There can be no denying that Danny Ings’ equaliser was a bitter pill to swallow.
And, given the gilt-edged chance Leon Bailey squandered at the death, it could be argued that the home contingent should be more disappointed with their side missing out on three points.
That aside, I think this evening can be considered a positive one.
The old failings are surely there, but Wolves seem to steadily be finding their mojo under Lopetegui.
This was evidenced by a first half showing which saw us completely dominate an in-form Villa.
Moutinho, Neves and especially Nunes controlled proceedings in the middle of the park, and we played with a swagger not seen in some time.
Podence took his goal superbly, his second since the new managerial regime was ushered in. He deserves a lot of credit for his recent showings, and we were certainly much poorer after his enforced half-time withdrawal.
You always sensed that a second goal was needed though, and we ultimately didn’t do enough with the possession we had during the first 45.
Villa were much improved after the break, with the introduction of Coutinho proving to be a shrewd move by Unai Emery.
The pressure was mounting well before their goal, so it was no surprise to see Ings notch them back onto level terms.
It was a well-taken strike from the former Southampton man but, from our perspective, it was a porous one to give away. You simply cannot afford to get done by a routine long ball the way that we did, not at this level anyway.
Collins and Kilman have been much improved as of late, but I definitely think they need an older head to push them for their place in the eleven. Here’s hoping our reshaped recruitment team can pull a rabbit out of their collective hat on that front.
That aside, we did well to ride out Villa’s pressure and could have nicked the points ourselves thanks to a slaloming late run from Ait-Nouri.
Matheus Cunha didn’t really get much chance to show us what he can do, but his arrival definitely gives us reasons to be cautiously optimistic. And it’s great to see Nunes finally starting to justify his hefty price tag – this was definitely his most accomplished performance in old gold.
I still think we need two or three more players to be confident that we can steer away from a relegation dogfight in good time, but this was another encouraging performance that suggests Lopetegui’s methods are already taking effect.
Onwards and upwards? Let’s hope so.
Although we might have lost, I still see it as two points dropped.
Wolves were much the better team in the first half and that Nunes chance was the sliding doors moment. I don’t think they come back from two goals down.
It’s disappointing we were unlocked by a simple chip over the top and I think Kilman should either have worked harder to get back or someone should have recognised the danger and filled the gap. We always seem to find a way to concede, even in an otherwise improved defensive outing.
You point out the other positives Ben in Nunes stepping up a level and Podence again producing the magic. That was a superb goal and the game’s only moment of true quality.
I saw enough in a short cameo from Cunha to suggest he could be the centre-forward we need. He looked rangier and more physically imposing than I expected and did some good things in and out of possession.
I agree, definitely two points lost. Not being able to keep a clean sheet is mega disappointing.
My friend supports Forest and we were both on cloud nine at 15th and 16th in the league… and then 15th and 19th. Absolutely gutted!!!
Anyway, we’ve got to stay positive, as Thomas said, there are positives to be gained. There is still time…
Missed opportunity or lucky to escape with a point? Two ways of looking at it I guess, and probably why I was pretty content to settle for a draw.
There are positives to take away. We played really well in the first half against a side in form, scoring a wonderful goal from Podence, our main threat at the moment. The only disappointment is we didn’t capitalise and get another goal while we were on top. I feared we’d pay for it, that Villa couldn’t be that bad the whole game, and so it proved.
Poor to concede the goal in the manner we did and 9 times out of 10, if the keeper doesn’t slip he comes out and clears. A last minute winner from Bailey would have been a killer blow, so it was nice to get a bit of luck.
I was content with a point because it was another sign of progress. 3 games in, 4 points and decent performances in the last 2. Big chance to keep the momentum going in the cup against what is likely to be a weakened Liverpool side before the quarter final and the crunch game with West Ham.
I accept the first half was much better and showed the new manager is getting organisation in the team.
However the second half was poor. Due to Pondence and the midfield not lasting 90 minutes. Fitness? Age? Quality?
Our squad is so weak and any replacement player with the exception of Ait Nouri (who appears more and more to be a better attacking left wing player than he will ever be full back)
Adama in my view a true example of our poor level of substitute.
Until Adama and Raul have gone and been replaced we are going nowhere. We need a number 9 and somebody who can supply him!
We were lucky both in the last minute against Everton and the last minute last night.
We are not quite 1/2 way yet but games are running out!!!!
We need almost twice as many points in the second half of the season to reach the target of 40 points so we will need the luck to continue. I think it will go to the wire.
We may have to beat Arsenal in the last game to stay up.
There are 20 games to play yet. Of course, it’s a serious situation but it’s really about what the bottom 6/7 sides do from here.
Upcoming games against West Ham, Southampton and Bournemouth will be crucial. Teams at the bottom of the PL don’t pick up points at a blistering rate, so a few wins can make all the difference. A win last night would have taken us up to 16th, and look how Forest have jumped up the league with a couple of results.
There’s still a long way to go – more than half the season in terms of games. It’s in these games against the teams around us that our season will be defined, and we’ve seen some positive early signs.
Talking about the game of two halves. The first half showed how well Wolves can play with the talent they currently have. The second half was not something many of us expected. We were dominated completely.
The question is, were we dominated because of a Villa resurgence, or maybe the players were instructed to defend the slender lead we had ?? I sincerely if the latter was the case, it will never happen again. To see all that first half domination simply vanish – well, it just hurts.
I am begining to think I know absolutely nothing about football. The comments from some fans and pundits lauding Costa, how he is leading the attack, etc. I have not seen a single moment from him since he joined where I have said “geez, that was really good”. The few opportunities he had in front of goal were very poorly dealt with. I don’t believe he has really tested an opposing goalie yet. Let’s hope we see Cunha in the starting line up soon.
All in all, a point keeps us in survival mode. Let’s hope the improvements continue.
I thought we played really well but to concede inside the last 15 minutes again was gutted wrenching. But Lopetegui seems to be working his magic because we are improving with each match . And hopefully with Cuhna we might score more than one still think need more bodies through the door.
Sadly my 1-1 prediction came in, just when I was hoping we would nick three points. I had stuck a miserable fiver on 1-1 at 5/1. Cup half full says we did well against a Villa team that humbled Spurs away last week. Cup half empty says we dropped two points just when we are improving.
For better or for worse Lopetegui is here until at least the end of the season. He was always the main man for Fosun. It’s his bad luck that he answered Fosun’s call at a dire time for Wolves. Arguably, if he had taken over in 2016 in the championship he would have secured promotion immediately and taken us in an upward momentum. Instead we hung about in that division with two failed coaches until Nuno came along. It is what it is. Lopetegui has undoubtedly improved performances, but new recruits are essential this month. There is no doubt that the bottom half of the PL is much stronger this season so far, which is the reverse of last season when the top half was the stronger. We won’t have two teams going to the wire for the title this season. The close race will be at the other end of the division.
There are a lot of positives to take from the game. Improvement throughout the side as a whole is very evident, and if this progress can be maintained we should be able to escape.
It seems that Podens has been transformed by our new coach, and has become a real threat playing with huge self confidence. But in my opinion it is the massively improved form of Nunes,– now that at last he is being played in his true position,– which is making the real difference. His ability to come through with the ball from deep is a weapon we have needed for along time. His contribution in the games ahead will be pivotal.
But this improvement must not be allowed to disguise the fact that additions in key areas remain essential. To dominate with so much authority as we did in the first half last night and then be unable to convert opportunities into a comfortable lead, is a criminal waste. A one goal lead in this very tough league will never be enough.
Similarly the signing an experienced battle hardened central defender remains a priority. Goals conceded from straightforward long balls from the back, as was the case last night, represent basic defensive frailties which will undo all the hard work that has gone before.
Finally the timing of incoming additions must be key. There are a lot of games to be played in January and we can ill afford to delay signings until the end of the month. Our need is immediate.
Work always makes it hard to attend games but I managed to get to the Leicester disaster. At that stage, driving back down the M40 in a Cecil B DeMille Biblical storm, I feared a drop to the Championship was inevitable.
However I believe we now have a top coach and improvements are clear right across the pitch. Brighton and Brentford remind us how teamwork under a tactically astute coach can achieve wonders and I am cautiously optimistic that we will continue to improve and that an increasingly positive atmosphere around the club will propel us up the table though I am not certain it will be a quick ascent.
There are toxic atmospheres brewing elsewhere (especially at Goodison Park) and others are on very poor runs.
4 points from a possible 9 is positive news in my opinion. Average 4 points in every 3 games for the rest of the season and we will make c42 points. Enough?!
I would have taken a point before the game.
I expected at least a two goal win at half time.
I just knew we were going to lose after they equalised.
So a 1-1 draw will certainly do me.
One, and should have been two, goals conceded from long balls says a lot about our recent defensive naivety, but generally, Kilman and Collins made a decent fist of their evening’s work and Max Kilman produced one brilliant, Conor Coady like, goal line block which, in the end, saved us a point.
Podence continued to show that he is an important cog in our attacking machine and Moutinho (too old, shouldn’t be picked, his legs have gone you know) once again put in a shift and provided the assist.
Nunes had a very impressive game. My usual suspicious self says that he is putting himself in the shop window for Mr Klopp to admire, but he might just be responding to a bit of JL coaching and man management.
After totally dominating Villa in the first half it was such a disappointment to crawl back into our shell in the second. And it does my ticker no good at all. I’m not a young man anymore!
The deeper we dropped, the more inevitable it was that Villa would equalise, and the more livid Julen became.
But as the final whistle blew, at least two good things had come out of last night.
The first was the miss by Bailey right at the end.
The second was the fact that I won’t need to visit my manicurist for a while.
Why do they always do it to us?
The gods do it to test us. Your mention of Conor Coady raises the obvious thought about his future if Everton go down and we don’t. Regardless of any option to buy, I don’t think Conor will want to be bought by Everton if it resulted in him playing in the championship. That wouldn’t do his England place any good, just as sitting on the bench under Bruno wouldn’t have either.
I’d take Conor back at the drop of a hat but he’s not the Messiah. If fact he’s been a very naughty boy!
Another tale of two halves.
After a positive first half back into our shell. (Obviously) not scoring enough is the underlying factor and was even at the peak of Nuno’s era.
Consequently too often we either shut up shop early if we score first and spend long periods coming under increased pressure till we crack or we have to chase the game throwing caution to the wind.
Positively it was a good result as I think most would have settled for a drawn- a point gained not lost surely.
We need 24 points minimum from 60. Very doable if we get our act together, but that has to include an additional CB and another “break the bank” striker.
Come on Jeff, you know it makes sense. We simply can’t afford relegation.
Good news is 33/34 points may be enough given the current points per game for 17th in the table and projecting that forward over 20 games remaining. PPG is usually a reliable indicator. There may be an upsurge amongst those at the bottom and the safety line could then increase to 35/36 or 36/37 points. At the moment 33/34 would do it. The lowest ever to stay up was our friends down the A41 who did it on 34 points under Bryan Robson. I predicted 1-1 last night and I would have taken a point before kick off. Lots of gloom and doom about Villa being on a great run. Just beat Spurs. But any team we play top 6 down is a team we can look to get points from. Anything from the ‘big 6’ is a bonus. Obviously Wham up next at home is now assuming massive proportions. These are the games we need to get something if we are to survive. Man City Liverpool after that. Just a free hit. Get a point great. 3 points dreamland. For now 7 wins still required. Equals 35 points. A draw or 2 thrown in and 36/37 points on the board. That should be enough the way it’s going AT THE MOMENT !!
Great analysis CoD. We are getting stronger all the time. The last 3 have been miles better, keep that up and our average points will surely up and we will just about reach 40, that will be enough this year. Up the Wolves and sod the Albion they are in trouble despite the latest heroics.
B E A F R A I D. B E V E R Y A F R A I D. Mr Dean on VAR for Liverpool ……. Expect a Wolves goal to be disallowed because a stray sea gull had a shit on Allison just as he was about to catch a ball from a corner.
Simply bugger
Typical ..
Mike Deans reputation is worrying enough … but coming from the Wirral too …. (Or is he a Tranmere fan)
I’ve definitely got a formula to stay up , if I watch the match live we lose if I watch the highlights we get something so no getting up at stupid o’clock in the morning (nz) until it proves me wrong
It was like watching 2 different teams coming out for each half last night.Why can’t we play for 90 mins like we did the first half even though the tempo was still a bit to slow in the build up to create attacks on there goal in the first 45 minutes giving them time to get back to defend and still to many passes sideways. When we’re on top we need to up the tempo and get the ball up field faster and maybe that second goal would have come or more to make the second half more comfortable.
Falling back and trying to defend the second half was never going to work until we get some new additions and once Ings came on I was expecting the worse as the commentator kept reminding us of his scoring record against us and he didn’t let villa down.
Still a point is good although 3 would have been better and it should have been zero if they had taken their last chance ,
Still Onward and upwards (we hope)
And latest news B . Traora is injured and might be out for 2 months just what we don’t need in our fight for survival ,when are we going to get some luck.
The archetypal game of two halves. To be honest, when we didn’t take a two or three goal advantage into the half time break, the second half was always going to be difficult. And so it proved.
I don’t suppose there’s many fans around who don’t complain about their team trying to sit on a second half lead. However, there are two teams on the pitch, one with the lead and one with nothing to lose.
The team which is losing can move their team higher up the pitch in an attempt to pull the game back. However the team which is leading will get no thanks for leaving opposition forwards unmarked simply because it entails defending deep in their own half. Perhaps we should have eschewed any pretence of attacking and simply pulled everyone back to the edge of our box.
The equaliser did come, after all, from a long ball over the top when our back line had pushed up.
Your quote: “However, there are two teams on the pitch, one with the lead and one with nothing to lose.”
Surely the team not in the lead does have something to lose, like conceding a second goal ?
Small fry compared to 2, or three, points.
We looked much better the first half – actually outclassed an “Inform Villa” at home.
Still same on stupid problems we have had for years.
No one to score goals – or be clinical. At this point we should stop playing costa.
Mistakes happen for there goal but we should of been 3 or 4 up in the first 45.
Well looking at the line ups at the Liverpool FA cup game i can honestly say the best we can hope for is a “STEVE MARDENBOUROUGH 1984”.
If fucking Dean is ever in charge of one of our games again . We should refuse to play. Yet again a fuckin shit VAR decision.
I kept looking to see if the ref had changed his shirt from black to red.
What a load of one sided Liverpool decisions, culminating in a good disallowed Wolves goal and an offside allowed Liverpool goal.
JL was right to review these things with the ref at full time.
Oh and welcome to the premier league where big money means everything.
One Collins gaff aside, a brilliant team performance.
But the same old story.
VAR and Mike Dean cheating us out of a win.