Express & Star

Dave Edwards: Hwang Hee-chan can be Wolves’ answer

Hwang Hee-chan's performance on Saturday was one of the best I’ve seen at Molineux for a few years.

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You always wonder how players will adapt to the English game. I made a conscious effort to watch him closely against Newcastle, having written how he was a player Wolves needed.

Not just his goals, but his movement, was just brilliant. Newcastle couldn’t live with him.

It’s the first time since Jota left that Raul Jimenez has had a foil to play off. They worked on opposites, if Jimenez stretched the pitch, Hwang would drop into the hole and link play, and vice versa.

He didn’t get the ball too much in the first 20 minutes but I said to my brother who I watched the game with to look at his movement, he was always there and available. They just needed to find the passes.

And then he gets on the turn and runs. He doesn’t look quick but when he starts running he flies past people with that turn of pace. I was super impressed.

Wolves have really missed Jota. He was something different, a proper clever footballer who can bounce off people, with real effectiveness.

He can also give that extra dimension to Raul’s game. Maybe Hwang is someone to help take the pressure off a bit. I hope it’s not just a one-off and he can build on it and we can see more of that.

He managed such cool finishes when slid in for those chances, the sort of chances which Adama Traore was missing earlier this season. Those are the fine lines.

The former Leipzig man is someone Wolves fans will take to. He works hard, he’s fast, exciting, but so, so clever too.

The whole spectacle of being at Molineux is incredible at the moment. I’ve been a couple of times and I really enjoy it because as a player you never really see what’s going on. It has a proper, big football club-feel about it.

I’ve some Wolves friends who weren’t overly happy with the performance but I thought it was a really good display from the hosts.

I watched the way they try to play. It was a bit unfortunate it was stop-start with injuries and things.

Trincao will be really disappointed he didn’t score for 2-0 before Newcastle’s goal, if he had I’ve no doubt it would’ve been three or four.

I still think Wolves are a midfielder and centre-half light. They’re missing Jonny at left-back, Marcal is steady but nowhere near Jonny's level and I’m not sure Rayan Ait-Nouri is ready to play every week.

But Neves and Moutinho were very good the other day. I touched on Neves missing Southampton, and in possession he’s an absolute maverick with his range of passing. He’s always in position to receive the ball and link between the back three and forward players. It’s a joy to see how he’s come on.

To bounce back from the disappointing result against Brentford with two wins is massive. It lifts Wolves into pretty much mid-table comfort in 12th. I’ve always felt they could be in that region.

It’s important they do it against teams below them, they’ve struggled at that in recent years. But under Bruno Lage they have a lot more weapons in their arsenal to do that.

It was like under prime Nuno on Saturday, with Raul doing absolutely everything as a No.9.

The Villa game will be a great one after the international break, Lage’s first feel of a bit of a derby. There’s a great feel around both clubs at the minute.