Express & Star

The Joe Edwards debrief – Wolves 1 Newcastle 1

Nuno Espirito Santo was not happy after seeing Wolves draw with Newcastle.

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His side lacked incision in attack, and they want to get back in the winning groove while making use of the January transfer window as soon as possible.

Signings are needed

Everyone was talking about it before the game and they are even more so after a 1-1 draw with the Magpies.

Wolves, of course, have plenty of quality as it is and are still sitting pretty in the Premier League.

But in order to stay in the fight for European football again, more depth is required.

Now four games without a win in all competitions, Nuno’s charges were a bit predictable in the final third.

They are getting the ball wide to Adama Traore and Pedro Neto, and seeing what they can do with it. But teams cotton on after a while.

Playing through the thirds with short, sharp passes – as we have seen so often from Wolves over the past couple of years – has been infrequent.

An injection of life was needed in the closing stages against Newcastle, but there simply were not the players on the bench to provide that.

John Ruddy, Ryan Bennett, Max Kilman, Ruben Vinagre, Oskar Buur, Morgan Gibbs-White and Benny Ashley-Seal are all good footballers.

None of them, though, were the right option to come on and unpick the Magpies’ lock.

Forward-thinking midfielder Gibbs-White has only just returned to the squad after a few months out injured and striker Ashley-Seal has started only one senior match.

Vinagre – a left-wing-back – was put on the left of the front three for the last five minutes, further highlighting the need for additions up top.

Ruben Vinagre was the only one who came on (AMA)

So, a unique attacking player is on Nuno’s shopping list.

And, hopefully, with nothing concrete as of yet, something can be done relatively swiftly.

In an ideal world, a centre forward to replace Patrick Cutrone and a versatile player who can play across the front three, or in the hole in a 3-5-2 formation, would be brought in.

At the same time, though, Wolves – while Fosun are not short of cash – are not just going to bring in a body for the sake of it.

After casting aside two of the four summer arrivals in Jesus Vallejo and Cutrone after just six months, the club will be carrying out extra due diligence to make sure whoever comes in will offer a short-term spike – and success long term.

A concerning trend

Obviously, Wolves have done a lot right this season and there is no need to be hugely worried by the lack of wins over the past couple of weeks.

But a trend has formed which needs to be addressed.

Wolves have now conceded first in each of their last six matches in the top flight.

And going over the season so far, they have done so in 15 of their 22 league games. Their character has been on display on plenty of occasions, with the 15 points they have accrued from losing positions being the most of any Premier side.

But as skipper Conor Coady said after the stalemate, they cannot keep relying on resilience.

Wolves have given themselves a hill to climb too many times this term.

Second halves, generally, have been better than first periods.

If Wolves start to begin games as well as they tend to end them, they will be an even greater force.

Missing Jota

The lack of playing through the thirds against the Magpies was largely down to Diogo Jota’s absence.

Neto is a very promising player and he has been causing problems for defenders despite his tender age, but Wolves are a better team when Jota is in it.

The Portuguese is having a scan on an injury picked up at Watford on New Year’s Day and, fingers crossed, the results are positive.

As while Jota has not been at his free-flowing best this campaign, no other player in gold and black thrives in tight spaces quite as much as he does.

His tenacity has dragged Wolves out of the mire on so many occasions before.

Fans are also eager to see Willy Boly return to action.

The Frenchman is making good progress with his recovery from an ankle injury too, so it should not be too long before he is back playing games.

Credit must go to Romain Saiss and Leander Dendoncker for how they have slotted into defence.

After all, Dendoncker was one of Wolves’ best players against Newcastle and got on the scoresheet – and the backline has not been exposed quite as expected when Boly fractured his fibula.

Leander Dendoncker got Wolves' goal (AMA)

But neither Saiss or Dendoncker offer the same physicality or sheer presence as Boly does.

The 28-year-old colossus strikes fear into strikers and, with him now doing drills on the grass at Compton, you cannot help but be excited about him retaking his place in the starting line-up.

Next up

Now it is on to an FA Cup third-round replay at Manchester United on Wednesday.

And it is a bit of a strange one for Wolves. Do they go gung-ho for a win, although a Cup run is not a massive priority, or do they run the risk of being the victims of a comprehensive win for United by making wholesale changes?

Well, it appears there is a balance to be struck.

Ruddy will come in between the sticks while Kilman and Bennett are likely to play in defence.

Vinagre will also probably be in from the off at left-wing-back.

But can you afford to rest Joao Moutinho or Ruben Neves in midfield?

And can you give Raul Jimenez and Traore the night off in attack?

As Wolves look to stay towards the top end of the league table and remain in good shape for next month’s Europa League last-32 double-header against Espanyol, the Cup is low on the totem pole for a fair few people.

To that point, Wolves have already played 37 games, while some fans are being charged a whopping £55 ticket at Old Trafford.

Nuno’s lot, though, could do with a win before heading to Southampton on Saturday. Let’s hope they down the Red Devils.