Wolves Fans' Verdict v Everton: Error-strewn showing

Matt Cooper (Talking Wolves)

Reaction to the Result

You know what kind of afternoon you’re in store for when you’re 1-0 down after five minutes due to some calamitous decision-making. Wolves were below par all afternoon but still managed to score two goals away from home, making the defensive errors even more frustrating. I don’t know how we’ve gone from being so watertight to leaky but with a thin squad, there’s no real competition for places for players who aren’t performing.

Man of the Match

No player played out of their skin but Patricio made some key saves to keep Wolves in it. He’s improved since last year and can’t be blamed for the first goal.

Something to Improve

Defensively Wolves must improve as a unit. Until Moutinho came on, that midfield three failed to press effectively and were pulled out of shape. Three errors from Wolves’ centre-backs led to three goals and that’s the sort of level we are at. Europa league sides shouldn’t be making such silly mistakes.

Clive Smith

Reaction to the Result

Our first defeat this season in ten games is hardly a crisis. Individual errors at the back costs us for the goals, that aside there were several good individual performances.

Man of the Match

Patricio made two good saves, one from the Gordon Banks collection. Bennett was the only defender who played at our usual level. Cutrone continues to look lively, and with some skill, working well with Jimenez who continued his good form. Neves played well, but it was Saiss who was MOTM. Plenty of strong tackles and went box to box well.

Something to Improve

Playing Vinagre and Traore seemed adventurous even at 2pm and so it proved. Vinagre was found out and we allowed way too many crosses to go into our box. Coady, Traore and Boly were at fault for a goal each.

Adam Virgo

Reaction to the Result

Very poor defending and mistakes have cost us massively. To concede three goals away from home always makes it difficult to get anything from the game but there were still positives and no one should be panicking at all yet. We’re only four games into the season and maybe the Europa League is taking some toll on the players but we’d all surely rather be in it than not. Boly’s second yellow was very silly and he’s going to be a big miss for our next game against Chelsea.

Man of the Match

Adama played very well when he had the ball and he absolutely destroyed Digne for the first goal. Jimenez had a poor game but he’s scored which is always good and Saiss did okay I thought. Vinagre not great at all, Patricio kept us in the game massively at 3-2 too with some top class saves.

Something to Improve

We have to defend a lot better to get results because you get punished for making mistakes in the Premier League as we know by now. All three goals were easily avoidable and to be conceding from two crosses isn’t good enough. The first goal was a huge mix up between Patricio and Coady but that rarely happens in all fairness. I’m confident we’ll address these mistakes for Chelsea but going forward there doesn’t seem to be any problems at the moment.

Rob Cartwright

Reaction to the Result

This was a highly entertaining game, with two closely-matched teams. Disappointed to lose, of course, but we know we can play much better than this. If not for the Coady/Patricio lapse so early, we go in level at half time and expect to go on win. The biggest shock was for the whole defence to collectively have an off day. Coady, Bennett and Boly were well below par. Traore was great going forward but still vulnerable defending, while Vinagre appeared effervescent whenever he received the ball and was targeted by Everton for most of their attacks.

Man of the Match

Very little to pick from here. Saiss did a good job and got his goal, but I thought we missed Moutinho tremendously in our midfield. We looked far better going forward when he came on. Jimenez did well feeding off scraps and went in where it hurts for his goal. My Man of the Match goes to Cutrone on his debut. He’s a very intelligent footballer. He has great control and uses the ball very well. He had no scoring opportunities yesterday, but he was making the right runs. He would do well playing with Moutinho!

Something to Improve

An off day for the defence, but my biggest concern is our midfield as an attacking unit. I can see their defensive capabilities around our own box, but not enough breaking up play in the middle of the pitch, or getting in and around the opposition box. Moutinho is the maestro who holds us together. He is tenacious out of possession and positive in looking for the pass to start an attacking move. No one filled this void yesterday until he came on as a second half sub.

Russ Evers (Hatherton Wolves)

Reaction to the Result

Uncharacteristic failings individually and collectively made for a deflated trip home as we experienced the despair of defeat for the first time in a long while. Our failure to stop any crosses was compounded by losing almost every defensive header and the fighting spirit to come back and twice level was undone for a final time be Richarlison who must love playing against us. The team was lifted by the introduction of Moutinho and Jota, and Traore was woefully under-used despite clearly having the beating of the full back. Let’s hope the break sees us refreshed.