Brentford 5-3 Wolves: Desperate defensive display costs visitors dearlypublished at 18:17 5 October
Matthew Howarth
BBC Sport journalist
Manager Gary O’Neil defended his team after last weekend’s defeat at home to Liverpool, but Wolves can have no complaints with the outcome at the Gtech Community Stadium after a desperate display left the visitors still searching for their first Premier League win of the campaign.
O’Neil’s side responded well to Brentford’s first two goals – replying first through Matheus Cunha, then Jorgen Strand Larsen – but their efforts were undermined by some truly woeful defending for the Bees’ subsequent two first-half efforts.
Lemina conceded possession far too easily in the build-up to Christian Norgaard’s strike, while nobody in a Wolves shirt picked up Ethan Pinnock from Mikkel Damsgaard’s corner in first-half stoppage time, giving the defender time and space to put Brentford 4-2 ahead.
The half-time whistle was met by a chorus of boos from Wolves’ travelling supporters, who have now seen their team concede 21 goals in just seven games this season – two more than relegated Sheffield United had at this stage last term.
Goalkeeper Sam Johnstone denied Pinnock again in the second half as Brentford continued to carve out the better openings, and Schade should have done better when he shot straight at the Wolves keeper prior to Fabio Carvalho's late finish.
The last time Wolves picked up only one point from their opening seven games of a league season was 60 years ago, when they ended up finishing second bottom in the old First Division.