Wolves suffered yet another defensive debacle over the weekend, this time against Crystal Palace, where they conceded two soft goals in what was considered a crucial match for the team. Despite high hopes for a victory, they walked away only with a draw against the Eagles at Molineux.
The first goal was gifted to Palace when Trevoh Chalobah took advantage of a miscommunication between Jose Sa and Jorgen Strand Larsen. Wolves, however, displayed resilience by equalizing through Larsen and then taking the lead with a goal from Joao Gomes.
Unfortunately, as has become a common theme this season, Wolves failed to hold on to their lead due to lapses in defense. Lee Naylor singled out Goncalo Guedes for criticism following Marc Guehi’s equalizer for Palace.
Defensive frailties have plagued Wolves this season, with a staggering 27 goals conceded, six more than the next worst team in the defensive rankings, Ipswich Town. The inability to defend set-pieces has been a glaring issue, prompting the recent dismissal of set-piece coach Jack Wilson.
The team’s struggles with set-pieces have been particularly concerning, as they have yielded several goals from such situations. Despite Guedes being called out for his defensive lapse, the collective defensive performance of Wolves has been subpar, with errors not limited to just one player.
As Wolves seek to address their defensive woes, the calls for improvement, especially in dealing with set-pieces, grow louder. The team must rectify these issues swiftly, with the hope of salvaging their Premier League campaign and avoiding further setbacks.
