Wolves Fans' Verdict v Leicester: An opening day loss but reasons to be hopeful

John Lalley

There has been much pre-season pessimism regarding our prospects for this new campaign and indeed, major obstacles undoubtedly exist, but for starters this was a game Wolves should not have lost.

Given that Hell will frost over before we trouble the scorers on this ground, our continued lack of a cutting edge was an uncomfortable carry over from the travails of last season. Wolves are an alarmingly low scoring outfit.

Chances at this level for a club of our resources aren’t manufactured easily; any repeat of the profligacy of last season spells trouble making it desperately difficult to win games. The return of Jimenez is a boost and a testament to the guy’s determination and strength of character, but it’s unreasonable to expect him to dramatically transform the drought without some proper input from other areas of the team.

For varied reasons, significant recruitment this summer has not been easy but after the disappointing flat-lining of last season, this squad needed and still requires a fresh impetus otherwise we are inviting a repetition of the failings which have stalled our progress.

Very few goals and sparks of genuine creativity emanate from our midfield and these deficiencies still exist. Similarly, our uncertainty and the lack of a commanding presence in defence remains unresolved. Much was made of Vardy outwitting Coady for the Leicester winner, but Ricardo Pereira should not have been allowed to provide the delivery after muscling past Moutinho and Marcel all too easily.

Maybe some much needed new blood is imminent; without it this could be a very tough year. Yes, we are carrying some injuries most damagingly the absence of Neto but a glance at the quality of the respective substitute options for both clubs on Saturday was stark indeed.

Regardless of these problems and after the customary lukewarm first half, Wolves at least were competitive and could have salvaged a point. In the final analysis, we couldn’t match the predatory instinct of Vardy; he’s a gamechanger the type of focal point we are crying out for. Much for Bruno Lage to ponder upon!

Rob Cartwright

Well it was just great to be actually part of the pack again, at an away game, after all this time. Wolves supporters certainly played their part and I don’t think the team could expect any more from us.

On the pitch, I think we did better than most people were expecting and certainly made it a good game to watch.

In the first half, there were many characteristics of the “old” Nuno style with an over cautious approach and not really pressing in the final third of the pitch. It took over 20 minutes for our first real attempt on goal.

Traore will have lots of regrets about this game. He could easily have come away with a hat-trick and certainly should have given us the lead. As these things go, we miss a sitter and two minutes later, they get a half chance and score! Poor from the defence who seemed to switch off at a throw in. Coady, Marcal and Moutinho all culpable.

In the second half, we played very well with more urgency and pushing players forward quickly. It’s fair to say we were well on top for the whole half and had chance after chance to score. 17 goal attempts but only one header falling to Jimenez.

Traore was unlucky when a shot got blocked, but should have gone for goal again or squared to Jimenez, rather than pull the ball back for a defender; Kilman fired over.

It’s fair to say Leicester were hanging onto their lead with lots of time wasting. Their fans had sat in silence for the whole game, clutching onto their clappers and flags like a comfort blanket.

Kilman had another chance and so did Trincao. I think we huffed and puffed but lacked quality from an attacking perspective.

Considering the number of players out injured, I think we did reasonably well with a likely four or five starters absent. That’s without the reinforcements I am still confident will come in.

Man of the match would have been Traore if he’d put one or two chances away. Failing that, I’m going for Kilman who gives no cause for concern in central defence. I also thought Marcal, Hoever and Saiss played well.

Matt Cooper

There were certainly some positives to be taken away from the 1-0 defeat at the King Power but still vast room for improvement from Bruno’s side.

For large parts of the game, Wolves more than matched Leicester but fine margins were the difference between the two sides. Vardy’s goal could have been avoided if Coady was a little more positionally aware and less flat-footed but should Traore had converted his glaring opportunity just minutes before, we wouldn’t be discussing the Vardy goal.

Leicester’s midfield found pockets of space and drove at Wolves on the half-turn, something that we are seriously lacking in the middle of the park. Wolves, however, gave it a right good go in the second half and should have grabbed at least a point.

Pressing higher up the pitch with some neat interplay was encouraging. We are still two or three signings off where we need to be.

Clive Smith

Thank goodness we can attend games again. Shouting at the TV never felt the same. The start of the season brings the usual hopes and fears.

Where we will finish is anybodies guess. Will we be mixing it with West Ham, Everton, Leeds and Villa or are we in the Newcastle, Palace, Burnley, Brighton Southampton group?

Last season we started with an away win at Sheffield. Their season proved horrendous, lets hope nothing like that happens to us.

We don’t know much about our new man Bruno. Some points I’ve noted from his interview are:-

‘Football without goals is nothing. Every manager in the world needs time. I don’t want to put the players in a situation where they are not comfortable and trying to do things they can’t do. It’s about the present.’

August is a huge month with three tough fixtures and the transfer window to be completed. What comings and goings are due is just speculation at the moment.

This season starts with Leicester.

Within ninety seconds of kick-off, Stevie Bull’s a tatter was the chant. You could be forgiven for thinking nothing had really happened in seventeen months - or twenty five years!

Watching the first half had some familiarity. Cautious, slow and with not much going on in the final third. Changing the mindset of the current squad will be a challenge. Safe, sideways passing is unlikely to improve our goals tally when it is predominantly in our own half. With many teams pressing higher too, mistakes are likely to be more costly.

Too often we gave the ball away in our half. Initially Kilman was the worst offender but Coady and Marcal were also careless.

Vardy looked the greatest threat as Hoever did a decent job on Barnes. We created two

excellent opportunities in the half, both involved Traore. On one he shot wide with just the keeper to beat while on another break he should have passed to Jimenez overlapping.

Not long after we were undone by a good cross and precise finish by Vardy. If only we could bottle that up and transfer it into one of our players.

In the second half, as usual, we moved up a gear and played more on the front foot but it still took a while for us to look like scoring. Trincao had an impressive twenty minute spell where he looked sharp and worked some openings. When he came to shoot, like so many others, his attempt was straight at the keeper.

Traore again proved to be the inspiration and the frustration in equal measure. He wasted a chance of his own, then later on missed a wonderful opportunity to cross to an open Jimenez at the far post. Our strikers frustration was visible to everyone.

With chances for Saiss, Moutinho and even a couple for Kilman in the closing stages we had plenty of opportunities to secure a point.

The momentum was in our favour, we always look better pushing forward and playing at a quicker tempo. It seemed strange that after making one substitution, Lage waited until the last five minutes to make his other two changes, Gibbs-White and Silva had no time to do anything.

Arguable we deserved a point but, like on our previous visits, we came away with nothing and cursed our poor efforts on goal. No player stood out, Traore shades MOTM, for all his faults, take him out of the side and we had very little.

It’s worth reflecting that had Jonny, Samedo, Boly and Neto been fit they would have improved the starting eleven and surely made us slightly more competitive.

Having no VAR intervention, and linesmen raising their flag in a more timely manner, helped improve the matchday experience.

Russ Evers

Leicester’s last two competitive games have seen them win the FA Cup and the Community Shield and in this game they had to play their get out of jail card. Wolves were the better side almost throughout with the difference between the teams down to finishing. Vardy’s goal wasn’t even a chance but he is quite brilliant at scoring when coming across the defender.

If Traore had have finished one of two sitters and Kiliman, Saiss and Jimenez had done better with headed chances we would have won by a hatful. Ifs and buts I know.

Adam Virgo

Regardless of the result, it was so good to be back on the away days and in a full and rocking away end. The atmosphere from us was incredible and I’m sure it’ll be like that all season.

I think there were a fair few positives to take, especially from the second half. Obviously no one wants to lose but against a good Leicester side, we could have easily come away with a point.

The first half was poor and apart from the Adama chance, which he should have scored, we didn’t really offer much else. Their goal should have been defended much better, originally from Marcal and Moutinho who let Ricardo Pereira get past far too easily and then Coady allowing Vardy to get in front of him.

Second half we upped the intensity, pressed Leicester a lot better and got chances from it. Adama key to the majority of them, his decision making and finishing was below par but it’s good that he’s getting into those positions more regularly.

Kilman had a solid game and Adama was our biggest threat. We still need a CB, CM and probably another striker so hopefully we can get someone in before next week. If we play like we did in the second half then I believe we’ll be able cause a lot of teams problems, we just need to take our chances. Definitely excited to be back at Molineux with a full capacity too!