ANDREW BENNETT SHARES EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW FOLLOWING WOLVES PRE-SEASON DEFEAT TO RC LENS
As pre-season increases in intensity Wolves play host to Lens at the Bescot Stadium. Placed 8th in Ligue 1 last season, a far larger test than Stoke on Saturday. The French football season starts as the Premier league does on the 15th August so both teams should be evenly placed in their pre-season schedule, as Lens prepare for their opener against Lyon at home.
Wolves line up barring Arias is probably a showcase of the best 11 as it stands and most likely the team to take on City on the first gameweek. Noticeably missing from the squad is Mosquera who is still recovering from a long term injury; his absence most likely shows that he is likely to be unavailable as the season begins. Also missing from the squad and likely on the way out is Fabio Silva.
The Starters: Sa, Hoever, Doherty, Agbadou, Toti, Hugo Bueno, Andre, Joao Gomes, Bellegarde, Lopez, Strand Larsen.
The Bench: Bentley, Johnstone, Santi Bueno, Munetsi, Hwang, Kalajdzic, Rodrigo Gomes, Chirewa, Guedes, Mane, Lima.
The First Half
Experienced Irish international Matt Doherty captained the side for the first half. Hoever bombed down the right and put in a great first time cross into a dangerous area within the opening seconds for Larsen to hit the ball into his man. Only 60 seconds later, a great ball from Joao Gomes found Lopez who from about 10 yards out saw a free header go wide, an opportunity in the season you would hope to find the net.
With Ait Nouri and Cunha leaving one question is who will be on set plays this upcoming season. On 10 minutes Bellegarde whipped in a ball into a very dangerous area which allowed Wolves to win a corner for Lopez to take. These two players consistently took any set piece throughout the half.
Lens best opportunity of the opening 15 came as striker Adriano took on Doherty along the byline easily going past the captain but shooting into the side netting.
The half was competitive but little chances were made. Lopez and Larsen linked up throughout the half, and one opportunity came as Lopez backheeled to Larsen for the striker to slip as he took the effort on goal.
The half petered out and was scrappy as Joao Gomes seemingly battled with every Lens midfielder. One final chance came as Wolves broke down the left with Hugo Bueno to cross to the back post for Hoever to have his effort blocked by the defender.
The Second Half
Changes for Wolves at the start of the half as Rodrigo Gomes and Bentley came on for Hoever and Sa respectively.
Lens started with a great opportunity as their left forward put the ball over the bar from two yards out. Toti caught out letting the ball bounce in front of him and Lens were able to easily bypass Hugo Bueno to put in the cross. Immediately at the other end a good interchange between Bellegarde and Lopez saw a Lopez shot deflected to Larsen, unable to control the ball to have an effort of his own. Moments later Bellegarde was again facing down on goal but spurned the opportunity by not taking an early shot. A lively start to the second half where the away side made 10 changes at the break.
The breakthrough came on the hour mark as once more Bueno was exposed over the top and the Lens forward beat Agbadou at the front post to slot home with a great first time finish into the top corner past Bentley. Immediately changes were made by Wolves with Hugo Bueno, Joao Gomes, Strand Larsen, Bellegarde, Agbadou and Lopez withdrawn as Santi Bueno, Lima, Chirewa, Munetsi, Guedes and Hwang came into the side.
Defensive sloppiness between Agbadou, Toti and Rodrigo Gomes gifted Lens the ball who eventually worked the ball over to the left side to strike home from 20 yards, one Bentley would want back as he was beaten low at the near post. 2-0 to the French side. Almost straight away Lens were in the Wolves box again as Lima was defending one on one, he was nutmegged and the forward could only find Bentley from a one-on-one, probably an opportunity which should have been taken to make it 3-0.
Wolves found themselves back into the game as Guedes showed nice footwork on the edge of the box after receiving the ball on the turn and finishing into the bottom corner. Sasa Kalajdic replaced Andre as Lens kicked off after the goal.
Wolves looked to be getting themselves back into the game, however almost instantly Wolves committing too many bodies forward Lens broke and good link up found the French side finding a third making it 3-1. Toti and Agbadou arguably exposed too easily as the ball found the net.
The game ended up with little else of note happening, finishing as a 3-1 victory to the French side.
Overview
We all know we need a fair few signings sooner rather than later to improve the squad in quality and numbers across key positions. Today’s test was about seeing what we have in the existing squad and what Vitor has managed to change over the initial weeks of preseason.
Focus undoubtedly goes to the wingbacks so important to our system and both will be new starters in the squad with Semedo confirming his departure earlier today and Ait Nouri likely to line up against us at Molineux for Manchester City.
- Hoever looked dangerous when whipping the ball in but on multple occasions was caught out by some sloppy passes. Midway through the first half he had a brilliant opportunity to drive at the lens backline as Agbadou freed him over the top only for the wingback to slip as he attempted to check back inside, maybe when the better choice would have been to continue in his path. Hoever was not challenged particularly defensively and did nothing either way in my opinion to confirm nor deny if he should be Semedo’s first team replacement. A player who is for sure putting his hand up as an option unlike in previous years.
- Bueno bombed up and down the left throughout the first half, with more Wolves attacking opportunities coming down this side. Without a doubt Hugo can find a good ball into the box, more often than not he bypassed the middle of the box and his crosses landed at the back post. At the back, concerns are still there as on a couple of occasions he was exposed and not close enough to Toti allowing Lens forwards in behind. Lens’ opening goal arguably came through a mistake of the Spanish U21 international.
- Rodrigo Gomes started on the right and was swapped to the left as Hugo Bueno was substituted off, during his time on field he didn’t really do anything of note defensively or going forward.
- Lima was defensively caught out for Lens second goal and did endeavour to get down the pitch but often couldn’t keep the ball in play.
Unusually with two games to go in pre season Toti and Doherty saw themselves completing 90 minutes of the game, if anything an example of the lack of depth across the pitch. It will be interesting to see the minutes given to these two starters come Girona away on Sunday. Of course, this is also pre season and the main focus from the players is being physically ready for the long season. As former players always say don’t look at results during this time of the season but a 3-1 loss I think summarises more of the challenges we face as the season especially as not one fringe player in my eyes did anything of note to change Vitors starting 11.
ARTICLE BY ANDREW BENNETT
From my first Wolves match against Chelsea in 2003 I fell in love with the team and matchday experience. I work in digital marketing and have lived in Germany and Estonia over the past few years, this doesn’t stop me following Wolves and ensuring all my international friends become invested to the Wolf pack. I enjoy football, board games, a pint and travelling always excited to try new things. You will find me in the north bank on a matchday.