Villa verdict thread

[Ercall Wolves]

Given where we were before the City game, and the level of apathy and antipathy toward GON, getting a win and a draw these last two games is a positive.

Draw a fair result. If we convincingly beat Bournemouth in a couple of weeks it may that GON is an inspired appointment.

Yep I was one of GON biggest critics after the Ipswich game but I’ll be very very happy to be eating humble in a few weeks and months time

 

[Quicksilver]

1

Thanks, I think Bellegarde should be available for Bournemouth , if needed

 

[Clifton Wolf]

Firstly. It’s obvious to me that the players are 100% buying into GON and his instructions. Whether that’s a good thing remains to be seen
The referee had little control of the game. He should have booked both Dawson and McGinn early doors to stop all the posturing.
We gave as good as we got and you’ve got to be thrilled to get 4 points from last two games and Neto is getting better each game
Downside …. Silva … waste of a shirt. Just get rid ASAP as he is embarrassingly poor and never will be a PL player

It pains me to say it but Silva is so poor. Can anyone tell me one attribute he has?

He’s weak, slow, gives the ball away, runs round like a headless chicken. I’ve seen enough now, want him and wanted him to succeed but his agents desire to move him away is most likely due to the fact he knows he’s a million miles off the prem and his stock will be lower at the end of the season when he’s come off the bench another 30 times and not scored.

Championship at best and I wouldn’t even want him there compared to what we’ve had in the past. Really poor.

 

[bod101]

Do you realise that Villa have better players than us and have spent far more man for man?

Jesus you seem to have really bought into the poor little wolves thing, we aren't that bad at all.

 

[wwbug]

The big unanswered question for me is - can we play a joined up attacking game that produces flowing football and goals against weaker teams ?

I hope the Bournemouth and Sheffield games will show we can.

 

[Contrarian]

Regarding the incident where Hwang got hit on the nose by a flailing arm. I know Hwang makes a meal of everything, but in this case, he really did get hit hard enough to bloody his nose. The replay showed his head go back at the moment of impact with that flailing arm.

What I don't get is that if that if that same flailing arm hits the ball , while in the penalty area, then it's almost certainly a penalty. Yet because he hits a player in the face , it's "accidental". No card or anything. Just seems to me the old "accidental" handball rule worked much better than all the recent attempts to make it objective.

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

From MOTD have to say Doc was very lucky on the Watkins one.

 

[JR WAS KING]

From MOTD have to say Doc was very lucky on the Watkins one.

Yep, I'd be furious if we didn't get a penalty for a push like that.

 

[astraltrader]

Has to be a good point for us.
Without wishing to appear poetic -
Five at the back,
Seems the right track!

 

[Mugwump]

Wasn't a good game to watch, very scrappy but credit to GON for getting us organised better in the last 2 games. As long as we beat a very, very bad Bournemouth side I'll be content with our start to the season.

 

[Barnet Wolves]

I enjoyed the game on telly, honestly thought we played really well and for large periods of the game Villa looked confused as to how to break us down. We even had spells of possession and didn't look as bad. Credit to GON, I'm warming up a little to him. I really hope this team gels and kicks on from here.

 

[nomadwolf]

 

[Glow69]

The big unanswered question for me is - can we play a joined up attacking game that produces flowing football and goals against weaker teams ?

I hope the Bournemouth and Sheffield games will show we can.

Well if he cracks that his done something Nuno never did!

 

[TheConcourse]

Raul springs to mind. The players who commit these type of fouls should be hammered.

This incident came straight to my mind too. I don’t know how he’s still on the pitch.

 

[SA Wolf]

Been traveling for the past 48 hours, so only just seen the score and watched the brief highlights.

Based on that and ours and Villa's form, I'm fairly satisfied with a draw. Looks like our main creative sources, Hwang and Neto were at it again. Disappointed that now Lemina is suspended for the Bournemouth game. Not sure if two yellows were merited or not as not seen the incidences, but Lemina's style of play makes him liable to pick up yellows. Sa did well from what little I could see of the game and Semedo was Semedo.

Will read more and hopefully watch extended highlights later, but 8 points after 8 matches is survival form and keeps us above the bottom 3. Got to be satisfied with that, based on how we started the season and the level of expectation.

 

[Whirligig Wolf]

Fabio geniunely looks like he's won a competition to play for us when he comes on, he's that out of his depth.

Accept the inevitable loss and move him on in the summer, with the understanding that Shi is ultimately culpable for that massive money loss.

Neto genuinely looks like he's won a European competition for us when he plays, he's that out of this world.

Accept the inevitable gain and move him on in the summer, with the understanding that Shi is ultimately culpable for that massive money gain.

 

[TheConcourse]

Still haven’t re seen the neto penalty
Any clips

Also Lemina second yellow probabkg
But Kovacic and also guimares !!

https://x.com/wearewolvesfans/status/1711103166891110670?s=48&t=SO9J2gYjnAosOoc_NweYDw

It’s a nonsense isn’t it?

If you watch the Lemina incident back, their player actually pulls Lemina first to get ahead of him. He’s behind initially and uses Lemina as leverage to get in front.

 

[The White Mouse]

What’s with the new rule that players apparently don’t have to go off even when the medical team comes on to assess them? Or is it one that only applies against us, once, and will never happen again like when Mario got sent off last year for aggressively walking near the ref

 

[thommo1984]

Funny my mate today felt we improved when doc came on. Said he offered a forward threat and also meant that cash was pushed back. Until the red card anyway

Your mate was wrong

 

[Oldgoldilox]

Disagree, we didn't need it today, a deep lying midfielder would've done the job just fine. But it would have allowed us more control in the middle where we struggled for large parts of the game.

Have you actually seen us play at any time over the last two years? Five at the back is needs must and is probably the only thing saving us from relegation.

 

[Northbank cigarette]

What’s with the new rule that players apparently don’t have to go off even when the medical team comes on to assess them? Or is it one that only applies against us, once, and will never happen again like when Mario got sent off last year for aggressively walking near the ref

Yep, i thought once the referee indicates that the physios can enter the field of play, then that indicates a stoppage for injury (and hence the player has the leave the pitch)

 

[Plovdiv Wolf]

We played well on the break. Poor goal to concede

Will take the draw

 

[Minimalist]

Disagree, we didn't need it today, a deep lying midfielder would've done the job just fine. But it would have allowed us more control in the middle where we struggled for large parts of the game.

If we had played that way Villa would have played differently, and likely have been far more threatening, like they were v Brighton.
It does sometimes seem like a giant game of rock-paper-scissors!
It wasn’t a great game because it was like two rocks; but it was a game we always had an element of control in, going paper or scissors could have lost us the game as much as, or more so, than it might have won it for us.

 

[lets all have a disco]

Verdict....if Moussa Diaby is worth 50m....how much is Hwang worth.,..

 

[wwbug]

Well if he cracks that his done something Nuno never did!

Agreed . Its a tough one.

 

[rubyloo]

Amazed it wasn’t a penalty against doc for the push in the back

 

[Bankswolf The Third]

I was slightly bemused at MOTD "We cant score goals" argument
Scored more than Fulham and Palace and scored the same as Man United
But there we go now I remember why I rarely watch it.

Few things, I liked the first half in that sense of it made us look more evenly matched than we were.
Both sides had chances we missed a sitter/they hit the post
We could have had a pen/they should have had a pen.

What surprised me was the fact at ten men they hardly rushed our goal much? Very odd. Ref ruined it second half by constantly blowing for fouls and not being consistent in sending off Lemina but letting McGinn off. Draw a fair result however we go now against Fraudmouth and Sheffield United where this counter attack football will not work. History has taught us that so I hope there is a plan B

Overall though I am very pleased at where we are in the table and watching three teams below us look a lot worse than us is encouraging. Pick up 2 wins in the next three games and create a sensible gap is needed

 

[lobodelsur]

The big unanswered question for me is - can we play a joined up attacking game that produces flowing football and goals against weaker teams ?

I hope the Bournemouth and Sheffield games will show we can.

I'd guess that away from home we'll always play counter-attacking football, regardless of the opposition.

 

[Northampton_wolf]

interesting to see the team for bournemouth, expect two weeks of coaching in to play bellegarde and traore maybe?

Semedo is suspended as is lemina.

I want to see bellegarde in the team so lets hope GON can make it work, the front 3 isnt going anywhere

 

[SteveBullsKnee]

A hard fought draw which feels like the right result despite some last ditch defending at times and a crazy last few mins.

First 30 mins were a bit like a heavyweight boxing match with each team sizing up the opponent without laying a glove on them.

I’m really starting to dislike Cunha, he goes missing for massive chunks of the game and doesn’t want to do the dirty work. I get they had big centre backs who will probably win every header but at least challenge them to make it difficult.

 

[MickHolmesFanClub]

I thought a draw was a fair enough result based on the balance of play.
I was surprised that Villa set up so defensively and they were clearly worried about the threat of Neto's pace. In fairness, they did a good job restricting the supply to him and the first time he really got chance to run at an isolated defender was for the goal.

I felt sorry for Lemina, although it was a second yellow (not sure if the first one merited it however), as he was put in a spot by our won player. Before the red card, I thought he was immense and won the vast majority of his duels in the midfield. Dawson also played well as did Hwang. Boubacar impressed when he came on and Sasa also did well. Hopefully, it will do him good getting the best part of 30 minutes in his legs.

We were hanging on at the end, when down to 10, and, given we had a midfield 3 of Bouba, Neto and Fabio at that point it's not surprising.

Seen a lot of debate about the 5 at the back on here and IMO it was, once again, the right move by GON yesterday given their pace up front. In general, I would stick with the 5 as it suits our players much better but we will need a plan B occasionally which may mean sacrificing a centre-back for a midfielder in certain games.

If somebody had told me pre-City that we would get 4 points from the next 2 games I'd have snatched their hand off. In that context, yesterday was a very good point.

 

[wulfie88]

 

[The Clock]

I’m really starting to dislike Cunha, he goes missing for massive chunks of the game and doesn’t want to do the dirty work. I get they had big centre backs who will probably win every header but at least challenge them to make it difficult.

Its a funny old game.
Whilst I certainly agree with the lack of aerial threat, or indeed physicality when the ball drops, and I do agree he goes AWOL occasionally, I am liking him more, primarily because I think he is doing more dirty work.

 

[Jefe]

Jesus you seem to have really bought into the poor little wolves thing, we aren't that bad at all.

I do wonder if this "plucky little Wolves" sentiment has roots in Jeff's attempted mind game on the fans at the start of the season? 'We really should be thinking of Wolves like a newly-promoted team again *cough* never mind all the years of mismanagement that brought it about *cough*' The players who got on the pitch still cost the club ~£210m, compared to ~£245m for Villa; hardly David and Goliath stuff. Grinding out a hairy point at home against them is grounds for very guarded optimism at most - unless you have had your expectations successfully lowered to nary better than the 1 PPG mark.