Four Key Talking Points from Newcastle's defeat to Wolves - Plus Rafael Benitez's Reaction

An own goal from Chancel Mbemba and a second-half strike from Helder Costa condemned the Magpies to their third reverse of the season, with the home side’s staid performance a complete contrast from the free-flowing form they displayed at Loftus Road.

What were the key talking points to emerge from the game at St James’ Park?

YOU CAN’T TAKE ANYTHING FOR GRANTED IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP

This was supposed to be the game when Newcastle made their title credentials even clearer. They were coming off the back of a six-goal hammering of QPR, while Wolves had conceded four goals on their own ground as they were thrashed by Barnsley last Tuesday.

However, the Championship is rarely as simple as that, and this was a stark reminder that Newcastle are far from the finished product and cannot regard the rest of the season as a canter towards the title.

They were sloppy throughout, regularly conceding possession, and barely offered an attacking threat as Wolves’ well-stocked defence stood firm.

Wolves’ players hassled and harried all afternoon, and their counter-attacking play caused Newcastle a succession of problems. It all very well making the most of the space they were afforded at QPR, but Newcastle’s players will have to learn how to succeed in a much tighter encounter such as this.

IS DWIGHT GAYLE THE RIGHT MAN TO LEAD THE LINE?

Not on this evidence he isn’t. Gayle is a proven predator in the penalty area, but he is not necessarily a natural leader of the line, and his team-mates weren’t exactly playing his strengths.

A succession of long balls were aimed in his direction, but they were meat and drink to Wolves’ two centre-halves and Gayle was never able to get behind the visitors’ defence.

When there is space to exploit, Gayle is at his most effective, but in games such as this, might Newcastle be better to go with the more physical threat posed by Aleksandar Mitrovic.

Mitrovic’s hold-up play was superb against QPR, and Newcastle could have done with someone linking play in a similar manner against Wolves.

JONJO SHELVEY IS A DIFFERENT PROPOSITION WHEN HE IS CLOSED DOWN QUICKLY

Shelvey was the Man of the Match by a distance at Loftus Road, as he sprayed passes left, right and centre and completely controlled the game.

The big difference this afternoon was that whereas QPR’s players had stood off him, Wolves’ midfielders were quick to close him down and press him high up the field.

Without a lot of time on the ball, Shelvey’s passing broke down and instead of finding team-mates with raking 50-yard passes, the Magpies midfielder gave the ball away repeatedly.

If his opponents are making life hard for him, Shelvey needs to keep things simple. The more adventurous his passes this afternoon, the less effective the final outcome.

INDIVIDUAL MISTAKES CONTINUE TO PROVE COSTLY

Rafael Benitez was bemoaning individual errors as Newcastle lost the opening two games of the season, and sloppy mistakes once again proved costly here.

Goodness knows what Mbemba was trying to do as he met Bodvarsson’s first-half cross, but despite being under minimal pressure, the defender conceded an own goal that put his side on the back foot.

Ayoze Perez was at fault for Wolves’ second goal, with his lack of physicality proving costly once again as he was easily brushed aside, enabling Costa to score.

Newcastle cannot keep conceding cheap goals, particularly on their home ground. They might have kept five clean sheets in a row heading into today’s game, but their defending continues to show alarming signs of sloppiness.

MANAGER’S REACTION:

Newcastle boss Rafael Benitez said: “I was not expecting to start the game in the way we did. Sometimes you can have bad luck, but we started the game making mistake after mistake. We had control, but we gave them the opportunity to believe with the own goal.

“The second goal was another mistake, and we made too many. That is the reason why we lost the game. They were well organised and worked hard, but we gave away the ball too easily and it was difficult to manage when we did so many things wrong.

“I don’t think the players were carried away after Tuesday – they knew how important it was to be concentrated and do the right things.  It is more about the decisions they made.

“The football decisions were wrong, and we put ourselves under pressure. We have to analyse what went wrong now and try to correct things as soon as possible. We are not very happy now, but we have to concentrate on the next game and try to do things in the way we were doing things before.”

Wolves boss Walter Zenga said: “We prepared for this game to show that the last 15 minutes of the last game was an accident, something that can happen in football. We have to follow the philosophy that what is done is done, and we have to continue to have confidence in our job.

“Here in the Championship, you play Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday, Tuesday, so it is very important to react in the right way. This was what everybody wanted to see – the players wanted to see a reaction for themselves.

“The spirit of the team, and the way they approached and started the game, was a big answer to everybody.

“Playing in this stadium, in front of 52,000 fans, and playing against a team that had had five victories in a row, the approach was always going to be very important. We had to give something back to the fans, and I am sure they are satisfied with the performance and the result.”

LINE-UPS:

Newcastle  (4-2-3-1): Sels; Anita, Lascelles, Mbemba, Dummett; Hayden (Mitrovic 63), Shelvey; Ritchie (Atsu 63), Diame, Perez; Gayle.

Subs not used: Darlow, Clark, Colback, Gouffran, Yedlin.

Wolves (4-3-3): Ikeme, Doherty, Iorfa, Batth, Borthwick-Jackson, Oniangue, Edwards, Saiss, Costa (Mason 74), Bodvarsson (Coady 88), Teixeira (Cavaleiro 71).

Subs not used: Longergan, Saville, Gladon, Hause.