Express & Star

Wolves Fans' Verdict: Bounce back appreciated

Wolves fans give their take as Wolves bounced back to winning ways against Reading.

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Russ Evers

What was your verdict on the match?

Oh what a bad night for the naysayers and doom merchants.

Wolves tore Reading a new one in one of the most one sided games ever staged at Molineux.

3-0 does very little justice to Nuno's men despite having Diogo Jota carried off following the latest unpunished assault on him. This meant that Helder Costa needed to step up and boy did he deliver!

He and Matt Doherty were the best advert for the right side since the early to mid 80's (some of you will understand) as we grew into the game and eventually re-found the swagger that has destroyed most of the division this season.

Now to do it all again on Saturday!

Rob Cartwright

What's your verdict on the match?

Just shows, it may have been The Lord Mayors Show last Saturday in Birmingham, but not in the Black Country. Three days on and we find ourselves further ahead of third place than we were before the weekend. It’s a funny old game!

Nuno is clearly not happy. Making four changes in a league game, for the first time, I think?

You wouldn’t argue with any of them, though Cavaleiro was hard done by, the most.

As it turned out, he was to play his normal 60ish minutes and have an impact on the game with an assist for the third goal.

Jota’s injury is a concern, but I reckon he is half man, half robot and expect to see him back for the assault on the title. A short rest may do him some good too.

We bounced back well from defeat, taking the game to Reading from the start. It was a little frustrating at times, as I still feel our general play is too slow allowing the opposition to get many bodies behind the ball. Reading were very poor. A team lacking in motivation and self belief. Relegation is a real possibility for them.

It’s not often a goalkeeper gets warned for time wasting after 20 minutes of a game!

Like Leeds six days ago, they were dealt with comfortably.

The three goals were special.

The excellent Doherty scored first after starting the five pass move around their box and then heading in. Doherty - Cavaleiro- Costa - Douglas - Doherty. Lovely.

Next the 60 yard ball from Neves to Costa was the best pass anyone will see this season. It drew the keeper out before spinning away to Costa, who found Afobe who had taken up a perfect position in the box. Something more likely to be seen on the snooker table.

Doherty did the same again, finding Cavaleiro on the edge of the box and continuing his run to receive it back and score from 18 yards, capping a fine performance from him.

We created (and missed) loads of chances without ever looking like we would concede. A routine victory to help calm the nerves and allow finger nails to regrow.

Same again Saturday and we will be almost there.

Who played well - and who didn't impress?

All those coming into the team did enough to justify keeping their place. Those that remained in the team all improved too.

Bennett and Afobe must start every game from now on.

Doherty was Man of the Match as he was involved in so many of our most dangerous attack’s, but Douglas also played well and the back three looked completely comfortable all night.

Neves controlled the middle, enjoying playing alongside his favourite partner Saiss.

Costa had good spells, made assists and we need to get him on the ball more often. Afobe worked hard and is getting into the Nuno way of play. He can shoot us to the title with a run of starts now.

Cavaleiro had a very good hour. Let’s hope Jota is not seriously injured.

Overall, a very satisfying night.

Cliveofburton

What's your verdict on the match?

Just what the Doc ordered. A convincing win in the end. Pity the Reading fans, it must be torture watching them every week. We could have taken the goal down and sent Ruddy home, they were not needed all night.

For most of the first half the ball was passed to death. Thankfully Wolves were the more positive, but their efforts mainly led to corners or free kicks that we failed to make the best of with just an Afobe header threatening the goal.

In the middle of the half a foul on Jota saw him roll over half a dozen times. It would have been funny had it not been serious and our player. Hopefully it is not a long-term injury.

The half ended on a high however. Our full back-come-wing back wannabe striker skilfully headed in from the centre of the goal.

That after a Costa cross had been neatly headed back by our other wing back. It gave us a half time feel good factor and improved the atmosphere no end.

Until then, despite efforts from three sides of the ground the crowd had been more watchful than interactive. The slow style of play does make it harder to raise a din compared to when the ball is crossed more often into the box.

The only other real highlight was a splendid shot on the turn by Costa that then bounced off Jota's shins.

You would have expected Reading to up their game but they didn't. Instead Wolves began to dominate more and more. Nearing the hour mark a typical long diagonal pass by Neves found Costa in the right channel. His control, turn and delayed pass was a delight.

Afobe was obliged to stroke it into the net.

We could all relax from then on. We kept the ball well, making Reading work very hard to try and win the ball back. We spread the play in a more positive way than in the first half, with far more forward passes and more tempo.

We looked like we were enjoying it and it was enjoyable to watch.

Costa and Doherty, in particular, had been enjoying their interplay, but it was a run by Cavaleiro that set up Doherty for his second as he guided the ball just inside the post. Job done.

That's one very winnable home game dealt with successfully this week and yet again we have immediately moved on from a disappointing result.

Who played well / who less so?

Ruddy probably had the easiest clean sheet of the season.

Doherty - goal maker last game, goal scorer this game. You can imagine him talking Bonatini through both goals. MOTM.

Douglas played well. A headed assist must be a first. He was desperately unlucky not to control a fabulous pass just ahead of the keeper. Seeing him finish that chance off would have been special.

Boly, Coady and Bennett did what they had to and did it well. But please don't encourage Bennett to shoot from long range again. The North Bank upper had to duck.

Neves was on song. Initially with mainly safe passes but then more and more long range. He hardly wasted a pass all night. Most impressive.

Saiss was there to do the dirty work mainly and to keep the ball recycled.

Jota went off early but Cavaleiro was up and running quickly. A few loose passes but with some good dribbles to compensate. Noticeable he worked well trying to win the ball back.

Costa played well throughout. Deserves plenty of credit for laying on the Afobe goal.

Afobe got his home goal at last. Generally his overall play however was less convincing. Coming towards the ball and playing the short sharp passes (our style) does not seem to sit so comfortably with him.

Often his control let him down. A good threat to have though when we try the ball over the top.

Bonatini and N'Diaye got some minutes near the end to rest some other's legs.

Adam Virgo

What was your verdict on the match?

That was arguably the easiest game we’ve had so far this season. Granted, it wasn’t our biggest win but it looked as if Reading hadn’t even got off the team bus. They may as well have just forfeited a 3-0 defeat and saved us both the time and effort.

Nuno rang the chances and after what happened on Saturday, he didn’t have much choice. He made the correct changes, the main one being Bennett who brought added calmness to our back-line unlike Batth who simply just panics in every situation.

Until we scored the first goal, the game was slow and no one really threatened. Hopefully Jota’s injury is nothing too serious but if he is out for Saturday then it’s not the end of the world, realistically even without him we should win. He usually gets up without any fuss but after his eight rolls and him staying down, you could tell he was injured.

You know you’re having fun when your wing back is scoring two. Maybe there’s something about Reading that Doherty doesn’t like as he scored past them at the Madejski too, or he could just be teaching Bodvarsson some lessons. He took both goals well, it was just a shame we couldn’t get a penalty for him to try get his hat trick.

I don’t remember Ruddy having anything to do, he certainly didn’t have to make a save though. We controlled the game and even when Reading did come forward, which was rare, our defence stayed calm and did what was needed. Dave Edwards ran around and because of that, some of our fans probably want him back. Last night once again proved why he wasn’t up to the task of playing under Nuno.

Who played well and who didn’t impress?

Ruben Neves once again proving to the rest of the Championship that he’s the best player in the league. The pass to Costa for Afobe’s goal was outstanding, all game he was pinging long balls about for fun and he just oozes class. The day when he eventually leaves Wolves will be a very sad one, that’s for sure but he has the quality to play at the very top level.

Costa was very positive, soled the defender for Afobe’s goal and held the ball up well. Wasn’t afraid to run at people and you could tell he badly wanted that goal at the end, kicking the ball at the advertising boards showed his frustration but we all know he has the quality. Hopefully with a pre season in the Summer, he’ll be able to kick on properly.

Afobe has to be our main striker for the remainder of our games. He can link up play, run in behind and finish even though he missed a big chance at 1-0, he snatched at it but he had more time than he thought. He offers far more than Bonatini who can be limited at times due to his lack of pace.

Doherty and Douglas both played very well. Bazza getting another assist, no shock there but I feel as though he offered more from open play than he has done in recent games. Doherty going forward is so effective in games like yesterday, if only he could have got a hat trick. His finish for the second was better than anything Bodvarsson served up whilst he played for us.

Bennett, Boly and Coady are the best back three football has seen since Baresi, Maldini and Nesta. Bennett has to be part of the defence for the remainder of the season. He proved exactly why Batth isn’t good enough for us. So many times he brought the ball down and stayed calm in situations, no panic whatsoever, the complete opposite of Batth.

Villa losing last night makes Saturday’s defeat pointless, 4/5 more wins should definitely be enough to secure promotion. Not many Wolves fans are keen on Ian Holloway but after last night I’m sure many of us like him a bit more. Onto Saturday now, hopefully another three points and if Derby want to stop being bottlers and do us a little favour, that would be much appreciated.

Russ Cockburn

What was your verdict on the match?

Three days is a massive length of time in football... Just ask Aston Villa, who are back minding the gap and Dave Bytheway who is recovering from a Cheltenham hangover and a bad case of being bitter.

Tonight was an example of how to control the game against a very poor Reading team. Their meek surrender almost made up for all the bottles of urine and coins thrown at us by the ‘plastics’ down at Elm Park during the McGhee reign.

And let’s not forget Super Dave, who had one of his best games in a Wolves shirt for many a season and Jon Dadi, back to winning no balls in the air and being generally ineffective. All in all, this season’s best sales came up trumps.

Now on to the Wolves performance. We were laboured first half and there was a lack of tempo, but thankfully we scored just before the break through after another marauding break into the box from the Irish Cafu.

Second half the shackles were lifted and for every positive pass we made, Ian Holloway and his beautiful ‘Peaky Blinders’ did their best to weave a creative path through Aston Villa’s knackered and spent defence. The hell of Saturday was replaced with the fact that it may take Villa another 36 years to recreate another performance of that magnitude.

By the end of the night, Afobe – despite looking like he’d joined a Singapore syndicate to bet against him scoring – did the honours and our free flowing football led to a third…it was time to look at the table and feel things may still be ok.

Well done most of Molinuex for not being too impatient and well done Nuno for orchestrating the South Bank near the end. His beard is definitely greyer, but if you’re travelling through Bushbury and Oxley every day then I can understand that.

Who Played Well?

Doherty! He loves gloves, but so did Michael Jackson and before he went weird a lot of his songs were first class. The lad from Dublin is definitely up there as one of the players of the season and how good is it to celebrate the endeavours of another Mendes signing?

The other accolade goes to Rueben Neves, who managed to ping a 60 yard pass that exquisitely backtracked more than the Danks brothers to create the second goal.

I should also say a massive well done to Costa. This is the player I wanted to see, someone who has the drive, confidence and the ability to change games in an instant. It was like Liverpool away, without the thieves, ‘spitters’ and apologists.