Wolves Fans' Verdict v Swansea: Opportunity missed

Rob Cartwright

What's your verdict on the match? It’s the hope that kills you. Let’s be clear, I was more than happy with the team selected and they should have had enough to get through this game.

Many players on the fringes of the first team had a chance to impress and most didn’t. It’s one thing doing it in a cosy training session; it’s another doing it for real.

We played out a poor first half, with very few chances for both teams. We were too slow across the whole pitch which meant Swansea enjoyed most possession, without our usual counter-attacking pace.

The goal came early and was a wonder strike, as Ayew managed to take the ball around five Wolves ‘defenders’ before shooting. Reminiscent of Ricky Villa for Spurs in 1981. A great individual goal, but what were Batth, Hause and Miranda doing? He would not have got past Boly – fact.

We huffed and puffed but didn’t really make an impression until the final 15 minutes of the first half. We didn't play the horrendous conditions well, with too many passes going astray and into touch. Short passing to feet was what was needed.

We started better in the second, but it was clear to all that things were not right up front. Nuno could see it too and made a double substitution at just the right time. Jota and Bonatini came on and instantly we looked more dangerous.

It’s the speed of Jota’s movement and his ball control together with the off the ball movement of Bonatini which pulled Swansea’s defence out of position.

It didn’t take long to impact with a Jota scoring a very well taken goal within a couple of minutes. The script said we would go on to win comfortably now!

To get caught four minutes later, with an over-stretched defence was criminal. For the final 20 minutes it was Wolves on the attack against a 10 man white wall of defence. Swansea’s prime tactic was to waste time and they did it well.

We had two real chances to score, when Jota’s shot was spilled by their keeper but no-one followed up to slot home. Then, the clearance went straight to Bonatini who shot softly into the keepers arms.

In reality, we missed the best chance to progress in the first game at home. With a kind fourth round draw, I feel this was an opportunity wasted. That said, I’d prefer to lose this game than our next league game, for sure.

Who played well – and who didn't impress? Norris remained a safe pair of hands, and deserved much better protection from his defence for both goals. We missed our usual back three and on that showing neither Batth, Hause nor Miranda are likely to be seen again soon.

My take is Batth and Miranda are not quite good enough and Hause had a poor night and should be kicking himself (but likely to miss).

Costa was the pick of the starting XI. N’Diaye, Bright and Gibbs-White were disappointing with a general lack of pace and movement.

Mir had a poor game, treating the ball like a hot potato. He didn’t use it well or make any space in the Swansea back line. Still early days though.

Man of the match was Jota for his half hour, closely followed by Bonatini which shows the impact they had and also their value to our team. Saiss came on for 20 minutes and did little other than give needless free kicks away.

So, Swansea Reserves beat Wolves Reserves.

Worth noting their goals were scored by players costing £11m and £5m and they both showed why!

Russ Cockburn

What's your verdict on the match? There was a stink on Coach 11 and there were a few stinking performances out on the pitch last night. This was a big opportunity for some of the fringe players to push their way into the first team spotlight and not one really gave Nuno food for thought.

I get that a lot of them haven’t played together before so there’s bound to be some issues, but a lot of them couldn’t even do the basics of trapping a ball, making space or running the channels well.

It could well prove to be a very valuable lesson, as it certainly highlighted a lack of depth in key positions…right wing-back, centre midfield and up top, where I think we still need a proven, explosive striker to offer an alternative to Leo’s clever hold-up play.

The lad from Spain had a first start to forget about, talk about Rafa ‘Mare’. He looked like a less mobile Robert Taylor, which is saying something...there’s surely got to be more to come from him.

Whilst Batth started well and Miranda fed good through ball for Jota’s goal, the back three did little to stake a claim for possibly disrupting our chosen three. They looked nervous, hesitant and disorganised, missing the lyrical conditioning of everyone’s favourite Scouser Connor Coady.

Hause in particular will want to forget last night. I hope he can rap better than he can trap the ball, as on this performance he may need to consider a career in the underground music scene rather than on the football pitch.

The one positive was Gibbs-White. It wasn’t an amazing performance, but the 17 year-old didn’t hide and always wanted the ball, doing ok against Swansea’s experienced centre midfielders.

Is there cause for worry? Not for me. Our first team comfortably beats Swansea, their three quarters empty ground and their piped atmosphere through the tannoys. Are there positions we need to strengthen? Definitely and I expect Nuno will be sorting that out this morning.

Who played well – and who didn't impress? Jota did more than the starting front three in five minutes. Looked like he wanted it, was confident on the ball and made things happen. Man of the match and he only played 30 minutes.

Who didn’t play well? The fans. This is going to prove unpopular, but I’ve never heard such rubbish talked at a game before (this is saying something seeing who I attend with) and lack of vocal support from nearly 2,000.

I’m not sure what’s happened to Wolves fans in recent months. We are turning up expecting to win and forgetting the noise that used to be a trademark part of our away days Can we find the atmosphere against Derby, Hull and Bristol City please?

Clive Smith

What's your verdict on the match? It is January and it is Wales, so what weather did you expect? I don't think it was sun cream they were searching us for on the way in.

Highlights from the night must be parking on the drive safe and sound having seen cars facing the wrong way and airbags released on the M4 going and a car in a ditch 20 yards off the M4 on the way back. Locals in South Wales will not be having a hosepipe ban in the near future.

On the pitch, it is harder to find any highlights. We expected to see a Nuno side play much much better. No one put a full game together. The odd nice move or pass were completely overwhelmed by poor passing, being caught in possession and a lack of movement. Swansea out played us for probably 75 minutes of the game. Our performance reminded me of Checkatrade games last season.

It was not until the 26th minute we actually played the ball into their box to win a corner. By then we were chasing shadows and a goal down. Depending which side you support the goal was either brilliant or appalling. Ayew avoided tackles like he was dribbling around traffic cones. It looked like half of our team failed to get in his way.

Enobakhare had one effort but, like so much of our players, he wanted an extra touch, by which time the chance was gone. That summed up our first half endeavour.

Perhaps this is a wake up call, on last night's performance we don't have the strength in depth that we perhaps thought we had.

Our spirits were raised briefly at half time when Hi Ho Silver Lining was played on the tannoy.

Thankfully we started to play better, once we started running with the ball. Costa, several times, and Enobakhare showed some pace and avoid a tackle or two before being eased off the ball and occasionally fouled.

Our good set pieces were having a night off sadly. The game did change just after the hour when Bonatini and Jota came on. What a breath of fresh air they were. Almost instantly a long diagonal ball from Miranda found Jota in the box. He made light of the control and tight angle, cutting back before his fierce low shot could not be saved by the keeper.

Game on, we thought, but a couple of minutes later Hause failed to control the ball in the box and we were behind again and on our way out.

A few huffs and puffs from then on, including a shot from Jota and another from Bonatini, but we are no longer in the hat. No point thinking about the first game, or the potential Notts County game, those opportunities are gone. Pity.

Who played well – and who didn't impress? Norris left exposed on the goals but was competent besides and raced off his line to make one good stop.

Doherty and Douglas played like they thought they had been picked as punishment. Alternatives are not obvious however with Vinagre unavailable. Douglas in particular was dreadful.

Batth continues to have negative vibes from the crowd as any mistake get loud disapproval. Douglas however, who had given the ball away three times before a Batth error, never raised a murmur.

Hause played poorly. One of a number of players who wanted more time on the ball, an extra touch, but he frequently lost the ball in our half and cost us the second goal.

Miranda took up the central position and was soon in the thick of the action as we were defending constantly early on. He looked overworked. The pass for the goal was a 'Neves special' though.

N'Diaye was another who played like he was being punished. His movement off the ball was lacklustre. He struggled to keep the ball flowing and played deeper than is often the case.

Gibbs-White struggled with the pace of the game, and maybe the conditions. When he has a couple of seconds time on the ball he looks a player, but with time and space removed he looks a long way off the first team.

Another chance for Enobakhare, but he failed to grasp it. He had a chance that went over and he did a couple of surging runs, but, like us, he has little confidence in his end product.

Mir too had the chance to make an impression leading the line. His performance was patchy. The game looked too quick for him at times and compared to the others he looked weary well before the end.

Costa offered the most promise and was man of the match. He put in a shift. He needs to improve his upper body strength.

Bonatini looked twice the player of Mir when he came on. Seeking out the ball, getting open and circulating possession quickly.

Jota looked a class act in his 30 minutes. He was delighted to have scored and was unlucky not to get a second.

Saiss replaced Costa which was hardly like for like. One of three needless yellow cards we managed to collect.