Wolves blog: Don't let our season peter out now

Yes, Southampton have largely been on good form under Ralph Hasenhüttl and are dangerous on the counter attack.

But all Wolves fans really hoped the team could bounce back from last weekend’s heartbreak in the cup.

The lineup Nuno chose was - before the game - the strongest available, most would agree. It also gave the players who started against Watford the chance to recover from their last match.

But they started in the worst possible way for consecutive league away games, conceding within the first two minutes.

We are conceding in almost every match now, which is a stark contrast to the start of the season. This means our forwards need to find at least two goals every game, which isn’t the platform Nuno first built last season.

We’ve developed an unpleasant habit of conceding early and late in games, which asks questions of the team’s concentration. Add to this a goal conceded immediately after they scored against Southampton, and Jesse Lingard’s first-minute chance in the last win over Man United, and it builds up a picture.

Against the Saints, Wolves were slack in defence and profligate up front, with Southampton arguably not having to play that well. We had all the ball, which doesn’t seem to suit our style of play - this is a big area for improvement next season, as we need to have multiple plans to beat teams who sit back.

One way we can do this is through set pieces, with yet another Joao Moutinho corner converted by Willy Boly. However, they are persisting with a tactic of short corners, which almost invariably ends in losing possession. It worked against Watford in the cup, but it is so frustrating when the ball fails to make it into the box.

The start of the second half was Wolves’ best spell of the game, and we had the ball in the box a fair amount, albeit without causing too much issue.

Diogo Jota was guilty of a good chance after we dispossessed the clumsy Vestergaard in the box, but blazed over. We should have targeted him much more - he was imperious in the air but the worst player on the pitch on the ball.

The worst miss went to the man you’d put your house on, Raul Jimenez, as his chance just yards out went for a throw-in. If that goal had gone in for 2-2, Wolves would surely have gone on to win.

Nuno’s substitutions failed to make a difference to the game. Ruben Vinagre may have been the player to bring on, he would have caused all sorts of problems.

Wolves poor away form continues, and with trips just to Watford and Liverpool left, this now may run into next season.

It’s been an amazing eight months so far, and it’d be great to finish the season well. This loss wasn’t disastrous, as Leicester and Everton also lost to teams below them in the league and Watford, despite an ill-advised early tweet, also failed to take advantage.

We are just one win away from reaching 50 points, which as a newly-promoted team would be an amazing achievement. Seventh place is anyone’s from four teams - but Wolves are still in the driving seat and Brighton on Saturday is a great chance to further stake our claim.