Sheffield Utd verdict

[Ned]

It reminded me of the away game, thinking about it, where we were dominating and then second half had no answer to a more aggressive approach.

 

[Big Saft Kid]

What was the attendance today btw, sounded like at least 100?

30, 768, I think

 

[Adrian_Monk]

I agree re-Dawson. I thought he was excellent, especially second half when he repelled everything. The commentary team also mentioned his display. Others on here have criticised him, so I thought I'd seen something that wasn't there, so nice to be vindicated by another fan.

He defended magnificently. To blame him for the second half would be harsh our entire backline became unable to string two passes together under the pressure of the Sheffield United press. In fact, our entire team lost their heads and made the wrong decision or execution repeatedly.

 

[Frank Lincoln]

Wolves struggled at home against the two worst teams in the league, yet still won both games. Not pretty in either game, but ones we could easily have lost.

 

[Contrarian]

Passing it around at the back was horrendous today. Like snails.

Reminded me of how we played against Albion the other week. Only today, with a defender who could match Neto's pace, and Cunha missing, we had minimal cutting edge. And even though bottom of the league, Sheff U are a lot better than that lot, of course.

I'm fairly sure it's because of how we play, as a team that relies on counter attacking at pace. When there's nothing to counter, we invariably struggle. All that snail passing is trying to get the opponent to commit forward, because we are not very good at turning dominant possession into goals, haven't got that type of player.

 

[WickedWolfie]

It was an on the beach display sorry if you mistook that

We did enough to win without breaking sweat same Burnley at home

We were playing against a Chump quality team, never really got out of second gear, but did enough with the only moment of real quality in the game. It reminded me somewhat of playing the **** in the Cup, the difference being no Cunha.

 

[Willywolf]

Ugly win, but a win is a win. Semedo and RAN pretty good, the rest uncharacteristically careless in possession at times. No matter; 3 points, 8th place, next!

 

[Bostin]

Intrigued by GON’s tactics in the first half.

RAN played in central midfield and Neto almost LWB.

 

[WickedWolfie]

Reminded me of how we played against Albion the other week. Only today, with a defender who could match Neto's pace, and Cunha missing, we had minimal cutting edge. And even though bottom of the league, Sheff U are a lot better than that lot, of course.

I'm fairly sure it's because of how we play, as a team that relies on counter attacking at pace. When there's nothing to counter, we invariably struggle. All that snail passing is trying to get the opponent to commit forward, because we are not very good at turning dominant possession into goals, haven't got that type of player.

Interesting that we made very similar comments at exactly the same time....

 

[Bryce]

Why did we kick the ball out for them when we had an open goal?

Because we aren’t ****s

 

[Miniwolf]

Our performance always looks better against a side when we have to run and fight for everything. Battling for each other. Today we were supposed to be the team in posession and in control. Thought we played it well first half but it fell apart in the second. Still, I've seen plenty of times where the big 6 have struggled in these types of games too and have won it with a scrappy 1-0. We won the game so job done and GON may have learned a thing or two from that game as he acknowledged it was poor second half.

 

[Bryce]

Wolves struggled at home against the two worst teams in the league, yet still won both games. Not pretty in either game, but ones we could easily have lost.

Which we have frequently done in the past. Play crap and win 1 0 I am fine with

 

[The Wolf In The North]

Because we aren’t ****s

Ha. I had this written out word for word (even the asterisked one), ready to hit send...

 

[RosehillWolf]

I haven’t gone through the whole thread ….. but …. We are thrown when we attack the SB in the first half

 

[bod101]

I thought we were well in control 1st half and although not overly threatening good for our lead and expected us to be comfortable 2nd half. God knows what was said at half time to produce the utter garbage in the 2nd it was horrendous. Very lucky to have come away with any points let alone 3.

 

[rincewind]

I thought we were well in control 1st half and although not overly threatening good for our lead and expected us to be comfortable 2nd half. God knows what was said at half time to produce the utter garbage in the 2nd it was horrendous. Very lucky to have come away with any points let alone 3.

I'd agree to an extent but there seemed little movement in the 2nd half, putting pressure on the defenders.
Don't recall Sa making many saves in the 2nd half, hence my summary that we seemed determined to give them an opportunity to equalise and they seemed equally determined not to accept the opportunities.

 

[fleck1]

Some weeks you'll play out of your skin, create chance after chance and come away with nothing. It was scruffy and miles off it today, but 3 points and a clean sheet, up to 8th take it and move on. If it was City or Liverpool the media would be praising them and telling us it was the sign of winners getting over the line when they weren't at the races. On to Wednesday

 

[wolfslair]

Because we aren’t ****s

I bet they wouldn’t have stopped for us…..

Sorry but we should have played on and scored.

It wasn’t a head injury, so for me, I hope the lads who stopped playing got a bolocking!!

They didn’t refuse their non penalty earlier in the season!!!!!! So sorry, their keeper stopped playing for no reason and we should have punished them! If you watch, their defenders **** themselves and ran back to the line.

So **** them!!! Make them pay!!!

What we did was so stupid! I doubt very few teams would have done it!

Also if we had drawn, I bet you wouldn’t be happy we passed up on an almost free pass for a goal.

 

[SuperGran]

We were playing against a Chump quality team, never really got out of second gear, but did enough with the only moment of real quality in the game. It reminded me somewhat of playing the **** in the Cup, the difference being no Cunha.

Played the two champ teams at home won both 1-0 might have been ugly but we all remember Huddersfield and how easily we found ways to lose to the worst teams in the league

 

[Big Saft Kid]

It's already all been said. GON knew we were dog **** in the second half and admitted that honestly in his interview on the radio which I heard driving back. He will sort it I am sure. Most worrying thing for me was Kilman. Terrible, cowardly performance, didn't want the ball or seemingly the responsibility. And Hwang looks to have reverted to being useless. Still it's 3 points. That's the only positive. But it's a big one.

 

[WeAreTheWolvesII]

Very poor performance and on the balance of chances we deserved a draw at best, realistically we should've lost.

Not into criticising Sheffield United. They weren't especially bad in terms of timewasting or anything, and they were simply the better side.

We all kind of new this would happen, but still frustrating to see us play so bad.

However, we won, and ultimately that's all that matters. Can forgive O'Neil and the team such a bad day. Roll on Brighton.

In terms of the individual displays, Neto was alarmingly bad. Was he injured? Hwang was poor. In fact, the front three felt really lazy and weren't where the team needed them.

Craig Dawson a monster on the set-pieces, absolutely fantastic.

Not much else positive to say. Hopefully we improve big time against Brighton in a game that should suit us more.

 

[Surrey Wolf]

Ugly, scrappy, frustrating... but a win

 

[wwbug]

A team that have only beaten two others clubs this season . Conceding 65 goals before today . One of the weakest teams to play in this league.
We just dont seem to have it in us to attack these teams and make the difference show. When we can put teams like Huddersfield, Burnley , Norwich and Sheffield to the sword we will know we are more than a very good counter attacking team.

 

[crocos]

Very glad I was watching that on TV at home with our boy and not at Molineux with all the faff [for us] of getting there & back; utterly tedious to watch but something strangely & perversely satisfying about playing so badly but winning despite. I mean we were awful, but hey - 3 points is 3 points. Nice to be on the right side of this kind of thing for once :~}

 

[VancouverWolf]

I thought we were well in control 1st half and although not overly threatening good for our lead and expected us to be comfortable 2nd half. God knows what was said at half time to produce the utter garbage in the 2nd it was horrendous. Very lucky to have come away with any points let alone 3.

This.
But what I’m trying to get my head around, (and not for the first time), is why we don’t ‘snap’ out of it?

Ok, any team can have a bad spell in any game but surely our lads can smarten up and play like they were before the half.

 

[Lawndog]

Thank Christ that's over and done with. I may be mis-remembering but the last convincing performance I can recall against a doomed side, was the 4-0 against Watford years ago?

Er.......how about Everton last December?

 

[Corporate Wolf]

It's already all been said. GON knew we were dog **** in the second half and admitted that honestly in his interview on the radio which I heard driving back. He will sort it I am sure. Most worrying thing for me was Kilman. Terrible, cowardly performance, didn't want the ball or seemingly the responsibility. And Hwang looks to have reverted to being useless. Still it's 3 points. That's the only positive. But it's a big one.

Thought the same myself. Came out in the 2nd half and played like he didn’t want to be on the pitch.
Bloke next to me suggested Hwang picked up an injury in the warm up - anyone else see that ?

 

[UEAwolf]

I thought we were well in control 1st half and although not overly threatening good for our lead and expected us to be comfortable 2nd half. God knows what was said at half time to produce the utter garbage in the 2nd it was horrendous. Very lucky to have come away with any points let alone 3.

Agreed.

In terms of players, I thought Sarabia was good - as was Gomes. Poor games from Lemina and Neto. Hwang also anonymous although maybe that knock before the game affected him.

 

[lets all have a disco]

Thought the same myself. Came out in the 2nd half and played like he didn’t want to be on the pitch.
Bloke next to me suggested Hwang picked up an injury in the warm up - anyone else see that ?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1761744973525815436

 

[FJRWolf]

I thought we played ok first half, controlled it fine, scored quite good goal. They had a couple of good breaks but their quality is so poor they didn't really look like scoring.
I've no idea what happened during half time, second half we were really poor, to me it seemed like a mindset problem, very negative, lots of passing backwards and sideways which is unusual for most of this season. Got away with it and were up to 8th...hurrah.
Also we've got our alternate poor performance out the way so we can turn up at Newcastle and stuff them.

 

[hollo]

It’s not giving stick it’s just an observation. 2 or 3 times I can remember off the top of my head fans rushed our players into giving the ball away. Maybe they were told to slow down and invite pressure, maybe we were just crap. Obviously I get the frustration but we were winning, so what if we keep the ball a bit

Kilman was rattled by the fans when trying to find semedo.

 

[wolf of sedgley]

Really suffered from lack of forward player options today. Nothing stuck up front.

 

[JOSWolf]

Thinking more about it we did seem to be rattled by Sheffield United's more aggressive on the front foot approach second half. Something we will have to learn to deal with far better in upcoming games

 

[waltononthehillwolf]

8th place - ****ing lovely

 

[Krispy Kreme]

What we would give for the same result in the away fixture.

Performance is less important.

 

[Contrarian]

Thank Christ that's over and done with. I may be mis-remembering but the last convincing performance I can recall against a doomed side, was the 4-0 against Watford years ago?

The Everton 3-0 this seaso? However, those types of matches where we dominate the play and turn it into goals are the exception. Perhaps we need to remember that the gap between 8th and 18th is hardly anything in this league...and 19th and 20th not much more.

There was that Ronaldo quote where he said the difference between the Premier League and all the other top leagues, is that in the other leagues, when you are top and are off your best when playing the bottom club, you don't win by as many. But in the Premier League, if you are below par, that bottom club will beat you. (and George Elokobi would confirm that!)

In our case, we made the jump to this league primary be being a super high quality counter attacking team. Tried to move away from that and struggled. And now we're back to top form - but it's back to the countering tactic again. We are more flexible and not so predictable as under Nuno, though. Get forward more, but tend to get caught out by opponents counters much more.

Today was strange in that both Lemina and Gomes appeared to have decent games as individuals , but our midfield was often non existant. The number of times Sheff U had a player unmarked right in the centre, or a two against one, had me thinking something was wrong with Leminas and Gomes positioning.

 

[Bryce]

I love it. Play the game the right way or don’t play at all. I can’t sit here and whinge at moany diving cheating *******s then condone it if we had played on and scored. Fair play Sarabia. Chapeau old son.Best thing about todays win . Now for Brighton

 

[SuperGran]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1761845449827156466

 

[Fenrir_]

Echo others really. First half we were ok, a couple of defensive lapses almost let them in but you could see we had the extra quality and probably just deserved to be ahead at the break. Second half was absolutely turgid stuff, O'Neil has taken some blame but I'd love to know what he said for Dawson and Kilman to start pondering on the ball and always turning towards our own goal as they dictated our whole intent. We still showed moments of quality but we went down to their level and ultimately were lucky to come out with the three points. The only thing we did well in the second half was see out injury time without much fuss

MOTM Sarabia, honourable mentions to Toti, Lemina and Semedo

 

[SuperGran]

I love it. Play the game the right way or don’t play at all. I can’t sit here and whinge at moany diving cheating *******s then condone it if we had played on and scored. Fair play Sarabia. Chapeau old son.Best thing about todays win . Now for Brighton

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