Wolves’ Struggles Continue with 1-0 Home Defeat to Bournemouth

This is the second of our three home games in a week after losing to the league leaders, Arsenal last time out. This was a chance under the Molineux lights to push ourselves back towards a top 10 finish, but can we get past the inform Cherries, with the likes of Semedo and Cunha coming back into the squad, we would like to hope so.

 

Things didn’t start as planned as Wolves started slowly, lots of missed placed passes and sloppy defending presented a chance to Bournemouth’s Christie, whose shot was deflected and well saved by Jose Sa, a warning sign that Wolves didn’t pick up on.

12 minutes in and Kilman intercepts a pass and lays it to Sarabia who unleashes a curling effort towards the far post which is well saved by Travers and pushed behind for a corner. The corner is whipped in and bobbles around the area before being cleared by Bournemouth.

 

On the 17th minute Cook plays a ball over the top for Scott to chase who pulls it back to Solanke, he plays it back the Kluivert who flicks the ball into the path of the arriving Kerkez, his shot was excellently saved by Sa who is keeping Wolves in this game. Not long after that another long ball from Bournemouth caught out Semedo who miskicked and allowed Kliuvert to drive into the box one on one with Sa who again makes a big save to spare Semedo’s blushes.

 

Finally, Wolves have a bit more space to work an opportunity, Rayan Ait-Nouri picks up the ball and plays a neat 1-2 with Doyle before taking on his man and firing a right footed shot just wide of the far post, it’s better from Wolves.  

 

Unfortunately, after Bournemouth’s earlier chances, the deadlock was broken on 37 minutes, Kerkez is played through on the left side of the penalty area, he cuts the ball back to only find Kilman whose interception, albeit a weak effort, fell straight to Semenyo who found the back of the net. Bournemouth deserved the lead, Wolves have been way off the pace in the first half and the fans wanted more from them in the second. A big second half was needed to turn this one around, but this team have done it before this season.

One change at half time saw Santi Bueno off for Matt Doherty and a slight formation tweak. Wolves started the second half better than the first with an early cross from Ait-Nouri, who found the head of Doc, his header is over the top, a potential sign of things to come this half maybe.

 

On 50 minutes Bournemouth came forward with Christie leading the charge who fired a shot towards goal that took a wicked deflection that Sa was equal too once again, another save from the Portuguese stopper to keep Wolves in it. A few changes made by O’Neil saw Doyle, Sarabia and Joao Gomes come off for Chirewa, Traore and Cunha whose first touch gave the ball straight back to Bournemouth…. Oops.

 

Wolves are really getting into the game now, some lovely play between Semedo and Doc, it gave Semedo the chance to cross to Hwang. He crossed it and Hwang scored a bullet header past Travers, Molineux erupted for a few seconds, but our best friend VAR was back to stop the celebrations. Of course it was disallowed… Again, this time however for an off the ball altercation between Cunha and Kluivert. Wolves would have to regroup and go again. Shortly after the disallowed goal, good play from Traore and Chirwera gave Doherty a chance to run at Bournemouth until Kerkez came crashing into him with a terrible tackle really, a straight red card. This was checked as well by VAR and 3 minutes later it was confirmed as a red.