Wolves Fans' Verdict v West Ham: It's good to be back

Matt Cooper (Talking Wolves)

Well, it’s like Wolves have never been away. A solid return to Premier League football with three points on the road and the best thing about the performance was that Wolves rarely threatened to get out of second gear.

A typical Nuno performance of a disciplined 60 minutes before really turning the the screw. Three huge points considering results elsewhere over the weekend.

For the umpteenth time this season, Adama Traore completely turned the game on its head. Up until his inclusion, Wolves were missing that little bit of magic. The sweetest of crosses was met by the head of Jimenez – not bad for someone with no end product.

I think Wolves looked a little sluggish in the first half and played too many aimless balls over the top from the likes of Saiss and Boly. Apart from that and all things considered, a superb win in the capital.

Clive Smith

It was a typical sort of WWFC performance. We have seen it several times before, looking comfortable against inferior opposition. What we haven't always seen is the win, Newcastle and Brighton spring to mind. Two quality goals involving our two substitutes was just what we hoped would happen.

Plenty of hard yards were put in during the opening seventy minutes with some of our best work done without the ball.

We closed down quickly and had players available to cover whenever there was a hint of a threat on our goal.

Given the standards we have come to expect, none of the starting eleven had exceptional games. Saiss needed to be diligent as most attacks came down his flank.

We never needed to get into top gear but we should have created more goal attempts in the opening twenty minutes when we totally dominated play. The end product from Jota was disappointing as his decision making let him down.

Traore and Neto changed the game for us in the final third. Our tempo was raised and West Ham could not match it. Traore gets MOTM for his cameo.

Adam Virgo

Brilliant performance and result considering everything, especially our first proper game after three months.

Nuno’s plan worked to absolute perfection too, starting with 3-5-2 to have the bodies in midfield, stay in the game for an hour and then unleash Adama and Neto to create havoc down the wings.

Adama changed the game massively, his cross for the first goal was exceptional and Neto’s volley was also disgusting. Great to watch Wolves play again, albeit on the TV but better than nothing.

Ruben Neves had a really good game. Adama and Neto will get the plaudits, deservedly so because of their goal contributions, but Neves was brilliant in the midfield. Jota also had a good game I thought too but the subs came at the right time, a tactical masterclass from Nuno.

Nuno’s plan worked exactly how he wanted it to so it is difficult to say to improve anything. Considering it was our first game back for over three months and we played as well as we did, along with a clean sheet, you can’t ask for much more than that.

The only thing I could say really is when we do play 3-5-2, sometimes I wish we would commit another one or two players forward as sometimes Jota and Jimenez are left on their own and it can be difficult for them occasionally. However, that is probably part of the tactic.

Rob Cartwright

It’s so good to have the footy back. Even though we could only watch on tv, I was just as anxious, nervous and elated, as always. This was the classic and typical Wolves away performance.

Wolves started well, dominating early possession, we created lots of chances without anything really clear cut. Indeed, West Ham had the best two chances in the first half.

The second half was a slower pace and we needed an injection of speed. We had the right players waiting on the bench. It was just a matter of when they would be unleashed and as we hit the hour mark a double substitution was made.

Doherty and Jonny did not see enough of the ball, but it was good to see Neves getting higher up the field. Traore showed his worth once more, as the game changer. It was good to see Nuno bring him on early enough to really make a difference. He didn’t let us down!

In 30 minutes, he took on more players than any other had done and was involved in both of the goals.

You can’t criticise, as we have seen this type of performance so many times this season, usually resulting in a win.

These tactics will serve us well for the remaining eight games. We just need to show patience and make the changes at the right time, as we did here.

Russ Evers (Hatherton Wolves)

After over 40 years of travelling almost everywhere to watch Wolves this felt weird.

A great analogy from Chris Sheen, one of this famous clubs most loyal supporters, was that it was like sitting down for your Christmas dinner but only eating a cheese sandwich!

As for the game, we started well and edged the first half without being overly threatening, but as usual it was the second half where we came good.

The unstoppable Adama and then an even more unstoppable volley from Neto sealed the win and the 10th game unbeaten in London since our return to the Premier League. Neves and Coady hardly put a foot wrong whilst Saiss will be better for the run out. A weird feeling but the same old good one in the end.

John Lalley

These two goals were both worth waiting a hundred days to enjoy! A contrived, artificial and frustrating backcloth no doubt, but what a welcome buzz to see gold shirted quality once more.

I don’t know what changes to their normal routine were required for a trip on the road but it seemed pretty much business as usual to me. This was the perfect away performance; contrary to our usual approach we even started well.

All game, you sensed that Wolves were comfortably the classier outfit; defensively we were dominant, Neves dictated confidently in midfield and Jota and Jimenez were a mere whisker away from linking together with real menace. Of course, Nuno’s substitutions were the key to us upping the tempo and disappearing comfortably into the distance.

Traore immediately wreaked havoc not by brute force but instead with subtlety and imagination and the Hammers like many other teams this season were left baffled as to how to stop him. All credit too for Matt Doherty; his superb headed feed to Traore when under pressure gave the winger the opportunity to create the goal for Jimenez. And the flighted cross from the Irishman for Neto’s extraordinary strike was absolute perfection.

I’ve been racking my brains trying to remember a Wolves goal from yesteryear comparable to the astounding purity of Neto’s sublime volley. A couple from Ron Flowers in his pomp, Waggy against Arsenal and Chelsea, Kenny Hibbitt at his best and a few Bully specials with one at Hereford springing to mind, but for pure stunning and breathtaking technique, this one takes some beating!

What an encouraging performance this was; the sheer professionalism of the team and the staff in such difficult circumstances is such a boost. A real chance of a very high finish in this league is beckoning. Clearly, nobody at Molineux has been wasting their time during lockdown!