This one is going to smart for a while.
Time may allow us to reflect, to think more positively about the contribution our great team made to the best FA Cup semi-final in recent history, but for now, we just suffer.
One kick from the final is how I’ll always characterise this epic, dramatic, soul-destroying defeat.
The dream that became a nightmare.
Si Senior to adiós in the cruelest manner possible.
As soon as that booming penalty hit the net, everything that followed felt like a foregone conclusion.
Should it have been given? Probably, but I’ve certainly seen plenty of similar appeals turned away.
The neutral might say it was just reward for Watford’s character and perseverence in a game that was drifting away from them until Gerard Deulofeu drifted them back in with that beautifully inventive finish.
They built the pressure, piled the bodies forward and ultimately extracted the mistake from Dendoncker that will haunt the unfortunate Belgian for the rest of his career.
It had all been going so well.
In an end-to-end first half, Wolves, as they so often do found the big moment through some quick thinking and a trademark sneak attack from Matt Doherty.
If we were perhaps slightly fortunate to be ahead at the interval after Andre Gray wasted a glorious opening and Conor Coady made that list ditch block – the second goal had been coming.
Watford were intent on pushing straight from the restart, surrendering space that Jota and Jimenez gleefully gobbled up.
Either side of Raul Jimenez’ wonderful strike rampaging runs, particularly from Jota who looked unplayable in those spells, that could and should have resulted in better chances being created.
While most will rightly lament the freedom given to Deulofeu to pick his spot and Dendoncker’s lazy leg, not putting the game away with a third goal was just as costly.
Not that they didn’t try.
Wolves made it end-to-end and as a consequence never kept the ball well enough or for long enough to drain the momentum out of increasingly desperate opposition.
Massive credit to Watford. They kept coming and coming and resurrected the contest in a way Wolves have looked incapable when presented with similar challenges.
And even in extra time, there was the definite sense they were biding their time, waiting for that break of the ball that would afford their star man the opportunity he needed. Again, he took it superbly.
Wolves had no response. Nuno had pushed all his chips into the middle by this point and the decision to hook Neves and particularly Jota in those dying moments may be one he looks back on with regret.
Without the impetus of the team’s key influencers, it never felt like there was a way back, despite some huffing and puffing and a well-worked Ivan Cavaleiro’s sighter he couldn’t squeeze home.
And that was that. Over and out.
As glorious as this comeback was for them, it was twice as sickening for the gold and black hoard who supported every bit as vociferously as anyone could get their team over the line.
The mural, the sombreros, the deafening din that only heartbreak could mute. A truly memorable occasion that will be forever diminished by the events in those final seconds of injury time.
In a season and a game where it looked meant to be, it wasn’t to be and that’s a great shame.
The manner of the defeat makes it a particularly sour note in a remarkable run for our club, but as Nuno points out, the team can learn and grow from this defeat.
And their rapid growth offers some consolation.
If Wolves are going where we think they’re going we definitely won’t have to wait another 21 years for a second bite.
We lick our wounds, move on and hope this is the beginning and not the end.
Up there with Italia 90 and Euro 96 for gut wrenching sickeners. That’s my top 3 killers of watching football. Ouch, ouch and bloody ouch again.
Just when you think you’ve seen it all, this game finds a new fresh way to punch you in the gut, stamp on your glasses and steal your dinner money.
A fantastic occasion, a fantastic game, it was great to be involved but what we would all give for Ruddy to have just raised that arm a couple of inches to save the penalty. WHAT a finish that would’ve and could’ve been!
So, so close but yet so far. What a ride this season has been. Breathless, excruciating, sublime, frustrating but never dull. Wolverhampton Wanderers I think I’m in love!!
I was convinced the VAR would overturn the decision, and then I was convinced Ruddy would ‘do a Matt Murray’ and keep it out.
Ah well. Guess I’ll never make a career out of football predictions.
Great & balanced report, gutted like all Wolves fans there but agree that they’ll learn from this.
In the shock & the melee of the last minute penalty & the almost inevitable ET loss, it was good to see one of Wolves’s unsung heroes, Romain Saiss, walking over to our block and applaud the fans, and clearly feeling, as well as sharing the hurt.
The Troy Deeney & Luther Blissett comments about Raul’s mask were predictable & it’s just rubbing it in. But I was totally perplexed to see Raul, after scoring his superb putative ‘winner’, going to a bag behind the goal & donning the mask! He must’ve known he’d score!
You probably don´t want any comments from a Watford fan, but I just wanted to congratulate Wolves on a brilliant performance yesterday. Neither side deserved to lose, that should have been the Cup Final.
You have had a great season (as we have). You have a great squad and you will be back at Wembley soon.
Best wishes for the rest of the season (of course, except for 27.04…)
As another Watford fan I’m also ecstatic with the victory – we’ve experienced enough of these gut wrenching defeats at Wembley ourselves in recent years, but Wolves are certainly back in the top flight to stay, and will always be a bigger club than Watford. My brother in law coached at Wolves with Bill McGarry and Sammy Chung, in fact I followed them a lot when I was younger and saw them win both the league cup finals against, somewhat ironically – Man City, as well as the victory over Forest . Good luck for the rest of the season – you’re in good hands now after the awful periods of uncertainty in the past.
I have to say, all the way back to the hotel in Uxbridge we mingled with Watford fans on the tube, each and every one of them were as complimentary and as gracious as Mile & Julian above. Thank you guys for your very welcome comments, no one likes to lose, but we did and you deserved the goals for your effort alone. Congratulations and also good luck to you guys too for the rest of the season.
On the way into the ground there were a load of us singing ‘We’re Wolverhampton, we’re on our way back’, as you might expect. A Watford fan came over and assured us we were only on our way back to League 1, and was duly reminded that Watford have never won fuck all, which seemed enough to send him on his way.
Nice to know that idiot, and the likes of Deeney and Foster, are not representative of all Watford fans.
Glad to see Stuwolf wishing Watford well for the rest of the season. I’ve read a few Wolves fans’ comments hoping they’ll be well beaten in the final. I hope they’ll win, having beaten us, they deserve to.
Was your brother in law Brian Owen ?
Cheers mate good luck against Citeh. A pleasure to mix with your fans waiting for the Uxbridge train
Thanks for your comments. Please now do everyone a massive favour & beat City in the final!
Trouble is Border, although we might not want Man City to win everything my understanding is that the only way now that we can qualify for the Europa league is for city to win the FA Cup and for us to finish 7th. Some may not want us to play in the Europa league but I certainly do.
Good point but I’m just sick of the so called top 6 winning everything!!
Plus I’ve hated City ever since their so called fans totally disrespected the minutes silence for the Queen Mother at the Mol. Not that I’m a mad Royal Family supporter cos I’m not, it just annoyed the hell out of me when all our fans did the decent thing!
I thought seventh place gets into Europe anyway, having discussed it with Burnley fans at our recent match – they certainly regret having to play the Europa qualifiers, although I’m sure we’d cope perfectly with our augmented 2019/20 squad
I think I watched a different match. I don’t think it was anywhere near the classic that some say. We were relatively poor in the first 20 despite a couple of individual moments of quality. We weren’t allowed the time and space we frequently enjoy in midfield so our 3 were made to look average. We have the quality to ride these difficulties most of the time – hence still finding ourselves 2 up. Anyone with eyes could see we were defending too deep – as could Nuno so his roll of the dice without hindsight seemed a sound decision to see the game out but once it was all square we were in trouble. Even then but for an unlucky touch by Cav we’d got back but it wasn’t to be.
But hey ho, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.
It’s still the best season in probably 40 years and I’m still loving the ride even though yesterday was our first disappointment under Nuno.
I’m bloody loving this season, Despite yesterday.
O&W, 7th is only sufficient when a top 4 team wins the FA cup.
Thanks for the clarification – of course at the time I was hoping we would be winning the FA Cup, and get an automatic place. So, it’s Man City for the cup then- although I’d be happy to see Watford win it, I expect City to show their class.
Gutted……but in the fullness of time, this may prove to be the foundation stone for building to the next level. Competing for finals and winning trophies is the land of fine margins where small differences can make the big difference and the one learning point from yesterday is that for all the exceptional work the team, Nuno and his staff have done so far, we are still some way from the finished article. Yes, we are good enough to compete admirably in the PL and in the latter stages of cups but we still need to add top drawer quality to all aspects of the team to ensure we have the edge in the land of fine margins and ensure that yesterday’s experience is not repeated. At the level we aspire to regularly participate in (i.e. cup finals, europe, top six etc) it is never over until its over. Well done to Watford, they were out of the game until Delofeu’s moment of brilliance. A moment that Wolves could have done little about but at 2-0 up we had chances to close out the game for good that we didn’t take, we sat too deep trying to preserve our lead and in hindsight made questionable substitutions. That’s not to blame anyone, as the team and staff have given us joy and success many times over what they failed to deliver yesterday, but if we are to be among the best, bitter experiences like yesterday can provide the greatest learning for the future. COYW!!
Jota might have done even better were he not tripped and pulled down by Watford players.
That just shows how orchestrated fouls can hogtie a better team.
And Deeney’s comment about Raul is pathetic.
Deeney could play 1,000 cup semi-finals and not score a goal like Jimenez scored
Raul = Mexico (World Cup)Benfica, Wolves, bright future
Deeney = Walsall, Watford, obscurity
Who is the loser?
You forgot jailbird for kicking a defenceless student in the head. The bloke is pure class. They should have thrown away the key.
heartbreaking for all of us in the wolves family .players,backroom staff ,directors and of course the brilliant wolves fans .pathetic to see the comments from Deeney.Foster and Luther Blissett shows a total lack of intellegence and professionalism .WOLVES AY WE and always will be
A very sad end to a fantastic run in the Cup .I do think Nuno made a serious error in taking off Jota Moutinho and Neves since we thus lost key match winners .He isa young manager and May learn from it .
I also thought the guys looked really fatigued those last 15 mins compared toWatford and raise again the issue of our in my view too small squad .I hope we do not qualify for theEuropa League .There is no way we can have six qualifiers in August with such a thin squad .Ihope Nuno can also appreciate this reality but he may not .He is a great manager and I love him but he is stubborn as hell .
I absolutely agree. The Europa Cup is in itself nothing more than a diddly squat competition for the ‘best of the rest ‘ teams. To proceed in that competition would almost certainly damage our main objective of further progress towards the top of the Premiership hierarchy — particularly given Nuno`s expressed preference to maintain a very small squad.
Far better I think to use next season as the means to getting into the main European competition the following season. We are done with being second best.
Agree about the subs although it’s always easy to be wise after the event. Neves and Moutinho allow us to keep the ball which is what we needed to do to run the clock down. Neves also has the ability to switch defence to attack with one pass. I also felt Jota’s pace and control gave us an outlet. I couldn’t really see us scoring again when they went off although Cav nearly saved us.
Give Watford credit – a hell of a comeback inspired by a goal worthy of winning any final.
Jimi’s mask???? Added to the glamour of the occasion perhaps. Deeney is entitled to his comments just as much as he’s entitled to go down with absolute minimum contact. There was never any danger of a goal scoring opportunity coming from that situation – until the penalty was given.
It was all going so well. Walking up Wembley Way with a smile stretching from ear to ear was a moment I’ll cherish for a long time, and this season will also live long in the memory as a fantastic achievement.
But at 2-0 up I think we got the tactics wrong. We were still looking to defend deep and hit on the counter, but surely if we’d just slowed the game down and kept possession we could’ve got over the line? I was shouting instructions to that effect, but I was on the third tier so the lads probably couldn’t hear me. I’ll try and get ground floor seats next time.
Anyway, highs and lows, that’s the life of a football fan.
I think next weekend at Southampton is going to be a very difficult day at the office. Win that and hopefully we can get some momentum and cling on for seventh. Lose it and I can see us slipping away to 9th, behind Leicester and Watford. Which on balance may be no bad thing, probably best to have another season without the draining distraction of the Europa league. As much as I’d love to see us on the European stage, head over heart says better to wait till we’re fully ready for it.
Finally, as for Foster and all the other a****n fans out there, imagine having to cling on to a result from 7 years ago to feel good about yourself. Pathetic. Likewise Deeney. Utter lack of class, and not something you’d ever hear coming out the mouth of anyone at Wolves. Their comments reflect worse on themselves than on us.
UTW
I agree with you completely Sleachy. I listened to Nuno’s post-match comments and how he thought “we have to learn from this and come back stronger from it”. Well, I don’t know about “we”. In my opinion the chief culprit of our downfall yesterday was Nuno himself.
The decision to defend deep with around 15 minutes to go was very ill-advised and proved to be disastrous. It was straight out of the Mourinho play-book. Doing that conceded possession to the opposition and takes all the pressure off them. Instead we should have kept on taking the game to them and doing everything we could to keep them in their own half of the field.
Added to that, of course, his decisions regarding the substitutions were all also calamitous. By conceding the possession to them we allowed them to play the game in our half of the field and, therefore, unsurprisingly they scored. We consequently found ourselves chasing the game and, because of the mistaken substitutions we had to do it with our best players no longer involved.
Watford must have been gobsmacked to find themselves playing against a vastly weakened opposition with their tails up. It was no great surprise that they went on to win the match.
And then cue the predictable comments from so many Wolves fans about how Nuno can’t be criticised because of what he’s done this season and so on, along with how we’ve still had a great season anyway and would have “bitten anyone’s hand off if they’d offered us such a season last year” and so on and so on. I’m sorry but that’s all irrelevant.
Sunday was a real cock-up and particularly from Nuno. He’s quite rightly garnered great acclaim for our successes against the top teams this season, but our performances and results against the lowest placed teams should also be included in any complete analysis of his overall performance. As far as I can see we’ve dropped around 25 points against the lowest teams in the league, (and I’m not including the likes of West Ham, Leicester, Everton and so on), I mean the real lowest teams in the PL. It needs to be remembered that Nuno has also been the manager for those fixtures as well and that, therefore, the question of how we have come to be such predictable fall-guys against those teams needs to be answered.
And finally, although Nuno should be congratulated for the memorable successes we’ve had against the top teams this year and with respect to our performance in the PL overall, it is still entirely justified to reflect on Sunday’s game and reach the unavoidable conclusion that he got that totally wrong and it cost us a place in the final as a result.
And further to all of that, here’s a link to a tactical analysis of Sunday’s match from the very good site The Coaches Voice:
https://www.coachesvoice.com/tactical-analysis-watford-3-wolves-2-deulofeu/?utm_source=Coaches%27+Voice&utm_campaign=b248bbdc79-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_04_08_07_54&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_cb36640fea-b248bbdc79-79980797
The nature of the equaliser, when we were so close to getting over the line, is the painful thing for everyone in the old gold.
Yes, we let it slip, but not for want of trying.
I think the key word to describe yesterday is “naive”. We’re a young team (Neves is 22, Jota is 22, Dendoncker is 23, and the rest are mid-20s apart from Moutinho), and for the last 10 minutes it showed. Youthful exuberance got us into a 2-0 lead, before we panicked and retreated. Even at 2-1 I thought we were still okay, yes they’d got back into it, but we were holding on and it needed something like a penalty or a set piece for Watford to equalise.
Naivety was present throughout the ranks during those mad 10 minutes – subbing Moutinho and especially the rampaging Jota once they had brought Deulofeu on was naive from Nuno, and Dendoncker’s inexperience was highlighted when he committed himself on the edge the penalty area in the 92nd minute with Deeney going nowhere.
It all resulted in the nightmare scenario that we saw play out before us. As soon as that penalty was scored, you could see momentum swing for extra time. The emotional drain that conceding like that has is comparable to any physical effects the players would have been feeling.
However, once the immediate pain subsides and this day becomes a sad memory, we should look to the future with hope. Just over 2 years ago, as I watched a toothless side succumb to a vastly superior Reading team at the Madjeski, I feared another return to League One. So to see us now in the top half of the Premier League, in the last 4 of the FA Cup and genuinely looking to compete with the big boys is still unbelievable.
It’s very easy to let one 15-20 minute period in one game cloud your entire view of the season, the team and the club. But this is folly – the steps we’ve taken this season have been remarkable. An FA Cup final would of course have crowned achievements, but we’re on the right path: we just have hurdles to overcome. And you learn more from emotions and feelings like these, believe me.
The German World Cup winners of 2014 suffered semi-final heartbreak in 2006 and 2010, and came back stronger to win. Atletico Madrid lost a Champions League final in 2014 in similar circumstances, and have kicked on since then. This will hurt, but it will also drive improvement.
Which makes it an exciting path ahead.
(As a side note, your summary is brilliant Thomas and I find it so cathartic to read others’ thoughts and voice my opinions here. This blog has become a huge part of the healing process during painful moments of supporting the Wolves, and the joy in good times.)
Just got back home . Absolutely Gutted !! When Raul scored all you could hear was Si Senior booming round Wembley Then they scored and I turned to chap next to me for reassurance …’can we hold on?’ Yes was the reply and then that sickening penalty decision . After that the whole Wolves end was punch drunk , gutted shaking their heads in disbelief .
Both me and my son enjoyed the experience . Sorry I didn’t seek out fellow bloggers at Premier Inn . Think we were too miserable to mingle.
All being said she very sad however just getting on the train at Waterloo to come home and a load of gold black milling around the city which cheers you up having a chat etc and we will be coming back we have unfinished business.
Wolves Aye We.
The game aside, I just want to comment on Wembley (not the stadium) as a whole. Not having been there since an England international around a decade ago, I’d almost forgotten what an absolute albionhole the place really is and the areas around the ground are a total dogs breakfast soon to be made worse by all the new buildings which are in close prominence. The powers that be missed a golden opportunity around millennium time to resite the national stadium in a more befitting location. Shame on them.
Forgot to mention the inside stadium catering prices. £5 for a can of Bass! Even Dick Turpin would have been ashamed. Absolute disgrace.
With you entirely SP, Wembley is a crap place to go to watch football. The fan zone I entered had one bar, offering only Bud (£5.90) or soft drinks. The queue was a mile long as it was for the loos with the consequence a few chose to piss against their outside rather than wait. “Entertainment “was provided by a jazz band. How many want jazz at a football occasion? Anyway they were drowned out by Wolves chanting.
Regarding Jota and Moutinho being subbed off, maybe Jota was showing signs of fatigue or frustration.
Joao also looked tired.
There is no way Nuno could have predicted the penalty.
I’ll beat Clive by mentioning that you are stating the b******* obvious in your final paragraph Tim!
We can all reflect on what should’ve been, but in reality we were our own worst enemies in sitting back ,thinking we could’ve held out.
Having watched the penalty again I still think the ref got it wrong and VAR only supported the ref for wrong reason that is to make the semi more exciting than the previous one of Man City v Brighton.
In my mind we should’ve won it. Maybe Nuno got it wrong with his substitutions, we’ll never know .
It would’ve been a better final against City if we had got over the line.
Onwards and upwards I just hope we finish above the rest.
A great day had by all except for the final seconds of the 90.
Diving brummie bastard Dreary Deeney.
So we lost the game.
Troy Deeney is a pr*#@
Cruel way to lose.
But to wake up and discover, Barcelona and Liverpool are watching Vinagre really gets my back up.
F off Barcelona
F off Klopp.
This kid is going to make Jota, Moutinho, Neves and co look like League one players soon. He is the greatest natural talent we have found in years.
HANDS OFF.
HANDS OFF.
What a fantastic experience that was.
According to all the nationals Watford and Wolves re invigorated the f.a cup with one of the best semi finals in recent memory.
Not too down because it was a great game and being at Wembley in the posh seats made it a truly memorable day the wife loved every minute.
Getting off the tube at the top of Wembley way and looking down on the sea of people below was jaw dropping.
I don’t think I have spent so much money on a day out since taking the kids to Disney 15 years ago.
As for the game … Well.. I personally don’t think it’s worth taking the edge of what was a mind blowing experience by blaming any individual for anything that may have changed things because they gave their all but this time around it didnt go our way .
That’s footy folks.
Well done Watford you won by the finest of margins and I really do hope you can work a miracle and do the same against city It’s time someone upset their applecart.
I just wish it could have been us.
Nuno said we will be back and I believe him. He clearly sees his future here and that is a great victory.
Two wonderful goals from Delafau and Raul contributed to a great match with Jota wolves MOTM. Having analysed the pen frame by frame I feel a little bit cheated as I don’t see a deliberate foul but a professional take by the Brummie. Some you win etc..
Sadly in extra time though we tried to go forward it was only into Watford’s hands and for once the boot was on the other foot and thier pace did us and so avoided more penalty drama.
But stand up Wolverhampton, this is a great team and we are giving every indication Nuno and co have a new dream. Anyone who thinks this is a flash in the pan needs to give thier head a wobble, the Wolves are back in business.
Took my Landrover in for its MOT this morning. Service guy looked at my Wolves keyring & said bloody hell I bet you’re gutted this morning. I replied you should have seen me last night! Gutted sums it up.
But if you had offered me where we are now 12 months ago I’d have bitten your hand off.
The lads have done us proud and things will get better. Pick ourselves up and onto the next match.
Win it and you are in the Champions League. Gotta be in it to win it (as they say)
Yes we lost the game. Possibly our inexperience showed when it came to crunch time as we defended too deep. Maybe our substitutions were not so brilliant. But so what !!
On the day we made a massive contribution to a great game of football. We proved our worth. Sure, we are all massively disappointed, but now is not the time to look back. Rather now is the time for us all to be ultra positive as we look forward
Just the blink of an eye ago we were laboring in Division 1 following the calamitous reign of the hapless Deano. Now we are on the cusp of breaking into the upper echelons of the Premiership. We have a team which can compete with any other — and we will get even better. What truly amazing progress is this.
As to the game yesterday, my main memories will center on the brilliant all round performance of Jota, and the magnificent technique of the Jiminez volleyed strike. Two awesome mega stars who are committed to our team, and who next season will surely combine to cause mayhem against any defense. Now that is something for us all to look forward to.
Great semi-final and wonderful example of fighting spirit by both teams. When push came to shove (and Jota received quite a few of both) Watford never gave up. Had Donck not caught Deeney’s foot (there was no need to) we would have been through, but thanking our lucky stars all the same.
The optimal game management wasn’t there, unlike in the two recent Man U games. We invited pressure and boy did we get it. 9 times out of 10 Nuno’s subs would have worked, This was the 10th time. I also query making the subs when extra time was still in theory possible. We will learn from experience.
We played a full strength team against Man U a few days earlier. Nuno got the plaudits for that. Against Watford I thought most of our team were slightly below par. Maybe the Man U game had taken its toll ? By contrast, Watford had a far easier game against Fulham.
Here I am trying to rationalise a magnificent defeat at Wembley against a formidable, skilful team like Watford, on a day when we were not at our best. This says a lot for our future prospects. The only way is up.
Not gutted…
Not depressed…
Bloo$y proud of the WHOLE club top to bottom and add to that the best fans by a country mile in the premier league! Well done watford..a deserved win (through gritted teeth)
We also are winners..bl€ody brilliant our club !!
StuWolf you and today’s press beat me to the comment I was going to add.
Reflecting last night on the positives to come out of the game (and there were many), Ruben V has to be one of the most significant.
How many magnificent forages forward did he manage in the time he was on.
I know I sound like a prat, but what if he had replaced Jota.
That link up pass to Cav was sublime and his confidence level is such I don’t think he would choke around the penalty area.
I truly think there is more than a wingback there.
Watford fan here .. the support by the Wolves fans was phenomenal and we both played our roles in a memorable and nail biting game. Both teams gave their all and that’s what counts. And both sets of supporters added to the atmosphere. Today football was the winner. Wolves are back in the best league in the world with a great manager… great things will come. We’ve been the wrong end of luck many times. Best of luck for the rest of the season.
Thanks Robert. I’ve been very impressed by the magnanimity of many Watford fans since their teams triumph over our heroes. Gone up in my estimation, you lot have.
Thanks Robert
Good luck against Citeh!
we ARE back
our brilliant team and coaches and supporters combined to make it a magnificent semi final/…one that neither side deserved to lose
the hurt will take a time to wear off….but lets think back to the first game of the season vs Everton and see how far we’ve progressed in just 9 months…and how much potential is still there with the likes of Vinaigre and Gibbs-White…and others…yet to come good
bet Liverpool fans were hoping we still had to prepare for May 18th…now we can be ready to perform on another massive stage
UTW
That’s five semi finals in my life time we have ended up losing and by far this is the worsed.
Even worse than seeing Bully and Robbie Keane on the bench at Villa Park in 98 when McGee in his wisdom played an ageing journey man up front, one Stephen Claridge.
The first thing I’d like to say is, don’t blame John Ruddy for the first and third goals.
I’ve heard some comments that he was the reason for our defeat.
The first was an absolutely brilliant chip, George Best scored a very similar one against Spurs, Pat Jennings and all. There’s no stopping that.
The third gave him no chance either. He had to cover his near post and the shot across him was perfect.
The second thing I have to say is, what an annoying git Troy Deeney is!
I can’t argue too much with the penalty, but the constant niggling, going down easily, kicking the ball away and generally being totally classless in all he did and said during and after the match, got right on my tits.
The only thing he did right was lead the line for Watford expertly and win, and score, the penalty which swung the game in Watford’s favour.
Bastard!
I’ve never felt so sick and depressed after a match as I did on Sunday. As Nuno said “We had it and gave it away”.
But after the initial horrible emptiness I feel so proud of the team for getting us to Wembley and within a few seconds of the final. Jimenez, Jota, Johnny, Moutinho, Doc… every man Jack of them deserve the utmost praise.
But, Oh! What might have been.
Will we ever have a better chance of reaching a Wembley final?
You know, after all’s said and done…
…You bet we will!
We haven’t been back that long from an amazing weekend in London. Thank you to all the bloggers that me and Sue met up with, we aren’t sth’s but you ALL make so much of us even though we only do about 15 games a season. It was my first semi final since Spurs in 1981 and my first time at Wembley with Wolves since 1988 – I was there in 1980 for the League Cup Final but can’t remember who we played. Even at 2-0 I wasn’t confident that we would win and I was right. I feel for Dendonker, me and Dougie met him at The Novotel after the Man Utd game, a lovely lad with a lovely family and he will be hurting right now. What we should realise is that these young lads have the weight of expectation of one of the biggest football clubs in the world on their shoulders and I know they earn alot of money but it can’t be easy. Last year we were playing Burton, Barnsley and Bolton – this year we are playing and beating some of the best teams in England. Me and Mrs Wing will be at the Southampton, Brighton and Fulham games. Love this blog and everyone that contributes. …………………………………………..We’re Wolverhampton, we’re on our way BACK.
Barbara was following the match via text updates and was absolutely gutted that we went so close but just missed out. She was particularly sorry for her boy Leander.
It was great to meet up with you, Sue and the other bloggers prematch outside the Stadium. I look forward to seeing the pics.
By the way Ian, it’s not about how many games you can get to. We are all part of the Wolves family.
I am not gutted any more. Fed up. Frustrated may be. But I will say the likes of Watford and the massive turd up front will have their day. But like a hapless salmon fighting to survive they will be chewed up and spat out. No disrespect but we have seen the likes of Wigan Charlton Sandwell come and go and they will be next. Wolverhampton Wanderers are historic. They have the financial clout. The kudos. The Chinese owners have massive plans. This set back is just a small battle in the war to re-establish WWFC as a major player . Keep the faith folks. We are only on the first steps of the Revolution. The over throw of the privileged few is in full motion. We are the new kids on the blog. We are Wolves. We are on our way back.
Like everyone gutted, shocked, stunned. But 24h on had time to reflect and take stock of where we have come from. As a STH of 40 years, member of 92 club have experienced many highs and lows, with my club. Today, proud and more to come from this team. To the Watford fan, on the Olympic way, who gloated about how much better they are… enjoy the win. But, we are Wolves And We Are back. Will be at Southampton to cheer the boys on. A local one for me too.
The journey home with my fellow Westcountry Wolves was a much more solemn affair than the trip up. It would be, I suppose, after having witnessed us snatch defeat from the very jaws of victory in the dying seconds of this tumultuous match.
We played brilliantly for much of the game, but when the pressure mounted towards the end and we finally conceded the first, I’m afraid the writing was on the wall.
Our subs were made to protect the lead, but all too soon there was no lead to protect and we already had the wrong players on the pitch to regain it.
I haven’t been able to bring myself to watch the highlights yet. Too painful. But I’ll grit my teeth and bite the bullet soon. Then maybe I’ll be able to comment on the pen’ and
whatever Deeney said post match, etc, etc. But I can comment on £5.90 for a pint of cat’s urine and £8 for a handful of chips with something indescribable sat on top. Words fail me.
Sure we were glum as we headed home, but when you think where we’ve come from in the last two years, how can we possibly be glum for long. It’s been a wonderful ride.
Not long back in South Wales.
I was determined to savour every moment yesterday and I did. I must have spent the best part of an hour just standing by the Bobby Moore statue, marvelling at the sights and sounds, particularly the throngs down Olympic Way. It was great to have a few beers with Brompton and his cousin Darren and catch up with the other bloggers and their partners.
I was in dreamland as the match went on but then it all came crashing down. The boys went oh so close, but it wasn’t to be.
The short trip back to Harrow took an age, and a less than pleasant memory was at Wembley Central station with a some Watford fans bellowing “2-0 and you f****ed it up” to a lone Wolves fan on the opposite platform. I have to say, there was not the same venom or gloating as that night in Cardiff last November, and I did meet some decent fans yesterday.
We couldn’t possibly have dreamed two years ago of what Wolves have already achieved this season. I do agree with those bloggers who feel that we are on the cusp of something really good. Yesterday was a tantalising taster for us all, not least Fosun. I’m sure we will all come back from this with renewed heart.
Just like like to qualify my comments with great respect to the Watford fans who have been gracious enough to come in to this magnificent blog and make some very positive comments. I appreciate that. And good luck in the final.
As distraught as I was feeling yesterday and still today ….with time to reflect and admittedly this is a lot easier to do having already suffered the defeat and in the cruelest of manners, as a Herts-based Wolves fan, I would be willing to accept our loss as recompense for the poor Watford fan who was set upon and nearly killed outside the Molineux several seasons ago.
I know that he pulled thru; I just hope that he has been able to resume living life the way he had always planned.
His name was Nick, if memory serves.
Agreed Hertford,
A mindless act by non-WWFC fans hope he was able to go with his family to watch that yesterday cus as much as the result hurt us, it must have been off the scale for them being 2:0 down with 10 mins left
Got home late last night to my tear stained daughters who were bemoaning our loss & the pain of the way that we lost.
After asking if they remember Mad Micks 5:1 & Dean Sornda’s causing us a second successful relegation, I asked them to explain this season thus far.
Yes we’re not in the final, but we got to Wembley and beat some tidy opposition this year.
So we’ve come this far in less than 3 years under Fosun and really cannot wait to see where we are in a further 3 years.
A top 4 finish & another run out at Wembley I do hereby predict.
When there are such fine lines between success & failure in today’s commercially based football, WWFC under Fosun’s tenure will ensure we become that force to be reckoned with & to be successful.
No FFP issues, honest & humble management, team & fans will drive our Pack to that pinnacle, then we’ll truely see ourselves rubbing shoulders with Europe’s elite.
As for the final, I have no malice to either Watford or Cithe but hope that ex-Saddler wanker & his mate the doctor from Gloucester get taught a lesson in respect & humility in the games up to & including the 18th May
As for Xavi Garcier & Deulofeu your deserve your final but not sure the rest of the team have the ability to make any impact on Cithe
On to S’ton then on Saturday, maybe we should start to take each game as it comes.
FOwb, FOtd, FObf but always FWAW
I said destiny.. and at 2-0 I was purring…A life of a Wolves fan does not change even with Fosun
bank rolling us..’the giveaway…’
I still can’t believe it but I remember other times but not at Wembley incidentally..
Nuno has to take this on the chin for all of us..forget what he’s done for a second ..an inexperienced team needs grounding and tactically correcting particularly when the team and the fans are watching the clock on a count down ..I even discussed where could we sit in the final with 3 mins to go..
We should of held on to the ball and not hoof it back to them.
Too much at stake and too much to bear if it goes wrong..
That was the best chance for 30 years of at least having a go at the final..Man City or not..
What a waste.Gutted.
Firstly I’ve liked every comment that’s highlighted the classless diving donkey Deeney.
And as we all know there will come a day when he will be shat on from a great height…. maybe in a couple of weeks time.
Regards the penalty, which I thought was a soft gimmee and made to look spectacular by DDD…. I always think that Michael Oliver has this thing about controversy and wants to be self limelighted by the media… not for the first time either.
I was hardly a goal scoring position and Saïss had headed it away well before he got his fat arse off the turf … but he’s a master of deceit… and that’s what Oliver fell for.
Still no sour grapes from me as I see this as another turning point in Fosuns stewardship and only better things will follow.
One last plaudit… and that’s to the Watford fan (Nick) so cruelly and innocently beaten on a visit to Molineux a few seasons ago… let’s hope your team go all the way and win that magnificent trophy.
Now that I have had time to let off steam, bitch, moan, kick the cat and generally make everyone’s life miserable for 24 hours, here are my thoughts.
IF.
If we had timed wasted with 5 minutes to go, like they did with 20 minutes to go, we would have won.
If whoever sets the time added on had got it right, there would have been no penalty.
If we were dirty cheating scumbags we would have dived, pulled, kicked and generally slowed the match down with blatant gamesmanship.
If poor John Ruddy had stood still, he would have saved the penalty.
The biggest If, of course, is if that diving, cheating, ugly twat deeney was a proper footballer, and not a pig ugly ( sorry to other pigs) piece of lowlife jailbird scum, there would have been no penalty.
I don’t like losing to anyone, so I am not going to say well done to Watford, we should have won, and bollocks to anyone who beats us.
Don’t care how nice they are, coming on this blog, all roses and flowers with their platitudes.
Fuck off!
I hope you are humiliated in the final!
And the biggest of fuck offs to donkey boy deeney, and his post match tweets about Raul and his mask.
At least our boy can take his mask off.
And once again, not a negative peep from anyone at Wolves about the injustices of the game, just professional comments, or nothing at all.
Class.
You can’t even spell that, can you, donkey pig?
Y’all can probably tell, dear readers, that I am in fact, not over it!!
Have another IPA Clive.
Ok
And before any of the irregulars on here start slagging me off for putting down my thoughts, don’t forget, it is my opinion, and you don’t have to agree, but acknowledge my right to state it.
Thank you and it’s goodnight from him.
Cliveboy … fecking right on the money as always mate.
I’d even go as far to say that apart from goaline technology VAR is a load of bollox as the decisions are still made by incompetent twats such as Chris Kavanagh who judged The Lindelof assault on Jota in the FA cup as just a yellow, overturning the Red given by Martin Atkinson …. so much for VAR IF IDIOTS LIKE HIM ARE THE JUDGES.
Likewise with Sunday’s breathe on me assault of DDD.
Clive I’ll salute you with some 8.2% IPA when we next meet ….
VAR will be good for decisions of fact, such as offside, but on subjective issues such as bad tackles, deliberate hand balls and penalties then it’ll be opening just another can of worms a lot of the time. On balance, I’d rather have it than not however.
Exactly my point SP…. it’s interpretation of many things…. contact, intent, blatant simulation etc
And I’m afraid that the donkey fooled the mule…. but I’m afraid that judgement on yr second point is often made by fools….
Totally agree with you on VAR. No-one has yet said, to my knowledge, what the 2 VAR red card scenarios were for? VAR is, for me, just for TV & the pundits.
The penalty decision was 50/50 at best, VAR just confirmed a dodgy decision. Yes we’d have taken it. But the point is how many chuffing officials do we want? 4’s enough surely to manage a 90 minute game of football.
It’s gonna ruin the game. A game that is rapidly becoming more about TV schedules & punditry in TV studios than it is about the blood & guts on the pitch.
Just to emphasise bollox to VAR!
Twix. Excellent picture of The Bog by the way. I stood at that bar a few times last year. Always busy was that boozer. Good thing was our hotel was 5 mins up the road so The Bog was always the obvious port of call for the last few jars after the cricket finished. Nice one.
Spot on Clive.
I haven’t calmed down enough to even had a rant yet..
Still awaiting your rant post Tipton … after you’ve cooled off a bit … don’t be shy.. don’t hold back … both barrels please…
Now it’s coming to mid April and the FA Cup saga is over, maybe its time to take stock and think of what we need to do for next season in order to take us to the next level. For me, Sunday proved yet again that our back up players aren’t up to changing games against top teams so hard as it may be:
OUT: Costa and Cav. Sorry chaps, thanks for all your efforts but you can’t take us where we aim to be.
IN (in priority order):
1. Right sided centre half. Our current options of Bennett and Saiss are lacking because Bennett’s distribution is poor (I’m sure he gets targeted by opposing managers) and Saiss is too unbalanced on the right side, especially when tackling.
2. Back up for Raul. He’s come on leaps and bounds and is star quality but what if he got injured or suspended? In the assumption that we’ll not be in the £50m plus market, my targets would be Mitrovitch or, dare I say it, Rondon. Both will soon be available and would fit into our way of playing and I’m sure our coaching team could improve them as they have done with Raul.
3. An attacking, goal scoring midfielder. We are lacking in this area and MGW won’t be ready for a couple of years yet in my opinion.
4. A quality wide player to do the Costa/Cav role but more effectively. I’d also keep Traore for at least another season as he’s a work in progress (hopefully) still and always entertainment value!
5. A right wing back to pressure Doherty although perhaps we have the option of Jonny switching with Vinaigre on the left. Doherty’s goal scoring threat is not to be underestimated though.
So there you have it. Opinions?
A year ago we didn’t have Jimmy Nez, Jonny, Moutinho, the Donk or Patricio.
No one, as far as I can recall, on this blog was suggesting we go get them.
This summer I expect to be as pleased and surprised as we were last summer with changes.
If our backroom boys can transform our current captain from an ordinary midfield player to one of the best defenders in the country, and improve enormously the likes of Jimmy Nez, Jota and Saiss, then I for one am quite happy to not speculate, trust in the team to know what and who they want, and sit back to enjoy the next part of this wonderful ride.
Targets will have already been identified, negotiations underway and deals probably already struck.
We are in the stratosphere of big business, boys and girls, whether we agree with it or not, and behind closed doors is where its done, not in some tabloid newspaper column, ready to be wrapped around tomorrow’s fish and chips!
Fosun didn’t spend over two years looking for the right club to buy, only to invest in the wrong staff.
Everything they have done has been pure class, and they have connected with us fans as never before.
Yes, mistakes have inevitably been made, but so what?
No one is perfect, and it makes the rest of the experience even more pleasureable.
As we said, very hopefully, three years ago, sit back and enjoy the ride, we aint seen nothing yet!
Sea Pigeon have you been reading my mind. This is exactly what I have been telling people we need. Perhaps it is so obvious and neither of us are geniuses. The attacking goalscoring midfielder should also be a box to box player. Not much to ask is it?
One thing disturbed me in the semi and the match against Burnley when they both scored from almost the same spot in the penalty area with defenders Saiss at Burnley and Dendoncker as Wembley holding off and not closing down. Irrespective of the quality of the finishes it is something for the coaching staff to address.
I think it also showed the lack of quality we have on the bench, as much as I would support anyone in the Old Gold (or even yellow) shirt, the squad has be be both bigger and stronger for next season. I think Nuno will already know what he wants and possibly who and I have no doubt the club will deliever.
Pretty much agree 100% SP. Costa regrettably has entirely lost his mojo and shows no sign of recovery. Now and again Cav shows glimpses of what he can achieve but is looking less and less like the player we thought we had.
Traore remains an enigma: at times wonderfully gifted before failing so often to provide the final pass or goal.
The right side of our defence has often been targeted by opponents and goals conceded.
Two potential areas for improvement have already been highlighted: back up for Raul and the sort of midfielder who can run into the opposition’s penalty area and/or get ahead of Jiminez.
All of which, IF I am right, Nuno and the recruitment team will already have in hand. So thanks to them for ALL the excellent players they have brought to The Molineux and to our Chairman and CEO for backing them.
Not ready to comment yet.
Hope you have money in your piggy bank, Brompto, I will be there in a few weeks, and you still owe me a pint from last year!
Hi Brompton it will get better mate.
Take care.
Great report mate, a difficult one to put together I’m sure.
This has to be the most heartbreaking experience I’ve had as a Wolves supporter. I wasn’t around for Chorley, Bolton or the doom and gloom of the Bhatti’s tenure but have experienced plenty in my 14 or so years as a STH. I’ve never been so deflated after a game, I could scarcely string a sentence together. As you have said, it really was a case of ‘from ecstasy to despair’.
However, time brings perspective and we have to believe this is just another chapter in our journey back to the top. This doesn’t undo the success this season has been and should not dim our optimism for the years ahead. As Nuno suggested, it should be an incentive for the team to get better and a valuable learning curve for all involved. We won’t get better without days like this.
That being said, we can’t be so blinkered as to ignore the fact we really did throw this one away. For all the qualities of this team, their game management leaves a lot to be desired. We just couldn’t deal with the hassling and harrying of Watford, and that’s something we need to address if we’re going to go one better next season.
I too found Nuno’s substitutions baffling, none more so than the call to hook Jota. He terrorised the Watford back four and shouldn’t have been sacrificed. The performance of Cav and Traore also underlined our need for more quality in reserve, as both were really poor. Still, Rome wasn’t built in a day and every top side (even Manchester City) will attest that it takes time, money and experimentation to build a side capable of challenging for honours.
I’m still feeling optimistic about where we’re going, and think we can get the results needed to make the top seven. Southampton, W*****d, Arsenal and Liverpool look tough on paper but we’re more than capable of getting something out of those fixtures.
Let’s keep the faith, stick together and look forward to more days where we get to paint Wembley in old gold and back.
UTW
Ben x
I’m with you there Ben.
We threw the game away. There’s no point trying to blame anyone else.
It doesn’t make me feel any better, or less proud of the lads.
But…
We had it won – we gave it away.
I did have a dream Saturday night that Watford beat us 3-1 so when we went 2-0 up I realised that would not be the case, it was 3-2 instead. 🙁
We did our best and I can’t fault any of our players, they gave their all and I am so proud of them.
Fair play to Watford , they never gave up.
I have to confess that I said to my brother & son that Watford would win the cup, that was long before the semi-final. Just wish I had put a bet on them. Hope they go on to lift the trophy.
Disappointed yes, of course, but still loving the way we have improved so much.
The future is bright
I know this will probably not be popular with a lot of Bloggers but I must admit that it saddens me a bit to hear such invective and vitriol aimed at the referee, VAR, Watford football fans, the ice cream seller… anybody who we can blame for our defeat at Wembley.
I’m fully in agreement with Ben Rasmin here.
We had that game won, and down to one sublime goal, some misguided (with hindsight) substitutions and rank poor game management, gave it away.
Truthfully, I think we all could see that defending deeper and deeper and hoofing possession away was asking for trouble, and in the end it wasn’t any surprise to me that things worked out the way they did.
If we hadn’t have sat so deep, the penalty incident would NEVER even have occurred.
I know we are all shocked and stunned by the manner of our defeat but by ranting at all and sundry, we are doing exactly what we accuse ‘The Big’ teams of doing when we beat them. And to me it shows a lack of class.
We lost. Let’s get over it.
Nuno’s post match words were full of sadness and regret but full of honesty, positivity for the future…
…. and a whole heap of class!
The least we can do is follow his lead.
This is the beginning, not the end.
“Out of darkness cometh light!”.
True Doog. Some of the comments on here really saddens me.
‘Watford have lost each of their last 10 meetings with Manchester City – two of them in the FA Cup – by an aggregate score of 32-6.’
Dunno about you but I’m looking forward to the FA Cup Final…
Yes, gutted. Not so much that we lost as the way that we lost. A lot has been written about Ruddy, substitutions, the penalty etc etc. My penny’s worth, (and this doesn’t only apply to Sunday), is that we need to counter-attack more efficiently. Some of our decision making on counters is dreadful. Having watched the Bundesliga, off and on, for decades its clear that most German clubs know how to counter at pace and use the space available to maximum effect. Good decision-making would have seen us out of sight at 60 minutes. Maybe Nuno needs to get some more expertise on board ?
Well, the topic of VAR has just reared its ugly head again in Tottenham.
No one appealed for a penalty against Rose, yet the bloke in charge contacted the ref, who then stopped play while he reviewed it, and gave the penalty.
How much are the officials, not even on the pitch, going to interfere with the game?
Pathetic, and the beginning of a slippery slope.
If there were not so many cheats and divers in the game, there would be no need for it.
I was going to ask if you are you reading this, deeney, but a scummie brummie being able to read?
Nah. Never going to happen!!
Hey RJ’s mask. See DOOG above with whom I’m in full agreement. Sorry has to be said.
That is the beauty of this wonderful blog.
Opinions differ widely, and like arseholes, we all have them, and long may that be true.
You don’t have to apologise for not agreeing with me, or anyone else, far from it.
As long as we are not insulting each other on here, then pretty much anything goes!
As long as we all respect our right to say what we think, then we be good.
Heads up, we gotta visit the Saints on Sat.
Cheers RJ’s mask well said
It’s about time Pep Guardiola bought a new cardigan. I am getting fed up with that grey one he wears . You would think a bloke with his money could afford at least a Fred Perry .
Just when you are at your lowest ebb. Bristol city go 3-0 up against Sandwell Town inside 20 minutes. Already feeling better after Sunday. In bred six fingered knobs.
They gonna sign donkey boy in the summer, then?
Fit right in.
How easy it is to forget the number of times ‘donkey boy’ has been terrific in recent weeks. What was that The DG was saying about vitriol etc?! CFH clearly ain’t going to get over this one any time soon!
Fuckin Sandwell wankers.hate the bastards always will. And judging by the posts on Facebook last night they are still wankers. They think villa is the big derby . Doe think so.
Given it a few days before coming on here but this is my take on the day….you guys are where we were in 2015/16. Well, no actually you are much further along the road than we were in our first season up….Losing to Palace in the semi final (having lost to them in Play Off Final a few years before) was awful…but lessons were learned that day that helped us make Sunday into the successful victory it was.
Even things like the singing section (which was slated by some Wolves fans before the game) – was the result of being dominated by Palace fans in 2016, and definitely helped our team in Sunday.
Having done that miserable walk down Olympic Way myself, there was never going to be any gloating from me – and the all the Wolves fans I chatted to were great, though understandably devastated.
I have no doubt Wolves will learn from this experience and come back even stronger. Disappointing for you certainly, but your team/club is definitely heading in the right direction….buy sensibly in next couple of years and your future is very bright indeed.
Here’s just hoping we can pull off the shock of the season on 18th May !