flag
back Back
Wolves win but Peixoto jeered - an odd situation
BBC Sport's View from the Press Box banner, which reads 'Mike Taylor, BBC Radio WM' with a yellow and black BBC Sport microphone on the right side of the graphic

Cesar Peixoto is not the first Wolves manager, let alone manager of anyone else, to be told by a section of his home crowd that he doesn't know what he's doing.

But he may be the first one whose team were actually winning the game when it happened.

Saturday was an odd day. Wolves beat Watford both narrowly and comfortably. They played well at times and not very well at others.

The team won, and the coach was jeered, although not by everyone.

Perhaps those of us who liked to think the result ultimately trumps all other considerations, especially in the free-for-all of the Championship, are wrong after all.

In the first half, Wolves camped in Watford's territory, outshot the visitors 17-0 (although lamentably few were on target), and Adam Armstrong, looking sharper than recently, ended his non-scoring run with a neat finish.

That wasn't so bad, even if Watford were, well, so bad.

The second half dragged a bit. Perhaps the first was just too easy.

Even so, when Jordan James was replaced after an efficient if not spectacular performance, the annoyed fans let Peixoto know about it.

James has become the latest focus of attention. He is an obvious talent at this level.

But Fer Lopez's form made him the first pick before the break, alongside the unpopular but determined Marshall Munetsi.

When Peixoto left Munetsi out and played Lopez and James together, Wolves put in an anaemic showing against Bolton and deservedly lost.

A detached observer might argue that with Wolves in the top four while sorting this out - despite some key players still being injured - things could be a lot worse.

But in football grounds there are very few detached observers.

Peixoto's request at last Friday's press conference for a little more patience from fans sounded better in the room than it was ever going to read on the page.

In suggesting that if he was an opposition manager, he would tell his team that if they kept it quiet for 20 minutes the home fans would turn, he was saying out loud something that most managers - at every ground, not just Molineux - have probably thought at one time or another.

Not many would have been bold enough to say so.

In that sense, of airing uncensored opinions, he may be the straightest-talking Wolves manager since Mick McCarthy.

There is something to admire about that.

But he may need to win quite a few more games - and maybe more stylishly - before some fans will be willing to hear him out.

You may like

Has Cristiano Ronaldo scored 1000 goals?

notjustok.com 36 minutes ago

Natoye and Ciney face Coupe AWBB eighth-finals

archysport.com 2 hours ago

2026 U-17 WWC: ‘Today Was A Tough Game, But We Are No Pushovers’ –Flamingos Coach Reacts To Win A...

completesports.com 2 hours ago

2026 U-17 WWC: Mexico proud of players despite defeat to Flamingos

dailypost.ng 1 hour ago