Wolves were in control for long periods at the London Stadium but looked to score very little, while West Ham could have scored more. Player ratings highlight a strong midfield, worrying defense and concerns over Jimenez.
Haven’t seen this game on TV yet, it was like the gods at the London Stadium, so while the view from a helicopter is good, it’s not great for close up details like who fouled the WHU pen. I read it was Andre.
I’ve read a few reviews/posts on social media about this game so I thought I’d add my review/post, it’s no different in most ways.
Scoreline flattered WHU, but the results were indisputable.
The Wolves controlled the game for long stretches but rarely looked to score. Overplaying the ball, poor final ball, poor decision-making and poor finishing meant long stretches of control that were not reflected on the scoreboard.
Unfortunately, WHU had less possession and territory and could easily have scored more than their 4 goals.
Wolves have a top-class midfield – possibly Premier League quality. A fully capable front line, especially if Raul shakes things up, should be good for the Champions League. But the defense was well below the required standard.
Rating
Sa 5 – Not nearly as bad as the emotional rants about him on social media, and can’t really be blamed on any goals. Maybe he could have done better in the past two games, but he hasn’t inspired anyone with confidence that a clean sheet is coming, and corners in particular have been a nightmare. WHU can and probably should score not only a 1, but a 3.
Jackson 6 – His speed is a real asset in both directions. Beating WHU defenders seemingly at random, but the final ball often ends up being bad. However, the cross for the second goal was outstanding. Despite this, he should be replaced by Trippier as soon as possible.
Djiga 5 – The more clinical of the two centre-halves, but neither were able to exert any control inside Wolves’ six-yard box.
Totti 4 – Poor on the ball as always, unfortunately not a good enough defender to make up for it. A replacement is needed and hopefully Craigie can and will do that now that the window has closed and he’s still here.
Bueno 5 – Struggled like the other defenders. While, like Jackson, he pushed forward and was involved in many of the neat interactions the Wolves enjoyed, his output was noticeably worse than Jackson’s. Disappointing.
Andre 7 – A very different view of Andre than others on social media. His work rate is very high and his tackle success rate is amazing. Win the ball and move forward. The passes were imperfect and egregious mistakes were made at times, and he’s clearly the guy responsible for that, but I don’t know how others view him as a weakness. For me, he is Wolves’ best player.
Munetsi 6 – Second time I’ve seen him this season and he performed much better than most the second time, so that’s a credit to him. It is undeniable that his ball control ability is not as good as Lopez’s, nor is he as creative as Lopez, but his running, tackle and recovery ability are very good.
Not as good as Andre – high standards despite the comments on social media tonight – but a great goal the second time around. An elegant finish after a powerful run. A player was also kicked off the line during another goal scuffle.
Lopez 6 – Didn’t hide despite being heavily tagged/intercepted. Excellent on the ball and drives forward hard. After Wolves’ second goal, he basically passed the ball slowly back to the goalkeeper and fired a shot from 18 yards out, a critical miss.
Gomez 6 – Like Jackson, his defenders struggled with pace, struggling to keep the ball and move forward. While the forward effort in the first half was disappointing, it was far from the weakest link. I, like my non-Wolves team-mates in the game, was surprised that he was hooked on Armstrong early in the second half.
Jimenez 4 – The pace tonight was concerning. Kilman is barely involved and restrains him with ease. With no obvious experienced replacement, the Wolves desperately need him to shake off the rust and start contributing and stringing together games. Sadly, his marginal position often resulted in operations failing.
Mane 6 – Looks most likely to score in the first half, but like Gomez, needs to do/create more with the possession and space he has. The offense wasn’t great today, but as long as Raul gets his act together, they’ll be fine.
Substitute
Armstrong 5 – Ran around but didn’t really get into the game and WHU ended the game after the Wolves scored their second goal. Not sure if he is No. 9, but unless Raul cheers up, he will play in the No. 9 position!
James 7 – Scored a nice goal, probably an own goal, and worked hard to get the team going. Despite my positive comments about Munezzi, the sooner James starts, the better.
Doyle 5 – There is no indication that he is anything more than a deep bench player. Lacks rhythm and while it’s clean and tidy, it’s not enough.
Not applicable to Chiru
A poor performance, but with luck – WHU’s third shot went wide and Wolves had two equally good shots off the crossbar – and coolness – Wolves snuffed out several chances to create a goal in the first 30 minutes – this was a game that could have been winnable. It was a bad day at the office, but a lesson must be learned.
The defense is poor and the sooner the front 11 (i.e. no Jackson, Totti or Muniez, but Trippier, Krejic and James) performs the better. Raul is a worry, but sadly he is all the club has, so keep your fingers crossed that he can be rejuvenated, or at least bolstered by a system that doesn’t require him to run or challenge regularly, but simply to end the chances created by the young, fast talent around him.
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