GEORGE LAKIN
Efficiency football at its finest.
As good defensively as I can remember seeing us in a long, long time, possibly as far back as Nuno. Couple of hairy moments but no genuine threat, no genuine way of breaking us down at all.
We haven’t exactly set the world alight but the last three games we’ve looked a well-oiled machine: organised, pragmatic, disciplined and immensely capable of carrying out the manager’s game-plan.
Each of them understands implicitly what Pereira is asking of them. Great to see, and very, very refreshing compared to the incoherent mess we were before Christmas- absolutely no two players were on the same page!
Also, it has to be said that incredibly we look a better team without Cunha. Every one of those starting 11 tonight had one priority- the football, and it showed. It’s this kind of dedication to the cause that wins football matches; not wonder goals or flicks and tricks.
Chuffed for Larsen who has really stepped up in Cunha’s absence. Goes without saying how crucial his goals have been. From there, I always felt confident we could hold these off after going a goal up, such is my confidence in how Pereira sets us up, and how well he manages us through games.
Defence just colossal- to a man. Superb. Joao and Andre tireless. Munetsi and Bellegarde too. And I’m convinced Munetsi’s goals will come, he gets into the positions and he’s missing by the finest of margins. It could’ve been a very different story for him so far; we’re talking inches away from 5 or 6 goals. Stick with him, he’s a grafter; ran himself into the ground tonight. Plus, I believe Strand Larsen was famed for hitting the woodwork time and time again last season for Celta Vigo, so it could be a good omen!
Finally, worth noting the gap between us and 16th place has been bridged to just 5 points. Maybe it’s finally time to genuinely start looking up?
If Pereira has us finishing anywhere above 17th it’ll be nothing short of a miracle… I wouldn’t put it past him, he’s got us ticking along very nicely right now.
KARL WHITEHOUSE
Wolves started the game strongly, allowing West Ham chances to get the opening goal, but Wolves were there to keep them out. We took the lead with a good period of play, with Munetsi assisting Strand Larsen for another goal to keep his run going since we lost Cunha to suspension.
We showed great intensity in this half of football, dominating the game with solid defending. Our back three hardly had much to do, and Sa was a spectator on the pitch. The pressing and attacking were good in the first half, and Vitor must be happy with the team’s performance.
In the second half, we saw a change, allowing West Ham to attack us in all areas of the pitch. Luckily, their shooting was not on target. This second half was scrappy and cagey at times, as we defended deep, with occasional moments going forward in search of a second goal, but our finishing was poor. Vitor will be concerned about this and will need to sort it out for the next match at the weekend, which is a big one.
Near the end of the game, it was tense, with West Ham getting close to equalising, but our defence was there again to keep it out. It was a relief to hold on for three important points, extending our gap to 12 points. We are now four wins ahead of the bottom three, with a professional win and a clean sheet. Vitor’s mission to keep us in the top flight is getting closer, especially without our talisman in the side.
Let’s back our team for the next match against Ipswich and keep the faith.
PAM WELLS
Well, the Hammers are the visitors tonight, and if we can get something from this game and cement our points difference, it would be great. The game started out pretty even; West Ham were very much at our feet, getting stuck in. Just after 9 minutes, Ait Nouri and Toti made a mistake. The ball went out to Bowen, who passed to Ferguson, and we were lucky not to concede.
After 14 minutes, Semedo was fouled, and three Wolves players were over the ball before Agbadou struck it over the bar. On 20 minutes, Agbadou sent a great ball through, which Larsen got hold of and put in a great shot to put us 1-0 in front. Well deserved, I think.
A few minutes later, João Gomes went on a great run and passed the ball to Larsen, who passed to Munetsi. Munetsi hit a great shot, but it struck the inside of the bar and came out. It would have been a fantastic goal. Gomes seemed to get injured on his run and went down before being taken off for treatment. In the meantime, something upset Andre, and he was booked for aggressive behaviour. Luckily, Gomes was okay to return and didn’t seem any worse for whatever injury he had.
Sa was booked later after a skirmish in the goalmouth. We kept making chances, but West Ham were really trying to settle us down. Hopefully, we keep calm with two already booked. More of the same in the second half, please.
West Ham came out with three substitutes and immediately flooded the midfield with four across the middle. They were completely on top for most of the half, and we were sitting far too deep. Andre was subbed for Sarabia, probably because of the yellow card. Bellegarde dropped back into midfield. The referee was very poor, picking up our players for every little thing. Toti made another mistake and let Paqueta through on the penalty spot, but it was a big let-off for Wolves as he shot wide.
Bueno came on for Ait Nouri, with Semedo going to left wing-back and Doherty to the right. We still made very few, if any, attacking chances. Traore came on for Bellegarde.
With two minutes left of the five added on, could we hang on? It wouldn’t be Wolves if they couldn’t make it nail-biting. Out of nowhere, Traore put Munetsi through. He ran the length of the pitch, but his final touch went wide. He then broke through again and won a throw-in. He collapsed in a heap, absolutely exhausted.
Vitor was then given a yellow card for running down the touchline to get the crowd to give more support! Thankfully, we hung on and gained a massive three points to put us 12 clear until Leicester and Ipswich play tomorrow, and it also puts us within five points of West Ham.
A very hard-fought three points, with yet again a poor referee. My man of the match? João Gomes. Performance rating: 7.