Express & Star

Wolves Fans' Verdict v Sevilla: A game too far

Our Wolves fans share their thoughts on their side's Europa League exit to Sevilla.

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Matt Cooper (Talking Wolves)

Well it just wasn’t to be for Wolves in the end.

A mammoth task to play that many games and to win the competition but I’m immensely proud of my club.

It’s disappointing to lose in the manner that we did and the penalty certainly set the tone for the rest of the evening. After the miss we looked completely void of creativity, confidence and creativity.

We were never going to win the game camped out on our own six yard box and got what we deserved. I still think the system we play is way too restrictive and will need some real top quality additions to the 11 to really push on.

I just hope Fosun back Nuno and allow him to bring in three or four key first team additions. Gutted to go out the way we did but it was fully deserved. The dream is over, for now.

Clive Smith

Disappointing hardly comes close to it. We looked tired, and have done for a while. Tired in thought as much as physical energy.

As the game wore on we were forced to defend more and more. An outlet ball to Jimenez or Traore became harder to find.

Our best chance obviously was from the penalty, brilliantly won by Traore. How we would have liked to take that again.

We failed to take control of midfield despite playing three there. Neves and Moutinho saw too little of the ball and lacked creativity when they were in possession. There were no overlapping runs from Doherty so our play looked predictable and Sevilla were good enough to take control, as demonstrated by their corner count and possession.

When we lose, squad size is often questioned. When we play 3-5-2 and start with Traore our options from the bench are limited. 3-5-2 is an understandable formation in some games, but means utilizing the bench generally means changing formation too. In games where we play 3-4-3 the option to rotate Jota, Neto, Podence and Traore offers variety.

Many comments suggest improvement is first needed in defence. Yet our defenders, as a group, look a better unit than several of the teams that finished above us.

Just how excited would signing Ake for £40m have made us? Our greatest need is improving our goals-for column.

Our profile and identify has risen considerably throughout the season as well as respect and acknowledgement from many outside the Greater Wolves bubble.

Less games next season will hopefully give us the chance to make a greater impact on the top six. Our trajectory can still be upwards.

Of course it will take a while to erase the disappointment of this defeat, in the same way losing the FA Cup semi last season did.

But, we managed to do that.

Nuno signing an extended contract would be a significant first step in helping us move on from this disappointment and remind us we can approach the new season with optimism.

We love you Wanderers, we do.

Adam Virgo

Our journey has come to an end but what a journey it has been. We should all be immensely proud of the club and players for getting to the quarter finals of the Europa League.

We started the much better side, we were pressing well and causing them a lot of problems by winning the ball high up the pitch but then the missed penalty seemed to change everything. Adama did incredibly well to take the ball from the middle of our half all the way to their box, the speed was ridiculous.

Jiménez hasn’t missed a penalty for us in competitive games and you wouldn’t bet against him scoring but he did miss. It was a poor penalty but because the keeper didn’t move early which is what normally happens with his technique, he’s had to just go what he’s comfortable with last second. It should have been retaken for encroachment but it wasn’t looked at and there’s nothing we can do about that now.

Sevilla took confidence from the penalty miss and we just went the opposite way. They were starting to control the game more and we weren’t pressing as consistently as we did up until the key moment.

In the second half we practically had everyone behind the ball, except the strikers on occasions. The problem was, because we were sitting so deep and Sevilla always had three men back in Diego Carlos, Fernando and Kounde, we couldn’t get anyone to support Jiménez and Adama when we did win it. We just hit it up long in the hope of a flick on but in reality we were just giving it back to Sevilla and accepting more pressure.

Bringing on Neto for Moutinho was the correct sub but I think Adama should have stayed on longer. He was our biggest threat in attack and we lost that, Jiménez was not having a great game but we have no one to bring on for him.

The goal was coming and Sevilla deservedly won, we can’t complain about that. It has been a fantastic journey but I just wish we’d have not sat so deep so early and tried to push up the pitch a little bit more. The pressing had completely gone towards the end of the game but that was understandable as I imagine the players were shattered, having 24% possession in very hot weather would have tired us out and there were certain times when we just needed to keep the ball for a bit and relieve the pressure.

To progress to the next level of getting top six and getting back into Europe, we need improvements for sure. I’d say a minimum of four players but some actual quality like we did when we first got promoted. We can’t afford to make the mistakes we did last summer in terms of recruitment.

If we do that then we can definitely push for top six and be able to compete well in both of the cups too. We’d all love Wolves to get back into Europe, especially as by then you’d think everything should be back to normal and we can all be on a European Tour again.

Rob Cartwright

I’m bitterly disappointed with this game and result. However, nothing will change my view that this has been a monumental season for Wolves; one we should be proud of.

Was this a game too far? The smallest size squad playing the most matches over the longest period. I think we simply “ran out of gas” against one of Europe’s top teams.

I was hopeful at half-time, as we went in 0-0. All part of the plan.

Despite the penalty miss, we had played well and matched Sevilla for shots, if not possession.

The reality is we were poor in the second half and we would not have survived a Extra Time, in my opinion. We failed to create a single scoring opportunity in the second half and no corners all game shows the dominance of Sevilla.

I can imagine their feeling of injustice, if we had managed to win.

We defended very well, but there was no creativity in midfield or attack.

Exactly one year ago, we were screwed by a VAR decision away at Leicester. In this game, VAR should have awarded a penalty retake for encroachment. How they fail to act on that is beyond words. It may have changed the outcome; it may not of, but without doubt the penalty should have been retaken.

It does not change the fact that Sevilla deserved to win the game.

My man of the match Goes to Vinagre. Many pundits (and fans) reckoned he was the weak link to be exposed by Sevilla. They tried to channel attacks down his side, but he stood firm and can be proud of his performance.

So the longest ever season is finally over.

We’ve been great. We didn’t 'do a Burnley' and we went one step further in Europa League than widely expected.

Away days in Turin, Braga, Manchester City & Tottenham will live long in the memory.

Well Done Wolves. Just get Nuno to sign a new contract and back him with the players needed for the next step up

Russ Evers (Hatherton Wolves)

And so the dream is over. For this year at least.

Before the game the talk was of how we needed to make sure we took every opportunity we had and this time fate was against us. Traore did what he was employed to do but unfortunately his strike partner was unable to do his bit (no blame attached) and whilst there were undeniable allegations of both encroachment and the keeper being off his line, the fact is that it was a great chance that went begging.

After that shock start and the fact that we outplayed Sevilla for 20 minutes or so, the Europa League kings re-shaped and to be honest they mullered us for the next 70 minutes.

In the end it was one game too far and underlined that we need to improve further if we want to be competitive against the better European sides.

Sevilla, five-times winners of the competition in the last 13 years looked like they belonged, not surprising with their recent pedigree but we restricted them to one attempt on target-there's went in and fine lines like that are the improvements we need to make.

Just a shame that after such a memorable season with fantastic trips and memories that will last a lifetime, we were unable to say "thanks" to Nuno and the team for one of THE great seasons.

Dreaming is for free.