23 Jan 2020 22:28:00
Ed001 question for you if you are free?

Adama Traore was regularly described as unplayable tonight. I know his end product was lacking at times - not always - but in that sense I wouldn’t say he was unplayable. But in terms of one on one, is he? How do you deal with him?

You can do your best to force wolves left stop him getting the ball, but I don’t reckon there’s a full back in the world that can beat him in a race, and if they can, I bet he’s stronger. So yeah, what can you do, or is someone built like that, rally unplayable?

{Ed001's Note - no one is unplayable, Robbo just had a stinker tonight and was not adapting his game to deal with him. You have to drop a yard deeper than him and never go to the man in the middle leaving him free. Unlike most wingers, you have to give him a yard and tempt him to cross. If he runs you have to ensure there is cover in behind and put your body into him to simply knock him off his stride and wait for a chance to put a foot in. Only commit to a challenge when absolutely necessary.

The biggest issue is that he goes down and gets free kicks far too softly, which makes it difficult. Simply put, stay on your feet and give yourself a yard start and make him have to do something. We were all lunging in and that makes his job easier. If you stay on your feet and keep bodies in his way, he can't get up to speed. If he does produce a bit of magic, then there is nothing you can do, but you have to make it so he needs to do that and we failed to do that tonight as Robbo was having an off night. To be honest, Robbo looks like he needs a rest.}

1.) 23 Jan 2020
23 Jan 2020 22:50:03
Thanks ed! I agree about Robbo, he hasn’t been on it for a while, but what can we really do? Can neco play their, seems the most ready full back we have.

One thing about your comment though, how can you have cover in behind if you out wide? Would you expect Van dijk to be twenty yards deeper than Robbo so he can cut out the kick and chases he does, or we’re you referring to when he drifts inside?

{Ed001's Note - I am referring to when he drifts inside or gets to the byline, there should always be a midfielder dropping in there behind Robbo. I meant in behind as in towards the goal, not the baseline of the pitch.

We do need a rotation left-back, no idea who though.}

2.) 23 Jan 2020
23 Jan 2020 22:53:14
Ed do you rate Traore? Certainly has improved ten fold this season.

{Ed001's Note - he is alright for them, but he produces far too little of value to be ready for the step up. He still has a lack of end product. If Wolves had Trent or Mane getting in those positions, they would have created much more quality.}

3.) 23 Jan 2020
23 Jan 2020 22:55:27
Gotta give the lad credit there Ed. Traore was immense tonight. Sometimes you’ve just got to hold your hands up and say he played Great. But once again Klopps team win, we’re just the best team in the world.

{Ed001's Note - not when he didn't. He was far from immense. He gave the ball away in dangerous areas, he produced one good ball in 90 minutes. Sorry but that is not immense. Salah did far more and he had a poor game.}

4.) 23 Jan 2020
23 Jan 2020 23:01:02
Spot on, Ed. I watching Robbo and almost every time, he would get tight on Traore and I was screaming like"What are you doing man? ". Traore is a scud missile, and very difficult to deal with BUT Robbo did not give himself any chance to compete today. He may be leggy and tired which can lead to rash decision-making BUT he needs to do better against speedy wingers.

5.) 23 Jan 2020
23 Jan 2020 23:02:59
Traore this season has significantly improved and now has an end product at times. Tough job defending against him for 90 minutes, but you're right about Robbo Ed01, he needs a break which he will likely get with an FA cup game next up.

{Ed001's Note - fingers crossed.}

6.) 23 Jan 2020
23 Jan 2020 23:19:08
I'm sure we were linked to him when he was Barcelona before he joined Villa. Now I know he's taken several years to get where he is but how close we were if at all yo signing him.

7.) 24 Jan 2020
23 Jan 2020 23:31:10
Commentators raving about Traore saying he was best player on the pitch. In my eyes just the fastest player?
His end product may have improved 10 x fold since last season but last season he was diabolical.
With a bit more work he will get there in sure but all the fans wanting his signature bemuses me.

8.) 24 Jan 2020
24 Jan 2020 01:19:26
Traore has improved leaps and bounds this season but his delivery is hit and miss. I also don’t think he has the football intelligence to go with the pace. He is probably at his peak now but you got to wonder what kind of player he will be when his legs go.

9.) 24 Jan 2020
24 Jan 2020 04:09:57
Robertson will get a rest this weekend, he will then have to play 2 games against West Ham and Southampton, then he'll get a 2 week break. He'll be fine.

10.) 24 Jan 2020
24 Jan 2020 00:13:57
I disagree with Ed he’s worked hard to improve his physique and game which is reaping the rewards now. Give it a couple of seasons he could be one on the beat players in the prem. he’s been immense for wolves all season and was my motm. I would love to see him played just behind the striker if wolves had a couple of wingers to make that switch I feel he would be a nightmare to defend against.

{Ed001's Note - sorry but his physique? You clearly haven't seen him in the past when his physique was exactly the same.

This is a blatant case of style over substance. A player looks good doing nothing and everything gets all verbally mastubatory over him. This is why so many idiots buy Apple products, not because they are any good but because they think they look good, even though they could get the exact same quality for less than half the price anywhere else.

Traore is great to watch but he still does not do anything like as much as he should do. Most of his runs end in him wellying the ball way over the heads of his targets as he never bothers to look up and see where they are or who is in the box. Or he just runs and runs and runs until falling over. There is still nowhere near enough end product to justify a MOTM award. Salah was far more effective and he was poor, but at least he created a chance almost every time he got on the ball, and should have scored at least one. How many chances did Traore actually create? And I am not including the two he created for us by losing the ball in dangerous areas either.....}

11.) 24 Jan 2020
24 Jan 2020 06:11:06
Ed001, you pretty much described how to defend Traore. But you can easily said the way VVD defend against him in one on one. Same way you described. He was 2/ 3 yards behind and Traore was not getting into his speed thinking what to do now.

{Ed001's Note - you could probably do that with almost any situation on the pitch to be honest. Just say "what does Virgil do?" That will give you the right answer most of the time. It was the same with Hansen.}

12.) 24 Jan 2020
24 Jan 2020 07:43:29
I think Robbo will be rested for next game, so expecting Larouchi to start in cup game.

13.) 24 Jan 2020
24 Jan 2020 09:22:36
High praise from you there Ed! Do you know what was the single biggest factor in Virg upping his game to this level? I know prior to us signing him you mentioned he’s a perfect specimen physically but suffers from lapses in concentration etc.

{Ed001's Note - it is the mentality he has changed. Klopp demands intensity, adding that to Virgil has made him almost the perfect centre-back.}

14.) 24 Jan 2020
24 Jan 2020 09:35:32
Wow ed01! He is getting close to Hansen?!

{Ed001's Note - yes, he is physically much better than Hansen, so that gives him an edge.}

15.) 24 Jan 2020
24 Jan 2020 13:35:56
Traore is a wild card. He couldn’t get a game last season but Nuno has worked on him, harnessed his talent and is trying to make him into a team player. He could win us the game or cost us the game when he loses the ball in our own half. He is something different. We have only been in The Prem 18 months and we are building a team to challenge the best in the world. You have a great squad and manager and are well worth the Premier League trophy this year. Should get a guard of honour at every remaining game! But we will keep building and signing the best young players in the world and will be up there with you instead of the former contenders.

16.) 24 Jan 2020
24 Jan 2020 13:37:08
Think you're being a bit harsh about him going down too softly. I think he rode quite a few bumps in this game. As an ex defender I hated marking quick players, particularly out wide. Robbo got sucked into closing down Jiminez who skipped passed and even VVD couldn't get close enough then to stop the cross.
I felt this would be our hardest test for a while and so it was. Credit to Wolves, played some good footy at times.

17.) 24 Jan 2020
24 Jan 2020 13:39:50
If Robbo doesn't dive in, Van Dijk doesn't drift and Jiminez doesn't score. However, if i were to reflect in pure hindsight, did Van Dijk need to commit to Jiminez or could he have stayed more central. Traore wouldn't have got anywhere more advanced.

18.) 24 Jan 2020
24 Jan 2020 18:29:57
Apologies for the late reply Ed. I think the kids class and has just lacked end product. We shall see in the next few years who’s right. Football is about opinion after all.

{Ed001's Note - he still has little end product or brain.}

19.) 24 Jan 2020
24 Jan 2020 21:25:44
Out of interest, anyone know who was officially motm last night? Hendo for me.

{Ed047's Note - I thought it was Traore

20.) 25 Jan 2020
25 Jan 2020 04:50:48
Robbo must train against salah. Surely that gives him enough to know how to deal with fast wingers. I think robbo wasn't showing him respect, trying to wind him up. And it only takes the rub of the green and Robertson can set the forwards away.

Traore caused him problems but he defended well for a set piece where wolves would've scored if n poo t for his tackle and clearance.