thommo1984
Just doesn't shut up
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2020
- Messages
- 3,074
- Reaction score
- 7,251
Wasn’t Bruno brought in because one of his ‘skills’ was bringing through young players?Agreed. Before today's brilliant cross for the equaliser, the lad had already shown the ability to deliver such crosses.
The fact that we are still in with a chance of Europe despite our star attacker (and main goalscorer) Raul being out of sorts for the whole season is really a testament to the job Bruno is doing.I'm not going to go over board but I'm sure I saw a little bit of the old Raul the last 30 mins. In and around the box, little passes and movement. He had people around him. Options .
It's obviously irrelevant given that we scored from this, but it's absolutely mind-blowing to me that from this position in the dying seconds of the match Donk decides to bring the ball down, turn around and play it back to Trincao and we end up crossing it from way out on the right-wing!
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Agreed. Very odd game. First half was fairly typical Wolves - mostly reducing the opposition to half chances without looking especially dangerous ourselves, save for a few counter attacks where we lost possession or spooned it, but we were in the game at least.Strange game. Rode our luck defensively first half but always looked a threat on the counter. Best that Neto has looked since returning.
Two shambolic bits of defending from Saiss and Coady gifted them a 2-0 lead and we looked rattled for 20 minutes. The substitutions of Trincao, who I still maintain will go on to be a really good player, and Chiquinho, who gave us that chaos factor that we’ve lacked since Adama left (with the added bonus of crossing ability) completely changed the game.
Beautiful strike from Trincao who has so much technical quality and a brilliant cross from Chiquinho for Coady to atone for his earlier error.
Really think we need to try a 4 against Norwich as a potential pre-cursor for next season and get an extra attacking player on the pitch.
Sa 7
Boly 6
Coady 6 (extra mark for the goal)
Saiss 4
Jonny 6
Neves 6
Dendoncker 6 (extra mark for the last 15 mins)
RAN 5
Raul 6
Neto 7
Hwang 6
Trincao 7
Chiquinho 7
The game probably showed where we need to strengthen next season (and to be fair, it’s the same areas as it has been for a while). A quick, aerially strong central defender so we can play a 4. An upgrade on Dendoncker and a long-term replacement for Moutinho.
Sa
Semedo, Kilman, Carmo, Jonny
Palhinha
Vitinha, Neves/Nunes
Guedes/Pedrinho, Raul, Neto
Sarkic, RAN, Coady, Mosquera, Moutinho/M Neto, Chiquinho, Trincao/Podence, MGW, Fabio
Well done today though boys. Performance was much improved bar that 20-minute spell of our own making.
Loved that my son enjoyed the first Wolves goals he has seen in 6 away games.
Immense!!
Today's fightback shows the team have got character, and will battle to the final whistle. I presume whatever the problem was with their character last week was discussed and put to bed during the past week in training.
The fact that we are still in with a chance of Europe despite our star attacker (and main goalscorer) Raul being out of sorts for the whole season is really a testament to the job Bruno is doing.
Next season if Raul can get back to what he was (even just 75%) our attack will be significantly improved and that is before you add a a fully fit and firing Neto into the mix.
He's fine thanks Steve. Happy after yesterday mate!Great to hear Nick.How is Elliot now mate.?
Quite right, mate, which is why many of us have been surprised that Chiquinho has had so little time in the first team, given the glimpses we've seen of his potential.Wasn’t Bruno brought in because one of his ‘skills’ was bringing through young players?
With Saiss as back up, he was a pretty effective “striker” earlier in the season!The way forward must be a front 2 of Coady and Boly.
Agree with you Mugwump. We can play like we did in the final 15 or so minutes when there is nothing to lose. However when it is 0-0 or 1-0, then we have to be more circumspect. There is a middle point, between the two extremes and that is what we need to find and execute more often.I think it was a very ordinary 75 mins and an outstanding 15 mins at the end. I doubt we could play a full 90 at that kind of intensity, but playing on the front foot was so much better to watch and it puts teams under pressure. We have to find a way to play like we did in the latter part of the game in a more controlled way because you won't be able to get away with playing gung ho football like that all the time.
Huge credit to the team for sticking at it and getting the point in the end. Chelsea just had no answers.
Scores on the doors..................
Jose Sa - 8 poor as usual on the penalty but otherwise excellent saves, kept us in the game
Jonny 7.5 - steady from Jonny who looks to be slotting back in nicely
Alt Nouri - 8 - steadily improving, his attacking play is delightful at times
Coady - 8 - strong performance from our Captain capped off with a fine headed equaliser
Saiss - 6 - a bit ropey and a silly penalty conceded, always gives 100%
Boly - 8.5 - superb performance yesterday, commanded everything and regularly brought the ball out nicely
Neves - 7 - steady without being spectacular, gradually getting fitness back. Wouldn't fault him for the 2nd Chelsea goal.
Moutinho - 7 - gave the ball away a few times but steady when required and ended strongly
Dendoncker - 6 - thought he was poor but then ended strongly, to his credit
Jimenez - 7.5 - I thought he looked far more hungry yesterday, ok things didn't quite fall for him but he was back to looking dangerous
Neto - 7.5 - another who looks to be getting back to his best, one lovely run and shot that fell to Donk. A good run out.
SUBS
Chiquinho - 8 - injected much-needed mobility into our team, and got 2 assists. Livewire on the wing.
Chan - 7 - worked hard and looked lively
Can't remember if we had any other subs.
Good day out, my first visit to Stanford Bridge since the old days and was quite impressed.
You missed Trincao!
RAN got MOTM from the live coverage commentators on TalkSPORT 2He missed the whole match judging by those scores..... Coady & RAN 8? Jonny 7.5 ? I thought they were 3 of our poorest.
It sounds like a daft answer but it’s “because we’re Wolves!”Having slept off the (small) wave of euphoria my main thoughts today are “why?” and “if only!” Why were we so utterly hopeless in the preceding supposedly more winnable games and if only we had shown some of yesterday’s spunk in those matches we would be right up there for European football. Wolves flatter to disappoint again.
Having slept off the (small) wave of euphoria my main thoughts today are “why?” and “if only!” Why were we so utterly hopeless in the preceding supposedly more winnable games and if only we had shown some of yesterday’s spunk in those matches we would be right up there for European football. Wolves flatter to disappoint again.
Loved that you said ‘nature of the victory’!Agreed. Very odd game. First half was fairly typical Wolves - mostly reducing the opposition to half chances without looking especially dangerous ourselves, save for a few counter attacks where we lost possession or spooned it, but we were in the game at least.
Second half we were mostly completely abject. It wasn't just the individual errors, which were symptoms rather than triggers, the whole team just failed to gel. Saïss was frequently left as the spare man, Coady lacked decisiveness, Dendoncker ran around pointing a la Doumbia (nowhere near the ball), Neves doesn't look fit, Jonny was truly terrible, giving the ball away in dangerous areas frequently, and Aît-Nouri looked completely devoid of confidence, spooning every crossfield ball. We looked an absolute shambles for most of the half, no two ways about it, and whilst we could have gone in level at half time (even with the slightly fortunate, although correct VAR decision) Chelsea thoroughly deserved their 2-0 lead and probably should have had two more through Werner, who gave Coady and Saïss the runaround.
Then from the 81st minute the subs changed the game. Moutinho, whose touch had been horrific up until then, began finding gold shirts, who began finding space. Chiquinho, playing on the right of a midfield three, and Trincao, playing further forward but drifting inside, changed the game with direct running and excellent close control.
The Trincao goal was his own making, but the equaliser was a team goal, and after so much of the game with our backs against the wall it was great to see the team show some character.
However, the nature of the victory will naturally paper over the cracks. We were crap for a lot of the game and in all honesty rode our luck, so I'm celebrating a point tonight but in the grand scheme of things it doesn't change much, and it's all about the next game.
Sa 8
Boly 6
Coady 6
Saiss 4
Jonny 5
Neves 5
Moutinho 5.5
Dendoncker 5
Ait-Nouri 5
Raul 5.5
Neto 6
Subs:
Trincao 8
Chiquinho 8
Hwang 5.5
He's fine thanks Steve. Happy after yesterday mate!
Good video of the equaliser here, yours truly in the cream coloured coat (fat ******* getting onto a seat on 33 seconds) -
Oh mate there's too many doing that these days, rather than singing and supporting.That's the way to do it Nick.What was the lads on the front row doing though.playing with their phones.
That's the way to do it Nick.What was the lads on the front row doing though.playing with their phones.
More interested in there phone than in the game, might as well stay home and let someone else have the ticket..
It sounds like a daft answer but it’s “because we’re Wolves!”
It’s what we do. The team build your hope, knock it down then just when you think that it’s all gone they pull it back again.
Besides, if we could put in good performances against the top sides, AND beat all the lesser sides, we’d be Man City/Liverpool.
They have obviously bin talking about it,cuz Coady said they were all hurt from reading fans were saying they were on the beach.