THE WOLF

They will certainly have a spring in their step from the weekend. If you can win at Stamford Bridge, you will fancy a win anywhere in the PL.

It's hard to make any calls on Wolves after yesterday. The previous two games had seen at least one half of really good football and the struggle was the consistency over the 90. Yesterday we regressed to our worst since the Chelsea shambles: a full 90 minutes of slack play. Against a better attack we would have conceded at least 3.

Whether we have the energy to respond is only known by those watching training. Worryingly, yesterday was merely game 1 of 9 games in a month. The summer recruitment mess has tied Nuno's hands behind his back.

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Introducing Mr Jeff Shi – Executive chairman, board member, acting managing director, acting sporting director, unofficial deputy to Raul Jimenez in the striker department and confirmed Banks's drinker

Abraham playing could well have made a difference to the score.

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The Liquidator... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4m0yny9f0MY&NR=1

So far this season West Ham have struggled to use the abilities of Sebastien Haller who is a top class striker.
Leaving him out at the weekend, does he return against Wolves?

Looking forward would Haller be a potential transfer target for Wolves should West Ham allow him to move on.

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For some of us life is not about self interest.

If Jimenez goes - he must be attracting attention all over Europe with his current form - Haller could definitely fit the profile but the fee will be stupid now that he's entered the PL.

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Introducing Mr Jeff Shi – Executive chairman, board member, acting managing director, acting sporting director, unofficial deputy to Raul Jimenez in the striker department and confirmed Banks's drinker

Is that so.
Even if a player fails at a club because the coach fails to gain the most out of his talents.

I see German commentators having a go at Newcastle at the moment because they are failing their own centre forward who performed different roles in the Bundesliga.

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For some of us life is not about self interest.

It will be hard as always at this level but we should, despite any tired limbs, be able to win this one and one day, somewhere, a team is going to get a thrashing from us, let us hope that we might do that tonight. Haller will be a right handful for our back line if he starts , he was excellent in his time at Frankfurt in the Bundesliga. Joelinton is not being utilised correctly as yet by Newcastle either. I was at the Gladbach v Freiburg game on Sunday, 4-2 win for the home team and their front two of Thuram and Embolo were unstoppable on the day. Keep an eye on them. Fast, skilful and physically strong.

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In the kingdom of the blind, the one-eyed man is King.

Dominant apart from that spell after our goal. Issue is Traore always slows down play then loops in completely aimless cross and Jonny on the other flank just offers no threat. Can see us adding a second but we look a little toothless.

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http://www.steadfasttrust.org.uk/

Doing enough to lead and looking bright but our combinations between the front 3 just aren't coming off at present. It's telling that the goal came from a corner rather than us cutting through them with accurate passing.

West Ham looking much more motivated than last season at least.

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Introducing Mr Jeff Shi – Executive chairman, board member, acting managing director, acting sporting director, unofficial deputy to Raul Jimenez in the striker department and confirmed Banks's drinker

Hope this isn`t a game of two halves. We must stay switched on. The longer it stays 1-0 the more confident they will become.

Back above Spurs.

Great to see Cutrone net a goal, thought our other sub Neto did well too. In general I thought Moutinho and Neves were top class again, as good a midfield pairing as there is in the league.

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http://www.steadfasttrust.org.uk/

And Cody, not good enough for Southgate ?

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Don't go around saying the world owes you anything, it was here first. Mark Twain

Good performance and a deserved win. Everyone did their job tonight, from 1 to 11, without any huge standout performances.

Great to see Cutrone find the back of the net though, particularly as Jota just cannot buy a goal at present.

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Introducing Mr Jeff Shi – Executive chairman, board member, acting managing director, acting sporting director, unofficial deputy to Raul Jimenez in the striker department and confirmed Banks's drinker

Professional job all round. This squad continues to amaze me given it`s size. Nuno`s post match interview seems to indicate that players will be coming in next transfer window. I thought Dedonker did well in defence and Traore was a constant threat.

Coady marshaling a defence that these days includes two midfielders and a lad making his debut, impressive.

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http://www.steadfasttrust.org.uk/

I caught the end of the Liverpool game after the match. The commentators gave the results for the top of the table with wins for Leicester , Chelsea and Man Utd, while at the bottom, yes you've guessed it , they started with Wolves. I had to laugh.

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Don't go around saying the world owes you anything, it was here first. Mark Twain

Good for Cutrone.

Good that the second goal involved passing the ball in the final third.

Wolves should do that more often..

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For some of us life is not about self interest.

A comfortable enough win in the end against opposition that did not seem to believe in itself, despite their win at Chelsea at the weekend. The miss from Snodgrass was vital, if he scored, they have momentum and could kick on, miss, as he did and we breathed a sigh of relief and punished them late on. Solid performance all round, Jota over dribbling too much but he has the heart of a lion and will come good very soon. Fabulous moment for Cutrone, great finish in front of the South Bank and that will give him loads of confidence going forward. If you had said that at the beginning of December, we'd be fifth and into the knockout stages of the EL, nobody would have believed you, hats off, especially with such a tiny squad.

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In the kingdom of the blind, the one-eyed man is King.

I note the obligatory dig at Traore - who I see got MOTM despite me not thinking he had one of his best games. However, I certainly remember a couple of decent crosses from the byline in the first half and a great through ball to Jiminez (around 72 minutes) which he hit at the goalkeeper.

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The next level awaits - Champions League or, err, Championship

He played the ball too late, not for the first time either.

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http://www.steadfasttrust.org.uk/

For me its all about the numbers and how I wish the game to be played.

With Traore in the side I ask are Wolves better and more fluent by having two players down the right hand side of the pitch.
Or could we be just as effective with one in Doherty.

Do sides protect the flank more when faced with the current Wolves.

Would a single player in motion enable easier passes from Neves.

Are Wolves more static in the current system, and could they add more control through centre field by having one less player out wide.

I look at how Man City look to create chances and fear Wolves are a million miles away from that model.

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For some of us life is not about self interest.

I think that is a matter of opinion. I accept that he has some faults in the way he waits for the ball to come to him rather than making off the ball runs and he does over hit crosses and make wrong decisions at times but in my view much of the attacking threat from Wolves has come because of the pace and power of Traore and I think we would have been much worse off without him this season. I simply don't believe he deserves a critical review virtually every game.

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The next level awaits - Champions League or, err, Championship

A couple of things about Traore

First I think we should look at his rate of improvement under Nuno after just over season. If that rate continues he will become an even more potent weapon- and he is one player other teams double mark already

Also he does seem to be building a good partnership with Jiminez which has been a significant factor in goals scored this season.

I agree with you LB he seems to be the one player who gets knocked every game which considering he delivered the crucial goods for the away win against City just to name one seems pretty harsh.seems like has had a good attitude too- he always works hard and doesn’t seem to have got too full of himself