Joining Mikey Burrows was co-commentator and former-Wolves full-back Andy Thompson, as well as pundits in the form of ex-old gold players Carl Ikeme and Dave Edwards, who analysed the narrow loss to the Hammers at Molineux.
Also joining the panel ahead of kick-off were special guests including former West Ham defender Paul Konchesky and Wolves Women manager Dan McNamara, as the team discussed the women’s passage into the third round of the FA Cup this weekend as well as Nuno’s hand being forced to change to a back four.
On Jonny reinjuring his knee
Thompson said: “It’s a major blow. He came back into the side and you could see there was a difference with him playing at full-back.
“For him personally, this is a massive blow for him. After working so hard to get back into it, he’s injured the same knee again, so that’s going to put him out for another six/seven months and will be a big loss for us.”
Edwards added: “At the moment, our thoughts are with Jonny and we’re hoping it’s not as serious as what it sounds, because it will be difficult for him to go through the same process having just come back from a big injury. Fingers crossed it’s not as bad as everyone’s expecting.”
Wishing a speedy recovery to Jonny Otto who will begin a period of rehabilitation after injuring both his ACL and MCL.
— Wolves (@Wolves) April 5, 2021
We're with with you every step of the way, @JonnyOtto19.
💛 pic.twitter.com/mX0p5iBRb9
On late switching from a back five to back four
Edwards said: “It will be difficult, but they’ve played it before. The likes of ‘Coads’ and Romain Saiss will know how to adapt to it, and it does give Wolves a very exciting look up front. It’s great to have Podence back, I think that’s a massive boost.
“A 4-3-2-1 against West Ham, a side who isn’t really going to dominate possession against us, and I think it will set up the tie nicely.”
Ikeme added: “It’s going to be difficult without Jonny because we’ve seen a massive change in the defence since he came back, we were singing his praises since he has come back as well. We’ve all devastated for him.
“This system is an exciting front going forward but there is always going to be discussions when it comes to the defence. Missing Boly is also unfortunate, but Romain Saiss has done pretty well this season.”
On going three goals behind
Ikeme said: “I don’t know where to start! It was poor. Poor in some aspects, and brilliant in others. It’s quite a strange way to describe the way the half went.
“The defending was awful. I don’t think there’s any other words you could use to describe it. It reminded me of when the first-team used to play the youth team, and they were just cutting through us easily and as soon as they went forward it looked like they were going to score every time. There was a bit of naiveté. For the third goal, Lingard had already got through us twice, I just wanted someone to take him down and get the yellow card.”
Edwards said: “It was absolute criminal defending. We talked before the game about West Ham not being a possession-based team and they were going to be counter-attacking so Wolves needed to be set-up for that. But this was just complete anti-Nuno. From there – fair play to West Ham – a great run by Lingard, a clever run by Antonio, and Wolves didn’t learn from it.”
Some finish, @Silva_Fabio 👏 pic.twitter.com/Hh5YHwkZZL
— Wolves (@Wolves) April 5, 2021
On fighting back, but not doing enough
Ikeme said: “You can’t concede three goals in a game and expect to get anything from it. In the second-half we huffed and puffed but didn’t really create many opportunities.
“I thought Fabio took his goal brilliantly, but I felt like we didn’t get Neto or Traore running at the West Ham defence from their 18-yard line. Ultimately, it was the first-half that cost us. It’s disappointing to concede three goals the way we did, and with Jonny being out and Boly not being able to play, it’s a huge miss.”
Edwards added: “In general, it was just a pretty bad night for Wolves. The news of Jonny was really disappointing coming into the game, Willy Boly probably missing a couple of weeks now, and hopefully Moutinho isn’t going to be too bad.
“Backed up with that opening 20 minutes, half-an-hour, that set the tone up for the rest of the evening and it’s disappointing to start a game the way we did. They just gave themselves too much to do.”
On positives to take from the game
Edwards said: “It was a better second-half, but I always felt that West Ham were comfortable. They never really looked like they were that much in trouble and had chances themselves with better decision making on the counter-attack.
“The one plus is Fabio Silva to get his goal. I thought he took that really well. A lovely ball by Neto, a perfect first touch, and that was a finish of a striker who is feeling confident. It was great for him, but all came too little, too late for Wolves.”
Ikeme added: “There were a few positives, scoring two, and Fabio scoring his goal, Podence coming back, but we’re disappointed with the first-half display.”
✅ Four months without football
— Wolves (@Wolves) April 4, 2021
✅ Regroup after null and void x2
✅ A first class performance for 120 minutes
✅ Nerves of steel in the shoutout
✅ Knocked out a team from the league above
✅ Third round for the first time since 2015@WolvesWomen - INCREDIBLE!!!
💛💛💛💛💛 pic.twitter.com/FY7EyDJhzN
On a stunning penalty shootout win for Wolves Women
McNamara said: “You can probably hear it in my voice that it’s still not fully come back! But it was a fantastic occasion for the Women and Girls programme yesterday, and it was amazing to be able to get it out there to all those fans who tuned in.
“I try to take the pressure of the girls, but it’s always there. All the cameras that were there before we turned up – it’s usually just my video camera that is up! But it was just a fantastic occasion. I said to them in the dressing room that I wanted them to take the statement that we had nothing to prove, but everything to show, out onto the pitch.
“I thought we did that in abundance and the girls were absolutely fantastic, rose to the occasion and gave themselves a really good show, to what was a really healthy audience.”
To rewatch the latest Matchday Live Extra show from Monday, click here.
