Here we go again as Pellegrini has a moan-up

Manuel Pellegrini had a moan-up about conceding the first goal against Wolves from a set piece after last night’s game  which would be all well and good were it the first or even just the second time it has happened.

But given – as he admitted – it’s happened numerous times against the likes of Newcastle, twice against Palace and once against Bournemouth he is hardly doing himself any favours by bringing it up.

Given too that we have have had three different central defensive partnerships over the last 10 games or so, such statements become even more unacceptable as the manager goes through the usual routine of doing little more than commenting on the details of a match which most of us saw anyway.

It’s also more than questionable that he should bring this up as the first point in his post-match presser when there was so much else within the team about which he should be very concerned indeed.

Commenting after the game at https://www.whufc.com/news/articles/2019/december/04-december/manuel-pellegrini-its-frustrating-set-play-goal-decisive he said: “Of course we wanted to win two games in a row away from home. It’s not easy. We didn’t play a bad game but unfortunately for us they scored from a set piece.

“We had some opportunities to draw the game, but didn’t score and then after that playing 65 or 70 minutes one goal behind, they found the space for one last counter attack that decided the score.

“Conceding the first was important [towards the final outcome] because we know that they are a side who like to manage possession, so being one goal in front makes it easier for them to play.”

“It’s frustrating because the most part of our goals conceded this season have been by set-pieces. You look at Newcastle, the two goals against Crystal Palace, one against Bournemouth – they are decisive goals when you want to win those games.

“In the first half it was a tight game, both teams had the same few opportunities to score, and that goal gave Wolverhampton the chance to play the game at the pace they wanted.”

He added: “I thought we worked well, but we didn’t create the chances necessary to draw the game. There was the one clear opportunity in the second half and football is like that.

“Sometimes you miss chances and sometimes you score, so now we have to look to win our home game against Arsenal.”