Wolves Fans' Verdict v Chelsea: The new manager has a lot to fix!

Liam Kennedy

At the start of the season Haaland was 14/1 to outscore Wolves’ entire team, fast forward to October 8 and he currently has five times as many goals as us.

I think it’s time to stop worrying about Haaland outscoring us and start worrying about a threat more our level – Miguel Almiron – who currently also has more goals than the entire Wolves team this season.

The saving grace for us however at the start of the season was that although we couldn’t find the back of the net, we did a good job restricted other teams finding ours, but one Collins flying-kick latter and the floodgates have appeared to open. I for one absolutely can’t wait for the World Cup to begin, not because the excitement of watching England play, but mainly so I don’t have to watch Wolves play football for a month.

Just like the West Ham game, we looked hopeless again just trying to not concede and hopefully nick one somehow, but when the first went it – game over.

I can’t actually remember the last time I have enjoyed watching Wolves play, feels like it has become a chore and the games themselves are often the worst part of the weekend.

Might as well just keep copying and pasting my comments each week because nothing seems to be changing and we now sit six points behind a Bournemouth team who Scott Parker said weren’t good enough in defence, midfield or attack.

Not fully giving up on this team just yet, but our next four are against teams all in the bottom half, two of which are alongside us in the bottom three. If we don’t pick up points from them games then it’s time to start thinking about the best attractions to see in Hull, Rotherham and Middlesbrough.

Clive Smith

Sometimes it can all be about fine margins, sometimes it is not. The scoreline did not flatter Chelsea at all. How we lasted 44 minutes without conceding was a mystery. Chelsea had made seven changes from their ‘first team’, matching the seven we had missing. They obviously have loan players out unavailable, same as us. The similarity ended there.

A by product of four at the back is that the defence can be very narrow. We played that way and afforded Chelsea yards of space down the flanks, allowing them to attack with ease and constantly play the ball into our box. Sa made one impressive save but generally he and his colleagues at the back look at sixes and sevens.

In possession we struggled to play out from the back and frequently lost the ball inside our own half, inviting further pressure. This is nothing new – it has been a common theme over the last 12 months.

Despite being on the back foot for so much time we had a rather predictable Moutinho free kick at the other end along with a Nunes run that saw for players left in his wake another rare highlight.

Just prior to the break Semedo found himself approaching their box on a quick break. It was a great opportunity to score against the run of play. He turned down the chance to shoot and instead played a poor wasted pass to Costa. Then, moments later the half had ended and instead of being a goal up, we were a goal down.

Our dugout had noticed the same as us. Guedes had contributed nothing in the half and was swapped for Hodge. Within 10 minutes though it was 2-0 and game over.

All our hopes seem to rest with Traore down the right side. He was full of stepovers and also found time to put several crosses into the box. Our lack of numbers in the box (hardly his fault) meant that his efforts were not rewarded with an assist. It was a surprise to see him substituted with still twenty minutes to go. He was probably our MOTM.

It was no surprise however when we went further behind. The strength of their bench meant there was no drop off in intensity from them, unlike us.

It has been quite a while since there has been much joy in the Wolves away end. The irony is not lost that it was probably our late equaliser, at this ground, from our then captain.

No point thinking of what might have been however, we have serious issues to address urgently if we are to reverse our current plight. The heart of the side is not beating as it should and it is clear to see confidence is at an all time low since our return to the PL. Kilman, Sa and Semedo in particular are all showing their confidence has taken quite a hit. Not exactly ideal when we are trying to play it out from the back.

The next manager has quite a job on his hands to lift spirits on and off the pitch while getting us scoring goals and picking up points. All very obvious, but it is perhaps only in the last week or so many of us have realised how big a task that has now become.

Rob Cartwright

Wolves looked completely out of their depth in this game. The rapid rate of decline within the squad is frightening. Chelsea had rested a number of their players, yet looked completely comfortable throughout the game. We had done well to (almost) make it to half-time still level.

Chelsea scored after the indicated two minutes of added time, when Guedes and Gomes allowed a free passage to Mount who crossed to Havertz. He easily out jumped Semedo and headed high into the net. Sa could have done better too, so you could say three errors in our defending for that goal!

Our only chance was a Podence near post header wide. Yes, a Podence header. You couldn’t make it up!

Semedo was at fault for the second too. Pulisic being given the freedom to run into the box, play a one-two and score. Sa’s positioning was questionable here too.

We showed some resilience from this point on. Hodge, in particular, can hold his head high for his second half debut. Nunes was the pick of the rest. He must be wondering what has he done to be in this situation. I bet Mendes’ phone is red hot!

Chelsea added a third late on. Kilman caught flat footed by Broja to turn and shoot smartly into the corner.

It’s fair to say, our defensive unit looked in disarray.

Where do we go from here? Four massive games coming up now. Confidence at a low ebb. Lacking leadership and not able to score.

It’s clear we need a new manager in immediately. We hope for a new manager bounce, but the issues he will face are bigger than we first thought. Talk of players having to play while injured add to the list of issues.

We’ve said all along that the squad is too small. Nuno fell lucky with few injuries, but since that time we have suffered due to small numbers and experience.

I fear that the damage done to the squad this year will take some time to overcome.

Shi, Sellars and Lage should hold their heads in shame for allowing this to happen.

It’s essential we get the manager in now so he can work with the players ahead of the Forest game. Let’s hope the rise will be as dramatic as the decline.

John Lalley

There’s trouble brewing and it’s been festering for a considerable period of time. Bruno Lage has paid with his job and a number of others both in the playing ranks and within the executive really do need to reappraise themselves and reflect on their own mistakes and inadequacies.

This demise has been a long time in the making; complacency and allowing events to drift reactively are now reaping painful consequences and Wolves desperately require fresh impetus and a whole new direction in terms of leadership.

On the field, the horror continues; no goals, more errors and the inevitable surge to defeat but the reasons for our burgeoning deficiencies stem from indecision and poor judgement from the influences away from the pitch itself.

The replacement for Lage needs to be in post rapidly; the appointment is of the greatest urgency. Right now, we are in the process of squandering the immediate impact made by the Fosun / Nuno axis which is fast becoming a distant memory.

One of the more astonishing courses of action was shelling out an extortionate fee to recruit Fabio Silva. A decision based more on a wing and a prayer punt than on actual factual evidence. Given our paucity of goals and striking options it appears equally bizarre that at the very time Wolves most need a player whom they doled out around £35m pounds to sign he is allowed to be plying his trade on loan overseas.

I was in Belgium on Sunday at the AFAS Stadion watching Fabio leading the line for Anderlecht against Mechelen. First impression was that he has bulked-up and must have spent a goodly stretch pumping some gymnasium iron. Broad-shouldered, deep-chested and with a rear end reminiscent of Freddie Trueman roaring in to bowl at Headingley circa 1960, he looks more physically imposing these days.

The fashion sense isn’t neglected of course; a colourful alice band keeps the famous coiffeur stylishly accommodated and the squad number 99 stresses the individuality but there is more to his game these days.

A very spirited home side kept Fabio under control during the first half but after the interval, he became the focal-point of the entire match. Trailing 1-0, Anderlecht eventually ran out 3-1 winners.

Twice Fabio was through one on one and was thwarted by the keeper, but on both occasions an Anderlecht colleague converted the ensuing rebound. Fabio himself completed the scoring late on with a perfect cross-shot giving the keeper no chance. Quite a contribution.

There were other differences too; his running off the ball to create space was more thoughtful and constructive, he held possession better and had real confidence in his ability. Gone was the infuriating trait of holding smiling conversations with opponents and offering handshakes to defenders having barely touched them.

He even chipped at the referee on a couple of occasions; the no more Mr. Nice- Guy really suited him. I’m not suggesting that there has been a staggering transformation; he wasted the ball a few times too many and his heading remains limitlessly ordinary and he probably wouldn’t address our chronic shortage of goals very much, but at least he offers a semblance of variety.

Above all, he was clearly relishing playing football and none of his buddies back at Molineux can say that right now! And given the poor handling Wolves have disadvantaged themselves with regarding loans for Adama Traore and Conor Coady, you wouldn’t rule out similar incompetence with regard to Fabio!

Adam Virgo

We are a side really struggling for any sort of confidence when going forward and defensively we look like we could concede every time the opposition come forward.

I wasn’t expecting anything from the game, if we got anything from the game it would have been a huge positive. Not having some key players available through injury and suspension is always going to be tough but when I saw both line-ups I felt like we could have got something.

Conceding just before half time was a killer also but another goal that could have easily been avoided, far too easy to let them get the ball back in and no idea what Jose Sa was doing.

Once it went 2-0, everyone knew it was game over. Matheus Nunes and Joe Hodge were the only positives for me. Whenever we had the ball, particularly in the first half, we looked lost not having Neves there to be able to give the ball to. In all fairness, Hodge came on and was receiving it in good positions and also keeping possession well too.

We really need a new manager in ASAP so we can get some new ideas and start to hopefully look forward again. We’re a side really struggling to create any sort of chances, hence why we’ve scored three league goals which is nothing short of embarrassing. Forest at home is a must win next week, if we don’t win then I am worried for what could happen this season.

Fraser Bishop

One win in nine. Six points. Three goals. Officially the lowest scores out of the 92 teams in the Football League. Can it get much worse?

Saturdays defeat at Stamford Bridge was hardly surprising and I don’t think we can really learn much. Managerless, and missing several key players, it was always going to be tough, as defeatist as it may sound, however Chelsea’s heavily rotated team brushed us aside. I miss the days where conceding first didn’t guarantee defeat but that feels a long time ago now.

I think Steve Davis deserves some credit, it was clear how much the opportunity meant to him and he picked an attacking team (although having two midfielders available essentially did that for him) and did what he could. We had centre-backs playing at centre-back and an out and out striker up front so instantly had a more cohesive line-up.

I was hoping that Bruno’s sacking may have given the players a lift, and a fresh voice on the training ground could take the shackles off a little and galvanised the team, but it wasn’t to be.

On one hand, if we could have held out until half-time perhaps it could have been a different story. However, at the same time, we were lucky not to be 3-0 down as Chelsea squandered chance after chance.

The second half saw a change in shape as Hodge came on for Guedes. I thought the debutant looked neat and tidy and did himself proud. Guedes however, anything but. Another one of our attacking players that has talent but needs to apply it. Costa managed to last 55 minutes as he builds his fitness up, but had a quiet day. I thought the pick of the players were Nunes and Adama, with the latter beating Cucurella several times and delivering accurately to no avail.

The form of Jose Sa is a worry however. Last season he was phenomenal and bailed us out in games single handedly, yet this season he looks a bit vulnerable and was caught in no man’s land for the opener. If rumours are true, and he is playing with an injured hand that just about sums us up at the moment.

Whoever takes over from Bruno has a huge job on their hands to steer this team of talented individuals away from trouble.

James Pugh

Oh Wolves.

Seems like only yesterday that an away day in London was our bread and butter. Yes, half our first team were banned and yes the other half were injured, but you’d really hope we’d give it a go.

Wolves produced some really good 10 minute spells which should have ended up as a chance/half-chance, but the fact of the matter is too many of our forward players are underperforming.

Costa had a William Jose’esque performance and Guedes had his worst appearance in a Wolves shirt thus far. Some silly mistakes from Sa too. Not sure what Ait-Nouri needs to do to get a game as Jonny also isn’t quite there yet with a back four.

The small positives, Adama is oiled up and ready to go again. His holiday in Barcelona has dramatically improved his crossing ability and should be one of the first names on the team sheet now. Nunes also played immensely from a deeper midfield role, what a player we have there. While there’s no way he should be playing deeper than Neves in following games, that ball carrying ability is something to behold.

Hodge also made a great cameo, and I’m looking forward to see his development this season. The fact he had to make his debut in such a game however highlights Wolves need for more depth in defence and midfield.

If only we had a Belgian international who could play consistently in both positions. Maybe we should give that Leander Dendoncker at villa a look in? But I guess they wouldn’t dream of selling him for cheap to premier league rivals. What idiot would do that.

Oh well, onwards and upwards. The Gibbs-White derby is next week and is our first real must win of the season. While an 89th minute Willy Boly equaliser feels inevitable, it would be the perfect game to start with for any incoming manager. Now is the time to get behind the players, club and Adama Traore’s greasy arms.

Chris Ward

Make no bones about it, the quality is there and there is an abundance of it but have you ever seen such a talented team of players devoid of all confidence and composure?

Yes goals have been our problem for a long time now but what chance do we have when we can’t get the basics right? Simple passes wayward, giving the ball away time and time again, constantly making the wrong choices, the list of the simple things goes on and on.

We are desperate now for a head coach with new ideas and the ability to get the best out of these players and someone the players look up to and respect.

In years gone by we would have given Chelsea a battle but we just rolled over, no fight and no passion. Nunes and Traore were the only players to come out with any sort of credit from what in truth was a poor performance.

Jonny once again poor in possession, Sa with another error, Toti was erratic and Moutinho far too slow and isolated to impact the game.

We need a leader and direction as soon as possible. We now have a run of winnable fixtures starting with a huge six-pointer against Forest.