Wolves fans react to a 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace, sharing honest opinions on Rob Edwards, tactics, confidence, and what must change this season.
KARL WHITEHOUSE
It is great to have Rob Edwards back at Wolves, and his team selection felt like a step in the right direction. The frustrating part is that many fans have been saying for a long time that this kind of setup was possible, and it has taken until now to see it used.
Even so, the team looks badly short of confidence. We sit too deep, play too passive, and keep putting ourselves under pressure with poor decisions on the ball. The defensive issues are becoming predictable. The high line is being used without the organisation to make it work, and when it goes wrong we are wide open. These are basic errors that should not keep happening at this level.
In midfield, we lack control and creativity. Players like Munetsi struggled, losing the ball in dangerous areas, and there is no real link between midfield and attack. Our use of width is also a problem. Instead of hurting teams out wide, we are the ones getting exposed, which leaves the whole team looking stretched and disjointed.
This performance should be a reality check. Rob has had very little time with this group, but some of these problems are fundamental. Unless the basics improve and he is properly backed in January, we are sleepwalking into a relegation battle. The gap is already growing, and that is a real concern, even for those of us who want to back Rob and give him time.
JOHN TARAS
New manager. New formation. Same result.
It is sadly safe to say Wolves look closer to relegation than safety right now.
The team lacked organisation and structure. When you play with two strikers over six foot tall and keep sending long balls up to them, they need support from midfield to win second balls. That support is not there.
Andre and João Gomes are good at breaking up play, but they do not push on to help the forwards enough. The third midfielder, Munetsi, has plenty of effort but not much quality on the ball.
Wolves look crushed in terms of confidence and ideas. The next win could be a long way off. Today, I could not see Wolves scoring if they had played all day.
Crystal Palace were the complete opposite. They had movement, skill, creativity, and attacking intent. When the ball would not go in for them in the first half, they still got the rub of the green. Two deflected passes fell perfectly to set up their chances, and they took both goals well.
When you are down, everything seems to go against you.
As for Wolves’ first win under the new manager, I honestly do not know when it is going to come.
DAVE
You always hope a new manager brings a spark, and to be fair, for the first time in a long while Wolves actually showed a bit of fight and gear under Rob Edwards. It wasn’t enough to stop Palace powering into the top four, but you could at least see signs that the lads were trying to turn the tide.
Still, the reality is harsh. Crystal Palace came to Molineux looking like a team chasing Europe, and they played like it too. Munoz and Pino struck in the second half and, truth be told, the Eagles were a level above. They were calm, composed, and ruthless in the moments that mattered.
But Wolves… at least we looked like we had a pulse again. The press was sharper, the work-rate higher, and there was a bit more intention with the ball. You could see what Edwards was trying to implement — the shape looked better, the energy was there, and even though we’re miles off where we need to be, it didn’t feel quite as lifeless as recent weeks.
We’re still bottom, still winless, and still staring down a horrible record from the 80s. Twelve games without a victory isn’t something you can gloss over. We’re nine points adrift, and every match feels like a mountain. Arias missing from two yards out summed up our season perfectly — the effort’s there but the confidence is absolutely shot.
But unlike the last few games, Wolves didn’t fold. They didn’t hide. They kept pushing until the end, and that small flicker of fight might be the thing Edwards can build on. He’s walked into a mess, but at least, for the first time in a long while, you could see the team buying into something new.
It’s still bleak, no doubt about it. But maybe — just maybe — Wolves fans have suffered long enough; we’ll take any sign of life we can get. And under Edwards, there’s a bit of hope to cling to.
PAM WELLS
Rob’s first game in charge. Good luck to him, I think he will need it.
His team is out and it is 5-3-2. Two strikers on the pitch, so you hope we might actually see a goal.
In the first half, Palace kept pushing forward, but we were fairly strong in defence. We offered very little going the other way, yet somehow got to half time level.
Same team in the second half. We looked a bit more lively, but still created no real chances.
Then they scored a really lucky goal and, as usual, the wheels came off.
Hwang and Bellegarde came on for Munetsi and Toti, but Palace scored a second and that was game over.
I feel sorry for Rob. He has tried to bring some passion, but this squad just is not good enough. I cannot see where the next goal is coming from. For me, it is already too late for Rob to save us. We are going down.
Man of the match: Wolfe. He was good, especially in the first half.
Performance rating: 5.
SCOTT DRAME
It seems like new manager, same problems. I am not sure what has really changed.
We were a bit better, but only because Palace were poor. We still could not take our chances.
I do think Rob Edwards picked a strong, good lineup. The tactics just need tweaking.
My man of the match has to be André. He played very well today.
Match performance: 5. A game of two halves once again.
Shi out, Fosun out. Bring on Villa.