How I wish I'd never agreed to do this write up, let alone go to the match. The pressure was beginning to build on Jones before this match - now I think we are approaching some kind of explosion. I have to have been included in the pro-Jones camp before this match, but this display was sloppy. SLOPPY. SLOPPY. SLOPPY. Blake looks like he was one of the few people who believes what he put on that billboard a few months ago (Ince, Irwin and Ingimarsson weren't here then). A few months? It just seems like a whole other time. Where's the hope gone Dave?

Wolves started this match in the same bizarrely lazy way that they have started their last three matches. A simple cross field pass found Routledge (Palace's 17 year old wonder kid) free on our left hand side and he had plenty of time and space to make no mistake from 18 yards. As simple as that. 0-1

Ingimarsson pulled us level on the half hour. A Freedman shot was saved by Oakes at the expense of a corner. Wolves broke quickly from the Palace corner and Sturridge crossed from the right for Ingimarsson to loop a shot into the net. 1-1

A couple of minutes later Palace were back in the lead. Butterfield crossed deep from their left into the box and Freedman rose above everyone else to head home.1-2

We tried to come back into the game before the half, with an Irwin shot and a Butler header, but they both came to nothing.

HT 1-2

The second half carried on much the same as the first, with Wolves looking as likely to score as concede. Pretty early on in the half Rae was replaced by Cooper, which could have been tactical or could have been because Rae was injured. Either way it made no difference.

A sloppy (there's that word again) back pass from Naylor gave Oakes no chance and he was forced to foul Johnson, giving away a penalty. Freedman took it and made no mistake. Game over. 1-3

To our credit we kept plugging away and got one goal back on 70 minutes. A shot by Ince was fumbled by their keeper and Blake was there to slot home. 2-3

But, true to our recent form we conceded a goal almost straight away. A ball in from our left and Thompson got ahead of our centre backs to volley into our net. 2-4

Still time for Ince and Proudlock to get booked, but nothing else.

What a disappointment. I think that there was too much sloppy play and the formation is not helping. But what is the real answer? Conceding 11 goals in four games is appalling. The fans who were chanting for Ludo, must have very short memories. He was almost single-handedly responsible for giving away two goals against a third division side only four days ago. There does seem to be a gap on our left hand side, leaving Naylor exposed. This is obviously the "chink in our armour" that Trevor Francis referred to earlier in the week. That's what I don't understand - Francis even signalled what he was going to do and we had no response. I think that the more open 4-3-3 formation is only suitable at home when sides come to defend. Against better sides (or sides at home) such an open formation allows them to gain the advantage. And conceding goals just after scoring them is a VERY worrying sign. So all in all, terrible. Jones is beginning to look like Taylor or McGhee after their (relatively) successful seasons with us.

I'm not doing the write up for Reading - OK Fat Stat? I'm not even sure I can stand going to the match.

FT 2-4