Lee Naylor came to the defence of one Wolves player after last night’s Carabao Cup defeat to Chelsea.
Wanderers fell to a 4-3 loss against the Blues at Molineux, paying the price for a poor first-half.
But Vitor Pereira – who shouldered responsibility for the first-half performance – was pleased with the fight his Wolves players showed in the second-half, as they nearly mounted a comeback.
Sadly, Wolves just couldn’t quite get back into, with the Jamie Gittens goal giving Wolves too much to do in the end.
But there were certainly positives to take heading into Saturday’s Premier League game with Fulham.
But it wasn’t such a good night for Fer Lopez, who was back starting again for Wolves for the first time in a few weeks.
He was taken off at half-time, but after the game Lee Naylor expressed his sympathy for the young Spaniard.
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Lee Naylor defends Fer Lopez after tough night for Wolves against Chelsea
Lopez started for Wolves on the right side, but then moved central alongside Joao Gomes following a reshuffle midway through the first-half, with Emmanuel Agbadou dropping back into the defence.
At one point, Lopez showed for the ball close to his own box.
It’s an area of the pitch he doesn’t find himself very often, and his inexperience showed.
Lopez had his pocket picked, and Chelsea scored through Estevao, who chipped the ball over Jose Sa.
After the game, Naylor stuck up for Lopez on Matchday Live Extra.
Andy Thompson was critical of Jose Sa, saying the goalkeeper should not have fed Lopez the ball under pressure and instead punted it long.
Naylor replied: “I feel sorry for him in a way because he was trying all night, Fer Lopez.
“It wasn’t coming off for him. But when it wasn’t coming off for him, he was trying to rectify things. I don’t mind that. I actually don’t mind him trying to do things.
“Yeah, he messed up, Everyone messes up. But he hasn’t played much football, and I’m not here to make excuses for players, but game time helps.”
Vitor Pereira did Fer Lopez no favours against Chelsea
Lopez struggled against Chelsea, of that there is no doubt. But he really wasn’t helped.
Lopez had not started for Wolves since against Leeds United on September 20, and he was also hooked at half-time in that game. Since then, only a mere 15-minute cameo against Sunderland has followed in the Premier League.
He has not had an opportunity to build any rhythm, and so it was perhaps little wonder that Lopez struggled to impose himself against Chelsea.
Him playing as a deep-lying midfielder was never going to work, and Sa should have known better than to give an inexperienced player in an alien position the ball that he did.
Hopefully the players and Pereira himself will rally around Lopez after his tough night – it’s vital that this young man’s confidence does not take too much of a hit.