Derby v Wolves - five talking points

Wolves' recent good form came to an abrupt end as they were comfortably beaten 4-2 at Derby County.

The Rams were by a distance the better side and the scoreline flattered Kenny Jackett's team.

So what went wrong? Wolves correspondent Tim Spiers picks out five talking points.

Defensive mistakes have hung over Wolves' season like the Banks's Brewery smell over Wolverhampton.

And those errors are becoming as traditional as the famous old brewery, such is their regularity.

Dominic Iorfa and Emiliano Martinez were culpable for Derby's second goal, and Wolves were collectively statuesque for the third (a goal they could have avoided conceding simply by having a man on the post) before being picked apart for the fourth by a very impressive Derby team.

Jackett's excuse that his defenders are naive, which has been heard already this season, is one that will not buy him much credit with supporters who can instantly respond with the accusation that naivety is to be expected with such young players, so why not buy experienced ones?

Or indeed, why let one go, in the form of you-know-who.

Sorting out the defence, or not, may well dictate whether Wolves' season ends up being a successful one.

The form of Wolves' two strikers, however, continues to show promise.

Benik Afobe and Adam Le Fondre made it five goals between them in the last three matches, and while the pair have a long way to go before being the new Bull and Mutch, they are showing signs of an increasing understanding in their link-up play.

Wolves need them to continue firing because they still don't possess enough goals in their midfield to allow for a slump from their strikers.

That need is increased further as they only have untried teenager Bright Enobakhare as back-up.

Jackett has consistently asserted that he won't sacrifice an attacking mentality to try and tighten up at the back.

It's an admirable approach, but with Wolves so fragile in defence it might be time to revise that theory.

No promotion campaign will be built on anything other than solid foundations and if it takes a few drab 0-0 draws or scrappy 1-0 wins to give Wolves some badly-needed consistency, so be it.

Last season they often excelled in fast-paced counter-attacking football.

This time around the focus has been more on possession and precision, which against weaker teams works fine when McDonald and Price are free to try and unpick those locks.

Against Derby, with Wolves on the back foot, they were unable to exert any dominance in midfield and struggled to cope with the excellent Johnny Russell and Bradley Johnson.

Conor Coady added steel when he came on and arguably, although it's easy to say in hindsight, should have started.

But against the better teams - Middlesbrough this Saturday being one - Wolves need a 'plan B' to adequately frustrate the opposition.

Another audition for the left midfield slot, another opportunity not taken.

Jed Wallace has shown glimpses and flashes of quality in his stop-start Wolves career so far, but the former Portsmouth man has yet to prove he can excel at Championship level.

Hindered by an knee injury picked up on the first day of the pre-season tour to France, Wallace has taken time to get up to speed following the first injury of his professional career.

His work rate is undeniable and there are signs of a very good player there, so patience is required.

Wolves need creativity and vibrancy on both flanks though and at the moment only James Henry is delivering.

Wallace, Sheyi Ojo and even David Edwards have all been given chances to stake a claim for Bakary Sako's vacant position.

Ironically the player to impress most of all in the role was Henry, who was magnificent against Charlton in August but is still better suited to the right flank.

With Ojo more effective from the bench for now, Wallace may get another opportunity against Brentford.

A show of faith from Jackett might give him the confidence he needs.

A glance at Derby's bench starkly demonstrated the disparity in quality - and depth - of the two club's squads.

But even more pertinent than that was the alarming difference in experience.

Derby's seven subs have a combined number of 1,980 career league appearances between them. Wolves' bench have amassed three times fewer, on 671.

Jacob Butterfield, a £4m signing from Huddersfield, Andreas Weimann, who cost £3m from Villa, England international Darren Bent, the versatile and experienced Chris Baird, Premier League regular of many years Stephen Warnock and ex-Stoke defender Ryan Shotton were Derby's outfield options on the bench, with Lee Grant (428 career league appearances) their goalkeeper.

Wolves' bench contained their only spare senior defender Matt Doherty, who has 100 league games under his belt, and their only spare striker, teenager Enobakhare.

For a club of Wolves' wealth, and a manager of such nous as Jackett, the fact they have assembled a squad so deprived of experience continues to baffle.

While not short on numbers, particularly in midfield where they can afford to send Tommy Rowe, Lee Evans, George Saville and Jordan Graham on loan, they are desperately short of players who have been there and done that at Championship level.