BOLD OLD GOLD HOLD CHAMPIONS: WOLVES 1 MANCHESTER CITY 1 – JOHNNY ON THE SPOT & STATS plus POST MATCH REACTION

Johnny Baguette

Johnny Baguette

Alert Team
Full Time Stat Attack:
Wolves 1 Manchester City 1
Possession: 29% v 71%
Shots: 11 v 19
On Target: 2 v 6
Corners: 5 v 9
Fouls: 12 v 8
Bookings: 1 v 2

THAT's ENTERTAINMENT: Premier League history serves to remind us that late summer is never an easy time to take on a newly promoted side, especially in their own back yard. And so it proved to be the case at a rowdy Molineux where Pep Guardiola's Centurions were left to rue a combination of profligacy, an inspired Rui Patricio, shabby defending and worldwide renowned poor English refereeing.

The latter is these days increasingly accepted as part of the game in the top flight, so putting obvious handballs and penalties aside, City have only themselves to blame for not securing the three points here. We were way too open at the back for the opening goal having invited Nunio Espirito Santo's well organised and well drilled team on to our back line once too often. Guardiola had suggested that City, the club who had the most players at the World Cup, are not yet fully fit. This would go some way to explaining away the odd drop in tempo from the champions, but it doesn't account for coughing up possession or the lack of defensive situational awareness that allowed Wolves the opportunity to take the lead.

That said, the width of the crossbar or post denied The Blues on three occasions in what was a pulsating encounter with a point secured that could yet prove to be crucial as our title defence unfolds.

https://manchestercity.vitalfootbal...1-manchester-city-1-johnny-on-the-spot-stats/
 
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Chris Waddle

Ex-England winger on BBC Radio 5 live

City dominated the game but Wolves dug in deep, they were full of energy and they will pick up some good points this season.

Was Boly's goal handball? I think the refs may need to look at that situation.

But City were the better side today but give Wolves credit for the reward of a point they got today.
 
Kyle Walker speaking to Sky Sports:

"We created a lot of chances to put more than one past them. They are a well organised team so I think it will be hard for teams to come here. They deserved the point.

"We had enough chances so we need to be more ruthless but as defenders we have to take responsibility for their goal.

"It is hard for the referees to see everything. We should have equalised at the end. We need to go again and hopefully we can get three points next week."
 
Nuno Espirito Santo, speaking to BBC Sport:

"We are happy. It was a good game. This is the way we must play, improving each week, let's do it again next week.

"It is a big victory for the boys today. No matter what opponent you have you should play the way you think you should play.

It is our way. We don't have to prove nothing to nobody. We just have to be ourselves, the way we work together."

On Willy Boly's goal coming off his hand:

"I didn't see it. But I saw many chances and just before the goal a one-on-one. I think in that moment the momentum was ours.

"When there is a goal there is always a reaction from the opponent. The way we covered the first pass we must improve, we want to become a team that can control tempo in the game."
 
Pep Guardiola, speaking to BBC Sport:

"It was a very good point. We created chances but their keeper made saves, so today we draw. We knew how good they were this season.

"No complaints. We were in the second half four, five, six times in attack, but it's always complicated. We created a lot, that's why it's good.

"In the first half Aguero hit the post, sometimes it goes in, sometimes not. It's just we were not solid defensively today. That is why we conceded a few chances to them but in general the game, considering the quality of the opponent, was good. We have to give credit.

"Since I arrived three seasons ago we knew how complicated it is and everything, the team was ready especially when we conceded our first goal, the reaction was good. They are fast, strong, good midfield players, I am really surprised how good we played in our build-up but in the end we could not convert."
 
Yes it is hard for the linesman to spot the offside then the handball for the Wolves goal by Boly who was the best of the Wolves bunch, but there can be no excuse for the penalty on Merlin, which he got booked for for remonstrating too much with the inept ref.
If you play with wing backs it is inevitable one or both are too far up the pitch when they are needed in defence and with 3 top wingers available to us we should use them I think and use our fast full-backs more as opportunists on the overlap. Maybe Pep and his staff outfoxed themselves with our tactics for this game. However, we move on and must improve on this performance for our next test.
 
The Premier League weekend commenced with the clash of the Titans from last season. That Manchester City produced football from a new world is well documented. At the same time, Wolverhampton Wanderers were securing their return to the Premier League doing likewise in the Championship.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1033594175785189377
 
Post-Match Reaction: Wolves 1-1 Man City Inc. Add Your Player Ratings

Saturday’s Premier League fixture between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Manchester City had as many twists and turns as a one-year-old piggy’s tale.

Match official Martin Atkinson left fans with several talking points but, would there have been as many if England’s top division had introduced VAR (video Assistant Referee) from the beginning of the season.

https://manchestercity.vitalfootbal...ves-1-1-man-city-inc-add-your-player-ratings/
 
Thank goodness for Ferdy in the make up of our team.
We will miss him when he goes.

You may jump on me for this observation but I don’t think we play as well as a team with Sterling in the side.
 
Wolves 1-1 Man City: Three Things We Learned

Saturday, 25 August 2018: A whopping 31,322 supporters, the biggest at Molineux since 1981 witnessed last seasons Championship title winners host the 2017/18 Premier League Centurions.

Nuterals tuning in to watch the match, live on Sky Sports or the highlights on Match of the Day later the same day would have seen moments throughout the game scattered with controversy, a splash of drama and sprinklings of talking points (sounds to me like the perfect ingredient straight out of a cookery book).

https://manchestercity.vitalfootball.co.uk/wolves-1-1-man-city-three-things-we-learned/
 
In the days of Billy Wright and co I was lucky enough to watch Wolves when they played Moscow Dynamo and Red Star and the like on one of only a few TV sets in the neighbourhood. Folk across the road had a 12inch black and white tv and us kids sat on the floor in front of our seated dads to watch the games.
Good memories of long ago.
 
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