Wolves Fans' Verdict v Man City: A VAR disaster
Our Wolves fans have their say on the defeat to Manchester City.
John Lalley
Pointless that Wolves of all clubs, quibble over VAR; the depths of our disenchantment with this sordid system can’t be overstated.
When this panel of experts offer their adjudications on incidents complex or otherwise, we know exactly where we stand; guilty as charged even when Stockley Park uniformly contradicts itself with impunity.
Wolves responded to the Brentford fiasco with a display of character and guts that at the very least re-established a connection with a fan base fast losing patience with the direction of the club.
It’s a desperately hard ask to defy a team whose dominating use of the ball forces you into chasing, covering and desperately defending for almost the entire match. Not a single Wolves player would fill a berth in this peerless City team, but the application and the refusal to buckle was admirable.
Had Nelson Semedo converted a one on one to give us a two- goal lead, then who knows? The wing-back had already delivered a glorious ball for our goal and as he did in this fixture last season, he had snuffed out much danger from City’s left flank.
He wasn’t alone in repelling the onslaught; the entire system and organisation with three at the back restored offered the starkest contrast imaginable from previous matches. And as for Jose Sa; he was magnificent.
Desperately unlucky with the first goal, he was inspirational. What occurred in that final minute, he simply didn’t deserve and for what it’s worth neither did the rest of us.
Liam Berry
At Molineux on Sunday, there was one Norwegian striker who led the line and scored a goal, and that man was NOT Erling Haaland!
How many times do you reckon we will ever hear that? Three goals in eight games is a great return from Jorgen Strand Larsen, who for me, is certainly close to the levels Raul Jimenez provided us with in his opening few games.
Strand Larsen’s all-round performance against Manchester City was top. When he has the ball he rarely seems to lose it and he gave John Stones and Ruben Dias a tough time containing him. Most definitely a positive for the rest of the season.
Now a big positive is out of the way, let’s talk about our fourth consecutive home defeat in the league (not that it was deserved). I think the switch to the five-at-the-back definitely helped us, and benefited both our wing backs, with Nelson Semedo producing a brilliant assist and Rayan Ait-Nouri flourishing with his license to go forward. That back five has to be the way forward, literally, as our players are more suited to the system than they are in a four. And it can be a really attacking formation against lesser teams than Manchester City.
It was disappointing conceding in the last minute, as VAR took centre stage yet again at Molineux, to deliver the final blow. As a football fan, I do believe the goal should stand, but so too should Max Kilman’s against West Ham which got disallowed for a very similar offence last season. The problem is the consistency in these decisions. And it just feels like we are on the wrong end of most of them.
Robbie Meakin
A disappointing ending to such a hard fought performance. We deserved a point but came away with nothing due to PGMOL inconsistency.
There’s been so much talk about John Stones’ winner but I want to highlight the clear foul on Gonçalo Guedes before Man City advanced and won those corners. If that was the other way around, it’s a free kick to City and a yellow card to the Wolves player.
Looking at a positive, Jose Sa had a brilliant game and deserved to be named man of the match. He pulled off some big saves, came for everything and commanded his area brilliantly. It was a massive opportunity to stake his claim for the number one slot and he took it with both hands, if you pardon the pun. For me, he has to keep his place at Brighton. There’s no way Sam Johnstone comes straight back in. If he does, Sa has every right to react badly.
It was nice to see Gary O’Neil revert back to five at the back. It’s been needed and his decision to go against his tactical stubbornness so very nearly paid off. I must also credit his substitutions. For weeks, I’ve criticised him for being reactive rather than proactive in games.
There are positives to take from that narrow defeat to a great Man City team. It’s given me a slight glimmer of hope. I just hope we’ll see O’Neil’s men kick on at the Amex. I’m not saying I think we’ll win, as I’d be happy with a point, but a point on the board is better than nothing and we need anything we can get at the moment.
Adam Virgo
A really harsh way for us to lose a game of football after putting in the effort we did.
Defended brilliantly for large parts of the game to be done over by VAR in the last minute. The fact we scored a carbon copy of that goal last season and it was disallowed but this time the goal is awarded against us just shows the inconsistency of the officiating at the so called top level.
