Football News: Wolverhampton Wanderers Player Ratings v Manchester United

I'm not sure if anyone is actually interested in my views on the Wolverhampton Wanderers v Manchester United game and don't want to upset people, but after waiting a couple of days to allow the heat to go out of the aftermath, here goes.

Sa - 5: Although nowhere near as bad as some are making out, I do recognise that his positioning is sometimes questionable - for example he made the save when he rushed out against Rashford, but that was because Rashford failed to take advantage of his poor positioning rather than a good save. For the goal was he pulled too far to the near post as the ball sailed over his head - not sure? He didn't exude confidence in a side that amazingly did!

Semedo - 8: A very good performance going forwards and excellent defensively. Out jumped at the back post by Varane for the goal, but was left exposed 2 on 1 and Varane is always going to out jump a smaller and weaker full back. Possibly overplayed occasionally, but for me this was his best ever performance in a Wolves shirt.

Dawson - 6: Not really his game as United didn't play with an obvious target man and in fact offered little going forwards as Wolves dominated in midfield (see below). Solid enough without really catching the eye. Left Semedo with 2 at the back post for the goal - should he have dropped as the ball went over his head?

Kilman - 6: Although a different 6 to Dawson. Did some very good things, blocks and covering tackles, but sadly also made obvious errors. Wolves overplayed at the back and although this is a positive (playing good football should be what the game is about) it sadly also will lead to us conceding goals which as we currently can't score is a worry and something we simply can't risk.

RAN - 5: A Curate's egg. Looks fantastic rolling forwards, beating players at will, but sadly defensively weak and was booked early on, hamstringing his efforts further.

Lemina - 7: Very good at breaking up play and controlling the pace of the game - almost a Neves like performance, but without the passing range.

Gomes - 7: Another very good performance, these 2 totally dominated the feted Man United midfield. Covered miles, won tackles and looked like one of the best players on the pitch - and there were a lot of very expensive players on that pitch!

Nunes - 7: Another player who, just like RAN, looks like a million dollars at times, but who also frustrates with his decision making and his passing. How can someone with that much skill not pass the ball better? Massively overplays at times and yet often gets away with it - if this leads to us scoring goals as it should, fair enough, but if not see comment on Kilman. An enigma we have to solve - if we do we have a diamond on our hands, i'm excited at how good he could be!

Sarabia - 6: A neat and tidy player who is more than capable of playing mid table Premier League football. Astonishingly after the first match of the season, not sure that is enough to get into the Wolves team - sorry if I'm guilty of hyperbole here!

Neto - 7: Almost back to his best. Made Shaw, England's left back, look like a very old man at times and even when doubled up on still beat players at will. Like the rest of the side though, he must improve both his finishing and chance creation after such dominance we still scored "0" and although we created several very good chances we should have created more and better / clearer ones.

Cunha - 9: MOTM. Should have scored at least 1 possibly 2 or even 3 and butchered the 3 on 2 by making the wrong (and to compound it a bad) pass to Sarabia when if he had passed to Neto on the other side - admittedly the harder pass as the defender was between him and Neto - then Neto had a walk in. But what a performance. Pace, skill, strength, work rate, it had it all. Best performance in a Wolves shirt. Hugely impressive! Would he be even better playing behind alongside a more conventional 9 - like say Fabio (see below).

Subs:

Hwang - 7: Came on and maintained our threat. He works very hard, is quick and goes forwards, but like all of the side he did not cover himself in glory with his very poor finishing.

Bueno - 7: Although only on for 20 minutes at the end, for me, he tightened things up and yet he still provides a good option - not as good as RAN going forwards. One of two changes I would make (I assume Sa retains his place).

Fabio - 7: Looked sharp and hungry and massively more physical / committed. We might have a player at last! I would start him over Sarabia next week tweaking the system slightly to play Cunha off or alongside him with only Neto providing out and out width.

Sasa - 6: Didn't have long enough to really impress, but battled way gamely and obviously he provides a target for crosses (see part on the Ref below).

Ref - Not as bad during the game as people are making out. Although he was complicit in allowing United to rough us up. We remain a soft team and need to toughen up as no ref is going to offer us the protection the big 6 or 7 teams get.

Missed clear bookings for Mount - gave the free kick, but despite it being quite a bad foul - late and over the top didn't give a card, Casemiro (sp) bad foul on Cunha clear booking. Anthony shirt pull amongst several fouls, stone wall booking not given and Wan Bissaka (sp) numerous fouls. But the Elephant in the room is the clear and obvious penalty.

Surely he saw it in real time, but the VAR ref did see it and chose not to give it. What are the consequences and how do we stop this from occurring week after week as it has done over the last few years and almost will again this year? The one week ban for the 2 of them is pathetic.

The ref perhaps should get a shorter ban than the VAR man as it is hard to ref a game and mistakes can be made. But being a VAR ref is easy if you know the rules you have all the time and replays to look at every incident from every angle it is therefore hard to get this wrong.

He should be on a yellow - another error like and he loses his job. In what other profession would you survive being grossly incompetent making multi-million pound decisions incorrectly week after week? Unless the authorities clamp down on this, it will not end - not hopeful!

Written by Thefutureisoldgold August 16 2023 20:29:19