21-12-2015, 11:52
It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
When Wednesday are Scoring
The Fans Are all Roaring & Full of Good Cheer
It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!
After an opening 15 minutes where we struggled, this was was a glorious seventy odd minutes of exhilarating football that would warm the cockles of even the most miserable Scrooge.
Our early efforts went awry mainly from over playing in dangerous areas with Loovens, Hunt (twice), Wallace & Bannan all giving the ball away in our own third of the pitch. Looking back, this was probably due to us adapting to our new formation because once we went behind, we totally dominated the match.
Wolves took the lead after a generous penalty award. It appeared that their player charged into Wallace but the referee penalised us. Afobe waited for Westwood to move then sidefooted it into the opposite corner.
A few minutes later & we were level. Joao burst through the middle and as he was about to pull the trigger, Batth scythed him down. It looked like a clear red card but the referee kept his cars in his pocket. FF sweetly played the spot kick in the bottom left corner.
A few minutes later & we were in front. Joao kept the ball alive well in the box & when the ball broke to FF, he lashed it home.
After that we had several more chances & half chances. Joao, Hooper & FF pulled the Wolves defenders hither & thither. Bannan pulled the strings in midfield, spotting the forwards runs in behind the Wolves defence. Hutch & Loovens looked solid at the back while Pudil rampaged down the left flank to good effect.
It was Pudil who scored the third when he fired in emphatically from the edge of the box. Helan had already replaced Joao, who had a niggle & he and Pudil tormented the Wolves defence. Hooper's tireless running was rewarded when he scored the 4th. His brilliant run gave Nuhiu the simplest of passes to set him up & his finish was quality. He could have had another but the spin on Bannan's clever pass just took it away from him.
FF went close to a hat trick several times, none closer than when he took a quick throw in when Ikeme was out of his box and Hooper's clever chest pass set him up but his effort went just over.
Maybe CC has discovered the formation & tactics that will take us on a promotion push.
The fact that we won so emphatically was pleasing even with Wallace having a quiet afternoon & Hunt giving the ball away too much. Even Nuhiu came on for ten minutes and gave a pleasing little cameo.
Westwood - 6 - shaky on crosses
Hunt - 6 - gives the ball away too much
Hutchinson - 8 - outstanding performance in defence
Loovens - 7 - poor start but magnificent for 75 minutes
Pudil - 8 - attacking threat plus a goal
Wallace - 6 - quiet
Lee - 7 - quiet first half but better second, should have scored late on
Bannan - 9 - spotted the runs of the front three beautifully
FF - 9 - scored two and went close several times
Hooper - 8 - his running off the ball creates spaces plus another goal
Joao - 8 - won penalty, good hold up play
................................................................
Helan - 7 - worked left side well
Nuhiu - 7 - neat performance plus assist
Stat Attack:
Goals: 2 - FF, 1 - Pudil, Hooper
Assists: 1 - Joao, Bannan, Hooper, Nuhiu
Tackles: 5 - Bannan, 4 - Hunt, Pudil, Lee, 3 - FF, 2 - Hutchinson, 1 - Loovens, Hooper
Interceptions: 8 - Hutchinson, 6 - Loovens, 3 - Lee, 2 - Hunt, Pudil, FF 1 - Bannan
Clearances: 14 - Hutchinson, 7 - Loovens, 5 - Lee, 4 - Pudil, 3 - Hunt, 2 - Joao, 1 - Hooper, Helan
Attempts: 12 - FF, 3 - Bannan, Joao, 2 - Pudil, Wallace, Hooper,
Attempts On Target: 4 - FF, 2 - Joao, 1 - Pudil, Hooper
Key Passes: 4 - Bannan, 3 - Hooper, Wallace, 2 - Lee, FF, 1 - Joao, Nuhiu
Dribbles: 2 - Bannan, Lee, Hunt
Dispossessed: 3 - Hooper, 2 - FF, 1 - Pudil, Wallace, Lee, Bannan, Joao, Nuhiu
Bad Control: 3 - Wallace, 2 - Lee, 1 - Bannan, FF, Joao, Helan
Crosses (Accurate in Brackets): 9 - Wallace (1), 4 - Hunt (1), 2 - Bannan (1), 1 - Pudil (0), FF (0), Helan (0), Hooper (0)
Passing Accuracy (Total Passes in Brackets):
Helan - 95% (20)
Hooper - 92% (25)
Lee - 85% (41)
Bannan - 85% (54)
Hutchinson - 85% (26)
FF - 79% (29)
Loovens - 79% (24)
Joao - 79% (14)
Pudil - 73% (37)
Wallace - 71% (28)
Nuhiu - 67% (6)
Hunt - 53% (32)
Westwood - 43% (30)
I have been hoping that CC would try this formation for a while now. Now that it has worked so well, hopefully he will use it more often.
It should be added that Wolves were hopeless defensively and that scoring against Birmingham & Middlesbrough will not be so easy. However, the movement of our front three meant that we kept their defence turning and gave Bannan opportunities to pick passes beyond their back four. Long may it continue.
When Wednesday are Scoring
The Fans Are all Roaring & Full of Good Cheer
It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!
After an opening 15 minutes where we struggled, this was was a glorious seventy odd minutes of exhilarating football that would warm the cockles of even the most miserable Scrooge.
Our early efforts went awry mainly from over playing in dangerous areas with Loovens, Hunt (twice), Wallace & Bannan all giving the ball away in our own third of the pitch. Looking back, this was probably due to us adapting to our new formation because once we went behind, we totally dominated the match.
Wolves took the lead after a generous penalty award. It appeared that their player charged into Wallace but the referee penalised us. Afobe waited for Westwood to move then sidefooted it into the opposite corner.
A few minutes later & we were level. Joao burst through the middle and as he was about to pull the trigger, Batth scythed him down. It looked like a clear red card but the referee kept his cars in his pocket. FF sweetly played the spot kick in the bottom left corner.
A few minutes later & we were in front. Joao kept the ball alive well in the box & when the ball broke to FF, he lashed it home.
After that we had several more chances & half chances. Joao, Hooper & FF pulled the Wolves defenders hither & thither. Bannan pulled the strings in midfield, spotting the forwards runs in behind the Wolves defence. Hutch & Loovens looked solid at the back while Pudil rampaged down the left flank to good effect.
It was Pudil who scored the third when he fired in emphatically from the edge of the box. Helan had already replaced Joao, who had a niggle & he and Pudil tormented the Wolves defence. Hooper's tireless running was rewarded when he scored the 4th. His brilliant run gave Nuhiu the simplest of passes to set him up & his finish was quality. He could have had another but the spin on Bannan's clever pass just took it away from him.
FF went close to a hat trick several times, none closer than when he took a quick throw in when Ikeme was out of his box and Hooper's clever chest pass set him up but his effort went just over.
Maybe CC has discovered the formation & tactics that will take us on a promotion push.
The fact that we won so emphatically was pleasing even with Wallace having a quiet afternoon & Hunt giving the ball away too much. Even Nuhiu came on for ten minutes and gave a pleasing little cameo.
Westwood - 6 - shaky on crosses
Hunt - 6 - gives the ball away too much
Hutchinson - 8 - outstanding performance in defence
Loovens - 7 - poor start but magnificent for 75 minutes
Pudil - 8 - attacking threat plus a goal
Wallace - 6 - quiet
Lee - 7 - quiet first half but better second, should have scored late on
Bannan - 9 - spotted the runs of the front three beautifully
FF - 9 - scored two and went close several times
Hooper - 8 - his running off the ball creates spaces plus another goal
Joao - 8 - won penalty, good hold up play
................................................................
Helan - 7 - worked left side well
Nuhiu - 7 - neat performance plus assist
Stat Attack:
Goals: 2 - FF, 1 - Pudil, Hooper
Assists: 1 - Joao, Bannan, Hooper, Nuhiu
Tackles: 5 - Bannan, 4 - Hunt, Pudil, Lee, 3 - FF, 2 - Hutchinson, 1 - Loovens, Hooper
Interceptions: 8 - Hutchinson, 6 - Loovens, 3 - Lee, 2 - Hunt, Pudil, FF 1 - Bannan
Clearances: 14 - Hutchinson, 7 - Loovens, 5 - Lee, 4 - Pudil, 3 - Hunt, 2 - Joao, 1 - Hooper, Helan
Attempts: 12 - FF, 3 - Bannan, Joao, 2 - Pudil, Wallace, Hooper,
Attempts On Target: 4 - FF, 2 - Joao, 1 - Pudil, Hooper
Key Passes: 4 - Bannan, 3 - Hooper, Wallace, 2 - Lee, FF, 1 - Joao, Nuhiu
Dribbles: 2 - Bannan, Lee, Hunt
Dispossessed: 3 - Hooper, 2 - FF, 1 - Pudil, Wallace, Lee, Bannan, Joao, Nuhiu
Bad Control: 3 - Wallace, 2 - Lee, 1 - Bannan, FF, Joao, Helan
Crosses (Accurate in Brackets): 9 - Wallace (1), 4 - Hunt (1), 2 - Bannan (1), 1 - Pudil (0), FF (0), Helan (0), Hooper (0)
Passing Accuracy (Total Passes in Brackets):
Helan - 95% (20)
Hooper - 92% (25)
Lee - 85% (41)
Bannan - 85% (54)
Hutchinson - 85% (26)
FF - 79% (29)
Loovens - 79% (24)
Joao - 79% (14)
Pudil - 73% (37)
Wallace - 71% (28)
Nuhiu - 67% (6)
Hunt - 53% (32)
Westwood - 43% (30)
I have been hoping that CC would try this formation for a while now. Now that it has worked so well, hopefully he will use it more often.
It should be added that Wolves were hopeless defensively and that scoring against Birmingham & Middlesbrough will not be so easy. However, the movement of our front three meant that we kept their defence turning and gave Bannan opportunities to pick passes beyond their back four. Long may it continue.
The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.