Wolves-Albion verdict - Why are we so soft? Men against boys

[Andy]

Something feels not right at all at Wolves at the moment. Hasnt felt right for a while in my opinion.

Of course it doesn't feel right at the moment - the transfer window is open.

 

[Focke Wolf]

Another tepid performance by a team that you can visibly see the confidence ebbing away with every misplaced pass, with every over hit cross, with every defensive mistake punished.

I could accept the Burnley loss, they bullied us and I put it down to us having a bad day. I was bereft after the United game and throwing away a point. Brighton was Watford/Braga all over again. Everton highlighted our frailties. Today was a shambles.

Another Brighton but infinitely more disappointing (which says a lot because Brighton nearly earned me a divorce!). A proper knife wound to the heart and a reminder of how insignificant hundreds of international caps and how little future potential means if the opposition have more desire and will to win. Genuinely I wouldn't choose to swap a single Albion player for any of ours, not one.

Today we saw our defence of which all of them are full internationals players being given the run around by players I've never heard of. We had a midfield comprising of full internationals being overrun by Jake Livermore and a bloke from Walsall.

Fabio got a goal and for a while looked more than up for it. The give it to Traore and Neto to win a corner tactic worked a treat, unfortunately when they didn't win a corner they had absolutely no idea what to do and invariably smashed it across the box to nobody.

Patricio - Getting fed up of watching him grasping at thin air as the ball loops into the net. Made one decent save to prevent them from going 2 up. Dived the wrong way for both penalties.

Semedo - Ran forward a lot with the ball before either disappearing down a blind alley or finding himself with absolutely no options. Defensively he makes Jamie Smith look like Paolo Maldini.

Saiss - Our most consistent defender in recent weeks, seems reasonable to stick him at left back then. Didn't really do much wrong but rarely tried to overlap Neto.

Boly - The footballing equivalent of Lennie Small from Of Mice and Men. Big, strong but thick as ****. Gave away a penalty in the opening minutes by making a rash challenge that didn't need to be made. Redeemed himself with a goal to put us 2-1 up but then was part of a second half defensive performance that Paul and Barry Chuckle would have been embarrassed about. Just when you couldn't love him any more he was caught on camera grinning from ear to ear whilst talking to Big Fat Sam at full time.

Coady - How quickly the mighty have fallen. It's not too long ago he was looking at home playing for England. Today he defended like he was playing for the England blind team and somebody had forgotten to put the bell in the ball. Stupidly gave away a penalty, despite trying to convince Oliver he didn't touch his opponent. Subbed, rightfully so.

Neves - Neves translated from Portuguese means the wonderkid who sits an inch infront of the defence. His performances recently have been the one glimmer of light but today he was off the pace by a mile. There were times he was far too deep, WBA quickly worked out that they just need to press him and give him little time to influence the game. They did it well to be fair, he gave the ball away cheaply, got caught in possession too often for my liking and when he did venture far enough up field not to be able to smell Coady and Bolt's armpits he did **** all.

Moutinho - Trotted about like the secret lovechild of Steve Corica and Steve Sedgley. Often found pointing in front of himself before spinning 180 degrees and passing it back to somebody else. I love Moutinho, genuinely the best player I've ever seen play for us but I can't remember the last time I saw him have a decent game. Today he was crap.

Dendoncker - Early on he looked our only threat and then after seeing the incredible influence that Neves and Moutinho were having decided to play the false midfielder position too. Where have those runs into the box gone? Tried to decapitate Knobgrass but couldn't even do that right.

Traore - Won many corners by running like a freight train beyond the Albion defence. Whacked a fair few Tony Daley-esque crosses as high and wide as he could too. Enjoyed shouting at the telly every time he fell over and then sat on his **** for about 30 seconds before getting to his feet. Has the tactical sense of Donald Trump on Mogadon. 9 times out of 10 when Semedo broke forward Traore found the most innovative way to stand as close to an Albion player as possible. Lost the ball by being a greedy ****er and thinking he was Maradona before Boly hoofed the nondescript Albion player up in the air for their first penalty.

Neto - At times looked like he was going to have to do it on his own. Other times he adopted the Traore approach of getting to the by-line and kicking the crap out of the ball. He's going to be a fabulous footballer, I look forward to reminiscing about when he played for Wolves.

Little Annie Silva - He actually put himself about and scored a very very decent goal. One run in the second half opened up the Albion defence but he couldn't quite cut it back for Neto. Other than that he had a thankless job.

Subs.

Gibbs-White - Offered more than our Portuguese wonderkid did but not enough to actually influence the result.

Ait-Nouri - At least offered some support for Neto and helped give us a bit of width.

Cutrone - Had the chance to salvage a draw for us when all alone in the box but sadly for us he showed far too much faith in his own ability and shinned a volley into the ground harder than a Barnes-Wallace bomb. A definite case of ambition outweighing talent.

All in all it was a nice reminder of the kind of disappointment I usually reserve for reminiscing about mid 90's derby games and the look on my wife's face after sexual intercourse.

West Bromwich Albion can continue to go and **** themselves.

It's always good to know that somebody is having a worse day than me. Good read though.

 

[Contrarian]

Semedo was jumping before the contact, was an obvious dive ffs

Same for both Albion penalties. It's the same for the majority of free kicks given in the Premier League these days. The player is falling before the contact. If not that, they take a step or two after minimal contact then fall over.

The experts try and pretend they know what's going on. They don't. It is absolute pot luck with half the contact, whether it is given or not.

Could do an experiment on it. Get film of about 30 incidents from various matches and play just those few seconds to a load of refs and ask them "so it this one a foul or not? And this one... ". Can guarantee the answers will be all over the place. Might as well toss a coin, at least you'd know there was no big club bias going on. Both penalties would be 50/50 I reckon, as would that Semedo foul.

TBF to the refs, it's the players who are doing the cheating. But then also it beggars belief how many blatant dives, based on body language, are given by them.

 

[Fifty Niner]

BBC Sports report includes......

If, for instance, Wolves finished 15th this season, it would be an outcome they have only bettered three times since they were relegated in 1976. Evidently though, spending and improvement under Nuno has raised expectations.

They certainly made enough chances to beat West Brom - and had a staggering 23 shots - but without Jimenez, there was no consistent threat. Fabio Silva took his goal well, opening his body up and sending a precise finish into the far corner from Boly's back-heeled pass. But when crosses come into the box, he does not routinely attack them as Jimenez would.

The link with our form dipping markedly (apart from beating Arsenal the game he got injured) is worrying. No team should be so reliant on one man. Also interesting is their observation about Silva. Would it hurt pairing Silva with Cutrone, one to attack the ball the other to poach?

 

[JOSWolf]

Boly laughing his way off the pitch has really ****ed me off

Yep. Very poor by Boly. Just sums it all up at the moment and the almost casual and cosy attitude that there seems to be.

 

[Saltyjim]

Earlier in the season the Gibbs one is a penalty no question, but given where his hands were I think we would have been lucky to get it.
First penalty I thought was going to be overturned and put on the edge of the box, but was a daft challenge as was Coady's for the second.
One question, why do we always have Neves marking one the oppositions tallest players on set pieces? Can't blame him for getting beaten in the air from them, surely that is a coaching issue.

 

[JOSWolf]

Going to the shop just for beer after that classes as an essential journey, right?

Abso****inglutely!

 

[Oh When the Wolves]

Earlier in the season the Gibbs one is a penalty no question, but given where his hands were I think we would have been lucky to get it.
First penalty I thought was going to be overturned and put on the edge of the box, but was a daft challenge as was Coady's for the second.
One question, why do we always have Neves marking one the oppositions tallest players on set pieces? Can't blame him for getting beaten in the air from them, surely that is a coaching issue.

It’s now handball if arms are in unnatural position. Who runs round with their hands there?

yeah I don’t know why the **** neves is marking the main man from the throw .

Coady - where is the leadership ? Pathetic

 

[JOSWolf]

They didn't void last season so why on earth would anyone think they will void this season?

Just another excuse from some to excuse what has so far been a pathetic season by Wolves.

 

[JOSWolf]

Boly laughing with Allardyce and Gibbs-****e posting moronic Instagram posts less than half hour after the match sums it up.

Characterless. Couldn't care less.

Sums it all up. This lot need a massive rocket up their arses. Disgrace.

 

[Darvo]

My lord, some of the posts on here.
Well, I’m made of sterner stuff that many on here. A bad run of results doesn’t make me go weak at the knees or disparage Nuno or the players.
I am happy to take the highs with Wolves.....won’t act like a child when there’s a bad run of games.

Nobody at Wolves excepts blind loyalty from the fans but loyalty would be nice. For me , loyalty is not like a jacket that I can just shrug off when the going gets a tiny bit tough.

I’m with you to a large extent, but I can’t help feel that there is something wrong with Wolves at the moment.

My main concern is that Fosun’s financial backing seems to have stopped (as a result of worsening east-west, UK- China relations). It will be very, very telling if a centre forward isn’t signed this January. Let’s not forget, there was a net zero spend last summer - right when we were on the verge of great things.

Not far behind that is Nuno’s well being. The bloke clearly needs some help. He’s not coping well with pandemic life - and who can blame him?

Strong leadership is vital for every organisation. I’m not sure we have that at the moment.

Finally, to lose against them lot in the middle of a **** storm of a pandemic is very hard to take. But, one thing I’ve learned is that footballing fortunes can change very quickly. Keep yer chins up folks ... let’s hope we turn things round sooner rather than later.

 

[Tipton Wolves]

Wait until chelsea slap us at stamford bridge.

 

[RosehillWolf]

Wait until chelsea slap us at stamford bridge.

And Palace

 

[Black Country Wanderer]

Wait until chelsea slap us at stamford bridge.

We will probably win that one lol

Dubious penalties aside they just had more fight than us,they will still go down with Sheff Utd, but that third relegation spot is getting uncomfortably close for my liking

Ive been saying for a few weeks now we are in serious danger of getting dragged into a relegation battle
We are not too good to go down, havent been for over a season now

I dont know what the soulution is, but mainly we have to roll up our sleeves and go back to being hard to beat and counter attack,we cant play 4 at the back with what we have at the moment thats obvious to see

Plusses today nice goal by Silva he played well for an hour then hardly touched the ball,thats about it
Minuses too many to mentionbut here goes
No fight,no passion
Traore so good at going past players so poor at crossing the ball,and useless defending
Coady was poor
Neves poor
Mouts legs have gone
I could go on and on but Nuno can see all these things and has to take drastic action now,ill leave it there as im still fuming at that loss

 

[Sedgley Gold N Black]

Neither side were great, you’d got two moments of poor defending, Boly’s goal and the goal off the long throw, where neither team dealt with it.

Silva’s goal was a moment of good play in a game largely missing it, where he use his body well to start with and then again for the finish.

Aside from that you had 3 penalty shouts, two for marginal contact, one that if there was contact on the foot it was outside the box, and one where someone caught the ball with two hands in the 6 yard box, I don’t see how anyone could see those 3 claims and say it was 0-2 as the outcome and with VAR that is inexcusable.

Am I fuming about those decisions absolutely, do I think they had a huge impact on the result, definitely.

That doesn’t mean I’m not happy we got ourselves in the position where we needed these to go our way, which we shouldn’t have done and is a real concern but this season of all, simply how was that not a pen is astounding.

 

[SakosRightFoot]

I am raging, I’ve tried to calm down but I predicted this all week on the team thread. Completely the wrong team and wrong formation we all knew how they were going to about it and we played into their hands and I’m disgusted.

How many times does it need to be said, we cannot play a back 4 with our current personnel, we cannot play Moutinho in these types of games. What is the point of a back 4 and then Moutinho dropping deep all the time, what is the point of him constantly slowing everything down, everything has to go through him. If you want a primary reason for why our form has dipped so alarmingly he is the glaring answer, his form has been atrocious since the summer and yet he seemingly can’t be dropped.

Yes there are major issues with the way we’ve handled transfers and we’ve been affected by injuries, but our insistence on playing certain players no matter what and shoehorning them into a system that doesn’t suit us is costing us hugely

 

[Incognito]

A vintage performance from the anti-goal machine Dendoncker.

Now he his a waste of a shirt, plainly obvious.

 

[Contrarian]

Finally, to lose against them lot in the middle of a **** storm of a pandemic is very hard to take. But, one thing I’ve learned is that footballing fortunes can change very quickly. Keep yer chins up folks ... let’s hope we turn things round sooner rather than later.

When will our fortune against that lot (and Vile) change? It seems to be stuck at "mostly against us" for decades.

 

[1972 i began]

I don't care who you are OR how loyal,you cannot defend that.Nuno sat there all ****ing game,where has the passion gone.OR was he imitating Bisla.Just go back to 3 central defenders,and try and get some confidence back.It ay working as it is because we haven't got the players to play that system.As it is we are dropping like heavy ****ing stones.we cannot keep using the injury list as an excuse,If the replacement players ay up to it,then **** em off.Is it Nuno or is it Fosun,I ay sure but it needs addressing and bloody quick.****ed off ay the word.

 

[Wolf of Wall Heath]

I don’t care what anyone says we was cheated out of a clear pen when Gibbs handled the ball with both hands . Only person that can handle the ball in the box with both hands is the goalkeeper.

And what about silva eyeballing the keeper and backing into him intentionally with no attempt at the ball?

 

[Berkswolf]

So very disappointing. I had severe concerns when I saw the line up. Even allowing for our horrendous injury list to me it’s clear we can’t defend properly with a back four. If we are to persist with that system we need to bring in players that can play in it. We look woefully inadequate defending set pieces and never seem to have enough bodies in the correct places when utilising a back four. Saiss is never a full back and should never be played there again. He is however an excellent defender on the left of a back three. Nuno got it wrong for me.

 

[Supadavewolf]

He’s my neighbour mate

Is the 'For Sale' sign up yet at his house?

 

[SmokeyGB]

He’s my neighbour mate

Fair play.. cherrs

 

[Golden_Wolf]

Probably the worst albion team they've had in the top flight, and we still couldn't win.

Only us.

 

[Ned]

If we make the move to 4 at the back then we need a top centre back to play with Boly.

Coady really does NOT deserve to be dropped but if 4 is the direction we are heading then he’s just a casualty of circumstance.

With a new centre back and all our players fit (obviously won’t always be the case) then we would have a very good starting 11. Add a quality attacking midfielder to that and we could really kick on.

 

[Ned]

I still think too much goalscoring emphasis is being put on Dendoncker. He would be ideal sitting next to Neves whilst somebody else, maybe somebody new, causes havoc and offers a real threat instead.

 

[Tarcisio Mifsud]

We cannot keep on playing with Rui in goal, when he is so much off form. Their equaliser is totally his fault, do not pretend Neves can go higher for the ball than an opponent one foot taller. He should have punched the ball immediately it reached the small area and not just waited to see where the ball was going, when it finished in our net.

On penalties, let me for the sake say they were, but what about the penalty Wolves had when the Albion defender practically retained the ball with his BOTH HANDS and as if nothing had happened for Oliver. He is so biased referee. He is unbelievable against Wolves.

Other Wolves players, surely they did not deserve their weekly pay after this performance. They should excuse themselves for being below par, giving away two silly penalties and allow such an equaliser, this when Wolves were in front.

 

[Mile End Wanderer]

It was awful to watch

 

[Deleted member 4152]

I still think too much goalscoring emphasis is being put on Dendoncker. He would be ideal sitting next to Neves whilst somebody else, maybe somebody new, causes havoc and offers a real threat instead.

It doesn’t help that dendoncker is ****e tbh

 

[Stourport wolf]

To be honest, we just knew this was going to happen today. We have been flying for 3 years. Albion are ****. We hit a bad run just before we play them and then they beat us. I feel sick, but i am not surprised. ****ing hate the ****s.

 

[Ian C]

It doesn’t help that dendoncker is ****e tbh

That’s just utter drivel.

 

[Ned]

It doesn’t help that dendoncker is ****e tbh

Bit harsh but I don’t think he’s playing in the best role for him. He lacks the key attributes needed to play as the most advanced midfielder: skill and creativity.

 

[Alex Rae The Substitute]

First pen I was unsure was on the line, felt the replays were inconclusive at best, so was a bit surprised quite how little time VAR spent looking at it.

But, are people really questioning the second pen? On first viewing it didn’t look like a pen, but the replays show there is contact, and in this day and age VAR ain’t overturning that.

The trip on Semedo moments before the goal for Albion and lack of free kick has to be one of the most bizarre decisions I’ve seen this season.

 

[Ned]

We cannot keep on playing with Rui in goal, when he is so much off form. Their equaliser is totally his fault, do not pretend Neves can go higher for the ball than an opponent one foot taller. He should have punched the ball immediately it reached the small area and not just waited to see where the ball was going, when it finished in our net.

On penalties, let me for the sake say they were, but what about the penalty Wolves had when the Albion defender practically retained the ball with his BOTH HANDS and as if nothing had happened for Oliver. He is so biased referee. He is unbelievable against Wolves.

Other Wolves players, surely they did not deserve their weekly pay after this performance. They should excuse themselves for being below par, giving away two silly penalties and allow such an equaliser, this when Wolves were in front.

I don’t even know what handball is anymore for a penalty but the ref that BT have (Peter Walton I think) said that they now take into account whether he’s made himself bigger and whether he could have got his hands out the way.

Personally I thought it was a handball but would I have been angry if it was given at the other end? Probably.

 

[maws]

There really is. Semedo jumped into the defender and caused the contact, Coady kicks him twice. It was soft but definitely a penalty and not the reason we lost today.

Totally disagree, Peter Walton even said that he could argue why it is a penalty, abd if it hadn’t been given he could argue why it wasn’t. It so wasn’t clear cut, Oliver doesn’t give it then VAR wouldnt have overturned it

 

[Ian C]

Neto, Traore and Silva need to get into the box with ball at feet, wait for a touch and fall the **** over. Works for everyone else. I’m not saying dive like Silva did today, just to play the rules.

 

[sedgwolf1980]

My verdict, only Wolves could come within a fraction of getting back to the top table of world football for a global pandemic to come along and the whole thing turn to ****.

 

[Andywolf74]

We’re struggling in all areas unfortunately. Patricio seems short of confidence, our defence are struggling with the basics, midfield too deep - not protecting the defence and not creating quality chances and our forwards having to drift wide in an effort to see some of the ball. Not sure if it’s Nuno trying square pegs in round holes with a new style of play or whether the fantastic journey with him is coming to an end. If it’s coming to an end I think Southampton’s manager would be a great fit for us.

 

[NewarkWolf]

I don’t care what anyone says we was cheated out of a clear pen when Gibbs handled the ball with both hands . Only person that can handle the ball in the box with both hands is the goalkeeper.

Give it up. Yes it hit his hands but the new law says no pen. So clutching at straws, we were absymal, before the first goal you could see the frailty in our defence as they pulled us apart around the box.

 

[Wolowolf6]

Anyone else feel like they’ve been sent back to the late 90s tonight?

My verdict is they were all pretty rubbish barring Silva (1st half), Semedo (who I’m not a fan of but thought put himself about) and, although I don’t think he played particularly well, MGW, who actually looked like he at least cared in his 30 minute stint.

Nuno looks done, the Coady sub, for me, feels like it might have bigger implications and **** Boly laughing his head off and fist-pumping Big Sam as he left the field - another indication of the gaping chasm between PL players and fans.

The alarm bells were starting to ring for me after Everton, but now I’m genuinely worried. With Brighton also picking up points today I think we’ve got a very uncomfortable few months on the horizon.