Pros and Cons - Wolves at home

[djbaldken]

The loss of Hamer/Brooks and COH - was glaring for all to see.

This.
With those three in this side we win that match.

 

[Champagneblade]

The game turned when Phillips went off and we changed shape to accommodate Cannon and Ayew.

With that, we relinquished the middle of the park and started to get dominated.

Arblaster was so much more affective been able to player higher, peck was box to box and KP was able to sit.

Donovan on for BBD and Riedeweld on for KP to maintain the shape would have been my choice.

It’s easy to be wise after the event; not a criticism of you but a general comment.

Both Cannon and Ayew got in positions to score. A slightly better decision making and the subs would have been lauded as a master stroke.

This game was just fine margins. Sort of game we won two years ago because we had Gus and others. It’s the sort of game that the owners/SCR is going to deprive us of.

But the fact we made it a close game should give us some heart.

 

[Davalon]

BBD is a carthorse. Don't know what's happened to him in recent years.

Kitching reminded me of JOC at times. Peck and Arblaster looked good first half.

Ayew must be the most unfit professional footballer going. Absolutely fucked within 5 minutes of coming on.

Change of system and a more encouraging performance but subs and switch in formation later on killed us.

 

[Edgar Allan Poo]

One of the cons for me was losing right at the end. That was a real bummer.

 

[Zeblades34]

Just find it incredible a lot of the players can't do 90 minutes. Very small few seemingly make it past 60/70 mins defenders and GK aside

 

[Champagneblade]

BBD is a carthorse. Don't know what's happened to him in recent years.

Kitching reminded me of JOC at times. Peck and Arblaster looked good first half.

Ayew must be the most unfit professional footballer going. Absolutely fucked within 5 minutes of coming on.

Change of system and a more encouraging performance but subs and switch in formation later on killed us.

I wonder whether that game pushing him towards 3-5-2 rather than 4-3-3?

The fact Kitching was able to get forward so well certainly was as welcome as it was unexpected. A couple of times he was on the byline crossing in.

I’ve advocated for 4-3-3 and a move to 5-3-2 or 5-3-1-1 but it will be interesting to see what Chris goes for.

Tanganga can get forward as well, though he rightly took a booking when he messed that part up!

 

[Geordie Blade]

Pros: Did quite well against a promotion favourite.

Cons: Being reasonably happy with doing quite well and losing without scoring at home in the Championship.


Given the opportunities we had from our wonderful position in 2020 (and given a second chance in 2023) there have been some very, very poor decisions by people who are paid a lot of money to be good at their job.

 

[Linz]

Pros: Kitching seemed to enjoy the space he was getting. Phillips was very handy. McCallum did a job. We actually looked like we had a plan.

Cons: Peck's increasing inability to pick out a man in a red and white shirt as the game went on. Fitness and all the niggly little injuries we seem to get are still a concern and we're already nearly at the first international break. The lack of thinking in trying to go like-for-like with subs when it became clear that Arblaster was going to have to come off with Hamza (who'd been hobbling for 10 minutes) when the game was there for the taking.

 

[blades_95]

Pros: We actually had a plan & a structure. Defended well overall. Blaster was given a weird RM role but did well to limit their LB. Kitching, Phillips & Peck all decent.

Cons: Our tendency to try and play ‘clever’ balls inside rather than clearing the danger & ending up giving the ball away - Choudhury being the main culprit. Baffling when we happily punt the ball forward for the rest of the game. Going forward we don’t seem to have a clear plan of how we want to create chances. We need Donovan & Seriki in this team ASAP, BBD & Choudhury look like poor signings. Fitness, again. Cannon scoring then being benched was also a strange one.

Overall a more positive showing in terms of us having a clear plan of what we wanted to do & restricting the opposition. Wilder’s challenge over the next few weeks is how do we balance that and pose a threat going forward.

 

[Guesty]

There was one that Bamford scored from eventually that I think the Kop assumed was for a foul on the keeper but we had at least 3 players offside when the kick was taken. Brain dead play from us.

We got caught offside at a free kick (from the initial delivery) in the first half too, and at least once against Norwich. It's a very annoying habit.

 

[Beans]

We got caught offside at a free kick (from the initial delivery) in the first half too, and at least once against Norwich. It's a very annoying habit.

Only Millwall have been caught offside more than us so far this season, which seems pretty hard to do given we also have the 3rd-lowest average possession.

 

[Guesty]

Only Millwall have been caught offside more than us so far this season, which seems pretty hard to do given we also have the 3rd-lowest average possession.

I didn't know that, but it absolutely doesn't surprise me.

 

[Vass Borbokis]

Pros - Limited opposition to a lot fewer oppurtunities than usual.

Cons - Never threatened the opposition whatsoever; the two shots on target were the Japh header first half and 25 yard weak foot scuff from Sydie.

 

[Bellypork]

United played well yesterday, as well as Wolves, but the problem is lack of pace up front.

That's not Wilder's fault, because players have been sold over his head.

IMO it was the first game in which the loss of those players was really felt.

 

[Nick Jansky]

United played well yesterday, as well as Wolves, but the problem is lack of pace up front.

That's not Wilder's fault, because players have been sold over his head.

IMO it was the first game in which the loss of those players was really felt.

The only player we have sold with any sort of pace is Brooks, and we have replaced him with Donovan who has similar pace.

 

[HeCanDoMagic]

It’s easy to be wise after the event; not a criticism of you but a general comment.

Both Cannon and Ayew got in positions to score. A slightly better decision making and the subs would have been lauded as a master stroke.

This game was just fine margins. Sort of game we won two years ago because we had Gus and others. It’s the sort of game that the owners/SCR is going to deprive us of.

But the fact we made it a close game should give us some heart.

Totally agree. But I think a lot of us have identified that the middle of the park has been an issue when playing a 2. Yesterday we played a 3 and looked so much more balanced.

When we changed it felt like we removed the wrong Jenga brick.

 

[HeCanDoMagic]

The only player we have sold with any sort of pace is Brooks, and we have replaced him with Donovan who has similar pace.

This is why the the loss of Seriki and Burrows is huge. They are not particularly fast but they have the ability to get in great positions up the pitch without needing raw pace.

 

[HeCanDoMagic]

Yesterday, if we'd had Seriki and Burrows instead of Choudhary and McCallum - we win.

That is not having a pop at HC or SM either.

 

[Vass Borbokis]

Yesterday, if we'd had Seriki and Burrows instead of Choudhary and McCallum - we win.

That is not having a pop at HC or SM either.

But if we drop McCallum, our gameplan goes out of the window, hoofing it long to the left back?

 

[Grappler]

BBD is a carthorse. Don't know what's happened to him in recent years.

Kitching reminded me of JOC at times. Peck and Arblaster looked good first half.

Ayew must be the most unfit professional footballer going. Absolutely fucked within 5 minutes of coming on.

Change of system and a more encouraging performance but subs and switch in formation later on killed us.

Agreed, he did well.

 

[Champagneblade]

Totally agree. But I think a lot of us have identified that the middle of the park has been an issue when playing a 2. Yesterday we played a 3 and looked so much more balanced.

When we changed it felt like we removed the wrong Jenga brick.

I’m still not entirely sure what we played.

It was like a 3-4-3 but with Arblaster perhaps closer to the midfield 2 making up a 2.5 to 3 and BBD closer to Bamford but not quite partnering him.

Just picturing how that measures up with the rest of the squad, even without the 4 injured players:

G: Cooper, Davies
RCB: Tanganga, Doherty
CB: McGuinness, Baptiste
LCB: Kitching, McCallum, RND
RWB: Choudhury, Shackleton
LWB: McCallum*, RND*
DM: Phillips, Riedewald
CM: Peck, Rothwell
AMR/L: Arblaster, Donovan, BBD, Ayew
CF: Bamford, Cannon, Campbell

That’s 22. Plus you then add back on Seriki, Burrows to the wingbacks, Chong to the AM options and Oné to the CF or no AM options.

Could work as the two attacking mids, wingers, 10s, whatever you call them can drop deeper and if the wingbacks do the same it can almost be 3-4-2-1 with the ball and 5-4-1 without.

I do like 3 in the middle but this is perhaps an option which prevents the striker being too isolated if the midfield is a flat 3.

It would be good to see how we go against a lesser opposition as we do need to up chance creation, though we won’t play a Wolves every week.

Despite Wilder’s recent 4-2-3-1 preference, it’s will 3 at the back that both of our recent promotions have taken place.

If he can shift one out, there is an obvious upgrade from McGuinness to Souttar at centre back too. We have a full 25 + Oné so not much wiggle room in Jan.