Wolves Fans' Verdict v Burnley: Poor at Turf Moor

Rob Cartwright

What's your verdict on the match?

This was so predictable; ahead of our biggest week for years and following the international break against a team fighting for the Premier lives at the bottom.

I was expecting more changes but it was no surprise to see Jimenez on the bench following his long flight home on Thursday. Boy, how we missed his presence.

We didn’t play badly. In fact we were much the better team, from 2 minutes on!

The first goal was very poor. We were not ready for the free kick and should have stopped the shot from being made. A lack of concentration.

There on, we were pretty much in control of the whole game. We had plenty of the ball, passed and moved well but, like games against Cardiff and Huddersfield, we struggled to create anything around their box. Burnley defended extremely well and their midfield allowed us little time on the ball to conjure up some magic.

It was pretty much one way traffic throughout the second half. So much so, there was an expectation that Burnley may break away and get a second. They obliged with their second shot of the game. In between their goals, we had a big penalty shout for handball and Cavaleiro shot well over from a very good position inside the box. In truth, their keeper had little to do, other than a save from a good Jonny header.

Who played well – and who didn't impress?

It wasn’t so much as players having off days, more of Burnley fighting for their lives and cancelling us out.

The best players for Wolves were Traore and Moutinho. They were the most creative and the only ones to really cause Burnley any concern.

Most disappointing for me were Cavaleiro and Dendoncker. I like Cavaleiro but he did little here to make a claim on the first team. I fear his days with Wolves are numbered.

Dendoncker had little impression on the game, except the excellent run and pull back for Cavaleiro‘s miss. A little fatigued maybe, after playing for Belgium.

The subs didn’t change things either. Again, I was asking why we take off Traore when he was creating most opportunities? Costa was anonymous for his 20 minutes.

I expected Ruddy to start this game. Patricio should have done better with their second goal, and had little else to do.

Overall, a ‘decent’ performance, with a poor result. The result did not spoil a good day.

I enjoy going to Burnley. The cricket club is a great place pre/post match and for that I would like to see them stay up. I can think of at least 3 teams I would rather get the final relegation place!

Get ready now for a stressful week ahead.

Natalie Wood

What's your verdict on the match?

I’ll be honest, I was so swept up in the FA Cup madness that I almost forgot we still have all to play for in the league!

Last week we saw a large chunk of our squad away on international duty which saw them all come home unscathed but it was inevitable the week would catch up on them. International break tiredness teamed with our almost infamous incapability to perform against the bottom teams lead to me feeling less than confident going into the game.

To concede a goal after 90 seconds is never ideal but the way we conceded was more disappointing - it was very sloppy defending and most unlike us. Wood was completely unmarked and Patricio was left in no man's land. Far too easy. The goal really knocked us and we struggled to even get out of our own half for the next 15 minutes. Nothing we did was working, we were giving the ball away easily, giving away free kicks left, right and centre, misplacing passes and looking quite shambolic at the back.

We slowly but surely began to get into the game as the first half went on. Traore was causing issues down the wing and began to link up well with Jota but the final product just wasn’t there. The first half really showed how important Jimenez has become to the team, his influence in the game was what we were missing. Without his link up play with Jota and ability to hold up the ball we were getting nowhere. Thankfully Burnley also offered nothing, as the first half ended I would say we just about went in the better team… that says more about Burnley’s performance than ours!

We started the second half a lot better, we really started to show flashes of what we could do. Within the first few minutes, we had a couple of chances to get back on level terms. The first falling to Jota then the second (which was probably the chance of the game!) fell to Cavaleiro who was picked out after a brilliant run from Dendoncker only to really mess up a shot from about 12 yards out - a poor miss.

Similar to the first half we had all the right ideas but no clue how to get the ball into the net. It felt like Jimenez was going to be a missing piece so his introduction along with Doherty was welcomed. We then really starting to show more of the wolves we know and love with Traore especially looking good. It’s not very often I don’t agree with Nuno’s changes but for me Traore for once had to stay on, his pace caused problems all day and it felt like as soon as he could get a decent cross in we would be in with a chance.

Costa didn’t really make an impact and even though we were continually putting pressure on Burnley that spark was missing. Burnley’s second goal completely took the life we had in us. It was a very well taken goal but he shouldn’t have been given the space to take that shot. Game over after that!

Who played well – and who didn't impress?

A really forgettable away day and an overall sub par performance. It is difficult to pick a man of the match which isn’t a rarity this year but for once its because there are very few good performances to choose from. The stand out couple of players for me would be Moutinho and Traore.

Moutinho worked hard continually all game and won the ball back in important positions. Traore ran his socks off and looked the most likely to help us create something, Burnley couldn’t control him - a good performance by our man Adama. There were plenty of players who didn’t play up to their normal standards, our normally solid defence looked shaky with Saiss being the main culprit. Cav also didn’t have the impact he should of, it really did just highlight how big of a part Jimenez plays.

We can’t win every game and we can’t always expect us to be at the top of our game, we had a tough run of games before the international break and for some players they had little more than 48 hours back before the Burnley game which is always going to have an affect. Burnley frustrated us all afternoon, they were probably one of the poorer teams we have played but they managed to stop us really playing our game how we wanted to play. We move on from this performance and hopefully respond positively on Tuesday.

Clive Smith

What's your verdict on the match?

We've seen this before. Huddersfield, Cardiff and now Burnley. Clubs fighting desperately to stay in the Premier League. Lacking quality they concentrate on the physical side of the game.

Two forwards who play the man before the ball arrives, strong challenges in midfield and defenders who tackle hard and are good in the air.

The last thing we needed to do was let Burnley get ahead. Reacting slowly to a free kick inside five minutes it meant we then had a packed defence to try and conquer for the rest of the game.

Dominating possession was the easy part. Doing anything of note in their final penalty area proved virtually impossible. Traore looked the most likely one to provide an end product. Playing in a very advanced wing-back role he drew two or three defenders most of the time but still put in crosses that we failed to make anything from.

Lots of passing, some sloppy but mostly good, was our familiar patient pattern but we didn't look like scoring. It is in these situations that a midfield of Neves, Moutinho and Dendoncker don't offer us a sufficient goal threat.

With Jota and Cavaleiro outnumbered Burnley were able to stifle our possession whenever we approached their goal.

Following the break, we were even more on the front foot. Cavaleiro should have done a lot better after a Dendoncker cross set him up. Fifteen minutes in and our two rested International players came on and the tempo increased. Our attempts to walk the ball in were unlikely to be successful with the packed defence.

We wasted our short corners which just added to the frustration. Otto had a header on target which was our only one. Then, against the run of play, Burnley had scored a second as we pushed forward.

Hardly a game that will feature long in our season's highlight reel. Worryingly we looked intimidated by their style of play, more than in other games. It did also remind us how important it is for us to have Jimenez leading the line. We held our breath with every meaty challenge that put him on the floor.

Let's hope it is a long time before our next low point.

Who played well – and who didn't impress?

Besides being beaten twice, Patricio saw very little action.

Otto became more prominent as we pushed forward in the second half. Like others, too often though, he was crowded out.

As in the Cardiff game, Traore did well as wing back. His dribbling and close control was excellent, it was just hard for him to pick out a colleague with a cross. He looked the most likely to create a goal, man of the match.

Boly looked distracted by a couple of challenges on him while his passing was not as accurate as usual.

Coady was caught out for the early goal, although he could have perhaps expected more support.

Saiss was up for the physical challenge and kept his control admirably.

It is the sort of game we need Neves to stand up and really make a difference. Too often though he plays too deep and from there it is hard for him to hurt the opposition.

Moutinho also needed to be getting in or closer to the box. His passing and tackling was good but all high ball near him were lost.

Dendoncker made more effort to get close to goal but he was rarely able to support the front two. His passing and work rate continues to be good.

Jota looked like he really missed his mate. The telepathy and link up with Cavaleiro was not as swift and looked forced at times. The Burnley defence were able to bully him far too easily.

Cavaleiro missed our best chance. He looked off the pace as well.

From the bench, after an hour Doherty and Jimenez came on. It lifted us as we chased the game. Costa played for twenty minutes, but we went 2-0 just after and the game was lost then.

Adam Virgo

What's your verdict on the match?

Going 1-0 down so early made everything harder for ourselves, especially against an organised side. It was such a poor goal to concede as well, we switched off and got caught out.

The first half was really poor from us, didn’t have much control and whenever we did get into good positions the final ball and decision making wasn’t good enough. There were times we should have drilled crosses but instead tried to float them which made it far easier for Mee and Tarkowski to deal with and Jota and Cavaleiro had no chance against them aerially.

The second half was much better from us but we didn’t test Heaton anywhere near enough. We were calmer and made better decisions in wide attacking areas.

Cavaleiro’s chance was the key moment though. He should be hitting the target from where he was and to blaze it over like he did was poor. If that goes in then we probably get a point minimum as the momentum would have swung our way.

We got caught out with a sucker punch and it was our own doing again regardless of how good the finish was. Boly seemed to just hit the ball long for no reason when we had options short which would have been better and because we lost the ball, McNeil was able to run at our defence. Very good finish but it could have been avoided.

It was clear to see we miss Raul Jimenez because without him we have no focal point. Him and Jota have a fantastic understanding and next season, regardless if we qualify for Europe or not, we need another striker similar to Jimenez in terms of play style so when he is rested, we have someone else we can rely on.

Who played well – and who didn't impress?

I was surprised Traore got taken off when he did. He was one of our better players and a lot of our attacks came from him carrying the ball forward allowing us to get into good positions and then beating Taylor and putting the ball into the box.

Moutinho and Dendoncker both did alright, we had a lot of control in the second half and out of the chances we did create, those two played a big part in that, especially the Belgian who did fantastically for the Cavaleiro chance.

Jonny was one of our main threats going forward in terms of the positions he was getting into, however when he’s in a crossing position and only Cav and Jota are the ones he can aim for, it was always going to be difficult.

Defensively as a whole we were poor and both goals came from our mistakes, however, I’d rather it happen now than in the FA Cup semi-final game. The rest of this week is huge for us but regardless of what happens it’s still been a brilliant season for us so far and seventh place is still in our hands plus we have only lost two games of our last nine in the Premier League.

John Lalley

What's your verdict on the match?

A hangover from the International break or the distraction of Sunday’s trip to Wembley might just explain this disappointing and listless performance. But in reality, neither excuse seems valid.

More likely this was just another insipid failure against a bottom six outfit that has been the one glaring blight on a magnificent season. It’s infuriating that we consistently find it difficult to rouse ourselves against the league’s basement strugglers and it remains a depressingly recurrent theme.

Sure, this didn’t quite delve into the dismal depths of the visit to Huddersfield but it offered little in the way of encouragement either. We had a healthy share of possession after conceding a really shabby opener but Heaton in the Burnley goal was hardly tested.

We slipped into a predictable mode, faced some determined defending and palpably failed to do justice to our ability. The remedy for this bewildering flaw in our approach must be a high priority for attention next season.

Of course we are all preoccupied with the Watford showdown; it’s ridiculous to pretend otherwise. So much so that Tuesday's visit by Manchester United instead of being the prime highlight of the season is now an encumbrance. The sooner that this fixture is completed without any lasting fatigue or any fresh injury concerns, so much the better.

The performance and the result of this game will have no influence on how we express ourselves at Wembley; we simply need to emerge unscathed. Similarly, the fact that Watford so emphatically dismantled us at Molineux back in October has absolutely no bearing on Sunday’s match either.

Wolves have made prodigious progress since that game despite the failings we displayed at Turf Moor. Manchester City must be the massive favourites to see off Brighton in the first semi-final but our game is balanced on a knife edge. Watford’s philosophy is based on physical strength and smothering power overseen by a highly talented coach similar in merit to Nuno himself. It’s a big challenge for us, but we can win it – make no mistake!

Richard Hobbs

What's your verdict on the match?

There was something so horribly expected about Saturday’s result. Burnley at Turf Moor, who are in the midst of a relegation dogfight and looking to create so breathing room between them and Cardiff. While Wolves went to Lancashire as if to themselves for an afternoon with all eyes on Sunday's semi final match.

Given Burnley’s styles of play, it was fundamental not to concede early on. They have adopted a version of the famous Italian catenaccio. Happy and comfortable to soak up the pressure, once the first went in, they knew they had it in them to get the result.

Wolves, in truth, didn’t look bad. For large sections of the game, we had possession of the ball and had them pushed back. But with Jimenez up front, Wolves lacked the incision to cut open a resilient defence.

It is slightly worrying how one player can be the difference in how Wolves play. Signing him is obviously no 1 priority for Wolves, but there also needs to be an additional striker in the same mould to step in for him and let him rest with the team suffering as much.

In that scenario, it seems likely that Costa and/or Cavaleiro will leave in the summer. Both have struggled to make an impact at this level despite numerous opportunities and the system now being played doesn’t quite fit the pair, who were so instrumental in their two seasons in the Championship prior to promotion.

It will also be interesting to see if Bennett comes back in for Saiss after the Moroccan's part in the second goal.

Russ Evers

What's your verdict on the match?

Small pitches and big centre forwards always spells trouble and Saturday proved the point. 1-0 down after the first attack and despite the possession and half chances, it was Burnley who doubled their advantage as Saiss was turned inside out.

But it's onwards and upwards and a small manner of Man United on Tuesday before the Wembley visit. We simply must be better in both games to keep the season on track.

Chris Hughes

What's your verdict on the match? Wolves wouldn’t be Wolves without following a high like the United victory with a massive bump back to earth like this.

From the moment we conceded within 90 seconds the game followed a pattern of the Wolves of old. Playing better football but struggling to create clear cut chances, largely failing to compete with the physicality of a compact, hard-working, and downright niggly side, and leaving ourselves open for the sucker punch second when it seemed like we were on top.

The defence had switched off for the first but Patricio also got himself completely caught out positionally from a simple ball over the top.

It was galling that, had Wood’s shot been on target instead of hitting the post, Coady would likely have cleared it for a corner rather than converting his third unfortunate own goal of the season.

While we had a lot of possession after the goal we never really did enough to break Burnley out of their defensive shape.

The only joy we had was getting in behind them down the right hand side, largely through Traore, but with few options in the area to aim for most of the time.

You felt that as, long as Tarkowski and Mee were being allowed to play the game with the ball in front of them, we were going to struggle to score.

We just never had the creativity to get them turned to face their own goal or pull them out of position, other than one attack where Dendonker did excellently to beat Mee on the touchline and pick out Cavaleiro. Our day was summed up by his finish being closer to the roof of the stand than the roof of the net.

More poor defending saw Burnley double their advantage against the run of play to seal their victory. I’m not quite sure what Saiss and Coady were trying to do when McNeil was running toward them but parting like the Red Sea for Moses and allowing the youngster a free invite to lash a shot between them into the bottom corner probably wasn’t the option to take.

Who played well – and who didn't impress? Boly was solid and Burnley got absolutely no change out of him all day, Moutinho was busy in midfield winning possession back well and trying to get things moving, and Traore was pretty much the only player to trouble Burnley’s back line to the extent that he was faced regularly with three and sometimes four defenders at times.

It was a strange decision to take him off when he looked the most likely to make something happen, especially as he was withdrawn not long after we’d finally sent on Raúl to give him someone to aim at.

Of the rest, Neves was well below par. He seemed to take longer than usual to make his decisions in midfield and seemed more eager to contest the referee’s decisions than challenges with Burnley midfielders.

Jota also didn’t have his greatest day. Like Neves, he seemed to be a little more ponderous than usual with his decision making and often got caught out by taking a touch too many.

Cavaleiro, his one awful shot aside, was very much a peripheral figure in the game. You feel he can play in the attacking pair, but more as a replacement for Jota than a partner for him. Both of them missed having the skillset of Raúl alongside them.