Analysis: Wolves break is perfect timing

The Nottingham Forest keeper had let in 43 goals so far this season – only four teams have conceded more – and when faced with a trip to face the top-scoring league leaders the 23-year-old probably thought he’d need to enjoy a stellar 90 minutes between the sticks if his team were to produce a shock result.

Instead he had absolutely nothing to do, writes Wolves correspondent Tim Spiers.

That was just one of the surprising elements of this peculiar day at Molineux.

An erroneous, off-colour performance which produced only five shots and resulted in a deserved 2-0 loss...this isn’t the Wolves we know.

Nuno's team team were puzzlingly flawed all over the park with even basic passes beyond them at times in what was a disconcertingly mediocre display.

In fact, even Nuno had an off day here, withdrawing his wing backs at half-time when the formation didn’t seem to be the biggest problem. The ‘all out attack’ approach changed little and Wolves only mustered one shot on target all game.

Credit must of course be given to Nottingham Forest who did a number on Wolves, closing down the threat from out wide and nullifying Diogo Jota.

Aitor Karanka had certainly done his homework. Goalscorer Ben Osborn said: "We had a long meeting prior to the game about Wolves and what we needed to do.

“I think everyone left that meeting feeling pretty confident, even despite the run we had been on and the fact that we were playing the leaders."

But Nuno will still have expected far, far more from his team, no matter who the opposition.

Was fatigue an issue? For Matt Doherty and Barry Douglas perhaps, after their Wednesday night exertions on a boggy Swansea pitch.

Are teams working Wolves out? Well we're at the stage where everyone is playing them for a second time and that plays its part, but again it shouldn't be a big enough factor to result in such a limp display.

Can you just call it an off day? Not really as two poor performances had preceded this.

In fact Wolves haven’t really looked themselves since the late November thrashings of Bolton and Leeds.

In December a granite-like defence and some occasional magic at the other end saw them grind out results when not at their best, like all promotion-winning teams do.

The past seven games though have definitely seen a drop in standards particularly up front.

Two wins, three draws and two defeats, albeit with two games in the FA Cup with a weakened side, represents their worst run of the campaign.

So an excursion to sunny Spain for a week of training, rest, recuperation and a few rays (current Marbella temperature – 20C) feels like perfect timing.

Mick McCarthy enlisted a similar tactic in Wolves’ 2008/09 season and, while a few days of sunshine won’t exactly get them acclimatised for a muck and nettles trip to face McCarthy’s Ipswich at chilly Portman Road next Saturday, Nuno will hope it presses the reset button for a few of his underperforming players, chiefly his forwards.

Wolves have scored one goal in their past four matches...or 11 in the last 11. Leo Bonatini hasn’t netted since December 4 (10 appearances and counting), Diogo Jota isn’t hitting the (very high) heights of the first four months of the season, Ivan Cavaleiro has been their best outlet of late but was poor on Saturday, Rafa Mir is still adjusting to his new life in England and Helder Costa’s end product was, again, sorely lacking against Forest.

While Wolves' lead is a very healthy nine points, they do need to return to something resembling those levels in the next couple of weeks if they’re not to become a realistic target for Derby, Cardiff, Villa and co to catch. At the moment everyone else is still playing for second place.

There’s little need for concern after one league defeat in three months but things could certainly do with freshening up, either in terms of a week in Spain recharging the batteries, or new faces.

A prolific goalscorer to rival Bonatini would be ideal although they hardly grow on trees in January.

The warning signs are there but that's all they are at the moment...issues to address and improvements needed.

After everything Wolves and Nuno have done this season you would certainly expect them to be found, starting at Portman Road. With games against Sheffield United and QPR (two of four teams to have beaten Wolves) and then a tough-looking trip to Preston to follow, it looks like an important moment which could set the tone for the long run-in.

"We’re going to spend 24 hours a day with each other, only us," were Nuno's pointed words on the Spain trip. Free from distraction, eyes on the prize, get back to winning ways on Saturday. That's the plan.