Alan Shearer has been left confused by something that Wolves keep doing after watching them in action against Chelsea on Wednesday night.
The Old Gold went 3-0 down in the first half but did put up a fight in the second 45 as they mounted a comeback, but the tie ultimately ended in a 4-3 defeat.
However, it could have been a famous Molineux upset if they were at it from the very first whistle.
While the attempts at a comeback were admirable, and there were some good displays – with Pereira singling Toti Gomes’ second-half performance out as his ‘best level’ in particular – it does not feel like it has done much to change the attitude among fans.
Now, Alan Shearer has said Wolves were their own worst enemy against the Blues.
Alan Shearer on Wolves playing out from the back
Defensive issues are a big concern right now, with Wolves having conceded 24 goals from just 12 games in all competitions.
Chris Sutton believes this level of conceding is a problem at Wolves for their hopes of surviving, and Alan Shearer thinks they did themselves no favours against Chelsea, in which they conceded four goals.
Speaking on the Rest Is Football podcast, Shearer questioned their choice to continuously play the ball in their own half amid unrest from the crowd.
Shearer said, “You know, you’ve got to sometimes try and help yourselves. I look at Wolves, and they’re 2-0 down at home getting booed. And they’re just like, well, some of their play out from the back was like, what are you doing?”
There is some merit behind his opinion, as two out of the four goals they conceded came from sloppily giving the ball away in their own half.
The third goal was particularly egregious, with Fer Lopez receiving a short pass from Jose Sa just outside Wolves’ box.
Lopez lost control of the ball, and it allowed Andrey Santos to intercept before Estevao ran onto the loose ball to put Chelsea 3-0 up.
Right now, the Wanderers, as Shearer said, are not helping themselves, and perhaps it would be better for them to take a more pragmatic approach to get some points on the board.
Wolves could go more direct
It is the season of long balls, long throws and set pieces, and with Wolves having issues building out from defence, it could be time to go even more direct.
Interestingly, the Wanderers top the list for accurate long balls per match at 25.7 often, but they should tone down the amount of passes they make in and around their own box.
Perhaps a front two of Tolu Arokodare and Jorgen Strand Larsen could work, with the other chasing the knock-on, and the midfielders picking up the second ball.
The team could be better suited to quick attacks rather than sustained play, as right now, they keep making too many errors.