll realise you're being unfair.

 

[wolfslair]

Be careful what you're accusing people of.

It makes no odds to me. I'll give any manager, regardless of race, nationality or managerial background a decent amount of time before I start making judgments about whether he's good enough for the job.

Sorry not aimed at you as a person….. badly worded mate…..

 

[wolfslair]

You clearly have a load of preconceived views on coaching which are impacting the way you view GON, which I think is unfair. It's 7 games of football. If you had 7 weeks to achieve the kind of results GON's trying to achieve you'd suggest you wouldn't be able to hit your target I'm sure. Take a step back, consider how many points you'd have expected us to have, the % of time we've spent playing well vs spent playing badly so far this season and some of the context around the start of the season and you'll realise you're being unfair.

Sorry, but from how we are playing, the second half capitulations with coaches making minimal and base tweaks to which he has no answers and only one successful sub in his games. Show he isn’t at the level.

This is elite sport mate, the premier league. He isn’t up to the level and it is abundantly clear he isn’t at the level. The ease he got found out for so long by rob edwards who many on here have mocked or said isn’t good enough is startling.

He was given an excellent hand over in the set up, formations and structures for the Utd and Rennes games

He has moved away from that to his peril…..

He couldn’t have influenced the United game, he want there long enough to do anything other than say hi and it is well reported the press and how it worked was from JL and his coaches.

So he has actually taken a Good hand over and dumbed it down. As he hasn’t got the flair, intuition or football IQ to operate a team set up like in those games.

He might be an excellent academy coach, but sorry he isn’t and will not ever be a good premier league manager.

In my professional career since leaving football, you are judged by week 2 on your ability to identify and recruit talent….. so by week 7 it is abundantly clear if you can do the job or not…… I have turned three failing recruitment functions spending over £1m, 2.3m and 973k into almost lowest 40% cost saving on the same time the year beofe
To a high of 60% cost savings in the previous measurable to it quarter, using exactly the same team I took over……

Many sales managers and people at top
Business are judged in a month!!! So 7 weeks is a luxury to many!

GO is not good enough, sure he is a nice bloke, but sorry he isn’t a premier league manager

 

[gullykular]

Sorry, but from how we are playing, the second half capitulations with coaches making minimal and base tweaks to which he has no answers and only one successful sub in his games. Show he isn’t at the level.

This is elite sport mate, the premier league. He isn’t up to the level and it is abundantly clear he isn’t at the level. The ease he got found out for so long by rob edwards who many on here have mocked or said isn’t good enough is startling.

He was given an excellent hand over in the set up, formations and structures for the Utd and Rennes games

He has moved away from that to his peril…..

He couldn’t have influenced the United game, he want there long enough to do anything other than say hi and it is well reported the press and how it worked was from JL and his coaches.

So he has actually taken a Good hand over and dumbed it down. As he hasn’t got the flair, intuition or football IQ to operate a team set up like in those games.

He might be an excellent academy coach, but sorry he isn’t and will not ever be a good premier league manager.

In my professional career since leaving football, you are judged by week 2 on your ability to identify and recruit talent….. so by week 7 it is abundantly clear if you can do the job or not…… I have turned three failing recruitment functions spending over £1m, 2.3m and 973k into almost lowest 40% cost saving on the same time the year beofe
To a high of 60% cost savings in the previous measurable to it quarter, using exactly the same team I took over……

Many sales managers and people at top
Business are judged in a month!!! So 7 weeks is a luxury to many!

GO is not good enough, sure he is a nice bloke, but sorry he isn’t a premier league manager

You can't make that point about Luton game without factoring in the fact A) he did change B) we did get better and C) that was all derailed by a red card and we STILL took the lead in the game. You're placing way too much emphasis on the impact a manager can have, which is what has been done since time immemorial.

Also, based on what was said, the choice was Lampard, Dean Smith or O'Neil - where do you go with that and what on earth are you proposing we do now?

 

[Contrarian]

I mean I've tried to explain why the game went the way it did in a 13 minute video, but if people don't want to believe what they don't want to believe then it's a pointless exercise having the debate. I don't think I'm actually trying to put a positive spin on it, just a realistic one. Because the doom-mongering is so far-fetched for me right now. Nobody can make claims as to the quality of our manager at this stage, good or bad. 7 games. It's no time at all.

Realistically, we must be hoping to scrap a few points off those around us. It's a fine line, especially when we are so often the wrong side of our own player petulance and dodgy decisions.

 

[wolfslair]

You can't make that point about Luton game without factoring in the fact A) he did change B) we did get better and C) that was all derailed by a red card and we STILL took the lead in the game. You're placing way too much emphasis on the impact a manager can have, which is what has been done since time immemorial.

Also, based on what was said, the choice was Lampard, Dean Smith or O'Neil - where do you go with that and what on earth are you proposing we do now?

Dean smith was the better option no matter how badly it was going to be received.

He had to change because he got the set up completely wrong!! They only have one set up and attack style, I keep saying this and you keep ignoring it!!! He planned woefully!!! They don’t have different formations or patterns, they have one! And he couldn’t even plan for that against the weakest team in the league. That is inept and shows how low his level is that a one plan team caused him so many issues……

So id red cards are such a death sentance gully, how did we Southampton last season scoring twice with ten men????? Or why do teams down to 10 men often score equalising goals?? He sacrificed the game to protect a draw, fair play, but he hung Neto out to dry against massive cb’s that he had no chance with physically when he had better option in Sasa on the bench. You haven’t debated he made a bad call there because you can’t….. he sacrificed the final third outlet and pressure reliever because he has zero ambition or tactical understanding of the importance of an out ball……

I am not placing too much importance gully, seen it first hand playing elite sport and also when I worked with professional footballers……

managers have a massive role to play and can influence lots from the touch lines.

 

[Norwegian Wolf]

In defence of Gary O'Neil as we take a point from Kenilworth Road

I always look for your analysis Gully as it's very insightful, but I think the point missing here is that although O'Neill eventually made some changes to sort out the defence, nothing was done to sort out the bigger problem that he created with the set up going forward.

Playing Cunha as a lone striker is a waste of time. He doesn't hold the ball up and he needs players around him to play off (so play him as a 10 from deep or in 2 man strike force). Instead he was stuck up front on his own with Hwang isolated on one touchline and Neto hugging the other touchline (the wrong one, of course). The team chat you mentioned when Sa went down after 30 minutes was the first time than any Wolves player got within 30 yards of Cunha.

The main reason the ball kept going behind Semedo was because we couldn't get the ball out of our half. When Gomes and Lemina went forward there was no one in space to pass to unless Neto got first run on his marker. Other than that, no movement, nothing, so the ball went sideways, backwards and ended up being played long to no one. Being unable to hold possession in the other team's half meant the ball was constantly coming back into our half and inviting more unnecessary pressure. That was what needed to be fixed.

The change we needed from early on was therefore how to get the ball to stick in Luton's half. There were plenty of options to consider - maybe 2 central strikers? bringing Hwang/Neto inside to allow space for Semedo/RAN outside them? playing a number 10 to carry it forward? using Sasa to hold the ball up? even getting Fabio to run around a bit? Nope, none of those. Instead, we dropped back deeper and deeper and even when we lost a man in central midfield, we brought on a bloke without a left foot or any pace to play left wing back. What must Ait Nouri and Bueno have thought when Doc came on? Or Sasa or Fabio as they were continually ignored?

In blunt terms, that was no tactical masterclass, but just a reflection that you can get something when Neto comes up with a moment of magic and when you happen to be playing the worst team to ever set foot in the Premier League.

 

[Norwegian Wolf]

The only thing that Wolves fans can judge GON on, is his time at Wolves.

It's been 7 games, which is no time at all.

It's obvious that many do not like the bloke because he's not Lopetegui or some other supposed 'elite level' manager.

I don't care that he's not Lopetegui or an elite manager. I can just spot a chancer when I see one.