Ipswich are a long way from being the worst football team we have seen here this season and that’s been the case each time McCarthy has bought them here

A couple more wins and we might be 16 points clear of third by the new year!

But highlight to me today was the passing of Neves which is a treat to watch. He was always looking for the defence splitting pass and found it on a number of occasions. His chip passes over the defence to set up chances for Costa then Saiss late on were of the highest quality

comment by Spangles (U17289)
posted 26 minutes ago
Ipswich are a long way from being the worst football team we have seen here this season and that’s been the case each time McCarthy has bought them here
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A well balanced view from someone who goes to games. Thank you.

A contrast to Cinci's rhetoric.

lester 1 skancs 0
goodnight.

comment by Isle of Bute (U16473)
posted 10 minutes ago
comment by Spangles (U17289)
posted 26 minutes ago
Ipswich are a long way from being the worst football team we have seen here this season and that’s been the case each time McCarthy has bought them here
----------------------------------------------------------------------
A well balanced view from someone who goes to games. Thank you.

A contrast to Cinci's rhetoric.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

No rhetoric, Ipswich are currently seeing their lowest attendances in a long time due to the football they dish up and they have failed to score past us in four matches, three of which we were slightly worse than average, they are a nothing side, thems the facts

Two goals conceded in nine games since Boly and Bennett started featuring

comment by Cinciwolf-Wolves, passing the ball since 2017 (U11551)
posted 2 minutes ago
comment by Isle of Bute (U16473)
posted 10 minutes ago
comment by Spangles (U17289)
posted 26 minutes ago
Ipswich are a long way from being the worst football team we have seen here this season and that’s been the case each time McCarthy has bought them here
----------------------------------------------------------------------
A well balanced view from someone who goes to games. Thank you.

A contrast to Cinci's rhetoric.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

No rhetoric, Ipswich are currently seeing their lowest attendances in a long time due to the football they dish up and they have failed to score past us in four matches, three of which we were slightly worse than average, they are a nothing side, thems the facts
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Hoofers and cloggers, mid table at best for Mick, but good luck to him

No idea why we are STILL getting worked up over Mick and Ipswich when we have now won eleven of thirteen and are coasting to promotion.

Boro just sacked monk apparently

Leon from Gogglebox dies.

comment by Vicious Wolf (U8869)
posted 3 minutes ago
Leon from Gogglebox dies.
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Gogglebox? Is that another seventies classic?

Three points today without ever getting out of second gear. To be fair to Ipswich, they did try to play. Left two up top all game and other than the odd centre half hoof when they panicked, they didn’t really play long ball football. Unfortunately they came up against Willy Boly (who looks like a dad playing in an under 9s game), Coady and Bennett who just never look troubled. They were the second highest scorers in the division (behind us) before the start of the day; so it shows how organised we are to not look at all troubled for 90 minutes.

Thought Bright and Costa looked really good when they came on and their general play was much better than Bonatini’s and Cavaleiro’s (who was terrible up until his goal and I think if he hadn’t scored, would have been subbed at half time). Ipswich crowded Jota again and cut off the supply into Bonatini’s feet, which left Cav with space, but the majority of time he was wasteful. Might be time for Costa to come in next game (which probably sounds harsh given Cav scored, but he really was bad for the first 40).

The two balls that Neves played into the box in the second half to Saiss and Costa were absolutely brilliant. He really is a fantastic player. I thought Saiss slowed the game down a bit too much today and was very one footed. He never really made any probing passes and one of the times he got into a good position where he could drive into the area, he had to cut back onto his left foot and took all the momentum out of the attack. Think that is one area we could improve next season with Saiss maybe dropping back into the defence (if he can get in there).

That said, he had a decent game, just thought he was one of the major reasons we looked one dimensional when we attacked first half; where we kept trying to play balls in behind from around the half way line after not really passing with any intent. Bonatini struggled a bit today when he couldn’t get the ball to feet and he isn’t quick enough to run in behind. I think if we get a striker in January, we should be looking for someone with a bit more pace to give us something different up top. I would be tempted to give Bright a go next game though to rest Bonatini, as he looked decent today.

That is the question regarding Saiss really, do we need two deep lying midfielders?

That said I think we won't win so regularly and won't keep as many clean sheets if he isn't in there and that he is one of the most critical parts of what we have done this season.

I’m not sure. He started to try to get behind the front three a bit more in the second half and he moved the ball a bit quicker. He looked better when he did that and Wolves looked more threatening going forward. I don’t really think it affected the stability of the team defending.

The difference is, when you watch him compared to Neves; Neves moves the ball quicker and his vision is much better. He looks to play probing passes or to stretch the game as well as recycling possession. Saiss recycles possession well, but can be slower on the ball and never really probes or takes players out of the game with his passing. It all looks very nice and he plays an important role defensively, I just think it is an area we can improve in with our unlimited funds next year and struggle to see why some fans give him MOM every single week.

Agree with all that tam. Worth the admission money to watch Neves alone for me.

Overheard a guy talking while I was walking back to the car saying what a joke it is that song they sing about Cav ‘never giving the ball away’ when he regularly gives it away ten times each half. But it was a cracking goal he scored.

Surely Costa must get a start soon. And maybe in an away game we could get away without Bonatini who looks overdue a rest. Bright was better today and there’s certainly a player in there if they can just improve his end product

Only four of our regular starters give the ball away less than Cavaleiro, Costa and Jota and Bonatini all give that ball away more.

Quote from Mick about Wolves after the game, ‘They have a bonkers squad compared to some’

Think Saiss gets a bad deal regarding incisive passing(though of course not on the same planet as Neves in that regard) and makes some excellent passes forward each game, though granted that isn't his strongest asset.

Another good win and get used to the idea of teams parking the bus. I'm always happy with 1-0 wins like I pointed out at the start of the season. Nuno has made a point of starting his re-build and style from the back and it's paying dividends now. With Saiss and Neves in the holding positions, we're not going to concede many goals and all the time we keep clean sheets, we will not lose.

So for those who were concerned at the start of the season, worrying about our goal difference if we won games 1-0, take a deep breath and look at the table. The meanest defense in the league and we've scored the most goals.

Well done the lads and Nuno. Bring on Millwall and I don't expect many changes as we march on. We must however keep up the momentum and that's why I believe Costa isn't starting just yet.

Don't break up a winning formula. He'll get his chance in the FA Cup, if not before.

17 clean sheets including the cup games, only 10 games in which we have actually conceded a goal which is quite remarkable really.

Gotta love the trident attack as well

Bonatini 12 goals 5 assists
Jota 9 goals 4 assists
Cavaleiro 7 goals 5 assists

comment by Cinciwolf-Wolves, passing the ball since 2017 (U11551)
posted about 5 hours ago
Think Saiss gets a bad deal regarding incisive passing(though of course not on the same planet as Neves in that regard) and makes some excellent passes forward each game, though granted that isn't his strongest asset.
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I don’t think he gets a bad deal with his passing. He sees a lot of the ball but never takes players out of the game with his passes. He recycles possession a lot, but when we play two holding midfielders, I think they both need to be able to play probing balls when players pop up in pockets of space. His passing is good and he has the potential to be able to do that, but he does tend to slow down the momentum in attacks quite a lot and he can be very one footed at times.

If anything, I think he has become this cult figure who everyone gives MOM to most games, when really it is Neves who opens up a lot of the space going forward. People just notice Neves less at times as he quietly goes about his business, but he regularly makes the pass that allows us to get out of trouble or starts an attack. Saiss is main beneficiary of that play.

That said, Saiss’s defensive positioning was excellent today. With Ipswich playing two up top, we easily marked their strikers and had a man spare at the back; with Neves and Saiss mopping up everything in front, we rarely looked troubled.

I think my favourite part of the game though, were those two headers from Boly in the first half, where he wiped out any Ipswich player that got in the way. The man is an absolute colossus at the back. One of my favourite players and I hope we make his signing permanent.

comment by Cinciwolf-Wolves, passing the ball since 2017 (U11551)
posted about 6 hours ago
Only four of our regular starters give the ball away less than Cavaleiro, Costa and Jota and Bonatini all give that ball away more.
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I think it depends how they class giving the ball away. Today Cav had the ball twice when Wolves were in good attacking positions, but both times decided to hit a tame shot from a silly position rather than laying it off or clipping it into the box.

They would go down as shots on or off target rather than him giving up possession, but he actually just gave up a good attacking position and gave the opposition the ball back. He put in a couple of crosses which just trickled to the first man to be cleared ( I think they go down as crosses rather than giving the ball away) and he also ran the ball out of play once. I don’t think stats actually tell the full story in this case in any way, shape or form.

He even took a corner today which came down with snow on it. I think the whole of Molineux groaned at it. I’ve never seen such a loopy non-threatening corner and when you compare it to Barry Douglas’ deliveries; you have to wonder why he was taking it.

I think it was the worst I have seen him play for the majority of the game today, but then he pops up with a cracking goal which won the game.

comment by Tamwolf (U17286)
posted 21 minutes ago
comment by Cinciwolf-Wolves, passing the ball since 2017 (U11551)
posted about 6 hours ago
Only four of our regular starters give the ball away less than Cavaleiro, Costa and Jota and Bonatini all give that ball away more.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

I think it depends how they class giving the ball away. Today Cav had the ball twice when Wolves were in good attacking positions, but both times decided to hit a tame shot from a silly position rather than laying it off or clipping it into the box.

They would go down as shots on or off target rather than him giving up possession, but he actually just gave up a good attacking position and gave the opposition the ball back. He put in a couple of crosses which just trickled to the first man to be cleared ( I think they go down as crosses rather than giving the ball away) and he also ran the ball out of play once. I don’t think stats actually tell the full story in this case in any way, shape or form.

He even took a corner today which came down with snow on it. I think the whole of Molineux groaned at it. I’ve never seen such a loopy non-threatening corner and when you compare it to Barry Douglas’ deliveries; you have to wonder why he was taking it.

I think it was the worst I have seen him play for the majority of the game today, but then he pops up with a cracking goal which won the game.
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You really shouldn't argue with Cinciwolf about statistics, Tamwolf. He has all of them ever invented and some that haven't yet seen the light of day. Despite this, he understands their relevance less than my mom's budgie.
Cavaleiro was poor yesterday for the most part and despite this, scored a fine goal. That sums up his play. He really is inconsistent and whilst better this season than last, he still has problems with his decision making. A little like Eno in this regard.
I'd really like to see Costa given a start against Millwall and Cav would be the obvious choice for a "rest", but with Jota taking so many knocks, maybe Costa should start in place of him.
Be really glad when we get another striker as Bona could also do with putting his feet up. He seemed off the pace yesterday. However, I wouldn't be confident of Eno starting ahead of him, so I guess Bona will need to grind-out a few more performances until a more competent replacement is signed.

cav is highly skilled, wayward and unpredictable - but does enough good things to make him well worth his place.

eno is highly skilled, wayward and unpredictable - and doesn't do enough good things to make him worth his place.
it may come but i don't think we can wait much longer.