Wolves Fans' Verdict v Burnley: A season too far this time around?

Making the trip to Molineux, the feeling among many of us was the same - matchday just isn’t exciting anymore. There was a time when waking up on a Saturday/Sunday brought that familiar buzz and anticipation of getting to the ground. Now, it feels more like a chore. As I’ve mentioned in previous verdicts, I can’t help but question why I decided to renew my season ticket this year.

And that, really, is the problem in a nutshell. Supporters are paying extortionate prices to watch a team that’s completely lost its spark. The clash between fans, players, and staff at full-time has been coming for a while, and the post-match video of Jose Sa certainly hasn’t helped. Right now, Wolves have become a laughing stock.

We were lucky to go in level at half-time and had given ourselves a platform to maybe turn things around. But as has so often been the case this season, we failed to capitalise. In possession, we were slow, predictable, and completely devoid of ideas. We have to work incredibly hard for every goal we score, while visiting teams seem to find it far too easy to score against us.

Three defeats against the newly promoted sides, just two points from nine games, and an increasingly toxic Molineux - it’s difficult to see any light at the end of the tunnel. I genuinely feel for the players because I don’t think effort has been the issue. But the recruitment has left us miles short of the quality needed to compete at this level. Burnley, by contrast, have brought in players like Kyle Walker, who showed exactly why he’s been a top-level performer for so long.

There are no real leaders, and precious little quality. While plenty of the blame rightly sits with those behind the scenes, it’s hard to see where our next points are coming from. It feels like it’s going to be a very long, painful road to the end of the season.

Matt Gallimore

All roads lead to somewhere, and Sunday was the destination to which years and years of, in my opinion, neglect, bad management, lack of ambition and selling your best players has led to.

Let's be honest. This team is going down, and the atmosphere at full-time was a realisation that this is a season too far.

As much as these players get criticism, the simple fact is that they do try, but they are simply not good enough. I stated weeks ago that to stay in this league you need quality, footballers who can do something with a football. The truth is these lot are runners, triers and not much else. There is zero creativity in the side, and this is evident by the number of long balls, hoofs into the box and backwards passing.

Forget the starting quality we had in previous seasons, bench warmers such as Podence, and even the likes of Guedes and Sarabia are players that were able to do something on any given day. Now we have the likes of Munetsi, Arias and Bellegarde, who may give their all and run around, but that isn't enough.

As for the manager, he has got to go!

He was given full reign in the summer, brought in his own man in Teti, and chose the players he wanted to fit his formation. The fact is every signing besides possibly Krejci, has been a disaster. And what is this 'formation' that he wants to play? Because to me it looks like he hasn't got a clue what works best, what is his starting eleven and how to get results.

The poor form from the end of last season, continued into pre-season, and now nine games in we are still without a win. His record is diabolical and it backs up the history of his managerial career. He doesn't last more than a year at every club he manages. Add to the fact he makes Tony Pulis and Sam Allardyce look adventurous in their style of play has made me convinced he isn't capable of turning this around. I cannot stand the type of football he plays, a literal long ball merchant type of manager who places physicality and getting stuck in, over technical ability.

Surely Fosun also have to look at Jeff Shi. In my opinion, he has made continuous bad errors of judgement, poor management decisions and has a total lack of understanding regarding running a football club. He is costing Fosun huge money so why is he still in situ?!

He is the one common denominator in the constant mess we find ourselves in every season. Unfortunately, this looks like the season that cannot be salvaged!

Harry Lee

Vitor Pereira labelled the game against Burnley at home a 'must win', the fans knew it, and the players certainly knew it, talking up the importance of the game in the build up to it. 

If Wolves were to have any chance of getting out of this mess that the ownership, Jeff Shi, Pereira and Dominico Teti have got us into then these games against relegation rivals have to be won. Unfortunately this season it is a step too far, Wolves are going to be relegated and the leadership (or lack of) need to be held accountable for this.

The mismanagement of the team was clear for all to see. Yet more selection questions before the game with our third choice right back in Hoever starting the game, who was then caught napping for the second goal.  Another change of captain with the clearly injured Strand Larsen taking up the armband with Joao Gomes dropped, in fairness for a good performance from Bellegarde, who typically was punished for a slack pass for the third goal.  

You'd think after this length of time that Wolves would have a distinct style of play, patterns we'd recognise, but there's no obvious tactical style to this team. This is the managers fault. 

We have heard so many excuses about signing players late and needing time to bed in, but these are Pereira's players he wanted, with the help of his man Teti. There is no way Pereira should be in charge of the next game, despite early reports that quite incredibly Fosun are backing him to turn this around.

In fairness, who would even take this job now?

Clive Smith

I thought these heartbreaking moments were meant to even themselves out over time. Our resilience is severely being tested.

Another painful ending. The goal and then an unbelievable save by their keeper. Five points lost in our last four games after conceding late goals. Five points is a high number given where we are currently.

Just where are we now? We are struggling to build any synergy between our players. Only the interaction between Hugo and Rodrigo had any cohesion today.

From the start of the season we have been plagued by individual errors at both ends of the field. Agbadou had been the initial scapegoat but his recent exclusion has just highlighted other players making just as many costly mistakes.

Krejci and Johnstone somehow contrived to allow the opening goal. 

Hoever seemed to lose concentration, ball-watch, and our hopes were extinguished.

The credit for coming back from 0-2  gets forgotten and feels worthless by the end. The opportunity for our first win was within our grasp but.....

Burnley were the weakest side we'd played so far, that only adds to the gloom of the result.

Things won't change in a single game but the feeling we are making progress would be a step in the right direction. 

Our two best players are Andre and J. Gomes, yet again though, both are not in the starting line-up. Tolu has come on in the 84th, 76th and 91st minute in our last three games. Was there anyone else in the ground who thought Hwang was a better option than Tolu in the 68th minute?

Right from the start we put countless crosses into the box - several were over hit - but it was frustrating to not be able to convert them.

Belief in VP needs rebuilding. Others in his position have failed with a back four, did he/we recruit with that in mind? His rotation of our full-backs doesn't help develop any understanding between players. Positive results and better performances would help us see some progress and enjoyment from watching our team. Let's hope we don't have to wait very long for things to get better.

John Lalley

Pre-match, the impressive Army Officer gave a flawless rendition of The Last Post catching the sombre mood of remembrance most poignantly. At the final whistle, a bugle reprise signalling the hopeless plight of this Wolves team would not have been inappropriate. 

Another hapless start to proceedings with Wolves infuriatingly second best and uncompetitive resulted in an embarrassing two goal deficit that seemed likely to be extended. Somehow, to the surprise of just about every spectator inside Molineux, Wolves remarkably reached the interval on level terms. 

Surely this was the best opportunity to break the winless run against another mediocre team, but Wolves simply lacked the quality to cash-in. We had sufficient second-half possession to win the game but the ponderous build-up and the glaring lack of imagination meant that Burnley were never seriously over-stretched. 

Arias was desperately unlucky with the free-kick that could have changed the outcome, but the fragile spine of this team ensures that some self-inflicted calamity will rear its head at the worst possible moment. 

Slow on the uptake, Wolves cottoned on to the current vogue that long-throws into the opponent’s box are back in fashion. Seeing Rodrigo Gomes delegated for the task and then barely reach the penalty area summed up our chaotic lack of cohesion.  

Burnley’s delight could only have been matched by their utter astonishment as to how Wolves belatedly gifted them this game. Again, much effort with Bellegarde excellent but nothing else to offer a sliver of hope.

Horrible too when the crowd rebel; and they are rebelling disgusted at the direction this club has voluntarily taken.