Wolves slumped to a fifth straight defeat as they were beaten 3-1 by Leeds United at Molineux, with former midfielder Dave Edwards left surprised by his old club’s collapse.
The Old Gold took the lead through Ladislav Krejci, only for Leeds to respond with three goals before the break.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s looping header was followed by Anton Stach’s superb free-kick, which also raised more questions over Jose Sa, before Emmanuel Agbadou’s error gifted the visitors a third.
Despite making three half-time changes, the West Midlands outfit failed to find a route back into the contest.
Edwards was left surprised by Wolves‘ approach after taking the lead against a newly promoted side at Molineux.
Dave Edwards questions Wolves’ passive approach after Ladislav Krejci opener
Pundit Danny Murphy also ripped into Wolves’ defending after their collapse against Leeds.
It was the first time Wolves had taken the lead in a match this season, but their advantage was short-lived as Leeds hit back to claim their first three points on the road.
Edwards criticised Vitor Pereira’s decision to adopt a defensive approach immediately after Wolves went ahead against Leeds
In his Express & Star column, he said: “I did not see it coming after the opening goal, which was a fabulous goal by Ladislav Krejci.
“Wolves had taken the lead for the first time in a game this season. It was against a side that had been really struggling to score goals themselves and struggling for confidence after conceding late against Fulham the week before.
“It was all set up for Wolves, which makes what happened after that goal even more alarming. They became very, very passive. They dropped deep inside their own half and into their shape.”
Vitor Pereira must rethink pragmatic tactics against certain opponents
Following their heavy defeat last weekend, Wolves now face a difficult test in the form of Everton, and Pereira will need to rethink his tactical approach.
His pragmatic style should be reserved for top-six opponents or tough away fixtures, not at home or against newly promoted teams.
A back five is already a cautious setup, but the manager needs to find a way to make it more expressive.
Fans will be frustrated if their team sits back during this cup encounter and will be demanding that their team start on the front foot and dictate the game.
The current Wolves squad is filled with players capable of executing a more adventurous style of football, and they will be hoping Pereira adopts this approach against Everton.