‘No easy games in the Premier League’ is one of English football’s more popular phrases.
Norwich didn’t get the memo.
Professional performance. Never got out of second gear. A comfortable win. Frankly, none of that does this afternoon justice.
It was a cakewalk.
After Thursday’s exertions, you couldn’t have offered Wolves a more perfect 90 minutes.
Nuno’s men effectively had the day off, rested up nicely for the trip to Espanyol. Perfect.
I was actually fretting over the visit of a technically efficient Norwich outfit.
Throughout Nuno’s reign we have struggled versus teams who couple relentless pressing with a sharp passing game. The first half at Carrow Road in December being a good example.
I needn’t have worried.
Norwich’s press was nowhere to been seen, and once they became bored of passing the ball around without much purpose for the opening 15 minutes, the outcome was inevitable.
Kudos to Nuno for switching to 352 and packing the midfield. The Canaries’ press and high tempo was nowhere to be seen, Donk justified Nuno’s faith with an all-action display, and Jota and Raul thrived up front together.
While I’m still unconvinced by Donk as a midfielder against better opposition – the Belgian’s anonymous displays earlier in the season hampered Neves and our overall style of play – you can’t argue with today’s showing.
Tackles, interceptions, passes, bursts forwards aplenty.
The benefits of 352 are there to see. Jota is at his direct best, Raul has his partner in crime back, and the absence of a currently quiet Traore leaves Doc with the entire right flank to explore.
Maybe it’s a case of making the most of Jota’s latest purple patch and then revisiting 343 with a refreshed Traore?
And how strong does our bench look with Adama, Neto and Podence to all call upon?
Nuno would call them ‘solutions’. He’s got a few up his sleeve just now.
Yes. I agree that Jota and Doherty both looked very good with Traore on the bench.
I was thinking earlier on that Doherty was probably going to score.
Nuno is going to have to figure out how to use his players without any of them feeling left out. Maybe when there are three up top, Neto can play and when only playing two, Jota can play.
Sets us up perfectly for the really big game next Sunday . Spurs will not be relishing our front men that is for sure and our defence looks as good as it has all season . A result there will set us up for a real
Challenge to those top 6 places in the run in .
Bring it on:)
Back home after 4 days in Wolverhampton, managing to fit in a couple of games totalling 7 goals, 5 of which came from Diogo, visits to all of my siblings in Telford, Wolverhampton and Stone and a few pints with Dougie (West Park Wolf) Mark (theDOOGooder) and Steve (Wolfstroker), and even bumping in to Dave (Bedford Wolves)
Could not have asked for anything more, other than seeing StuWolf, Jen de Wolf, Lowves and Carmen, Ian and Sue (the Newarks) who I knew was around but did not manage to catch up with …. sorry guys. I am there again on the 7th.
Oh, and of course Barbs, who ‘insisted’ I sat down for an amazing piece of pie, and Sue Earl at coffee pre match where we shared a discussion over mutal facebook friends … such a small world.
In essence, this blog is amazing!
Norwich is only 40 miles up the road from Mildenhall but , at the moment, in football terms, they are light years away. What a sad time to be a Canary fan and a great time to be a Wolves supporter. Looking forward to Thursday night…COYW.
A very controlled performance. A game deservedly won in a canter against poor opposition, almost without need to break sweat. A real confidence booster.
My big take from the game is that it proved conclusively that Jota is far more effective if played centrally than he is if played out wide. He has a great understanding with Raul, which if allowed to develop further will become a huge force in the coming weeks.
If Nuno feels the need to play an out and wide man on the left, Pedro Neto is surely the man – a huge prospect, who week on week is demonstrating what a major force he is rapidly becoming. How good it is to have such great options.
Witley .. what’s happened to the corner ? Has it dispanded since Bev went ?
Complete strangers in the corner last two matches
Where is everyone drinking ?
Matt, I replied to your Albion weeley bin picture but you didn’t pick up on it.
We are meeting in the Lynch Gate, in the bottom bar.
See you there at the next home game hopefully.
Beginning to think more and more that a sale of Adama in the summer will happen…
Scott, I agree– but maybe this won`t be such a bad thing. In Pedro Netto, we could well have a world beater on our hands. This guy seems to have it all — great pace, skill on the ball, a great crosser, and and eye for goal. And he`s only 19 !! This time next year he could be so good that we will asking the question Adama Who ??
Wtf would we sell someone who has improved immensely over the past 12 months to become the most exciting player ever seen down the Molineux (certainly in the time I’ve been going, 53 years and counting). Just think where he’ll be in another 12 months or so. We aren’t going to let anyone else benefit from all the hard work the coaching staff have put in to develop Adama’s game.
Every player deserves an eight for today, including the subs . The bench looks like a proper bench now which doesn’t weaken the eleven on the pitch. Understandably the game was over after 60 minutes and the ten players who did a full shift on Thursday night went into training ground mode so perhaps it’s harsh to criticise them for not scoring five and boosting the goal difference. It might be a statistic that counts at the end of the season. All the teams sniffing European football are on our fixture list so it’s in our hands and it’s up to us to grab the opportunity.
I do truly feel sorry for Narich, good footballing side, fallen on hard times and nothing is going right for them.
Been there so many seasons, but this is my time, your time, our time, enjoy it while we have it, after all we’ve waited long enough.
Me, Jen de Wolf and Mr & Mrs Lowves are off to Barcelona Wednesday morning very early, this is our dream, our passion, our reward for all the times we have waited in the rain, the snow and the cold, picking up tickets and booking flights all over Europe.
It’s been something I shall never forget, Crusaders, Torino, Istanbul, Slovakia and now Spain. Mrs Lowves keeps a spreadsheet and assures us it’s well over £600o already, but what a blast it’s been.
Pray we get to Gdansk, pray we make it to the Champions league, this is amazing, this is what Iv’e waited 58 years for, long may days like today fuel our passion and desire.
Brompto.
If your’e around for the Bournemouth Game, we are in the Bluebrick again for a meal after the game, love to catch up with you again.
The match….
We were spot on.
On to Thursday.
First 10 mins Norwich took it to us. Pretty passing and possession. We got our noses in front and it was pretty much comfort zone thereafter. I can’t see Norwich surviving now. Just as we said ‘must win’ before the game they must have said the same. Great to put this side to bed. Last season we lost twice to the awful Huddersfield. This is a Wolves side evolving on a different plane. Nuno learning all the time. Wolves are going places.
Just watched Daniel Farke on MOD 2 saying “we dominated the game”
Which planet are you on Mr Farke? Or are you just in denial?
He meant the first 10 minutes. It wasn’t a game after that.
I got this one completely wrong. I gave Norwich far too much credit and was guity of slipping back into the old way of thinking. As easy a game as you are likely to see at this level. Farke looked depressed and beaten even at 1-0.
Great play from the young man Jota again, he’s back on his feet we will disrupt most teams with the other wonderful players around him too.
Roll on Spurs, we have a great chance of ruffling a few feathers on that old cockerel now we have slaughtered the canaries.
This may sound like heresy but, dare I say, I was bored. By sixty minutes I kept looking at the time which started to drag. The arrival of Neto and later Vinagre livened things up as they sought to make an impression. As many of us keep saying what a prospect Neto is, and possibly so is Vinagre. Scott says, and I agree, you can almost accept Fosun deciding to cash in on Traore.
He isn’t going anywhere Happy. Its all about strength in depth. Remember just a few weeks ago our bench resembled a kindergarten. Much different now. We’ve had three seasons being fortunate with injuries and we don’t want our arses bitten by having a wafer thin squad.
Norwich made some pretty patterns for a while but in reality, it was all rather ‘powder puff’ and their fragile confidence fizzled away once Diogo had neatly fired our first.
I agree, Paddy, that this was the nearest thing you’ll ever see in the Premier League to an easy game. They had their share of the ball but had no idea how to put any sustained pressure on our defence and we appeared to take pity on their ineptitude and do just enough to keep we fans entertained without necessarily breaking sweat.
Far bigger tests to come. Far bigger tests will be overcome.
You’ve got to feel sorry for the Canaries.
They spent 90 odd minutes playing neat, attractive football. They never let their heads drop. Even in the last few minutes, they still kept passing the ball about sweetly and never gave up.
Unfortunately, they also never remotely looked like troubling us.
It all made for a rather soporific afternoon in the early Spring Sun.
The South Bank was slumbering and the atmosphere, compared to that of Thursday night, was… well… lacking.
Having said that, it was a ruthlessly efficient display by Wolves. A team that we should beat easily, we beat easily.
That alone is a big improvement on last season.
Everyone performed well, and chances were taken and not squandered.
My favourite part was when the South Bank eventually woke up and started chanting at the Norwich supporters who had begun a half hearted song:-
“We forgot
We forgot
We forgot that you were there”.
And five minutes before the end, when The Stan Cullis began emptying, they sang:-
“Is there a fire drill?”
and
“They’re going home, They’re going home, They’re going, The North Bank’s going home”.
You’ve got to larf.
Got to admit sat in the North Bank yesterday we were amazed how many left before the final whistle. Met some Norwich fans on the way home on the M5, they actually travel to support Norwich from Bristol gave us nothing but praise and respect felt very humble and proud.
Groundhog Day. This was eerily reminiscent of Thursday evening – technically proficient opposition with no incisiveness to add to their possession. Just like Espanyol, they never looked like getting back into it after our first goal. As for Farke’s claim that “we dominated the game”, its one thing to dominate possession, but another thing completely to dominate a game. This is where this Wolves squad is so strong now – able to dominate a match without the ball. Its almost as much fun watching the opposition struggling to break us down as it is to watch us on the attack. Commiserations to Doc who looked back to his best and should have had a goal but for Krul’s ankle getting in the way. Just wondering why was Podence not given a run out for the last 30 mins given that the result was never in doubt ?
A stroll in the park. As soon as we took the lead Norwich resembled a balloon that had been pierced with a skewer. Shame that the recent VAR atrocities meant that neither myself not anyone around me celebrated with our usual gusto (it’s ok, they can’t touch you for it) when we scored as we waited for the inevitable and pointless VAR review. Grrrr!
And memo to the South Bank – when you sing about the North Bank leaving early (is there a fire drill etc) try taking a look around you first. As I sat there – I didn’t leave until the final whistle – listening to the friendly taunts from the far end there were streams of South Bankers in every gangway making their way out too. Good fun though.
Hope to be going to Barcelona on Wednesday and am due to be going to the horrendous pit of snakes that is Spurs next Sunday. Two wins would be great. Especially at Spurs!
P.S. Paddy – didn’t Dendoncker play superbly in midfield eh?
OODCL
Great summary Paddy.
I was frustrated by the opening 15 mins, even though it was clear that Wolves were just lying in wait. We contained their early pressing for the most part, but there were still one or two half openings which on another day could have left us chasing again.
That’s a minor point though and it was a stroll thereafter.
This team is full of wonderful players, but I still think, on his day, Jota is the very best of them. It’s just a shame he hasn’t consistently produced in that 343 formation. He should be scoring 20 odd goals a season in the Premier League alone and assisting just as many – he’s that good.
Mourinho will be sweating over next weekend and it’s good that Nuno is keeping him guessing with these changes of shape/personnel. Whoever plays, we should give them a right old game. I’d make 7 changes for Thursday and only deploy the big guns if things are going south.
I’m slightly concerned that because we’ve just resoundingly beaten the worst team in the league ( I thought they’d be better than they were) there are thoughts that after the tiniest tweak to our small squad we’re now in a position to let go one of our most influential players. For the first time since Nuno’s arrival the starting line up doesn’t pick itself and we have that much sought after plan B.
There are no guarantees we can hold this squad together in its entirety but to suggest on yesterday’s performance that Traoré or anyone else for that matter is surplus to requirements seems bonkers to me. Neither Jota or Traore can be at their best every week and to have the options they each provide along with our other emerging front players offers something most of us have been dreaming of since last summer at least.
Well said Prawny. Good to see that I’m not alone in my thinking.
Yes, well said Prawny. Some people do have very short memories. There are much tougher tests out there than Espanyol reserves and a mid table Championship team, which is what Norwich currently are at best. Maybe replays of the Man City games are needed to be seen by some.
It will be interesting to see what Jeff’s approach is with Adama.
Sell him and pay off some of the loan Wolves have with Fosun.
Sell him and use the money to buy a couple of star players.
Keep him, because we sure as heck aren’t going to go out and buy a player of that level.
Now I hear Man U want to offer £50m for Jota.
The only way we are going to challenge for the top is to keep these players. If we sell them for profit and replace with 19 year olds, then we are going to be perpetually 6th through 10th.
I’m OK with that, as long as they tell us that is their goal for now. Sure is better than the Morgan era.
Absolutely sure is. Even better if Jeff would answer the questions we’re all asking.
When you’re within a gnat’s gonad of becoming a champions league team £50 million starts looking like small change.
Just got on a train from Birmingham New Street to Wolvo. The electronic display said ‘mind the GAP’ when boarding. Clearly even the Brummies av gid up on Vile. Meks me loff . Ay it.
Calm down calm down !
No one is going anywhere this is all coming together very nicely and we have absolutely no need what so ever to sell any one let alone adama traore or diogo jota or Ruben neves
Will you all please stop seeing us a a feeder çlub for manc utd or anyone else we are up there with the best we are fast becoming one of those so called top clubs and it’s them who should be worried about their players being poàched by us .
Nuno and wolves are THE club players want to come to so beware mancs your days are numbered.
Fosun are worth billions. They ay in a desperate rush to sell players. Jeff is astute. Players will only move on if Nuno agrees to it. If Nuno sees no future for a player then they are off. Recent history tells you that.
Spikey selling an asset doesn’t make you a selling club. Sometimes you sell to reinvest like Spurs with Bale and Liverpool with Coutinho. Liverpool took that money and bought Van Dyke and goalkeeper Allison. Arguably their success this season is a direct result of those buys. If Wolves sell, for example Traore, we can be sure that there will have more than adequate replacements in mind. e.g. Cav for Neto.
Good point taken and accepted but… liverpool were a lot further down the road in terms of development than we are at the moment and the options traore gives us are immense but that said with the strict enforcement of ffp all clubs may be looking at cashing in some of their assets to fund further progression so if the day comes lets hope any of our stars go abroad and we dont end up playing against them unless its in a european competition
Think you’ve got that right Spikey. For example Traore to say Barca for an inflated price could work. In such an event, and of course these are maybes, and could bes, Wolves would have cash in hand to buy players they have identified as able to improve the squad.
This game, while definitively good, left more questions than answers for me. Jota looks so much better in a 2 than a 3 up front, and given our struggles against weaker teams, maybe 352 is the way forward. Adama (much as he is amazing) really struggles against low block defenses and packing the midfield seemed to work really well. Or Norwich were just awful. Was an enjoyable end to the weeekend.
From Clive in Hastings…
A recently completed Muriel somewhere South of the Border in Mexico..
In truth expected a lot more harder game from Norwich but by the look of them they have run out of steam the Premier League has taken its toll on them.
Sad to see as we only know to well hard work Will only take you so far and losing week after week saps your energy and confidence.
From what some of the fans are saying they havent invested in the team and I have to agree with them.
I would just like to take this opportunity to congratulate Clive on his successful operation.
I shall call him Nunee from now on.
Well done mate, good to speak to you today, look forward to seeing you in May.
Thank you, Senor Doogle
I’m looking at Liverpool and seeing Alisson, van Diyk and Firmino. I’m looking at Wolves and seeing Patricio, Boly and Jimenez . Now my conclusion is blimey, we aren’t far away, can anyone name a Premier League team with a better trio than ours?
Selling players in our position sends the wrong message, we need to keep this squad together and strengthen. Nuno thinks they can improve, that will do for me.
Start negotiating terms for a top player now, a real baller that the whole squad would love to play with,
Chelsea and arsenal already have because they don’t like this situation of ‘ other teams’ encroaching on their reserved top six spot,
We need to show similar ambition so they finally get the message that we are here to compete ( Nuno s favourite word)
Utd now showing interest in Jota , if you believe the paper talk ( I don’t btw)
It was Jiménez last month, Traore just before that and Neves the year before!
Are they planning to change their name to man Wanderers?
Why would a top player want to go to a team that has a habit of making players worse
Keep this lot together with two top additions and Nuno s development of a few young lads and next year could be better than this one
In the meantime, get top six along with Sheffield utd
Or beat Chelsea last game of the season to make top 4
Come on you wolves
I don’t understand why there is not post for the Europa League games. Do the blog owners not think there is enough interest in these games?
At least put a skeletal post so people can comment on them if you don’t have the time to write a full post.
Thomas often gets offers from other bloggers who wish to add their own posts to the blog.
Maybe you could write one and submit it for European games Tim.
Then, if he thought it would pass muster, he might publish it.
A fair question Tim.
Honest answer is just time mate. I’ve got to write the preview for Spurs and get that out tomorrow along with the report from tonight’s game (which Ben is penning from Spain). Plus the end of season event is occupying some of my blog bandwidth.
With work/personal commitments, it’s tough to find the time and I’ve got to draw the line somewhere.
I will probably produce some previews if we make it to the latter stages though.
I appreciate that it takes time to write up a full post but I would be happy with just a place marker post with a description of the teams and if there was a previous game, what the score was.
Just spend a minute or two on it. This will give us a place to comment on the game instead of putting it in the previous game’s summation post.
Just a suggestion.
A certain Mr Conor Ronan doing what he does so well for his loan club Blackpool.
https://twitter.com/SportingLifeFC/status/1232590172749017088
Just back to the hotel after a disappointing scoreline but far from disappointing result.
Friday on our European tours is usually a relaxing “tourist” day but tomorrow Stu Jen de wolf and us Lowves will be glued to the internet waiting to see who we get in the last sixteen., and for the next hour or so booking our next excursion.
Hope to get time to sample more of Barcelona’s delightful city before flying home on Saturday, then down to Spurs on Sunday.
It’s a full time job supporting Wolves under Nuno! But wouldn’t have it any other way.
Hard work being a Wolves fan, someone has to do it though.
Helps if you attach the photo with it.