Express & Star

Dave Edwards: Goals, a win and a weight lifts off Wolves’ shoulders

Wolves finally secured that long-awaited first Premier League win on Saturday and the 2-0 success at Watford will be such a relief for Bruno Lage, his coaching team, the players and fans.

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The fans have really bought into the way his side play and it’s nice to have a result to back that up.

Everyone seems to be fully behind him after all that happened at the end of last year, a lot of fans wondered if Fosun had made the right decision, but it looks so far like they have done, and they needed a result to echo that feeling.

I was really worried before the trip to Watford.

I’d felt Wolves had played so well in the three games and then all of a sudden everyone would look at the clash at Vicarage Road and think ‘if they play as well as they have done they will win’. It’s very rare it plays out like that.

There are no bad sides, Watford have good players, on a high from being promoted, but Wolves were really professional.

They rode their luck a little in the first half but were brilliant in the second half, there were some really good performances.

New boy Hwang Hee-chan followed in my footsteps as another No.26 to score on his Wolves debut!

I’d written for a few weeks about a new signing able to play in all three roles up front.

Those positions ask so much physically for Wolves and in the Premier League and you see from the substitutions made it’s generally in attack when you’re looking for a goal or some fresh legs.

Wolves now have some really good options, to bring on Podence and Hwang, who offer something completely different to Traore and Trincao, that’s really key, and there’s still Neto to come in.

I must say I thought Trincao looked absolutely sensational at times on Saturday, some of his touches, the way he receives it and glides through midfield was very impressive, it seems he is starting to adapt to the league.

Traore looked dangerous and Raul Jimenez looked more like his old self, there was a lovely little touch for one of Semedo’s chances.

But having those options, and them all as different type of attackers, that is really encouraging for Lage and Wolves. They have so many options now and look like a team that wants to attack.

That will be a breath of fresh air for Wolves fans, who have enjoyed brilliant results in recent years but possibly results that papered over some performances under Nuno, in not having the attacking football everyone wants to see.

It feels like the reins are off now and there’s real freedom. And I can’t speak highly enough of how brilliant the back three have been, and the wing-backs – even though Semedo missed chances, he did very well.

Ruben Neves is turning into one of the most complete midfielders in the Premier League and is doing it game in game out, which is amazing for Wolves.

Newly-promoted Brentford visit Molineux on Saturday lunchtime and it’s probably a good thing Wolves face them a little bit into the season rather than the first or second game.

I watched their opening game against Arsenal and the intensity they played at was phenomenal.

They’ll be well organised, play some really exciting football.

But I think, back at Molineux, Wolves will go for the throat early, and I can see the talent in attack being too much for Brentford, whose defence won’t be as good as what Lage’s men have faced so far.