Wolves Fans' Verdict v Forest: A fortunate point after a poor display

Fraser Bishop

Well a point is better than nothing, but that was a painful watch. I would have taken the draw before the game, definitely would have at half-time and upon reflection, at full-time too, but the performance did anything but instil confidence in me for what lies ahead.

Over 70 per cent possession and one solitary shot on target sums it up. Forest attacked with energy and pace and should have killed the game in the second half. Thankfully they didn’t, and we made them pay, but scoring from your only chance isn’t sustainable and on another day we lose that game easily – contrary to Neves’ comments.

The team selection also was a little confusing. Ironically, he was our best player in my opinion, but bringing Toti in from the cold and playing him at left-back was confusing. Also, this whole Nunes out wide strategy, which has worked previously, is another example of playing players out of position and not getting the best out of his talent.

It was another fiery game too, with tempers flaring on the sideline and Podence being caught up in an incident which, judging by Johnson’s reaction, he didn’t do. I do think this team has fight, but I wish we would channel it in more productive ways, rather than engaging in ill-disciplined disputes and petulance where we lose our head.

Nine games left, with us sat two points above the drop, and no team having played more games than us, I think this is going to the wire and if I’m honest, struggling to see where the goals to keep us up will come from.

Adam Virgo

An absolutely terrible performance in which a point seems fantastic when you look at it from that perspective.

We had the complete wrong line-up from the beginning and that meant we offered literally zero in attack. Their goal was poor from us defensively and Sa should also be doing much better.

We keep starting with four central midfielders and then wanting to change at half-time. We are so much better when we play on the front foot, especially now we’re in a back four. It was different when we played in a five and were more conservative.

Cunha needs players close to him so to play him with Adama and Nunes next to him made no sense whatsoever. He’s much better when he has another striker with him or players like Sarabia who want to get in and around the box.

Podence took his goal well and as much as he can be very frustrating and offer next to nothing in a lot of games, he’s been our most clinical attacker by far this season. The celebration too was top tier.

This relegation battle is too intense and as long as we finish at least 17th, I’m not even fussed anymore. Performances need to be so much better moving forwards, somehow or we need to just find a way to win games because we’re on a very poor streak and can’t even seem to get anything going at the moment.

James Pugh

An alarming performance from the boys. We were extremely lucky to get away with a point against a side that had us beat on every aspect of the game.

Some great performances from Sa (other than the forest goal, he should’ve done better), Semedo and Podence kept us in it.

While we have had moments of brilliance in what has been a bumpy ride since Julen came in, you can tell he has no idea who is best XI is, which is even more alarming when you consider how many games are left.

I like Nunes but I think he hasn’t played in his natural position for a long time. You would think with the wingers on the bench that he should be deployed more centrally, and Neto looked sharp on his cameo. While I love him I don’t see Moutinho as a starter anymore, and he has been most effective this season being utilised as an impact sub when his experience and technical ability can help us take control of games at the expense of pressing high.

Two up top in the next 10 games is vital, as we need to start winning games and I am surprised Cuhna hasn’t already been partnered with Jimenez/Costa to deliver the goods.

While I think we will be fine, one point from Leeds, Bournemouth and Forest is a horrific return which can and will get teams relegated.

Knowing Wolves, we will probably nick something against some top 10 sides (and even a Potter-less Chelsea), but we have not made this final push easy for ourselves.

Wolves need their confidence back and they need it quickly, which isn’t going to be helped with captain/leader/legend Neves out for the next two games.

Rob Cartwright

This was a shocking performance by Wolves, yet we somehow managed to rob a point and come home relatively happy.

How can this be?

We had 72 per cent possession across the whole game and Forest look to be in some disarray themselves. Their biggest strength is that they attack with pace. For all this possession, we were lethargic and predictable with no outlet in a central attacking position.

This was a worrying display and I started to question the fight and desire of some of the players. We could hardly place a pass, never mind get a shot on target!

Our best chance of a goal, in the first half, was when a cross was deflected onto their crossbar by a Forest defender. Woe betide anyone in a Wolves shirt to get anywhere near the ball in the opposition box!

It’s time for a number of these players to step up – Nunes, Sarabia, Cunha all are failing to live up to all the hype. Big money has been paid with very little in return.

Traore was abysmal too (and I’m one of his biggest fans).

Things did not really change until the 65th minute. Enter Diego Costa.

He caused trouble in the Forest back line and linked up play well. Should he have come on sooner? Perhaps he should have started.

Time was running out when Podence saved the day. His trickery frustrates me, but he is the only player this season who has looked comfortable and confident with the goal in sight. A fortuitous deflection presented the ball to him and he smartly hit the target. The scenes in the away end reflected the importance of this goal.

It seems the honeymoon period for Lopetegui is now over. What’s his best team? Why have tactics become so predictable? Why is Ait-Nouri out of favour? Fair questions need to be asked.

The suspension of Neves is a big loss. I believe we need to get four points from these next two home games, without him. This is the chance for others make their mark and show some leadership. Let’s see which ones are ready to stand up.

John Lalley

All Fool’s Day at the City Ground and for the majority of this game, Wolves enthusiastically entered into the spirit of absurdity with a desperate display shocking in its ineptitude.

Quite how they salvaged something is a mystery; a tick for perseverance maybe, but in truth Wolves were dire. Forest must be kicking themselves in frustration.

A glance at our starting XI with Cunha left foraging haplessly alone up front suggested that our intentions might be less than positive.

We’ve tried this tactic before and it’s been singularly unsuccessful; and so it proved again. Endless square passes, no thoughtful movement off the ball and a painfully pedestrian tempo all conspired to direct us down a long, blind alley with no hint of a light in sight. Forest found space on both flanks and with Gibbs-White energetically orchestrating midfield in contrast to our plodding uncertainty, a single goal deficit at half-time almost constituted a modicum of success.

After the inevitable changes in personnel and the necessity to chase the game, some modicum of urgency was in evidence but the likelihood of any breakthrough still appeared remote. Forest happily allowed us to hog possession safe in the knowledge that we offered no tangible threat and our frustration grew accordingly.

Like many an opposing keeper this season, Navas could have reasonably filed a claim for redundancy payment given that his job was virtually obsolete against this Wolves’ attack. When we did equalise, it was not through any creative assertion, just a fortunate ricochet that found Podence ideally placed and his finish, in stark contrast to the performance, was brilliant.

Said this before; regardless of his many shortcomings, Podence remains the likeliest Wolves player to offer any kind of quality given a sight of goal. It saved face to some extent, but a display such as this in a truly pivotal fixture sends shivers down the spine.

By the time Wolves scored, Forest should have been out of sight; their pace on the break left us glaringly exposed but mercifully they lacked the necessary composure to bury us. Heaved a sigh of relief that our regular nemesis Chris Wood wasn’t loitering up front otherwise the conclusion would have been inevitable.

Throughout, this was a tetchy and irritable game on the pitch and in the dug-outs. I’m willing to give Podence the benefit of the doubt over the incident with Johnson; I’m inclined without bias I hope, to think that he stopped short of overstepping the mark, but the optics were hardly savoury.

A further disappointment was the inevitable booking for Neves that means suspension. An inconsequential challenge on half-way with no danger looming; wished he had saved it for a more robust tackle an instant before Forest scored when he really should have made an interception.

He’s been a tower of strength during challenging times and we’re going to miss him. He simply never shirks responsibility; it’s long overdue that a number of his expensively assembled colleagues did the same!

Clive Smith

It has been a long two weeks with that last result hanging over us and the depressing mood continued for another 80 minutes here. Just when we were looking for a full on, in your face, high energy game, we were lacking that intensity.

No point me moaning about our performance, I am sure the players are fully aware. I will say though that I expected us to play far better than what we did in the first half given the importance of the game. I hope we can play far better in the remaining games.

We had plenty of possession throughout the game but surely it did not go unnoticed that the Forest counter attacks often involved going from box to box with three forward passes in contrast to our numerous passes that always seemed to end up offering less of a threat on goal.

For an hour our best hope appeared to come from MOTM Traore who had several dribbles despite some rough treatment and having a good shout for a penalty. Convincing refs he has been fouled is not one of his strong suits. He must have missed the dark arts lesson at school.

Lopetegui shuffled the pack as he frequently does and yet again he was rewarded by introducing our goalscorer. Another note for the tactics board – how often do we play short square passes on half way when we have a free-kick? Today we launched one towards the box and that led to the equaliser.

The league table still has a worrying look with the games played column giving us a false position. Still it could have been worse without the goal from Podence.