Wolverhampton Wanderers were unable to continue their unbeaten run this afternoon as a well-drilled Leicester City side beat them at the King Power Stadium. Wolves now sit eighth in the league having gained 13 points from their opening eight games.
Jamie Vardy scored the only goal of the game in the first half after Max Kilman gave away a harsh penalty due to a handball. The penalty was given as James Justin’s cross, struck the young Englishman’s hand from a close distance. After a VAR review, the referee pointed to the spot for the penalty, which was then converted by Vardy.
Rayan Aït-Nouri gave away a second penalty after a rash challenge on James Justin, however Vardy couldn’t convert this one as it was saved by the legs of Rui Patricio. This goal would have sealed the game for Leicester, as Wolves looked by far the weaker side in the first half. As the game went on Wolves grew into it, as they have done so many times under Nuno Espirito Santo. Chances were being created left, right and centre but Wolves could not find a way through.
The closest Wolves came was a shot from Ruben Neves from outside the area, which was tipped over by Kasper Schmeichel as he pulled out a fantastic stop.
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Goalkeeper and Defenders
Rui Patricio – 7 – Patricio didn’t have a bad game at all, in fact he was one of the stand out players for Wolves. His fantastic penalty save to deny Jamie Vardy a second goal kept his side in the game. As the game went on, Patricio wasn’t really troubled and looked assured whenever the ball came near him.
Max Kilman – 6 – Max Kilman was the culprit of a harsh penalty decision to give away the penalty that ultimately won Leicester City the game. Apart from that Kilman looked good on the ball as he always does, and defended decently as did the rest of the Wolves side.
Conor Coady – 7 – Coady put in a solid performance in the game, as he controlled the Wolves back line that was in large parts very solid. The only thing that was lacking from Coady’s performance was the long diagonal passes that we know he can hit to get Wolves going on their attacks.
Willy Boly – 6 – The French man-mountain also put in a solid performance as he won the majority of his headers and stopped most of the threat that Leicester City posed. He didn’t make any major errors, although he didn’t have much to do in the game apart from defend which he did well.
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Midfielders
Nelson Semedo – 6 – A pretty standard game from Nelson Semedo as he looked good going forward and solid at the back. After having question marks about his defensive ability, Semedo has slowly but surely developed and adapted to English football. Semedo was quiet going forward today, but defensively he did his job and helped out the back three.
Ruben Neves – 7 – The man that came closest to unlocking the Leicester City door as his shot that was going towards the top corner forced a brilliant save from Kasper Schmeichel. Neves moved the ball quickly when he had it in the midfield and aided the defence well throughout the game.
Leander Dendonker – 7 – Dendonker has been Wolves’ lucky charm this season, as they had not lost a game in the games that he had featured in, until today. Dendonker wasn’t noticeable in the game, which is mostly a good thing for a defensive midfielder.
Rayan Aït-Nouri – 4 – After having the dream debut in the Premier League, scoring a goal and keeping a clean sheet, this game was quite the opposite for the young Frenchman. Defensively he looked shaky, giving away a penalty and going forward he didn’t have as much of an impact as he did against Palace and that a lot of Wolves fans thought he would have.
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Forwards
Pedro Neto – 6 – One of Wolves’ most improved and influential players this season looked to help the Midlands side find a way through again today. Neto was decent, and looked to be up for the game from the off as he made a surging run down the wing inside the first minute. However, he didn’t have much more luck in the game, as his only notable involvement was a well-stuck shot from the edge of the box, which Schmeichel held onto well.
Daniel Podence – 6 – When Podence is on it, and is playing his best football, he is almost unplayable but however this was not the case for Wolves today. Podence showed signs of wizardry as he created chances for Neto and Jimenez, but wasn’t able to break through himself and create a clear cut chance.
Raul Jimenez – 6 – Similarly to Neto and Podence, Jimenez didn’t have a bad game, he just didn’t have a good one. Everyone in the league knows how dangerous Jimenez can be when he has a good game but today just wasn’t his day. He struggled for chances and ended up being moved to the left hand side as Fabio Silva came on and played centrally. If the Wolves front three had had a good game, the result would probably have been much different, but it just wasn’t meant to be for Wolves today.
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Substitutes:
Adama Traore – 5 – A man that Wolves look to when they want to unlock the opposition door, and a man that usually holds the key to that door, Adama Traore. Today however, he didn’t have that key and he didn’t put in a performance to write home about. Traore replaced Podence on the hour mark, and apart from a couple of runs trying to beat the back line of Leicester, didn’t really make any impact at all.
Fabio Silva (for Neto, 79’) – N/A
Marcal (for Aït-Nouri, 76’) – N/A