Wolves blog: A loss to Liverpool is no Claus for concern
On the 23rd April 2016, Wolves had just drawn a fourth consecutive goalless game at Molineux against Rotherham.
Fast forward 32 months, and those 18,000 or so Wolves fans in the stadium that day probably couldn’t have imagined we’d be hosting Liverpool in an extremely attractive Friday night Premier League match.
They wouldn’t have believed we’d start the match in seventh place in the Premier League, and despite losing, remain in the top half of the Premier League on Christmas Day.
This is now Wolves’ reality, and despite the loss on Friday, things are looking very positive for Wolves heading towards January.
Before the game, Laurie Dalrymple once again showed a class touch in buying beers for fans in the Great Western.
The pre-match light show was spectacular, and stoked the flames of an already vociferous atmosphere. Compared to the drab half time display when we were 3-0 down to Spurs, this made Molineux feel like a big stage, even if it is a bit NBA or Super Bowl.
You had to feel sorry for those sat in the Graham Hughes stand - they’d have been drier on a log flume, as the heavens poured down on Molineux yet again.
The fact that Adama Traore started the match means that Nuno still feels he can work with and mould him, despite some fan criticism of a player who doesn’t offer much end product.
He did cause Liverpool trouble early on and had a few chances to score.
Romain Saiss showed he once again deserves to keep his place in the team - he came in with a point to prove and has really grasped that chance with both hands.
His fellow midfielder Ruben Neves still looks off form - even his once prolific long shots are all going way off target. His form will undoubtedly come back, and Wolves will be a better team for it.
Willy Boly also made a few errors during the game - but overall, nobody played too badly and there is no shame in losing to top-of-the-league Liverpool.
They were an impressive side, but their key differences at either end of the field were Virgil Van Dijk and Mo Salah, both of whom scored.
Salah is a real dangerman - this is something Wolves are lacking in their team, that player that the opposition are scared when he has the ball.
Our next opponents Fulham, for instance, have Aleksandar Mitrovic, who is a well-known threat and has punished Wolves in the past.
None of our forwards are ruthless enough in front of goal at the moment - even Raul Jimenez, who has scored five goals, could have at least double that had he taken all of his clear chances.
Wolves now face a double-header away in London over the next few days. Fulham have freely conceded goals this season, whilst Spurs’ 6-2 win over Everton shows they have real firepower up front.
But Nuno’s men have taken seven points from trips to West Ham, Crystal Palace and Arsenal already this season. At least three points from the two games would be a good return.
