Wolves blog: Where to start?

Tuesday night's submission at Griffin Park was another seismic moment for Kenny Jackett, who has been left pondering the implications of two further ruinous defeats in an increasingly traumatic season...writes Wolves blogger Graham Large.

This was the same Brentford team that Jackett's free-scoring Wolves systematically destroyed almost two years ago to the day as they went on to win League One at a canter.

Since then, Wolves haven't scored in two wearisome visits to West London yet they've conceded a total of seven goals in process.

The contrast is startling.

But the truth is, no-one truly fears playing Wolverhampton Wanderers at the moment. Not Huddersfield, not Brentford and nor should Derby County after they beat Wolves so convincingly at Pride Park earlier in the season.

Two years ago, Wolves were top of the League One and heading into the home stretch of a promotion-winning and, ultimately, title-winning campaign.

When you think about that side there were several players with individual flair that could punish the opposition. Teams would face Wolves thinking: "Even if we stop Nouha Dicko there are two or three others, like Bakary Sako and Michael Jacobs, who could still hurt us."

There's no-one like that at the club now. There isn't a player with the ability to really excite the Molineux faithful.

Is that Jackett's fault? Not entirely. He has lost several of his marquee players to transfers and injuries since the end of last season, and their replacements have not been able to live up to the billing just yet. He has been desperately unlucky with injuries and was badly let down by his superiors at the time when he needed them the most.

Throughout the 2013/14 campaign, Wolves also played expansive, passing football with high intensity and plenty of movement off the ball.

You don't see any of that at the moment, either.

Is that Jackett's fault? Empathically, yes.

In recent weeks, Kenny has favoured two holding midfielders, a system which has failed far more often than it has worked. This has created a huge gap between the midfielders and the forwards when Wolves are looking to attack, leaving their opponents to rule the middle of the park.

The setup has also hindered Kevin McDonald – the one player Jackett has that is capable of unlocking a defence with a killer pass. McDonald has even found himself on the bench in recent weeks with misfits Conor Coady and George Saville preferred in his place.

As we have seen so few chances being created, we need the McDonald of old to step up and be the man to link the midfield and forwards by driving at opposition players and threading his trademark long passes through to the frontline.

It's no secret that Wolves are still searching for a focal point in the absence of Dicko, but unfortunately the forwards at Kenny's disposal lack both the intensity and the turn of pace to get in behind defenders.

Bjorn Sigurdarson has been largely ineffective but, in his defence, he has been feeding off scraps and ridiculous long, high balls. When the ball does reach him, he is left up there on their own without any advancing midfield runners. So, it is hardly surprising that he is struggling to penetrate even the most vulnerable of Championship defences.

Joe Mason has shown some promise and grabbed a couple of goals, but his record is far from prolific and it remains to be seen if he can be that talisman striker Wolves desperately need to salvage some pride from a pretty miserable season.

Whilst Jackett's supporters – and there are still a fair few – will argue that he deserves time and patience, there is a limit to how long everyone can wait for this team to start firing. Something has to change but the team look exhausted. It's almost like they are playing in a trance.

One thing is for sure, the turgid, long ball style of play needs to stop. It's not producing results and, ultimately, it's results that will seal Kenny's fate; if not now, then certainly at the end of the season.

Nothing can come of this season now so why not go out there, especially in the home games, and just attack from the off.

Not only will it give the fans some hope, but it may also give the players a much needed boost as well.