Dave Edwards: Wolves look a team headed in the right direction

A welcome 3-0 win over Cardiff has put Cesar Peixoto’s team right on the fringes of those automatic promotion spots.

It is seven points out of nine and it has been performances which, in terms of the stats, have been very strong.

Against Portsmouth they were convincing from the numbers, albeit maybe not the eye test.

Then there was a dominant showing against Watford, when Wolves should really have been winning five or six-nil but maybe did not create the quality of chances as against Cardiff on Saturday.

What is true is when an opposition comes and tries to play against Wolves, that is when they look at their best.

Brian Barry-Murphy is a terrific coach, when you think about how much he gets out of his team.

But the way he set them up on Saturday really did suit Wolves, who were able to adopt their high press early on and take control of the game in the opening 15 minutes with two very well taken goals.

The goals came from those presses and then some real quality in the transition, as they went through the thirds with such pace. It was an excellent start.

When Wolves build from the back at times it can look a bit scary but they are trying to goad the opposition on to them. When they get it right, when they get out, is when they have all that green grass to run into.

It wasn’t like that the whole game. They did lose their way a bit around half-time and it needed a few tweaks from Peixoto to change that.

Yet while Cardiff had more possession and more shots, I thought Wolves’ quality of chances was much better.

It was nice to see a set piece routine which had clearly been worked on at training come off in the game.

When Wolves brought on Rodrigo Gomes and Mateus Mane they changed shape a bit and while it might have looked as though they were getting kept in, they had the best chances in the closing stages of the game.

It was a good team performance, with some really strong individual displays as well.

I really liked Fer Lopez out on the right. It allowed Marshall Munetsi and Jordan James to play in the same team and I thought Wolves looked strong through the middle. Hopefully the injury to James isn’t too bad.

Lopez has freedom and unbelievable quality so when the game is a little bit manic, he can bring it under control.

He scored the first goal, his sixth of the season in the Championship and was then heavily involved in the second.

It was also an improved performance from Rafiki Said, who is showing everyone how coachable he is because he is getting better with each game.

My concern with him was whether he had the footballing brain to go with his pace. He is showing he has got that by varying up his choices when on the ball, not just getting it and running as fast as he can.

Peixoto said they have been working on that with him and Adam Armstrong’s goal really showed it. The winger took his time, used the overlapping run of Hugo Bueno and delivered a terrific ball into the box.

I am really happy he is getting better because on top of that, it will improve the other wingers at the club.

Mateus Mane was a certain starter earlier in the season but is now going to have to raise his game.

Overall, Peixoto will be happy with where his team are moving. Wolves have a brilliant chance now over these next two games to cement themselves at the top.