Joining Mikey Burrows was co-commentator and Wolves Hall of Fame full-back Andy Thompson, as well as former old gold striker Chris Iwelumo as they analysed Bruno Lage’s men making it successive Premier League victories back at Molineux.
The trio also spoke about Wolves picking up the victory without being at their best Ruben Neves putting the old gold ahead and Daniel Podence’s first Premier League goal of the season.
On injured players returning
Thompson said: “We always said that when we get our injured players back, it’ll be like new signings and we’ve got Neto, we’ve got Jonny in there as well, which is absolutely brilliant. We have too many players to choose from now after last week not having enough! It’s great to see players coming back from long-term injuries and it gives everybody a lift, not just for the squad, but everybody around the club.
“You heard what it was like from the fans when he [Neto] came on, when he was warming up and even when he was named on the teamsheet as a substitute, it shows the kind of lift a player can bring you. They remember what he was like before he got injured, he was unplayable at one stage and talks about him going here, there and everywhere.
“But we’ve got a player back who’s like a new signing for us. There’s talk about us not spending much, but he’s a £50 million player, maybe even more, and we’ve got a player like him coming back into the squad. Healthy competition never hurts a squad at all, and although it can be difficult to keep everybody happy, that’s not what this squad is about. They’re all about being together and getting the right kinds of results as a group.”
On a first outing for Neto in 10 months
Iwelumo said: “You’ve got to remember the style of player Pedro Neto is. Everything he does, his training, his build up to this over the last 10 months, as soon as he goes out onto the grass, it’s all high-intensity stuff and all explosive stuff because that’s the player that he is.
“It’s mentally draining, just in the fact he was waiting to come on and axctually get up to speed with it. He had a couple of touches and a couple of fairly heavy challenges on him as well, and you’re thinking that you’re not training any more when you’re not allowed to challenge him.
“The players will know he has to get back into the groove, but his awareness, his touch and his positioning. There was one where Neves played him in behind, but the Pedro Neto in a couple of weeks will have anticipated that, and it’s going to take him a bit of time to find his sharpness.
“But I’m delighted he’s back, not only for the fact we have that quality, but also the mental strength he’s shown having not been involved in the last 10 months, and the same goes to Jonny because there’s no worse thing for a footballer than to be injured.”
Ten months of hard work, focus and recovery.
— Wolves (@Wolves) February 21, 2022
What an ovation for @pedrolneto7 on his return.
😍👏 pic.twitter.com/EJgEWEhduX
On claiming the three points
Iwelumo said: “It was a fantastic start. The results had been good and the confidence was high, and some of the play was so slick. The quality coming into the box and the finish itself from Neves was well-worked from back to front.
“But in the Premier League, you’re not going to have it all your own way, you have to defend well, and Leicester did and came back into the match. When you invite a good side onto you, they’ll set the traps and that’s what Leicester did.
“They got the equaliser and started the second-half as the better team, but it was individual moments – the touch from Podence, to bring it into his path and get the shot away was excellent. Hwang started it, but the touch and finish from Podence was outstanding.”
On Wolves being fortunate
Thompson said: “You look at the first three games of the season, Leicester, Man United and Tottenham, and we played really well, were the better team and created lots of opportunities and still lost the games.
“We played Tottenham last week and played really well for 35 minutes, got the two goals, played Man United and played really well and got the right result and today, we didn’t play that well, but you try and make your own luck.
“We did get a little bit fortunate at times, where we weren’t punished because of misplaced passes or bad finishing from Leicester. Our goalkeeper had a good game today, and these things are what you have to call upon. The manager will know it wasn’t a great performance, but it wasn’t a bad performance either.”
Signing off with a bit of @daniel_podence magic!
— Wolves (@Wolves) February 20, 2022
💫🙌 pic.twitter.com/CQT18xnkxY
On another long-range goal from Neves
Thompson said: “It’s unbelievable, isn’t it? It’s not easy at all and you look at the technique that he used as well, he sidefooted it, but it was with that much force, the keeper couldn’t keep it out. Anybody else is striking that with the top of their foot, putting their laces through it, and might possibly get it on target.
“But he knows what he’s doing. You saw his goal against Brentford how he just moved to the side and made it difficult for the goalkeeper. He did very similar today. He hit it with pace, with the inside of his foot and there was that little bit of swerve on it, but there was definitely power on it. He knew what he was doing, he knew where he wanted it to go and that’s the sort of quality that he has.”
On Podence getting of the mark in the league
Iwelumo said: “It’s huge. We spoke about Neves’ bodyshape, his energy and everything he brings, but Daniel Podence is getting stronger and stronger, and you look at the size of him, he’s an absolute threat all the time. His touch is immaculate and his low centre of gravity causes all sorts of problems, as does his ball control.
“When I looked at it, his first touch blew me away because Dendoncker played it behind him, but because he knew where he was and he put it straight into his path with the outside of his right foot and it stopped dead for him, it just opened up the goal and then it comes down to the confidence to take it on and finish it the way he did.
“But he did so much today, asking the question, making the runs behind, and a couple of times he had a chance but looked for Jimenez. He was being a team player, which is something that was questioned as he has a selfish tendency, but I want him to be selfish there and go and get your goals.”
You can watch Matchday Live Extra 30 minutes before every Wolves kick-off this season, on Twitter and on Wolves TV, before heading over to the Wolves App following full-time for all the post-match reaction.
