WE TAKE A LOOK AT 6 THINGS WE LEARNT FROM THE 2-2 DRAW AT THE CITY GROUND
1. CUNHA IS BACK
Seeing Matheus Cunha’s name in the starting lineup definitely gave me hope despite knowing he wouldn’t play the full 90 minutes. His first goal was sublime and showed us precisely what we’ve been missing. Jose Sa released the ball to Cunha, who raced the length of the pitch, fending off two Forest defenders to slot a stunning strike into the far top corner of the net. This goal will undoubtedly be a contender for goal of the season.
As magnificent as Cunha’s first goal was, the second was scrappy, but they all count the same. We saw in this match exactly what Wolves have been lacking during our injury crisis. Cunha may have taken a little while to settle in Wolverhampton, but he surely feels at home now. Matheus also seems to understand the fans; he knows how to get them riled up, and his carbon copy of Morgan Gibbs-White’s celebration didn’t go unnoticed by the away end.
2. HWANG IS NEARLY BACK
Hee-Chan made an appearance off the bench, getting around 15 minutes of game time. During that brief stint, he proved a nuisance for the Forest defence, but what truly stood out was his physical presence. He looked strong and could hold his own against the defenders. With youngsters filling this role while Wolves have been dealing with numerous injuries, the difference an experienced striker can make both on and off the ball was evident. Matheus Cunha managed to overtake Hee-Chan as the team’s top goalscorer yesterday, but hopefully, Hwang can regain full fitness and add to his current season tally of 10 goals.
3. WE NEED RAYAN AIT-NOURI BACK
Rayan Ait-Nouri was part of the Wolves squad that travelled to the City Ground, although he didn’t secure a spot in the starting XI or even make it to the bench. Gary O’Neil mentioned that he’s dealing with a minor calf injury, but there’s optimism for his return in the upcoming Arsenal match at the Molineux next week. It’s worth noting how Ait-Nouri, who was bombed out by Lopetegui, has truly shone this season. His absence is keenly felt, especially in terms of his blistering pace and creative spark. With Pedro Neto also on the sidelines due to injury, the team feels the impact of missing out on these essential skills.
4. DAWSON MIGHT NOT BE BACK
Inexperience was clearly evident in Wolves defence. While Kilman, Toti, and Bueno are skilled defenders, they’re all young, and we’re missing the veteran presence of Craig Dawson, who seems to provide a sense of solidity and confidence. The young defenders put in a solid shift most of the time, but both goals conceded were preventable.
For Gibbs-White’s header, there was a lot of commotion in the build-up, with Sa complaining about obstruction from Chris Wood, and the focus seemed to be on Wood causing a nuisance, allowing Gibbs-White to follow up with a header that went under the keeper. While Jose did well and made some great saves overall, he could have perhaps done a bit better with this one. He wasn’t happy as he watched the replay on the big screen.
Gary O’Neil dashed hopes of Craig Dawson’s imminent return. Although Dawson made the bench, his groin injury is being reviewed this week, which might require surgery that would keep him out for the rest of the season. We’re certainly missing his experienced voice leading the back line.
5. TIME TO LET IT GO?
Forest may be relatively local, but this has developed into a sort of contrived rivalry. Fans don’t necessarily have to endure workplace banter on a Monday morning, but there’s an element of petty grievances between the two sides that have grown since Forest’s return to the Premier League. To be fair, the atmosphere was electric at the City Ground, and the noise levels were high, which all adds to the excitement.
The dislike between the clubs has been fuelled by the transfer of Morgan Gibbs-White, who relishes nothing more than taunting the Wolves fans with a goal celebration, but that’s all fair game considering the stick he got yesterday from the Wolves away end. There was the minor fracas following Wolves’ defeat on penalties in the Carabao Cup last season, and of course, the regrettable Forest social post depicting Emmanuel Dennis cuddling some wolf cubs with the caption “Playtime,” and Wolves’ subsequent response following the win was legendary!
This may cause some disagreement, but I think it’s time to let the Morgan Gibbs-White stuff go. The chants only fuel his fire and desire to score against us, and as soon as I hear them, I always think he’ll get his own back. The guy has been gone for two years, and we should move on.
6. HOME RUN
Wolves are now on a home run of three games at Molineux, facing title challengers Arsenal, a rearranged Bournemouth match and relegation battlers Luton. These fixtures will undoubtedly prove challenging for Gary O’Neil, who has limited options for squad rotation due to the lack of depth in his squad. Arsenal and Luton both have something to play for and won’t be an easy task. Bournemouth are a little bit like us in that they don’t expect anything more than mid table but will want to get one over on their former manager.
Accumulating points in these games is crucial for Wolves’ ambition of securing a top-half finish, as every position in the Premier League carries substantial financial rewards, with each place worth approximately £2.2 million. A higher league position will strengthen Wolves’ financial position heading into the summer transfer window and will puts is in a stronger negotiating position with any transfer targets.
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