Wolves Fans' Verdict v Sunderland: A miserable day in Wolves' battle against the drop

John Lalley

The result thoroughly dispiriting, the display absolutely abject, survival hopes already tenuous at best. 

A dismal first-half graphically illustrated just why we are in such a predicament. Wolves in retreat, uncertain and disjointed allowed themselves to be bullied offering nothing remotely worthwhile in response. 

Inevitably, Sunderland cantered through a ponderous defence capitalised on a goalkeeping error and won the game without enduring much resistance. Fortunate to go into the break only one goal in arrears, the second half saw Sunderland more cautious but Wolves despite much possession floundered dismally in front of goal showing a lack of confidence, composure and belief in themselves. 

Stodgy with no end product, there was an air of inevitability regarding the outcome. Strand Larsen, isolated and ineffective was subdued with alarming ease. 

Belatedly, Munetsi finally tested the goalkeeper but our threat was minimal. Tchatchhoua did have a real chance to salvage a point but his indeterminate miskick highlighted the crumbling lack of self-belief riddling the team.  

Appropriately it ended on a note of high comedy with Wolves embarrassing themselves with a hapless own goal which sums up our season. Sorry that the culprit was Krejci; he was busting a gut to retrieve his position and he remains one of a fast-dwindling number of Wolves’ players who can be proud of themselves during this dreadful campaign. 

Sunderland, tactics vindicated managed to implement the game-plan required to protect a slender lead; something Wolves failed to do in their previous two games. Nothing positive to be taken from a fixture viewed by many as absolutely pivotal; what a catastrophic mess we are in.

Adam Virgo

An absolutely disgraceful performance and we’ve been beaten by a Sunderland team that didn’t even play that well which says everything you need to know about where we are right now.

All of this ultimately comes down to the way this football club has been run for the past few years, we have zero match winners in our squad and a serious lack of quality and pace in forward areas.

Sunderland’s first goal is unacceptable from a defensive point of view. How they are able to score with such ease and our defence are stood like statues is just laughable. Sam Johnstone probably could do better but it was a free shot at goal and he’s unlucky that it goes in how it did.

We didn’t have any big chances whatsoever, the shots we did have were simple for their goalkeeper to save or horrendous efforts that missed the target completely.

Vitor Pereira’s decisions were absolutely awful as well. Ki Jana Hoever as our first sub in the 67th minute is just pure insanity and then not making any other subs until the 77th minute is crazy as well. It’s funny how he is quick to make subs at half-time and go to a back five when we’re 1-0 up but when we’re losing a game and not playing well he doesn’t make any subs until after an hour.

If Vitor somehow makes it to Burnley at home next week and we don’t win, he 100 per cent has to go. Obviously there are things that aren’t his fault which is down to the ownership but his decisions at the moment are so questionable and not winning any games yet is simply not good enough.

Clive Smith

That was a miserable experience. Signs that we were making progress, witnessed in the last two games, seemed to take a backward step. 

Players have been singled out already this season in certain games for their lack of form and, unfortunately, today the finger could be pointed at several.

J.Gomes, Larsen, Doherty and Arias were frankly just not at the races.

J.Gomes' decision making was well below his normal standard - too often he didn’t release the ball in a timely manner. Larsen barely won a header, got bullied, showed no pace, and hardly seemed to have a touch of the ball. 

Doc was dreadful for their goal. He's done well as a centre half, but as a fullback he was hung out to dry. When we lose possession he's often too slow to get back on-side. Arias just didn't look close to a goal or assist. He never gets a touch in the box and in possession, when he goes sideways, it is too easy for him to be tackled.

Thank goodness for Andre, he, as much as anyone, helped keep us in the game for so long.

Team spirit must be low - as low as it is in the stands. Typically though, just when the team needs support many fans turn against them. I wish these anti-Fosun people would shut up, or not bother turning up. They are embarrassing. Their medley today included songs about several recent players mixed amongst anti-Shi and anti-Fosun. Do they not realise the likes of Neves, Moutinho, Jimenez etc, they were singing about were brought by those people they are slagging off? I'm sure it helps those on the pitch no end!

What our identity is meant to be is a mystery. VP has puzzled me this season. I wonder what homework he has done. Our performance against Leeds was naive, (we know how they play) our substitutions v Brighton were catastrophic. Here, we invited Sunderland to press which contributed to conceding throw-ins (many looking like foul throws) and free-kicks. With the referee's assistance they could run the clock down to their hearts content. Naive again.

Not starting Tchatchoua, after he'd had his best Wolves game, and then bringing Hoever on ahead of him was just the latest baffling team selection.

Tough days, but we're not dead and buried. Other teams either are, or will, find it tough too. Keep the faith guys.

Matt Gallimore

They say that you need 10-15 games before the table takes shape and you start seeing what each team is capable of achieving. Well, this was the eighth game and I am convinced we are going down. 

Prior to this game, I have seen a team totally devoid of creativity or players who have the technical ability to succeed at this level. Yes, we might have runners who give their full effort but to win football games in the Premier League requires so much more. Add to the fact we don't score enough goals and it's looking very bleak.

The first half was a dreadful game of football. It was such a poor standard that you would have thought it was a game in the Championship. What makes the result even more depressing is that Sunderland are no great shakes but they fully deserved to win the game. That is the standard we have now dropped to.

In previous seasons I was confident we would survive because I felt we had more than enough quality to get out the trouble we found ourselves in. This season is different. This squad is the weakest we have assembled since we got back into the Premier League and I just don't see how we will be able to accumulate enough points to get out the bottom three.

Our next game versus Burnley is a must win! Anything less and Vitor Pereira has got to go. It might be the only way to salvage something and try and get this team performing better. 

What I have seen thus far is a negative cautious style of football, a team that seems confused about what the manager is wanting them to do and players who look lost. We can all berate the owners and chairman, who are both totally inept in my opinion, but all of the above comes from the manager. Maybe this is why he has never lasted long at any club, but the recruitment was on him and Domenico Teti, and its proving to be an absolute failure of a transfer window.

We are in a right mess! If we don't win versus Burnley, then I see no option but to change the manager.