Mikey Burrows was joined by former full-backs Andy Thompson and Lee Naylor, who piled praise on the Wolves players, picking out new signings Craig Dawson and Mario Lemina for special praise, following a strong show.
Below is the best of the quotes captured during a packed post-match show at a rocking Molineux.
On Wolves being worthy of the win
Thompson said: “In the first half, some of the football was absolutely brilliant. The way they passed, moved and went around the pitch was something to see. You could see the confidence and energy Wolves had in the first half. Getting themselves in front shellshocked Liverpool a little bit, the way they pressed Liverpool and forced them into errors. It was nice to see a team with confidence going forward, but the thing for me, it was nice to see goals at last.”
Naylor said: “At the end of the day, we won the game because of how we started the game. We earnt our luck with the first goal, the second goal was a bit of a scrap and the ball fell nicely to Dawson. Would you want your number nine scoring all the goals? Yeah, most of the time, and that’s what we’ll look for in the future, goals from the front players a lot more, that’s what we want, but three points are huge and the way we went about it was massive.”
On the fluidity of the front players
Thompson said: “He can shuffle people around. We saw in the first half the rotation, players moving around the pitch, they weren’t just staying in one position. They were causing Liverpool problems because of that opportunity to move. If somebody went forward, we had Lemina, and when we had the ball, he was sitting in the backline. He’d go forward, he was out on the left, you could see the rotation and that’s what he wants from his team. I don’t think he wants a set formation, he wants to make sure it evolves in a way players can help each other out and in the first half they did really well. Lemina, how many times he intercepted, and it releases Neves a little bit further up – how he got the goal.”
The goal 🎯
— Wolves (@Wolves) February 4, 2023
The noise 🔊
The celebrations 😆
The skipper rounds off an emphatic performance. pic.twitter.com/g8w75mCJoU
On Lemina allowing Neves and Nunes to push on
Naylor said: “He’s seen what players he has in the dressing room and the players know each other’s role. You’ve got players aware of situations on the pitch and can help each other out. When you’ve got Nunes on the left, intertwining with Neves pushing on, there was so many different variables, but they know each other’s jobs, which makes it easier. It gives licence to people to give forward, because you know you’ve got the security at the back and Lemina gobbled everything up.”
Thompson said: “He was very effective in the way he played. Wanting the ball, dropping into the backline so he could receive it. He was outstanding, especially in the first half. He got around and made it difficult for Liverpool. Liverpool found it hard to get passing going because we kept blocking things off and he was the influence in there. He’s got mobility in the midfield area, to give them problems getting about the pitch. We start one of the things we needed was legs in there and we’ve got it with him. He can play, he can break things up and it’s refreshing to see.”
On Neves being involved further forward
Naylor said: “He hasn’t been able to do that because he’s always been our security. Now Lemina’s our security, Neves can push on and do bits of magic on a regular basis now. If I’m Nunes, I’m buzzing Lemina’s in with me because I’m not scared going forward because I’m got security at the back.”
On Dawson’s goal scoring debut
Thompson said: “I thought he played well and showed his experience. I know he got the yellow card, but he showed his experience getting the yellow card, because he was away. He just comes in and he’s no messing, if it’s got to go, and I like that, if it’s got to go, it’s goes into the stand, no messing. His finish, he just puts his foot through it, because he knows if he hits it sweet, they’re not stopping it. You’ve got an experienced player who will start to make the defence look better and when you’re getting the backbone right, it breeds confidence in the rest of the team and he made a difference, heading and intercepting. Kilman’s still pretty young with how many games he’s played, and there’s a lot who are young, and you need experience, a mixture.”
On Sarabia’s Molineux bow
Naylor: “He had a moment of brilliance for the first goal. After that, he has to do a big of work here and there. Second half I don’t think was his game, when we’ve got the ball very good – going forward he gave us something else, he can pick out a pass and his left foot is sweet.”
On strength in depth
Thompson said: “Teams evolve and improve. It shows the depth we have. If you look at the bench at the start of the season – under-21s – you’ve got to have quality to come on. Players coming on Saturday didn’t weaken the side, they don’t weaken the way we go about it, and it gives that feel of confidence to the fans. He’s brought in players he wants, he’s brought in what he thinks this squad needs. We’ve got a way of playing, he still wants more from his squad, from the way he’s animated on the touchline, but it’s nice to see the way we’re going about it and the quality we’ve got."
Naylor said: “Adama had an impact on Saturday. He created tow chances, one we scored from. We were under the cosh second half and he’s not going to like it, but he’s going to put a shift in, and he’s got the electric pace so when we do break, and we got a goal from it. He possesses it, everyone knows it, and we’re going to need everyone in the dressing room from now until the end of the season, pulling in the same direction, putting in performances like they did on Saturday. That’s what it’s going to take, when you’re down there it’s tough.”
