WOLVES ARE A CLASS ACT
30 shots on goal . . . only Joe Hart keeps the score respectable
The scoreline may suggest a close encounter but there was a gulf between these teams.
For Wolves, a first Premier League win at Molineux since December 2011 was claimed with their most complete performance of the campaign so far, the type of display that bodes well for dreams of a european trip next season.
Burnley might provide a cautionary note in that regard. They have been getting their passports stamped since July but are struggling to cope in the Premier League. A new domestic record of one draw, four defeats shows the potential perils of over-achieving and they sit bottom of the table after West ham’s win at everton.
Ambition should always be applauded and Burnley’s seventhplace finish last season was a magnificent culmination of hard work, clear thought and consistency.
But they are in danger of undoing all that effort this campaign. This was a first Sunday match without a preceding europa League tie, yet they played as if they had just arrived back from Baku.
The traits we associate with a Sean Dyche team were once again absent — they were dishevelled defensively and absent of aggression in attack — and it seems inevitable a long relegation battle looms.
Burnley have only scored three goals in five games and never looked likely to find the net here. There were ironic cheers in the 90th minute when a tame effort by Johann Berg Gudmundsson rolled into the arms of Rui Patricio. It was the most the Wolves goalkeeper had been worked all game.
At the other end Joe hart was constantly under pressure as Burnley’s defence creaked under the weight of Wolves attacks. Nuno espirito Santo’s side should have scored more — they registered 30 shots in the Premier League for the first time — but will be satisfied to have secured back-to-back wins taking them into the top half of the table, one point behind the likes of Manchester United, Tottenham and Arsenal.
‘I am very, very satisfied,’ said Nuno. ‘We played good football. If there is a but, we could be more clinical. But if we can continue to make these many chances, it makes me very proud.’
Dyche tried to put a positive gloss on matters, undoubtedly protecting players who have previously given so much, but the statistics are alarming. Burnley have conceded 10 goals already, when last season that number was only reached after 13 games, and since April they have picked up three points from a possible 30.
Dyche said: ‘We knew they were a good side. We got some nice blocks in and looked more like ourselves defensively.
‘Attacking- wise there was nowhere near enough. We are in a bit of a fog at the moment. Collectively we need to get out of it.’
Burnley were playing on a Sunday without having been engaged the previous Thursday, but the refresher made no difference to the way they started at Molineux.
In past outings against Fulham and Watford, Dyche’s team conceded inside four minutes and they were sluggish out of the blocks here too.
Wolves were not much more assertive initially it has to be said, but gradually the hosts took a grip of the contest and pinned Burnley back. They had all the first-half chances too, the first coming in the 11th minute when hart smartly palmed away a deep cross by helder Costa that was heading in.
hart was at it again on the halfhour when Diogo Jota burrowed his way to the byline and picked out Raul Jimenez, who shot hard and high. hart flung up a hand to stop. In a quick-fire few seconds James Tarkowski cleared Jimenez’s rebound header and then blocked Jonny Otto’s tame effort with most of the goal gaping. Finally hart saved again from Matt Doherty.
Dyche would surely have laid into his players at the interval but the lethargy continued. Inside the first minute of the restart an awful backpass by Phil Bardsley allowed Jota to race clear. But the Portuguese winger forgot the ball as he checked back so did not put much on his square pass to Jimenez. hart was stranded but with Bardsley racing to atone Jimenez rushed his finish over the bar.
Jota wanted a penalty when felled by a combination of Aaron Lennon and Tarkowski but it would have been soft, yet Wolves scoring only seemed a matter of time. hart saved a classic Ruben Neves longranger, then Jota fired wide.
The breakthrough finally came just after the hour and it was a gorgeous passage of play, the kind Wolves will have worked on in training.
Neves fed Costa, who waited before finding Doherty’s dart into the box. Doherty did well to hold off Gudmundsson and even better to pick out Jimenez free in the middle. The finish was measured and clipped the post before rolling in.
Wolves peppered Burnley’s goal right up to the final moments. Adama Traore drew a save from hart and Doherty ought to have scored when found by Jimenez in another nice move. he screwed his finish wide.
Wolves could afford such profligacy. You feel Burnley will need to take every chance that comes their way to clamber out of their current predicament. WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS (3-4-3): Patricio 6; Bennett 6, Coady 6.5, Boly 6.5; Doherty 7.5, Neves 7.5, Moutinho 7.5, Otto 7; Costa 7 (Traore 66min, 6.5), JIMENEZ 8 (Bonatini 76), Jota 7.5 (Gibbs-White 88). Subs not used: Ruddy, Saiss, Vinagre, Hause. Scorer: Jimenez 61. Booked: Jota, Neves. Manager: Nuno Santo 8. BURNLEY (4-4-2): Hart 7; Bardsley 4, Tarkowski 6.5, Mee 5, Taylor 5; Lennon 5, Hendrick 5 (Westwood 79), Cork 6, Gudmundsson 6; Barnes 5 (Vydra 56, 5), Vokes 5 (Wood 70, 6). Subs not used: Heaton, Lowton, Ward, Long. Booked: Bardsley, Cork, Gudmundsson, Taylor. Manager: Sean Dyche 6. Referee: Andre Marriner 7. Attendance: 30,406.