Relegation beckons when all it takes to undo 51 minutes of hard graft is a full-back without a goal in 165 games for club and country popping up to break the deadlock. This is the reality for Wolves now. They are in a miserable state, so much so that it is hard to see why Rob Edwards is prepared to leave Middlesbrough to take the vacancy at Molineux, and they looked utterly bereft of fight as Chelsea handed them their ninth defeat of the season.
It turned into a rout once Malo Gusto had set Chelsea on the path to victory by scoring the first senior goal of his career. Further strikes from Pedro Neto and João Pedro added a more realistic look to the scoreline. Chelsea, who are up to second, were dominant. They took a while to get going but sprinted away once Gusto had settled their nerves.
There was defiance from Wolves at first. They were led by their Under-21s manager, James Collins, who has stepped into the breach since the departure of Vítor Pereira, and they stifled Chelsea during a disappointing opening period. Ultimately, though, there is a reason why Wolves are rooted to the bottom of the league. There is simply nothing to them. They cannot defend, carry zero attacking threat and remain winless after their first 11 games.
