Burnley are a bully boy team and this game is not place for Trincao, Ait-Nouri or Podence (who is not available anyway) To stand any chance of scoring whilst keepin a clean sheet the starting lineup surely has to be

Sa
Semedo, Kilman, Coady, Saiss, Marcal
Dendoncker, Moutinho
Traore, Jimenez, Hwang

I'd be disappointed if Marcal started over Ait-Nouri. I think the wingbacks are key in this type of game. We need to hold the width and spread the play to open up spaces. If we allow the play to become condensed then Burnley will find it easier to bully us physically.

I'll give you that Gem, but you seem to be saying, ok we're not scoring enough goals so we may as well look a bit more exciting whilst we're not scoring enough goals.

I do think that playing Traore in the wing back role isnt working, it never has. I kind of understand why Nuno and Lage have tried it but he's mostly picking up the ball deeper when the opposition is set when he plays that position. he much more dangerous when getting the ball further up the pitch when he's only got his marker(s) and the defense to beat rather than the entire opposition 11.

I think our wing backs are essential to our style of play. Semedo, whilst guilt of losing the ball from time to time, has improved a lot this season. Some of his runs and how he gets into some scoring situations reminds me a lot of Doherty. Ait-Nouri, who I think will get better, isn't showing his pace and ability to take defenders on in recent matches. I don't think he took on anyone in the last game, just stayed out wide. His crosses need to improve as well.

Marcal may be given a chance and I think Gem's line up will suit us against Burnley.

Although we are 6th right now, I'd still like to see the ball in the back of the net more often, especially as we were supposed to see a more attacking style of play from Bruno.

Early days for sure and let's hope we get a few balls in the ol' onion bag.

comment by Oldgoldilox (U17303)
posted 12 minutes ago
I'll give you that Gem, but you seem to be saying, ok we're not scoring enough goals so we may as well look a bit more exciting whilst we're not scoring enough goals.

I do think that playing Traore in the wing back role isnt working, it never has. I kind of understand why Nuno and Lage have tried it but he's mostly picking up the ball deeper when the opposition is set when he plays that position. he much more dangerous when getting the ball further up the pitch when he's only got his marker(s) and the defense to beat rather than the entire opposition 11.
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Agree completely about the way to play Traore although I believe that Bruno has coached him and Ait-Nouri to cut inside with the ball rather than going for the by-line and putting in crosses. I think he's wrong to do that but he's the coach so hey ho.

I'm not suggesting we play more exciting football without scoring goals. What I am saying in my roundabout way is that the more chances we create, the more goals we will score and we create more chances with Adama on the field. In the first 3 games both Jimenez and Whang were getting settled in, both have now found the net and are hungry for goals. We simply need to get the ball into them to give them scoring chances and for me Adama does that more than anyone. When Adama is on the bench, Jimenez always seems to drop deeper to go in search of the ball and provide assists for the other forwards when we all know that he is most effective in front of goal.

My final point about Traore is that if he is leaving in January or in the summer (which I think he will be) let's get some money's worth out of him before he goes. It's not doing him or us any good sitting him on the bench game after game.

As gem pointed out, in the first three games of the season we played highly entertaining football and didn’t deserve to lose any of those games. It’s no coincidence that the change of style since has come about when Traore hasn’t started


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That isn't accurate at all, we have had traore start games and manage 9 passes all game as we struggle to do anything. The opening games were about set up and tactics, not whether Traore started or not.

Wouldn't be a bad idea to start traore in the games against the big guns coming up as we will undoubtedly have space to exploit on the counter but would much rather have Podence ahead of him in games we control though covid has ruined that for now.

We played really well in those first three games and didn’t deserve to lose any of them. Stats say we lost and didn’t score but that falls well short of telling the full story. Traore was key in those games and he is completely wasted in a wingback position in my book.

I can see what Bruno is looking for by playing Trincao and Hwang inside closer to Jimenez and letting the wing backs play wide. But certainly in the recent away games Hwang and Trincao were ineffective, and on Saturday I thought Jimenez cut a frustrated figure as attacks were regularly breaking down. And I read that Ait Nouri lost possession 26 times, which didn’t help.

Tarkowski and Westwood were due to miss Burnley’s match at home to Spurs on Sunday because of suspensions. As that match was snowed off, they will miss the Wolves game instead

Don't think Hwang is particularly suited to a wide role in a front three, would think he is much more suited to a front two.

comment by Cinciwolf---VOTE CINCI!! Cinci for Wolves chai... (U11551)
posted 17 minutes ago
Don't think Hwang is particularly suited to a wide role in a front three, would think he is much more suited to a front two.
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I agree. I also think he could do a job playing behind a front 2

Got the compulsory feckin cold after a uk visit of course.

I see where you're coming from now Gem but I still think we get better quality from Podence. That said with him out I'd go with Traore as the starter rather than Trincao.

comment by Cinciwolf---VOTE CINCI!! Cinci for Wolves chair.. (U11551)
posted 2 minutes ago
Got the compulsory feckin cold after a uk visit of course.
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Airports and those aluminium tubes we fly around are virus free zones by comparison of course

comment by Oldgoldilox (U17303)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Cinciwolf---VOTE CINCI!! Cinci for Wolves chair.. (U11551)
posted 2 minutes ago
Got the compulsory feckin cold after a uk visit of course.
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Airports and those aluminium tubes we fly around are virus free zones by comparison of course
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Yeah, no viruses in those things i see those two flights from South Africa to the Netherlands with around 600 passengers only had 60 covid cases after testing and only 13 of a strain we had never heard of a week ago.

Started feeling off on the last day as the weather changed, everything is just permadamp and stuffy and then throw in the chill. It is a great advert for the british people and grinning and bearing it and even getting defensive when it is pointed out the weather is complete and utter dogshat for about 11 months of the year!!

Brought back some covid test kits though, had never seen or used one until we got there, now a hardened pro.

Wolves play Norwich again tonight as the U23s meet at Kidderminster. Kick off at 19:00 live on Wolves TV.

Another MOTM performance by MGW for Sheffield Utd at the weekend. Maybe he would have got a game for Wolves on Wednesday instead of Neves

As if VAR isn't already surrounded by inconsistency and flaws, we are now going to get "semi-automated offside." Trials will be conducted the upcoming Arab Cup.

Should have added:-

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/59461288

comment by wolfieinFL (U16306)
posted 31 minutes ago
As if VAR isn't already surrounded by inconsistency and flaws, we are now going to get "semi-automated offside." Trials will be conducted the upcoming Arab Cup.
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Anything that improves the shambles we have now would be welcome

The increasing intrusion of VAR into football is turning the sport into more and more of a computer generated game. The technology may well mean we get close to the point where virtually all decisions are correct and that seems to be the driver for these ‘advances’.

Personally I think the flow of the game and the instant decision making is far more important to football than moving from getting 95% of decisions correct to 98%

comment by Spangles (U17289)
posted 18 minutes ago
The increasing intrusion of VAR into football is turning the sport into more and more of a computer generated game. The technology may well mean we get close to the point where virtually all decisions are correct and that seems to be the driver for these ‘advances’.

Personally I think the flow of the game and the instant decision making is far more important to football than moving from getting 95% of decisions correct to 98%
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I totally agree and have been against VAR since its inception. We are however stuck with it and it's not going to go away so that any technology that speeds up VAR decisions and minimises disruption to the flow of the game can only be a good thing.

I see that the 'Phantom voter' has once again awarded me 5 stars for my article. I don't know who you are sir but I thank you

I actually don't have a problem with Var. I have a problem with it's implementation. But it has improved a lot from last season, which was basically how not to use VAR.

There are issues, but as the technology matures, I'm sure it will prove a positive step forward for the game. Unless part of the fun of the game for you is talking about the clueless ref after the match.

The thing is Amiga, how far do we want VAR to go? I have no doubt that the technology is available right now to do away with referees and linos altogether and control the games purely with VAR. In the same way that the technology is available to replace F1 drivers and control the cars from the pits. There has to be a limit to how far we take this technology and the boffins need to be restrained or they will suck the very soul out of the sports we love.