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6 hours ago
5
The wait goes on and on for Vítor Pereira and Wolves. Not since 26 April – 189 days to be precise – have the beleaguered Portuguese manager and his team tasted victory in the Premier League and that never looked like changing on yet another afternoon when nothing seemed to go their way.
From the moment Ryan Sessegnon put Fulham ahead in the ninth minute, there was little prospect of Marco Silva’s side not going on to end their run of four straight defeats – especially when Emmanuel Agbadou was sent off towards the end of the first half. Harry Wilson and a disastrous own goal from substitute Yerson Mosquera made sure of the points after the break to leave Pereira sweating over his future.
Patience must surely be wearing thin despite the board’s previous willingness to back the manager who steered them to safety so impressively last season. “You’re getting sacked in the morning,” came the chants from the travelling supporters way before a cacophony of boos at the final whistle.
After arguing with them following the late defeat to Burnley last week, Pereira insisted beforehand he has the tools at his disposal to save Wolves from their predicament. But while they refused to buckle after Agbadou’s dismissal, on this evidence they do not possess the quality to hurt teams and have a defence that is haemorrhaging goals.
Given their recent poor form that culminated in last week’s defeat to Newcastle, Fulham could not have asked for better opponents. There had been a backlash against the club’s decision to use midfielder Sander Berge to try to persuade supporters to snap up remaining tickets for this game, with many pointing out online that seats for adults in the newly developed Riverside stand cost more than £100. Plenty of empty seats were still on show when the teams emerged for kick off but the home side appeared determined to put their poor run behind them.
Only West Ham have conceded more goals than Wolves in the first nine matches and it didn’t take long for Fulham to go ahead. Santiago Bueno’s attempted interception from Calvin Bassey’s pass diverted the ball straight into the path of Raúl Jiménez and Sessegnon was sent clear to score. Cue the first choruses of “You don’t know what you’re doing” from the away end.
There is a nervousness about this Wolves team that suggests not everyone is fully aware of their responsibilities – perhaps a legacy of Pereira having used 23 different players in this campaign. Fulham may not have found their rhythm from the first half of last season just yet, although club record signing Kevin has given them an extra spark of creativity. Wilson almost scored at the back post after the Brazilian had started the move, with Wolves just about hanging on for dear life. Their chances of salvaging something from this game were significantly reduced when Agbadou was shown a straight red card for halting Josh King’s progress into the penalty area, even if replays seemed to suggest the Fulham midfielder may have used his arm to control the initial pass. Yet had Jørgen Strand Larsen been able to connect with Ki-Jana Hoever’s cross just before the break then Wolves would have headed in on level terms.
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Pereira rang the changes for the second half with a triple substitution, including the arrival of João Gomes to stiffen up the midfield. The majority of those who did shell out for tickets in the Riverside stand would have missed Kenny Tete forcing Sam Johnstone into a full stretch save with a curling effort from distance as Fulham went for the kill. Once again, Jiménez was heavily involved against his former club as the Mexican made space for Berge to shoot before Wilson unerringly curled home the rebound.
Johnstone kept out another stinging effort from Wilson but Fulham didn’t have to wait long for a third as Sessegnon’s cross deflected in off first Johnstone, then Vladislav Krejci and finally the unfortunate Mosquera for an own goal that summed up the dire situation Wolves find themselves in.
