I’d begun to forget what it’s like to be annoyed after a Wolves game.
The aching sense of disappointment that follows such a listless performance is something we’ve not experienced on too many occasions over the last three years.
For that reason, we can of course forgive Nuno’s charges for having an off day.
They have been excellent this season, as well all know.
And credit to Arsenal and Mikel Arteta, who arrived with a game plan and executed it meticulously.
That being said, it’d be wrong to ignore the clear and obvious failings that were on show this afternoon.
This was probably our worst performance since the early season shellacking at the hands of Chelsea.
Wolves were uncharacteristically meek in their approach, failing to turn up in the first half and scarcely improving in the second.
Once the Gunners had got to grips with Matt Doherty’s questionable Rory Delap impersonation, they didn’t need to do much to keep us at bay.
With Adama and Raul both off the pace, there wasn’t much attacking impetus on show.
And though we huffed and puffed at the beginning of the second half, you never really got the feeling that we were going to turn the game on its head.
With Lacazette’s smart finish ending our hopes of a turnaround, attention turns to a crucial trip to Bramall Lane.
We tend to respond well to a setback, so let’s hope we’re celebrating again before Wednesday’s out.
We lived and died by the sword.
For three games we sat back, did nothing in the first half and turned up the heat in the second to get the win.
The only difference today is Arsenal had that little bit of confidence and quality in the final third to punish this passive approach.
Again we were fast out of the blocks in the second half, but I felt Nuno’s changes were premature and seemed to disrupt our rhythm. Traore doesn’t want to play at wingback and his body language showed that. Even with the extra attacker on in Neto, the attack looked blunted.
Doc wasn’t having his best game but he facilitates Adama getting into the positions we need him in which is always our most likely route to goal. Additionally, Doc is the only player, other than Jimenez, who gets himself into the box to connect with a cross. Didn’t agree with taking him off.
I’m glad you credited Arsenal in the write-up Ben because they were well prepared and put in a proper team performance. I looked at their lineup beforehand and thought they were there for the taking, but they’ve sacrificed household names for work ethic and balance. They were good value for the win.
Hopefully we recover and still finish above them.
Sheffield Utd certainly won’t play on the back foot so that should be another good examination.
Let’s see what Nuno does for the next game at Bramhall Lane because for me we need to go for it now all guns blazing. We are dining in the Champions League last chance saloon. Lose this game and it is all over. Still got the top six to aim for of course. Which in itself would be a remarkable achievement. Our season started about 158 years ago. Credit to the manager and players all the way through. No moaning. No groaning. Just happy to be there. We are still in with a shout. Europa league to come as well. I know it is boring to keep harping back to March 2017. Desperately hanging on. 1-0 at home via Rotherham. But that is how far we have come. We are still on the march.
I felt a bit guilty predicting a 2-1 defeat today but had noticed a few misplaced passes were creeping into our play recently even though we had won three on the trot against the lower placed teams. Arsenal were never going to be easy to beat. I would not criticise NES under any circumstances but was annoyed to say the least. The only good thing to come out of todays game was that I moved up to second in our prediction league…!
I know I’m a little off topic. But, Neves was brilliant today. Has been since about November – when he stopped essentially being a center back.
I’m not sure if there will be a way to keep him. I’m guessing there will be significant offers
Arsenal deserved the win .This was a bad day at the office .Still it is the first loss since Liverpool which we did not deserve to lose so I am not too downhearted .
I do think we need to upgrade Saiss in defence and we lack a proper attacking midfield player .That is for the future .For the present we need to try to get going again on Wednesday and get a result .I think Champions League is a step too far for the team as it is now and would be more than content with another Europa League place straight to the group stage if we could manage that .
First off, with apologies to no one, I hate that term “a bad day at the office”
Second off, we were not that good.
Arsenal lacked any kind of flair and were there for the plucking, but we didn’t show up.
At all.
Not one player can hold up his head and say they had an ok game.
All the talk about not looking at the table, not thinking about Champions League, etc etc is total bollocks.
Of course they do, they are human like the rest of us.
So, Dr. Nuno, we love you to bits and will not criticize, too much, but is it time to go to a plan C?
If a journeyman manager like Arteta can figure out how to beat us, with his plodding lot, I’m sure others can.
I feel you need to be like Del Boy and always have something else up your sleeve.
Come Wednesday, can we attack like Kami Kazi pilots from the off, instead of easing ourselves into the game, and put the shits up Sheffield?
Please?
Today was a classic example of why home advantage has been totally nullified by that covid bloke.
The crowd would have been so vociferous the players would not have dared to screw up.
When we play really well and still get beat, then hats off to the opposition for winning.
When we don’t try, like today, then the players deserve a right royal bollocking.
In 90 minutes, all the good work over the last two weeks has been undone.
Agree. Teams know that Saiss is dodgy and notice the ways teams focus so much attacking down on the right. Good teams have worked out our tactic of ponderous safety first in the first half. Why not now play Kilman in defence? Have a look at the creative midfielder Jordao.
I think it’s a little rough saying saisse is dodgy Richard tbh
We have a fantastic defensive record in the hardest league in the world ,
Just my opinion of course but now is a time to stick together because we are in a fantastic position with five games to go and we have conceded 2 goals in 360 minutes,
Can’t be bothered to google but I’m guessing that’s right up there as far a defensive form goes and odds are we bounce back Wednesday
Come on you wolves
I thought that Saiss was ok yesterday, Coady and Boly were too far apart, and neither of them played well.
An off day too for Jimenez and Traore., Jota should have started.
Hindsight .
Ive got lots of that at the moment and whether its right or not i dont care
Nuno got it wrong . Arsenal were there for the taking and he should have gone for the jugular from the off…. they would have buckled.
Instead he played his new tactic of sit back and wait which has worked against the lesser teams but all that happened was they grew in stature and confidence .
The first goal was well taken but a tad lucky with the deflection and it all changed when adama should have leathered it for the equaliser but chipped it instead .
after that arsenal knew they had us even when the subs came on not a lot really changed.
this was our chance to show those biased media twats what we can do and we blew it.
So lesson learnt and on to sheffield which should be a much more open game but probably even tougher than this one.
Sorry to come back in. But I think Nuno is over doing the clean sheet stuff. If you think back to the immense attacking style of the Chsmpionship and some substantial games in the Prem when we sat there wide eyed and not believing what we were seeing. It is obviously in there. I think we have been a bit sterile lately . Nuno has to find the balance between solid defence and attacking flair. It is there. We have seen it.
Wow. That was an inept performance to say the least… Guess it shows how far we have come that we are disappointed that 4th in the league was in our grasp…. Chaps, 5 years ago we would not have dreamt that in our wildest dreams. Disappointed, frustrated, annoyed but, hey we have come along way…. Still pi**ed off though.
That’s over. Now for the trip up North to Sheffield.
We must not lose our patience. We are nowhere near where we need to be to compete in the Champions League…… yet. But this is only our second year in the Prem under Fosun. We have time. There will also be changes to the playing staff…… there will.
There were , a couple of errors today:
A) The ongoing theory that we use the first half for containment and up the ante in the second half. Football is a 90 minute game not 45 minutes.
B) The formation 352 does not currently suit Tarore. He is not a central player, but a wide player (at the moment) .
With all of our rivals winning, this was not a good day.
Onwards to
Wednesday.
I agree. It seems to me that if Traore is to start a game it has to be as a wide man in a 3-4-3 formation, where he can use his pace to spread the opposition. Starting in a 3-5-2 formation he can be relatively easily contained and his talents nullified by a well organized defense, such as that posed by Arsenal
For now I believe that Traore is best used as an impact sub, coming on at around 60 minutes, when he can use his amazing pace to attack tiring legs.
But overall I agree with most of the posts on display today. The game is of 90 minutes duration, and we cannot continue to adopt such a passive, almost negative approach in the first half. It would be good to see us return to a more attacking style of play from the outset — we certainly have the talent to do this.
Arteta came with a plan and we let it work. Part of that plan was to stifle Traore and largely they succeeded. Arsenal played at their best and Wolves didn’t.
It seemed to be a case less of physical tiredness, more of mental lethargy.
But let us not forget we are competing for a top four place and we got where we are by being very good. Even Liverpool have the odd off day. So we brush ourselves down and comeback stronger.
Story of my life this one.
Decided to watch Norwich in the hope they would pull Brighton back near the relegation zone to make it, three of the long journey teams To go down, (Norwich, Brighton and Boringmouff)
Norwich didn’t turn up.
Decided to watch Crystal Palace beat Leicester I really liked watching Palace over the years with their attacking slick fast moving game.
They didn’t turn up.
Chose not to watch Utd but instead, see Palace turn over Leicester thus missing 7 Goals.
Finally Wolves were going to give us a bit of hope of joining the elite in the CL, We were the team with a full weeks break. Alas, sadly to compound my shitty footballing day, they didn’t turn up either.
I’m obviously still fuming at it all because it’s 4-30 am and I’m still mulling it over writing this.
On to Sheff Utd, Chris Wilder has done a brilliant job there, my only consolation is, we Can’t play that bad again. Can we?
Definitely not worth staying up till 2 am for but on the plus side, big arsenal were doggedly hanging on the their lead against little old wolves
Had they lost today their season would have almost been over so this was d day for them and them and a few others would like to be in our position right now with 5 games to go
Sheffield will be tough but I think they will fancy it and that will then give us more of chance of winning
We may also benefit from a few games in quick time as the squad if fully fit so we can freshen things up a tad here and there
I’m going to enjoy the rest of this season regardless of today’s result
We have 9 from 12 since the restart and I’d have taken that a few weeks ago
Come on you wolves
Not wishing to upset Clive, I have to say:-
“That was a very much less than good 24 hours at the place of work”.
As a team we were collectively pretty awful and Arsenal were collectively… a collective.
Right from the start, when Conor’s usual lovely long diagonal passes were disappearing off the radar, the alarm bells began ringing.
And, at the end, when we looked like we were playing our third game in two days and couldn’t put a pass to a man Old Gold, it was toe curlingly bad to watch.
I nearly did the equivalent of leaving five minutes before the end of the game and switching off the telly (Well, I did have to beat the crowds to get my beer out of the ‘fridge).
But I stayed to the bitter end and, at the end, I was surprisingly sanguine about it, because it was a game that Arsenal won and we lost.
We will lose games at times. We weren’t unlucky, we didn’t have a ridiculous VAR decision go against us.
It happens.
On a more constructive note, I hope that Nuno has learnt that Adama is 100% more effective on the wing than in the middle, and that, against the better teams, we need to be much more proactive, much earlier.
Onwards to Sheffield.
Put this down to a bad day at the office.
…Oh! Bugger, I said it.
Regarding the decision to use Traore as a striker. He does not at present have
the knowledge or sufficient skill to undertake this role. He needs space in front of him to attack which he can do so sublimely. Of course , on occasions , he can drift inside and pick up in midfield space but the flank is where he belongs. I lost count of the number of times he was dumped on his backside and sat looking bewildered .
So, the decision did not make the best of his ability. Consequently it reduced the opportunities for Jiminez to attack the goal, and presented fewer opportunities for the likes of Cody, Neves to find passes to him.
I am optimistic that Nuno will learn from this.
I was one who was desperate to see Traore up top attacking defenders around the box so I’m not going to criticise the special one for a second,
I was pleased to see the change tbh and let’s be honest, 6 inches higher with his first touch and we would hav e been 1-0 in the first minute.
Nuno is mixing it up
These are the building blocks for next year and for the record , I believe we are finishing top six this year and we still haven’t even seen the potential of jordao- podense
Utw
a bad day up the orifice……. ARSEnal
It was, for sure, a disappointing performance, but every team has them once in a while and we don’t have many. This one was as much down to Arsenal’s ability as our own failings and they seem to be a club on the rise to me.
It always makes it tough when we fall behind and we never really looked like breaking through their increasingly comfortable defence. This week it was us that huffed and puffed like our opposition in recent games, but we never looked like taking complete control of matters.
Nay mind, our blips are generally very short lived and I’m hoping for a big improvement next time out.
Spot on- every team has a fall in standards on occasion and you just can’t rationalise why. That’s the beauty of sport, two teams trying to gain control and the initiative. The mark of Nuno’s team is our ability to regroup and react positively. Perhaps we, the fans, have been getting a bit ahead of ourselves? Tin hat time!
It happens perhaps that great write up in The Saturday Mail about us, put a curse on it.
On to Sheffield.
Wolves Aye We
Nominations for players who could hold there head up yesterday – Jonny and Neves.
Agree with a lot in these recent posts. We were set up to be knocked down yesterday if we weren’t on our game – and we weren’t.
Did any pundit select Arsenal to win yesterday (other than Mildenhall). Arsenal had a bit of a free hit yesterday and they knocked us out of the ground. In hindsight tactics could have been improved upon, but individuals need to accept they had a bad day. Lord Moutinho did not hit a decent corner or free-kick all day – can’t believe I just wrote that. Coach’s pass stats must be the worst of the season.I
Note: Can we please dump the long throw, we are better than that.
Also, can we now acknowledge that although Jota’ s finishing radar needs a little adjusting, the work he does in rattling defenders when he receives the ball with his back to goal justifies his starting place every week.
Arsenal are a team on the rise. Saka and Nketiah look good prospects and this was a gutsy humble performance against a side they clearly respected.
We never lose two games on the run and we will be hurting, so there’s a few more twists in this tale yet. But whatever the outcome, it has been a great season.
Jackomac. I think you might find that Chalkie predicted 0-2.
Apologies – as usual Wolves fans more cloud up than the salaried pundits
*clued up or perhaps clued in not cloud
Agree with the comments & likewise it was a disappointment but we can’t really judge them too harshly given the season so far.
Defensive blips by all the back three, Boly guilty of 2 that leaked one but could’ve been 2 goals but for Neves’s goaline clearance. However I back these guys to come back strongly against Sheffield Utd on Wednesday.
Will there or should there be changes? Well Jimenez & Traore up top didn’t seem to work out, so Jota from the start for me. I like Dendoncker so would have him in midfield with Adama coming on 2nd half. The other question is what about Podence? Can he offer something a bit different to unsettle teams who seem to be getting used to us.
I also didn’t like the Delap lite long throws, but I’ll stop moaning! Up the Wolves!
Apparently Podence is in two weeks quarantine after coming back from Portugal.
So he’s not gonna be available for many league games.
And also apparently, according to Stu, Eintracht Frankfurt sanitize their balls at half time.
No wonder that bloke covid is not seen too much over there, we only wash our hands!
Tinker.
Yes cheers for that he will be out of action due to going home. Saw the masked up Nathan Judah & Joe Edwards explain! Maybe get Jordan in as someone else has suggested?
Jordao
Apparently Podence had to go home to Portugal because of family reasons and will have to quarantine on his return.
Sorry Clive, didn’t see that you had already posted this!
Apology not needed, but accepted anyroad!!
Never seen such hype over a player as I have for greenwood @ United and no doubt the young English lad at arsenal who scored yesterday, and I’m happy for both of them but seriously, Neto is right up there and the only difference is, he can’t get into our first team just yet,
Just wait until Neto gets man of the match in the Europa final and Barcelona are sniffing around with 50 mill
Come on you wolves
Well the media, including MOTD, love to discover this week’s best thing ever. Stones, Jeffers, Rodwell Barkley anyone. The list goes on. Hope the kids live up to the hype but the chances are they won’t.
Still put out – roll on Wednesday hopefully get it out of my mind
Never showed up, slow start – again
played very very slowly we never really gave it a go which when you lose makes it worse
Back to playing every 3/4 days which seems to be better for them
Can say players should have been in different positions but none of them deserve more than 5 out of 10
Woefull
Never let it be said that I carry a grudge but enjoying a sense of schadenfreud (is that how you spell it) watching Klischenko having a nightmare against Southampton. Thankfully we have Jonny!
Not only do we have a Jonny but also a Big Willy.
I guess this one hurts a little more than usual simply because of all the other results yesterday. Yes, we weren’t good but having said that we had them on the back foot for long periods of the 2nd half having been largely out-muscled in midfield in the first. Which was strange as effectively we had 3 central midfield players up against their two. The changes didn’t appear to help very much as we lost a little of our shape and discipline leading to their second goal. But thats what happens when you are chasing a game against very good opposition (which Arsenal still are). Lessons will be learnt and we will return stronger and wiser.
I spotted this from a deluded Villa fan on the Liverpool /Villa HYS on the BBC site. Along the lines of ‘had this been 1982 Villa would have won that’. The Vile were also on our HYS v Arsenal last night. Arrogant clowns saying how big they are. I pointed out that since 1910 they have won one league title. We have won 3. Because that is the sort of anorak I am. But media feel better any way!
I hate Villa fans esp on that HYS. I mean look at vile kitten!
Oh him. He reckons they are gonna win all 5 remaining games. Laughable. The other thing is they usually like to say Wolves mean nothing to them. Not even a rival. Yet they are clearly rattled and can’t wait to post their utter 1982 drivel. Arrogant knobs. They all live in Clent Halesowen and Worcester any way. True Brummies are Blues fans. And I hate them as well.
Yep, the words useless & tossers come to mind! I’ll be LMAO when they get relegated!
Should read ‘med me feel better’….
Ok perspective. Saints have done to man city what Arsenal did to us. In a way a real mark of respect to how far we have come.
Sorry but I blame Nuno.
352 or 343 or whatever you want to call our chosen formations, even with a weeks practice Traore is still a dodgy cf.
We have 13 or so proper first team players who need playing in their best positions if we’re to get the right results.
Playing a dodgy cf costs us a world class winger. As does an ordinary wing back.
Until we have the players to mess with our tried and tested systems we might be better sticking to what we know works.
I don’t usually add to the blog but I enjoy reading it. Thank you all!! I thought I’d be brave enough to post something because I’m lucky enough to be able to watch all the games in Texas and chat with my cousin in Wolves during the game. He lives close enough he can hear the roar! I have been a fan since the 70’s .
I don’t think we played that badly but Arsenal played better….simple as that. I enjoyed seeing some great skills at Wolves passing the ball at times. I thought they started well and I thought we might actually score in the first half. The commentators here said if games went on just first halves we would be at the bottom of the league.
I didn’t think Adama was good upfront. He seemed to trip up a lot like the past Adama.
I don’t think Boly has been quite the same since his injury?
One important thing that came out of the game was that Jota looked more like the Jota we know when he plays at his best. It seems he needs time to get his game on every start of the season and that goes for this “return “ to football.
I’m looking forward to the games ahead and my heart will always be with my team The Wolves!
Nice contribution Texas Wolfess. You dont need to be brave to post on this blog. Just post whenever you want. You are always welcome.
Thanks Cheeseburger. You have to believe me when I tell that a she wolf is just as big as a Wolves fan!! The games are a BIG part of my life!! Come on Wolves!
Which part of the great State of Texas you in, Wolfess?
Hey …. .. you’re married
…… and ugly.
Agree with much of the above, but it is a credit to us that we had an off day yet remained in this match until the final couple of minutes. For most of the game I didn’t think Arsenal were much better than us. Yes they had the game plan, were smart and took their chances. We had moments in the first half (more or as many as them), the Jonny shot and Donk header spring to mind. We had a spell after half time and if the Jota or Traore chance go in it’s a different game. But it’s fine margins, and that’s the difference at the top level. Agree with points above about Traore’s best position being out wide. Nuno seemed to get caught between wanting to keep it tight with Donk in the middle but also wanting to reward Traore for his recent impact. Big game now at Sheff U. Will probably define whether we are to finish above Arsenal and/or Spurs.
Not overly surprised at the result as I’ve felt a couple of players have been off their game since the start back. After a few minutes it seemed obvious that we were extremely `leggy` in my opinion, which was surprising considering Arsenal were the team that played midweek. However we could still have got something from the game barring the poor finishing. It was a strange performance bearing in mind how close to the top four we were; definitely lacked an edge. Arsenal, on reflection, were not that great and I can see us regretting this result unless we use it as a stick to get us up to speed. We’ll have to be much better on Wednesday or we can kiss that fourth position goodbye.At the moment I feel that it’s still very much there if we can find our usual form.
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Hmm is anyone else having problems with the pictures on this blog loading?
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