Spurs (H) Verdict

[Jack Russell]

Selling Jota has had a huge impact on our ability to score goals.

Sure he had gone ‘off the boil’ somewhat, however, firstly on their day his partnership with Raul was superb and tore teams apart. But most significantly was the speed at which Jota got us up field hasn’t been replaced. Sure, Traore is quick, but his choice more often than not is to stand his man up then beat him, all well and good but allows teams to reset whilst this happens. Whereas Jota used to just run at his man and harass his way through, this left teams exposed and lead to far more chances.

Plus he’s a goalscorer too. Neto is a great player but is only going to return you around 5 goals per season.

We all know that Jota was excellent 'on his day', but we weren't getting many of those days towards the end of his time with us. I was amazed at the amount Liverpool were prepared to pay for him at the time.

Neto is a different style of player who is very young and it is much too early to come out with a 'set in concrete' opinion about what he may or may not develop into.

Traore is moving in the right direction and, if Bruno can work on him and improve his scoring ability, we could well have something far better than Jota on our hands.

 

[Streathamwolf]

LWB is a bit of a dilemma for me. Thought Marcal was superb defensively, but pretty awful offensively. In this system the wing backs are very important and we need attacking contributions from them, I’m not sure Marcal will give us that. On the flip side, I’m not sure Ait-Nouri will give us the defensive solidity that Marcal does. Tricky one.

The answer, of course, is Johnny.


Eventually

 

[Alex Rae The Substitute]

We all know that Jota was excellent 'on his day', but we weren't getting many of those days towards the end of his time with us. I was amazed at the amount Liverpool were prepared to pay for him at the time.

Neto is a different style of player who is very young and it is much too early to come out with a 'set in concrete' opinion about what he may or may not develop into.

Traore is moving in the right direction and, if Bruno can work on him and improve his scoring ability, we could well have something far better than Jota on our hands.

I was at the time of the opinion that Jota’s fee was just about fair. But on the low side. I’m now of the opinion it was stupidly low when you look at the impact it’s had on the team (in tandem with numerous other things) and the money spent to replace him and the lack of success that has come from that.

 

[Jack Russell]

I was at the time of the opinion that Jota’s fee was just about fair. But on the low side. I’m now of the opinion it was stupidly low when you look at the impact it’s had on the team (in tandem with numerous other things) and the money spent to replace him and the lack of success that has come from that.

I seriously believe that the decision to sell Jota was based on the expectations relating to Neto. Neto's injury has been a real problem and the apparent lack of activity in the transfer market is a big worry. We are led to believe that more signings will come, I don't think they will, but will be pleased to be proved wrong.

 

[Alex Rae The Substitute]

I seriously believe that the decision to sell Jota was based on the expectations relating to Neto. Neto's injury has been a real problem and the apparent lack of activity in the transfer market is a big worry. We are led to believe that more signings will come, I don't think they will, but will be pleased to be proved wrong.

I think Trincao’s loan is cover for Neto, personally. Very different players, but I can’t see the club dropping the circa £20m minimum to bring in the suitable cover on a permanent deal.

Interestingly I think the Neto injury ballses up the Traore situation too, I reckon the club would be tempted to cash in on Traore at £40m if Neto was fit, but as it is with our current squad we just cannot do this.

 

[JohnB]

The answer, of course, is Johnny.


Eventually

Or injuries to Marcel.

For me horses for courses, lesser teams we can attack more - but also depends if Adama is in front of Marcel (if Adama then I prefer Marcel, if MGW or Podence I prefer RAN offensively). So I expect squad rotation with both playing a big part this season.

 

[Ironfistedmonk]

I enjoyed our performance if not the result, love the pressing and the work ethic but we are still missing that something up top when it comes to unlocking defences, whereas a simple ball over the top from Spurs would undo us. Incredibly frustrated and dismayed that their penalty was allowed to stand, one look at the replay from behind the goal showed that Alli jumped in to Sa to win it, it was never a penalty and I guess we are in for even more atrocious refereeing this season.

Please Fosun back Lage with some reinforcements cos we could be on to something special with a couple of quality additions

 

[Streathamwolf]

Look, we ain't gonna finish 7th this season. I'd say, given the immense changes in how we are going to be playing, that finishing 13th as we did last season will OK if we have evolved in the way that I think we will by the end of the season. Next season will then be the season when we really kick on. This season 13th and a thrilling Cup-run would be fine.

I agree to an extent but my feeling is 9th to 12th. A cup run would be brilliant.

 

[Fifty Niner]

Being 'saved' to be a key player against Forest tomorrow?

Hopefully.

 

[SA Wolf]

From the BBC, that bastion of reliability and accuracy;

Jiminez back at Molineux​

With all of the excitement and 'what's happening with Harry Kane?' talk of yesterday, the return of Wolves' Raul Jiminez to Molineux managed to fly under the radar.
The Mexican forward did start last weekend against Leicester too but it was his first home game since suffering a skull fracture in the game against Arsenal in November 2020.
Incredible considering he was told by doctors he was lucky to still be here.
He received a warm reception from the home fans yesterday.

It's JimEnez FFS!!!!

 

[I'm the Wanderer]

From the BBC, that bastion of reliability and accuracy;

Jiminez back at Molineux​

With all of the excitement and 'what's happening with Harry Kane?' talk of yesterday, the return of Wolves' Raul Jiminez to Molineux managed to fly under the radar.
The Mexican forward did start last weekend against Leicester too but it was his first home game since suffering a skull fracture in the game against Arsenal in November 2020.
Incredible considering he was told by doctors he was lucky to still be here.
He received a warm reception from the home fans yesterday.

It's JimEnez FFS!!!!

a WARM reception?

 

[JadeWolf]

The BBC aint into us anymore. They loved us first year back in the Premier League, then they moved onto Sheffield United, then last year it was Leeds, and this year it looks like Brentford.

 

[ToastedWanderer]

The BBC aint into us anymore. They loved us first year back in the Premier League, then they moved onto Sheffield United, then last year it was Leeds, and this year it looks like Brentford.

Quite agree, the BBC like a narrative, which they always get with the 'big' 6, but only have room for a couple of other stories throughout the season. Will take a few big performances from the Bruno pack to dent their radar atm..

 

[lostwolf]

I really enjoyed yesterday. J10 was in fine voice. I was firmly in the give Nuno another season camp but that performance (from both teams), and last week's has me wavering.

Stand outs were Kilman (our new first choice CB), Sa, Traore and Neves. Trincao looked weak and Coady a bit off the pace but they were good all round.

I'd like to see MGW for Trincao and RAN for Marcal next week.

The stick for Kane after all his ****housery against us was brilliant - classic Molineux, unforgiving daftness.

 

[Superted]

Ref Watch: Dermot Gallagher on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Jurgen Klopp complaints plus VAR

Jurgen Klopp and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer claimed Premier League rule changes aimed at letting game flow risked game turning into wrestling and rugby; former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher responds and runs the rule over VAR and penalty incidents

www.skysports.com

Cop out by Gallagher here I think. He doesn't actually state whether or not he thinks that Semedo's should have been a penalty or not.

He's banging on a about consistency but across all of the games. Surely consistency should at the very least be witnessed in the same match?

How can he sit there and say it's a penalty because Alli was 'clever'? Surely that's precisely why the rule changes around players initiating contact have been brought in? To stop players buying penalties through being clever (i.e. Cheating).

I'm still a little bit salty to be honest. Sa comes out, halts his momentum, Alli ensures there's contact and goes down, the penalty is given.

At the other end Skipp comes in, halts his momentum, Semedo takes the contact and goes down but this is (judging by the way Attwell was waving his arms about) emphatically not a penalty.

I fail to see how the two instances are sufficiently different for one to be given and not the other.

This is not a VAR issue, my issue is with Attwell's interpretation of the incidents.

 

[Contrarian]

Agree with most of the general opinion. Excellent performance, shame about the no goals. Carry on like that and we *should* be fine. I think our staff and players know enough about the game to be aware that two 0-1 defeats to probably top 6 sides is nothing to worry about. So long as the performance level is good - and it was. Better than "good", for most of yesterday.

Just to add - the expected avalanche of goals conceded by our slow defence being caught out just hasn't materialised. Other than a couple of breakways that happen in any match, both Spurs and Leicester were contained and limited. Simply by keeping the ball up their end! It works!

The team look like they are enjoying their football , which they haven't really for a long time. I'm surprised how those same players have shown they can play on the front foot - and yesterday kept at it for 90 minutes. The best full 90 minute EPL performance since...I can't remember - Burnley in that first season, maybe? Even in our rare 2-0 or even rarer 3-0 wins, the win would be based around a bright spell of 20 or 30 minutes in the 90, padded out with an hour of sitting back, looking like we want to end the match and go home.

Improvement. It's been noticable in every match since the friendlies. Off the ball movement, the energy levels and intensity, getting better every match. Just hoping it continues into the next match.

 

[Vtrpres]

I could only watch the TV run last night and the commitment pace more solidness in defence were superb.
BUT! We still haven’t got anyone repeat anyone who can put the ball the right side of the posts.
I have said it before our forwards are half a second too slow in front of goal.
If Lage can do something about that we might have a chance. If not we’re are looking at a fight to stay out of trouble.
We still haven’t replaced Jota and Doherty with anyone who can score. Great to see Jiminez full game but he isnt anywhere near ready yet.

 

[lostwolf]

Ref Watch: Dermot Gallagher on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Jurgen Klopp complaints plus VAR

Jurgen Klopp and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer claimed Premier League rule changes aimed at letting game flow risked game turning into wrestling and rugby; former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher responds and runs the rule over VAR and penalty incidents

www.skysports.com

Cop out by Gallagher here I think. He doesn't actually state whether or not he thinks that Semedo's should have been a penalty or not.

He's banging on a about consistency but across all of the games. Surely consistency should at the very least be witnessed in the same match?

How can he sit there and say it's a penalty because Alli was 'clever'? Surely that's precisely why the rule changes around players initiating contact have been brought in? To stop players buying penalties through being clever (i.e. Cheating).

I'm still a little bit salty to be honest. Sa comes out, halts his momentum, Alli ensures there's contact and goes down, the penalty is given.

At the other end Skipp comes in, halts his momentum, Semedo takes the contact and goes down but this is (judging by the way Attwell was waving his arms about) emphatically not a penalty.

I fail to see how the two instances are sufficiently different for one to be given and not the other.

This is not a VAR issue, my issue is with Attwell's interpretation of the incidents.

At the time, I had no doubt it was a pen. I actually thought the folks around me getting irate were being daft.

Having seen it again, it's exactly the sort of gamesmanship (cheating) you describe. If Deli isn't looking for the contact what the **** is he doing with his body after he pushes it round Sa; he deliberately allows his momentum to take him into the keeper. His feet are both off the ground before he's hit too - why.

It's daft by Sa, and has to go down as a mistake, but it shouldn't be a foul if they're serious about getting rid of all the ****housery.

The Semedo one isn't a pen though imo.

 

[Superted]

At the time, I had no doubt it was a pen. I actually thought the folks around me getting irate were being daft.

Having seen it again, it's exactly the sort of gamesmanship (cheating) you describe. If Deli isn't looking for the contact what the **** is he doing with his body after he pushes it round Sa; he deliberately allows his momentum to take him into the keeper. His feet are both off the ground before he's hit too - why.

It's daft by Sa, and has to go down as a mistake, but it shouldn't be a foul if they're serious about getting rid of all the ****housery.

The Semedo one isn't a pen though imo.

I don't think either should have been a pen in all honesty, especially with the supposed new interpretation of the rules that Riley was on about.

But if you give Alli one, I don't see how you can't give the Semedo one.

 

[lostwolf]

I don't think either should have been a pen in all honesty, especially with the supposed new interpretation of the rules that Riley was on about.

But if you give Alli one, I don't see how you can't give the Semedo one.

Sounds like we agree. Call me Spotty.

 

[Vtrpres]

Yeah did my head in how Alli diverted his run to make sure he collided with Sa and 'won' the penalty, and then later on Semedo got a touch on the ball, defender contacted him and he went down, and no penalty. Fine margins between the 2 scenarios in my view.

The good thing is, we have a lot more of the ball in the box under Lage, so the chances of winning penalties is greatly increased.
You can imagine Traore, Podence, Ait Nouri & Neto have the fleeting footwork to seduce the odd dangled leg from the opposition.

Didnt anyone notice Spurs deliberate back pass to Loris that he caught second half? Where was the ref then.
Best view was a couple of camera pans to Levy and his clone sat next to him. From the look on his face Nuno will need a bit more than luck to see the end of 2021 at Spurs.

 

[Henry Palfrey]

"The difference between the two sides was simple. Alli can finish and Adama Traore can't".

That's interesting justification for a place in his Team of the Week, considering it was scored from a penalty, but it's classic Crooks.

Essentially Adama should have deliberately run into Lorise and taken a tumble

 

[Henry Palfrey]

Didnt anyone notice Spurs deliberate back pass to Loris that he caught second half? Where was the ref then.
Best view was a couple of camera pans to Levy and his clone sat next to him. From the look on his face Nuno will need a bit more than luck to see the end of 2021 at Spurs.

It squirted off Raul I think

 

[LythamWolf]

It squirted off Raul I think

Ah, I didn’t see that, seemed to go straight to the keeper but I was in the NB.

 

[Ernie the Wolf]

The most fun I have had watching us lose in a long time. The penalty was your classic football lack of concentration that they would try over and over but we were really positive out of that. Bruno in 4 weeks has turned subbeto football into freeflowing attacking and I am all for it. He needs support, you can't bring in a young forward thinking coach and not support him so this is the week it needs to happen because I believe we could have drawn that game if the bodies were in

Individally I can't single out anyone. Wait, yes I can. Ruben Neves. Why oh why anyone would think of selling that long haired beauty of a man I do not know. Was so good on the ball and is a different player now he isnt sat in our penalty spot. Loved his performance same for Marcal who is an underrated gem, Kilman though he loses marks for not slapping Son for his petulance when he made that block and Semedo who I will never hear a bad word said

Adama gave them problems from minute one, Trincao is season one Neto at the moment and Raul needs time.

I feel a lot more confident than I did two weeks ago that the goals and results will come. Also glad we don't have to see that bald fraud again at the molineux getting his round of applause. Bruno is my hero

Great post, totally with you. The goals and results will come soon.

 

[Olivergoldblack]

Didnt anyone notice Spurs deliberate back pass to Loris that he caught second half? Where was the ref then.
Best view was a couple of camera pans to Levy and his clone sat next to him. From the look on his face Nuno will need a bit more than luck to see the end of 2021 at Spurs.

Yeah did notice that, he just straight up caught the pass back. Also we should have had a corner off a jiminez shot in the first half. Jiminez just laughed when it wasn't given. Gonna be a long season if this is what we're up against as usual.

 

[Wolf In Essex]

A little bit of praise.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1429705800059129857

 

[Mark Rankines Lovechild]

Surprised ho low some of Semedos scores were on here yesterday. I thought he pressed very well and the team press allowed him to play the attacking full back role where he looks much more comfortable. I thought Marcel was good too, just a shame he can’t cross a ball ver well.

 

[VictorPyrrhic]

New manager, new system/tactics, 2 games, o points, o goals, 2 conceded.

Two solid displays from a team in transition that deserved a greater points return against two teams destined for the top 6
OR
Two teams that are not yet in top 6 gear as they build up fitness that saw out the match with relative ease?

I think the best predictor is to look back over the past 10 or so premier league years and identify similar teams.
The main factors for me are:

New manager after a dominant [control and influence] and long serving manager [3 to 4 years plus]
A team that performed well for the majority of the past 3 years [covid fixtures should be omitted]
<3 new first team players integrated over the summer transfer window
An expectation to transition to a new style of play

I think we're quite similar to Everton 2013/14 when Martinez took over from a Moyes reign of 11 years.
In the previous 3 seasons they had finished 7,7,6 with 54,56 and 63 points respectively.
They didn't do too much business and bought in a young Lukaku on loan to help lead their line playing 4-2-3-1

GK Howard
Def Baines, Coleman, Distin, Jagielka, Stones, Oviedo
Mid Osman, Barry, Heitinga, McCarthy, Barkley
For Jelavic, Miralles, Naismith, Lukaku, McGeady, Deulofeu

Their first 5 matches of the new season were:

Draw 2-2 Norwich [A]
Draw 0-0 WBA [H]
Draw 0-0 Cardiff [A]
Win 1-0 Chelsea [H]
Win 2-3 West Ham [A]

They won 3, drew 1 and lost 1 of their next 5.

They went on to finish 5th on 72 points and then 11th on 47 points. They had a much more solid defence and more bite in midfield so i think we'll be closer to 47 points than 72 but i don't think we should be overly concerned with the threat of relegation.

A win and possibly a draw from the next 3 [man u, watford and brentford] then 2 or 3 wins from 5 [soton, newcastle, villa, leeds, everton] and i think we'll start to settle down in to mid table with little concern for relegation throughout the season.

On another day Traore scores v Leicester and we go on to pick up a point or 3, Mahrez scores his chance against Spurs last week when Man City were completely dominant for the first 20 minutes and Spurs lose by 2 or 3. A match fit Jimenez wouldn't look out of place in any of the top 4 sides and as frustrating as Traore can be, he'll create chances. I think we'll be fine.

Pick up a defender and a solid DM and we could be looking at closer to 60 points this year.

 

[Wolf316]

A little bit of praise.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1429705800059129857

Isn’t his son a Wolves fan?

 

[Wonder Boyo]

Isn’t his son a Wolves fan?

Yes, he definitely is.

 

[Pagey]

Didnt anyone notice Spurs deliberate back pass to Loris that he caught second half? Where was the ref then.
Best view was a couple of camera pans to Levy and his clone sat next to him. From the look on his face Nuno will need a bit more than luck to see the end of 2021 at Spurs.

Thought it ballooned up off Raul?

 

[wulfie88]

 

[gullykular]

A tactical look at the Spurs defeat. Need to work on our crossing/positions we are crossing from:

 

[Incognito]

Jota was and is a poor bit of business by us. Weakened us no end, despite how inconsistent he was. We miss him even more, under Bruno's regime of a higher press and being more attack minded. Jota would have been a perfect foil for Raul.