Wolves Fans' Verdict v Norwich: Nuno got it wrong

Rob Cartwright

What's your verdict on the match? Nuno named an unchanged team for the fifth game running and I think a little complacency has set in. At 2-0 up, there were a few out there (and in the stands) who thought the job had been done.

Much like Preston, this was a hard fought game against a team who wanted to make up for the earlier defeat this season. They have some good players and looked dangerous. Isn’t this just typical of the Championship?

In fact, Norwich could have scored first, as they shot over when in a very good position just before Wolves took the lead. From the goal kick, Neves put Jota through on goal. He turned a couple of defenders and managed to get the ball over the line off a defenders leg. It looked as though VAR assistance was used to confirm the ball was over the line.

Wolves had a good spell following this. Ten minutes later, a fine Douglas corner was headed in by N’Diaye and we were looking comfortable. Not for long though!

On their next attack, Neves fouled down the left and the free kick was headed in. We have become too vulnerable at set pieces.

We were still on top through to half time, but only really creating half chances.

The second half was a good game of football, but not from a Wolves perspective. Both teams were going for goals and it was end to end stuff in spells. Nuno made his subs early. I was confused by Saiss for Costa at half time and so were the team. We lost shape and rhythm. I would have brought on Bonatini with him, but with half an hour remaining it was Afobe who came on.

There wasn’t much goal mouth action at either end, until Gibbs-White came on for 20 minutes. His energy and passing gave Wolves the impetus once more. He nearly scored on 82 minutes, but couldn’t quite get a shot from inside the box. It looked like a hand blocked the ball but nothing given. Gibbs-White was to feature once more.

Deep into added time, he sensibly took the ball into the corner, but didn’t keep it. Norwich broke and it was more of desperation than hope that Oliveira shot from 30-40 yards. Routine stuff for Ruddy who inexcusably let it through his left hand side.

It just had to be Oliveira, who we have been linked with in the last two transfer windows. It was also the last kick of the game.

We are currently spluttering to the Championship, but remain in a great position.

I expect us to come good once more between now and May.

Who played well – and who didn't impress? Ruddy has saved us more than he’s cost us, so I’ll leave that.

The defence, collectively, are not dealing with corners or free kicks well. This worries me. Neves played well. A needless foul in the centre circle produced yellow so he misses two games. Crazy but he’s been on a tightrope for a few weeks now.

Cavaleiro was our most dangerous player. Why did he go off, so soon?

Jota looks tired to me, but always likely to get a goal.

Gibbs-White had a great 20 minutes, but win the throw or a corner in that situation and it was game over for the win. It’s a very fine line.

Let’s not forget, it’s another point closer to promotion. A good week for Cardiff too.

Chris Hughes

What's your verdict on the match? Another point towards promotion but it definitely feels like a couple dropped, especially after taking an early two-goal lead, because of the late equaliser.

However it could have been worse had Norwich got an earlier equaliser as they were the dominant side in the second half and you’d have backed them to get another if they’d got on level terms with more time on the clock.

It was a strange evening at Molineux...29,000+ for a midweek game is a great turnout but, once the pre-match firework display had finished the atmosphere fell generally flat. The on-pitch performance matched this. While we were in control during the first half you sensed we were still stuck in first gear. After the break we slammed on the brakes.

The half-time Saiss for Costa substitution saw us change shape from our usual 3-4-3 to a 3-5-2 system, pairing Jota and Cavaleiro as the strike force and dropping Neves to the base of a central midfield ‘V’ behind Saiss and N’Diaye.

I’m unsure whether the change was made with the intention of nullifying the threat of Maddison but all it seemed to do was hinder our play. We no longer had the outlet from wider forwards for our wing-backs or centre-backs to look for, the three in midfield were on each other’s toes when we had the ball with space restricted, and players seemed unsure of who should press where when we were out of possession, giving Norwich too much space.

While the last time we switched to 3-5-2 against Forest it was more dramatic with both wing-backs withdrawn at the break to leave Costa and Cavaleiro as the wide players in the system, this game showed that even the regular wing-backs still struggle without the extra body to link up with down the line.

Still we didn’t lose, are still well clear at the top and only Cardiff picked up more than a point from midweek games among the teams around the top six. On to Fulham we go.

Who played well – and who didn't impress? In the first half the front three worked well and created some openings. After half-time Morgan Gibbs-White was the pick of an average bunch though he will be disappointed not to have done better with a one on one opportunity.

There’s no doubt that he’s going to be a terrific player if he continues to develop though. A little unfair of some to blame him for giving the ball away in the lead up to Norwich’s equaliser. He was instructed to go to the corner by Afobe but was left without any help.

Ruddy will be very unhappy with himself for the error in allowing the equaliser to bounce past him at his near post. It capped an underwhelming performance from the former Norwich stopper whose kicking was off target often while he also seemed reluctant to release players on the counter-attack only to the launch the ball straight to the opposition anyway.

Saiss wasn’t at his best after his half-time introduction either...some wayward passing and a failure to close down Oliveira to prevent the shot for the equaliser.

Russ Evers (Hatherton Wolves)

What's your verdict on the match? Well that wasn't in the script was it? Norwich equalising in the fourth minute of the three added...it just didn't go to plan.

It all started well with incisive passing and movement and we were two to the good before the temperature dropped below zero. Our Achilles heel in not dealing with opposition dead balls came back to haunt us and then we seemed to stop playing, allowing Norwich to gain a stranglehold in midfield.

We still launched some good breaks but the final ball was lacking. The introduction of Afobe did nothing for us and we were then caught with the sucker punch – a 25-yarder that Ruddy should have dealt with.

Oh well, put it down to one of those things and move on.

Heather Large

What's your verdict on the match? A late equaliser in the dying seconds of a game is always going to hurt and this was no exception.

It can almost certainly be seen as two points dropped – at 2-0 up we should have been looking to kill the game. We started very brightly and as the first goals went in it looked like it was going to be a comfortable night.

That positive feeling didn't last very long though as Norwich quickly reduced the lead from a set piece. This immediately unsettled us and we never really got back into our stride.

We had spells of being in control of the game but nervy and sloppy passing was our downfall and we made it easy for Norwich to attack. Fair play to the visitors, they seemed to have the confidence and control that we were sadly lacking for large parts of the game.

But like most of us, I imagine, I thought we had least done enough to walk away with the three points. But it wasn't to be and that equaliser left us stunned.

A look at the table puts it all in perspective though, it's still another point closer to promotion. There is still a lot of work to do so we will need to bounce back quickly for Saturday.

Who played well – and who didn't impress? I thought our best players last night were Diogo Jota, Barry Douglas and Morgan Gibbs-White. The latter was particularly impressive and is showing more and more promise every time he plays.

Conor Coady and John Ruddy have definitely had better games - both lacked their usual composure.

Russ Cockburn

What's your verdict on the match? Well that was a right kick in the Balearics. I left the ground with a sick feeling in my stomach and that had nothing to do with the five pints and three course meal I’d enjoyed with the chicken, bacon and basil tart brigade.

There was a real sense of throwing away a golden opportunity to strike another psychological blow on the chasing pack ahead of an increasingly difficult game in London at the weekend.

When Oliveira took aim from Mr Tikka’s next to the subway, I think most of us thought great...get down on it and that’s game over...not a great performance, but three points all the same.

Ruddy had different ideas, going down slower than a warm pint of Carlsberg, he somehow managed to push the strike into the net and send Molineux into a silent chasm of depression. Ed Balls!

The goalkeeper has had a major influence on the team this year with his presence, there is no doubting that. However, there has been some discussion that he’s got away with a few errors and perhaps the clean sheets have been more about the defensive shape than his brilliance between the sticks.

I think that’s a bit unfair, but not completely untrue. Even before the equaliser, he let a tame shot from the excellent Maddison squirm out of his grasp, setting the precedent for what was about to follow. He’s got one life left for me, before Nuno has to seriously look at giving Norris a chance to stake his claim.

The game got off to a great start for Wolves, with the front three a constant threat to the Norwich defence. When the second goal went in, you felt all we had to do was control the game and they would play into our hands.

Unfortunately, a needless free-kick presented them with an immediate response and the team mentality changed in a second, similar to what we saw at QPR. We looked nervous, passes were going astray and we were retreating faster than the Italians.

This got worse after the break as the imperious Nuno showed that he was in fact human by making some rather strange tactical decisions and subs. No idea where N’Diaye was meant to be playing second half and I don’t think he did either and, let’s be honest, none of us wants to see Saiss on the wing (well unless it’s in the last minute at Bristol City).

All this did was give Norwich more possession and Wolves less width, meaning less chances were being created. Having said that the Canaries weren’t exactly mustard. Yes, they had a lot of the ball, but they didn’t really carve out any clear-cut chances and, apart from our future midfielder (hint hint Jeff), looked starved of ideas.

One point feels like a disaster, but it isn’t. Nine points clear of second, 13 of third place with 13 games to go. If you had said been offered this at the start of the season, you’d have thought we’d won the lottery.

Yes, there are some difficult games to come. However, if you want to be the best, you’ve got to beat the best and we’re more than capable of doing that.

Who played well – and who didn't impress? Morgan Gibbs-White had his best 20 minutes in a Wolves shirt last night.

Looked inventive, looked pacey and looked intelligent with his movement and willingness to commit players. He could just do with a few hours in the Portuguese game management zone at Compton to add a more cynical edge to his game, most notably the ability to invite the foul and go down when contact is made.

Everyone wants the Afobe experiment to work and before the game I said we’d have to judge when he gets a start.

Having said that, the sub appearances he’s made so far has made the team disjointed and I genuinely think he’s trying too hard and not letting his natural game come through. It looks a lot like Leon’s return at the moment.

Clive Smith

What's your verdict on the match? We have still only lost four games this season so we are not going to beat ourselves up after this draw are we? No. But yes, it did feel like a defeat.

All the things we have grown to love over the season; solid keeper, hard to play against, precise up front, impacting subs, professionalism – they all had a night off.

A scruffy goal from a Jota shot after a gorgeous Neves pass and a set piece corner that had previously worked for Boly and Saiss, this time worked for N'Diaye...2-0 and the whole world smiles with you.

Unfortunately there were still 65 minutes to go. We had numerous opportunities – Jota, N'Diaye, Afobe, Gibbs-White twice and on each of them I screamed shoot! In the end we only had three shots on target and so many other chances to test their keeper were wasted. Our reluctance, and sometimes inability, to get a shot off puzzles me.

However from 2-0 we were second best. A free kick was headed past six defenders into the net and their equaliser was shot from closer to halfway than our goal. Argh!

I hoped the Forest defeat was the slap in the face we needed to strengthen our home form but it does not seem to have been. Nuno made two strange wing back substitutions in that game and I could not follow his logic with his subs.

First Costa (why?) was replaced by Saiss (why, again?). Then just before the hour Afobe came on for Cavaleiro. Injuries aside, Cavaleiro looked our best forward while Jota looked out weakest. Bonatini would have helped us retain the ball better than Afobe.

With Neves on a yellow from the first half, playing Saiss, who was also one yellow from a two game ban, left us vulnerable to losing them both for the next two games.

But hey, there is still a healthy looking gap. We play six of the bottom seven so there is no need to worry or be nervous.

Who played well – and who didn't impress? It is much better when there is nothing to say about Ruddy. He was at fault for their equaliser.

For half an hour Doherty was not only our best attacking option, but also spent more time in their box than anyone else. A bit more guile in that area and he'd become a huge asset.

Douglas had his best game in a while, he wasted a free kick, but was unlucky to be just wide with a shot in open play.

Boly, Coady and Bennett deserved to be on the winning side. After Boly had missed a cross in the opening couple of minutes all three of them seemed to be in the right place at the right time. Bennett in particular did well and was my man of the match.

Neves looked cool and calm when surrounded by the opposition. Some familiar trademark passes to admire. He was gradually forced to play deeper and deeper.

N'Diaye was working hard and covering the ground from box to box. He would have been useful in the last 20 minutes instead of being taken off.

Cavaleiro looked on his game. Strong on the ball and making lots of runs.

Jota fails to impress playing centrally and he is struggling to go past players and stay on his feet. His sparkle is not quite there at the moment. He always seems to have played better when Bonatini has been in the side.

Costa lacked the work rate of Cavaleiro which is a shame because it was needed. His quick feet looked to offer a threat and it was a surprise he went off so early.

Saiss played the second half and did avoid getting a card. I was not sure of his role or position frankly. He did not play as far forward as Costa had, but we had far less of the ball in the half anyway.

Afobe was presumably brought on hoping to provide the killer third goal. However his failure to keep possession or win free kicks just led to the ball being turned over too easily.

Gibbs-White looked a brave change to make given the intensity of the game. However he twice got in fantastic positions to score, but didn't. He was also robbed of the ball too easily when he took it to the corner flag. Seconds later it was 2-2.

Adam Virgo

What's your verdict on the match? Those ones always feel much worse in the heat of the moment than it actually is and sometimes you just have to sleep it off to see the bigger picture. We’ve lost once in 18 league games, we’re nine points clear of second and 13 clear of third, there are only 13 games left so there is no need for panic whatsoever at the moment.

Norwich deserved a point but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t have won because a lot of what happened was certainly avoidable. Everyone is open to criticism regardless of how well we’re doing and Nuno did get some of his tactics wrong last night.

That’s not the only reason we didn’t win but I’m confident that had he stuck with the same shape/team going into the second half, we would have got a third goal. Bringing on Saiss was a negative change, not just that but it was far too early in the game to be doing that. In the first half we were the better side, apart from their goal and one other chance which was from our own doing, we were fine.

I also didn’t understand Cavaleiro coming off around the hour mark. I think because Nuno had changed the shape going to 3-5-2 he wanted an actual striker there which would be my guess. But looking back on it, we should have kept it 3-4-3 and maybe changed it later on but we altered too many things far too early.

Their first goal was poor marking, N’Diaye lost his man I believe but it was just frustrating to concede so quickly after scoring the second. When they scored I wasn’t worried because we rarely throw away leads and I don’t think many would have expected the second half to be like it was.

The second goal it’s easy to blame Ruddy solely because it’s beaten him far too easily to give them a 2-2 draw. Yes he should have easily saved it and at the time I said things about him that wouldn’t make the cut for this but there were collective errors that lead to Oliveira having a free shot at goal. Saiss should have closed him down a lot faster and when Gibbs-White took the ball to the corner, Afobe should have gone to support him.

One thing that’s for sure is that we’ll learn from the mistakes and Nuno will also be learning too. We’re never going to be the finished and perfect product, there’s always gaps for learning.

Sometimes it’s easy to overreact when something goes wrong or not to plan, yes we had a bad second half but look at how many times this season we’ve looked a class above the rest and made it look so easy.

Who played well – and who didn't impress? I actually said before the game that I’d have started Saiss instead of N’Diaye but after the game I don’t know what I was thinking. N’Diaye bossed the midfield just like he did at Carrow Road in the reverse fixture. Him and Neves have such a good partnership because they compliment each other so well.

Big Alf is basically the engine and can play the box to box role whereas Neves sits, controls the game and directs the play so neither of them are doing the same job which is important in midfield, you don’t want players who are too similar. The Senegalese midfielder is a huge presence as well, no one was beating him in the air for his goal, the only real mistake he made was when he lost his man for their first goal.

As mentioned above, Neves also had a great game, apart from the booking. His pass to play in Jota in the second half was out of this world, some of the stuff he does just shouldn’t be legal. Neves will be a huge miss on Saturday at Fulham but we’re going to have to do our best without him. The Reading game I think we can cope without him more-so but only time will tell.

Cavaleiro should never have been withdrawn so early. Don’t blame him for looking a little frustrated because he was making things happen and in recent weeks he’s been arguably our most dangerous player going forward.

Costa being taken off at half time was very questionable. In the first half he looked really up for it. Great skill and pace to beat his man a few times in a one-v-one situation. It’ll be interesting to see if Nuno starts him on Saturday but he hasn’t done anything to warrant being dropped, he’s done well for the past few games.

Jota had a poor night overall. I don’t really understand how he stayed on for the 90 minutes but Cav and Costa both got replaced before the hour mark. They looked more of a threat than Jota but only Nuno knows that, it’s the same every game though.

A number of people, including myself wanted Ruddy to be dropped after the Norwich equaliser last night. Having time to reflect on everything, I’m not 100 per cent sure whether that’s the correct decision. It’s easier to look at a goalkeeping error which leads to a goal than it is from an outfield player.

I wouldn’t have any qualms about Norris starting next game though and I wouldn’t blame Nuno either because Ruddy has looked dodgy at times in recent games but it is a big call to make.

Afobe was poor when he came on, not sure if it’s to do with his sharpness or that he’s only came on in a 3-5-2 but he could really do with a goal soon. It would be interesting if he came on in a 3-4-3 to see how he did with a bit of time but after last night, I’d rather bring on Bonatini next time.

Morgan Gibbs-White on the other hand was outstanding when he came on. Wasn’t afraid at all to beat his players and he offered so much to us going forward. Fantastic skill to match his drive, maybe could have had better decision making for a couple of chances but some of it was a bit unlucky too.

Next time he holds it in the corner I’m sure he’ll do better as he’ll learn from that but he shouldn’t have been left on his own with two Norwich players on him. Afobe who was closest should have gone with him to help him out.