Football News: Wolverhampton Wanderers v Aston Villa Player Ratings

Please note, I have only seen the 30 minutes highlight package on Sky and then only once so my comments must be viewed in that light. However, I have read a lot of comments on the game on social media and it doesn't appear that the highlights misrepresented the game to any great extent.

First, a good point. Obviously gutted Wolverhampton Wanderers couldn't get all 3, which perhaps our first half deserved, but in reality, our second half probably meant Aston Villa will feel they should have had all 3!

A point was par though for me - on our 23 game survival (golf) course - so happy, but next up is West Ham United, where a win is par, so no room for error. 2 cup games to come first - obviously want to win both (particularly v Nottingham Forest, which leads to a Semi Final) - but accept it is more important to get the team right - Cunha bedded in and our front line in general sorted!

Ratings:
Sa 5 - Should have conceded 3, so hard to give him any higher despite general view, not really reflected in highlights, that once again he was solid. If he hadn't slipped, would he have saved from Ings?

Bueno 7 - looked very strong. The battle between him and Rayan Ait-Nouri (RAN) is going to be very good for Wolves!

Collins 7 - Another strong performance - Julen Lopetegui (JL) really does seem to have restored some comfort and confidence in our CBs.

Kilman 7 - Erroneously blamed by many for the goal as it came down his channel. But if you watch the goal, although it does indeed come from him losing the ball deep in their half - but we want our CBs to carry the ball so it will happen (Note Doherty, who was superb in the live game for Spurs, used and still does get blamed for being out of position when he wasn't in defence {because he was in attack!} He, Doherty, has been out of style for a little while (David Essex) at Spurs but now it appears he is almost back to his best and the comparison with the double money and salary "upgrade" Semedo is not positive!) - numerous other players are culpable before the goal is scored. Mings receives the ball in so much time and space it is ridiculous - Cunha? Also, neither a CM (Neves or Nunes), nor a defender, (Collins or Bueno), has filled the gap left when Kilman went forward.

Further drilling required perhaps or maybe as JL said the legs were going due to the lack of fitness in the team for the reasons, we all know! A plus mark, offsetting even the slight blame for it happening twice - Bailey was down his channel as well - for the mind blowing headed clearance off the line from the Villa LB's volley!

Semedo 6 - Didn't impact significantly either way it appeared.

Moutinho 7 - Worked very hard and yet again produced a great pass for Podence to score!

Nunes 7 - Another very strong game, but oh my he has to score when clean through against the goalie, but fails to get a clean contact. Massive improvement on earlier in season though - well done JL!

Neves 7 - strong, but needed to do more as a leader to arrest the fall away in standards/ambition (Is JL too negative - first query of what has been a very strong start by him - sorry!)

Podence 8 - I have to be careful because I have always rated him highly when most don't and always give him higher marks (as I do with Traore) than others would because of his style, which I admire. Results though are now obvious - has he improved or simply integrated better - Tick for JL?

Costa 6 - definite signs of more mobility but still no real threat of him scoring I'm afraid - so if Cunha is a 9, he should start instead, if not Jimenez must be a better bet?

Hwang 5 - No one can deny he tries really hard and is a good athlete - both characteristics that normally I place a high value on - but he just isn't very good at football! Shouldn't be playing and surely won't when we get the front line sorted.

Subs:
Traore 6 - Marked down as social media says that the highlights over emphasise his contribution, which states he only touched the ball 12 times in 45 mins would tend to concur with! However, in the highlights package he did all the things Hwang can't / doesn't, but perhaps, not shown in the highlights, he may have failed to do the one thing Hwang is really good at - trying hard! He wins headers - amazing for a man so short, holds the ball up well under pressure and makes things happen. He had a very good shot just over the bar. Also he, unlike Cunha (?), had made a fantastic run and would have had a tap in if RAN had merely rolled the ball across the 6 yard box instead of blasting it at the keeper.

Hodge 6 - As in his earlier games he gives exactly what it says on the tin - neat and tidy but nothing special. I tend to sit in the he is ok camp rather than either of the two extremes that seem to exist on Social Media. Note OK is not Premier league quality, but he might be with experience, time and better players around him.

RAN 7 - What a run! A very skilful player who looks reinvigorated under JL - Big tick again! The battle with Bueno (could he play LM or even WF?) Is one of the very few real positives. Tiny point, if he had only looked up a very simple pass to Traore leads to a certain goal. Not going to criticise though as Traore has had a few pelters for similar errors previously and maybe we should look at the positives of the run.

Cunha 5 - Sorry to say, but on the highlights package his 24 minutes don't get a mention, (to be fair, most of that time we were on the back foot as villa pushed on and took over the game), and my only "notes" were he was nowhere to be seen when he should have been closing down Mings, nor did he react to RAN's run. However, Social Media indicates he did contribute some good movement in is his first 24 mins for Wolves, so happy to hope for better stuff once he gets up to speed.

Gomes 5 - Not sure why he is getting 10 mins at the end of every game - an out and out defender, but not very good. An odd sub and clearly a tactical device by JL that worked against Everton, but not with Manchester United or Aston Villa? Sorry not certain about that JL?

Written by Thefutureisoldgold January 06 2023 09:38:46