Wolves have now gone nine games without a win in the Premier League following a disappointing display against a resolute Burnley side. A Strand Larsen penalty and a Munetsi header weren’t enough to secure a much-needed three points at Molineux. This was a poor overall showing from Wolves, but there are some positives to find amongst the ever-mounting list of negatives. Follow along as we pick out two goods and two bads. Written by Jack Johnson.
Good: Scoring Goals
Conceding three and scoring twice gets you just as many points as conceding six, but there are positives to take from the goals themselves. Santiago Bueno had to be stronger for Flemming’s second goal, but he made up for it by bursting in front of Brownhill in the Burnley penalty area and took a kick that won Wolves a penalty that Strand Larsen converted smartly. The second goal was born out of brilliant work from Bellegarde, with a cross that was nicked on by Krejci and converted assertively by Munetsi. The Zimbabwean man takes a lot of stick from fans at times for his technical ability, but there’s no denying that he’s in the right places when he’s needed.
Bad: Vítor Pereira
A last-minute winner against a side clearly set up to absorb pressure is nothing short of disastrous. In isolation, this is the kind of game you can dust yourself off from, but when it keeps happening, it becomes unacceptable. Arias hitting the bar, Dúbravka making an award-winning save, and several squandered chances show Wolves were in it, but this cannot continue. The substitutions and game management were poor, and that’s fully on Vítor and his staff. Whether Fosun will finally pull the trigger remains to be seen, but questions around his tactical decisions and in-game adjustments are growing louder by the week.
Good: The Bellegarde Show
The best player on the pitch by an absolute country mile. Wolves’ fans have been starved of quality ball-carrying in midfield since Cunha’s departure, and it was back on full display thanks to the Haitian international. He won’t get the assist for his part in Munetsi’s header, but he deserves all the plaudits. Tchatchoua and Arias could learn a thing or two from Bellegarde, as they rarely seem willing to drive forward with the ball at their feet, despite their supposed pace and trickery. Bellegarde did lose the ball in the final few minutes that resulted in the Burnley winner, but he cannot take the full blame for the multiple chaotic throw-ins. Irrespective of he result, fans can at least look forward to more Bellegarde-ball in the coming weeks, if he keeps it up.
Bad: Everything Else
Anyone with eyes and a television or a match-day ticket can see it isn’t working. The crosses aren’t finding players, the passes meant to split defences just break down, and shots either hit the keeper or end up in row Z. Ninety percent of what Wolves are doing simply isn’t working. Misplaced passes kill momentum, long balls are hopeless, and every change Vítor makes seems to make things worse. Why was Tchatchoua signed if he isn’t allowed to run at defenders? Why do players look lost when chasing a game? Why are we persisting with crosses and lumped balls forward when we’re so poor at them? A million more questions could be asked at this stage, and it’s likely we won’t get any answers before drastic changes are made.
As each game ticks by and weekends are ruined, Wolves go from tumbling into the Championship to nosediving. The next 24–48 hours will be crucial in determining how this season unfolds, and we’ll be sure to bring you updates as they come.
