WOLVES V BRENTFORD MATCH REACTION: ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

Brentford 5-3 Wolves: Where Does It End?

Wolves left the Gtech Community Stadium after another punishing defeat, this time 5-3 at the hands of Brentford. But don’t let the scoreline fool you – it could have been much worse. Serious questions are now being asked about the future of manager Gary O’Neil and whether his time in charge has run its course.

Defensive Chaos and Casual Approach

The match started in nightmare fashion for Wolves, conceding within the first couple of minutes. Brentford, who’ve been quick off the mark in recent games, capitalised on a sluggish Wolves defence almost immediately. At 1 minute 16 seconds in, Wolves found themselves already on the back foot as the ball hit the back of the net.

Time and time again, defensive lapses allowed Brentford to exploit space. Crosses were flying in with little resistance, and there was an awful lack of communication between the backline. Wolves seemed chaotic, disorganised, and appeared confused by the zonal marking system, which did absolutely nothing to prevent Brentford from repeatedly finding the net.

Wolves’ defensive frailties were glaring, with calm composure nowhere to be seen. It wasn’t just their inability to stop Brentford’s attacks, but a total lack of concentration, which saw goals conceded again and again.

Midfield Mistakes and Panic Setting In

Mario Lemina came under particular scrutiny for his performance, repeatedly giving the ball away and being unable to tidy up his mistakes. For Brentford’s third goal, he was directly at fault, having lost possession in a dangerous area. From thinking they were back in the game at 2-2 to going in at half-time 4-2 down—it was enough to send fans into a meltdown.

It wasn’t just the defence letting Wolves down, but a considerable lack of midfield control. They had moments of hope when equalising, but they’d then instantly collapse into panic stations, allowing Brentford easy avenues to restore their lead.

Zonal Marking: What Is Going On?

One of the major gripes from frustrated fans was Wolves’ reliance on zonal marking. Time and again, players were left unmarked and found space at the back post. It felt as though Wolves weren’t marking anyone properly. Whenever Brentford got into wide positions, there seemed to be total confusion in the box. It left supporters baffled as to why O’Neil continues to stick with such an ineffective system.

Is Gary O’Neil Out of His Depth?

The key question on everyone’s lips after the game: has Gary O’Neil run out of time as Wolves’ manager? While some fans still hold onto hope that things could turn around, many are calling for a swift change. One win in the last 18 matches simply isn’t good enough, and the numbers don’t lie—Wolves haven’t kept a clean sheet in all that time.

O’Neil doesn’t seem to have solutions. Decisions like sticking with ineffective tactics and failing to respond quickly to Brentford’s dominance have left fans disillusioned. And now the pressure is on the Wolves hierarchy to act before it’s too late.

Time for Bold Decisions

Brutal honesty is necessary here. Wolves have talent in the squad—arguably even stronger individual players than Brentford—but they’re not being organised or disciplined. The defence looks like a Championship side, while the midfield often seems lost. In contrast, Brentford executed their game plan with precision, despite a host of key injuries, and could’ve easily scored more than five on the day.

The calls from fans are growing louder for the club to bring in a fresh, ambitious manager to steer the ship. Talks of ex-Porto boss Sérgio Conceição have started, with many believing his direct style and experience could help rebuild this Wolves squad.

Where Does the Blame Lie?

Should all the blame be heaped on Gary O’Neil? Wolves fans understand they have talented players, especially on the attacking front, with international calibre additions from Brazil, but they’re simply not clicking as a unit. It’s not just the manager’s fault. Defensive recruitment issues, for example, haven’t helped, and people are seriously questioning the decisions taken by those behind the scenes at Molineux.

Yet, in situations like these, the manager is the one whose head is on the chopping block when results aren’t coming. O’Neil has had nearly 20 matches to imprint his style on the team but with next to no improvement.

The Final Straw?

With upcoming matches against Manchester City and Brighton, Wolves couldn’t be facing sterner tests. Realistically, if O’Neil stays in charge, it’s hard to imagine Wolves coming away with anything from those games.

Wolves can either act now and secure a potentially better future, or they can risk further humiliation while watching time slip away. If they wait any longer, the damage may be irreversible, and relegation could become a stark reality.

Man of the Match and Performance Rating

In terms of individual performances from the game, it’s hard to pick out bright spots from such a drubbing, but Sam Johnstone deserves credit. While it might seem ironic given the five goals conceded, Johnstone made a series of key saves that kept the scoreline from being even worse. Without his efforts, Brentford might have run away with 9 or 10 goals.

Despite his standing out in a poor team performance, Wolves’ overall display was abysmal. A match rating of 1.5/10 seems generous, especially considering the defensive ‘disaster class’ on show.

Fans’ Frustration: Enough is Enough

At the end of the match, the Wolves fans who travelled to Brentford showed their discontent, with boos ringing around the stadium. Even Gary O’Neil himself came over to acknowledge the supporters, raising his hand to apologise. But does an apology mean anything at this point?

Sadly, it feels like O’Neil is on borrowed time. Even with O’Neil meaning well, it’s hard to justify his continued role when the results have been this consistent—and consistently awful.

Conclusion

Wolves are staring relegation in the face, and it’s becoming clearer with every poor performance that something needs to change. Whether the board has the ambition to make the necessary moves remains to be seen, but one thing is clear – Wolves can’t continue on the current path.

It’s time to act. Wolves have a talented squad capable of much more, but unless drastic changes are made soon, these next few matches may be the last chance to salvage a horrific season.

What do you think? Is it time for Gary O’Neil to go? Leave your thoughts in the comments. Always Wolves.