Wolves Fans' Verdict v Liverpool: A game of two halves but the same result

Villa away, Arsenal away and now Liverpool. The hope (of a point) really is killing us. After resolute defending against a skilful, quick attack we almost made it to half-time. 

Most attacks had been down our right side and Doherty had had his work cut out, often being outnumbered and unable to block all the crosses. Our central defenders though had consistently been first to the ball so Sa had been well protected.

It was a move down our left though that saw a pullback from the byline and us conceding. It's hard to defend those situations. What was really disheartening was turning the ball over in midfield just a minute later and going 2-0 down. So much good work had been undone within just a minute.

The dressing room must have had a very flat atmosphere during the break.

Rob Edwards resisted making changes but instead must have found the right words because our level, and share of possession, improved greatly from then on.

A couple of corners led to Tolu doing what a lot of us expected him to be able to do - rise highest and win a header. His effort was on target, saved, but our goal poacher Santi Bueno, did what he'd done a Spurs and scored. 

We were back in the game, and we stayed in it right to the end. Credit them for giving us that hope. The substitutions seemed right both in personnel and timing. Larsen was brought on to support Tolu and Mane rather than replacing one of them. Our tiring wingbacks were replaced with our attacking alternatives.

More forward momentum meant we were at least in possession further up the field than we had been in the first half.  Clear openings were scarce and no equaliser came. 

Mane and Mosquera were my player highlight, while Andre and Gomes came off second best in far more challenges than usual.

John Lalley

Three creditable away performances against quality opposition under Edwards, but ultimately in all three games, a lack of the requisite quality to secure any reward. 

The first half took a predictable pattern; intent on damage limitation, we survived helped by the woodwork and a couple of fine interventions from Jose Sa but eventually, we caved in. Frimpong was allowed to wriggle through our right flank unchallenged to create the opener and worse still was the rapid concession of the vital second after we were carved open all too easily. 

Given our plight, retrieving two goals at Anfield was barely feasible, but Wolves managed to manufacture some semblance of response and once the deficit was halved, Liverpool without being under real duress, were never completely in control. 

Arokodare, whose aerial power created Bueno’s goal, might have found the target himself but he headed over when well-placed and our chance was gone. 

Strand-Larsen joined the attack for the final half-hour and seemed more energised and Mateus Mane made a promising full debut showing a willingness to take responsibility. But our strikers feed off starvation rations; once again we lacked the necessary creativity to give ourselves an equal chance. 

Consoling ourselves that we can take solace from avoiding abject hammerings and regaling performances because they are merely spirited won’t take us forward one inch. Liverpool, like so many of our opponents this season, didn’t have to scale any great height to beat us.