A vital three points against Crystal Palace and Wolves riding their luck at times during a difficult second-half were just some of the topics discussed on the latest episode of Matchday Live.
Joining Mikey Burrows was co-commentator and Wolves Hall of Fame full-back Andy Thompson and play-off final hero Lee Naylor as they analysed the gold and black securing a third consecutive win at Molineux.
The trio also spoke about Wolves’ defensive efforts throughout the match, especially as Palace launched an onslaught after the break, Hugo Bueno’s return to the side after injury and the chance of Wolves maintaining their Premier League status for next season.
On picking up a crucial three points
Thompson said: “It’s massive. It’s a massive result, especially at this time of year as well with the way that things have gone and everybody just seems to be beating everybody else, from 11th all the way down to 20th. They’re all scrapping for their lives and fighting for their lives because it’s the closest relegation battle I’ve seen with all the teams still in the mix. They’re all after those valuable points and everybody is desperate.
“Looking at some of the results we’ve had and some of the games that we’ve played, we haven’t played brilliant tonight, but it’s important to get those three points, especially with where we are in the league at the moment.”
Naylor added: “It’s so close down there, so we’ve been able to pull out nine points from the last four games and it’s been a massive turnaround.”
On being tight at the back
Thompson said: “When they give the ball away, they’re chasing everything back and making it difficult for their opponents. Crystal Palace played really well in that second-half, but what Wolves did, they stood strong and made it hard for Palace to get anything.
“Every time they put the ball in the box, there always seemed to be a Wolves player there, kicking it, heading it, blocking it, whatever it was, and that’s what they’ve got to do. In that vital area, inside the 18-yard box, that is where Wolves played really well throughout the game.
“They defended well, they made it difficult for Palace to get anything and they were a lot better off set-plays as well. Palace had 11 corners and Wolves won everything, they won every header, and they defended their box really well.”
On Bueno’s impressive return
Naylor said: “Second-half, it was pure pressure from Palace, but you have to pull your sleeves up and you have to defend at times and that what Wolves did today. I mentioned before the game that Hugo Bueno was going to have a huge task on his hands with Olise out there and I thought he stood up and was tremendous. I really do.
“That was a major battle that had to be won and he won his duels. Toti came on and he found out how hard it was to defend against him, so it just goes to show how good of a job Hugo did.”
Bueno back in the XI tonight 👊 pic.twitter.com/RYIOipOXcI
— Wolves (@Wolves) April 25, 2023
On luck going Wolves’ way
Naylor said: “I thought we rode our luck at times and a lot of things went our way today. It was just the little things, but I thought we earned our luck from the work we put in, and the work rate of our two strikers.
“On another night, we could have gone and lost that game. If Sa wouldn’t have gone out and plucked those two saves – the boy, Lokonga, should score. We’ve got to be honest, he should score. He’s only a few yards out and he’s got to put that away, I’m not going to lie, but Sa’s plucked out an outrageous save.
“We earned our luck through our hard work in the first-half and we rode our luck in the second-half. Sometimes it goes for you.”
On Wolves’ Premier League safety
Thompson said: “I think 37 points will be enough now. There’s still games going on and there’s still teams who have got to play each other down there, but also, as long as you look after yourself and you get the right results, nobody’s going to get you.
“We’ve done brilliantly. We were bottom of the league going into the World Cup break and since the manager’s come in, he’s done nothing but get this team where he wants it. It’s probably not the perfection yet that he wants, but he’ll get that in the close season, but he’ll get this team up and challenging where he thinks we should be challenging and doing a lot better.
“We’ve had a great run recently, as Nails said, nine points from the last four matches, but we’ve thrown a lot of points away this season, and we’ve let teams get back into it, but it’s a learning experience for the manager, for some of the new players who have come into the club as well, so it will be interesting next season what he’s going to do.
“I’m sure he’s going to strengthen, I’m sure he’s got other ideas and a pre-season will be absolutely brilliant for him when it comes.”
¡VAMOS! pic.twitter.com/nvBefFMsNd
— Wolves (@Wolves) April 25, 2023
On the turnaround under Lopetegui
Thompson said: “It was horrible looking at where we were going into that break. Your team are bottom of the league and you’re thinking, ‘We’re not getting out of this’. We were down and out. We were struggling. We weren’t scoring, we weren’t getting results, performances weren’t great and it wasn’t a nice combination to have.
“It felt like that and it felt with the way we were playing that we weren’t going to get out of it, but it just shows how much of a good job Lopetegui’s done since he came in and what he’s instilled into this team to get the results.”
You can watch Matchday Live 45 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.
