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Wolverhampton Wanderers 0 v Ipswich Town 0

So, as everyone likes to preface their answers to questions these days, pick the bones out of that. When last Ipswich came to Molineux in April I described the game as being “of stultifying torpor”. Four months on and déjà vu. Mick McCarthy has fashioned a well drilled and functional side but they are hardly world beaters. And the fact that Wolves took 72 minutes to create their first chance was perhaps a better reflection of where they are as a team, rather than the performance against Reading which probably flattered them.

My observation from that game that manager Walter Zenga had shown an encouraging understanding of his squad by putting Conor Coady at right back and Dominic Iorfa at centre half, lasted all of one game. With the return of Courtney Haus to centre back Iorfa moved to right back and Coady returned to midfield. You will never win anything with Conor Coady in midfield. He is too slow in possession and rarely uses it with invention. By including him at the expense of George Saville the midfield balance was lost and with David Edwards now in the hole he denied space for Joe Mason who had found plenty on Saturday. In fairness to Zenga he recognised this, but a better switch would have been to replace Coady at half time rather than Edwards, who has a knack of scoring goals.

Of the game there were three moments of note. On 22 minutes Jon Dadi Bodvarrson’s strong run into the box was terminated when he was upended by Adam Webster. Referee Banks pointed to the spot and Bodvarrson stepped up to convert it. Only he didn’t, Bartosz Bialkowski making a fine save. Five minutes later Ipswich had the ball in the back of the Wolves’ net only for the goal to be disallowed for I know not what. Then on 72 minutes new signing Helder Costa’s fine volley was again well saved by Bialkowski.

It will not be until November at the earliest that we can really take stock of where Wolves are. Until then we are probably in for an unsettled period.

Wolves: Ikeme 6, Iorfa 6, Batth 6, Hause 6, Doherty 7, Coady 6, Evans 6, Edwards 5 Sub Saville, Mason 6, Bodvarrsson 5 Sub Costa, Teixeira 6 Sub Wallace.

Ipswich Town: Bialkowski 8, Chambers 6, Webster 6, Berra 6, Knudsen 7, Bishop 6 Sub Bru, Skuse 6, Douglas 6, Ward 7, Murphy 6, Sears 6 Sub Varney

Attendance: 19,991

Ref: Peter Banks 9

©Mark Brennand