Wolves won four successive Premier League games for the first time ever on Sunday, and the Matchday Live Extra team were in position to see every kick of the 4-2 win over Tottenham Hotspur.
Rayan Ait-Nouri’s second-minute opener and a Djed Spence own goal had the Old Gold ahead at the break, and although Spurs twice responded, Jorgen Strand Larsen and Matheus Cunha, back from suspension, restored the two-goal lead on each occasion.
After the full-time whistle, as Molineux celebrated, former full-backs Andy Thompson and Lee Naylor dissected the latest victory for Vitor Pereria’s side, who moved up to 16th in the Premier League table.
Another impressive performance
Naylor said: “As soon as you do that [score early], you put them on the back foot, and can play with a bit of freedom. Defensively we were very assured and never felt under threat, it seemed that way looking at it, and Tottenham defensively were a mess. They had a lot of the ball, but they didn’t penetrate between the lines of our midfield.
“I thought Joao Gomes was absolutely outstanding. Andre was his usual self, amazing, but Joao Gomes was everywhere on the pitch – for me, a Man of the Match performance. Even when we were chasing back and it might have been one versus one, I never felt that we were going to get done. We had the power, pace and knowhow to deal with it.”
Strand Larsen netting in four in a row
Thompson said: “There’s a lot of work he does up there and doesn’t get much reward for it, with the way he plays. He’s willing to sacrifice in the way he puts himself about, trying to get himself on the end of things, throwing himself at the ball to try and get a block or a touch. You’ve got to have players in your side who are willing to play that way to benefit other people. He’s still getting the rewards, because he’s still scoring, but he’s willing to do that side of it and put that effort in.
“You saw it at the end, when they were going up to the fans, how much it means to them. As a team, as a squad, they’re starting to get that connection with the fans. The fans want nothing else but to get behind their team, and it’s starting to come together, but results help that, of course. The way that they go about it, you can see they’re willing to work for each other and are willing to put everything together as much as they can.”
Naylor said: “He’s done what was asked of him. He’s scored a goal, he’s led the line, he’s put himself about, he’s done the horrible things people don’t like doing in football. The running, the hustle, the bustle, the tackling, arguing, getting the crowd up, he did absolutely everything. He’s been brilliant, and that’s why he’s broke a record [Henri Camara’s] which has stood for a while.”
5️⃣ goals in 4️⃣ games for JSL 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Sm1KvdBK9Q
— Wolves (@Wolves) April 13, 2025
Tightening up at the back
Thompson said: “We always said we were doing enough at the top end of the pitch. We were scoring goals, we were creating goals, our biggest problem before Christmas was conceding too many, and it had to be put to a stop. The manager seems to have done that. He’s brought in a couple of players into the squad, and all of a sudden things have tightened up. We look a lot more secure at the back and it’s made us look a better team all over.
“I still think we can move the ball and play a little bit quicker, but we’re getting the right results. He’s getting the right note out of his team. There’ll be nobody happier than the manger with the way things have gone, and that comes from hard work from the staff and the players. Of course, we’ve got quality players – the quality of the squad we’ve got, it should be a squad well up the Premier League. Things went against us, but they’ve brought in a couple of players, and it’s made a difference.”
Ait-Nouri coming to the fore
Naylor said: “He’s gone away from the madness – the flicks in areas that he shouldn’t be doing stuff. Whether that’s maturity or the manager’s influence, you can see if in his play. He hasn’t been getting forward as much as he normally does, but he’s been right at it the last few games.”
Thompson said: “It’s come at an awkward height for him [the goal]. You’ve got to hit the target, and that’s what he did, and scored. I know he seems to have sacrificed going forward as much. When he’s one versus one we know the ability he’s got, he’s able to move the ball and has quick feet, but I’d still like to see him getting a little bit more at the full-backs or at the defenders. I’d like him to be a bit more dangerous going forward because when he’s one versus one, I know he can cause massive problems for anybody he’s running at because he’s got quick feet, he moves the ball, and he’s got pace. His defending’s improved, he tries to stay in position, and can he be a bit more adventurous going forward?”
Cunha’s return from suspension
Thompson said: “I thought [Ben] Davies had him with the second challenge, but because he’s got that explosive power, he’s got his foot to it and he’s in. He’s a quality player, but they’re the attributes that we need. It’s a shame we’ve had him missing for a few games with his suspension, but there’s no doubt about it that he’s a quality player and it shows what he offers us when he’s on the pitch.”
Naylor said: “They’re huge numbers that he’s been putting up. He got double figures last season, and he’s continued this. He gives us that wow factor. He’s one of the players people want to see on the ball, exciting the crowd and leading the line for us.”
