Wolves Fans' Verdict v Arsenal: That win is for Raul Jimenez

Matt Cooper (Talking Wolves)

Wolves’ handbrake had finally been taken off as Nuno played four at the back in back-to-back league fixtures and it was a joy to watch.

For the first time in months, I really enjoyed watching Wolves play and really have a go. We’ve got the players capable of hurting teams if we commit men forward and we showed just that.

Moutinho, Neto and Silva were all excellent - with the latter producing a mature performance despite being thrown in at the deep end.

A few hairy moments towards the end but that’s something I can deal with if it means us actually trying to win games from the off.

I can’t help but feel like the result has been tainted by in the injury to Raul. I just hope he makes a full recovery. Get well soon Raul, the lads did it for you.

Clive Smith

It might be Wolves, but not as we know it. It's kamikaze Wolves. A back four, Coady up for corners. Nuno you're having a laugh surely. Let's reserve judgement for a while.

After losing our talisman striker within five minutes though the odds looked stacked against us.

But, the Wolves we do know are a gutsy bunch and they proved as much yet again.

Every one of them put in a shift. Even Silva who was substitute and substituted. He will have learned a lot about the Premier League from the game.

Traore does my head in. He gave away silly fouls, he lost the ball easily, but he played a huge role in both goals - all of that was before half time. After the break, had he worn a red shirt he would have won a penalty rather than a yellow card.

You would have thought scoring in the first half would make life easier. Not so. Two well created goals, neatly finished off, helped us take the lead, but the second half gradually became attack against defence.

We have seen this before under Nuno, he trusts our defence, and we held firm as we have done many times before. The greatest scare for Patricio was from himself, uncharacteristically getting caught in possession on the edge of his box. Although we allowed far too many crosses to come into our box we headed and blocked everything so Patricio barely had a save to make.

Four at the back means each player is more isolated in possession, so finding a forward pass to a colleague is more difficult. When it comes off though it instantly puts us on the front foot. The touch of Neto and Podence was skilful and neat. They enjoyed playing in the opposition half and getting time on the ball.

Neto, much improved from the lighter model of last season, was MOTM. Moutinho and Coady were not far behind.

Arsenal almost exclusively attacked down the Traore, Samedo, Boly side of the pitch but somehow, with help from Dendoncker or Moutinho, we managed to just about survive.

Adam Virgo

A fantastic win at the Emirates and the manner in which we played was excellent. However, there are more pressing matters in regards to Raul Jimenez who I can only wish a speedy recovery to.

The first half, apart from that incident, was the most enjoyable half of football I’ve watched from Wolves this season. The way in which we attacked Arsenal was brilliant and some of the football we produced was incredible at times.

The first goal should have been scored by Dendoncker but thankfully Neto was on hand for the rebound. Huge credit to Adama for beating Tierney and whipping a fantastic ball in.

Their goal was disappointing from our point of view because we switched off slightly from the short corner. Very good header from Gabriel but we needed to mark him much better.

The Podence goal was just sublime for different reasons. First of all the roulette skill from Adama on Xhaka was pure brilliance and then what Podence did to Gabriel for the rebound from Neto’s shot should only be shown after the watershed.

The composure and audacity he had to just flick the ball up and over Gabriel and then to volley it calmly past Leno was a scary piece of skill.

We had other chances to increase the margin but we had to settle for a defensive last 15 minutes which we held out well for. Deserved winners in the end and Pedro Neto was the clear man of the match, another fantastic performance.

Rob Cartwright

What a fantastic result, but this really is a secondary concern with the sickening injury to Jimenez, after only 15 minutes.

We were entertained by a fabulous Wolves performance, for the first 70 minutes of the game. Then, after Neves replaced Podence, we faced an anxious final 24 minutes as we sat back to protect the lead. Unnecessary, in my opinion, as we were so on top at this point.

Two splendid goals for Wolves, both created through the strength and energy of Traore. First, he crossed for Dendoncker to head against the bar, with Neto first to pounce on the rebound to score. Then, he won and played the ball through the middle to Neto who ran and shot. This time Podence got to the saved rebound and smartly put the ball away.

In between these goals, Wolves switched off at a short corner giving too much time and space for the cross. Poor defending all around saw Gabriel head easily for the equaliser. This was out of character, as the four-man defence had done very well and continued to do so until the switch back to five at the back for the final 12 minutes.

This was a very encouraging display from Wolves who are improving a little with each game. Far more creative and dangerous with Podence, Neto and Traore supporting Jimenez/Silva. Respect to Nuno for keeping this shape when Jimenez was injured.

The forward players all did very well, especially Podence and Neto who were live-wires throughout. Traore was excellent and fully justifies a starting place. Silva did well too.

I thought Coady and Boly were good. Coady in a back four!

My man of the match goes to Moutinho. Largely unnoticed, but a magnificent performance both defensively and in setting up attacking moves. He showed high energy for the full 94 minutes and was often seen breaking up Arsenal’s possession.

Overall, a very pleasing performance. A little frustrated that Nuno replaced Podence with Neves with 20 minutes to go. We were well on top at this point, but the pendulum swung in Arsenal’s favour to set up a nervous finale to the game.

We deserved to win at Arsenal in both of the last two seasons, so it’s typical that we couldn’t be there when we finally manage it. Let’s hope Jimenez recovers quickly and fully.

John Lalley

Given the awful distraction and the understandable concern regarding the plight of a colleague, the team responded quite magnificently in the most trying of circumstances.

What a pleasure it was to see previous caution and inhibition replaced by a healthy infusion of confidence and positive self-expression. Not for a moment do I want Wolves to shed their stubborn streak or their defensive shape and organisation, but to witness the likes of Traore, Neto and the lavishly talented Podence giving full reign to their considerable talents is a delight.

Neto has been brilliantly nurtured at the club and regardless of his youth, he is fast becoming a formidable and indispensable fixture in the team. His level of skill and his colossal work-rate at The Emirates were both absolutely outstanding; his goal thoroughly deserved and his part in creating the winner utterly crucial.

As for Podence, his vision, control and similar workaholic ethic to Neto was rewarded by a finishing touch of exquisite subtlety supreme in its breathtaking execution. For seventy minutes, the team functioned with aplomb and efficiency leaving aside the aerial indiscretion for Arsenal’s equaliser.

Why we chose to take voluntary redundancy and relinquish control is hard to fathom. It appeared that we didn’t quite have the courage of our new convictions. Twenty minutes of invited pressure could have resulted in unnecessary disappointment; why we decided to surrender the initiative so early and simply settle for being dormant suggests that we are still coming to terms with being that bit more expressive.

Arsenal did create two clear chances but Wolves stuck determinedly to the task with Moutinho, Coady and the splendid Marcal all excelling and doggedly working overtime. This result is immensely satisfying but so too the definite desire to be more expansive and positive going forward.

Nuno rightly scotched any notion that our identity as a team is in for wholesale reorganisation but he was clear that he is flexible, not rigid and certainly the initial signs are impressive indicating a desire for more attacking potency. Let’s hope that Jimenez is a beneficiary of this approach sooner rather than later.

Russ Evers

It's nights like these when you really miss being at the game. The last time we won at Arsenal was over 41 years ago I was a 15 year old experiencing the 'delights' of the infamous Clock End at the end of a 3-2 win.

All thoughts however are with Jimenez who we hope and pray recovers fully and quickly - difficult to think that the away win comes a very long second in the hierarchy of thoughts and further kudos to Nuno who went with four up front.

Fabio did his bit by taking out defenders to create some space. At the back, Marcal was superb, Semedo a lot less so and in midfield Moutinho covered every blade of grass allowing the brilliant Neto and Podence to create havoc.

I do still worry about our seemingly ingrained insistence on passing the ball backwards at every opportunity when we can be so devastating passing forwards. Three times we have scored two in the first half this season, three points taken each time-seems to tell its own tale.

We're up to sixth now, so let's see if this chap called Diogo Jota is any good in our next game.