Liam Keen comment: An improved Wolves performance with the same old mistakes

The battering at Goodison Park was the lowest ebb of a difficult season and Gary O'Neil's side needed to react at the London Stadium.

The level of performance was certainly an improvement, but age-old errors reared their ugly heads again as Wolves were condemned to defeat.

Disaster defence

It was a game full of intrigue and potential storylines, dubbed 'El Sackico' with both O'Neil and Julen Lopetegui under severe pressure.

But the game itself did not live up to the occasion, which suited Wolves perfectly.

The Hammers were going through the motions and creating very little and the crowd were starting to groan.

In an even and relatively quiet first half, Joao Gomes had a huge chance to make it 1-0, which he spurned. However, it was an otherwise good away performance that stifled West Ham and killed the atmosphere.

But less than 10 minutes into the second half, Wolves' alarming weakness from set pieces once again put them on the back foot.

From a corner in which the officials seemed to miss the ball actually coming off West Ham's Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Wolves lost Tomas Soucek and allowed him to ghost in at the back post and head home.

That goal changed a game in which Wolves looked certain to get some points.

But having got back into the game through an excellent Matt Doherty goal, there is no excuse for Wolves conceding again just three minutes later.

Jarrod Bowen did produce a moment of quality, but Wolves' inability to stand firm after scoring is incredible.

Wolves are 19th in the Premier League table but 20th when it comes to all of the following defending statistics: they have conceded 38 goals, 14 from set pieces, five from penalties, eight from headers and they have conceded two or more goals in 12 games and four or more goals in four games.

Something must give. Wolves need to use the January window wisely or they could be staring at the reality of crashing out of the top flight.

Anonymous star

When Matheus Cunha was performing at his highest level this season, during Wolves' good run, there was always a concern that the team were too over reliant on him.

In his last three games the Brazilian star has put in some of his most abject performances and it has coincided with the team's dip in form.

He was marginally better against West Ham, yet still put in an anonymous display for someone of his quality.

Cunha looks distracted, distraught at the team's struggles and is not impacting the game. He is slow in his decision making, his first touch has been wayward and he is offering very little.

Despite that, he managed to offer two good passes in the second half to set up both Mario Lemina and Tommy Doyle, but both blazed their shots high and wide.

He also played a part in the two situations with Goncalo Guedes and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde in which Wolves were screaming for a penalty, but VAR did not oblige.

He is a player with such talent that he can have a say on proceedings with one half chance, but he is rarely getting those in these last three games.

With Ipswich coming up at Molineux next, Cunha will be integral to achieving victory in a must-win game, but Wolves must play to his strengths and find a system that allows him to be free off the ball and take up dangerous positions.

Captain meltdown

Since signing for the club in January 2023, Lemina has been a fantastic player for Wolves.

But last year's player of the season has struggled so far in 2024/25 and it all boiled over after full-time at the London Stadium.

It began with a scuffle with Bowen, seemingly about a handshake, and ended with them rolling around on the floor.

Lemina lost his head and as his team-mates tried to calm him down, he brushed Nelson Semedo off before pushing Toti Gomes and then going head-to-head with first team coach Shaun Derry, before being restrained by other staff members.

Frankly, it was embarrassing. That fight is needed on the pitch during the game, not in front of the TV cameras after another defeat.

Lemina cares about the club and is desperate to succeed. O'Neil said it came from the immense pressure his senior players have been under, which certainly makes sense.

But the captain is far too emotional and is struggling to lead. Wolves and Lemina need to collect their thoughts and make sure something like this never happens again.

Joao Gomes is now suspended for the Ipswich game due to picking up his fifth yellow card and Lemina is likely to play, giving him an instant opportunity to put it right.