Dave Edwards: Wolves' unbeaten run ends, but Rob Edwards sees lessons to build on
The unbeaten run for Wolves came to an end, and many would have expected that away at Manchester City.
The results around Wolves weren’t great over the weekend, and while relegation has looked almost certain this season, the picture continues to grow bleaker for Rob Edwards and his men.
It was a strange game. The tactical changes from the last couple of matches made sense. Edwards packed out the midfield, which was logical given how difficult it is to retain possession against Manchester City. When Wolves won the ball, they could make passes rather than just lumping it back, and having Hwang Hee-Chan as a striker gives pace on the transition.
Unfortunately, it didn’t work in the first-half. The timing of the goals was particularly damaging. You want to stay in the game away at City and make it uncomfortable for them, but conceding early allows the home side to settle.
It was disappointing, not just because of the early goal, but also the manner in which it was conceded. Yerson Mosquera had just a quarter of his shoulders closed, didn’t know where Omar Marmoush was, and failed to anticipate his run across him.
As a defender, when the ball is out wide, you always need to keep your shoulders open. Mick McCarthy used to say 'never let an attacker see the number on your back'. On this occasion, Marmoush could clearly see Mosquera's number. It was a good finish and a smart run, but the situation was avoidable.
The second goal, right on half-time, was another blow. Going in at 1-0 leaves room for a comeback, as we’ve seen in games against Manchester United and others, but 2-0 makes the task far more difficult.
