Wolves Fans' Verdict v Albion: Diabolical derby display

Clive Smith

The look on Nuno's face said it all. Disappointed, frustrated, deflated – we can all identify with that. Collectively we are not as controlled as usual and individually, mistakes are proving costly.

Early on we looked second best with any 50-50 and when Boly was late we found ourselves behind again. This failing is a sure way to knock our confidence and make winning matches difficult.

Patricio bailed Boly out after another mistake but our defender was proving more useful in the other box. Remarkably he had a near post flick, an assist and a goal all before the break.

The interval team talk may well have mentioned how, after leading, we recently let Brighton back into the game. The whiteboard would surely have reminded everyone how to defend a long throw. Yet within ten minutes we had failed to put the theory into practice. Had the contact on Semedo at one end been deemed as much as the contact from Coady things might have been different. We are not getting the rub of the green when we could really do with it.

Individually Boly was not the only player with pluses and minuses. Saiss and Semedo both looked better going forward than covering in their own box. Coady again looked just slightly off the pace. In midfield our passing was below par with Neves nowhere near the level he was in the last game. Dendoncker could cover disappointing and frustrating all by himself. His finishing is really nowhere near where it should be.

The front three were our pick of the bunch. Silva probably had the most possession he has had in any other game. Neto and MOTM Traore looked a threat when they were on the ball. Collectively we had plenty of possession, put in an endless number of crosses, and won several corners too, but we continue to fail to turn the touches in the box into winning goals. I am sure they things will turn in our favour soon.

Often in football it can seem all or nothing. We are not a bad side, we have several good Premier League players. Some regulars are not consistently performing at that level at the moment while others are striving to get there. Our injuries are obviously not helping.

Fingers crossed things improve quickly and everyone's patience stays strong.

Adam Virgo

Nine years since we last played West Brom, a chance to rectify what happened and we’ve been embarrassed once again.

Once again we went behind first, penalty or not it was idiotic from Boly and we had chances to clear the ball prior to it. Fair play to him though, he stood up, got an assist and a goal to take us into the lead at half time.

Very good strength and composure from Silva, who had his best game in a Wolves shirt so far, for the equaliser. Naughty back-heel from Boly and his finish wasn’t too bad either.

The second half was an absolute shambles. Nuno looked disinterested, scratching his beard like he was devoid of any ideas. The players did not take any responsibility whatsoever and we got what we deserved in the end. West Brom fought for that win and put their bodies on the line, we just crumbled and looked lost.

In 2021, every goal we’ve conceded has been from either a direct cross, set piece or a penalty. No team is having to break the bank to score past us, we are conceding goals for fun and how Coady can argue about the second penalty is beyond me, he kicked Robinson twice and it was a stonewall penalty.

In terms of the Nuno situation it’s tough. Would I be angry if he got sacked, probably not with how we’ve been playing this season, two wins in 12, we’re in relegation form and I’m sick of the same answers after every game about solutions.

I’m seeing some fans say he’s earned the right to stay in charge until the end of the season, which I can also agree with to an extent. The only problem with that is how long do you leave it, if we keep losing games we will drop and drop but when do you say enough is enough. I’d absolutely love him to turn it around, injuries can’t be blamed for every loss, we’ve put ourselves in a position where we thought Gibbs-White and Cutrone were the answers when quite frankly they weren’t and we should have brought a player or two in on loan at the very least.

If we lose to Chorley then I won’t even be shocked, it’s something that would happen to us. With the players we have, we should not be losing to a side in the sixth tier but if we do lose, we’ll be the biggest laughing stock of a football club in England at the current time. I genuinely don’t know where our next league win is coming from and right now the FA Cup is probably our and Nuno’s only saviour.

Rob Cartwright

Where to start with this mess of a game. To be clear, the second half performance by Wolves was diabolical. The game was virtually won at half time, but we were too slow, too predictable and too easy to defend against. The midfield three found it impossible to find another gear and for all our shots on goal, we created no real danger.

The fault lies totally with the players. However, the first goal was not a penalty. A rash challenge yes, but outside the box.

The Gibbs handball was a sure penalty. His hands were not in a natural position, unless he is the goalkeeper.

We weren’t really playing that well at 0-1, but were sufficiently on top in the game. Silva with a very cool finish, after lovely back-heel from Boly, got a deserved equaliser.

Then, Boly with a striker’s finish, after smart pass from Dendoncker, put us ahead before the break. This rather flattered us and was hard on West Brom.

I felt very comfortable, at half time, that West Brom were now there for the taking.

My famous last words were 'hold tight for 10 minutes and then really go at them'.

How wrong can I be? Wolves were pathetic in the second half. West Brom soon realised our level of ineptitude and pushed forward. Before those 10 minutes were up we were 2-3 down and looked like a heavyweight boxer just about on his feet, but staggering around the ring.

The equaliser was poor and from a throw-in. Neither Coady or Boly showed any determination to win the ball. We had eight players in the box. Scandalous.

Then, another penalty – Coady should do better with ball into the box. A reckless challenge with minimal contact. No complaints this time.

The game played out in monotonous fashion. Not the Black Country derbies I remember. We had 11 corners to none. Possession was 68 to 32

Just one question to ask – what the hell is going on?

Defensively Wolves were shambolic, the midfield looked worn out, not Moutinho but Neves and Dendoncker didn’t do hardly enough work, lacking support for both the defence and the attack.

In the words of Mick McCarthy, it was a 'complete capitulation'.

The players can collectively hold their heads in shame. I can’t find a man of the match performer and the subs made no impact at all. Neto looked up for it but failed to have a single shot on target. Coady being subbed really surprised me and I wonder what the next move is with that one.

Finally, we lost one of our pack at the weekend, which really does bring a sense of perspective. Paul Nightingale was a friend and steward at Wolves. We looked forward to seeing him at Molineux and would chat before and after the game.

He made a big fuss of my son and was a pleasure to be around. One of the nicest blokes you could hope to meet. He will be greatly missed, by many. RIP.

Matt Cooper (Talking Wolves)

Wolves 2-3 Albion. You could see it coming a mile off couldn’t you? A gutless, spineless performance from Wolves in a game that could have really won the fans back over.

Defensively, Wolves were quite frankly embarrassing against a team who had only won one game all season. Must win I heard you say Nuno? Please explain to me why the team went out and played like they did and why you were still sat in the dugout keeping warm when the going got tough? Coady, Moutinho, Dendoncker, Neves and Saiss were absolutely miles off the pace and Silva is the only player who can hold his head up high.

It’s time for Fosun to react. Either back him with some budget or sack him. We’re sliding – and quick. Too good to go down some fans think? We’ll see about that. If he doesn’t want to be here, Nuno has to go.

John Lalley

I give up; absolutely despair. But this colossal embarrassment does not come entirely by surprise.

We haven’t got any excuses and we are fast running out of them anyway. Wolves are spiralling downwards, crucially repeating the same catastrophic errors with every passing game.

All credit to Albion; they must have gone in at half-time on a real downer but they showed resolution quickly realising that this Wolves outfit has no ruthless streak and is inclined to capitulate when moderately tested. Wolves in stark contrast simply had not got the quality to ram home the advantage.

Initially, Wolves did well to retain their composure and fashion a lead but even against a team in such dire straits, you sensed that the decisive finishing touch would be lacking. We are in an appalling run of form, uncertain and brittle with an ever-increasing penchant to self-destruct.

Almost on script, the opposition were depressingly granted the customary early gift and all afternoon the sense of vulnerability couldn’t be assuaged.

Once more we conceded hopelessly to a speculative high ball delivered into our penalty area. Any player above six feet tall wandering with intent into our six -yard box right now presents us with seemingly insurmountable difficulties. Throw in a couple of cheap penalties against a team with a solitary win all season and you’re simply asking for it.

Robinson really should have put Albion two clear before we stirred ourselves. Neto and Traore on the flanks both delivered further chances but overall, we can’t have any complaints. Both sides had significant absentees in their ranks and Albion simply overcame their problems more effectively.

This one hurts, it’s pointless to pretend otherwise, it is a lamentable defeat but we simply have to take it very, very painfully on the chin.

Wolves have lost their way and our progress has stalled alarmingly and I for one won’t be sorry to see the back of this bizarre campaign. But there’s some stabilising to do first and we need to start the process very quickly.

Russ Evers

Difference seemed to be all about the knowledge of local derbies and what you need to win them – fight. In all truth, Wolves were by far the better side with 11 corners to 0, 78 per cent first half possession and 12 second half shots.

Yet again, though, we don’t stop crosses coming in and then fail to defend headers when they do. Even then we missed an open goal through Cutrone and I think that any 50/50 decisions are going to go against us after Nuno’s recent outburst.

I still fail to see how Boly’s 'foul' was inside the box. The glaring thing to me was the below-par showings again from Dendoncker, Moutinho and Semedo whilst one of our better players of recent weeks, Saiss, was almost kept out of the action when playing left-back.

Nuno looked less than happy for the entire game and you just sense something is wrong. Let’s hope it’s resolved sooner rather than later