Wolves were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw against Nottingham Forest with the hosts below par for most of the game.
Forest quickly took the lead at Molineux before Matheus Cunha netted an equaliser mid-way through the first half.
After appearing to dominate after Cunha’s goal, Wolves struggled to get into a rhythm in the second period.
It was a disappointing performance from Gary O’Neil’s side, especially after their win against Burnley in the week.
Looking back on the game, here are four things we learned from the tie.
Wolves started poorly again
Wolves have made a habit recently of going behind in games early on.
This usually comes about from poor defending as well. The backline made a series of mistakes against Forest before they got the opener.
This same issue happened against Spurs, Fulham and Arsenal recently which continues to give O’Neil’s side a mountain to climb.
If the defence could just take out their mistakes, Wolves would have beaten Forest as they did little to really break the hosts down.
Many consistently comment on O’Neil needing a striker, but lately, a new defender seems far more needed in January.
Rayan Ait-Nouri a big miss again
Rayan Ait-Nouri is looking like a more important player for Wolves as each game passes.
After picking up an injury against Fulham, he has been unavailable. This had given Hugo Bueno a chance to stake a claim in the team. However, he has done little to impress.
Against Forest, he struggled to push the side forward and made a series of mistakes that made the left flank vulnerable. The visitor’s goal came directly from his side after his error.
Ait-Nouri had been one of Wolves’ best players before his injury and is undoubtedly missed at the moment. Hopefully, he will be back for West Ham next week.
Matheus Cunha continues his good form
Cunha bagged himself another goal as he slid the ball into the back of the net for the equaliser. It was an easy finish for the attacker but his positioning and composure were needed to finish off the move.
He has now scored three times and collected two assists in his past five games as he looks a lively presence up top.
Wolves fans are now seeing the best of Cunha since his arrival. This is evident with O’Neil’s side now scoring for the 15th Premier League game in a row, the 2nd longest streak in the division.
Fears of Wolves’ goalscoring ability now seem like a thing of the past.
Mario Lemina may well be Wolves’ most important player
As soon as Forest netted the opener, Wolves dominated the first period. The visitors could barely escape their own half as the hosts looked to find a way back into the game.
This can mainly be accredited to Lemina who controlled the middle of the pitch alongside Joao Gomes and quickly mopped up any Forest threats.
The equaliser was mainly thanks to Lemina who played a delicious ball to Pablo Sarabia before Cunha placed it into the net.
After picking up a knock and being forced off in the second period, Wolves lost control of the game until the last 10 minutes. Therefore, Lemina’s presence on the pitch is undoubtedly a highly important aspect of O’Neil’s style.