Shropshire Star

Dave Edwards: Wolves dragged back into the dogfight at the bottom

For the neutral, it was a really good game but for Wolves fans, myself, the players and the management team it was a very frustrating afternoon at Molineux.

Published

They have enough quality in the team to go and win that game of football – there is no doubt about that.

Leeds are a good team and I do not think their position represents the squad they have, but still, Julen Lopetegui will be distraught by how his side conceded those goals.

Since he has taken over it has been so unlike Wolves, they were all over the place and a lot of that could have something to do with the number of changes that were made in-game. Mario Lemina dropping into the middle of a back three did not really work. I know they were chasing the game at the time but there was still a lot of time left and it left Wolves very exposed.

The defensive side was not good but the positive side for them was that after going 1-0 down I thought they were excellent in the remaining 40 minutes of that first half.

They created chance after chance but just could not put one away, some of it was poor finishing and others parts were just unlucky with Leeds throwing bodies at the ball on their goal line.

They should have been all square – if not leading – at the break. The timing of the second goal just after half-time was not helpful and the defending was inexplicable.

There is no way Luke Ayling should be on his own inside the six-yard box to tap home, it was really poor defending which has not happened at all under Lopetegui so that was alarming.

Leeds had three chances and ended up with three goals, and despite Wolves putting up a fight after it that was not enough sadly.

I always look at things very neutrally when it comes to refereeing decisions, but it is getting ridiculous now when you look at the amount of decisions that have gone against them.

The manager must be absolutely furious. It is costing his team points week after week, and they are vital points as they find themselves in the midst of a relegation battle.

I know Howard Webb came out and apologised last week, but it is not acceptable when Wolves could have had three points at Newcastle last weekend and they ended up with none. And then again on Saturday with the Nelson Semedo incident as the game is in the balance.

What happens for the fourth goal is just ridiculous from my point of view. There is clear shirt pulling on Adama Traore – that is a foul. And for the referee to go over and look at the monitor and not give it, I am lost for words.

Usually, they are told there is a possibility they have made a mistake and to go over there and look at it – for Michael Salisbury to think ‘no I was right’ I do not know what to say.

Then Matheus Nunes gets sent off for nothing to top it off. Logic says it should be overturned, but you never know in these situations.

I could not quite understand why he took off Ruben Neves. I do not know if there was an injury there or something, but he was the best player on the pitch and when he went off at 3-2 Wolves seemed to lose all their momentum.

Wolves have had opportunities in recent weeks to pull away from that bottom three, but they have not taken them, and now they have been dragged back into the fight.

n Just away from the football, my charity game is coming up this weekend at Montgomery Waters Meadow, as Wolves legend take on Shrewsbury legends.

The support for the game has been amazing, and I am hoping the fans will be coming out in numbers to come and support two amazing causes.

I am very grateful for the people and the volunteers who have worked really hard to make this the best occasion possible so if you can spare some time on Sunday afternoon I would be very grateful. It will be a great day.