Wolves chalked up their latest three points at the weekend, despite losing another two attackers to injury, as Fulham were beaten at Molineux.
After losing Jean-Ricner Bellegarde and Pedro Neto during a disjointed first half, the Old Gold rallied, with a number of players playing out of position for the team, and earned a third straight win on home soil.
The Matchday Live Extra team watched on as Rayan Ait-Nouri’s opener put Wolves ahead and Nelson Semedo’s shot took a big deflection off Tom Cairney, and former full-backs Lee Naylor and Andy Thompson gave their thoughts come full-time.
Wolves getting the victory
Naylor said: “Second half, for me, was the entertaining part. First half was a bit hit and miss from both teams, I thought we caught Fulham on a bad day, but in the second half we turned it up. The last few games here, we didn’t haven’t out in the second half, and really come out of the traps, but I thought we thoroughly deserved to win it in the second half.”
Thompson said: “The second half was totally different – going at them with pace, causing them problems. We got the two goals from the little bit of quality in the final third, which was missing in the first half. Toti’s first touch was absolutely brilliant, and Ait-Nouri’s got the awareness to put his right foot on it and put it in the roof of the net. Wolves were a totally different side in the second half and looked like they had more of a purpose. Is it something the manager’s done or said at half-time? Probably. He’s inspired them to get that victory.”
Overcoming the injury issues
Naylor said: “When you’re stop start, it’s not easy and when you’ve had big blows, emotionally it plays on the players. You see your best player going off and it’s a natural reaction to feel a negative impact. They saw it out, got away with it with them hitting the crossbar. Came back out and it was a totally different game, different crowd, the atmosphere was brilliant second half, and the fans need to keep doing it because it’s brilliant.”
Thompson said: “You applaud the way the fans were, getting behind them. They probably realised the team needed something from somewhere and it came from them, to give them that feeling that they needed to push on, they needed to try and get something out of the game. The noise and volume definitely helped. If the players can hear the backing of their fans, trying to get the victory, it doesn’t half help and they got their just rewards.”
Two good team goals
Naylor said: “Toti’s touch made the goal. The boys closest to him appreciated that and knew they needed to go to him [to celebrate]. Joao Gomes on the far side, with what he did in the build-up to the second, was top. He was all over the pitch, dominating people. First half he was rubbing his thigh, and I was thinking he was coming off. Joao Gomes earned that goal because he was going down a rabbit hole and found himself turning two players on the byline, and that’s our sitting midfielder. He’s making runs and making tackles and bringing in assists. That’s the package.”
Players playing out of position
Thompson said: “It shows you what they’re willing to do for this manager. They’re willing to play out of position, playing for the team, and it’s the belief he’s instilled in all of the players in the squad. How many teams lose their first choice attackers, four of them, and it’s making sure we get the best out of these players. Gary O’Neil is getting the best out of his squad. He’s using the young lads, bringing them through. Fraser, you look at the belief he had in the game. He didn’t stop running, chasing everything down, and that’s what they’re willing to do for this team.”
You know it's been a good weekend at Molineux when you see this ✊ pic.twitter.com/9VIhvBVlf4
— Wolves (@Wolves) March 10, 2024
O’Neil trying a different system
Thompson said: “If it didn’t work, he’s the type of manager who’d change it straight away back. He’s got the players on there who can go with the four at the back or a three. We’ve looked a lot more comfortable this season with three and we’ve seen it a couple of times where we’ve struggled with a back four. It’s formations for different games and today worked, not so much in the first half, but in the second half, it definitely did. He’s going to try and look at his players playing different formations and he’s going to pick a formation, a side to win him games and he’s got the result he wanted.”
Ait-Nouri flourishing further forward
Naylor said: “He looks like he’s coming up with solutions left, right and centre. I always bring up Gareth Bale, he’s never been a left-back, and I don’t think Ait-Nouri’s ever been a left-back. Left-wing-back he can get away with it, but I think he can play winger all day long. He wants to make plays, he wants to run with the ball, maybe take on a player and pass it.”
Thompson said: “I think playing further on, more advanced, suits him. He’s the player in the side who is willing to go at players and can get past players with his trickery. His feet are that quick, he moves the ball so quickly, and what he’s starting to get a bit better at is the final ball. He hit a great cross in the first half and put in a couple of decent balls in the second half. He’s a young lad, he’s still learning the game, and for me he suits a more advanced position.”
Santi Bueno impressing again
Thompson said: “I thought he didn’t do anything wrong. Bueno had a good game. He seems to be getting better. If you’re looking at it, players coming in and getting better, performing, he’s going to have a headache if Dawson is fit, but it’s a nice headache to have.”
