Wolves continued their good form with a 2-1 victory over Brentford in Wanderers first visit to the Brentford Community Stadium. It was a bizarre first half which saw 19 minutes of added time following a nasty clash of heads between two Brentford defenders before an ‘unofficial drone’ stopped play again. The second half however was all about the action on the pitch. A superb finish from Joao Moutinho put Wolves ahead before Ivan Toney converted a free kick to level the scores. The goal was the direct result of a foul by Toti Gomes who was initially sent off, but the decision was overturned by VAR. Wolves won it with twelve minutes to go with Ruben Neves’ 20-yard strike. Traore had the ball in the net in stoppage time in what was possibly his final game in a Wolves shirt, but Var ruled that he was just offside. Wolves now have a two week break before their next encounter, an FA Cup tie at home to Norwich.
Jose Sa
Sa had little to deal with in terms of shots on goal but commanded his area very well against a physical Brentford side. Wolves’ relative ease at defending throw ins and corners will partly be down to his organisation and dominance. 8/10
Max Kilman
Another good defensive performance from Kilman who has established himself as Wolves’ most consistent performer. He dealt with everything that was thrown at him and looked comfortable on the ball despite an intense Brentford press. 8/10
Conor Coady
Defended well and, like Kilman, managed to keep the ball well despite a high press. Coady will also have played a crucial role in ensuring the players did not lose concentration during long stoppages in the first half. 8/10
Toti Gomes
Kept his place after an impressive debut and certainly did not let the team down here. He defended well and did not look out of place at any moment. He will be relieved to see his red card overturned as it looks increasingly likely he will stay at Molineux for the rest of the season. 8/10
Nelson Semedo
An excellent performance from Semedo who continues his impressive upturn in form. He was arguably Wolves’ most influential player going forwards, using width to great effect and looking to link with the midfield where possible. It was his combination with Moutinho that led to the first goal and his good work down the right which created the second. 9/10
Leander Dendoncker
Kept his place in the starting XI despite the return of Ruben Neves as Bruno Lage opted for a three-man midfield to match their opponents. Dendoncker was incredibly effective defensively, easing the pressure on the back three acting as a last man in a low block midfield. He was also good in the air as Wolves dealt with Brentford’s set pieces with relative ease. 8/10
Joao Moutinho
A performance the oozed class as Moutinho continues to shine this season. His goal was one of real quality, finishing with the outside of his foot giving the keeper no chance. 9/10
Ruben Neves
Returned to the team following a COVID-19 related absence last week. He did not waste any time bedding back in and produced a masterclass in midfield play alongside Moutinho which ultimately provided the platform for Wolves to win the game. 9/10
Rayan Ait-Nouri
A quieter afternoon for Ait-Nouri with most Wolves’ play coming down the right-hand side. He dealt with everything that came his way and looks increasingly assured defensively. It is certainly not a foregone conclusion that Jonny will return to the team when fit given the form of Ait-Nouri. 7/10
Fabio Silva
Handed a rare Premier League start with Raul Jimenez missing out as a precaution. He was lively up front but had little impact on the game with the ball. 7/10
Daniel Podence
Like Silva, Podence was quiet and had little impact on the game with most of Wolves’ play coming from the midfield and Nelson Semedo. He did however work extremely hard to ensure Brentford could not play out from the back too easy. 7/10
Subs:
Adama Traore
There is a good chance that Adama Traore may have played his last game in a Wolves shirt, and it is certainly fitting that it was win if that is to be the case. He will no doubt be gutted that his goal with just minutes remaining was just offside, but Traore has been an excellent servant over 3 and a half years and will no doubt be missed. 8/10
Francisco Trincao
Played the final moments, providing fresh legs up front as Wolves looked to see out the win. N/A
Ciaran Barker is part of the Talking Wolves editorial team – you can follow him on Twitter here.