Wolves Fans' Verdict v Middlesbrough: Thrilled and excited after opening day win

Chris Hughes

What's your verdict on the match? As opening weekends go, this one couldn't have gone much better. A 1-0 win against a tough opponent who, on this performance, look likely to be there or thereabouts by the end of the season in a game which began with a show of support for one of own before kick off following a couple of supporter-lead fundraising efforts to demonstrate how much we all think of Carl Ikeme.

My own recollection of the game is hazy, mainly owing to tiredness after spending 24 hours supporting a penalty shoot out in aid of Cure Leukaemia but also due to a few pre-match beverages taken into my overtired body!

My opinion before the game was that five points from the opening three fixtures would be a good return and today provided the first three of those. We're still a work in progress, especially in the final third, but there are signs of a side beginning to understand the new system Nuno has introduced. It's going to be very interesting to see how the Molineux faithful respond to regularly seeing a side looking to retain possession so patiently but, if results like this are common, I'd say they can stomach the new style.

A word to everyone who came along to Wolfie's Den to visit me and all of the other volunteers during the 24-hour penalty shoot out over Friday/Saturday. We had a good time and raised a lot of money for a great cause thanks to a great bunch of fans who wanted to show their support for one of our own. Get well soon Carl. #TeamKemes

Who played well – and who didn't impress? We had a solid looking defence that limited Boro to a few half-chances, another excellent outing at left wing back from Barry Douglas, an encouraging but equally infuriating display from Bright Enobakhare, and a glimpse of what Neves and Saiss can offer as a midfield pair with a little more time to gel and settle down together.

Add those positives to a gift of a debut goal for Leo Bonatini and the Wolves faithful went home pretty happy.

Adam Virgo

What's your verdict on the match? Firstly I just want to say that the fans were excellent throughout, biggest home crowd for the opening day for over 30 years and fantastic support from both sides to the one and only Carl Ikeme. I also want to give extra credit to everyone who took part in the #Pens4Kemes, especially those who did the 24 hours and the people who did the walk from Cannock to Molineux.

I thought the first half went to plan and we controlled it for large spells. We looked dominant for most of the half and limited them to one chance which Braithwaite should have probably scored. The defence looked very assured for most parts, a few mistakes here and there but that's expected on the first game.

Second half I have to admit Boro edged it but credit to the team for digging deep and getting the job done. A big save from Ruddy to stop Assombalonga was also needed but we stayed strong and got all three points. It's not always going to be free flowing football and us taking teams apart though, sometimes you have to grind out a 1-0 win and don't be shocked if you see a few more of those this season, but, if you want to do well in this league then that is certainly needed.

As a whole I was happy with the way we played and I'm really looking forward to seeing more of this team. You can see that the hard work in training over pre season has paid off and as a unit, we look a lot more solid defensively than we have for a long time.

We can all look forward to getting Cavaleiro back next week which is huge considering he was probably our best player in pre-season. We still have the likes of Costa and Marshall to come back into the side as well which will increase attacking options and hopefully add more goals to the team.

Who played well – and who didn't impress? I thought the whole team put a fantastic shift in and did well if I'm honest. The standout player for me though was Romain Saiss, I thought he was excellent in retaining possession, his passing was superb and in general, he bossed the Boro midfield with his sidekick Ruben Neves.

I think it's going to take a lot for an opposition midfield to get the better of Saiss and Neves this season, they really do look like the real deal in central midfield. I think Saiss is helped by having someone like Neves who's so calm on the ball, can keep possession and also gets stuck in when needed. Maybe that's the type of player Saiss needs next to him to ensure he can do well at his own game.

Coady, Boly and Miranda coped well with Boro's attack especially as they had four strikers on the pitch at one point. Miranda got stuck in aggressively which I liked, however he has got to be careful in giving free kicks away in dangerous areas. Ashley Fletcher struggled against him all game though and after the yellow card he calmed down and grew as the game went on.

Willy Boly is a quality loan signing, first half Assombalonga didn't know what to do and apart from maybe a couple of errors late on, he did a fantastic job. Coady is also a brilliant captain and leader, always communicating with his defenders and players around him, I can see him having his best season in a Wolves shirt.

I liked the look of Leo Bonatini, thought he held the ball up well, linked up nicely with the players around him and took the only chance he had which is all we can ask for. Yes it was passed straight to him by Daniel Ayala but he still had to finish it which he did nicely and once he's properly match fit, I think he could be a good player for us based on what I saw yesterday.

Bright Enobakhare, huge potential and talent but his end product massively needs some working on. It's like he does all this amazing dribbling and skill, gets to the 18 yard box and his brain just switches off and then he doesn't know what to do or he ends up making the wrong decision. It's very frustrating because we all know how good he could be if he had an end product. I can see Nuno dropping him for Cavaleiro next week at Derby.

Heather Large

What's your verdict on the match? It was a pretty good way to start the season and not bad for Nuno's first taste of Championship football either.

With expectations through the roof and Carl Ikeme very much in our thoughts, we were all praying for a win.

But it seemed like it was going to be tougher than we hoped to begin with because neither side were really in control as the game got under way.

Then came that well-taken goal by Leo Bonatini which really changed the tempo of the game for the remainder of the half as we pushed forward.

After half-time, we were definitely the brighter side, playing some good football but then we started defending a bit too deeply letting Middlesbrough put us under pressure.

We seemed to lose some of our composure and we struggled to keep hold of the ball as well as we had been doing with a few silly mistakes. This all led to a rather nervy last 20 minutes.

But, thankfully, although I, and those around me, were feeling far from calm, John Ruddy didn't seem fazed at all and was as relaxed and assured as he had been all game making some brilliant saves.

I was equally relieved and delighted when the final whistle eventually blew because I thought we thoroughly deserved the three points.

It's obviously very early but there are definitely plenty of promising signs in our performance.

It was also great to see Molineux full and everyone getting behind the lads as well as the tributes to Carl before kick-off. Having the South Bank spell out his name was a lovely touch.

We all want Wolves to do well but really Carl's health is all that really matters this season. Keep fighting Carl, we're all with you.

Who played well – and who didn't impress? Picking a man of the match is a struggle because no one had a bad game.

I was very impressed with all of our new signings but in particular Willy Boly and Roderick Miranda looked solid at the back and Ruben Neves was superb especially that fantastic pass diagonally across the field to Matt Doherty. Wow. Hopefully, we're going to be seeing many more of that quality in the games to come.

I also thought Conor Coady was excellent as captain, he was continually aware of what was going on around him and rallying the other players when needed.

Russ Evers (Hatherton Wolves)

What's your verdict on the match? And so it begins. And if that was just the start we will be in for a royal treat over the next nine months.

Whilst it is very early days, Wolves seem to be living up to the hype. Never less than assured, there was not one ounce of panic or blind clueless runs to nowhere.

For 70 minutes we passed Middlesbrough off the pitch and never gave them a look in. One good chance courtesy of a defensive slip and our new Brazilian took it superbly.

He has the same birthday as Bully and seemingly the same eye for goal. At the other end Ruddy was a rock on what was an emotional tribute day for the brave Carl Ikeme.

Great touches from the club and the crowd and fair play to the Boro fans for their tribute. Its great to be a Wolves fan at the moment – long let it last.

Who played well – and who didn't impress? Every player had a good game with Boly and Coady outstanding.

Natalie Wood

What's your verdict on the match? I think it's safe to say I had some concerns before the game about how the new boys would handle the physicality of the Championship, but I need not have worried.

First half I think our midfield played some of the best football I have seen down the Wolves in years. They were in control and Neves in particular was outstanding.

The other player that stood out for me in the first half in particular was Willy Boly – he is a powerful athletic who is comfortable on the ball. I think he will become a crucial part of our team as the season goes on.

Middlesbrough were the better team in the second half. They will undoubtedly be challenging for top spot come the end of the season and the three points we gained today will look all the more impressive! As opening days go this was a good one!

Who played well – and who didn't impress? Neves' passing game is sublime – the position and power of his passes are fantastic. It is early days but he seems to be completely worth the hype!

Bright Enobakhare frustrates me, he has amazing talent no doubt about it however he needs to lift his head up more and be more aware of the game around him.

Rob Cartwright

What's your verdict on the match? What a day. I can't remember the start of a season with so much anticipation as this one. There's always hope, but this time I detect a real belief both within the squad and the supporters. Whatever happens now, we can't fault our owners and Laurie Dalrymple.

I am fully behind this summer's activity and was happy when the team was announced and that seven players would make their debut. Well done Nuno for being brave when others before you were not brave enough.

The match itself was a cagey affair with both teams cancelling each other out. I think Wolves shaded the first half with some passing of the highest order; not seen at Molineux for many a year. The second half was more open and though we were hanging onto our one goal lead towards the end, I had confidence in our new defence to hold tight and we are more than capable of catching teams with a counter attacking goal.

Saiss controlled the middle of the park, relishing Nuno's formation and tactics. Neves and Jota did well, but I feel there is more to come from both. We didn't have a true target man up front so sometimes our play had no real intent. It was great that the crowd kept behind the team, showing no frustration.

Difficult to assess Bonatini on this showing, but when gifted the ball, he took his goal well, so the signs are positive. Beating the bookies favourites on opening day is good enough for me.

Who played well – and who didn't impress? Nuno clearly started building his team from the back and a fine job he has done too. Ruddy is an excellent goalkeeper. I think he will become one of our best, in recent years. Boly is a beast who plays the ball with skill. Don't expect hoof ball anytime soon. Miranda reads the game well and gets his challenge in early, so expect a few bookings. He's more than good enough for the Championship.

I am delighted to see Coady as captain - something I called for at the start of last season. From our original squad, he is the one who displays most leadership characteristics and has slotted well into a back three formation. He leads by example and is vocal throughout.

I'm impressed with Douglas and he and Doherty are doing well in their wing back roles.

Neves-Saiss-Jota are our midfield 'dream team'. The passing of Neves; the tackling of Saiss and the running and dribbling of Jota. Get the right striker and expect goals!

Is Bonatini the right one? Too early to say, but he remained composed to score his goal, something Bodvarsson never managed to do and we have seen many chances like that one missed over the years.

Big shout out for Enobakhare. He showed high energy throughout and a willingness to get involved and make space to receive the ball. Not great decision making when in possession, but he's learning and hopefully this will come.

Overall my stand out player was Saiss. And ust think, we have Costa, Cavaleiro and Graham to come back into this team.

This could be an eventful season. Hold on tight Wolves fans!

Clive Smith

What's your verdict on the match? Corner by Graham, Batth, 1-0, home win. Three months have passed. So much has changed but some things have stayed the same. Murray, Konta, Hamilton, Root, Ali, Froome, women's cricket, women's football have all had their moments but the real deal started again on Saturday. Sadly our 'Number One' was only there via the now working video screens.

A large crowd played a watching game with player recognition the challenge in the early stages. This 1-0 home win has set us up well.

Guessing the team ahead of kick off would have been pointless but the new formation had been well publicised in advance. Something else we had to study as the game went on.

Coady, captain and in the middle of defence. Costa out injured and no-one batted an eye. Batth, Edwards, Dicko all on the bench, whatever next.

Well, 'next' was pretty good frankly. An interesting first half. We passed the ball with a level of pace and accuracy better than we were used to. The players showed a refreshing awareness of where their colleagues were and it raised several moments of spontaneous applause.

Miranda and Boly are the no-nonsense variety of defender. Horrid to play against but great to have in your side. Happy with both of them. Douglas and Doherty played as wing backs making tackles higher up the field than your regular full-back. I am not so used to seeing the diagonal ball being played into the gap inside them, however.

That usually meant Miranda or Boly had to go wide to cover. Maybe that's ok and that's the plan. Capt Cody looked at ease toing and froing as and when required. They all had a desire to preserve possession wherever possible without taking undue risks. Finding midfield helped with our transition rather than surrendering possession cheaply.

Out of nothing we scored the only goal. Leo Bonatini intercepted, drew the keeper and slotted home. A good solid finish and a great way to open his account. We will never expect him to miss a one-on-one from now on. Any mention of the Bodvarsson goal, opening day last season, (and what happened next) will be deemed too negative a comparison. This piece of the jigsaw might just fit the bill.

Sadly we did not create many more goal chances. Saiss and Neves played neat football, creative at times, but few moves ended with the ball in their box.

Enobakhare was unpredictable but his end product was never quite up to scratch.

The second half saw us with less of the ball. For 10 minutes the game got very spread. However, once Dicko replaced Bonatini, our ability to keep possession failed us. For half an hour there was some similarity with last season but the resilience of the back 5 gave us the edge.

Ruddy made a couple of saves, one very good one with his legs. Graham was introduced 15 minutes later than he should have been.

All in all a good three points against a team that is expected to be top six if not top two.

Who played well – and who didn't impress? My concern going into the season today was that our number one priority - getting a goalscorer - had still not been addressed. Although happy with the day overall I still feel the same.

On Saturday's form Assombalonga would have been a great asset to us. He was a live wire throughout. He looked sharp and could have scored a couple against us. He looks to have 25 goals in him. I wonder why we did not get him?

I wanted to see Neves on the ball more in the second half and further up the field. Enobakhare needs to improve his decision making because he gets in some great positions. My biggest disappointment was Jota - his contribution seemed to pass me by, hence my comments that Graham should have been been on sooner.

Banish those negative comments though - we got a good result and played well overall. I was pleased how we looked like a team rather than a bunch of individual new signings. Pre-season has obviously been a success from that aspect.

MOTM I would give to Miranda. After Eight mints for Yeovil on Tuesday?

Russ Cockburn

What's your verdict on the match? There are few better feelings in the world than stepping into a sun-drenched Molineux on the opening day of the season. Even better when an air of optimism and expectation is sweeping the four stands.

But this is Wolves and we do know how to crush the ‘feel good’ factor, it’s just what we do. Or is this a new Wolves emerging, one not curtailed by years of under achievement and one that is strong enough to lap up the passion of the fans, rather than shy away from it like their predecessors?

In all honesty, it is way too early to tell. However, what yesterday’s 1-0 win against a strong Boro team told us is that we are going to compete and plenty of teams aren’t going to fancy playing us.

It was a real battle of the heavyweights, with very little quarter given in a tense and ultimately rewarding 94 minutes.

Wolves were very organised and defended as a unit, letting Boro play at the back but giving them little space as soon as the ball met the half-way line.

Passing was slicker and crisper than we’ve seen in a long time and there were many moments of ‘is this really Wolves we are watching?’. My only criticism was that we failed to deliver in a number of good positions and that will need to improve if we are going to create more chances and goals.

In fact, we needed Ayala to deliver a suicidal pass that would have had most Boro fans choking on their parmos.

Nuno prowled the touchline like a menacing hired gun slinger you’d find in a Western film, often firing off volleys of instructions to his new team or berating yet another shocking refereeing performance.

What he saw from his new charges he must have liked. Ruddy, apart from his standard ‘Star Fish’ cameo, looked commanding in the air and made a crucial stop from the dangerous Assombalonga.

Big Willy was like a man mountain and will be a cult hero, Bonatini capped a decent 57 minutes with a very composed finish and Jota buzzed more than a new arrival at Ann Summers.

Then we have the Rolls Royce, the wonderful Neves, who makes things look so easy it is almost criminal. He has that gift where he knows what is around him without looking up and that brings out the best in our other midfielders and allows us to move the ball faster.

One pass second half summed up a great Championship debut, when he raked a 30-yard ball out to Doherty. Most of the South Bank were about to groan as none of us had seen the run from the Doc, sensational stuff.

So all in all a good day in the office, made even more so with the superb #pens4kemes fundraiser and the display of support for Carl Ikeme pre and during the match. Off to Derby we go, hopefully this time with a performance that matches the away support at Pride Park.

Who played well – and who didn't impress? In addition to the new boys, I thought Coady continued his excellent run of form and Saiss probably had a better game than I first gave him credit for. I may just expect a bit too much from him if Twitter feedback is anything to go by.

Then we have the curious case of Bright. One minute a two-footed genius, the next a Sunday morning striker.

He desperately needs a goal to get that off his back and that might see his decision making in the attacking third improve. There’s a player there, but not sure how long we can wait for him to fully appear, especially with Costa, Cav and Marshall still to come back in.