Wolves Post-Match Thread and FOF MOTM Fulham 3v2 Wolves = Cairney

[Carborundum]

Iwobi for me, great in both halves of the game.  TC got better as space opened up.  And we are going to enjoy Calvin Bassey for years to come.  He's a boss when things get choppy.

Willian's first pen was a Berba-esque masterpiece.  His second showed a different type of competence

Aside from the win, what's good about tonight is that it's so obvious how to improve the team.  Reams legs have gone, Pereira comes off second far too frequently and we need a certain type of striker.  I found myself reflecting how Bobby Zamora would have thrived in tonight's team.

I still dislike VAR. 

[McBrideOfFrankenstein]

Iwobi for me

[Deeping_white]

I don't know if anyone else was watching on sky, but did anyone catch the comment Carragher made about 10 mins before kick off about us? Basically insinuated that last season we just kept arms length from the relegation places all season, which is some of the weirdest revisionism I've ever heard. Basically made out that we're here to make the numbers up last season and this, and the guy hosting MNF said "well they finished 10th last year, but got relegated 3 times in a row before that just for context", like it had any bearing on this season or squad whatsoever. I'm used to us being seen as little old Fulham on TV broadcasts but figured sky would be able to talk about us without being condescending on the regular

[ianthailand]

Well we take the result but Vinicius should not be considered as a player we should use. Frankly he could have been sent off twice in his last few appearances. I will need to see the penalties but the opinion is that out of three given tonight only the Wolves one was clear.

Still we have had the luck of decisions tonight for the first time in some time. Against a Wolves side who are coming into form. I will take the points over the performance. But tonight does nothing to ease the doubt over our play. But players are coming back from injury. Which is a plus and three points is a big bonus.

Bang on as usual Lighthouse.

[WolverineFFC]

Pretty fun match to watch, and massive 3 points, but I'm fed up of conceding soft goals.

Ream will always be a Fulham legend, but we can't afford to be sentimental, and I think we have to face the fact he's not good enough any more. That's no shame on him.

I'm also frustrated with Robinson who is always being beaten and/or losing the ball.

Leno had an uncharacteristically off game (and some good saves too to be fair), and we were lucky not to have been punished.

Iwobi was great, although he really should have buried that chance in the second half.

Cairney was great.
Wilson was great.
Bassey was decent.

Agree with what has already been said about Vini.

I don't think Ream isn't good enough anymore, but he definitely lacks some pace these days. That's the difference. Technically, situationally, and leadership wise he's just fine... but at some point the younger, faster strikers cause you to make mistakes due to misjudged pace, and therein lies Tim's problem.

Agree. He just seems that half step slow in anticipating the action and with his absence of pace it is more glaring.

If Tosin is ready it might be time to make a change at LCB, but I'll be surprised if it occurs.

[perry geyton]

Thank goodness.

If we stay up, there need to be several goodbyes at the end of the season. The two forwards tonight, plus regretfully a couple of our old heroes in Ream and Cairney.

Cairney MO

Thank goodness.

If we stay up, there need to be several goodbyes at the end of the season. The two forwards tonight, plus regretfully a couple of our old heroes in Ream and Cairney.

Cairney By far according to the votes on here our MOTM today and you can't wait to  get shot of him ?

Opposed to Perreira who was non existent  yet again today, hmmmmmm

[perry geyton]

Tom Cairney showed his class this game.

Bassey very strong at CB this game. Wonder if him and Tosin/Diop will partner at some point.

I do think Tim Ream is struggling at the moment 😕

Your just saying that cos he gave away a penalty, other then that he was solid as usual today,,,,

[perry geyton]

Well that was a nerve wracking one

Huge 3 points - 10 point cushion just what the doctor ordered.
Tough game next up at Liverpool and then another huge game at home to Forest. I think we can get around 8-9 points by January which will put us on schedule for the coveted 40 point mark and make us a better proposition to anyone coming in in January. Fingers crossed then we can push on.

Played well at times tonight

Iwobi, Cairney, Bassey, the stand outs for me. Thought Harrison did pretty well in the engine room and Willian was decent. Wilson again injecting some good pace off the bench.

All in all a deserved 3 points on the balance in my opinion

COYW

Solid review !!
Reed a few sloppy passes at the beginning which could of cost us

[perry geyton]

I feel so relieved! Great performance from Iwobi and Cairney. What is up with Vini? He's done this several times this season where he just unnecessarily instigates something.

Vini was great in preseason and was okay in his first few matches, but recently he has become a red card waiting to happen and offers next to nothing going forward. Raul is also very poor. I really hope Muniz comes back soon as he offers by far the most out of those three, in my opinon.

On the game, in the first half, I thought we had both good and bad moments and a draw was a fair result at half time. I thought we were the better team in the second half and deserved the win. Bar a few big defensive mistakes, we were pretty good.

I'd swap Palhinha for Reed, Tete for Castagne and Tosin for Ream in the next game for me.

I think those changes should clearly be made and then we should look a lot more solid. My big issue is who on earth Marco plays up front?

I feel so relieved! Great performance from Iwobi and Cairney. What is up with Vini? He's done this several times this season where he just unnecessarily instigates something.

Vini was great in preseason and was okay in his first few matches, but recently he has become a red card waiting to happen and offers next to nothing going forward. Raul is also very poor. I really hope Muniz comes back soon as he offers by far the most out of those three, in my opinon.

On the game, in the first half, I thought we had both good and bad moments and a draw was a fair result at half time. I thought we were the better team in the second half and deserved the win. Bar a few big defensive mistakes, we were pretty good.

I'd swap Palhinha for Reed, Tete for Castagne and Tosin for Ream in the next game for me.

I think those changes should clearly be made and then we should look a lot more solid. My big issue is who on earth Marco plays up front?

A bit harsh on Castagne who I felt had a very good game last night BUT I do agree it's time for Kenny to come back

[brightster]

TC for me without a doubt. We needed goals, and he was in the thick of it all. Have to give kudos to Silva for using this set-up of some strong possession players in Willian-TC-AP-Iwobi ; that is by far the strongest we have looked on the ball.

I thought I was the only one that thought that, he played well tonight, holds the ball very well, hardly gave it away, his first touch is very good, agree likes the little flicks and one set up Iwobi who made the keeper save well when through on goal.
My only criticism if you can call it that is wish he would get in the box more!

[Matt10]

TC for me without a doubt. We needed goals, and he was in the thick of it all. Have to give kudos to Silva for using this set-up of some strong possession players in Willian-TC-AP-Iwobi ; that is by far the strongest we have looked on the ball.

I thought I was the only one that thought that, he played well tonight, holds the ball very well, hardly gave it away, his first touch is very good, agree likes the little flicks and one set up Iwobi who made the keeper save well when through on goal.
My only criticism if you can call it that is wish he would get in the box more!

100% agree. He needs to get into the box as soon as he can because he tends to hold the ball up in deeper areas, and even some wide spots, then doesn't race into the box.

I just don't get how that hard work to hold onto the ball, or to get a crucial touch, that keeps or starts our momentum in possession is completely nullified just because he's not scoring or having chances. It's this same old boring narrative that fans create themselves as if that's doing work against the team. In fact, Silva says strikers in his system do more than just score goals. So if our striker is doing something helpful, but can't score goals, it should be seen as that.

[Motspur Park]

Thought our passing was slick and crisp at times, but Wolves had a better game plan. They pressed our defence and we were lucky quite a few times.
Cairney was man of the match for me, but playing with Jiminez was like playing with 10 men. We needed to press them like they pressed us. Regardless of Vini's over zealousness, he had little time to make an impact and at least had a presence up front where we had none with Raul.
We are a few players short of being mid table, so results like tonight give us a bit of much needed breathing space.
As for the penalties, I couldn't believe VAR took so long to concur with the original decision. Regardless of whether the Wolves player touched the ball, Tom played it with his right and was heading further into the box. It was a foul and a definite penalty. Likewise theirs and ditto with Wilson. I honestly couldn't believe the comments from the ridiculous Smith. We are not judging by past standards of penalties... we are judging by today and those decisions are given week in week out.
COYW.

This Raul slating is just always unfounded to me. Do you not see him hold the ball up constantly? He doesn't lose possession often, maybe twice the entire match. However, his winning the ball is so significant to our attacks. Just compare him to Vini and you'll see just how bad Vini is compared to him.

The issue I'm starting to have with Raul is he is just too unselfish and too nice. He wants to get rid of the ball to safety as soon as he can. He is trying to play too many slick 1-2 passes. To say it's like playing 10 men though is just far off the mark and I'd suggest rewatching the match, watching Jimenez specifically and see if the same statement comes back.

Be assured I am not scapegoating him but when you say his hold up play.....when? The game just passed him by. Admittedly, a tough ask against their backs, but when we went forward, there was no striker to seek out. He was nowhere to be seen. Jogging around and seemed disinterested. We do not have options at the moment but I seriously cannot believe we scouted this guy. He may suit a different style of attack to what we provide but whatever the question, he isn't the answer.

[bencher]

TC for me without a doubt. We needed goals, and he was in the thick of it all. Have to give kudos to Silva for using this set-up of some strong possession players in Willian-TC-AP-Iwobi ; that is by far the strongest we have looked on the ball.

I thought I was the only one that thought that, he played well tonight, holds the ball very well, hardly gave it away, his first touch is very good, agree likes the little flicks and one set up Iwobi who made the keeper save well when through on goal.
My only criticism if you can call it that is wish he would get in the box more!

100% agree. He needs to get into the box as soon as he can because he tends to hold the ball up in deeper areas, and even some wide spots, then doesn't race into the box.

I just don't get how that hard work to hold onto the ball, or to get a crucial touch, that keeps or starts our momentum in possession is completely nullified just because he's not scoring or having chances. It's this same old boring narrative that fans create themselves as if that's doing work against the team. In fact, Silva says strikers in his system do more than just score goals. So if our striker is doing something helpful, but can't score goals, it should be seen as that.

If you compare Raul's output to his former teammate Hwang, he comes off pretty unfavourably. Hwang was a bit of a menace while the Wolves CBs looked pretty comfortable against Raul. He just seems to coast, doesn't do anything with any real intensity. When he had a chance to dribble at the defence he looked like he didn't believe he could get through. Air-shot in the first minute when he should probably have scored.

[hovewhite]

Thank goodness.

If we stay up, there need to be several goodbyes at the end of the season. The two forwards tonight, plus regretfully a couple of our old heroes in Ream and Cairney.

Strange comment. TC was arguably the best player on the pitch tonight...

well football is a game of opinions.
TC would give him a years extension myself as still best player on the pitch,my opinion.

[cookieg]

I don't know if anyone else was watching on sky, but did anyone catch the comment Carragher made about 10 mins before kick off about us? Basically insinuated that last season we just kept arms length from the relegation places all season, which is some of the weirdest revisionism I've ever heard. Basically made out that we're here to make the numbers up last season and this, and the guy hosting MNF said "well they finished 10th last year, but got relegated 3 times in a row before that just for context", like it had any bearing on this season or squad whatsoever. I'm used to us being seen as little old Fulham on TV broadcasts but figured sky would be able to talk about us without being condescending on the regular

And then at the end the spitting scouser still thought that we are in the relegation mix even though Palace and Wolves have 15 points as well. If we are then so are they. You really have to wonder why so many in the media are against us.

[S.F.Sorrow]

Tom Cairney showed his class this game.

Bassey very strong at CB this game. Wonder if him and Tosin/Diop will partner at some point.

I do think Tim Ream is struggling at the moment 😕

Your just saying that cos he gave away a penalty, other then that he was solid as usual today,,,,

He had an overall decent game but his lack of pace gave him a yellow card, which could very easily have become a red with the penalty situation. It would have been harsh, but Ream's lack of pace is a problem, especially without Palhinha to protect out back four,

[bill taylors apprentice]

All the fuss about the penalties masks the fact that when you get on the ball inside the area defenders are forced to make decisions which can result in goals.

We don't do it enough, same with getting bodies in the box and delivering the ball into the danger areas quickly and more often.

Our first goal was a great example of moving players and the ball at speed into the danger areas.
They outnumbered us 2 to 1 in the box for the first goal but dynamic movement and quick delivery resulted in a goal (between the keepers legs before he or his teammates could react.

We just don't do this enough!

We may not get 2 penalties every game but its a process that worries opposition and creates more chances.

[S.F.Sorrow]

Iwobi was my MOTM. Bassey had a good game too. Overall a decent performance from everyone except Vini. Unacceptable behaviour and he contributed absolutely nothing.

Cairney... Opinions are divived, as always. He was rather invisible in the first half but maybe our best player in the second half, with some glimpses of pure football magic. And that tackle... wow!

[Motspur Park]

Fortunately we have moved away from the foul in the area being an automatic booking. Ream was guilty and it was a penalty but never in a million years was it a yellow card offence and, by definition, he wasn't lucky to stay on the pitch.
To be fair as an ex-ref I am struggling with the offside rule. The guy who won the penalty was offside when the ball was played forward. He didn't receive the ball but was still active in the same phase of play. Is the rule now that it is only when passed to that you can be offside? How does this equate to the interference when a striker is offside and gets called for offside when nr the goal but doesn't touch the ball.
The messing about with the laws of the game has made it so that very few are aware of what is deemed to be a correct interpretation.

[Twig]

TC for me by a mile, in the first half he steadied our midfield and ensured we were so,I'd and he ran the show in the second half. Plus whoever said he can't tackle?!
I know Willian scored his two pens but his radar was off last night with too many loose passes plus I thought he slowed things down unnecessarily on a few occasions.
Honourable mentions for Iwobi, Bassey and Castagne.
Jimenez completely anonymous, time to try Wilson in the striking role. Tete's return will give us great FB options. Time soon for Tim to become a wise head on the bench as we have decent younger options at CB with a bit more speed.