CRAIG HICKEY REPORTS ON WOLVES 1-1 DRAW WITH FOREST
Today’s game could be a feisty affair as in the last 3 games it has produced 18 yellow cards and that infamous spitting allegation against Daniel Podence. It now remains to be seen if we can hold our emotions against a Forest side who will be both physical and quick on the attack. Also add to that our planned VAR protest….does the Match need anymore of a build up?
The first 10 minutes were very tentative, neither side wanted to break forward and control the game. In the 13th minute we lose the ball, by messing about with it, instead of moving the ball up the pitch. The Forest midfield break down the left side and a high ball comes into the box, Sa comes to get it and changes his mind, this leads to a Forest header which goes in despite Dawson attempts to clear. That’s a sucker punch and we go 1-0 down. What was Sa doing??
The first 10 minutes were very tentative, neither side wanted to break forward and control the game. In the 13th minute we lose the ball, by messing about with it, instead of moving the ball up the pitch. The Forest midfield break down the left side and a high ball comes into the box, Sa comes to get it and changes his mind, this leads to a Forest header which goes in despite Dawson attempts to clear. That’s a sucker punch and we go 1-0 down. What was Sa doing??
After this we look nervous and Toti is one of our guilty players to dwell on the ball and misplace his passes. On 25 minutes we get our first effort, a Hwang header, which is off target but we are starting to probe more. Sarabia is beginning to dictate play in the final third supported by Lemina and Semedo with Gomes, The Pitbull showing plenty of fight in the midfield.
Finally 30th minute we get a shot on target. A ball is played into Ballon Dawson, who lays it back to Cunha, he hits left foot shot, first time at the keeper.
On 31 minutes we finally carve open the Forest defence, a great move involving slick one touch passing through Lemina, Sarabia and finally Cunha, who cooly slots it home. What a great goal!!! A typical Gary O’Neill style attack that got the ground purring in delight. That produced the confidence boost that we needed to go on and take a strangle hold on the game. On 38 minutes Sarabia shows some superb skill to dribble around the defence and play a lovely ball to set up Semedo, who fires just over. On 41 minutes Pablo shows his quality again, he slots a ball inside the full back that allows Semedo in behind but his cross is blocked for a corner, the resulting corner comes to nothing, something we really need to work on again.
The first half is drawing to a close and we nearly shoot ourselves in the foot, in stoppage time Max Kilman has all the space and time to pass and he delays, stumbles and the Forest forward is in for a shot which Sa gets down low to save. A good last 25 mins which we should have capitalised more on and should have been in front. We need to come out and put this game to bed.
Half time. 1-1
We were expecting our boys to come out and make this game ours, take the game to them and attack a defence that has conceded goals at an alarming rate and their Manager is on borrowed time. It hasn’t turned out that way as the first 6 minutes are indicative of two teams not wanting to make a mistake. Unfortunately for us on 51 minutes, we nearly made that error, Forest managed to create some space in our half and got it into the box with a rasping shot that cannoned off the bar and eventually got scrambled away. Luckily for us that effort was deemed offside.
There really wasn’t much to get excited about in the 15 minutes after half time and to add to the tension, we had to lose Mario Lemina to be replaced by Traore, lets hope its minor knock and he’s fit enough for West Ham next week.
We did get a great opportunity after 68 minutes with Sarabia and Bueno combining to produce a chance that we couldn’t take but things were starting to improve. It seems to be our final pass or decision making that is not allowing us to get through a stubborn Forest rear guard, they are definitely playing for a draw and waiting to hit us on the counterattack.
We manage to create some space in the box and a cross is met by Cunha who cant generate enough power or direction to beat Turner in the Forest goal. Cunha seems to be the focal point of our attacks today as Hwang is having a fairly quiet day, we see a brilliant bit of Samba magic in the box which results in an attempt on goal that’s deflected to another Wolves body who in turn tries to shoot but it bobbles away from goal and eventually gets cleared.
That was the last real effort on goal in fairly timid 2nd half, Traore had come on along with Bellegarde and later on Sasa but we couldn’t break through. Let’s forget the awful shot that Boubacar had in the 79th minute, that hit row Z, literally. He came on and had a good appearance with some excellent runs, passes and looked assured. Sarabia for me had another good game, I think he was taken off to try to get some pace against the defence through Bellegarde but there wasn’t the space to do that in the game. The game ground to a halt with both teams settling for the point.
Full-time 1 – 1
In summary, the draw was a fair result with neither side creating too many clear opportunities to warrant winning the game. Forest came, in my opinion to not lose and we didn’t do enough to win the game. Again, we go a goal down and come back with a strong character to equalise but not enough to win it. Finally, guess what, there were no cards, NO VAR and no pantomime villain, well done the ref for being sensible today and letting some things go. All I want for Christmas is to hit 25 points by New Years Day (I believe in Santa still, lol)……so a Merry Christmas to all, as this is my last report for this year.
ARTICLE BY CRAIG HICKEY
A 53 year old season ticket holder in the Steve Bull stand. Go along with my two young lads who love the Wolves and so far, the positive times. Long may it continue.
