How are the nerves?
There was a sense of inevitably about a tense finish, but there was only one team who wanted to go all out for the three points and push up the table.
Wolves now look like a team that has the confidence to take the game to the opposition.
For much of the first half, Wolves pinned West Ham in. There was a slickness to our play, with plenty of swift passing. And we’ve finally become a side that’s willing to press. For too long, Wolves have lacked those characteristics.
If I’m being super critical, we’re still missing that final ball and clever bit of movement that leads to clearcut chances.
Matter not, Podence has hit a purple patch and took his goal superbly. Both Hwang and Podence perhaps could have done more to compliment Cunha’s smart link-up play, but you can’t keep the Portuguese out of the game for long.
It was never going to be a straightforward ending, but West Ham were always going to try and salvage something. Simon Hooper’s predictable bias to the visitors didn’t help either.
Alas, how good is it to witness a Wolves outfit that is well coached, up for the fight, and has plenty of options in terms of formation and personnel? We’ve got Sarabia and Gomes to follow too…
Although I’d feel further assured if we bring in Dawson as well as Collins’ shakiness in possession is doing nothing for my blood pressure!
A final word must go to Semedo. His decision making defensively and driving forward was spot on. Can Julen tease top quality performances out of Nelson more consistently?
After all, he is Super Lopetegui!
The win is all that really matters and it is a vital 3 points. I actually thought the first half performance was lacking some zip in the passing and therefore penetration but it opened up after the break. I’ve been a critic of Semedo but he did very well today. Cunha seemed to be lacking movement in the first half and I’d question whether he is fully fit although it could just be acclimatising to the pace of the PL which was catching him out. I wasn’t surprised he was hooked after an hour but it’s too early to judge him. So far so good with JL and he keeps us on track to avoid relegation which is the only thing that counts for the rest of the season.
Wow
This is getting exciting.
New additions and more coming.
Anyone who doesn’t think that Fosun aren’t serious will know now.
It’s been a while since I left the Mol feeling, we have ourselves a proper football team .
Well impressed, come on you mighty Wolves.
thank you and yours for the great pre match welcoming and beers . my boy and our cousin had a great day . thanks again mate
Always good to see you and yours, great day out.
Whatever deity you do or don’t subscribe to you should thank them. I genuinely believe that this afternoon’s result was possibly one of the most important in the history off our club. Lose and we were facing the abyss, but thank god we won and the league table looks a lot better, The other results have gone our way too which gives us a bit more wriggle room.
New arrivals are landing daily, still need a CB and a striker, but with 2 weeks to go and JL clearly knowing were he wants to go we’re hopefully in safe hands at last.
The Great Escape 2023 is on track.
ps. Win on Tue. would be nice but might be a distraction. Bit of a dilemma, but what the hell, smash the scouse gits.
Steady improvement ending with a deserved win. Now we really have a platform to build on.
Like many on this blog I`ve long been very critical of Semedo. But today I thought he was superb. Defended smartly and was a threat going forward at pace. Hopefully this form will be sustained.
Up front I think Cunho will be a great asset — though it seems as if he`s not yet fully fit. But for me, more important was the fact that in his cameo role, Raoul showed that he is at last getting back to the form of which we all know he is capable. His hold up play at the end was excellent, and the manner in which he took his goal showed real class. That he was adjudged marginally offside should take nothing away from his natural striker`s instinct to finish clinically, a quality which we have sorely lacked.
It`s clear that scoring remains the key issue for us to resolve if we are to climb away from danger. Playing Jiminez and Cunha up top as a duo might just be an answer to this problem. Cunha is sufficiently skillful to create the openings and Raoul will hugely benefit from having the striking support which he has lacked since the sale of Jota.
Mike
Wish I could agree with you about Raul but I just don’t think he’s the the answer, He isn’t nor ever will be the pre David Luiz Raul. It’s sad but true and remains the elephant in the room. Great as a bit part layer if he stays but no more than that.
Sorry PJB but I have to disagree.
Since the Luiz incident, when he was eventually able to return Raoul has been expected to play as a lone striker. For whatever reason, Jota was never replaced, so that he had zero support. Not only did he not have a strike partner, but he had no assistance from midfielders breaking forward to create any goal threat. Essentially Raoul was left to score from opportunities which he had to create for himself. How totally frustrating this must have been for a guy returning form a life threatening injury !! Is it any wonder his form slipped ?
My point is that now we have a guy in Cunha who is well equipped to support him. What have we to lose by playing them together ? Hwang, Guedes et al appear unlikely to score if they play all season. As of today we have no other out and out central striker on the books. Until this changes, I say we should make the most use of the actual potential that we have available. Raoul is that man.
What’s Costa if he isn’t an out and out central striker (albeit 5 years past his prime) ?
Sarabia who,it seems, is an impending arrival has a good goalscoring record (15 goals for Sporting last year) so should be a potential goalscoring addition.
Mike
Unusually but we agree to disagree though I would be delighted if you and Raul.prove me wrong. And I do agree that the vacuum left by Jota has also played it’s part along with the long term loss off Traore’s best form.
No nails left and heart rate way too high but that’s the price we pay for following this club. It felt good though and it was deserved and psychologically, the league table is good for morale.
There’s a long way to go though the trend is upward since J- Lop arrived and new signings bring freshness on a.nd off the pitch, Probably Semedo’s best game today, Nunes showed class, Neves imperious , Cunha was lively and despite a few wobbles at the back, the team played on the front foot. Fans are onboard with the fight which is crucial when Everton, West Ham and Leicester fans are mutinous
Great win, semedo reborn ,no one had a bad game and if no one made mistakes most games would be 0-0 collins had his customary glitch’s but under j- lo’s team he will improve ,the players now have an improved mentality
On a footnote is anyone else sick of goalkeepers catching the ball then lying down to time waste surely an independent timekeeper is imminent under the stewardship of Alex Ferguson
Massive win. And that is what we had to do.
That’s what Wolves do. They win.
Good point above. We are in a bunker mentality. Seething with the FA cup. League cup injustice. Fans. Team gaffer. All as one.
Winning a must win game calls for some celebration, if only to gloss over the sheer relief emanating from the Mol at 90+6.
But it is tinged with some humility, as we witness the Hammers team detach Moyles’s alien head from its suited body, and place it back in its case of green jelly, only for the team to leave it in the toilets at the Watford Gap services, with ‘Piss here’ scrawled on it.
Not to mention the anguish facing Father Frank and Brenda after today’s results.
‘Fice to say we’ve got a few more of these ‘exciting’ games to get through before the end of the season.
The ‘Pool are looking vulnerable after that pasting by the ‘Gulls. So a good time to teach VAR a lesson. They just ruined Citeh’s afternoon by all accounts.
1 lv & COYW.
I took took this from Twitter so hope it’s correct. Key to staying up will be winning the games against the teams around us. With City and Liverpool up next we could drop back down but the improvements under Lopetegui are massive, we have a proper good manager at our club right now.
Post World Cup mini league
(1) Wolves P4 7pts (+1 gd)
(2) Forest P4 7pts (0 gd)
(3) Southampton P4 3pts (-3 gd)
(4) Leeds P4 2pts (-3 gd)
(5) Everton P4 1pt (-5 gd)
(6) West Ham P4 1pt (-5 gd)
(7) Leicester P4 0pts (-7 gd)
(8) Bournemouth P4 0pts (-9gd)
Absolutely correct Newt.
If we look at the Premier Form League, we are 13th, and further up the table it can be noted that we have gained more points than Spurs and Chelsea in the last five games.
The point is that although the bottom seven clubs have similar point totals Wolves , over the last five games have a much healthier total.
We have usually been more successful against clubs who are reasonably ‘safe’ .
Fixtures against the bottom seven clubs , at present, are stressful games to watch.
Manchester City and Liverpool have shown themselves to be beatable.
Manchester United were fortunate to take three points off us recently.
It is the forthcoming fixtures against teams such as Southampton and Bournemouth that worry me.
’
Beware the wounded beasts.
City and Liverpool are too good and proud to take their recent poor form lightly.
Tuesday aside, if we can take any points from either of them in the league I’ll look upon that as a bonus.
Let’s remember we scraped past a poor side yesterday.
We’re very much still work in progress.
First of all, thanks for Dougie Barbara and Trisha’s special party for the PMDG’ers special birthday. And cheers to Lord & Lady Twix and Grace for joining in the celebrations.
Secondly, so pleased and thankful for the battling spirit and skill of our team in gaining three of the most important points so far this season.
Thirdly, plaudits to Semedo for proving that he has the ability to shine in the Premier League.
Fourthly, well done to our new signings who have added extra bite and skill to the team.
Fifthly, “We’ve got super Lopetegui.”
Sixthly, I’ve had a few drinks.
Sixthly…. Goodnight. (With the accent on good).
I agree, Semedo deserves credit for battling through his recent blip in form.
I was impressed too with Lemina’s cameo. Breaking up play and keeping it simple.
In his first season at Nice (courtesy of BT Sport) I thought “WTF” !
However, this season he had been a class act for them but based on the jump in class and the views of a Southampton supporting friend, I would have bet serious cash that he couldn’t cut it in the Prem.
I think and hope that I was very mistaken.
As sad a git as I am. I am sitting here with a beer staring at league table on telly and after weeks and weeks marooned in bottom 3 it doe arf look good !
18th 19th 20th in the premier league all on 15 points from 19 games. Repeat the same over the remaining 19 games and 18th finishes on 30 points. So PPG would indicate at the moment 31 points will keep you up. Wolves PPG suggests 34 points at the end so we WILL SURVIVE !!
Simple then.
With the police advising the Everton directors not to attend the match yesterday for their own safety, I’m sure poor Conor Coady is looking enviously in our direction. He could be playing under a world class coach, instead of a clueless rookie like Lampard. As as for the players we have signed, and are rumoured yet to sign, he must be in absolute despair. He could be leading this fantastic team out in every match. It would be the pinnacle of his career, better than being permanently on the bench for England. I don’t blame Conor, I blame Bruno and Jeff. But hey, if it wasn’t for aforesaid idiots fucking things up, we would never have hired Lopetegui. That cloud sure has a silver (or even old-gold) lining!
I’m rather disgusted to read this morning that the official reason for ruling out our perfectly legal winning goal at Anfield was, wait for it, the ITV cameraman zooming in too quickly! WTF is that for a reason?
I think you have to let it go Dances.
He’s gone!
The fucking idiot tried to hire Julen about 7 years ago.
Relief.
This is the third time a home game against a fellow struggler has felt seminal and the third time we’ve squeaked a 1-0.
Was this any more convincing than the wins over Southampton and Forest? Probably not. They followed similar nerve shredding patterns.
It would be nice to win with a higher degree of comfort. I suppose if Ruben’s superb effort had gone in or Raul’s fingernail wasn’t offside we would have done.
Credit to the defence for blocking everything. There were a lot of balls into the area in the second half where it just felt like West Ham were waiting to get a break of the ball but Collins, Kilman and co snuffed them out.
Nelson deserves recognition for a solid effort in and out of possession. He drove us forward (which we know he can do) including his run for the goal and defended manfully (which he doesn’t normally). A worthy MoTM.
The only negatives are that we still don’t look like we’ll break down an organised defence as we saw in a frustrating first half. Hopefully Sarabia is the type of link man that can help address that problem. We lacked any sort of width and didn’t find enough incisive passes when coming back inside. Moutinho clearly isn’t an effective number 10.
I do know that every team in that bottom seven would love to have our options from the bench and with more players on the way, all signs point to survival. I trust Lopetegui to utilise the squad too and there’s a confidence going into games we haven’t had for a good while.
The journey home always seems half as far after a win.
Desire. It’s what our team seemed to be sadly lacking as we drifted towards the bottom of the league and the demise of Bruno Lage.
These, believe it or not, are the same players that soiled the sacred Molineux turf a few short months ago. Transformed. Revitalised. Suddenly they actually care.
As the tension ramped up around the stands towards the end of the match, some of our youngsters got a bit nervy too. But to me, that shows how much they wanted this win and they fought and covered for each other in ways Bruno could only dream about.
Both Cunha and Lemina look like valuable additions and with more incoming, the future is bright.
Good to meet up with Doogooder, Twix and West Parkian pre-match and, all to briefly, LWL after the game. Great to see you Matt. We’ll do that Whisky tasting soon I hope.
Also thanks to my travelling companions from Ivybridge Wolves who made the miles fly by.
For whatever reason, the players decided they no longer wanted to play for Bruno. It is easier to fire the coach than get rid of 10 or more players.
I think we were in 8th place this time last season under Bruno.
We were, but Bruno had Nuno’s team! More credit to Nuno than Bruno. There’s literally no point in saying we were in such and such a league position under Bruno last season.
All was well until the defeat at Leeds I think, but Bruno was unable to motivate and lead the team from that point on. The point of no return was reached. Bruno had lost the dressing room. That continued well into the current season after Bruno ripped out the heart of the team. No doubt, we were heading for relegation.
Just seen Raul offside goal. True he was in an offside position but in my opinion the Wham defender was trying to head it back towards his goalkeeper. So why is Salah allowed a goal from his offside position and Raul is not ? Can anyone explain ?
Salah plays for Liverpool
I spotted exactly the same Cheesey and compared it to Salah’s non goal… exactly tge same criteria … but I conclude …
Top Six rules and non Top Six rules … or London club rules or VAR thinking they know the rules but ALL have a different take on the rules….
There’s absolutely no datum point for any of this ..
VAR make it up as they go along … it’s become a joke…
This ambiguous offside rule is perfect cover for corruption. Off side was black or white before and now it’s subjective and open to interpretation.
Happy claptrap …Exactly..
It’s now like Graham Scott’s (Forest ref) interpretation of a foul with the criteria (for the same tackle) that it’s a foul outside of the penalty area but a ‘not enough of one ‘ inside the box… ie we now have two sets of rules …
Diabolical stupidity…
Just been reflecting on the PGMOL “findings “ of their so called investigation into the offside farce at Liverpool. Simply not good enough and so laughable it defies belief. And it defies belief because it actually should not be believed. Wolves should injunct so that the replay cannot be played until the whole incident is fully and independently investigated . A strong whiff of Corruption is in the air and the FA, PGMOL and ITV need to be held to account. They can threaten what they like in sanctions against the Wolves but someone has to take a stand otherwise we end up falling for anything. I hope Wolves fans do whatever is necessary to vent their spleen at the replay which is being broadcast live on national TV on the BBC ,whatever consequences that might have in terms of the completion of the fixture. Enough is enough.
The interesting part of their explanation is they completely ignored the fact that the linesman was walking away with his flag down and only put it up when instructed to by the referee.
If all goals are checked by VAR anyway, what was the purpose of that? Just to change the onus on VAR to prove there was no offside rather than to prove there was an offside, as would have been the case if the flag had remained down.
Exactly right John. Clever little ploy to keep their favourites in the competition. Must have kept the plan up their sleeves until they needed it as it’s much too smart to think it up completely off the cuff.
We’ve said it for years and nothing has changed.
The so called big six own the league.
A lot of good has come from the creation of the Premierleague
But an awful lot of corruption.
Where there’s money and all that…..
Good stuff chap
There’s a rumor that Wolves are going to start negotiating with Ruben regarding a new contract.
Oh dear. Andre Marriner (Villa fan) is referee tomorrow night. And Atwell is on VAR. Get the prayer mats out.
We’ll that’s a blow … Marriner gives us less than nothing….
Our wait to emulate 1960 seems as if it’s going to be a while longer…
Well that was shit. Of course we should have been through already. But their keeper never had a shot to save.
Ours only had one, and he made a complete hash of it.
If Liverpool offer £70mil for Nunes, we should bite their hands off.
Completely agree. For our record buy, he has shown the odd nice touch, but can’t think of any sustained impact he has made in the first half of this season. Too slow in possession most of the time. Like many of the Mendes influenced signings, over priced and not suited to the pace or physicality of PL football.