Bruno Lage: Wolves missed a big chance against Newcastle

A dreadful first half performance was almost punished, but a Chris Wood finish was chalked off by VAR due to an offside in the build-up.

Wolves began to get somewhat of a foothold in the game in the early moments of the second half but Jose Sa brought down Wood for a penalty, which the striker converted to wrap up a deserved three points.

Lage was frustrated with the first half display but felt his side missed a golden opportunity to capitalise in the second 45.

“Yes (it’s frustrating), especially the first 45 minutes,” Lage said.

“We know how to come and play against this team. They are very good at managing the game from the back four with Shelvey to try and attract us and after to do the runs in behind – they are very strong at that.

“Or to play to Wood, an experienced player who can keep the ball and play in behind our midfielders. I think we controlled most of their movements but after that we had the ball but didn’t create any chances.

“We should be more aggressive, especially in the final third. We didn’t do that in the first half.

“In the second half we came with clear ideas and were much better at managing the game side to side to find Jonny and Marcal. We found the dynamics we should do on the side and that’s the moment when you feel the game is coming to us.

“One more time we suffer a penalty like that and it’s frustrating. We are inside the box, a good cross from Marcal, they win the ball and after that with two or three touches they are inside our box and we give them a penalty and a big chance to score.

“When you look at that, it’s disappointing because we missed a big chance to win.

“But in this moment I should give credit to Newcastle because there weren’t too many chances but the chance they have they scored so they deserved to win to the game.”

The penalty marked the third Sa has given away this season and the seventh Wolves have conceded, the second highest of any Premier League team behind Norwich on 11.

Lage felt that his side should have controlled that situation better and avoided the counter-attack with a professional foul if necessary.

“It was not just him (Sa), we lost the ball in the box so there was 90 or 100 metres so we need to have control,” Lage added.

“I never say this, but if we do a foul we need to do it with the first man and we didn’t. We gave the chance and it’s too many. The ball is there and in two or three passes, in five seconds, the ball is inside our box and it’s a penalty.”

Lage went on to say he was pleased with the performance of Luke Cundle, who was one of two forced changes from the Villa win as Leander Dendoncker and Daniel Podence missed out.

Dendoncker was absent with illness, while Podence had suffered a knock to his foot – meaning neither player made the trip to the North East.

With Manchester City playing in the FA Cup next week Wolves will have a free week ahead of their trip to Burnley on April 24 and Lage expects Dendoncker and Podence to be fit for that clash – while they also hope to have Ki-Jana Hoever back among the group.

“We don’t have a match in the next week but in the couple of weeks we have in front of us they will be ready to return to training with the team,” he said.