Wolves outmuscled

Wolverhampton Wanderers 0 v Huddersfield Town 2

One senses you are being set up for a fall when the national press start writing complimentary pieces about you. The first was an article in Wednesday’s Mail which outlined the depth of Wolves ambition now that they have secured a berth in the Premier League. Whereas the bonus pool offer to the players of Cardiff for just staying in the league is £10m the equivalent sum at Wolves is £3m. Only for attaining a slot in the Intertoto Cup will the squad share £10m. I know. For mere mortals these sums are ridiculous. But credit to Wolves for setting the target and skewing the emphasis this way. The second article came in today’s Times with a considered piece praising the innovative coaching methods of Nuno Espirito Santo and how this was heralding a return to the late 50’s when Wolves were the best side in the country.

Then along come bottom of the table Huddersfield, a team of journeymen pros, to puncture your puffed out chest. In fact defeat is to understate matters for this was in some senses a humiliation. Wolves were rank in the first half and only marginally less rank in the second.

I’m not sure 3,5,2 is working. Perhaps away from home but certainly not at home for as with the game v Watford, Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho (first half), and Neves and Morgan Gibbs White (second half) were once again outnumbered in midfield and as a consequence unable to dictate affairs. It is for this reason that since the World Cup Gareth Southgate has abandoned the system and some serious thought needs to be given to whether it’s fit for purpose here. A circumstance where your most creative players are neutered is not good.

The system was also at fault for the first goal when Matt Doherty gave the ball away cheaply on the half way line. This left Huddersfield two on one against Ryan Bennett who was unable to prevent Erik Durm’s left wing cross reaching Aaron Mooy. His powerful side footed effort from outside the penalty box gave Rui Patricio no chance. The goal lifted Huddersfield who continued to press a further three clear cut chances being created. For Wolves, none, their ball retention non existent.

Whilst the half time introductions of Gibbs White for Moutinho and Adama Traore for Ivan Cavaleiro injected more pace, Wolves rarely threatened their best chance coming in the 55th minute when Raul Jimenez had his downward header cleared off the line. Some twenty minutes later neat interplay by Huddersfield forced Wolves into conceding a foul on the edge of the penalty box. From the ensuing free kick Mooy curled the ball around the wall to make it a brace.

From their last five games Wolves have now mustered 1 point from a possible fifteen and have scored only once in open play during 450 minutes of football. They’ve also suffered defeats to Watford, Brighton and now Huddersfield sides amongst their peer group whom one would expect them to beat. Plenty then for Nuno to ponder, ahead of Friday’s crunch game at Cardiff.

Wolves: Patricio 5, Bennett 5, Coady 6, Boly 5, Doherty 5, Neves 5, Moutinho 5, Sub Gibbs White 6, Helder Costa 5 Sub Jota, Jimenez 6, Cavaleiro 4 Sub Traore 6

Huddersfield Town: Lossl 6, Smith 6, Schindler 6, Kongola 6, Hadergjonaj 6, Mooy 8, Hogg 6 Sub Stankovic, Billing 7 Sub Williams, Durm 7, Pritchard 6, Mounie 6

Attendance: 30,130

Referee: Kevin Friend 9

©Mark Brennand