PL: Wolves h Ratings & Reactions

[Guest Ricardomeister]

On today's performance, I would give Carew 8, Milner/Ash/Collins 6, Dunne/Friedel/Petrov 5, Warnock 4, Downing 3, Cuellar/Heskey 1. MON would have got 1, but after listening to quite probably the most ridiculous post-match interview I have heard in ages where he either thinks the fans are morons or just thinks of us with contempt it is a big fat 0 for Mr O'Neill.

[Eddington]

Wonder if Downing will get dropped for his 42nd bad game in a row?

Downing isnt that bad.. its just the fact he has a bearded oath behind him who cant cross for shit.

[sparky]

Havent read any posts so dont know if Im going with the grain or not.

First 15 mins or so up to the goal we looked like we were gonna get 4 or 5 then as soon as we scored we seemed to just drain of any ability.

The effort was still there but it just seemed everyone (bar Ashley Young who on the whole played well) suddenly lost any skill or football intelligence. Everything we did never seemed to come off and Ive come away from Villa Park feeling really frustrated. Substitutions were bizarre again and even though I will support Hesky while he plays for us - what he brings to the team I can not for the life of me see. We may as well start with 10 men.

Defence made some uncharachtiaristic mistakes. Was Dunne carrying an injury?

[CrackpotForeigner]

A few overreactions on here.

We created LOTS of chances. On another day we could have won 4-0 easily. Both Wolves goals were pretty lucky (even though tbf they created a couple of other chances as well).

We already knew we needed a decent striker in there. Tbf to MON, when the crowd is chanting for the Fonz, what's he supposed to do? Go "Oh, okay, then, you folks know best"? I don't really blame him for reacting the way he did.

Downing's only crimes were being a little anonymous, and missing a chance that was not all that easy. His corners and most of his crosses are brilliant.

Heskey didn't do much, apart from play a major part in the second goal.

Cuellar did get done several times for pace, but people saying he didn't do any overlapping just weren't paying attention. For once he did better than Warnock in that regard.

Albrighton did nothing wrong apart from one poor attempt at a cross.

Ashley Young was generally brilliant, but a couple of VERY poor dead ball deliveries. He should not take free kicks, imo. Downing for me.

[paulanddonya]

I am absolutely fuming after that - honestly. Outbattled, out fought and outplayed by Wolves.

Worryingly, but not surprising, when Wolves went forward, I panicked, when we went forward, it was only hope.

Cueller was an embarrassment, and he has been now for 2 months, he is not a right back, and the only person who can't see it is the manager.

I honestly think MON acted like a spoilt brat - Young and Fonz warm up - ironic cheers, similar to the Gabby thing 2yrs ago, dolls out of pram, Milner at Rightback and ANOTHER winger on - absolutely shocking decision.

A Young was very good, cross after cross after cross to a deserted penalty box. Petrov battled.

Carew is on form at the moment and fair play to the guy.

Heskey - sorry, I know you dhouldn't boo your own players but I am getting VERY VERY close to it - the guy is a disgusting waste of salary. The guy is crap, don't anyone try and give me this "he works for the team" becausee is is utter SHITE - he is crap, and it is absolute joke that he stayed on the field for 90 minutes.

I go on about Darren Bent all the time, and I've been proved right, however, Darren Bent is gone, but if MON doesn't admit that Heskey was a mistake then this will be the start of a downword spiral. If Gabby isn't in, play Fonz or go 4-5-1.

BUT FOR GOD SAKE GET HIM OUT OF THE SIDE - HE IS DESTROYING US !.

Oh, by the way, Gabby throws a paddy on Wed. Gabby doesn't play, we are told by the club website he has a groin injury, MON comes out and says it is a stubbed toe.

make of that as you will. !

[slowandlow]

paulanddonya i dont normally agree with you much, but i think a lot of that post mirrors my views tbh, particularly with regard to MON and his childishness

[OutByEaster?]

On today's performance, I would give Carew 8, Milner/Ash/Collins 6, Dunne/Friedel/Petrov 5, Warnock 4, Downing 3, Cuellar/Heskey 1. MON would have got 1, but after listening to quite probably the most ridiculous post-match interview I have heard in ages where he either thinks the fans are morons or just thinks of us with contempt it is a big fat 0 for Mr O'Neill.

I'd swap Carew and Young in those ratings, what's the interview and what has been said?

[BigJim]

Heskey was playing well in the first 20, receiving on the deck and laying it off very effectively (and I never thought I'd ever write that about him), then they seemed to twig on to what was happening and he got crowded out very quickly after that. So we resorted to humping and swinging in aerial balls and that was the end. I agree AY put in a great shift, but why can't we have people moving close to support him instead of waiting for him to get the same old cross in every time and hope it falls nicely for somebody.

We desperately need to practice more options. Almost any other PL team you watch move the ball with more variety than us.

EDIT. And Stewart Downing is little more than a passenger.

[sir_gary_cahill]

plus Gabby was on the bench against Stoke, I was thinking the same thing Paul

[Brumstopdogs]

How frustrating is it when you get Cuellar (the centre back) trying to pretend he can pass it at right back to Downing on the right (the left midfielder) who then comes inside again! He then crosses it to the rubbish Heskey!

Dire!

[OutByEaster?]

Oh, by the way, Gabby throws a paddy on Wed. Gabby doesn't play, we are told by the club website he has a groin injury, MON comes out and says it is a stubbed toe.

make of that as you will. !

What paddy?

What have I missed now?

[wedge]

On today's performance, I would give Carew 8, Milner/Ash/Collins 6, Dunne/Friedel/Petrov 5, Warnock 4, Downing 3, Cuellar/Heskey 1. MON would have got 1, but after listening to quite probably the most ridiculous post-match interview I have heard in ages where he either thinks the fans are morons or just thinks of us with contempt it is a big fat 0 for Mr O'Neill.

I'd swap Carew and Young in those ratings, what's the interview and what has been said?

MON has said how delighted he is with the performance, and praised us for not losing...

Most pathetic interview I've ever heard...

[slowandlow]

he is always delighted or finds our performances to be marvellous even when we have been, by and large, shit

waste of time listening to him

[Guest Ricardomeister]

He was "delighted, delighted" by the second half performance (I, and I suspect many others would disagree) and the first 25 minutes were some of the best football we have played all season according to him (I would say it was more of a case of a very open game with lots of space for both teams at the start rather than us playing great football and peppering their goal). He was happy with a point (I wasn't) and more concerned with our unbeaten run than the fact that we are losing far too many points from draws. He again had to get in a sly dig at the crowd and no mention of dropping players who are out of form.

[OutByEaster?]

He's just protecting the players, that's his job, he's not there to please us. He could come out and say x or y player was shit, but what does it get him? He can let players know in private. All managers protect their players in post match interviews. I don't think it's anything to worry about.

[andym]

Oh, by the way, Gabby throws a paddy on Wed. Gabby doesn't play, we are told by the club website he has a groin injury, MON comes out and says it is a stubbed toe.

make of that as you will. !

gabby told the bench he needed to come off on wednesday, he had a slight groin strain. he was angry with himself that he got injured. he then hurt his foot in training yesterday. no conspiracy here

but how much did we miss him today! the first 20 we were excellent and took advantage of the space wolves gave us, but we fell apart when they tightened up in the middle of the pitch.

there was lots of space down the wings but apart from ash nobody was looking to use it. usually gabby will pull out wide and hold it up for the winger- this also drags the CB out creating more space in the middle. heskey and carew do not do this.

our only tactic 2nd half was to get level with the corner of the box, see no movement and lump an aimless, lofted ball into the box. piss poor. only ash was looking to beat a man and whip a ball in.

carew and ash were our best players. petrov was good first half but quiet in the second after his warning from the ref. jimmy was inconsistent, maybe trying too hard.

everyone else poor. im not convinced bringing warnock back so soon after his shin injury was the best idea, and i feel sorry for carlos. he tries his best, gets stuck in, always willing to get forward. its just like any CB hes not very good on the ball. not his fault at all.

heskey was crap. yes he holds it up nicely but carew and gabby do this as well. they can also win a header without falling over and actually score goals. heskey has no goal threat, hes like the anti striker. rather have seen fonz today.

[BigJim]

he is always delighted or finds our performances to be marvellous even when we have been, by and large, shit

waste of time listening to him

He has to say we're "splendid" all the time because to tell it like it was would be to admit responsibility for the total lack of creative football, week after week.

[Mantis]

plus Gabby was on the bench against Stoke, I was thinking the same thing Paul

He was recovering from the virus which kept him out of the Reading game.

Hmm, if we do anything less than beat Sunderland comfortably on Wednesday I can really see this "sack MON" notion picking up steam. Silly really.

[R.I.C.O.]

Very, very poor performance and result. We don't look like top 6 material at times, let alone top 4.

Friedel 6 (couldnt do much about the goals)

Cuellar 5 (should not have been playing there. awful game)

Collins 7 (steady)

Dunne 6 (his worst game for us so far)

Warnock 6 (error strewn game)

A Young 7 (only one who imposed themselves)

Petrov 6 (came so close to being sent off but at least gave a damn)

Milner 5 (his worst game for us so far again)

Downing 5 (seriously off form, needs a rest or to be dropped)

Carew 7 (took his goals well)

Heskey 5 (did nothing, offers nothing)

Subs both 5 as made no difference to the game. Sidders got stuck in though.

Too many players having an off day. I wonder how much this is due to tiredness as I am worried we will now have a slump. Must raise the performance on wednesday.

I doubt we will finish 4th now.

[Grant(aka_eddy)]

Poor performance overall and a really bad 2 points to drop.

Some disappointing patterns of play in Collins, and Cuellar to a lesser extent, struggling for outlets and waiting for runs that never came and in the amount of high balls lofted into their box too aimlessly and/or too deep.

Heskey's first touch was terrible far too often and he posed no goal threat and added little to build up play. Should have been subbed.

Milner was below his best, Warnock's passing was atrocious and Downing made a series of disappointing decisions to check, hit deep crosses or not hit Ash when he was open. Cuellar was hit and miss again but not as bad as some make out i dont think. Petrov was great first half but should have been subbed after the warning.

Friedel - 6

Warnock - 5

Cuellar - 6

Collins - 6

Dunne - 6

Petrov - 7

Milner - 6

Ash - 8 MOTM

Downing - 5

Heskey - 4

Carew - 8

Such a shame after looking like we were going to tear them apart at the start of the game.

As an aside, i was very impressed with Doyle. His hold up play, first touch and ability to turn players. Had we had him instead of Heskey, i dont think we'd be moaning about a draw.