Wolves 3-0 West Ham: Dream Start to 2026 at Molineux

The first game of the new year, a chance to start fresh for Wolves after a great performance in Manchester on Tuesday night.

The last time we welcomed West Ham to Molineux we came out onto in a 3-2 win in the Carabao cup at the start of the season.

Only one change to the team that took a point against Man United and it’s Santi Bueno in for Doherty at the heart of the defence.

Slightly tense start with a Mosquera mistake but it was good defending to bail him out, Wolves are building into the game and Hwang picks up the ball and drives past 3 or 4 West Ham players but he can’t quite thread the ball through to Tolu who made an intelligent run. 

It’s been coming, on 4 minutes Mane picks up the ball and drives at West Ham, he threads a ball through to Hwang in left hand side of the box. He beats his man and fires a low cross towards the penalty area and it finds Jhon Arias to net his first goal for Wolves. A brilliant team goal and Wolves cut the West Ham defence apart with that move. The midfield have been excellent in this game Arias has been up and down the pitch helping Tchachoua and Mosquera deal with the threat from Summerville.

Wolves break down the left hand side on the 30th minute and Hugo Bueno finds a pin point cross into Tolu, it bounces of him towards Mane who is taken out and the ref points to the penalty spot. Hwang steps up and fires it down the middle and Wolves lead 2-0!!

West Ham are all over the place, Wolves look a serious threat every time they attack and from a corner Gomes crosses to Tolu who forces Areola into a remarkable point blank save to keep it 2-0.

But not for long as Hugo Bueno breaks down the left again on the 40th minute and finds Mane who turns magnificently on his weak foot, takes a touch and fires a low shot past the reach of Areola at his near post. A quite ridiculous turn and finish from the young lad who deserves it because he’s been magnificent since Edward’s has taken charge.

3-0 at half time and the Molineux crowd cheer for the boys as the go towards the tunnel, the West Ham fans not so happy as boos ring around the away end.

One change at half time, Gomes off for Andre. West Ham came out looking to get on the front foot and the fresh legs of Soucek has helped them, he plays a long ball over to Summerville who cuts inside and crosses to Bowen who tries the overhead kick but it’s over the bar. West Ham starting to create more chances now as the ball drops from a corner and Mavropanos fires over the bar.

Larsen replaces Hwang on 61 minutes due to a little injury, One of Hwang’s best performances of the season with a goal and assist. Wolves starting to create some good attacks and Hugo Bueno picks up the ball cuts inside and curls a right footed effort towards the far corner which Areola is equal too. Not long after from the second phase of a corner Arias beats his man on the left hand side of the box and crosses for Larsen who heads just wide.

This is a completely different Wolves team, fighting for every ball, battling, better decision making. It’s refreshing to watch. Sa has been immense, commanding his area today, he’s been first to every ball into the box, a really solid performance from our Number 1. The defending has been excellent too the back three have really impressed me today with the calmness and security we’ve really needed lately.

One good thing that has come out of this season has to be Mateus Mane. What a little star we have on our hands. He’s been excellent and he nearly topped his performance off with another goal when he picks the ball up on the left hand side of the 18 yard box with 2 West Ham players on him, he Cruyff turns between them and fires a curling effort towards the far post similar to Buenos earlier chance and it’s well saved. 

Moller Wolfe and Chirwera come on to help see out the game and Wolves claim their first 3 points of the season and it was well and truly deserved.

The players were immense today and they should be proud of that performance. A few fist bumps from Rob Edwards to start the year is very much welcomed, roll on to Wednesday night. Let’s hope we can continue this good form and start making some ground up on the team above us.

Wolves 3 West Ham 0