Nick Woltemade

[madras]

12 hours ago, KaKa said:

 

Honestly, the fact we have failed to get this man a clear shooting opportunity in and around the box is just pitiful. The team should be ashamed.

 

There have been enough opportunities to do so, but so many times a cross is just whacked into the box, when he's dropped off into a bit of space where a simple cut back gets him a decent shooting opportunity.

 

I'm hoping with Tino and Hall coming back in, more of these chances come as we stretch defences more with the added width.

 

The guy has really overachieved so far as the team hasn't been great going forward at all.

Maybe because his game isn't about getting into those positions. He doesnt play off the centre halfs shoulders and hes a bit static when in the box against a low block.

[The College Dropout]

Again - he’s played half his football as a supporting striker. He’s not a pure 9 yet which is why he hasn’t had many shooting opportunities. It’s the same with Joao Pedro at Chelsea, he doesn’t play like a 9 so he doesn’t get as many shooting opportunities. 
 

He needs to buss lung to get in good positions in the box more. And sometimes make runs in behind.  Harry Kane makes runs in behind, if you bend it and time it you won’t be caught.  
 

This is a learning curve for him. Get him with Wissa and we’ll start looking a good team again.  

[Colos Short and Curlies]

It feels to me that any long ball we play to him is from and to too deep a position.

 

My 7 year old is starting out as a keeper and I'm showing him red/amber/green zones to split the pitch up when he has the ball. If I put the same here green would be within 10-15 yards of the opponents box, red the reverse and amber in between. We're feeding him back to goal in the amber zone and it needs to be in, or just outside the green zone so his hold up and passing is in an attacking area and not the middle of the pitch.

 

Basically need the players on the thigh master

[Jack14Bojangles]

After all the advance praise for Wissa, I'm very curious to see if he's really as good as you say.

If so, he and Nick could make a fantastic duo.

[Conjo]

I don't think Wissa and Woltemade will play much together as many on here seem to want. Howe has alluded to this himself in a recent interview.

 

It'll be like when Isak and Wilson were both injury free, or if Barnes and Gordon are unavailable Wissa will slot into the left forward position.

[KaKa]

24 minutes ago, madras said:

Maybe because his game isn't about getting into those positions. He doesnt play off the centre halfs shoulders and hes a bit static when in the box against a low block.

 

I just mentioned times when he has found the space and isn't picked out.

 

It's not just about playing off the defenders shoulders.

 

He's often available for a cut back in space, but the wingers often just throw a cross into the box all the time, with zero awareness of his movement.

[KaKa]

2 hours ago, KaKa said:

 

I just mentioned times when he has found the space and isn't picked out.

 

It's not just about playing off the defenders shoulders.

 

He's often available for a cut back in space, but the wingers often just throw a cross into the box all the time, with zero awareness of his movement.

 

As an example there was this sequence below started off by an OUTRAGEOUS kick by Ramsdale by the way.

 

Willock does incredibly well to run away from Palhinha and even seems to look up, and Woltemade is right there to cut the ball back to, and he puts a cross into the box instead that was the more difficult option I think.

 

 

 

 

Edited November 6, 2025 by KaKa

[Lush Vlad]

He isn't involved enough for my liking.  As when he does get the ball, he always seems to make something happen or is very close to getting away or putting someone through on goal, down the line etc.  Even when he loses it, it is usually a contested ball and his touch is very good.

 

I'm sure there are many reasons for this.  The team learning how to play with him, him adapting to a new league, teams wising up a bit to how good he is on the ball and trying to get tight/physical, teams getting away with fouling him all the while, his own physical limitations/playing too much in a short space of time and also our inability to actually build from the back, into the midfield and into his feet. 

 

If we could actually use and play through our much vaunted midfield at times and stop trying to attack down the wings every 5 seconds.  Then he might not be so isolated and he'd see the ball more than every 5-10 minutes or so. 

[PauloGeordio]

[jack j]

6 minutes ago, PauloGeordio said:

Skechers football boots

 

Id had Elangas back until now. Out you go son

[andycap]

Playing woltemade deep to wissa in the 9 position could be the answer in games where we need to create something. 

[GEFAFWISP]

Noticed he lost his boot at one point and was able to put it on in under 45 seconds, miraculous I know, but he managed it in 5-10. Take note Djed.

[Teslact]

1 hour ago, jack j said:

Skechers football boots

 

Id had Elangas back until now. Out you go son

Love my Sketchers Slip-ins!

[Teslact]

3 hours ago, Lush Vlad said:

If we could actually use and play through our much vaunted midfield at times and stop trying to attack down the wings every 5 seconds.  Then he might not be so isolated and he'd see the ball more than every 5-10 minutes or so. 

100%. Watching what he can do reminds me of:

 

Jamie: I ain't doing it wrong. You're doing it wrong.
Players: Whoa!
Jamie: I mean... I mean... No, I mean, I think we're all doing it wrong. (stammers) If we want this to work, you gotta stop going to me and start playing through me. You get me?

[magorific]

4 hours ago, The College Dropout said:

Again - he’s played half his football as a supporting striker. He’s not a pure 9 yet which is why he hasn’t had many shooting opportunities. It’s the same with Joao Pedro at Chelsea, he doesn’t play like a 9 so he doesn’t get as many shooting opportunities. 
 

He needs to buss lung to get in good positions in the box more. And sometimes make runs in behind.  Harry Kane makes runs in behind, if you bend it and time it you won’t be caught.  
 

This is a learning curve for him. Get him with Wissa and we’ll start looking a good team again.  

You are joking? He should have scored at least five at the weekend!

[cannybagoftudor]

36 minutes ago, Teslact said:

100%. Watching what he can do reminds me of:

 

Jamie: I ain't doing it wrong. You're doing it wrong.
Players: Whoa!
Jamie: I mean... I mean... No, I mean, I think we're all doing it wrong. (stammers) If we want this to work, you gotta stop going to me and start playing through me. You get me?

Love a bit of Ted Lasso - and a very pertinent quote.

[Kilcline]

1 hour ago, GEFAFWISP said:

Noticed he lost his boot at one point and was able to put it on in under 45 seconds, miraculous I know, but he managed it in 5-10. Take note Djed.

On the flipside his ability to make it clear he's being fouled needs extensive work, think he only got 1 given all night, and the boot coming off was also while he was being fouled 

[Lush Vlad]

1 hour ago, Kilcline said:

On the flipside his ability to make it clear he's being fouled needs extensive work, think he only got 1 given all night, and the boot coming off was also while he was being fouled 

Maybe a bit niche and one for the NFL thread. But refs just never giving fouls against Burn and Woltemade. On account of them being big bastads. Reminds me of refs seemingly having a higher bar/rarely flagging for roughing the passer when it came to Cam Newton. On account of him also being a big strong bastad. 

[Mole]

1 hour ago, Lush Vlad said:

Maybe a bit niche and one for the NFL thread. But refs just never giving fouls against Burn and Woltemade. On account of them being big bastads. Reminds me of refs seemingly having a higher bar/rarely flagging for roughing the passer when it came to Cam Newton. On account of him also being a big strong bastad. 

This is true in Basketball too, the small guys can literally be breathed on and get fouls where as the big guys literally have to be dragged to the ground just because they’re bigger and stronger.

 

I just think refs are cunts no matter the sport tbh.

[Vinny Green Balls]

6 minutes ago, Mole said:

This is true in Basketball too, the small guys can literally be breathed on and get fouls where as the big guys literally have to be dragged to the ground just because they’re bigger and stronger.

 

I just think refs are cunts no matter the sport tbh.

There are notable exceptions. Curry usually can’t buy a foul. Been that way his whole career. Harden isn’t small for a guard and basically made the NBA change the rules because of how easily he sold fouls.

[Vinny Green Balls]

Jordan was 6’ 6, large for a shooting guard, and had different rules for him. Any contact and he went to the line it seemed.

[madras]

7 hours ago, KaKa said:

 

As an example there was this sequence below started off by an OUTRAGEOUS kick by Ramsdale by the way.

 

Willock does incredibly well to run away from Palhinha and even seems to look up, and Woltemade is right there to cut the ball back to, and he puts a cross into the box instead that was the more difficult option I think.

 

 

 

 

 

I really havent seen it that way. Once or twice but more often than not Im thinking a standard 9 would be in "better" positiins more often.

[et tu brute]

We don't use him enough and he's not involved in the game enough. The last few games, has actually reminded me of how the Germany team play to him. Is it the plan to play both him and Wissa together moving forward? I would hope so as I think he is a perfect link player. Nobody is running beyond him either from the wings or the midfield currently. Be interesting to see what happens when Wissa is available 

[Mole]

18 minutes ago, Vinny Green Balls said:

There are notable exceptions. Curry usually can’t buy a foul. Been that way his whole career. Harden isn’t small for a guard and basically made the NBA change the rules because of how easily he sold fouls.

Oh sure I think in a lot of cases refs make their minds up about certain dudes and that reputation is hard to shake. With regards to Woltemade I think if it gets too out of hand we might need someone to stand up for him publicly, for some reason refs seem to like that

[Ben]

38 minutes ago, et tu brute said:

We don't use him enough and he's not involved in the game enough. The last few games, has actually reminded me of how the Germany team play to him. Is it the plan to play both him and Wissa together moving forward? I would hope so as I think he is a perfect link player. Nobody is running beyond him either from the wings or the midfield currently. Be interesting to see what happens when Wissa is available 

 

Comes down to one (two) things, wing backs, our whole team revolves around it