Questionable red card renders game a non-contest

Wolverhampton Wanderers 0 v Manchester City 3

A week on from the Premier League’s somewhat tin eared response to the death of Queen Elizabeth II and fans around the country at last gained an opportunity to pay tribute to the late monarch’s integrity and sense of duty. And, in a week where much of life in Britain was put on hold, Wolves secured the services of one Diego Costa. Those with long memories will recall Costa scoring Chelsea’s second to seal a comfortable 2-0 win at the Molineux in the 2017 FA Cup. On that day the Spaniard more than lived up to his grizzled image, physically strong, possessed of a good touch and with a winner’s mentality. Whether, five years on, he retains any of the attributes that made him such a formidable player remain to be seen. But it looks like a good signing, if only to upset the equilibrium of opposing defenders.

Fast forward to this May when Wolves last played host to one Kevin De Bruyne, whose standout performance on a balmy Spring evening all but took the Old Gold apart. I can still hear the thwack of foot on ball as he struck his third goal beyond the outstretched arm of a bewildered Jose Sa. City would eventually prevail 5-1 on their way to becoming league champions. Pep Guardiola’s most recent incarnation has yet to get into its stride, lying second behind Arsenal before the start of today’s game. So one was looking forward to Wolves at least making a contest of the game following their first win two weeks ago at home to Southampton.

Sadly, those hopes were dashed before the game was a minute old. With forty five seconds on the clock Phil Foden back healed the ball to an advancing Kevin De Bruyne. Free on the right the Belgian’s low cross was met by Jack Grealish who poked home off an upright to turn the hill up which Wolves were climbing into a fell. At that stage Wolves hadn’t even managed a touch but to be fair to the home side they managed to settle and for the next fifteen minutes held their own. That was until the Norwegian wunderkind, Erling Haaland, collected the ball in the final third. Advancing to within twenty yards of the Wolves goal his miss struck shot bounced twice on its way to evading Sa and into the net.

It was a disappointing concession but not half as disappointing as the sight of Jack Grealish going down as if poleaxed by a Mike Tyson upper cut on the half hour. The offender, Nathan Collins, was genuinely going for a bouncing ball but unfortunately caught Grealish who was similarly committed. He of the beautiful calves has form when going down and on this occasion he made the most of what I believe looked worse than it actually was. No matter. With two thirds of the game still to go referee Anthony Taylor brandished a red card. The fell up which Wolves were climbing suddenly became a mountain and in that moment the game was rendered a non-contest.

Thereafter Ruben Neves slotted into the void left by Collins and though Wolves tried gamely, they were never going to beat Manchester City with ten men. It did however take the visitors until minute 68 to add to their tally when Foden back healed a De Bruyne cross into the net. A minor victory of sorts.

So what, if anything, did Wolves learn?
• The tactic of passing the ball around in their own box; it can work with three central defenders because the quarterback (Coady as was) had an outlet in wing backs. But without wing backs there is no outlet and when opposing teams press it just looks stupid, dangerous and ultimately self-defeating. We need to stop it, move the back line up and leave Sa to find full backs upfield.

• Ryan Ait Nourri; I am fed up with his constant wasting of good attacking opportunities. Too often he reaches the half-way line with space ahead only to stop, turn inside and pass it back. He also over-elaborates frequently missing the optimum time to part with the ball. Until he learns he shouldn’t get a start.
• Of others; Moutinho is sadly off the pace. Nunes is still learning. Ditto Guedes. Neto is not the player he was before his lengthy injury and Wolves have only scored three goals to Haaland’s eleven. Other than that, it’s all looking good.

Onward and upward.

Wolverhampton Wanderers: Sa 5, Castro Otto 6, Collins 5 (Sent off), Kilman 7, Ait Nourri 5 Sub Semedo, Neves 6, Nunes 6, Moutinho 6, Podence 6 Sub Traore, Guedes 6 Sub Hee Chan, Neto 5 Sub Campbell

Manchester City: Ederson 6, Stones 6, Akanji 6, Ruben Dias 6, Cancelo 7, De Bruyne 7 Sub Gundogan, Rodri 6 Sub Gomez, Bernado Silva 6 Sub Alvarez, Foden 6 Sub Mahrez, Haaland 7, Grealish 6 Sub Palmer

Attendance: 31,578

Referee: Anthony Taylor 7

©Mark Brennand