Wolves Fans' Verdict v Crystal Palace: A depressing defeat

Clive Smith

We have seen too many Wolves games like that in the last six months. Is it a degree of fatigue from last season?

It was so depressing and I feel as deflated as at any time this season. The spirit, determination and energy shown against Chelsea was nowhere to be seen against an opposition that were equally inept.

In the first half we looked secure and organised in defence, totally void of anything in midfield and barely had the ball at all in attack. Semedo and Jose were the only two to show any attacking intent, even Neto struggled to do anything worthwhile.

Palace were woeful besides having a knack of getting the referee to stop play every time they lay on the floor. When did that rule come in?

We had to be better in the second half, but frankly we weren't. Moutinho virtually refused to pass the ball forward. Dendoncker showed the sort of effort you would question even in a training session. His contribution for their goal summed up his game.

Podence looked like he would rather be somewhere else. The body language from these three is a worry. Coady was poor too, although he did well not to react to Zaha.

Where credit is due is somewhat limited. Kilman defended well, Boly and Semedo were OK too. Hoever was lively in the first half. Surprisingly though it was Jose who was our best player and MOTM. On another day he might well have scored twice and won us the game. Substitute Traore deserves a word of praise for offering something positive in the final third and helping to prevent a second goal when Coady had been turned inside out.

Nuno has got his work cut out to turn things around although a lot of players (far too many) need to look at their form and step up a level or two. It was a worrying performance and attitude.

Adam Virgo

Embarrassing performance from start to finish.

We hardly look like scoring but always look like conceding in games, the midfield was an absolute laughing stock all afternoon and I can’t see anything changing anytime soon.

Everyone thought that the point at Chelsea would kick-start a decent second half of the season and this game has just proved that we were desperate, so we sat back for a point. If it had that much of an effect on the players, we wouldn’t go to Selhurst Park and play like we did so clearly something is wrong.

No manager is bigger than the club, I’m not saying I want Nuno sacked ASAP or anything because I’d love him to be able to turn it around. On the other hand if he was to go, there wouldn’t be any complaints from myself because we’ve been terrible for a while and it is a results business the majority of the time.

Zero shots in the first 45 minutes against Crystal Palace is unacceptable. We comfortably beat them 2-0 at Molineux and in the cup they didn’t even register a shot on target all afternoon.

The goal we conceded was laughable, Moutinho and Dendoncker offering no defensive support, players getting beaten far too easily. Patricio could have done better, yes it has gone through him but when Eze has a free shot on goal and hits it as hard as he did, it’s more difficult than it looks to save. It would have been easier for him to save it with his feet because of the power generated and it was driven low.

We were never going to equalise anyway, the subs were questionable like they are in most games. It’s like our players are stuck in a defensive mindset so they struggle when it comes to attacking and they’re so focused on not conceding a goal, we almost forget how to do things in an attacking sense.

The only players who I thought deserved any credit were Kilman, Hoever, Neto and Jose. Two of our biggest leaders in Coady and Moutinho were absolutely awful, Dendoncker was too. One of the worst midfield partnerships I’ve seen on a football pitch judging by their performance in the game.

If we’re being realistic, the next two against Arsenal and Leicester we’ll probably lose. I’ll be shocked if we win either of them, would love for it to happen but we are void of any confidence whatsoever at the moment. I don’t know what there’s more chance of at the moment, us signing a centre back/central midfielder or us scoring the first goal in a league game.

Rob Cartwright

Where do you start? We are on a horrible run and the team look as though confidence has been completely shot. Is it the tactics or is it the players?

We simply can’t score from open play. I thought Jose would be the answer, but he received very little service in this game. The approach play was lethargic; far too slow.

Get this - we put in 27 crosses during this game (yes, twenty seven). This is not a team who are not attacking, but the quality was poor.

One header and no shots on target shows this. Dendoncker had a stinker and we saw little of him in the opposition box, but where were Neto, Podence and Traore when these crosses were flying in? Add Silva for the final 15 minutes. We ended the game with four forwards on the pitch!

Palace were there for the taking. We show teams far too much respect. I can’t remember the last time we really went for them from the off? First game of season if my memory serves me well?

Our defence remains fragile, though Dendoncker was at fault for their goal. What a half-hearted challenge he made on the edge of the area. I still think Rui should have had it covered and not for the first time this season. He’s costing us points and I feel he is lucky to be starting now.

That about sums up our problems. Out of form goalkeeper, fragile defence, lethargic midfield, forwards who have forgotten where the goal is. Apart from that, though, everything is looking good.

My man of the match was Semedo, followed by Neto. Traore looked dangerous when he came on, but lacked quality with balls into the box.

The fixtures are coming thick and fast now. The next few are a daunting prospect but I still have belief. Games against the so called better teams will do us good.

It sickens me to see how quickly some can turn. Wolves were in a European Quarter Final just five months ago. Ten games back, we were 6th in Premier League. Injuries have played a big part in this run.

It’s worth remembering, Nuno has the best win ratio of any Wolves manager, in history. We’ve had more good days than bad days and I have absolutely no doubt he is the man for the job.

John Lalley

These days I reckon Wolves matches should carry a television watershed warning prior to kick-off; not suitable for family audiences.

Those of a nervous disposition, please look away. The best league in the world? Heaven preserve us from exposure to the worst.

Two utterly mundane outfits both devoid of guile and panache produced a truly grim spectacle of tedious mediocrity. Slow, dull and laborious; watching the entire game was an interminable chore.

Palace were dire, Wolves substantially worse and wholly deserving of retaining their hideous position of the least effective team in the League taken on current form.

As my eyelids began drooping at the lethargy on the screen, my mind started to wander.

Pulsating matches at a fever-pitch Molineux bursting with pride, passion and excitement. Wolves hailed as the very best side ever to be promoted to the Premier League, lauded by pundits, opposition fans and managers as a truly terrific addition to the top flight. The very best of the Premier hierarchy being mightily tested and often beaten by a vibrant Wolves team full of energetic power and creative ability bursting to express themselves, frightened of nobody and above all, absolutely comfortable in their own positive identity.

For such long-suffering fans, this represented active bliss; an absolute delight; the satisfaction indescribable. All this, just a short time ago but I wondered if it had really happened; must have been a mirage, a figment of the imagination.

It all seems light years ago because the current reality is a whole lot different. Selhurst Park, always strident and atmospheric resembled a morgue; bleak, empty and sombre; until Eze settled the game there had been virtually nothing to stir the emotions. If we have to search the wilderness for any shred of a positive, then at least Jose despite feeding off scraps appeared to possess the basis instincts of a competent striker, a facet singularly lacking since the injury to Jimenez.

We desperately need to stabilise and quickly; hold steady and get out of this mess.

Russ Evers

I have tried to take the (limited) positives out of all of our games this season and been accused of being a happy-clapper, but not even I could defend that showing.

Kilman and to a lesser extent Jose apart, we were woeful, with Dendoncker who has been below par recently and Moutinho giving us nothing at all in midfield and putting in their worst individual showings in the old gold.

Podence was totally ineffectual whilst Neto was way below par. Semedo struggled at left-back but not his fault and each pass seemed to be half a yard light or half a yard too heavy.

The only positive was the lack of the journey home from easily the worst away trip each season, but something seems wrong and needs addressing quickly.