Wolves 3 Leicester City (R) 0: An informal Foxes forfeit
In case you were hopeful that relegation, or Jamie Vardy’s departure announcement may have lifted the fear and inspired Leicester City to score, win or do something, there was no need. The Foxes were as soft and ineffective as ever.
This 3-0 loss, an informal forfeit based on the nothing burger of a performance was another one for the history books, hurray.
If the performance against Liverpool inspired some false hope that perhaps Leicester City were going to start putting in some more competent performances and maybe pick up some points, the trip to Molineux was a slap in the face to bring us all back to the grim reality we’re stuck in.
One in which time seems to be moving so very slowly.
With relegation confirmed last week, this was a chance for those in charge and on the pitch to show that they’ve got more to them, that perhaps they could rustle up some personal pride. More fool us for even hoping for such fun.
From minute one it was clear that only one team was trying to win the game. Wolves could sport the on the beach attitude but they look hungry for more. Perhaps leaving Manchester United crying in the dust behind you helps.
In case you haven't read or heard this twenty times already, it’s worth repeating that when the two teams met in December, Wolves were 5 points behind Leicester. There’s a number of key moments you can pinpoint our downfall on, and several of them came before the first ball was even kicked, but the meeting at the King Power lingers on.
Ruud van Nistelrooy inexplicably decided, and nobody thought to overrule him, that playing Danny Ward was the right option. In a huge, six point relegation clash.
Taking stock now, perhaps to suggest that Wolves were ever truly in the relegation mix is an insult to them. Because since that wretched day, they’ve gone on to put themselves 25 points clear of us. Vitor Pereira has done exactly what you hope a new manager can. Since his appointment, only Liverpool and Newcastle have won more. The anti-Ruud appointment.
From the outside, this probably looks like a ‘big’ week for Leicester City as talks between those at the top and RvN will start over his future and next season. But we all know we probably won’t sack him because surely we’d have just done it already and not put ourselves through yet another bizarre lineup and set of substitutions.
Gameweek 34’s word is ‘why’. Because there's still 4 more games to go, lads. Can you at least pretend you aren’t all on a beach in Dubai / lining up your next club?
Why did we start a lineup where Bobby De Cordova Reid is on the left wing? Why are we now playing Buonanotte again? Why do we not close the opposition down until the 46th minute when we were already behind? Why is Jordan Ayew the chosen sub when BDCR goes off injured? Why don't the defenders and Hermansen communicate with one another as if they train together every day? Why do we just keep setting ridiculous records? Why are we all still watching?
Who wants it
Not Leicester apparently.
It has been clear for months that player for player, Wolves are better than Leicester. It was apparent in the first meeting, the other 3-0 loss and today left no doubt. The game took a few minutes to get going but Wolves brought some impressive passing and made short work of navigating our multitude of weaknesses.
The difference in approach could be summed up by Wilfred Ndidi not bothering to try and get to an attacking pass from Ayew compared to the Wolves defender who ran flat out to deny us a goal kick with them 2-0 up. It was clear which team wanted it and which team just want the season to end so they can have a nice holiday and forget all about it.
It’s one thing to be outclassed and aware that your team just isn’t as good as the opponent but when even the commentators were lambasting the Foxes for their lack of movement and willingness to chase the ball, you’ve got problems. There’s a difference between being relegated and playing like you’re entirely hopeless and there’s nothing left to aim for, not even pride.
The first half inevitably felt like Ruud’s lineup were just waiting for Wolves to score, given that’s happened first 29 times out of 34, the odds were in their favour. The pressure, the goal threats were in the Leicester box. Their hunger to attack and score was damning in comparison to ours.
Already boosted by having won five games in a row, Wolves looked confident, but they didn’t need to push themselves too hard. The Leicester players stood off them consistently, allowing them time and space to pick their pass and punish. That their opening goal took 33 minutes was maybe the only surprise.
When the goal came, it was well worked by Wolves but naive and frustrating again for van Nistelrooy’s men. Rayan Ait Nouri, arguably one of the more exciting prospects they have, wandered all the way up the pitch unopposed and it was a simple finish for Cunha.
Not content with fighting off the opposition, the Leicester defence seemed determined to make life difficult for each other too. Wout Faes tried a back pass that left Mads Hermansen exposed. He had to rush his clearance, hitting Larsen and fortunately the rebounding ball was slow enough for the Dane to recover.
Hermansen didn’t cover himself in glory in this game either, rushing out on several occasions and being fortunate not to concede from them, along with nearly being chipped. Again. Time and time again, we were too easy to get behind and allowed the likes of Cunha and Ait Nouri, who combined so well for the opener, too much space.
There was a small uptake in aggression and effort in the second half for the first few minutes. Kasey McAteer, one of three half time substitutes, pressed more than any other player had prior but his efforts came to little.
The other substitutes made for more head-scratching. McAteer only on for Buonanotte because the Argentine suffered a concussion. Oliver Skipp for Boubakary Soumare and James Justin for Ricardo Pereira felt like shuffling the deck just to be seen to be doing something.
The Vardy farewell party pt. 1
A lot of the usual pre-match build up paled into insignificance given our relegation and the announcement from The Goat this week. The focus was on whether he can get 2 more goals to have scored 200 in Leicester colours, and what else he can do in case these last few games at Leicester are also the last in the Premier League for him.
It was a torrid start to the farewell party then. He struggled for touches, very few coming in the box, the usual issues with us getting forward and giving him any service, alongside the flow of the game.
When he forced the contact with Jose Sa and was awarded a penalty, goal 199 felt a little closer. But it’s not been that kind of season. Vardy’s penalty strike lacked its usual power and it was directed straight at Sa who looked vindicated, he’d protested the award of the foul.
Whether we’ll see another goal from the Goat or a suitably rustling celebration towards home fans seems unclear. The best chances we had at Wolves were a header from Conor Coady in the first half or a shot from Bilal El Khannouss in the second. The goal kick from that led to the second goal for the home side which sums up our season pretty well.
The Wolves fans certainly enjoyed having potentially their last chance to insult Vardy’s wife and sing about her, alongside celebrating the saved penalty. Given she was socialising in the away end, sure she enjoyed singing how he’s won more than Wolves in response.
It’s a shame that Vardy’s departure has to coincide with our descent, a legend deserves a better ending than relegation in a team who just keep setting unwanted records, but reminiscing will focus on the glory days, as it should.
For the club, it ensures the Ipswich game to wrap up the season at home will be a more happy occasion, a tribute to him rather than a final chance to finally show the discontent that the club deserve. For now, we’re all just on a slow march toward that day.
With just four games left before the final farewell, we really need the Goat to give us something to celebrate. A reason to keep watching.
