Bruno Lage admits Wolverhampton Wanderers need to stop gifting their opponents ‘easy chances’ after their Carabao Cup exit to Tottenham Hotspur. Spurs raced into a 2-0 lead at Molineux with goals from Tanguy Ndombele and Harry Kane before Wolves fought back through Leander Dendoncker and Daniel Podence. Nuno Espirito Santo’s side eventually won 3-2 on penalties with Wolves captain Conor Coady missing the decisive spot-kick. Despite a spirited fightback, Lage isn’t happy with the way his team allowed Ndombele and Kane to score.
Bruno Lage said: “I don’t say the first half, the first 30 minutes the way we conceded chances to the opponent is very frustrating. The first goal, a Tottenham player won four or five rebounds and in the second one he ran through to our goalkeeper – a striker went alone against our goalkeeper. It’s very easy chances for the opponent. We are still making bad mistakes. The way we are creating chances and the way we are playing is the positive thing, but the way we are conceding chances to the opponent is the most disappointing thing for me. We need to work so we don’t concede very easy chances to the opponent.”
There were positives for Lage, who has been given food for thought by the likes of Dendoncker, Ki-Jana Hoever and Podence ahead of the Premier League fixture with Southampton on Sunday.
Bruno Lage added: “Leander did very well in the way he pressed and the way he played. Joao (Moutinho) and Ruben (Neves) are doing well, but Leander played a good game today, so did Ki.
Wolves’ cause wasn’t helped by the early injury to debutant Yerson Mosquera, who appeared to pick up another muscular issue after only recently recovering from a hamstring problem. Mosquera needed to be stretchered off after just five minutes and now faces another spell on the side-lines.
Bruno Lage said: “Maybe a muscular problem. It happened too in pre-season. Now he worked very well and recovered, he’s been with us for around a month. It was a big surprise and disappointment for him. He’s a great kid. We have a good player for us for the present and the future and he didn’t deserve that after five minutes.”
