Wolves earned their first away win since February against Fulham on Saturday with a devastating second half display and the Matchday Live Extra team were in position to give their thoughts post-match.
Coming into the game off the back of three games unbeaten, Wolves fell behind to Alex Iwobi’s 20-yard curler, but Gary O’Neil’s side fought back with Matheus Cunha twice getting on the scoresheet, while Joao Gomes and Goncalo Guedes – scoring his first Premier League goal of the campaign – also found the net.
The result meant Wolves earned successive Premier League wins to lift themselves out of the bottom three, and after the match, former Wolves full-back Andy Thompson discussed Mario Lemina stepping in at centre-back in the absence of Santi Bueno and Craig Dawson, Cunha’s quality in front of goal and the confidence currently flowing through the squad.
Lemina strengthening the defence
“I’m not just saying this, but I thought we looked comfortable throughout the game. Lemina played really well, and although I’m not taking anything away from Lemina, Fulham didn’t really test him. Toti played well too, and he seemed to be the one who went up against Raul Jimenez and took care of him a lot, but Lemina was really good and looked comfortable at the back.
“Semedo, again, because I’ve said about Nelson struggling against that left hand side for Fulham, he’s [Robinson] a big threat, and I thought he dealt with him better in the second half. Robinson is always a threat down that left hand side and caused so many teams problems, but we nullified the supply up front. The wide men [Semedo and Ait-Nouri] were good against their attacking players. A couple of times they got behind us, but they didn’t convert.
“What we had today was that we nullified them in big spells of the game, but we also limited them to what they could do. Robinson was the biggest threat, a couple of times he got behind and put the ball in – and Jimenez should’ve scored to put them up, but in general, as a unit, I thought we dealt with everything Fulham had.
“Fulham have been doing really well in the league as well and could have gone up to third if they’d won, but it was a convincing win. I know they went down to 10 men, but I just thought we looked comfortable throughout the game.”
Super Mario!
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Being strong at both ends of the pitch
“I thought the lads in midfield, Joao Gomes and Andre, they did everything. They were the ones that everything went through. Earlier on, we got caught half a dozen times trying to get those little balls into midfield and Fulham seemed to nick it, but in general, we got ourselves back round and defended really well.
“We’ve had five attempts on goal and scored four of them. That’s what it’s all about in the Premier League – being clinical when you’ve got opportunities, and that’s what we’ve done today. I’ve got no fear about us scoring goals, my only fear is us conceding and I thought we looked a lot more comfortable today.
“Sa looked good, although there were a few times when the ball was played through and he’s headed it and kicked it and got our heart racing a couple of times in the first half, but it’s all about making sure we get those wins and those victories, and there’s always those fine margins, but Wolves were just able to get them. It’s all about taking your chances, and that’s what we did today.”
Cunha’s brilliant brace
“We saw on the replays that Cunha just had a look behind him and Andersen had left a massive gap, Tete on the right-hand side had been drawn out by the winger and it left a massive gap in behind, which Cunha saw, sets off, and Lemina sees it with his ability to pass the ball.
“That’s the advantage of playing a midfielder in defence, he has that ability to look forward and hit that pass, but it was pinpoint. He didn’t have to slow his run, it was right onto his foot and he didn’t have to break his stride. His first touch was probably too good, as he’s had to knock it with his knee to get it out of his feet, and he’s got the ability to see the keeper, the vision, and he just puts it past him. He makes it look easy, but it wasn’t.
“His second was a great finish from him, and he’s playing with a lot of confidence. At times he’s unstoppable. He’s got pace, he’s strong, he can score goals, he’s clever, he’s definitely got an eye for goal, and he makes it look so easy. His second one is like it’s just come to him, he’s thought about having a shot and stuck it in the top corner. He’s a talented lad who can score all kinds of goals, and that’s the beauty of him.”
Matheus Cunha is him.
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Gomes puts Wolves ahead
“He put a bit of pace on it, but it was all about the angle of it and putting it in the right place with his left foot, his weaker side as well. But, again, it was Cunha with the reverse pass, a little ball into his stride where his first touch opened it up for him.
“You could see that he knew what he was going to do as soon as it came to him, he was going to put it there, and that’s what he did. It’s a great finish from him. He made it look easier than it was, but he still had to hit it on his weaker side, and the keeper didn’t have a chance.
“But it was a professional job, with the way we went about it. There was confidence that was feeding into the players as the game went on, and they believed what they could do to get themselves back into the game and there was a lot of good performances out there.”
Guedes rounds off a stunning second half
“He's deserved it. He’s stayed at the club because we could have sent him on loan again, but the club have believed in him and think that he can do a job here, and he’s worked so hard this season. You can see that he’s working hard and he’s deserved a goal from all the effort that he’s made.
“It’s difficult when you come on, because it’s a waiting game. He knows he’s not going to get much game time because of Strand Larsen playing up front, but he’s bided his time, he’s looked lively whenever he’s come on and he’s got his goal, which is great and I’m pleased for him.
“There’s no doubt about it, this team will score goals, and I always believe we’re going to score, but I just thought today was an outstanding performance from everyone. We’ve got the confidence to come back against anyone and I think the quality we’ve got in this squad is as good as anybody in this league when we’re on our day, and our day was today.”
Thompson was talking to Mikey Burrows on Wolves’ official post-match podcast, Matchday Live Extra, which is available to listen to now on all podcast providers.
