Wolves Fans' Verdict v Brighton: Fragile at the back

Matt Cooper (Talking Wolves)

It's the same old story for Wolves. When will Nuno learn that shutting the shop early on just invites more pressure?

It's happened on countless occasions but he persists in dropping deep and even bringing on an extra defender with just over 30 minutes left on the clock.

It's inexcusable and real questions marks have to be asked over his future now for me. Moutinho was the catalyst for the Brighton comeback having hung out a lazy leg for Maupay to fall over.

The only real positives from that performance was that Traore was back to his best and Neves got on the scoresheet but apart from that, it's a calamitous collapse again.

Clive Smith

We never win at Brighton. As our medical room gets busier, our bench gets younger. Our patience is tested therefore and our expectations face a reset.

It was hugely disappointing then that, from a position of strength, the game turned in a second when our most experienced player gave away a penalty.

For a team that never plays in the first half we managed to for once. After losing a goal, the first time Brighton attacked, we dominated the rest of the half. An outstanding header, a couple of ricochets then some fine wing play meant we had scored three goals in a half, and indeed in a game, for the first time in a long while.

We looked well set for three points. Then Moutinho made a challenge and the game changed. From then on, defensively, we looked like nervous kittens. We switched from a back four to a back five but still failed to hold on.

You would like to think that when Boly returns our defence will have more stability and resilience. Saiss has done very well these last two games but as a unit we have struggled. It is refreshing to see Ait-Nouri carrying the ball forwards with momentum, but he gets drawn to the ball while defending and invariably there is space behind him that leaves us exposed.

I thought Patricio may have done better on two of the goals. He could have cut out the cross for the first, while on the equaliser the ball was in the air a long time and he had a clear path to go and collect the ball.

Silva and Neto ran tirelessly for little reward. Traore gets MOTM for his best game of the season. He won the penalty with some classic wing play and his last kick of the game set up Otasowie for an if-only moment. Fine margins. Had that chance gone in along with the late Silva header against Spurs, four points extra would have changed our outlook considerably.

A Cup run would cheer us all up, it will be interesting what line-up Nuno selects.

Rob Cartwright

Certainly a game of two halves. The second was one we will want to forget quickly. We were inept, both in terms of performance and game plan.

Thankfully, in the first we were sharp and attack minded, even though we went behind.

Brighton scored with their first attempt. Ait-Nouri had chance to block the cross and I’d have backed Saiss to get to the ball first in our box. Connolly headed in easily.

Without Boly our defence is far too vulnerable.

We quickly got level, with a superb header from Saiss, assist from Semedo. A little magic from Neto produced an own goal to give us the lead, then just before the break Traore teased Burn into a rash challenge for Neves to score from the spot.

We had dominated possession, shots and corners so deserved our lead. Three goals in one half; never been heard of!

Just as we thought we could now sit and relax enjoying the second half, fate takes an ugly twist. A rash challenge from Moutinho gave Brighton a penalty, with just 10 seconds gone! Talk about shooting ourselves in the foot.

Brighton were now on the up. Would we keep going forward for the forth goal, or try and sit on a one goal cushion? The turning point for me was the 64th minute. When Kilman replaced Vitinha we showed our intent. Brighton responded by replacing a defender with an attacking midfielder.

Would we hang on? Of course not. Twelve minutes later it was level. Dunk got the better of both Traore and Neves to head in. We only have ourselves to blame for this.

Ironically, we now played much more positively. Could have won it with Otasowie’s last touch of the game, a header from which he really could have scored.

Traore had his best game for quite a while and I’ll give him Man of the Match, slightly ahead of Saiss on the day. However, the defence as a whole were poor.

Neto tried hard with little joy. Neves had another good game.

Vitinha was mostly anonymous, but he was occupying a position just behind the forwards and giving us more of an outlet from defences and as such maintained our possession well in the first half.

If he had stayed on the field, I believe our chances of winning were higher. Rather than Kilman, his replacement should have been Otasowie.

This draw felt like a defeat. We really should do better.

John Lalley

A master-class in incompetent and wasteful game-management. From the moment Wolves absurdly surrendered a deserved initiative within moments of the second half beginning, the die was cast.

Brighton galvanised, Wolves dropping deeper by the minute, midfield surrendered and increasing uncertainty in the Wolves’ penalty area.

From the moment Maupay dispatched the penalty, that awful sinking feeling descended; Wolves with absolute inevitability were not going to hold on. In the end, we were fortunate to come away with a point.

Having responded so well to carelessly conceding early on Wolves, unusually during an opening forty-five minutes, imposed themselves impressively and effectively had the game at their mercy.

Brighton were unable to curb either Neto or Traore on the flanks and they appeared ready to cave in. Instead, we decided to present them with a massive helping hand; the passivity that so often bedevils us shrouded the second half and we became progressively weaker and allowed ourselves to be unceremoniously bullied. Brighton rattled the woodwork twice, but the warnings went unheeded.

When Dunk contemptuously brushed aside a feeble challenge to head in the equaliser, it came as no surprise. Right now, there is a soft centre in this Wolves team ready to be exploited by any opponent inclined to search for it. In the latter stages, we became increasingly disorganised with more than a hint of panic.

At the death, we could and maybe should have won it; bizarre! After some very decent football in that first period, this was yet another hugely frustrating example of the profligacy that has cost us a host of points this season.

We seem to be compiling a manifesto of crazy ways to scupper ourselves. For a while it looked so good; Saiss at present appears almost like a reincarnation of Derek Dougan in the opponent’s area; what a superb header it was.

The bonus of an own goal and the third gleaned from the havoc Traore created should have been more than sufficient. We’re haywire these days; our better moments can’t hide a real sense of fragility.

Russ Evers

Our big bogey team and the injury list grows ever longer, leading to two keepers being named on the bench. Another slow start where yet again we failed to stop a cross coming into the box.

A great fightback however and 3-1 at half time was no fluke but a disastrous decision by Moutinho let Brighton back into it and every time they threw a cross into the box it was panic stations.

Even then we could have nicked it at the end after another great run from Traore but a point away at Brighton is not something we usually achieve, so take the positives.