Wolves Fans' Verdict v Sheffield United: An underwhelming victory

Clive Smith

Everything you could say about this game has been said before, several times during the season. Except one – well done Jose, a nice finish.

Another poor game where our better performers were in defence. They earned the clean sheet, winning numerous headers, getting in good blocks and not diving into dangerous challenges. Semedo and MOTM Ait-Nouri often showed attacking intent and it was no surprise that our goal came from that source.

Our forwards never really clicked effectively, spending too much time coming towards the ball in midfield rather than being in possession in the final third. After doing the hard graft it was frustrating not to have put the game to bed once Silva had come on. At least three clear chances were wasted as Sheffield United pushed forward looking for an equaliser. Being clinical and ruthless in front of goal is one of the items already on the list of things to improve next season.

We are down to the bare bones regarding team selection so we have to hope the commitment and professionalism of the players is there through to the end of the season. Fifty points is achievable and would be an achievement given the circumstances surrounding the season.

Rob Cartwright

Wolves are down to the bare bones now, so the team selected was the predictable, safe option.

I still think five at the back is our best option, as long as it’s used as an attacking formation with wing-backs playing high up the pitch. This was far too cautious and made for a dull Saturday night's viewing.

Podence is still finding fitness and looks a long way short. The midfield two of Moutinho and Dendoncker were very disappointing and stamped no authority on the game. Dendoncker was poor. His only venture into the opposition box helped create the confusion in defence which led to our goal. He could do this much more often.

A tepid first half was easily forgotten. A Boly back-heel was our closest chance on goal.

Ait-Nouri also had an effort on goal. Sheffield had done little, so it was 0-0 at the break.

Sheffield had the first real chance of the second half when Stevens shot was blocked by the impressive Semedo, just before the hour.

Wolves immediately scored a very good goal, on the break. Semedo played out to Podence. He passed to Dendoncker who moved it wide to Traore. He took on the full back and crossed low into the six yard box where both Jose and Dendoncker were waiting. Jose finally got his goal.

Patricio tipped a good shot over the bar, from Stevens, but there was little to suggest Sheffield would go down fighting. Saiss had a good chance saved late on.

Ait-Nouri, Semedo and Traore were stand out players. In reality, Coady, Boly and Saiss had little to worry about. Sheffield are poor up front and Patricio had just the one save to make. Vitinha and Silva had less than 20 minutes. I’d like to see more of both players now. My Man of the Match was Semedo.

A welcome win and clean sheet, but nothing to get excited about.

John Lalley

Rarely can any Premier League victory have given such minimal satisfaction. You don’t expect much from Wolves these days and they don’t deliver much either.

It truly does take some doing to make a hapless Sheffield United appear to be an efficient and well-drilled outfit; Wolves dubiously obliged but somehow got away with it.

Once again, another dull and featureless first-half was allowed to meander along with Wolves sterile in attack offering no meaningful pressure on a team hopelessly adrift at the bottom of the table. The entire forty-five minutes were simply excruciating; Wolves were infuriatingly ponderous, stilted and numbingly predictable.

My word, we’ve read this same tedious script so often this season. Finally, after a whole hour of frustration, we somehow manufactured a delightful and deserved goal for Jose.

After the travesty of his disallowed effort at Fulham, at least this small milestone is a cause for a modicum of pleasure. He’s shown the patience of Job; he’s kept on trying and been a good professional and this morsel is the least that he deserves.

Instead of ramming home the advantage, we allowed Sheffield United to virtually dominate the remainder of the game. Frequently, Wolves were stretched, unable to clear their lines and resorting to conceding free-kicks which mercifully were invariably delivered poorly. Weak finishing and one fine save from Patricio finally spared our blushes.

In the final minutes, with the Blades pushing forward and resultantly short of defensive numbers, Saiss wasted a glorious opportunity from close range and Traore and Fabio showed a lack of composure when well placed.

You had to keep reminding yourself that this was the palpably worst team in the Premier League coming within a whisker of embarrassing us. For Wolves the final whistle came as a relief; for Sheffield it signalled relegation.

Performances akin to this one come next season will see us as candidates to join them. Big close season at Molineux; some pedigree new blood needs to be infused. There’s no future playing this way.

Russ Evers

Well, that was a first for many of us, seeing sunburn then frostbite in the beer gardens as Wolves confirmed the relegation of Sheffield United.

Not the greatest game but certainly a great goal and we had more chances to make the scoreline more flattering.

In the end, another victory with a clean sheet and we are above the 40-point mark with half a dozen games left.

Traore was at the heart of everything we did attacking-wise and a lot rested on his shoulders with the absences of Neto and Neves alongside the long-term losses.

All in all, we did enough and with half a side, that ain't too bad.