Wolves Fans' Verdict v Millwall: A well deserved win

Natalie Wood

What's your verdict on the match? It was great to see Wolves getting back to the standard they started the season with after a few sub par performances.

First half we played some lovely football and it's so refreshing to see us really in control.

As I've pointed out before, the minute Wolves get given space they are unrivalled and play some beautiful football, which is what we saw here.

Second half was what I would call a professional performance. I wouldn't say it would go down as a memorable one but they got the job done.

The only frustration was that we couldn't see off the game – it would have been really nice to get a second goal to avoid the last 10 minutes of stress but some things will never change at Wolves!

I think as the season goes on we may not be able to rely on a one goal lead so this is an area we need to improve on quickly. But I can't criticise too much though as ultimately we walked away with three points and a happy Molineux! On to the next one!

Who played well – and who didn't impress? Jota was fantastic, not only was his goal top class but his overall contribution to the game was excellent. A stand out man of the match for me.

Have to say Ben Marshall was a surprise starter. He did struggle to get into the game and wasn't as effective as perhaps some may have expected.

Rob Cartwright

What's your verdict on the match? Well, will didn't expect to see George Saville, Jed Wallace and Danny Batth playing together any time soon! To be fair, Batth fitted in well to Nuno's new defensive style. Pleased to report that Saville was anonymous (as usual).

I was surprised that Marshall got his first start, ahead of Cavaleiro. He looked fitter than he did last season but didn't really impact the game, other than some nice touches and passes. I can see why Nuno will like him.

We were entertained by a passing masterclass with Coady joining the ranks of Saiss and Neves. I expect Marshall could join those ranks soon. The accuracy of some of the 40 yard cross-field passes take your breath away. We dominated possession and kept Millwall at bay until well into added time.

Sixty-eight per cent possession and 19 goal attempts about sums up how we dominated this game.

I would like to see more tempo in moving forward and more players getting into the box. Goals struck from outside the area are always good to see, but it's shots from in the box that win titles and we are not having enough of these.

Who played well – and who didn't impress? I think Saiss had his best game in a Wolves shirt. He showed great composure and awareness of possible threats. He covered the whole pitch and his passing is excellent. Good that he has eliminated the frequent free kicks given to the opposition.

Doherty also had an excellent game with Millwall failing to close him down, as Cardiff had done.

Jota is improving every game and looks likely to become our best signing. Neves is a class player who does a lot of the basics very well and goes largely unnoticed due to his more defensive position.

I think Bonatini had a very good game. He contributes well to the team, but he is not a predatory type of striker that most fans would like to see.

It would be harsh to single any player for criticism, as I felt we completely dominated the game and looked unlikely to concede a goal. A few players had little real impact.

I am very happy with the progress the squad has made in such a short time and it is good to see new blood and the old guard blending together.

Russ Evers (Hatherton Wolves)

What's your verdict on the match? A result that should never have been in doubt but Ruddy needed to make a couple of decent saves to secure the points.

Otherwise we were excellent and displayed some sublime passing during almost total domination.

Danny Batth came in and fair play to him as he was an able deputy for the missing big Willy.

Young Vinagre continued to impress as a left wing back and was a constant thorn in Millwall's side.

Up front Bonatini linked up very well but missed a couple of good chances but in midfield we were sheer class.

This could just be a great season.

Who played well – and who didn't impress? It comes to something when Neves was the least effective player – even though he had a good game.

Saiss was immense winning nearly everything and stamping his authority on the middle of the pitch.

And then we come to Diego Jota who was simply brilliant and fully deserved the standing ovation from all four stands when given a rest later on.

Clive Smith

What's your verdict on the match? Not a game that will be remembered for much come May, but for a super goal and another view of the Nuno pattern of play.

Opponents nil (in six of eight league and cup games so far) is obviously welcome. The bar has been set higher however.

Where once the post game chatter moaned at the consecutive 0-0 games, now the moaning is about a slender win. Fortress Molineux wasn't built in 24 hours of course and until the drawbridge is finally up we know we are not safe.

The excellent Ruddy save in the last few seconds reinforced our nervousness and was still fresh in the mind. Easy now to look back and say it was a comfortable win - now we know a head-in-hands moment is for another day.

Two changes in the line up saw a couple of old-school friends back. Batth replacing Boly - like for like! Certainly the standard set previously was not affected adversely.

Up front, Enobakhare started on the bench, Graham started and stayed on the Fulham bench, while Marshall started here. Millwall showed their hand early on. A free kick on half way was played long into our crowded box, while their keeper walked 360 degrees around the goal to take a goal kick.

Millwall had skipped on their homework thankfully and allowed Wolves to ping the ball about from midfield to an advanced wingback on a regular basis. Saiss and Neves had enough time to wriggle into space and the ball moved around swiftly and sweetly.

One long diagonal pass found Doherty down our right, his early ball was met by Bonatini whose shot looked odds on finding the net. A decent save kept it at 0-0. Only for a minute or two, Jota then ran from almost half way and hit a superb shot while still well outside the box. A classic Ken Hibbitt (1968-84) goal for those of my generation.

Despite the possession we failed to add to that goal. Crosses into the box saw Bonatini well marked while others never had enough time and space near enough to goal to put a chance away.

The advanced play of Doherty and Vinagre was pleasing to watch specially when the tempo became quicker. Outbreaks of applause broke out after some moves in appreciation of the effort even though they had not produced a goal. In the North Bank – we applaud when we want. Good applause greeted the end of the half too.

As the half time interval came to an end Wolves had returned to the pitch and completed their now familiar shuttle runs before the restart. Millwall were still not out however so our trainer quickly found a ball and ushered our players to pass the ball about rather than stand idle waiting. We had two balls on the go and played short sharp passes to get all the players involved.

When Millwall did turn up the only change was that we only had one ball to play with. Much of the half was constant Wolves possession. Millwall's delayed return must have been while they watched the Cardiff 'highlights' because for 20 minutes they tried to mix it and unsettle our play. The result was a booking for Batth and two for O'Brien.

Playing 10 men gave us even more space but unfortunately we still struggled to penetrate the box often enough. Bonatini had a couple of attempts on goal and there were a few long range shots that lacked the quality of the earlier Jota strike. Marshall lasted an hour before Enobakhare took over while N'Diaye saw the final 15 minutes. Hopefully he is there to make sure our midfield is not deemed too lightweight while he is in the side.

Who played well – and who didn't impress?

Ruddy – he is being appreciated more as each game goes by. An impressive save at the end. The ball came through a crowd, had been hit well, yet there was not a hint of a fumble. He made everything else seem routine and one kicked clearance from his hand found his target on halfway was as good as any pass in the game.

Vinagre and Doherty were at their best going forward. Yes they had space, but they played most of the game well forward. Both were unselfish with their passing, looking a constant threat. They kept their discipline too – staying wide even when play developed down the opposite wing.

Coady, Batth and Miranda all played well. Coady more for his passing but the other two were not too shabby with that either. Miranda took a few minutes to realise Morrison or Gregory would always barge him a second before the ball came. From then on he was solid in the air and stood up to the physicality well.

Batth did well. A new formation, new partners around him, but the same last ditch tackles, blocks and winning of headers. Maybe a few games out of the firing line has done him good. Noticeable in those last couple of minutes at the Alamo both him and Coady were clapping their hands, pointing to their heads and urging everyone to concentrate on the corner being taken.

I would imagine Neves and Saiss enjoyed the game yesterday. They either found, or were given, more space than in the last two games. They used it well, circulating the ball quickly, finding a better placed man to pass to, while also venturing closer to the goal on occasion. Neves has that knack of being surrounded by up to four players yet is still able to keep the ball. That is quite rare in this division.

Marshall perhaps surprisingly started instead of Enobakhare. As a defensive option he probably offers more but not as much when we want to attack. He was taken off before the red card which suggests he is still short of full fitness.

Jota is becoming the star of the show. Besides the goal he looks dangerous whenever he gets the ball and has room to take it forward. A couple of heavy challenges made you wonder if he would ever walk again, never mind run. Man of the match, just ahead of many other good performances.

All the talk over the last week (or three months, or 18 months) was of the lack of signing another forward / goalscorer. Hopefully it got lost in translation and Bonatini has a thick skin. He must feel unappreciated.

Obviously he is there to score but his role seems to be more than that. He works hard. Better than Bodvarsson or Dicko though he also plays smart and is far less wasteful. With his back to goal his touch and passing is far better.

When he is in the box, surrounded by defenders that does free up space for those around him. He is a team player and hopefully will soon be rewarded with some goals to show for his unselfish play.

For 30 minutes Enobhakare saw quite a bit of the ball. He linked up well but needs to be able to get more shots off on target. N'Diaye and Cav only had a little time to influence the game.

As an aside – I wish we could improve our corners.

Adam Virgo

What's your verdict on the match? I felt we were in control of the game from start to finish. We could have scored a couple more which would have been nice, but it's another three points and clean sheet.

We were solid defensively and restricted Millwall from having any real chances. We weren't at our best by all means but we got the job done.

These types of games aren't always easy. If you compare yesterday to last season's 1-0 win against Rotherham, it was a whole lot different in terms of how we played but still the same expectation that we would win comfortably. We could have easily lost that game to Rotherham whereas yesterday, we could have won 3-0 and it would have been deserved.

September is huge for us, we are going to be expected to win all of our games this month and I will take 1-0 wins all day. It's not as if we're scraping a win luckily, we are playing well and some of the football at times is scintillating.

Who played well – and who didn't impress? Diogo Jota once again man of the match for me. I said in a preview for a Millwall website that he would be the difference between drawing and winning a game, I was proved right. His goal was quality, he was ripping into Millwall massively, and I know it's only six games into the season but I genuinely wouldn't be surprised if he wins player of the season providing he carries on playing like this.

We didn't miss Willy Boly which is a good thing because the cover we have can clearly do a good job, this time in Danny Batth. A lot of criticism over the years, myself included but yesterday he played well and was even passing it on the floor. Just shows having a manager like Nuno can get the best out of everyone if you're willing to put the effort in and work hard in training on his way of playing.

Bonatini held the ball up well and his touch is fantastic. Probably should have scored two, I felt the angle was a bit tight on the one where he beat the defender and the keeper did well. The other chance was goal bound but hit a Millwall defender in the head so a bit unlucky for the Brazilian.

Saiss was also back to his best after his last two games that were below par. He had something like a 95.7 per cent pass accuracy from over a 100 passes if I remember correctly which is outstanding, almost got his first ever goal for Wolves too.

Vinagre and Doherty both acted like wingers in effect yesterday, both played well and Vinagre is certainly good competition for the left wing back spot even if Douglas is back fit.