Wolves suffered a massive shock defeat in the quarterfinals of the FA Cup quarterfinals against Coventry, a side currently playing in the Championship, where they are in eighth.
Currently ninth in the Premier League, Wolves have been on the rebound under Gary O’Neil, who is set to earn himself a prolonged stay in Wolverhampton. He’ll want to head back to the drawing board, though, and learn from this tough-to-swallow FA Cup setback.
It was a chaotic match with Wolves going down 1-0 early in the second half after a cagey first 45 minutes. It looked like Wolves had the game rescued with late goals in the 83rd and 88th from Rayan Aït-Nouri and Hugo Bueno, with Aït-Nouri also assisting the second potential winner.
But then Coventry took the game away with goals in the 96th and 99th in one of the wildest finishes of the season, with Ellis Simms also scoring and assisting in an unforgettable win for the Championship club.
Here are three Wolves players who cost the team in this tragic FA Cup collapse.
ST Nathan Fraser
Nathan Fraser’s stats for Wolves vs. Coventry
Hooked off at the hour mark, Nathan Fraser was the most disappointing player from a Wolves perspective and a big reason why the struggled to find the back of the net for most of the game against Coventry.
He did not create a single chance or dribble and had just one off-target shot. Fraser lost possession too easily and was no threat to the Coventry defense.
Nathan Fraser’s season so far for Wolves
The 19-year-old prospect rarely features for Wolves in the Premier League, but he did show quality with a goal and an assist in a 30-minute cameo against Blackpool in the League Cup. There is talent here.
CB Toti Gomes
Toti’s stats for Wolves vs. Coventry
Toti also left the match at the hour mark after a poor performance, playing a role in the opener Coventry scored that would prove decisive in Wolves’ FA Cup exit.
The Portuguese central defender rarely put in a tackle for his team and was too safe with his passing.
Toti’s season so far for Wolves
Toti has been a regular starter for Wolves, earning 25 appearances for Gary O’Neil’s side. He’s having a strong campaign, as attackers can rarely get past him. He makes it look easy in defense, calmly progressing play with the ball at his feet on the offensive end, too. Toti is an asset to Wolves and one of the better young defenders in the Premier League.
CB Santi Bueno
Santi Bueno’s stats for Wolves vs. Coventry
Santi Bueno was involved more than Toti defensively, making a few key blocks and doing his best to parry danger for his team, but he just wasn’t assertive enough, failing to impose his will on the Coventry attackers.
The young Uruguayan central defender struggled most defensively when his team needed him at the end, as Ellis Simms ended up getting the better of him, much to the frustration of the Wolves faithful. He let his teammates down the most.
Santi Bueno’s season so far for Wolves
Santi Bueno has made four starts in the FA Cup and three in the Premier League with one additional EPL appearance. There’s a reason why he isn’t a regular starter for Wolves, and it showed at the critical junctures of this FA Cup quarterfinal.
Former editor of The Real Champs and Old Juve, covering Real Madrid and Juventus
