WE ASKED WOLVES FANS TO SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS ON WOLVES 6-2 thumping at home to Chelsea
CRAIG HICKEY
MIKE LUCAS
PAM WELLS
BLACKPOOL WOLF
The formation critics will be out this weekend and rightly so a frustrating day for Wolves.
Maybe Wolves should have gone into the break leading this game. Going forward we looked good. I think the link up play between Strand Larsen and Cunha was brilliant; they really seem to have an understanding with each other.
My disappointments from the first half were once again referee decisions as I’m sure the ball was moving when Sanchez took the goal kick but wasn’t spotted by referee or linesman and I’m bemused how VAR can not get involved with that.
Bellegarde and Hwang hardly touched the ball in the first half and neither of them gave Rayan Ait-Nouri or Doherty support while defending. Rayan seems to be out of position way too much and he struggled defensively today. I also don’t like the zonal marking on corners. For me if you want to play zonal you have to have players on the post like the old days and not all tight in the 6 yard box. Against Arsenal and now against Chelsea when we give a free kick away we seem to stop with no urgency to switch on or get back into positions, teams are just playing quick free-kicks, goal kicks and throwing to catch us out. I was very disappointed with all these in the first half but I still think we played well going forward and was probably unlucky not to be leading at half time. Mosquera missed a great chance with a header wide from 6 yards out. Cunha had a goal disallowed for offside as Larsen was slightly offside, Cunha hit the crossbar after a brilliant dribble from Lemina and calm weighted pass from Doherty.
Second half however was just a complete shambles from Wolves and I think Gary O’Neil will be pulling his hair out. Rayan Air-Nouri was out of position too many times and when he was in the correct position he didn’t put enough pressure on Madueke. Sa’s positioning and kicking were once again questionable and Bellegarde and Hwang just didn’t get into the game at all and were rightfully subbed off but the damage was already done.
Frustrating day we need to improve and I’m sure talk of goalkeeper, defender will be the main talking points as we head into the last week of the window.
Sa 4, Doherty 5, Mosquera 5, Toti 5, RAN 4, Bellegarde 4, Lemina 6, J.Gomes 6, Cunha 7, Hwang 4, Larsen 7 Subs Dawson 5, Podence , R.Gomes 5, Doyle N/A, Sarabia 5
KARL WHITEHOUSE
What can be said? It was a game of two different halves. We did well in the first half, but in the second half, we capitulated with exposure and defensive problems.
First half
We started badly, our defending was exposed from the start. But then we bounced back, showing we could get back into the game with good play and pressing. However, our defence was exposed again. We managed to get another equaliser, which was good for the neutral but not for the fan.
Second half
This was probably one of the worst displays we’ve seen at Molineux for a long time. Our frailties were evident as Chelsea had two players on a mission to cause problems. We didn’t mark or defend properly. Whatever was said in the Chelsea dressing room worked, as they were a different side. These mistakes must be eradicated, or we will be punished more.
Conclusions
This was our biggest defeat in 17 years. We need to sort out these issues. The back four isn’t working; a back five might have been better. If I were Gary, I’d seriously consider changing back. We can’t afford to concede too many goals; it will hurt us at the season’s end.
JOHN TARAS
GEORGE LAKIN
I commented last week on O’Neil’s post game comments at Arsenal.
I felt they were strange.
Especially the fact that he said he was ‘really impressed’ with the Toti/Mosquera partnership.
I thought this was purely to protect his players. As anyone could see that Wolves’ backline looked shaky, exposed and far too easily got at. But it seems he really did see it that way..
I fully expected some tweaks today that would solidify us a little bit on the back of what we’d seen last week. Be that Tommy Doyle coming into the midfield 3 in place of Bellegarde (if we were always going to persevere with a back four)- or Craig Dawson coming into the team in some capacity.
I feel going with the same again was at best naive, and at worst really concerning.
Ultimately, saying things to appease the top brass and paint rosy pictures might buy him time down the line if results don’t improve, but it certainly won’t endear him to fans. Dig your heels in a bit Gary- this coming week is massive for you and us.
That was a disastrous performance.