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Matchday Review - Wolves vs Bournemouth
30 Plays20 days ago
Chris & Nathan try and string together coherent thoughts after a dismal loss to Bournemouth, but it's a hard task!
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Transcript
Introduction and Weekend Recap
00:00:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Welcome in everyone. I can't say happy Monday because it isn't one really, we all know that, but I am Chris and with me today on the other side of the microphone is Nathan. Hey Nathan.
00:00:22
Nathan
Hi Chris, hi everyone. I hope we're all doing well and had a lovely weekend despite the madness that was Saturday afternoon.
Podcast Dynamics and Catching Up
00:00:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah I mean yeah so much to talk about today what a weekend and obviously we were just chatting before the we hit record about the fact that the last few episodes has been because we're we're a trio for most of it and it's been very much recently myself and Will or Nathan and Will so it's the first time you and I have
00:00:31
Nathan
Yeah.
00:00:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
coordinated together for a while.
00:00:51
Nathan
yeah
00:00:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
So it's going to be fun because you and I didn't get to catch up on last on the like the glimmers of hope from last week after the brilliant win away to Fulham. And you know the feeling that, yes, there is hope ah the in at the end of all this darkness.
00:01:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
And just just as always with wolves, we get to like the brink of maybe maybe it's all turning. It hasn't all gone to plan.
Wolves vs Bournemouth: A Chaotic Loss
00:01:16
Nathan
no it hasn't it hasn't and it's it's so frustrating because it was as you said it's just when it felt like there was a bit of momentum and the the cracks that we kept mentioning week in week out was starting to kind of get covered up and we were moving forwards with things and then just as just as that's the case we get hit with another there's just another circus game and it's it's it's not the first time this season we've been in a circus game and it's just it's just crazy i couldn't i don't know to be honest i don't even know where to start it's it's just uh it's just a crazy 90 minutes absolutely bonkers
00:01:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I mean, by now, i'm I'm trying to avoid saying the score, but obviously the this game, the result was to Bournemouth 4, just for anyone that isn't living in a black hole. You can tell by the tone of our voice it didn't go well. but some And we'll we'll jump into all of it in depth, but let's kind of, as always, rewind time a bit and try and give us some kind of structure.
00:02:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, before the game, going into it, there was hope, as we mentioned.
Player Positions and Team Morale
00:02:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I had actually said, I think, or dropped slightly into my one of the episodes with Will last week about the fact that I was concerned about what the choices might be if, you know, defenders start to get fit. And ah we saw Lamina considered for the back and sure enough, the lineups came out.
00:02:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
And he did it, he stuck Lamina in there.
00:02:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
I have to say, and he considered him an option in press conferences in the week. And I have to say, I mean, what were your thoughts looking at the lineup when it came out?
00:02:43
Nathan
he did indeed
00:02:53
Nathan
i I understand, that don't change the winning team, but I ah just feel iffy playing players that far out of position.
00:02:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:03:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:03:03
Nathan
And, you know, Lamina did well against Fulham, but I think it's one of those where you go, okay, he's filled that role, but that's not the long-term plan, right?
00:03:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
No.
00:03:12
Nathan
The long-term plan is to have him at centre-half, so surely at the first opportunity of putting ah cent a centre-half and you you do that but my feeling at the time was well we just won 4-1 with that team so you don't you don't really think too much about it I don't what were your thoughts on it?
00:03:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yep.
00:03:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, my my thoughts were somewhat similar in the the the first pass at least when I was like, I don't really feel comfortable with that because yeah, he did well in the short term in what's essentially an emergency situation with everyone injured.
00:03:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
But, ah you know, all credit to him doing well last week, Lamina, in that spot. It's not his he's bread and butter. And likewise, I just feel like when you've got two centre backs sat on the bench and
00:03:53
Nathan
No.
00:03:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah Yeah. I mean, Bueno's done well when he's been in and Dawson, you know, he's made a few errors here and they're there, but they all have, you can argue that all of the defensive players have made mistakes at some point.
00:04:00
Nathan
Yes.
00:04:04
Nathan
Yep.
00:04:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
And he did again in this game, but still I feel I'm beating around the bush, but what I feel is it's actually that he is going with that is easier for the manager at the moment than to make the tough decision of which midfielder to drop.
Managerial Choices and Player Satisfaction
00:04:26
Nathan
Potentially, I mean, the job of a manager is to, people are going to be unhappy. You know, you think of players like Tommy Dole, he hasn't had luck in for a few weeks. um But imagine you're Santi Bueno or or Dawson and you you you see the, you know, you're in the changing room for when he's, or whenever he's released, who he's starting.
00:04:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:04:43
Nathan
You'd be fuming.
00:04:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I would be gusted.
00:04:45
Nathan
You've just worked to get back to full fitness. You've played in that position in Dawson's case for 10 plus years in the Premier League and a midfielder is going to take your spot.
00:04:56
Nathan
I mean, granted, Lamina did a good job, but the whole point is that he was an emergency centre half and his best positions in midfield. And then imagine Dawson sat on the bench and he watches that first 20 minutes.
00:05:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:05:09
Nathan
I mean, I would dread to even see a heat map of Lamina's positioning. It's like, yeah,
00:05:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm just, yeah, yeah. Cause it feels to me like we've been arguing for a bit about the fact that Andre is maybe going off on a tangent, but we're discussing the lineups that Andre as it came in, you know, when we signed him, man of the month or player of the month, you know, did fantastically well, then vanished.
00:05:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then last week came back in in this makeshift formation because of the fact that Lemina had to drop center back. It allowed Andre back into the midfield. we played what quite well. And so like, oh, I have a way to fit all of the midfielders in.
00:05:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's to me what it feels like, because I don't have to make this tough choice anymore of how to play Andre. I can just and put them all in in a way that works.
00:05:50
Nathan
Yeah.
00:05:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
And yeah.
00:05:54
Nathan
i think I think you're right.
00:05:55
Nathan
You're right. I think it is the easiest decision for O'Neill, right? if you If your team wins 4-1 as a manager, just keep the same team. But unfortunately, that's just the nature of Premier League squads is you've got multiple players in the same positions that are going to have quality.
00:06:08
Nathan
And we're lucky to have that quality in midfield. And if you you know if you drop Lamina or drop Andre or Gomez or Tommy Doyle or whoever it is, it's good. It's a good thing to have that that situation where they're coming off the bench and they offer something different.
Wolves' Attacking vs Defensive Woes
00:06:23
Nathan
And in fact, I think Lamina in midfield in the game, and I'm sure we'll get onto the goals and all the rest of it as we go through today. But um um I think he would have actually been useful and in the midfield position, you know?
00:06:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah. But overall, I understand the premise of sticking with a winning team. I was happy to see, I mean, again, as we go on, I don't think he actually featured much in the game, but initially just when the lineups came out, I was happy to see Rodrigo Gomez in the lineup again.
00:06:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
hmm.
00:06:48
Nathan
Yeah.
00:06:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Joe Gomez and Andre, I think together as a pairing is a really potentially strong partnership going forward. I think they are, I mean, they're Brazilian midfield.
00:06:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
I just think it's, um but they, I think that Andre being there allows Joe Gomez, we saw it even in little flashes in this game, less against Fulham.
00:07:01
Nathan
yeah
00:07:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, less than against Fulham that it allows Joe Gomez, I feel to roam a bit more and get into the box to box a bit more than it does with Lamina because they are both a bit more progressive.
00:07:15
Nathan
Yeah.
00:07:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Whereas Andre is very much like, no, I'm going to cover you and you just go.
00:07:23
Nathan
Yeah. Yeah. I think that, I mean, you've put it perfectly. I think that that balance that it brings is very good and it's a difficult situation because if Lamina wasn't captain, I think it'd be a kind of different conversation.
00:07:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:07:37
Nathan
you'd You'd talk about their qualities only, but because Lamina is captain, I'm sure the feel around the dressing room and I'm sure his feeling as a player is that he feels he should be starred in every game.
00:07:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I feel like this is, yeah.
00:07:48
Nathan
I know that's not the way it... Yeah, that's kind of...
00:07:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
I feel like this is the problem I'm getting at, because we've discussed earlier in the season when Lamina really wasn't playing well, that he arguably should have been benched more at points.
00:07:53
Nathan
Yeah.
00:07:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I feel like this is still the problem.
00:07:58
Nathan
Yeah, yeah.
00:07:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's got the captain's arm band. Right. Yeah.
00:08:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Makes its problem.
00:08:03
Nathan
yeah
00:08:04
Nathan
and indeed indeed but i mean it going i mean if we we can skip ahead to the to the first goal and talking of lamina i mean it's just it oh we're going to end up in black holes today i can feel it but it that
00:08:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:08:20
Nathan
Just one simple long ball over the top, it's your bread and butter defensively, whether you're a makeshift centre half, whether you're a centre half in bad form, that's just bread and butter and both of them, just no communication, letting the guy run through and then Totti Gomez committing to a tackle which doesn't need to be made in that position.
00:08:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm hmm.
00:08:42
Nathan
It's just a compiled amount of errors. And it was a theme throughout what felt like the whole game, just these individual mistakes that kept adding up. And I don't know what your feeling was watching it, but mine was that, you know, some certain games, you can see four goals and you go, okay, the team's had five shots and they've been really clinical, but it felt like Bournemouth could have had a lot more had they have been more clinical in the final third and sort of pounced on more of our mistakes.
00:09:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, this is the weird thing about the game in itself.
Bournemouth's Press and Wolves' Errors
00:09:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I mean, in terms of that particular penalty, yeah, I mean, it's a direct, it's ah it's a long ball that's caused a lot of havoc. Totti kind of dives in when he really doesn't need to, because he's still heading towards the byline. I get that he's close to goal, but he's still got a lot to do.
00:09:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
And he as long as he shepherds him correctly, he can still you know protect the area, but dives in and yeah and then and the rest is history. In terms of the stats though that you mentioned, because what's what's weird is if you look at the game overall, 60% possession to wolves.
00:09:43
Nathan
Yeah. Yeah.
00:09:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
40 to Bournemouth, 10 shots for Wolves, 12 for Bournemouth. Like if you were just to a glance at most of the stats, it's fairly even, but it's the XG.
00:09:59
Nathan
Yeah. I guess.
00:10:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
I looked at somewhere, I know we hate coming back to this, but as you mentioned, it was something like 0.8 for Wolves and 3 points something for Bournemouth because that was the difference.
00:10:02
Nathan
Yeah.
00:10:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was so much more dangerous in those moments.
00:10:14
Nathan
Yeah, and I guess the context of those stats as well within the 10 shots that we had, we only got three on target. I think they might have had, is it eight on target if if I'm not wrong.
00:10:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yep.
00:10:23
Nathan
And then I think five of their shots on target were in the first 20 minutes.
00:10:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yep. Hmm.
00:10:28
Nathan
And if you, the context of that just tells you how badly we started the game. You can't be starting a game at home and conceding five shots within the the first 20, 15 minutes, whatever it was. That's just not something that you can allow to happen. And if you have a bad first three, four minutes, which we obviously did have,
00:10:49
Nathan
as a team you've got to have the maturity to then go okay bit shaky there from us let's just secure things let's stop messing about with it let's stop trying to attempt things that are a little bit ambitious let's just keep things really simple and shut up shop for a minute whilst we get over this shaky period but as we've seen so many times this season we're not able to have that It feels, we're not able to have that Premier League maturity around those moments because it's no coincidence that we were, you know, we're losing 6-2 at home to Chelsea.
00:11:21
Nathan
We're conceding 5 away to bought Brentford, rather, and conceding 4 again to Bournemouth. You know, it's a start, a pattern here where we get back into games and we do play well on the front foot at times, but then we're making these shaky defense mistakes defensively.
00:11:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:11:37
Nathan
And, yeah, it just can't go on like that, can it? Right.
00:11:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
No. And and like you say, it happened again, because ah it was like the first, what, 20 minutes of the game felt like a basketball
Highlight: Larsen's Goal
00:11:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
match. Like it was end to end in terms of that, because, you know, they get their first penalty.
00:11:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
And even then with the disappointment of, oh my gosh, we all this hope we've conceded an early penalty. I'm still thinking, all right, we know we're capable of scoring goals. We can still get back into this.
00:11:59
Nathan
Yep.
00:11:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
There's so much of the game to go. Sure enough. literally just on the fifth minute, and like it was inside five minutes. Larsen, beautiful header, great build at work.
00:12:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
We, you know, it was like, yeah, it was a good ball in from, uh, from Belegard with, couldn't you up to Belegard and then Belegard whips in the cross for Larsen.
00:12:10
Nathan
Good ball in.
00:12:12
Nathan
Yep.
00:12:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
What again, we're we're losing, but Larsen is still scoring. I feel sorry for this man so much because he's coming in the summer and he's doing, I think he's doing a great job. I think he's doing a great job.
00:12:27
Nathan
He is. And I think if we take a wider lens on that, I think is it we scored the fifth most goals in the Premier season.
00:12:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yep, yep, that's right.
00:12:33
Nathan
Is that right? Fifth or sixth, yeah. so as an attacking force, you've got to credit the forwards where credit's due. I mean, some of their defensive work hasn't been optimal at times, but truly they're on the pitch to create and score goals. And as a defense, as a attacking unit rather, um we're doing that. And, you know, Cunha didn't have his best game at all. I actually thought he was, he was poor at times, which was really, you know, pains me to say that, but that's when Stranlarson stepped up and that's when Guedes stepped up and Belegard pops up with an his assist as well. So as a, as an attacking force, it,
00:13:05
Nathan
It's positive. That is a positive thing, but it it it needs to link up with some defensive positivity as well because we can't be conceding the amount of goals we are and hope to stay in the prem. ah It's that plain and simple, isn't it?
00:13:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, no, it really is. And like you say, so, yeah, Larson scores. I mean, that's like 1-1 and you're thinking, okay, great, we're back in this game. We're back in this game and and we can still go on and plenty of time left on the clock to take care of this. And then within, again, a really short space of time, ah because it was only on the eighth minute that Kirk has, apparently it was his first goal for Bournemouth.
00:13:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Um, that's first call typical, um, on the, you know, overlap to, to just like, it was just, but I can't even, I can't, you, you describe it. I don't even know what's going on there.
00:13:44
Nathan
yeah Yeah.
00:13:55
Nathan
I mean, again, Lamina, a little bit out of position, gets dragged all the way over. And to be fair, Evan Nielsen, who's, you know, I quite rate him as a striker for Bournemouth, he completely terrorised our defence throughout the full 90 minutes.
00:14:08
Nathan
He was dragging the centre-halves out of position. And they'd obviously worked on that a lot during the week. You could tell that their triggers were so clear on when to press. And to be fair, it just looked like whenever any defender at the pool for us, they were like, let's just go for it.
00:14:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:14:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:14:20
Nathan
And the intensity they brought to that, the pressure they put on the midfield,
00:14:24
Nathan
um and we just were not ready for it. It seemed as though we were expecting to have as much time on the ball as we had against Fulham, which we didn't.
00:14:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:14:31
Nathan
And it looked, um yeah, just so immature at times. And then, I mean, that goal, yeah, the meeting gets dragged over by Vanilsson, nice little bit of skill, they work it wide and overlap and it's in.
00:14:42
Nathan
And I think to be fair, it did take a deflection off Andre or whoever was making the block and it goes sort of, you know, unstoppable for Saar, but it, It was so frustrating to watch that.
00:14:53
Nathan
It was like, Oh God, again, again, surely not.
00:14:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it was so quick. Yeah.
00:14:57
Nathan
Surely not. You know, you equalize as a great buzz about the place. The noise is back up. Everyone's gone, right. Okay. We'll forget about that first bit,
Penalty Controversy and Defensive Issues
00:15:06
Nathan
you know, little mistakes. They brushed it off and they reacted really well.
00:15:09
Nathan
But the same as always, when you score a goal, you're most vulnerable than five minutes afterwards, aren't you?
00:15:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:15:14
Nathan
So for that five minutes after scoring, just secure what you've got. And um yeah, we only lasted three of them five minutes.
00:15:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. And, uh, before we get onto the, you know, the rest of the match, the rest of the games, we'll just remind everyone that this podcast is part of the global sports podcast network. The only network bringing you exclusive daily news and views on your premier league team, the premier league, women's football, and fantasy football, a unique listening experience that puts fans first, bringing you the very latest breaking news from your team.
00:15:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and make us your first listen every day. Global sports podcast network, every club, every day.
00:15:51
Nathan
every day.
00:15:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
So yeah, it's at that point it's 2-1 to Bournemouth and you know my head is very much in my hands, I'm getting very frustrated. And and like you say, they were pressing so much and what I feel, it what I think what frustrates me the most is when I watch a team come and do that to us at the moment. is ah And again, I think I've mentioned this before, that last season,
00:16:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
I feel like we were the team doing that to other people. We were pressing high all the time and really not giving people time on the ball. And especially at home, like get into them, really pushing as a team, as a unit and pinning people back and winning the ball high up the pitch. And I feel like it's that's drifted away from us. I don't know where that's gone. That seems to have vanished. And and we're just letting them do it to us in reverse.
00:16:37
Nathan
Yeah, it's weird. It's weird. Our goals don't, it doesn't feel like our goals come from forcing errors out of the opposition, which is maybe credit. Some of the quality we've got going forwards, you know, some of the buildup we have is pretty good. Um, and some of the goals we score are ah very good goals. I think both goals again at the weekend they are good goals. Um, but the amount of times that we saw Strandalarson go and press one of the center halves or the goalkeeper and then just play it around. And they just seem to be really set on that. And our press had no,
00:17:05
Nathan
and I think it was maybe David was on commentary when I was watching it back. just there was no trigger or no obvious trigger to it or or no structure to what you're doing with the press. Whereas for Bournemouth, it was so coordinated.
00:17:18
Nathan
They were doing it all over the pitch and they're really choking us in that defensive position, ah which ultimately led to their third penalty as well, ah second penalty rather.
00:17:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yep, yep.
00:17:26
Nathan
um But, you know, he went to try and last and actually did bring some intensity to his pressing and charge down their goalkeeper in the second half, it was. with a block or something and like a slide tackles type block it just raises the the energy in the crowd it raises the the confidence in the attacking play and stuff and we didn't see enough of that intensity and pressing as a team and I don't know I don't know if it's because we've lost that identity I don't know if it's a confidence thing or are we gonna go back to saying it's an O'Neill thing I don't it's hard to say
00:17:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I don't know. And you said, mentioned how it led to that third goal. I mean, the the penalty thats some that that brought it where it's a back pass, I think, is it Totti back to Tsar?
00:18:14
Nathan
So it was lazy, wasn't it?
00:18:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then he's looking to play the ball out because again, they're passing it around the back. It's not really doing much.
00:18:21
Nathan
It was, ah, yeah, yeah.
00:18:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's not rushed. And yeah, he's closed down by Evan Ilsen and he kicks now. Now there's two, I think there's two elements to this. I will say my, there's a part of me that I get why it's given.
00:18:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
There's a part of me that doesn't think that was a penalty because I mean, the ref didn't even give it as a penalty initially because he was just brushed it off as like, Oh, it's a coming together.
00:18:36
Nathan
Yeah.
00:18:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I think it kind of is in some ways. Yes, he's Evan Illson's pressured him, but Sarri's already kicking the ball. like he's saw it The motion of ah the kick to the ball is already happening, and the guy puts his leg in front of him, and that's what conceives the penalty.
00:19:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Now, as I say this, Nathan is grinning at me and grimacing.
00:19:02
Nathan
Yeah.
00:19:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Do you get where I'm coming from?
00:19:06
Nathan
Yeah.
00:19:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
um forget forget Forget the fact that we're talking about bad defensive play. forget Forget how quickly he should have got rid of it.
00:19:08
Nathan
I, I understand where you're coming from.
00:19:14
Nathan
Yeah. Yeah. Okay.
00:19:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
We're just talking about the contact.
00:19:16
Nathan
Yeah.
00:19:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
We're just talking about the actual contact and and how that is decided.
00:19:21
Nathan
So but the way I see it is whenever I play a defensive position football, and whenever that happens to me, I accept that it's a foul. just I know that my intention isn't to tackle a player. My intention is to kick the ball. But ultimately, I've just been too slow. And Saar, by being too slow, has just you know smashed into the back of Evan Olsen's Achilles. And I think that is just a pen. I understand the the the like opposite point in that Sar's intention isn't to kick him, his intention is to kick the ball and he's not even looking at where it's coming from and you might want to liken it to like when there's a handball and the player can't even see the ball coming or hasn't isn't even watching the ball or something but
00:19:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm hmm.
00:20:07
Nathan
for me, different to those handball situations. This one's just one where he's cleared the player out and hasn't touched the football. And in that situation, in my opinion, it's a pen.
00:20:18
Nathan
and But as you said, gone.
00:20:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Can we also say, yeah, sorry, on a, on a, on a bigger footballing note though, there's an element to me that thinks regard, even if it is a foul, that there's an argument, it should be like a free kick inside the penalty area.
00:20:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Do you know what I mean? Like with the, but what's the term is? it I don't have to be a direct with a wall or whatever, but because he still got to get the ball and turn here at that point, the ball is going away from goal and he'd be running away from goal with it.
00:20:33
Nathan
Indirect or whatever, yeah.
00:20:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like it's not, do you go and go with this?
00:20:44
Nathan
Yeah, I mean, to be honest.
00:20:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
I know it makes no difference in the bigger picture of this game.
00:20:47
Nathan
it Yeah.
00:20:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
i'm just talking I've gone off on a random tangent about the actual mechanics of this decision.
00:20:51
Nathan
Yeah.
00:20:55
Nathan
Yeah, I think, I know we we're trying to avoid it, but I think the main thing here is that wasn't the first time that we were nearly caught out at the back and there could have been many more occasions where we gave away silly fouls or there was one in the and the first half again where Saar came out the box and it was like he was so cool, calm and collected with it.
00:21:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
No.
00:21:12
Nathan
But it's like, as as a fan who's just watched him give away a pen for something very similar, just clear clear the ball.
00:21:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:21:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, but regardless of my weird semantics on how these are called, it was another terrible moment at the back.
00:21:20
Nathan
and
00:21:21
Nathan
so
00:21:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
We've conceded the penalty, they score again. And, and like you say, the thing is they then keep doing it. And we've done this all season when, when a team has pushed high on us and caused all the errors, we insist on still playing out from the back in a really slow back and forth.
00:21:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Man, it's just like, just boot it. Just, we've got a massive striker up there.
00:21:43
Nathan
yeah and it's just or if you're it's just a man in the and and the way that we do things if you're going to p play out from the back and that's the way that you want to do it fine but do it with intent not this kind of
00:21:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Just give him something to chase. If that's, ne if they if we need to go old school, go old school.
00:22:02
Nathan
you know just tentative play where it's going back and forth between Totti and Lamino and then we maybe bounce it off the midfielder but there's no real intent to where it's going. It needs to start zipping about a bit especially if you're losing 3-1 at home or if you're at home full stop.
00:22:19
Nathan
Arguably, if you're at home full stop, there should be some confidence behind everything you do and start Zipping it about get it wide get it up to your attacking players as quickly as possible I don't remember many times kunya getting the ball from us building up from the back and I think we might come on to him But ah I really think he had a when he did get the ball.
00:22:38
Nathan
I think he had a poor game quality wise and he
00:22:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
I was going to say, i even before you mentioned it, I thought you had a mayor yesterday. And it's arguably one of the reasons, again, why as a team, we probably weren't very good because he's been so integral for us recently.
Cunha's Performance and Tactical Struggles
00:22:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
I feel like it was a mixture of Bournemouth did pretty well in terms of shutting him down because there was usually someone in midfield to he likes to sit in that area between like defence and midfield a lot.
00:22:50
Nathan
Yeah.
00:23:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
And there was usually someone kind of in that gap just eliminating some of those passes.
00:23:01
Nathan
Yeah.
00:23:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
And, and on top of that, when he did get it, I think may, and more the game went on, the more potentially frustrated he was obviously guessing he would overrun it a lot.
00:23:06
Nathan
Yeah.
00:23:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
There was points when he had chances to lay off to eight Nori, for example, on the overlap, and he would just keep going and going and going and then gave the ball away. Cause he ran into a dead end, you know, and he was, he was giving really poor passes away at points.
00:23:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
And ah don't get me wrong. I love him. He's been amazing for us, but it just felt like yesterday he was not at the races.
00:23:31
Nathan
I don't know. It was another one of those situations where, I mean, we know how how emotional Cunha is with football, and that's part of the reason that we you know we love him and the what the way he plays, um because of how passionate he is. But it felt as though he was every time he got the ball, he had to try and do something that was not the simple thing but the thing that's going to be something amazing like he was always trying to beat another player or trying to find that killer pass that was going to put someone through on goal or he was just almost trying too hard of it and i think when you're when you're getting marked out of games and stuff and it's obviously very difficult because he's been identified as our biggest threat which he is when he's on his game um just try and do the simple things i guess and i guess that's where Gary O'Neill's coaching on how to get him into the game at halftime
00:24:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm. Yeah.
00:24:18
Nathan
Gary O'Neill knows that he's not in the game. He knows that our biggest talent going forwards is not getting any of the ball. It's at that point where some decisions need to be made to try and free him up.
00:24:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm hmm.
00:24:28
Nathan
And I don't think they were with regards to the midfield substitutions and the different players that he brought on.
00:24:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
No.
00:24:34
Nathan
None of them really freed up Cunha. If anything, they just brought more to strand last and which is absolutely fair enough. I mean, you know, brought Gueda's on and sets up the goal very well. but It, again, a bit of, just a little bit frustrating, you know, and um it's not all about Cunha, but it's just, yeah, it felt like a game. If we scored two goals, you'd expect him to be fully involved in both, which, you know, I know he lays it off to Belegard for the first one, but he really wasn't involved in much going forwards for us.
00:25:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, no, no. I say, how there was a couple of points yesterday. I was genuinely calling out like at one point, as I mentioned, when he was running down, he'd run past two or three players, I think ran the towards the left flank.
00:25:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
And as he's going down that eight, nor he's making that overlap. And I'm like, just, just pass it. Just pass it. Cause I know, like you said, he felt like he wanted to do something amazing.
00:25:17
Nathan
Yeah.
00:25:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
I felt like he had to take the game by the scruff of the neck, but those points where he just needed to trust someone that that's kind of how it felt.
00:25:27
Nathan
yeah yeah and i mean to be honest it was it was a little bit all over the shop in the second half as well and i know you've got to go for it when you free one down but the structure to it was really weird to to pick out i don't know if you were able to figure out what what sort of formation we're playing and i know it's fluid but like ain't nori spent a lot of time in the number 10 position i have no idea how or why like he does he does a decent job there.
00:25:55
Nathan
You know, he's obviously very technical and stuff, but then it almost left the left side a little bit exposed and then Dawson's come on and I mean, he's ultimately the one who makes another mistake for their fourth, but it's it just felt very disjointed and again disjointed.
00:26:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:26:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah. I think I'm a bit of a, my words keep leaving me this today. I think just because I am so confused about this game overall, it was such an odd day. And yeah, we've, we got back into it again, kind of late on with the second goal. And again, Larson, I mean, because he's doing his job, he's, he's in the right place. Again, he makes a good run as the ball comes up to Gedge. I'm going to try and say his name, like it's meant to be said for some reason. I'm feeling very continental today.
00:26:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
And, um, you know, Gage gets the, the ball manages to slip free of his man. And because he's lost his momentum, looks up and sees that, that Larson's made the run, lays off a lovely pass.
00:26:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then he's there to do, it do like what he's been doing all season. And I, I, I'm in, I think I'm falling in love with Strand Larson. Like I am with, can you read in a very different way? You know, he's not that run and drive with the ball creative guy, but he's just a box, like box in the box kind of guy.
00:27:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's there.
00:27:10
Nathan
Yeah. Yeah. And he, he, if you watch, you know, he really does pass the eye test. You've got players that will score goals and be good at finishing in the box and whatever, but his all round play is fantastic. He drags the center half out of position. He makes runs down the channel countless amount of times where he's not supported after making those runs you know and he's down sort of in the corner flag area because he's made a 30 40 yard running behind and he's managed to you know hustle it off the defender or whatever and keep the ball and there's no one up there to support him um and he's doing that for 90 minutes his energy throughout is brilliant and it's just such a shame that
00:27:50
Nathan
He scores two goals at home and that we've got nothing to show for it, um for all the efforts he's putting in.
00:27:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:27:57
Nathan
Ultimately, his teammates let him down on Saturday, big time.
00:28:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
and And that goal did almost feel like you say, because the second half kind of felt like it was drifting a bit aimlessly. Bournemouth looked like they could score several times over because we just looked so
Defensive Mistakes Overshadow Efforts
00:28:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
shaky at the back. We get that goal, I don't want to say against the run of play, but it just kind of felt out of nowhere all of a sudden. It was just a magic, again, just one of those beautiful little moments that just unveiled itself out of nothing.
00:28:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then there's a glimmer of hope again, the crowd are chanting, you know, we are the boys from the black country and all that kind of stuff. But then just for like, again, moments later, moments later, passing it around at the back again, Dawson, of all people, Ballon Dawson,
00:28:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
i've watched that I've watched that moment several times. He doesn't look up when he passes it back. Have you noticed? he he His head is down and it's literally a head down.
00:28:45
Nathan
Yeah.
00:28:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't know what I'm doing. I don't know where to go. I'm just going to lay it back. But he doesn't check at all what is around him and play Sar. Sar pretty much has got no choice there other than to try and get that.
00:29:00
Nathan
No, of course.
00:29:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
like
00:29:01
Nathan
Of course. Yeah. And I felt, you know, so I was at fault for obviously the the second penalty, but I did feel sorry for him in that moment because he gets cleaned out as well and with that.
00:29:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm. Yeah.
00:29:12
Nathan
But it's, you know, we might have to take the Ballon d'Orson nickname off him because that's just so basic.
00:29:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:29:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:29:19
Nathan
That is so basic.
00:29:20
Nathan
And again, you're back in the game. You've got You've got, what is it, 20 minutes to go at that point?
00:29:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm hmm.
00:29:28
Nathan
20 minutes to go? And that's a fantastic opportunity to put the ball in the box again a few more times. And again, just try and build on something. Try and create a bit of consistency for a few minutes in the game.
00:29:42
Nathan
And it's crazy that we're talking about within spells of games, trying to create consistency. We can't even talk about, let's create consistency over like a run of games. We've got to do it in games now. let's do 10-15 minutes where we're just solid keep the ball and dominate things a little bit but as you said the our goal came out the blue brilliant we're back in it and then lack of concentration or awareness or whatever it was and then just selling the goalkeeper short and it's just and Bournemouth were so ready for this at all at every time that we had the ball at the back they were so ready to pounce on that thing and
00:29:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:30:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:30:16
Nathan
because we made those mistakes in the first half I was just expecting us to just not make them in the second half because I'm assuming that they got told at half time like guys wake up here we can't be spending you know 10-15 seconds on the ball messing about with it and then hesitantly passing it off to the midfielder and Dawson was caught out with a pass similar to that five or ten minutes earlier where he played tried to play it short to Gomez in midfield when he was being pressed by two players and as a centre half when you can see your midfielder in front of you you can see who's pressing him don't give him that ball if he's got two people pressing him behind him it's basic and that was his first mistake of the game where he has to then take out the striker gets given a yellow
00:30:59
Nathan
and then ultimately makes another mistake again afterwards. And it's like none of these mistakes were a wake up call. I think that's the most worrying thing is that it was nonstop. If you make a little mistake in the first minutes, the good teams, they go, right, okay, that's a wake up call. Let's not make it again. But we made them again and again and again for 90 minutes.
00:31:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-mm. Yeah, it is, it is the most upsetting thing, especially when, you know, we scored that second goal again, like, as I say, out of nowhere. And even then, like we mentioned, because of our goal scoring record, even then with 20 minutes to go at two, three, you're still thinking, all right, we could still get a draw here. We could still maybe even win this because we are more than capable. We've seen it this season of scoring a batch of goals in a short space of time.
00:31:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
and then and then that happens and you're like well what almost what is the point if i'm if i'm larson i'm just thinking what is the what is the point it doesn't matter how many a score they're just going to concede more goals at the back oh yeah it's the yeah
00:31:55
Nathan
Honestly, it's crazy the neutrals match of the day and all the rest of them must be absolutely loving us They must be loving us. They must be watching every game thinking Yeah, the wolves it just means goals both ends Yeah circus entertainment, yeah
00:32:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's the only reason we were on match of the day, I think second or third again, because there's so many it's purely because there's so many goals in the game. That's the only reason they they move us up to the front end of the schedule. It's absolutely crazy. um Before we vent anymore, let's just take a moment to tell you that here at Global Sports Podcast Network, we did spend a lot of time selecting our delivery platform.
00:32:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Zencaster came out the clear winner, unlike Wolves. With 4K video recording from your phone and AI editing that automatically removes all those oms on ours, it's super easy to start a podcast that sounds great and is delivered efficiently.
00:32:33
Nathan
Hm.
00:32:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
If you're ready to tell your story, check out the link in the show description to learn more about Zencaster. But yeah, so then, well, we've been through all the goals, so it was 4-2. And at that point, to be honest, after all of that, Nathan,
00:32:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
I just, I don't know where I'm at now, to be honest. We, I feel like it's draining, as we said, the hope before that game was starting to return.
00:33:03
Nathan
It's draining, isn't it?
00:33:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then I'm drained. And then I just don't know what to expect. We've got Everton coming up in like just a few days. It's on Wednesday night. ah I have no idea what version of us.
00:33:21
Nathan
Yeah.
00:33:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
I have no idea what version of us is going to turn up. I have no idea what centre backs are going to play, who's going to play there. And if I'm, you mentioned about how it looked like Bournemouth were ready for us and in terms of how they set up and so aggressive and everything.
00:33:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, I'm not surprised because if I'm in a way manager, if I'm a like a way manager right now, I'm thinking whatever formation they pay at the back, they haven't got many fit center backs and the ones they are playing are not used to those positions.
00:33:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
And they're even playing a midfielder at center back. Of course, I'm going to make my forwards be aggressive in the press.
00:33:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, I would just go for it.
00:33:52
Nathan
Yeah.
00:33:55
Nathan
Absolutely, you have to, you have to. And yeah, it's almost like teams are just expecting to be able to outscore us. And they it's yeah, it's crazy and it's just so shaky all round. And I don't think it doesn't look as though the players know exactly the way they're going to play either.
00:34:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:34:12
Nathan
because the intent isn't clear and I bet it probably down to confidence and nerves and stuff but really really that shouldn't have been an excuse on Saturday coming up four games unbeaten it's the first time this season you know it was the best game to go into this season wasn't it all the positive behind them all the the good performances behind them or four good performances behind them so it
00:34:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:34:35
Nathan
Yeah, it's hard to know what to think about the Everton game. I mean, the only thing I could think of is that they've, at the time that we're recording this, they've just been beat 4-0 by Man United. So so there's there's a potential that they're in the same disarray as us, and it's a chance for us to just go, right, let's try and forget that, and let's try and remember the good things from the four previous previous games.
00:34:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, you never know. And, you know, we we're not too bad against Everton over recent history, fingers crossed. and um And I don't want to, in all of this whining, I don't want to, as bizarre as it sounds as Wall's fan, discredit Bournemouth. I think, you know, that They're a ah solid side. they've They've had some good performances this season. I do think obviously we still banked a lot on this game being that after that opening run of fixtures, it was in that list of games at home where you're thinking we should get something from this, especially after the recent results.
00:35:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was never going to be easy. i don't I don't want to put that across for any moment, but you would just expected so much better than just all these silly again these silly mistakes.
00:35:39
Nathan
I know.
00:35:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Because once again from open play, not awful.
00:35:43
Nathan
Yeah.
00:35:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's just shooting ourselves in the foot with these silly mistakes again and again and again. And we've seen it all season.
00:35:53
Nathan
I know, I know. And I had real faith that it wasn't going to happen. I mean, my prediction um was one, one. And yeah, um I would have taken it as well, but it was um quite far from the truth.
00:36:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I would have taken that.
00:36:06
Nathan
So it shows how much yeah how accurate I can be with those predictions there. but
00:36:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, and i I mean, I guess because um I mean, to be honest, we could vent about this all night um before I look ahead just briefly to like Everton and closing. Was there any from think from this game in particular, Nathan, that we haven't already touched on that you wanted to just, you know, that you'd been thinking I need to make sure we discuss that?
00:36:32
Nathan
Um, not really. I'm just the one feeling is that I'm really worried that the four games that we got points out of were just flukes.
00:36:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm. Hmm.
00:36:41
Nathan
Um, so my, my feeling is of worry at the minute. Um, but no strand last and what a player.
00:36:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Strandalus and my player. Yeah, that's fair enough. Um, well, yeah, we've got, so looking ahead before we wrap up, as I mentioned, we've got Everton on Wednesday, the 4th of December, literally just a few days from now, as we record this half seven, is this on
Future Fixtures and Challenges
00:37:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
prime? I feel like I want to say this is on prime.
00:37:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
but yeah um and so I'm not because I don't go to many away games nowadays I'll be honest with you I'm a middle-aged guy with two kids it's hard to venture that far away however so I'll be watching it but um and in case we don't get because obviously we'll have multiple previews coming up with the the the following game against West Ham on the Monday the 9th Again, we've got these massive runner fixtures coming up.
00:37:07
Nathan
I think so, yeah, I think so.
00:37:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
So we've got Everton, then West Ham, then Ipswich, then Leicester. I mean, these next four games are huge.
00:37:41
Nathan
huge.
00:37:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Should we do a quick mini kind of like you said, we don't know what to expect, but what are you feeling we're going to take from Everton? You think we're going to get any anything?
00:37:52
Nathan
I think it's going to be a boring draw and um I've been saying that for a few games now. I'm just really hoping this time it's true. um It would be great if we and can pull off a second clean sheet of the season.
00:38:06
Nathan
You know, I take, I take the trade off now. I think it's more important for us now to be solid defensively than it is to continue scoring goals.
00:38:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I agree.
00:38:14
Nathan
So yeah.
00:38:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
we're We're capable of scoring goals. We just need clean sheets. Clean sheets, please.
00:38:18
Nathan
Yeah.
00:38:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's the way forward. But yeah, I'm hoping, I'm hoping we get, I mean, obviously I'm hoping we win always, but we've got to get something that we can't lose to Everton. Just cannot lose to Everton.
00:38:28
Nathan
Okay.
00:38:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's unacceptable.
00:38:29
Nathan
of
00:38:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, if we lose to Everton after this performance today, uh, yesterday, as we record this, It makes you start to think again about, I know there's already people thinking about it, but in terms of what it the future holds for the club and the manager, because that would be atrocious.
00:38:39
Nathan
so
00:38:47
Nathan
Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. And I think when you look at the table and you look at um stages of previous seasons, there's always a little cut off about halfway through the season. There's always a cut off down the bottom where the sort of five, six teams that are in the conversation about relegation.
00:39:02
Nathan
And we're getting towards that stage in season now, if we're not already at it, where there's five, six teams that are looking right, okay, we're we're in the battle now for mitigation.
00:39:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:39:14
Nathan
And I think that result against Bournemouth, if it's followed up by one or two more poor results, then we are set as being one of those teams in that battle.
00:39:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:39:25
Nathan
And it really does pay me to say it, but I think that is the situation that we're but we're in at the minute. So, huge, huge um fixtures coming up.
00:39:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, on that happy note, everyone, I mean, what a way to start your week.
00:39:38
Nathan
I'll put the pressure on there, yeah?
00:39:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, what a way to start your week with us. um I mean, um if if you made it this far with us through the misery, through the pain, through the random venting, then thank you for sticking with us all of this time.
00:39:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
We are Daily Wolves. I'm Chris. This is Nathan. We will try and build up our morale to continue episodes this week.
00:39:59
Nathan
We will, we will.
00:40:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
as ever because it's a huge week for what Hampton wonder is and Anna's here and all of you out there. Um, but yeah, thanks for being with me, Nathan.
00:40:10
Nathan
Thank you, Chris. Thanks for listening, everyone.
00:40:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I'm gonna, I'll do it as I always do, but it does feel a little bit harder to say today, but just remember people even in the darkest of times, out of darkness, cometh light.