Mikey Burrows was back presenting on home soil and joined by former full-backs Andy Thompson and Lee Naylor, who saw Wolves miss big chances, but remain grateful for Jose Sa’s late penalty save.
Post-match, the trio spoke on a number of topics, including missed opportunities, full-backs adapting and other options available to Bruno Lage during the latest episode of Matchday Live Extra.
On missing out on the win
Thompson said: “There were some good opportunities in the first-half, but a bit of hesitation, confidence in front of goal, whatever reason it was, we still didn’t score. We want to score that perfect goal, we want an extra touch, and we’ve said this before, how much time are you going to get in the penalty area? It’s disappointing in a way. I thought the second-half, the quality wasn’t great. Some basic errors with the passing, which allowed Fulham to be quite comfortable.”
Naylor said: “When you don’t take early opportunities, you’re making it harder for yourself, from all aspects, the fans, your teammates, the coaching area. We need to take early chances, we should have been one or two up in the first-half but went in for the break 0-0 and came out quite scrappy. Fortunately, Sa was on his game second-half, because he made the save from the penalty and De Cordova-Reid and kept us in it.”
On the attacking options
Naylor said: “I think Gibbs-White is different because the boy loves to shoot. If he has an opportunity, he’s shooting. You saw it last season for Sheff Utd, any opportunity he had, he shot. That’s the hesitation in the Wolves camp at the minute, having the shot at goal – taking your chance when it’s there. Testing their keeper at some point in the game. If you put Morgan up there, he has two or three opportunities, he’ll get his shot off more than most. He’s got it in him to adapt, if I’m the manager, I’m putting him up front because he’s different to the rest.”
Thompson said: “I know they’re looking at the rotation, people changing positions, but I think you need somebody up there to play on their last man or get hold of the ball. Whoever is up there has to try and retain possession of the ball. We got the one against Leeds with Podence, but you’re only going to get a limited number of chances in this league, and you’ve got to take them. The problem we’ve had is converting opportunities when we get them, and they won’t come much more clear-cut than the one Neto had in the first-half. People have got to add goals all over the pitch, we can’t just look at the centre forward, everybody has to contribute.”
Good to be back home! On to the next one! 👊🏽 pic.twitter.com/V3lQkZB41r
— Morgan Gibbs-White (@Morgangibbs27) August 14, 2022
On the full-backs adapting
Thompson said: “The penalty’s come from thinking we had more time than we did, you’ve got to do things quick. If you’re playing four at the back, you’ve got to have four players who can defend. It’s a bonus going forward, and that is what a full-back does now in the game, but your first objective is to defend. I think the second goal against Leeds came because our back line wasn’t dropped off enough. Today, we want too much time on the ball and we’re not going to get it. In this league, those two areas, the penalty boxes are vital because teams will let you have the ball in your back third and the middle, it’s when you get into the danger area there’s problems. I know they’re not going to be as advanced as when we play three at the back, but you’ve got to join in down your side, get in there and help them. It’s hard getting there and back on a hot day, but the quality was missing in various areas of the pitch.”
Naylor said: “For me, I think it’s a concentration thing. He’s got the pace and can defend, but the minute you switch off in the Premier League, somebody scores or you give them an opportunity, that’s what happened in the last game and today.”
On Traore being an option
Naylor said: “The movement in front should be good enough to get him in. I saw it today, the movement was quality to get three or four people in on goal, one being Neto when he should have scored. Great movement, great interchange. You put Traore through, nobody’s catching him. When you look for somebody to create, he was the one doing what people asked for, he got in behind and caused problems, getting a cross from nowhere, a goal from nothing, he can create on his own. Just use him, he’s here, he’s in your building.”
Thompson said: “At the end of the day, he’s got something which everybody wants, lightening pace. It doesn’t matter if it’s Liverpool, Man City, he’s an asset to have. He’ll cause a problem for anybody. If you can get him and his head right, on his game, he’ll cause anybody a problem. I’m hoping we can. It’s such a waste if you’re not going to use him, because he’s got something nobody else has got.”
On the Man of the Match
Thompson said: “It’s got to be one of the centre halves, Collins or Kilman for me. I thought the two of them did well against Mitrovic. They defended well against him, kept him quiet, so one of those. I’ve seen him bully centre halves and the two of them did well against him.”
Naylor said: “Dendoncker played well as well I thought. But I’ll go for Kilman.”
Clean sheet on his home debut.
— Wolves (@Wolves) August 14, 2022
Well played, Nathan! 👏 pic.twitter.com/zDuyG7iYr7
