Wolves display Jekyll and Hyde tendencies

Wolverhampton Wanderers 2 v Derby Country 3

It seems like an age since a bloke called Kenny Jackett was standing on the Wolves touchline marshalling his troops. Jackett was never afforded the riches bestowed upon his predecessors and given that circumstance he did a more than creditable job. Yet at times during his reign Wolves looked frail at the back a situation from which, six months on, they still suffer. Inept and incompetent would be two words one could assign to the centre back pairing of Dominic Iorfa and Danny Batth whose bungling during the first half was at times comical. It didn’t help that the South Bank chose to seize upon this incompetence by taunting them, a circumstance that only served to further erode any confidence that still existed. It was thus only good fortune that limited Wolves to a 2-0 deficit at half time.

To the centre back bunglers one could add goalkeeper Andy Lonergan. The game was a mere six minutes old when he was first called to action, Max Lowe’s cross being headed towards him by Will Hughes. For some inexplicable reason goalkeeper Lonergan made the most extravagant of dives, for a ball that could have been claimed standing still. As he fell to ground - almost in slow motion – he spilled it, Thomas Ince the beneficiary, calmly slotting home from six yards. It was the traditional nightmare start.

Nine minutes later cue Cannon and Ball to get in on the act. Following a long punt upfield to Darren Bent, rather than attack the falling ball Batth dithered. Somewhat fortuitously it fell to Iorfa who, with time, decided that it would be better if he gave it to a player wearing white rather than one in old gold. In the blink of an eye Bent fed Will Hughes who then found the aforementioned striker with a beautifully flighted ball over the Wolves back line. Meeting it on the volley, Bent crashed it home from 18 yards, Lonergan stranded. On 27 minutes Bent came close again with a header that went just wide and three minutes later, with Wolves now in total disarray, the Rams hit a post. Had the visitors been more clinical they would have been home and hosed. But a half time deficit of two gave Wolves some hope.

Following the break, hope sprang eternal as the home side at last showed some commitment. They were still frail at the back but at least Wolves took the game to Derby, David Edwards, Ivan Cavaleiro, Helda Costa and Matt Doherty worthy of note. Indeed on this showing Doherty would make a far better wing half than the ponderous Coady who lacks the pace to beat an opponent and delivers too many conventional passes. On 56 minutes the aforementioned Cavaleiro had a good shot cleared off the line and with the momentum now with them, Wolves finally made it pay in minute 60 when Helda Costa side footed home following good interplay with Jon Dadi Bodvarsson.

For a brief spell those in the stands dreamed of an unlikely comeback. Until that is minute 75 when Tom Ince drew a cheap foul from Cavaleiro in the box. Referee Paul Tierney surprised all by pointing to the spot, the penalty being duly despatched by the now villainous Ince.

But Wolves had not given up. In minute 82 Cavaleiro took a shot corner only to find himself trapped on the left touchline with nowhere to go. He then demonstrated what a talented footballer he is by dummying to create space before delivering a curling near post cross which was headed in by Edwards. It was a super goal but it arrived a tad too late.

The spotlight now falls on Paul Lambert who looks like a shoo in for the vacant manager’s job. There is talent in the squad but melding it into an effective team will be his challenge. That and shoring up a porous defence.

Wolves: Lonergan 5, Doherty 7, Iorfa 4, Batth 5, Borthwick-Jackson 6, Edwards 7, Coady 5 Sub Wallace, Teixeira 5 Sub Saville 5, Costa 7, Bodvarsson 6 Sub Dicko, Cavaleiro 7

Derby County: Carson 6, Christie 6 Sub Hanson 6, Keogh 6, Pearce 6, Lowe 6, Butterfield 6, Hughes 7 Sub Bryson, Johnson 6, Russell 6, Ince 7, Bent 7 Sub Vydra

Attendance: 19,858

Ref: Paul Tierney 6

©Mark Brennand