Express & Star

Nathan Judah's Wolves notebook vs Forest

Nathan Judah gives his notebook thoughts following Wolves' 1-1 draw vs Forest

Published

Pre-game

I thought the gaffer may have freshened things up a tad more if I'm being totally honest when the team-sheet came out.

Dan Bentley can count himself very very unlucky after two near faultless appearances.

But it was evident during O'Neil's pre-match press conference that he sees Sa as his number one.

I think there's now a clear precedent that Bentley is not in a battle for the jersey.

This isn't totally surprising, but if there's a comfort zone of no 'real' competition, I think it can create issues down the road.

Elsewhere, with Hugo Bueno gassed on Tuesday after returning from injury, I was expecting to see a Doc inclusion.

Up top, no surprise Hwang is starting, but he's running on empty at the moment.

This game could be won or lost from the bench.

Murillo (Photo by Jack Thomas - WWFC/Wolves via Getty Images).

Match

Not sure I've seen too many more brutal games of football that the Burnley game on Tuesday night - this ran it close!

Very lethargic, laboured and slow with no real quality - the players look shattered.

And yet Wolves were the better side, but when on the break, they lacked the pace to get in-behind Forest despite countless opportunities.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder, but you have to think the additions of Pedro Neto and Rayan Ait Nouri would have made the difference in this one.

The goal they conceded was a calamity of errors - Hugo Bueno, Toti, Semedo and Sa all at fault giving a fragile Forest something to cling on to.

Thankfully Cunha equalised relatively quickly and the game was there to be won.

The disappointing thing was that Wolves never did look like they were going to.

Sub, sub, sub?? The Traore change was forced, Bellegarde on for last 20 and a matter of seconds for Sasa Kalajdzic.

How Hwang's stayed on the pitch, I'll never know - poor guy was knackered!

Gary O'Neil (Photo by Jack Thomas - WWFC/Wolves via Getty Images).

Post-match

O'Neil was as frustrated as he'd been in a post-match press conference.

Very disappointed and felt his side had not done enough to win the game - and he was right.

But I can't help feeling that O'Neil didn't have the best game here.

His team selection, his tactics, his reluctance to bring on forwards - I don't think this was his finest hour.

He was quite damning with the subs' impact, but I'm not too sure I agree.

For me Tommy Doyle was tailor made to be brought on early into the second-half, unused sub.

Sasa was perfect for 30 mins to come on, rest Hwang and give another dimension - you can't ding him as an 89th min sub.

Fabio might aswell be with the U21's, he's got as much chance of coming on as Liam Keen at the moment.

Four points out of six inside a week is a healthy return without doubt, but it should have been six - and against better opposition it could have been zero!

Come back Pedro, come back soon!