After nine long months, Wolves finally win again. Dave looks at what changed, for this weeks article on BBC Sport
Almost nine months.
Nine long, soul-destroying months of waiting, hoping, travelling, groaning, and still turning up. And finally… finally Wolverhampton Wanderers remembered how to win a Premier League football match.
I do not care who it was against. I do not care about the table. I do not care how ugly it has been getting here. That feeling at full-time? Pure relief. Pure joy. Absolute bliss.
So what changed?
Firstly, we have seen this coming for a while with good performances at Old Trafford and Anfield. But for me, it started with intent. We played with a positive, attacking mindset, not the cautious, scared version we have watched too often. There was movement ahead of the ball, runners taking risks and a sense that we were trying to win rather than trying not to lose.
Mateus Mane has injected something we’ve been crying out for: energy and directness. In truth, he felt like the spark that lit the flame. His first touch is sharp, and you could see West Ham’s defenders struggle to cope as he slipped past them.
He is brilliant at finding space, constantly moving even when he does not have the ball. His football intelligence is clear but more than anything he shows no fear. That attitude spreads. It felt like his tempo rubbed off on everyone around him.
Credit is also due to Hwang Hee-chan and Jhon Arias, because both have had plenty of criticism thrown their way. Rob Edwards tweaked the system and, crucially, pushed them into more central roles. It suited both.
Arias, as part of a midfield three, looked like a different player, more involved, more assured, and more able to affect the game. That switch started at Manchester United and it carried forward here.
Meanwhile Hwang played higher and narrower, ran at defenders, helped create a goal and then kept his nerve from the spot.
Maybe Edwards has landed on a shape that actually works for this squad. The worry is whether we can take it into the next game at Everton. Joao Gomes and Hwang both look like injury doubts and Wolves might be forced to break up a winning combination before it has had a chance to grow.
One last thing: the humour. Both sets of fans traded chants of gallows humour for most of the match and after nine months, we deserved a laugh – and we definitely deserved a win.
