"We will have to go down there and try and keep the ball and there's no point just punting it forward because if we do we'll end up chasing it for long periods.
"Last season I think we actually had about 50-50 possession down there and had a lot of shots on goal. We need to go there and try and pass the ball and keep it because if we don't, with their quality, we'll find it difficult to get it back.
This quote comes from an unlikely source, a man who has had his grapples in the box with strikers and head butted a post, but Christophe Berra is talking a lot of sense here!
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| Tactical genius |
When we went to Chelsea last year, it was the first time we had really tried the possession game. We were patient and it worked a treat. We gave Chelsea a scare and could've come out of the game with something.
If we were to do that this time against a low confidence Chelsea side then who knows what could happen.
With Berra saying the above, you have to wonder why we don't go into games with this plan more often. Our best performances and results have generally come from us keeping the ball and playing to our strengths, it's my biggest frustration with Wolves. We have players like Nenad Milijas, who oozes class on the ball and Matt Jarvis, when gives the right service can give any full back a run for their money.
If results were good with the style Mick seems to want us to play at the moment, you could argue a point for saying they are playing well, or that we should stick with it but we're not, it's hard to watch and we in very poor form.
Hopefully Mick remembers that game at Stamford Bridge, or Old Trafford or against Blackpool at home because they were some great performances that we should be trying to emulate.
I completely agree with Berra, and yes, we should be trying to emulate said games.
ReplyDeleteThe question is, why doesn't Mick think that way?
This is the worst we've been playing since getting promoted, no results to show for it and its absolutely agonising to watch. There seems to be zero confidence, everybody (well perhaps not Doyle Jarvo and Ohara) wants rid of the ball as if it were a hot potato... usually to Henry, who passes straight back to Wayne, who hoofs it up. There appears no game plan, the switch to 451 with Ohara just behind Doyle has improved us slightly, but i think thats it - mick at his absolute maximum.
ReplyDeleteFor some reason mick is unable to get more out the squad - johnson, jarvis, hunt, ... our stars have all been poor, and all at the same time... coincidence? Why has Hammil fallen out of favour - he was a beacon. Ordinarily I would say "roll on January", but i dont think its quality we're lacking, its leadership, on and off the field. perhaps time for a new captain, and dare i say, new manager...
Agreed this is the best possible time to play chelsea, but we are in the slump of our lives at the moment, only a complete turn around in fortunes will see us take anything from the game.
opinions eh? Doyle, jarvo and O'hara? the only players i see not totally bereft of confidence currently are Ward, Henry and Berra (Mick's so called favourites). i'd go so far as to say that if the season ended now, ward would get way over half the votes for player of the year! i totally agree that possession football is pointless if it ends with a back pass to hennessey and then a big boot but i have to say the majority of the wolves crowd (or at least a very vocal minority) would seem to prefer the big boot and the continually sniping at henry for going sideways or backwards just confirms this.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like Mick might want to deploy the same sort of tactics that we had against Everton - try not to lose instead of trying to win...
ReplyDeleteWe'll see, but I won't at all be surprised if the Chelsea game consists of Wayne hoofing the ball up the pitch...