Just to try and add more meat to the bones of where we are as a club at the moment ( and this is in no way an anti Puel thread or a pro Puel thread).
A lot of the discussions on here and on other social media has been bemoaning how we are playing at the moment, and that this will not be a successful formula moving forward.
Many people believe we are 'punching above our weight' in 7th after our performances this season, others believe that there are green shoots showing a plan that in the long term will win out.
POOR FOOTBALL - BORING etc are the common accusations thrown at our team right now, we don't create enough chances, we pass sideways too much....... I could go on.
But if this is part of the plan then does the Goals for and Goals Against tell a story?
We have scored 25 goals in 21 Premier League matches this season, this has us 11th in goals scored. Not in the bottom 3, not near the bottom 3 but mid table.
We have conceded 23 goals in 21 Premier League matches this season, this has us 5th in Goals Conceded. Only the top 4 have conceded less.
So what does this tell us?
Has CP concentrated on not conceding and then scraping 1-0 wins?
Has he got the overall balance right and we just have to get used to this being a successful way of performing for our club right now?
I for one think that he deserves credit for the way we set up defensively and this shows in the above stat, but can he balance the attacking intent more or if he does do we lose some of that defensive stability?
UTF
Can stats lie?
posted on 3/1/19
comment by Foxy Boy (U20186)
posted 1 hour, 25 minutes ago
I'd like to see Puel try playing one defensive midfielder with two more advanced central midfielders helping with the press and getting closer to Vardy. If we had someone like Loftus-Cheek, he could switch from the defensive midfield to the advanced midfield position during a game to give us more flexibility. I dont think we have a midfielder who gives us that flexibility at the moment.
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A really good defensive midfielder would also be a good passer of the ball forwards or have the ability to carry the ball (I don’t mean physically pick it up!). People often label Kante as purely a defensive screen but, if used properly, he can pick the ball up and drive forwards 20 or 30 yards and pick a pass. He, therefore, becomes the first phase of many attacks.
I think we’re missing this type of player as Mendy and N’didi are more the destructive type. They tend to rely on this simple pass and slow down the transition into attack.
One thing I realised earlier this week is that we should be fair on N’didi. We tend to think of Choudhury as the young, exciting, pretender – but they are only about 10 months apart in age. That just shows what a great job Wilf has done to carry the midfield for the past couple of seasons – and he maybe could benefit from a bit of rotation.
posted on 3/1/19
comment by Jobyfox (U4183)
posted 4 hours, 26 minutes ago
https://www.google.com/amp/s/talksport.com/football/465046/alternative-premier-league-table-after-half-a-season-based-on-expected-goals/amp/
There you go BS - we’re ninth on expected goals. Although this table looks like it was compiled before recent games (the Everton game for us).
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Thanks Joby, I guess that shows that we are being very clinical and not creating as many clear cut chances as our goals scored would suggest?
posted on 3/1/19
It was interesting to have a read of the expected goals and where teams 'should' be. I noted that the top teams are expected to have fewer points than they do while the bottom teams are expected to have more points than they do, which I suppose goes some way to proving that the players at bigger clubs are better finishers in general, needing fewer expected goals to score than those at the bottom clubs.
It also goes to further drum home the point that Wolves need a goalscorer.
posted on 3/1/19
I don’t think the stats particularly say anything other than we’re being much more efficient at both ends of the pitch.
My worry is that we won’t be able to maintain the conversion rate and wins will turn to draws and draws losses.
Only time will tell on that. As BS says, no denying Puel has improved the defence again!! Although that’s easy when you play 8 defenders 😉
posted on 3/1/19
In answer to the original question: Yes
£350m to the NHS
posted on 3/1/19
two defensive midfielders means the fullbacks can push even with three defensive midfielder that leaves five players to attack.
posted on 3/1/19
Stats tell you what you want to see and the story you want to tell.
Another good Thread though.
posted on 3/1/19
comment by Nevsaysagoal2city (U5194)
posted 1 hour, 7 minutes ago
two defensive midfielders means the fullbacks can push even with three defensive midfielder that leaves five players to attack.
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I don’t see an awful lot of attacking I’ll be honest Nev. you make it sound like we’re Liverpool
posted on 4/1/19
BS you make it sound like we havn't had a shot on goal taking the chances we make id as big an issue. We could of scored four if it wasn't for our new goal keeper from Cardiff and Madd's well you know what
posted on 4/1/19
In most of the matches I’ve seen this season Nev we hardly create anything. Our expected goals stat shows we take our limited chances very well on the whole - the problem is we don’t create enough against teams we should be beating.
West Ham, Palace, Fulham, both Everton games are all examples of this