César Peixoto has explained the thinking behind his surprise team selection at Wrexham, insisting the physical threat posed by the hosts forced him into changes.
The Wolves boss raised eyebrows with his starting XI at the Racecourse Ground, particularly the decision to bring Toti Gomes into the side at the expense of Hugo Bueno.
It was a move designed to give Wolves greater protection against Wrexham’s aerial threat, but one that ultimately failed to prevent the hosts from finding an equaliser in the 1-1 draw.
Peixoto admitted his side should have defended the goal better, with Lewis O’Brien finding space between Ladislav Krejci and Nasser Djiga to convert from close range.
“We know this team is very tall, very aggressive inside of the box,” Peixoto explained.
“They cross a lot of times, they play direct football, and because of that today we put Toti to help us to defend inside of the box.
“We know it’s going to happen, these kind of moments. I think we can do better in this moment.”
There was logic behind the decision. Wrexham are a physically imposing side who look to make life uncomfortable through crosses, set-pieces and direct deliveries.
But the question is whether Wolves sacrificed too much of their own attacking identity in trying to counter the opposition.
Bueno has been one of the side’s more reliable attacking outlets from left-back, while Toti offers a very different profile.
Peixoto also pointed to the demanding schedule as another reason for his changes, with Wolves having played at Bristol City just three days earlier.
“We have to refresh the team,” he said.
“We need to rotate the team to put it more fresh and stay at this level all the game to fight for the three points.”
The Portuguese coach certainly deserves credit for recognising the need to manage his squad through a relentless Championship schedule.
However, there is a delicate balance between adapting to an opponent and moving away from the qualities that have made Wolves successful.
The decision to start Rodrigo Gomes also came under scrutiny after another quiet display, with Rafiki Said making a greater impression after replacing him.
Peixoto was visibly frustrated at the final whistle, adamant Wolves had done enough to win.
But while he directed much of that frustration towards the missed opportunities, he may privately reflect on whether his own selection contributed to the dropped points.
The challenge now is finding the right balance between keeping players fresh and keeping a winning formula intact.
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I was more baffled why it took so long to get NEAVE on. The lad must have been chomping to get on after the Bristol game.
That is the problem with the manager he worries too much about the opposotion and still gets it wrong! What about their winger having Totti on toast? The tinker man is costing us points get a settled side and style and stick to the same team tactics and captain in this poor league and we might find some consistancy