Traore’s troubles go on as toothless Wolves draw a blank

WITH his side overachieving and entering December in sixth place with eyes on Europe, it seems odd to say but it is time for Wolves boss Bruno Lage to earn his corn. So far, he has done a stellar job. The Portuguese has made Wolves better to watch and when it all clicks, they can play teams off the park. But with matches against Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea all to come before Christmas, back-to-back goalless draws against teams in the bottom three is rather unwelcome. And when noting Wolves’ catalogue of missed chances last night, this was a costly couple of dropped points against a team who barely forged an attack. Sean Dyche — sporting a winter coat, for the record — will hardly be warmed by the performance but this is five matches unbeaten now, which is certainly something to build on. His opposite number Lage was largely frustrated, though. ‘I am disappointed with the result,’ said Lage. ‘We deserved to score and get the win but I suppose this is one more point. We move on.’ It should really have been two more. Forgotten man Adama Traore had a golden chance at the end of the first half that would have settled this tight match. The Spaniard has fallen down the pecking order under Lage and, handed a rare start last night, there was a reminder of the baffling nature of Traore. When thinking back over the years, one thinks of the times he tore defences of the Big Six clubs apart but then the void of mediocrity in between springs to mind. Last night, the winger did everything right until the 18-yard box, consistently scaring the Burnley defence with a number of barnstorming runs forward. But then came the moment which summed him up in a nutshell. He broke forward with frightening pace and trickery, and rattled the crossbar with a venomous strike. But with striker Raul Jimenez free and screaming for a square ball to set-up a certain tap-in, what a brainless decision Traore made to go alone. Wolves’ pressure continued in the second half — Hwang Hee-chan and Jimenez going close — but Burnley’s defending was resolute and they saw out a fighting point, largely thanks to young defender Nathan Collins. ‘We didn’t find where we wanted to be offensively but the defensive structure and mentality of the side was excellent, so I am pleased,’ said Dyche.