Contactless new ‘Hungry Wolf’ refreshment areas might be in place to tickle the taste-buds at Molineux these days, but they do little to whet the appetite quite like our number eight.
If music be the food of love, play on Ruben.
Within 55 minutes of our first Premier League home game, our beguiling hero had justified the season ticket price hike more resoundingly than 100 new catering booths put together.
Funnily enough, they ran out of hot water in the one I went to, yet my cup still runneth over when I witnessed our Cartesian God arcing another hypnotic strike into the top corner of the goal he loves the most.
It was another moment that only Ruben Neves could conjure, touching the South Bank net and the hands of the North Bank clock at the very same time. The seconds stood still as a raucous Molineux paused in tranquillity. Then Ruben wrapped his beautiful right boot around the ball to send us into that otherworld he took us once before.
Not that the blackening VAR gets any of this as it desecrated all over the moment. Even if it didn’t succeed in affecting the scoreline, it still jerked us away from that utopian place and slapped us squarely in the chops.
If it can airbrush spontaneous moments of artistry for the sake of a player’s fingernail, then I hope I never see it again. Moreover, the fans in the ground who are blessed to see such glory in the first place are the only people in the world who literally don’t know what’s being checked, as our eyes shift from our Portuguese Michelangelo to a cold, soulless video wall for further instruction.
Art, it would appear, is imitating life as freedom of expression makes way for a vacant digital screen which we all must dribble at blankly.
Another discussion for another time for sure, in a game that made for compulsive viewing. Manchester United looked a better bet than last season, with the £130 million spent on two new defenders offering a degree of improvement. It was an attack-minded formation too, but still a side lacking in a leader to drag them over the line in a game like this. A case in point being their penalty shenanigans, when Patricio came to our rescue.
We looked extremely competitive throughout, but uncharacteristically wasteful on the ball in the first half, with Neves himself caught in possession before United broke to score. But Traore’s introduction at half time changed the dynamic of the game, in a spellbinding cameo of his own.
A draw, featuring one glorious goal, seemed fair. Our emotions being toyed with by technology a little less so.
Typically lyrical summary my friend and nothing to disagree with there.
Had Ruben’s moment been stricken from the records for Moutinho’s toe being 1mm ahead of the last defender I don’t know what I would have done with myself. I’m a fan of technology but having already sampled what VAR has to offer I think it has to be reserved exclusively for the most disastrous injustices and nothing more.
The only thing more frustrating than VAR was how much post-match analysis on Sky/BBC was given to Utd’s choice of penalty taker. It’s a passing detail – deal with it and move on to literally anything else. Had it been Wolves failing from the spot I doubt it would have even been acknowledged.
Overall I actually felt it was a disappointing performance from Wolves, particularly in possession. Better second half and particularly in the minutes leading up to the goal but we were a lot more ragged than usual. Utd pressed well of course but the people we look to for calmness and precision in those moments didn’t quite hit the heights we’ve grown accustomed to over the last couple of years.
I thought Traore was excellent. Jimenez also got through a lot of good work I thought and is always smart in possession. Desperately unlucky with that lovely flicked header too. Terrible kicking from Rui for most of the night but we get back more than we lose with his shot-stopping capabilities.
The VAR check, the fan’s verdict on this new set of Emperors Clothes technology are bizarre moments in the modern game. Hope whoever takes decisions on the use of this potential game wrecker do some remediying soon!
The game, thought we did well to get a point after a poor first half. But the majesty of Neves’s goal, Traore’s 2nd half renaissance of our team, then the Penalty save made yet another superb & dramatic night at Molineux.
Well chuffed with a good point hard earned. Another amazing night of football at the Golden Palace.
There’s a lot of criticism of VAR at the moment, but people should realise why it has been introduced, which is to ensure that the correct decisions are made.
Eliminate the use of technology to check after a major incident like a goal has been scored and you’re bound to end up with occasions when a wrong decision will be made and not turned over. That would mean games potentially being decided through mistaken judgements and that would be far worse than having to wait for VAR judgements to be evaluated.
What are I hear a lot of fans wailing about right now is something like. “Oh woe is me, I don’t know when to celebrate”? Oh dear, what a shame.
It’s not that complicated really, at least not where goals are concerned. Quite simply, when a goals is scored there will always be a check to see if there might have been any reason to overrule it. In that case fans can rightly celebrate the scoring of the goal, but, as time progresses and we all get more used to VAR, then be aware that the final award of the goal will come after that subsequent check has been carried out. It may seem anti-climactic, but I still maintain that it’s better in the long run to tolerate and get used to that, rather than to have “false goals” awarded. There will be times when we are the beneficiaries of an opponent’s goal being rightfully disallowed because of the implementation of VAR and I think that people need to bear that in mind before jumping on the anti-VAR bandwagon.
Actually, I think that checking after a goal has been scored is probably the easiest implementation of VAR to get used to. There are other instances where, because of the way the technology is being implemented right now, its potential usefulness is being wasted. There are occasions where no call for a VAR check is made by the officials when there should be. In my opinion the way to get around that is to use the same system as in cricket or tennis. Simply allow each management team to have a set number of challenges, (3 might be good), and then you’ll take the responsibility for the use of VAR out of the hands of the officials and make it available to the respective team managers instead. That would enable better use of VAR for offside decisions and other questionable decisions in play.
The use of VAR is still in its infancy right now and there are improvements that can be made regarding how it is currently being deployed for sure. Nevertheless, I believe that fans should bear in mind that to abandon the use of technology altogether will result in mistaken decisions being made and that shouldn’t be tolerated in this day and age.
Think yam missing a point.
Very few are complaining about VAR.
More to the point that some bunch of numptys decided to add the now very unclear rule of hand-ball/not hand-ball.
If an intentional hand-ball is picked up then good go for it with VAR and disallow the passage of play &/or goal.
But when a COMPLETELY UNINTENTIONAL HAND-BALL is involved in a build up to a goal then that’s still a Fekin goal. Irrespective if it’s Cithe/Manure/‘pool or Fekin Wolves Aye We.
I reckon there will not be any changes to the rule (Not VAR) until next June/July otherwise Wolves & Cithe would have to be given 2 points.
Arghhhhhhh ?
Yes, RickRack, but the new version of the handball rule is nothing to do with VAR. When Boly fell foul of that law change against Leicester VAR was used correctly. It showed that the ball had struck his upper arm, (which is handball), and whether or not there was any intent on his part had nothing to do with it. That’s the new ruling of handball. Intentional or unintentional has nothing to do with it, irrespective of whether VAR is used or not. If a ref sees the ball strike someone’s arm then he’s bound to award a free-kick, or penalty if it’s in the area. He no longer has to decide on whether it was intentional or not.
Yesterday’s use of VAR which many people are saying meant that they “couldn’t celebrate properly”, had nothing at all to do with handball however.
Why do you care so much about decisions being correct 100% of the time? I would certainly rather football maintain it’s flow and rhythm and sacrifice the odd slightly incorrect decision. The reason we’re stuck with VAR is utterly joyless “fans” being obsessed by decisions and referees rather than enjoying football as emotion and entertainment
VAR should be used as in cricket, to eliminate howlers, rather than checking every single goal to see if it brushed the arm, or if a players testicle fur is offside:
1) Referees should have access to it in the event they have a concern
2) Managers should have two challenges a game
The handball change was brought in directly as a link to VAR. The authorities wanted to avoid any controversy of attempting to interpret intentions, so they made a blanket rule. So while you may have a point about that being the issue, it is still linked to VAR, hence VAR is still the underlying root of the problem
Regardless, it is being used far too invasively at the moment and needs a rethink.
I agree with you about giving managers a defined number of challenges. I might make it 3 instead of 2.
Your way of claiming that VAR is still the underlying cause of the change to the handball law is simply not correct. The law was changed to put an end to the common practice of defenders deliberately spreading their bodies across the line between an attacker and the goal in order to reduce the target area. If the ball was subsequently struck against that defender’s arm then they would claim that it was “accidental” and therefore not a foul. It was a quite deliberate and cynical ploy and had become standard practice within the game. FIFA were intent on eliminating the possibility of its unscrupulous use and the decision to rule that out is not directly connected to VAR at all. VAR is used, (after the award of a goal), to check that there was no offence committed , (of any kind at all, not just a handball), that should disallow it. Given the the handball law had been changed as it had, then any observation of a ball striking the hand or arm was rightly deemed to be an observation of that type of offence and, therefore, meant that the goal should be disallowed.
As for you asking “Why do you care so much about decisions being correct 100% of the time? ” That’s such a bizarre question that it beggars belief that anyone might ask it frankly. Because nothing is more galling than seeing incorrect decisions deciding results or any other facet of play in a game, that’s why and particularly when there’s absolutely no need for it to happen to day. Yes, thought needs to be given concerning how technology is implemented in a sport, but the idea that it would be preferable to see injustices prevail unnecessarily as a preference to delays is ludicrous to me. I certainly don’t feel that I am being “joyless” by seeking the use of technology to enable football to move beyond the experience of the past when wrong decisions were given. If technology is removed now in order to pander to football fans who find themselves unable to accept valuable change then we’ll see how joyful they feel when they suffer an injustice against their, own team afterwards as a consequence.
Oh and VAR is not used in cricket solely to eliminate “howlers”. Because of the availability for players to challenge decisions then it can be used to check anything.
You clearly see the game of football in a completely different way to myself! I’ll leave it at that. But I had to dislike your post! VAR for the bin.
Yeh! We’d be much better off with mistaken decisions wouldn’t we? Supposing we hadn’t had VAR and the officials had incorrectly ruled Neves’ goal out for offside on Monday?
You’d have been so pleased to see the replays on TV afterwards and realise that we’d been robbed of a goal eh?
I’m on holiday in Indonesia at the moment with my family. It’s a beautiful place, sunny, warm tropical days with great food and the odd cold beer. Today I’ve seen monkeys and chilled out in the pool. Highlight of the day was waking up and seeing the video highlights of the Neves goal, what a pleasure to have such individual quality in this team.
VAR!!
Why not learn from cricket/tennis? Give each team one review which can be used at any time on appeal. Dendonker’s goal would not have been appealed, nor Neves’s nor Jesus’s. BUT it would be there for Thierry Henry’s handball against Ireland. Simple!!!!
I’d go simpler to be honest! Just goal line technology & that’s it.
Why anyone thinks we need 4 officials on site ,as it were , & some others at a place unknown in the Universe to officiate & judge on a simple game of football is beyond my comprehension!
One reason is that they wouldn’t have missed Liverpool’s clear offside ‘goal’ against us last season. We may well have come back for a draw without it. For all the obvious frustrations, VAR will stop the many clear injustices that used to occur every season.
I was an advocate of VAR as I thought that in this day and age there has to be a place for technology. But if it denied one of the moments of the season at the Mol last night, we may as well all go home. Instead of trying to get ridiculously marginal calls spot on – and taking the joy out of goals – why not use it properly to penalise stamps like James on Jota? Foul play is surely what you’d call ‘clearcut’ and easy to spot.
As for the game itself, the first half was frustrating. Nuno is one of the best defensive coaches around; our shape has been that well drilled, we’re happy to sit in and soak up pressure. But that can sometimes be a weakness. Because we see so little of the ball, it’s like a hot potato when we receive it. We’re then panicked by the press and either lump it long or play a poor pass/get dispossessed. The midfield was non existent and Neves just didn’t have the time to get on the front foot. A lot of Premier League teams won’t give you that time.
Adama came of age last night. He pushed us further up the pitch and wreaked havoc when we needed it most. All of a sudden we were on the front foot and could then get our passing game going. That is so much easier to do when we quicken things up and show intent.
All in all, I’m delighted with a point. Showed good character to grab a point. It looked a long way back when we fell behind and were being totally outplayed. Not being at your best but still picking up results is a good habit to have.
The other incident involving James, his dive, for which he got a yellow, surely if they are so intent on VAR they should now make it an automatic straight red for diving and then review it, time to get these cheats out of our game.
Watched the game last night in a bar in Salcombe having a convivial chat with a Man Utd supporter. We both agreed at half time that the second half would see a different Wolves performance and so it proved to be.
As always the post match press and comments are nearly all about Utd and how terribly upset Gary Neville is about issues around the penalty.
I have yet to read much about Rui Patricio’s excellent save at a crucial moment in the game. Wolves were poor in the first half. After a talk from Nuno and the introduction of Traore , Wolves became a threat and a goal was always on the cards…..but what a sublime one. Far more worthy of post match iterations about
squabbling over a penalty. Whoever is responsible for coaching Traore we are seeing great results. He may have lost some individualism, which usually ended up fruitless , but lately he rarely wastes a ball and his final pass is vastly improved.
Doherty looked below par last night and We may see Traore and Cutrone play against Torino. Happy days.
Great summary mate.
‘Art, it would appear, is imitating life as freedom of expression makes way for a vacant digital screen which we all must dribble at blankly…’
No truer words have been spoken! It’s concerning that, despite Wolves’ Premier League campaign being only two games old, both of the match reports have had to debate the virtues of VAR. Needless to say, I was joining in heartily with the derogatory chants aimed at our new technological overlord and will be doing so for as long as it insists on encroaching on moments of jubilations the likes of which we saw last night.
As for the game, I agree that a point was fair. United had clearly done their homework and had our number in the first half, refusing to allow us to play out from the back. This led to uncharacteristic errors in possession and a general sense that a 0-1 scoreline at halftime was about as good as we could hope for.
Would love to know what Nuno said at halftime. Whatever it was, it worked a treat because we were like a team transformed after the interval. Traore was a constant threat and, in my humble opinion, now has a really good chance of making the RWB position his own. Shaw just couldn’t handle for him.
I can’t offer any words that will surpass anything that has already been said about Neves’ goal. It was a thing of beauty and befitting of all the plaudits it has received, oddly none of which have emanated from the ‘studio’ which was covering the game last night. Guess you have to be playing in red or blue to get any credit from Sky…
A word for Rui as well, who continued his excellent early season form with a brilliant save from Pogba.
Just a Thursday night trip to Italy to contend with now. These are the days my friends!
A poor first half from Wolves but much improved after the break. Seems we have become a second half team as this was not the first time we have struggled in the first half and come out a different team in the second. In this game the difference was Adama. What talent he has, he has so much potential, and last night he started to show it.
I did fear a bit of a hammering when they scored their goal. They ripped us apart all over the pitch in the first half. However the brilliance of Neves and Rui’s wonderful save were majestic.
I waited to hear from Nuno after the game but the only thing Sky were interested in was who should have taken the penalty. The programme started off as a ManU love-in to the point they showed their team before our own,I thought we were the home team!
🙂
Reference your last paragraph…….are you not used to that by now??
I just winds me up ! 🙂
We certainly struggled in the first half as Manure pressed and harried our defence and suffocated our front two whenever they had a sniff of the ball. We couldn’t seem to find an outlet so were constantly on the backfoot and giving the ball away. Manure were worthy of their halftime lead.
Enter Traore.
Suddenly we had on outlet. Shaw had kittens whenever Adama received the ball and had to be joined by one, sometimes two, associates to thwart his driving runs. This, of course, left them thin on the ground in the middle and gave the two ‘J’s space to breathe.
Our goal was a thing of beauty, made all the sweeter by the nature of the opposition. The euphoria was killed by VAR and I am rapidly coming to the conclusion that even if the decision goes your way, the damage in that respect has already been done. I’m tending to agree with Tim Spiers who, in his post-match vid’ said it should be used only for a clear and obvious error, not to check every micro-millimetre of the action.
Raul’s flick header against the post deserved more reward and Rui’s fourth penalty save in his last six kept the scoreline reflective of the action.
Overall, after a sticky start, a good performance from our heroes, though it would have taken a lot out of their legs and the starting eleven on Thursday will be fascinating.
It was worth the 2-45 am alarm just for Neves equaliser
I’ll watch the game in full again tonight but without dissecting the game too much it went like
United quicker and more attacking than us first half
Traoré leading the fight back and us looking more likely in the second half
A few of the lads were a tad off their game though that’s for sure, I can’t remember Coady or Neves missing passes as much Before, Tired !!!!!
If we can somehow get over the line against Burnley after our Italian job then 5 points from 3 games will be excellent as far as I’m concerned
I’ll hold judgment on var until the end of the season though
I just think these things will even themselves out , at the moment we have only had a couple of annoying decisions but if we are winning at Old Trafford and utd get a dodgy offside last minute equaliser ( A’s has happened loads of times over the years) then I think we will have a different view?
Just my opinion of course but when their are millions of pounds at stake we really have to get the big decisions correct somehow?
Safe travels to all the lucky buggers going to Europe
Utw
If watching football is meant to be an escape from mundaneness of daily life then watching Wolves at this moment in time is indeed mission accomplished.
With Ruben’s strike and Adama’s new found controlled barnstorming performances, not to mention as fine a penalty save as you will see (even if anyone from the media or outside of Wolverhampton only saw a miss) Then there was Jota’s overhead kick last week accompanied by Raul’s Chip of outrageous finesse.
Even the more banal games like Leicester have their talking points. We are indeed living in interesting times.
I think VAR would be more accurate / fair if they read the feet on the ground and not the lean of a shoulder. That way a line can be drawn properly and not have angles that can be foreshortened by trying to line up a shoulder 6 ft off the ground against a foot 40 yards away.
Moutinho’s feet were well inside Jota’s – would have been a much simpler and quicker decision.
Happy with a point after a frustrating first half. VAR can be a useful tool if it is used in the right spirit. In cricket the on field referee (umpire) makes the decision. Each team has 2 reviews available which may be used if they are of the opinion there has been a ‘clear and obvious error’ in the decision made by the umpire. There is a degree of flexibility afforded to the umpires decision. Hence if the umpire says ‘out’ and the batting side review. Even if ball is just shaving the stumps the on field umpire decision is upheld and review is lost. This makes sure that both teams have to be convinced before using a review. A similar system could be introduced to football. Each team perhaps have one review each which the captain can use. If each team believe there has been a real clanger by the on field ref/linesmen. They may use the review and if VAR upholds the review the decision is reversed and the review is kept for later in the game if needed
If the review is lost and VAR does not change the decision then it is lost for the rest of the game. If any of that makes sense!
It does make a lot of sense mate and it’s something that the PMDG’er and I have discussed at some length.
It never fails to amaze me that in cricket, if a team doesn’t review a not out decision, and it’s proven to have been out, everyone just accepts it as being the fault of the captain for not reviewing, and gets on with the game.
I’m not sure football fans would be so forgiving.
For the last couple of seasons, the Doc had no competition for the right wing back swap. Well that`s all changed now.
Last night Traore finally seemed to come of age, as he transformed the momentum of the game in the second half. Not only did skin the hapless Luke Shaw time and time again, but his final balls into the box were far more reliable and telling.
Nuno`s patience is being well rewarded
Beautifully written report. You are as much an artist as the aptly named Ruben.
As for VAR, sadly, I think we will have to get used it taking the headlines for the rest of the season.
Don’t get me wrong – I think it has it’s place – in sorting out red cards and cases of violent conduct. It always struck me as odd that retrospective action against a player who got away with it in the game – effectively gives an advantage to the next few teams they play rather than the team who had been wronged in the first instance. VAR can undoubtedly help the refs get these right during the game.
But for penalty box decisions I think the price for getting marginal decisions right is too high. The pros of VAR – more penalties, and refs can chicken out of making clutch decisions knowing that Stockley Park will bail them out (are these actually pros?). The cons – fewer goals awarded from open play and the mutilation of moments of magic like that at Molineux last night.
Football must be, above all else, about entertainment. And as I value goals from open play and the unbridled joy derived there from, much more than penalty decisions (especially those that take 3 minutes to be given) I can’t support using VAR in its current form.
Hopefully not too many Wolves matches will be affected for the rest of the season -which, if this is the best I can hope for, doesn’t say much for VAR.
I have to take full credit for last night’s result.
I was in the Novotel elevator, on my way down for a pre match drink, when in pop Adama and Rui.
They both asked me for an autograph, but I didn’t have a pen, so they settled for a handshake.
These two guys were the main reason we got a point, as well as Ruben, of course, because the CFH magic obviously rubbed off on them, and they were inspired!
Robert Plant also accosted me before the game, insisting on a selfie, and afterwards, Steve Daley hunted me down to shake my hand.
Didn’t see John Richards though!
A thoroughly deserved point, despite all the Manure possession.
Pogba showing his true value once again, and 80 million for a one legged donkey?
You’re having a laff!
I have not been in the North Bank for many a year, totally lost my voice, and so wonderful to sing and chant as of old.
Billy Quiet, wake up, it’s more fun than snoozing through a match!!
In all, a fabulous weekend, meeting up with fellow bloggers and friends.
Happy Wanderer, who for once, was.
The Melksham Mafia, Doogle and Sue.
Stuwolf and Jen.
Lord and Lady Twix
Big Mark.
Barbie and Dougie.
Mr. & Mrs. Lowves
Tentman Brompto,
Newark the plastic.
Bedders.
Andrew Hadley.
And of course, the world famous Cheeseburger.
Also, a big hallo and welcome to our newest member, Dallas Bob and his lovely lady wife, whose name I think I remember, but don’t want to be rude by mis spelling, so I will refer to her as Mrs. Dallas Bob!
Another glorious week spent in England, made sweeter by the extra game I snuck in, the Europa thrashing of Armenia.
Back home tomorrow, thank you one and all.
Safe journey home Clive. Was great to catch up with you the other night for a beer or two and a chat. I was surprised that we were able to come up with a sensible two way conversation given the juvenile nature of most of our contributions on here ! Oh well. I’m just off out for yet more beer prior to seeing a band who have long been heroes of mine. Legendary punks Stiff Little Fingers. Must have seen them 50 times down the years and they get better with age. Although singer Jake Burns voice has lost a bit of its venom! Look forward to all the Fingers classics like Suspect Device, Alternative Ulster, Johnny Was, Nobody’s Heroe etc etc. Good job I booked tomorrow off work !
Great summary Ben, poetry in motion, or whatever the writing equivalent is!
Pogba dived in my opinion. Coady let his heel stray and Pogba gobbled up the chance. We talk about goal-scoring opportunities, well there are diving opportunities as well. Something dark must go in in these top clubs when they sign a youngster from Swansea and the first thing he does is dive, albeit exceedingly badly. He should have been sent packing on his next offence. I would have loved seeing Gary Neville blow a gasket. The stupid and long-winded discussion by Man U-obsessed Sky about the penalty would not have happened if Pogba had scored.
Jiminez worked his socks off as always and what a header he almost scored from, surpassed only by Neves’s sublime goal. Then the VAR nonsense, because we had the temerity to score? The ref gave a goal but the video ref thought it was a clear and obvious error. You could almost sense Gary Neville’s crossed fingers, he was probably praying, please god it’s offside.
Doc’s clear incapacity let Traore on early, instead of at 85 minutes. What a blessing in disguise! Traore came on like a man possessed. He made some defenders look like clowns. He’s like a new signing. Masterstroke by Nuno converting him to wing back.
‘A draw, featuring one glorious goal, seemed fair.’
Got to disagree. There were two glorious goals and even though I wasn’t very happy to see one of them go in you have to give Martial (the Eddie Murphy lookalike) credit for getting his shot off a fraction of a second before Big Willy could get across to block.
Otherwise I note that Bennett is getting a lot of flack today which is a little unfair. Its not that ManU targetted him Batth-like but, as the pre-match analysts pointed out, both Martial and Rashford have a tendency to drift out to the left meaning he was often left outnumbered and not helped by Doc being clearly under the weather.
Kudos to Moutinho who constantly reminded his colleagues to keep their shape when we were under pressure in the first half and to Traore who, (together with our high press), changed the nature of the match. On the basis of his short cameo I suspect we may have another game-changer in Neto and finally I’m sure I don’t need to say anything more about Neves’ goal…
Another lovely piece of writing from the Samuel Taylor Coleridge of The Wolves Blog.
Ruben’s goal was pure poetry and lifted the soul (and the Molineux roof) when it scudded, as in a dream, past the outstretched fingers of de Gea, thudded off the crossbar and into the United net.
VAR did it’s best to ruin the moment but it will still live in my memory as long as I have the facility to remember.
Which is more than the first half will – because, not to put too fine a point on it, we were bloody awful!!!!
Bad decision making, atrocious passing, muscled off the ball, not pressing and generally very poor.
But at half time Nuno once again proved what a superb judge of the game he is.
Doherty was obviously struggling, but… to bring on a maverick who isn’t known for defending, falls over for fun, can’t pass the ball and doesn’t know what to do with it when he gets to the byline didn’t really seem like a bright idea to me after being outplayed in the first half by a United side who moved the ball quickly and with no little intelligence.
What do I know!!!
Have we just witnessed the moment when all of Nuno’s coaching and cajoling is about to pay off?
I think we might have done.
Adama was like a man possessed and Shaw and the rest of the United defence were running scared.
And he dragged the rest of the team up by their bootlaces to match the Manchester men.
Then came the Neves goal, and the Patricio save and the electric running of Neto which sent this particular Wolves fan back to the hotel with a grin as wide as the Steve Bull.
Great to meet up with all the usual suspects again, and two new fans we met, Andrew and Sue, who it turns out are virtually our next door neighbours (well Bath anyway which is close enough).
A lovely couple of days.
Just one more thing.
At The Novotel on Sunday evening, Clive presented the PMDG’er and myself with a mysterious parcel which he made us promise not to open until we got back home.
He just said it was “For our ‘lovely’ pond”.
Well, it turns out that it’s a giant (5 foot) inflatable Duck which comes with an electric pump which has a two pin plug and requires a step down converter to work in the UK.
I DO love that man but he’s a reet silly bugger.
I attach a picture of me trying to blow it up.
When I’ve finished I’ll post another one.
About time that they actually gave us a game
Even if it was only for 45 minutes
I heard that they were a good side once , it was nice to see them actually play even if it has took 4 previous attempts
V A R is horrible and it’s ruining the game
Get rid of it !
Off to Turin in the morning
We’re on our way
We’re on our way ….
Great write up Benny boy… I’m in awe just sitting next to a media mogul.
I’m always impressed with Nunos humility when he acknowledges how tough Utd were….. less so with Solskjaer as he continues to believe that his team should have slaughtered us and that they played so badly in the second half that was the reason they only managed a draw.
Well bollox Ole….. up yours … four games on the trot and still you’re finding excuses because you haven’t put one over us…..and as for the tv pundits …. take off your tinted top six glasses boys.
VAR continues to be a concern and I for one can’t believe that there was a possibility that Neves’ wonder goal mark II might have been chalked off.
VAR should be for clear and obvious referee errors or omissions…. like the alleged stamp on Jota.
All in all a great point against a much improved Utd side carrying an £80 million pound cart horse…
A big ‘safe journey home Clive ‘ …. hope you enjoyed Blighty for the past few days…. and a photo bomb with Robert Plant a great memory…..
Great write up & cant add much to the comments re the match & “that goal”
But got home to watch the highlights & the post match on Man Utd TV or do it Fekin seemed.
Gary Neville I sincerely hope Salford City (what Fekin City) FO get Manure in the Cup – then we might get a none Manure post match.
PS this morning Sky’s channel 409 was again full of shite about Manure & who should take a peno
Can’t wait till we have an ex-Wolves pundit in a few years time giving the post match when we’ve become Champion League winners.
Proper FOwb, manure, VAR, new rules, Harry Blockhead, Gary Ne-vile and Sky Sports News & current punditry. 🙂
I’m sitting here in Torino at silly o’clock, after watching a pulsating 2nd half display at the Golden Palace that certainly entertained me and some fat bloke in a Wolves T’shirt who reckons he used to stand next to me on my beloved Norff bank. Don’t believe it myself, he couldn’t even find the toilets.
Anyway on to the game.
I’m not going to give VAR any heed, a small interruption in good second half performance. United had done their homework on us and did to us in the first half what we did to them in the second. First half they targeted poor old billy no mates Ryan, he was left wanting as Doherty was clearly struggling from something which I’m told happened in the warm up.
Then we did the same to Shaw in the second so it all made for a good game, twice Traore fell over with pressure of three or four markers, only to come out of the challenge with the ball, Christ, he’s bloody fast.
We had some great opportunities to sew it up, so did Utd. What a beautiful chipped header from Raul, which on another day would have gone in, a couple of howlers from Traore in front of goal, if he could shoot like he runs twists and turns we would have another Ronaldo on our hands. Then that magnificent save from Rui, they can say what they like in the sky commentary box, Pogba fired a belter, but Rui did his homework and went the right way. Great save.
Neves’s goal was to die for, from the moment it was passed to him the resulting goal was never in doubter, one of those slow motion, heart stopping pieces of action from Neves yet again. After the game he stated, “they had looked at Man U, spotted a weakness in their defence and exploited it” well, they certainly did. The fat bloke from Hastings and me were left in ruptures, hugging and dancing like two 18 year olds on the wooden terraces of the cowshed.
So on to Torino.
The weather here is great 29*C, that was 8pm. Tomorrow, (today) it’s supposed to be unbroken sunshine.
See attached picture of the Lowves twins and my Jen de Wolf minutes (and I mean minutes) before Ken was struck down by a dodgy prawn sandwich bought at B/Ham airport which gave him raging food poisoning, resulting in an Ambulance being called but thankfully, turned away.
Mrs Lowves, Jen de Wolf and I are donning our masks, gowns and wellies to get him on his feet ready for Thursday. Hope to see some of our usual away fans milling around Torino over the next couple of days, also hope to bump in to Matt, (London loyal).
Onwards and Upwards
A thing of beauty, a joy to behold…
Enjoy over and over again.
https://mobile.twitter.com/wolves/status/1163585635548114944
And one for the Utd fans.
https://mobile.twitter.com/wolves/status/1163720321633005568
Bit late posting this, no excuse, just busy catching up with recorded MNF. Almost but not quite as good as being there. Being there also included meeting up with Mark and Clive so plenty of laughs, also Andrew, Doug and Barbara, special welcome to Dallas Bob and Priya (?) who contradict everything you thought you knew about Texans.
Good luck to the lucky souls making the trip to Turin. Hope it’s a good game, 3-0 will do nicely.
I managed to get a ticket in the North Bank at A219 @ NU7.
Fantastic view and atmosphere.
Agree with all the points made, Doc looked well under the weather and didn’t win one ball to him, hope he gets better for the next match.
Adama was amazing, fastest guy on the pitch (35kph), as anyone noticed how much better he had become since he tries to beat players on the inside rather than the outside?
One minor problem for me was I went to the Novatel to see the bloggers but I didn’t recognise anyone, although I saw the team and Nuno going through the foyer to the team coach whilst having a coffee, thanks to the security guard for letting me into the hotel when I mentioned the Wolves blog.
Well, I enjoyed the game; even the first half. A few of our boys looked out of sorts and we did not seem able to press enough. Utd came out determined not to give us any time on the ball and I said to my neighbour that if we could hold out on the initial onslaught we would come good during the second half. I felt that Doc was nowhere near right and our passing seemed strangely adrift, yet Man U were short on creating clear chances; they looked good, were working hard, but failed at the sharp end apart from one very good goal. I was not happy with the penalty decision where I had a good view and Pogba made the most beautiful of dives, suckering Coady somewhat and brushing his outstretched leg after some movement towards it; clever boy! He bought the penalty in the accepted modern manner and little blame belongs to the ref, who, I thought, had a good game. I have to smile to hear the pundits obsession with Man U; was there another team there? `Who should take the penalty nonsense; it was well taken but the save was really outstanding; the adjustment of his hands to the flight of the ball was incredible and going the right way was useful, whilst keeping his one foot in the right place to avoid the VAR rulings was technically perfect.
I am a big fan of VAR and have wanted it for years due to the speed of the modern game and the expertise of cheating nowadays, but the ineptness of the rule makers is staggering and leading to a backlash against a good idea in my view. Offside needs to be judged on the position of the feet not the length of your nose or where your shoulder is. The technology is not able to judge to within the finest of measurements regarding when the ball is struck and relative positions of limbs and parts on the pitch at any time yet, so a clearer distance of overstepping and that being of the foot needs to be used in my opinion; Shoulder, bah humbug! I would choose the foot being beyond the defender’s back foot, but would be open to other patently sensible suggestions.
Should start Cutrone in Turin. Great story and our fans in Italy deserve to see it (we are huge in Italy).
Would be the number one story in Italian sports if he were to score a goal, even though it is a different team. Put him in line for an Italian call-up.
Don’t get too far ahead of yourself, Tim.
Gutted. WOLVES Tv crashed.
Glad it’s not just me then! Can’t access anything, assuming we get a refund.
Currently watching it in Italian off a YouTube link from sky Italy!
Excellent performance overall but Vinaigre certainly needs to brush up his defensive work (didn’t track his man for the first never mind the needless penalty give away) and Traore needs to learn that you don’t attempt to dribble with the ball just outside your own penalty box. So, so dangerous going forward though.
It came back on in time for me to see the first goal.
Wolves TV in Melksham worked fine.
Entertaining game and impressive stuff from us, but a bit worried by Dendoncker who was really off, Saiss who seemed half asleep and Vinagre who looked a bit dicky in defence.
Traore is gradually getting there though, isn’t he.
I agree about Dendonker tonight. A bit of a liability at times. Shame they got a second goal, but 3 away is great.
I watched on my phone on a you tube link too. But turned sound down and listened to commentary on radio WM. Trouble was you tube stream was 2 minutes behind radio commentary so I knew the goal was coming !. Very happy with a 3-2 win in Italy. If we get one at Molineux they need 3. All in all a great Italian job. But remember ‘ don’t blow the bloody doors off’ ! Suspect Nuno will have all the big guns lined up for the second leg to ensure smooth passage to group stage. But this is Wolves. As we all know and love……….
Paid my fiver but couldn’t watch, couldn’t even get onto the site, so finally resorted to Hesgoal. Got the second half, and what an eventful half it was.
Overjoyed with a lead, any lead, after the away leg, and happy with the performance of all the team. Hey, you go to Italy against a top Serie A team and score three 3, you gotta be happy.
The dream lives on. It is a dream right???
Hi all, newbie here and a bit late to the party as we just got home from holiday. Attended my first Wolves match (flew over from U.S.), my first PL match and it was great. Had a few concerns in the first half, but that second half was proper football! Met some very nice people (CFH and the Happy Wanderer) and a couple of the players in the hotel lobby. Great experience all around and I hope to be able to do it again and meet more of you.
I’ve read a few of the comments regarding VAR and my initial thought is that it can be a slippery slope once it’s introduced. Here in the U.S. it’s referred to as “replay” and it can just kill the flow of a game (and our games – American football and baseball – don’t need any help in that department). Sometimes it seems they look at everything (did his finger brush against his jersey? Let’s look at it from a million angles. Just brutal! Where does it end?) Back in the day, we looked at as “you win some, you lose some” and that it would all even out in the end. BUT having said that I do believe VAR has its place. Just gotta watch that slope.
To the administrators, thank you. I think I’ve figured it out.