Match Thread: Manchester City vs Wolves

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Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2021:12:26:11:09:03 by Cheshire wolf.

Haven’t seen a team graphic to upload but there is only one change from the starting XI last week - Moutiniho in for Hwang. We are piling the midfield it seems, though at the cost of an outlet?

Have a look at the Manchester City bench today - frightening!!





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021:12:11:11:49:57 by Ivybridge Wolf.

I’m looking forward to this game but with some trepidation.

A change to three man midfield for today's game, with Traore and Raul leading the line. Line-up:

Donk on, alongside Neves and Mouthino, so those three need to be inventive (and alert)

Afternoon All
A very strong being fielded by City needless to say., playing without a recognised striker but that doesn’t usually bother them!! Wolves playing in their black away strip. Adama lining up to the left of Raul & here we go

First corner to City off RAN. Raul jarred hi knee going up for the ball but will hopefully run it off

Good break by Wolves but Neves’ shot is tame. Grealish falls over when tackled by Donk & Cancelo’s shot is just wide

Good steady build up by City ends with a good shot but wide by Silva

Wolves are defending nicely so far, but also struggling to get over the half way line!

Dreadful appeal for a penalty by Jesus after a good recovery by Max. RAN is also doing well so far dealing with Sterling.

RAN is too slow to try & release Adama, but Raul gets a free kick which RAN puts in but Raul can only guide it wide

Corner to City cleared

Nasty clash of heads between Ruben Neves & Max K both going to head the ball. Medical team seeing to them as both have cuts

Lull in play - horrible clash of heads.

We are doing okay, defensively pretty solid but clear they’ll have to keep their concentration for 95 minutes today.

Can’t see us scoring us however

UTW!!

Seeing Max and Ruben both on the turf after that clash is terrifying

Both players sitting up. Max needs a dressing. Raul obviously immediately concerned. No dressing needed by Neves, but both players being checked for double vision etc. Game goes on thankfully

Saiss down hurt after being caught in the face by Sterling. Handbags going on between them really. Steve McManeman talking like a nob!

Ruben Dias booked for bringing down Adama

Grealish grinning. Wouldn’t want to see anything happen to HIM!!

Jiminez sent off. Ouch

CC fouls Grealish who immediately goes down just outside our box to their right, well cleared by Raul. Adama brought down again this time by Rhodri for another yellow card. City break down our left & good clearance needed from CC for a corner which is cleared. Jesus angry to have handball given against him.
Seven added minutes!
Raul gets a yellow card for a fairly innocent foul then stops the free kick being taken, gets a second yellow card & sent off. Totally irresponsible behaviour from Raul & down to 10 men

Raul - 1st one was never a yellow but even so, the 2nd was appalling from Jimenez.

What on earth was he thinking?

Jimenez and Wolves press the self destruct button

Gundigan scuffs a shot but good defending too from Wolves

Half time & the City fans are not happy that there is no score. Raul Jimenez sent off for two yellow cards, the second of which was stupid & unlike him. Neves hurt at the end of the half.

Wow. What next? I suppose that the good news is that Raul was getting so little service that he won’t be missed as much as a defender. 😃

Ridiculous play by Raul will make an already difficult match so much harder after a good all round team effort.
Will be interesting to see if Bruno rings the changes during the break.

Off we go again with no changes to either side, City immediately launching attacks, but we defend well. Traore tries to break but of course has no support now. Looks like we are going to need to concentrate on defending now. Another corner off CC

Donk heads out for what must be City’s 6th corner of the half! Wolves very well martialled in our box. Sterling goes down looking for a penalty again but nothing given

Foden preparing to come on. CC clears off the line from a Gundogan header. Gundogan replaced by Foden.

Ball put over the area & Silva’s header goes straight to Jose. Hwang being prepared. Sterling wants another penalty!!

RAN blocks Sterling again. Jon Moss awards a penalty for handball against Joao after it strikes his armpit. Andre Martinez in VAR typically says it is handball. Sterling takes it and places it easily past Jose. Not our day folks
City 1 Wolves 0

Never a penalty , but 1-0. Adama off for Chang

Inexplicably Bruno brings Hwang on to replace Adama - the only player who has posed any threat to the City defence!!
Grealish has an open goal & puts it high & wide

Good save by Sa from Silva. Another corner, then another, which Sa needs help from Semedo to clear.
Grealish off, De Bruyne on - just what we needed!!

Donk gets a yellow card for a foul on Rhodri.
Ten minutes to go and City are still only beating our ten men by a dubious penalty. Good save again by Sa, for another corner. Cancels pulls back Hwang & gets a yellow card.
Trink replaces Neves

Podence being prepared to replace Donk, so we could have 3 up front & one in midfield!!

Foden gets a shot away well dealt with by Jose Sa. Casual and poor play by Trink.

Four added minutes.

Great move by Wolves up the left wing & Max brings out a save from Edison. Then he has to stop an attempt from the corner.

All over and we lose by a penalty which is hard luck after playing the whole second half with ten men after a ridiculous red card for Jimenez. A very good defensive effort by us, but disappointing to think we could have got a point, and that we will now be without Raul at Brighton on Weds.
City 1 Wolves 0

So this is the great Manchester City that can only beat 10 man Wolves with a dubious penalty ! Lawrenson said 4-0 - what does he know!

We clearly have one of the best defences in the Prem. But one goal from six games!!!
What drama

Only conceded two goals against Liverpool and Man.City which is quite credible and that’s about all the credit I can muster. Massive effort by our defenders and to my eyes that was not a penalty.
And no Raul for our next match perhaps it’s time for Fabio to step up.

Never a penalty that's an absolute joke to lose to that. Raul lost his head today, stupid but we move on. Defended really well again just a shame we got nothing from the game again. Var are a waste of time because they are not getting decisions right, I wish it never got introduced. I think it's just there for the so called big boys. Proud of the boys for their fighting spirit today we will take it on the chin and move on to Brighton.

Finding myself keenly watching the results of those teams below us, never a good sign.

Don’t who to vent my frustrations at more, Jimenez or VAR?

Ultimately I think the sending off made all the difference but the VAR or rather non VAR decision is pretty defenceless when the ball, using the angles and pictures available to BT, shows the ball not hitting Moutinho’s arm. Nevertheless he gave a decision to make by raising his arm and that is what has defeated us. We have seen so many similar decisions overturned this season, it simply does not make sense and no doubt in my mind Moss should have been referred, at least, to the on field screen. Peter Walton on BT might as well be given his P45, all he does is simply defend to system - total cr@p.

Raul - what utter madness on the field. I have no doubt (again) the first was not a yellow, but it was given and inexplicably he lost his head - it was like watching a slow motion car crash about to happen. And it did.

Defending again was superb. Coady and Kilman shining once more. What a hame that Kilman header didn’t come off in the last minute. Creditable rear guard action, though nothing on offer up front, including when 11 v 11. Raul was contributing so well in defence too, another reason I was so bloody annoyed with him.

Additionally, I read a lot of criticism over the net about how Burnley set up against us the other week, well in the last two matches, we have exceeded their efforts at Molineux, in terms of dark arts (time wasting etc) we have show we can match them 😂😳

When will we look like scoring a goal next? Answers on a postcard, and without Jimenez on Wednesday night versus a very tough Brighton side, who on earth will step up? Maybe it’ll work in reverse and we’ll score a hatful. We can all dream. It has a draw written all over it.

In summary great defending again but ultimately nothing to show for it. Very disappointing but we came nowhere near a performance to warrant much more than we got, if we are honest. Are we gravitating to a league position that more represents our current playing crop? Quite possibly so.

Onward to Wednesday - UTW!!





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021:12:11:15:59:14 by Ivybridge Wolf.

I have to say Trincao is a huge disappointment for me this season after all his pre-season potential. He seems to be a bit powder puff to me and his final ball is usually unproductive. I have to wonder whether we really will hold on to him for the season.
On the other hand I think Rayan Ait-Nouri is improving every game, especially against quality opposition. Max Kilman had another very good game today too and Podence looked good when he eventually came on. I must also say I didn’t seethe sense of replacing Adama with Hwang, when Traore was the one player who looked to have the ability to challenge the City defence.

Agree Chesh, Trincao is too lightweight for our needs, although he didn’t have much time today. At present I’d describe him as a similar player as Costa, but not as good. Don’t think he’s going to win us many matches.

And another thing. We all know the contemporary nonsense of telly people awarding the MOTM award to a player on the winning side but Sterling today for gods sake?!! Laughable.

Coady and Kilman were both streets ahead,

C’est la view.

MOM for me would have been between RAN & Max. In regards to the value of Trincao, I think that if we were a team playing on the front foot we would see a player we could all admire but he is not cut out to be in any way defensive minded and his displays mirror the way we are currently playing, he, along with Raul, Traore, DP etc etc are having their skills negated due to the requirement to perform defensive duties. Put him on the front foot with regular support from the other forward players and we could well have a gem of a player. Another young and rising star to go along with RAN, Neto, Kilman, Mosquera , Fabio and Cundle—- the futures bright.

For one reason or another I seem to be missing as many matches as I am seeing this season.
I have watched a few minutes of highlights however and the sending off was the correct decision I think, while the penalty was a ridiculous decision. I am someone who never wanted VAR and the sooner this rubbish is consigned to the nearest skip the better ( I know it never will be ).
This is the only site I contribute to but I do read others and I can't believe how many people want changes made to the defence. Yet again this seemed like another sound display defensively but with no goals in four consecutive matches and now no Raul, that's a worry.

MOTD tonight - Shearer agrees that the first Jimenez yellow ‘wasn’t’ a yellow but we all agree about what happened immediately after for the red. Shearer, Keown and Lineker all agree the penalty decision should have been overturned and that VAR failed ….. but that the Kilman ‘handball’ at the end of the first half was a definite candidate for a penalty. Must say, can’t disagree …… except the one about Kilman lol!

Interesting points about Trincao, Lupinehowler and I can see your point. This is a tough time for any front player at Wolves. Overall, I believe we currently require attacking players who can make things happen. Our structure on the pitch and range of players at our disposal are what they are and it could be a season or more to shake things up ….. dependant on Jeff and his cheque book. I don’t doubt Trincao has inherent skill, however from what I’ve seen he lacks a bit of guile and determination in tough situations. He’s young, he could well come good, however being on loan and if it was a choice between keeping him or looking for (for example) a marauding / physical attack minded midfielder, then I’d take the latter. Just my opinion and more than happy, as always, that any player outperforms my expectations. It wouldn’t be the first time ….. look at Coady ….. zero to hero / out and out man crush!!!

UTW





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021:12:11:23:37:32 by Ivybridge Wolf.