Quite a reasonable assessment at half time!
Early kick offs appear to be a real nemesis for us. Ok, we won, so I suppose after 6 tries and no win last season, we cracked it. But the performance level was not there.
First half we looked a yard off the pace all over the pitch. Fortunately with the squad we have we can win matches even with only partial games from a few of them, and thatās what we did today.
After the international break it was all about digging out a result for the three points, which we did. I am convinced that the performance level is going to improve, and we will have plenty of games this season where it will be irresistible. Until that stuff clicks - and we have to remember all the new players we are bedding in, and the injuries (3/4) in the defence - it is imperative to keep racking up the points, which we are doing.
To my mind it augurs well for a very exciting season to come.
2 Likes
I concur with your comment. Iām shocked.
What restaurant if I my ask?
Thanks will be in London in January with the missus perhaps we will check it out.
My take aways from the match:
Mo is so, so valuable to us, still, and for the foreseeable future. Have always thought that his passing/assists were greatly underrated, and good to see they are finally being appreciated.
Quanseh really passed the eye test today, donāt think I remember him putting a foot wrong, and he made a nice few progressive forward passes, too. Still very early days, but Iām now feeling comfortable with him as 4th-5th choice CB. Weāll see how healthy our CB corps can stay this season.
Gomez is a decent enough 2nd choice RB, but there is NO WAY we should be trying to have him play the Trent inverted fullback role. If Trent is out, we need to change our tactics/formation, and the much improved performance in the 2nd half showed that.
No fault on Mecca, he was clearly knackered, and then picked up an early soft yellow card. But, why did Klopp not give Endo a start? At some point, we need to see what Endo can do, especially in a full game with Trent, Macca/Jones, and Szobo starting around him.
Is there anything Szobo canāt do? Ok, a bit sloppy at times in the first half, but always full of running and endeavor. And, I thought he did quite well in the double pivot with Jones in the 2nd half. Versatile midfielders, anyone?
Our best front 3 at the moment seems to be pretty clearly Mo, Darwin, and Diaz. Jota and Gakpo great subs to have, and there are games when Gakpo is probably called for rather than Darwin at the start. Jota for me has slid a bit down the pecking order.
Elliott continues to show very well in his substitute role. If not for Szoboās fast start, heād be seeing more minutes. Hopefully Harvey gets a start mid-week.
Overall, still a very strong start to the season, and it seems like our mentality monsters are back! YNWA.
11 Likes
Harvey with a Ronaldoesque leap there.
1 Like
2 Likes
Could only follow this on the in match blog, gut it was good ,got the first half was shit and things turned around dramatically in the second.A fly on the wall in the dressing room at half time may well have had a story to tell.
Clearly MacAllister was knackered as youād expect, but the lads came out in the second with a point to prove, and made it, it seems!Quansah put in a decent effort, maybe we donāt need to panic about another CB in Jan.
1 Like
He looks like a bad photoshop 
1 Like
I know there were some great 2nd half performances, but damn, what a match from Szoboszlai!
Astonishing versataility, and to my mind the foundation of the tactics that made the second half so different the first half.
5 Likes
Yet he was abysmal in the 1/2 I saw.
Must admit he has looked pretty good up till now and a pity I missed the second half.
1 Like
Robbo seems to enjoy his goals judging by well I spotted it.
1 Like
His range of and eye for passing from the back seems to open the game up in a similar way to how Trent plays from there.
3 Likes
Chalk & cheese between the first and second halves.
Relieved to turn it around.
Dreadful defending from Robertson for their goal, straight out of the āturn your backā chapter of the poor defending manual.
Wolves showed how it should be done just before half time.
Letās get this mickey mouse fixture out of the way on Thursday without any injuries please, then on to a tough game on Sunday.
2 Likes
Love captain Robboās goal, feelās like ages since heās scored but that was a beaut!
5 Likes
Caught the match at the beginning of the 2nd half.
- unpleasantly surprised by the 1-0 deficit
- impressed by Quansahās performance, feel slightly more at ease with our backline squad
- thought Diaz, Nunez and Elliott turned our game around 180.
- Mo was superb as the provider
Also pleased to note we have won 4 games already under 3 different captains!
8 Likes
All those people who were bemoaning our lack of leadership after the departures of Milly and Hendo are a bit quieter now.
12 Likes