Our present predicament!

[theplater]

Joao Moutinho is arguably the finest footballer I've ever seen wear the Wolves shirt! It's a close call between him and Kenny Hibbitt but I'm beginning to wonder if the number of top class games he's played hasn't started catching up with him. I've seen him commit more fouls this season purely because he hasn't quite been quick enough to keep upto speed in a challenge. Sure, his passing ability and set piece routines are still of the highest level, it just seems he's a yard off the pace this year.

At the moment we are so devoid of creating from midfield. For the past two seasons we could count on Joao and Neves finding a defence splitting pass or simply just a moment of brilliance, neither have really done that this season. It has got to the point now where we can't really afford to play them both in the same side. Neves seems to play to deep, protecting the back 4 and we only have one box to box midfielder, Dendonker, and although he covers more ground than any other player he doesn't get the goals he should despite getting into the right positions.

For the past two seasons we've been a breath of fresh air in the Premier League. Our 3 at the back with attacking wingbacks leading our counter attacking style have been a pleasure to watch, and exciting to watch but this season has been the complete opposite. We don't look exciting, we don't look like a counter attacking side that's going to create the chances, in fact we've looked downright clueless and boring to watch! Yes, I can find a few excuses. The injury to Jonny was a huge set back and he hasn't even been closely replaced, and losing Jinenez seems to have drained us of confidence of scoring goals. I'm not going to lay the blame at the sales of Jota and Doherty. Jota hadn't been starting for us towards the end of last season and Neto was showing all the signs of being an even better player, and to be fair he still has. Neto is the one big plus this season, for such a young player he is so talented. Doherty got us a few goals, which so far Somedo hasn't managed to replicate but Doc was no better at defending than Semedo. Far too often he got caught out man side. Semedo started slowly but over the last few games has looked, to me anyway, why he played over 100 games for Barcelona. Also, I'm not prepared to lay the blame at playing so many games, over a whole 12 months last season. Yes, the lack of a decent break after such a long season might have drained some energy but it doesn't excuse them for the lack of creativity or the lack of the basics like giving the ball away far too easily!

For the first time since Nuno's been here he's 'tinkered' this season. I don't know whether it was because for the first time he couldn't select Coady for the Southampton game, due to him isolating over Covid, but since then he's seemed determined to continue with a back four, until Chelsea last week that is when for the first time since that Southampton game he reverted to the back 3/5 and we looked defensively sound for the first time since Coady wasn't selected.

There is a dilemma here for me. Although we have looked far too leaky in defence playing with a back four, undoubtedly we have created a lot more chances going forward. I actually think Nuno has only reverted to a back 5 due to our present position in the league. I think he'd prefer to try to make a back 4 work. This is where I don't think we have the personnel to play this way defensively, despite Nuno continually stating the solutions are there within the current squad! Clearly they are not!

This is, undoubtedly, a crazy season, and I'm sure the lack of fans and atmosphere in stadia is affecting every club. I'm sure when there are crowds the players can feel the passion, the joy, the anxiety and anger...and they respond to that. For the last 4 years the Wolves players have felt, for the most part the joy and the passion, and it's driven them on. The passion of Nuno and his backroom staff whenever we score, and of course, at the end of a game after a win with Nuno walking to the Southbank pumping his fists. He is one of us! I miss it. Badly!

At the minute I don't think we're in desperate trouble. The bottom 3 seem either to keep losing, or at least sharing the points but we do desperately need a win, and a convincing one at that, if for nothing else just to get some confidence back into the squad!

[WOODLANDSWOLF]

Great post Plates. As you say though so many factors, all negative, influencing this season that it is difficult and would probably be unfair to stick the pin in anyone or thing and say this is it the one that is dragging us down.

For me the midfield is certainly a huge problem. To some extent it was irrelevant when we were at our best with a strong effective back five, Neves spraying the ball around with Jiminez and Jota performing wonders we didn't need a conventional midfield, in fact we didn't even contest this area of the field. For a number of reasons it has all changed now though.

For me we desperately need a couple of creative, aggressive midfielders along the lines of Madison or Mount. Maybe we already have one if Neves was pushed further forward. Moutinho, a great player, but let's face it his best days are long gone now, too slow and predictable. But again it does not help that there is little movement in front of him, although with the addition of Jose that may change.

We still have the basis of a good squad in there, Neto is looking good, Samedo better every week and Jose up front with hopefully Jiminez on the way back. Just need to sort the midfield, become more imaginative and forward looking in this area and see the season out safely and get a new start next time round.

[Greavseywolf]

not going right at all is it ?

losing doc and jota ( how many goals did they score/assist ? ) to spurs and pool , plus the jonny injury is in my mind
the main reasons of the decline.
players brought in to replace them are not in the same class.silva is proving to be a costly mistake
and semedo just keeps making mistakes..being negative ?? no it is how it looks to me.
been mentioned that there are no defence splitting passes , and quite right too.
donc has gone off the boil , podence , traore have one good game in ten , even coady looks out of sorts.

on the bright side , neto , boly , rui and saiss look solid, and kilman is now looking the part

it has been said that if we keep possession of the ball the oppo can't score, but if we keep going
sidewards/backwards then we can't score either.

we simply do not look like an attacking team any more

[abbobrom]

I can't disagree with a lot of the comments above. We are all frustrated at the moment, and I am sure that having no crowds is affecting some of our performances. Injuries haven't helped, and many of the young lads have been asked to do a job that they are not really ready for yet.

It was recorded as being a season of change, well that is an understatement. We sold Doherty to Spurs, and he is getting pelters from there fans. Jota had become a bit part player, very rare he completed 90 minutes. He started off a storm at Liverpool but is now out injured. The big blow of course was Jimenez, it just goes to show what he brought to the team. Jose looks as if he could help to close that gap.

The whole team look shell shocked at the moment, and only a confidence boosting win will put that right. Arsenal on Tuesday evening would be a good start. I think four wins before the end of the season would put us safe, as I think that this season, 35 point will be difficult to achieve for the current bottom three.

All players go through a bad patch at some point in the season, but we seem to have a few who are hitting it at the same time.

Keep the faith...... Out of Darkness cometh Light.

[theplater]

Yes, I agree Abbo about the points target. It might be even less than that but 4 wins should see us safe.

[WOODLANDSWOLF]

Brighton about to beat Spurs!?