Wolves were beaten again at the weekend – and Lee Naylor has questioned one call Gary O’Neil made against Liverpool.
Wanderers are bottom of the Premier League table after six games played.
Fans are growing concerned, mainly because of the team’s inability to play consistently and take points from promising positions.
Everyone knew it would be a difficult start because of the fixtures.
But Wolves have been disappointing because of the promise they have shown.
Against Liverpool, Wolves actually did OK in parts, playing some nice football. But the second-half approach wasn’t right, especially towards the final stages of the game.
Wolves could not get substitute Hwang Hee-chan into the game, and Lee Naylor has questioned O’Neil on his decision to take off Jorgen Strand Larsen.
Lee Naylor says Jorgen Strand Larsen should not have been taken off against Liverpool
It was a strange performance from Wolves at Molineux on Saturday.
Wolves started positively, but struggled once they got the ball in and around the final third. Some players, like Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, were reluctant to be more direct.
Wolves spent a lot of the time passing the ball in midfield areas and around at the back.
Towards the end, Wolves needed a goal but continued in a similar fashion which frustrated fans and also pundit Gary Neville.
Ideally, Wolves needed a presence up top. Someone to hit to try and apply a bit more pressure.
But O’Neil decided to take that player off in the 68th minute, when Strand Larsen made way for Hwang. The Norwegian looked frustrated as he came off, and former Old Gold full-back Lee Naylor did not think it was the right move.
He said while on punditry duty for Matchday Live Extra: “For me, I don’t bring Larsen off. I put Hwang up top with him. We’re a goal behind, we need points.
“Larsen wasn’t having a bad game. He was putting himself about, that’s what he does! I just thought he needed someone off him and I thought Hwang would have been perfect to play off him. Get the ball forward and play off the big man! What is wrong with that?
Former Wolves full-back Andy Thompson agreed, and understood Strand Larsen’s body language as he made his way off.
Strand Larsen substitution was strange
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Wolves had arguably not used Strand Larsen enough against Liverpool, and when the time came when he could have been really useful, he was no longer on the field.
Wolves needed that big, physical presence in the box in the dying embers of that game.
Instead, Hwang was running around aimlessly and had just four touches of the ball.
Strand Larsen played a part in the equaliser scored by Rayan Ait-Nouri, so it really was a peculiar decision from the manager to take him off when he did.