JOHN TARAS SHARES HIS THOUGHTS FOLLOWIN WOLVES DREADFUL PERFORMANCE AT GOODISON PARK
1. We still can’t stop conceding soft goals.
It only took 10 minutes to concede from a free kick. Sa meticulously organising his wall only for Young to calmly bend the ball around the wall into the corner!
VAR came to Wolves rescue when a set piece Everton move brought a second goal only for VAR to send the Ref to the screen after what seemed an age and he miraculously ruled in Wolves favour.
It didn’t last and panic defending let Mangala get revenge for the disallowed goal when he crashed in a poor clearance with not a Wolves player within five yards of him. It might have took a small deflection but the result was the same.
Heads dropped, signs of O’Neil glued to the i-pad didn’t instil confidence.
Worse was to come in the second half when two desperate challenges by Dawson on Calvert-Lewin resulted in an own goal from a corner and a set piece move, gifting Everton two goals.
2. Sa a liability to the defence or just unlucky
After the crazy calamity of Saturday we had more incidents tonight. He spent time lining up his wall for Everton’s first free kick. Imperative he covers the far post! Young steps up and bends it around the wall beyond his outstretched hand. The second goal he allows himself to be bullied on the line for the corner. By the time he breaks free he’s off balance and flails at the cross which goes in off Dawson under pressure from Calvert-Lewin.
He doesn’t command his six yard box for a Goalkeeper of his stature! His kicking is poor and invariably goes long on this occasion to Pickford!
He repeatedly puts his defenders under pressure with his throw outs.
Gary O’Neil doesn’t seem to know who is his preferred number one? This is not helping the stability of the defence or the players confidence!
3. Lack of organisation.
Tonight reached lower depths than the dismal performance at home last Saturday with Wolves 4-2 defeat by Bournemouth. Wolves hardly troubled a team who like themselves are struggling this season. Wolves made Everton look slick and dangerous. They had a plan similar to Bournemouth. Attack Wolves with pace, through the middle and on the wings. Pickford sent long balls to Calvert-Lewin which Wolves couldn’t deal with. Wolves had no defence against Evertons set pieces!
Gary O’Neil was quoted before the game saying “the boys are ready for the game” It didn’t look like it! Players were chasing the ball leaving gaps for Everton to exploit. Lemina, Bueno and Dawson were pulled every which way by the mobile Everton forwards.
Doherty had his best game for a while giving width to the team and getting forward as often as possible. Ait-Nouri had his usual game running with the ball taking on several players, unfortunately losing the ball up field and this added pressure to the defence.
Andre was quiet and Gomes was his usual committed self trying to halt Everton’s attacks and getting forward when he could.
Before the game the inclusion of Guedes with Larsen and Cunha gave rise to hope of an attacking line up. But sadly Guedes was unable to get into the game. Larsen and Cunha had unproductive games not really troubling Pickford.
4. Gary O’Neils game plan and substitutions = P45
You’d have to say that Gary O’Neil is being outwitted repeatedly. The players don’t appear capable of being organised. What is happening on the training ground?
The players are incapable of defending set pieces. Tonight I saw the heads go down after the second goal. They’d already escaped a VAR review when the second goal went in. Everyone expected half time changes but none came! What had O’Neil got to turn the tide.
The introduction of Guedes was to assist the forward line but he was subbed to bring on Hwang! Hwang a player who has been poor since the Asia Cup earlier in the year. An attacker for an attacker! Still no improvement in Wolves fortunes.
Everton add two more goals. Both own goals. What does O’Neil do on 77 minutes at 4-0 down he takes off two defenders and brings on two defenders. Taking off Doherty who had played well. Leaving on Dawson who was looking jaded and had conceded two own goals. On 84 minutes he brings on a creative midfield player in Doyle who should have started the game. Once again his selections were puzzling!
Throughout the match if O’Neil wasn’t on his i-pad he was on the touchline with a long face not instilling any enthusiasm to his players.
I think he knows its P45 time!
5. Outlook for Wolves
Wolves have played teams recently where they should have got points. 0 from 6 and they go to West Ham next Monday where you can’t see anything other than a Hammers win. This for a team who themselves are in deep trouble.
Everton had gone five games at Goodison without a win then along come Wolves. You have to believe West Ham are thinking the same.
Unless Fosun sort out this calamitous mess Wolves are spiralling towards the Championship. But Fosun have to take their share of the blame for the current position. Only 3 wins in over 24 games should have been sorted out weeks ago.
Increasingly frustrated Wolves fan. Followed Wolves since the 70s and it’s sad to see the current demise with the squad of players on the books. Given a choice I’d like David Moyes to come in, just seen Gary O’Neil on Match of the Day talking like a man expecting the Sack!
ARTICLE BY JOHN TARAS
Wolves Member for several years but follower since the 70’s. Now retired and looking forward to being involved in discussions.