Football News: Wolverhampton Wanderers v Fulham Player Ratings and Review

Was offered a ticket for the Wolverhampton Wanderers v Fulham game but at £100 a pop, excluding travel, (travel time) and food etc., I decided to stay at home, nice and warm and watch the game on the box - sorry getting old!

However, delighted to say that the point was exactly what I predicted in my note on the remainder of the games last week, that has us surviving!. Sadly maybe we should have had all 3?

It was, however, a real game of two halves! First half we should have been at least 2 up, but let's be honest, in the second half we were hanging on. Credit must be given to Silva for changing their sides' approach after half time.

In the first half, they were very passive and the game didn't need a referee. Second half they picked up the pace and bullied us, no really bad fouls, but at every challenge they made sure we knew they were there and the referee simply allowed this - probably a dozen or so fouls not given if you were being pedantic?

We sadly wilted and looked lost! It has been an issue for a long time now, our ability to deal with physical sides and Fulham are hardly Stoke! You know you aren't going to get the protection from the referee that a sky 6 team will, so man up, don't hide or look to lay it off asap to avoid the hit - all that does is hand over possession and lift them further!

Keep playing, use your skill and pace to play around them. Very easy to say, much harder to do and needs some of the leaders to stand up and hold it together!

Anyway ratings
Sa 7 - Had no chance with the goal, but made 2 good saves.

Bueno 7 - Good going forwards, but did seem to be on the side that most of their attacks came down. Was one of our better players in the second half - a low bar.

Semedo 8 - Excellent! The first half was the best I have seen him play and was pretty good in the 2nd half as well!

Dawson 7 - Strong first half but not as strong in the 2nd.

Kilman 6 - Looked ok in the first half, but faded.

Lemina 7 - A real bargain buy. Wins the ball and passes to someone in the same colour shirt. Our own physical presence and he helped us control the game in the first half. Faded in the second.

Neves 6 - For a player of his class, the second half shouldn't have overwhelmed him as it did.

Nunes 6 - As he went off midway through, (stoppage time included) the 2nd half his mark mainly reflects his strong first half performance but he had faded badly in the 2nd half.

Sarabia 6 - Scored one but missed what was probably an easier one. Neat and tidy and in the first half he linked play really well but lightweight and disappeared in the 2nd half.

Cunha 5 - Like Sarabia, very neat and tidy. He passes amd moves nicely. But he is also very lightweight. However was it coincidental that we simply stopped playing once he left or did we miss his neat and tidy passing?

Jimenez 6 - He was surprisingly good for parts of the first half and should have scored with a free header 6 yards out. However faded badly long before he was taken off. At fault for their goal with a poor touch on the edge of our box but we had lots of chances to clear after so not just his fault at all!

Subs :

Traore 5 - Didn't do much offensively and was overpowered by Robinson for their goal but worked hard and showed for the ball when others hid.

Moutinho 4 - Game passed him by and sadly looked his age.

Podence 4 - Gave even less than Traore offensively and couldn't get any sort of control despite Bueno supporting him strongly.

Costa 3 - Statuesque, won a few free kicks but if he had been awake when Podence's cross was dropped by Leno he would have had a tap in.

A very good first half but we are still working out the best front line options. Liked having Jimenez linking play but don't think he can do so for 90 mins and Costa is way off.

On a good day our quality (Cunha and Sarabia have real quality) will tell, but the physical balance isn't there and we don't score or even look like scoring enough. Is Neto the answer?

Written by Thefutureisoldgold February 25 2023 10:44:13