I thought the first half was really good. Exactly what is needed against a low block team. We controlled it, proved and moved the ball from side to side, trusting that the chance would come. When it did we took it, and quickly got a second. Exactly what we should do.
But the second half was exactly the performance I was worried about. Wolves took the initiative because we decided to play passes and lazy flicks that were never on. And then we panicked.
All we had to do was play the first fifteen minutes like we did the first half, and the third would have come. But we give Wolves a game to chase, loads of encouragement. We offer encouragement like no other team in the league.
I agree with @Mascot we were good in the 2st half.
The 2nd half was a disgrace.
Someone on the pitch has to get a grip and just ignore what Slot says at half time, where are you VVD?
First half didn’t sound bad…so why can’t we replicate it the second half…is there some kind of invisible score curtain that closes…coz something plays on the teams mind…
It was just as I predicted before the game. Something for everyone. If you want Slot gone, there were things there to back your case. Wolves are bad and we huffed and puffed. The performance level was just not good enough, and we let them back into it instead of closing it out comfortably.
If you are more patient, adopting a wait and see approach, there were things there to justify your stance. Wirtz really good. Jones had a good game. Ekitike looks a player even though he tired. Frimpong dangerous on the right. Even with lots of injuries and players missing, we dug deep and showed some character to take all three points, moving up into 4th spot at the time of writing.
Take the 3 points and run. Did we hire our set piece coach off temu?! How he is still in a job is beyond baffling. Unbeaten run continues at least and Wirtz showing his class once again the only real positives.
It is a weird one, to see us ‘collapse’ so many times in the second half. Wolves got a goal back and were working hard for most of the second half to find an equaliser.
Even with the puzzling slump we still did enough to take the points, and for me, that is an indicator of a little bit of resilience coming back. Don’t pile on that isolated statement! Of course we were not good enough in the second half. But…
Three points, and a few weeks ago we probably wouldn’t have done that. I’ll take it. For now.