Wolves are still searching for their first win of the 22/23 season after being edged out by Spurs in North London.
The team played their best football of the season in the first half against a good Tottenham side, but a close-range header from Harry Kane was enough to see off Wolves.
Whilst there were positives and moments of quality, Wolves still struggled to create any real opening, especially in the second half, and never looked as if they were going to get back into the game.
One point and one goal from three is far from ideal, and Wolves will need to start putting the ball in the net sooner rather than later if they are to have a successful season.
Here are five things we learnt following Saturday’s defeat.
Wolves NEED a striker and they need it now
From the first three games of the season, we have seen that Wolves can get into promising positions, but what they can’t seem to do is turn those positions into goals, and it’s going to keep costing them.
Whilst Harry Kane’s goal can be classified as a simple tap-in, his movement to get in behind Collins and anticipate the flick-on is what all good strikers have, and is what helps them score the number of goals they do.
Wolves didn’t have anyone on the pitch yesterday with that natural striker’s instinct, and they can’t rely on Podence, Neto and Guedes to fill this void.
Whilst the signing of Nunes showed great ambition by the club in a position that was desperately needed, a striker being brought in is now just as vital in the coming weeks, and could be the difference between Wolves being a good side or a great side.
It’s probably best to part ways with Adama Traore
On his day he is one of the most frightening footballers on the planet, the big issue is the day doesn’t seem to be coming any time soon, and it certainly wasn’t on Saturday.
For the most part, he looked uninterested, didn’t want to run and didn’t have any real impact, his head just doesn’t seem to be in it since the loan to Barcelona. With one year left on his contract and him not looking likely to sign an extension, along with the arrival of Guedes, it seems the best time to cash in on Adama and use the money to help fund a new striker.
It’s a shame because there truly is no one in world football like him, especially as someone to come off the bench he is perfect, but if he doesn’t want to be here there is no point letting him run down his contract whilst at the same time seeing no value on the pitch.
Guedes looked a real threat
Our most likely route to a goal yesterday was through the Portuguese winger (no not that one…or that one) who looked sharp on the ball and made a brilliant couple of runs in behind the Tottenham defence, one in particular where Sanchez had to make a brilliant last stitch tackle to deny the 27 million pound man.
Very direct when on the ball and was causing issues for the Spurs back line in the first half. You can see he is going to cause defenders a lot of problems this season, and he is only going to get better as he continues to settle and adapt to the Premier League.
We can’t be going into another game with Podence as a striker
Podence is a wonderful footballer and one of the best creators at the club, but what he most definitely isn’t is a striker. This one feels a bit harsh because it’s not his fault and again refers back to the lack of striker depth in the squad (it was good to see Jimenez back though, in what could be the quickest recovery from injury ever!)
For a team that currently has the second most crosses in the league, having 5 foot 4 inch Daniel Podence as the target man didn’t seem like it was ever going to be an effective tactic – and to absolutely no one’s surprise it wasn’t.
Whilst his role seemed to be more as a false nine rather than a traditional striker it’s clear to see that it is not going to be a successful long-term strategy. Wolves need to get Podence playing off a striker and creating chances, which is what he’s good at, rather than competing for headers with Eric Dier, Christian Romero and Davidson Sanchez.
The next three games are massive
Whilst there are reasonable concerns with the lack of goals and points Wolves currently have, Wolves starting 11 on the weekend was up there as one of the best in the Premier League era. The squad is very close to being complete and with the final piece (a striker) of the puzzle, Wolves would have one hell of a team.
Having said that, Wolves are winless since last season’s home win against Aston Villa, and in the current footballing climate patience is hard to come by and points will be needed against Newcastle, Bournemouth and Southampton, or Bruno Lage could find himself without a job if Wolves were to lose all three.
There is still no reason to panic and the future looks bright for Wolves, but they will want to be getting away from the relegation zone as soon as possible.
A tale of two halves that sees Wolves play their best football of the season so far and dominate Spurs in the first half, with the debuts of Matheus Nunes and Goncalo Guedes. The only thing missing was a goal that you could say was the least we deserved as the two went close to firing home. The same cannot be said for the second half as the tide turned and momentum shifted into Tottenham’s hands and Wolves never really got going and conceded far too many chances with their mistakes and sloppy play which led to Harry Kane’s winner.
Let’s move on and take a look at the player ratings for Wolves first game in the capital:
Jose Sa
Not much to do in the entirety of the game, made a good save on arguably Spurs only chance in the first half which was a Kane header. He did what was expected from him and had no fault in the goal. The only thing you can blame him for was in the dying moments of the game and he rushed to boot the ball up and gave away Wolves last chance to grab a late equaliser.
6/10
Rayan Ait-Nouri
Much better than his previous two outings. Could have done more in the final third, especially with one of Wolves only clear chances in the 2nd half which saw him cross it into the hands of Lloris. He often found himself chasing his man, although he did okay, there is room for improvement, the yellow card was most likely the reason why he was taken off and not Jonny.
6/10
Max Kilman
An overall good performance from Kilman, was good in the first half along with Collins as they passed the ball well, were calm in possession and they held a highline very well. He didn’t make any major mistakes in the second half unlike Collins and the rest of the defence.
6.5/10
Nathan Collins
One of the best players on the pitch if you focus solely on the first half, composed and good in possession just like Kilman, and not afraid of charging forwards either. A very good back-pairing to be honest. A shame the same can’t be said for the second half made a lot of blocks but was beaten a few times as he looked fatigued and at fault for the goal as he lost his man on the corner.
5.5/10
Jonny Otto
Nothing special or of note to report for Jonny. He did well in possession and to defend Perisic and Son in the first half with help of Neto when he dropped deep. Was often found exposed and beaten by Perisic in the second half and was limited going forward as we know.
5.5/10
Joao Moutinho
First match back from injury, as usual, he produced a balanced performance as he broke up play, got the team ticking and the ball rolling forwards. 58 minutes was probably all he had in his tank for today. Tottenham’s change in play and his substitution could be one of the reasons why we drastically dropped off in the second half.
6.5/10
Ruben Neves
Controlled the midfield very well and played some very good long balls to change the play. One of the only ones that didn’t drop off in the second half. He went close to scoring with a freekick in the second half and continued to drag and will the team on when a goal down.
7/10
Matheus Nunes
As far as Premier League debuts go, we have seen much worse. Matheus completes the midfield three so well, he did not show any signs of pressure and fit in without any problems. He has been the box-to-box midfielder we have been dying for. He was unlucky not to get on the scoresheet with his header that flashed just wide of the post.
6.5/10
Pedro Neto
Definitely not his day, dropped deep in the first half to cover and help Jonny when defending, on the attacking front he was rather quiet and didn’t create much. In the second half his performance got worse as he was often dispossessed when he attempted to dribble his opponents. He could have been taken off earlier.
5/10
Daniel Podence
A rather quiet performance from Podence. He linked up with his teammates a few times, fluffed a chance in front of goal and that was about it, he was kept at bay by the Spurs defence.
The substitution was warranted, could he be on the bench for the upcoming match?
5/10
Goncalo Guedes
A very exciting start for the former Valencia winger, my pick out of the front three.
Very rapid, direct and not scared to take his man on. Very good movement and awareness that lead to him having a few shots on target. Without a doubt, he has to be starting in our upcoming games if we want to grab our first three points. It won’t be long until he starts getting on the scoresheet.
7/10
SUBS:
Leander Dendoncker
He showed why he shouldn’t be starting and how much of an upgrade Matheus Nunes is compared to him.
5/10
Raul Jimenez
Came on around the 60-minute mark and you hoped he would be able to turn the game around, instead, he often found himself hopelessly chasing the ball around the pitch. He created a good chance on the break but nothing else of note.
5.5/10
Adama Traore
Could have been brought on earlier to have more effect. Did the usual and wasn’t as bad as people are making his performance out to be, only on one occasion he was “frustrating” as he passed the ball backwards when he could have attacked the Spurs box.
5.5/10
Nelson Semedo
A second cameo appearance for Semedo from the bench but not enough to give a rating. Promising signs that he will be able to start soon though.
N/A
Hwang Hee-Chan
My pick out of the 5 subs, although he only featured for 10 minutes, he looked lively, had some good touches, and created some chances compared to his counterparts.
Wolves accept Nottingham Forest’s bid for Morgan Gibbs-White
Wolves have accepted a bid of £25 million for Morgan Gibbs-White from Nottingham Forest as first reported by the Telegraph.
There are also between £7-10 million in likely addons plus further ambitious add-ons more difficult to achieve up to maximum of £42.5m.
It’s a saga that has ran on for the whole of this window and it was always felt that Gibbs-White would move on eventually.
Wolves had offered Gibbs-White a new deal in May this year but has shown no signs of wanting to sign the contract so Wolves have decided to move the player on.
The club are desperate not to see a repeat of the Adama Traore situation and with only two years left on Gibbs-White’s current deal, the right decision has been made.
Morgan is in Nottingham today to complete his medical and join Forest and he will become their 16th signing of the window.
Wolves are still interested in Ramos – but other clubs are pressing for a deal
Wolves still hold an interest in Benfica forward Goncalo Ramos but they are not the only club pushing for a deal.
It was reported yesterday that Southampton have held talks with Benfica over a £25 million move for the striker.
Newcastle still hold an interest but it’s thought Southampton are further along the process than the Magpies.
Wolves had offered a loan with an obligation to buy of €30 million but Benfica rejected this proposal and Wolves are yet to go back in with a fresh offer.
Ramos has been among the goals for Benfica already this season and impressed against Dynamo Kyiv in the Champions League last night.
Wolves still want to bring in another striker this window and the funds generated from the Morgan Gibbs-White deal could help secure this.
Wolves keen on Vitoria midfielder but are put off by clubs valuation
Wolves and Porto still hold an interest in Andre Almeida but both clubs believe the price Vitoria are demanding for the midfielder is too high according to Pedro Sepúlveda.
It was said that Sporting were keen on Almeida to replace Matheus Nunes but head coach Ruben Amorim doesn’t believe he has the same attributes to be able to replace Nunes.
Wolves have smashed their club record fee with the sensational signing of Matheus Nunes from Sporting Clube de Portugal for a fee reportedly in the region of £38million.
Nunes has signed a 5-year deal at the club taking his contract to 2027.
This move signifies Fosun’s intent to back Bruno Lage in the summer market, with a centre-forward still said to be on the transfer targets list.
It has been well documented that Wolves have been in for Nunes for the majority of the summer, with Lage seeing him as a key figure for his rebuild of the side.
Let’s take a look at what the Portuguese International can bring to Wolves:
The Story So Far
Nunes was originally born in Rio de Janeiro but moved to Lisbon at the age of 12.
He began playing for his local side Ericeirense (who are due around £1million from this move) and impressed enough to sign for professional side Estoril in the summer of 2018, this was also the previous club of fellow countryman Chiquinho.
💰 Ericeirense hit the 𝗝𝗔𝗖𝗞𝗣𝗢𝗧
The club, which plays in the district leagues in Lisbon, are expected to pocket just over €1.2 million from the Matheus Nunes deal.
He played at the club from 12 to 18, meaning the club are entitled to 2.75% of the transfer (€1,237,000). pic.twitter.com/7EXSzd1DxJ
Nunes made his debut for Estoril in October 2018 and was predominantly played in the reserve side.
After impressing against them in the Taça de Portugal, Sporting CP then picked him up from Estoril for a fee of just over £850,000 – this was only six months after he signed for Estoril. This fee covered half of his economic rights and the contract included a 45m Euro release clause. He went on to play 32 times for Sporting’s U23s, scoring 3 goals and collecting 3 assists.
Sporting manager Ruben Amorim took a liking to Nunes thanks to his impressive performances in the youth ranks and handed him his debut in June 2020. He received more consistent appearances towards the end of the 2019/20 season and made his big breakthrough the following campaign.
In the 2020/21 season, he played over 1,250 minutes for the Sporting first team as they went on to win their first league title since 2002. Nunes proved to be a pivotal part of Amorim’s 3-4-3 system, playing 31 times in the league, and carried that momentum on into the 2021/22 season.
Last season he played 50 times in all competitions for Sporting and impressed further in the Primeira Liga as well as the Champions League.
In total, Nunes played 101 games for Sporting, garnering eight goals and nine assists and building a reputation as one of Portugal’s most promising midfielders.
After a 5-0 defeat against Manchester City in February, Pep Guardiola dubbed him “one of the best players in the world”. Very high praise for someone who knows all about coaching the top central midfielders.
Nunes was the subject of much speculation this summer with reports having suggested he rejected deals from both Wolves and West Ham United alongside linked interest from Manchester City and Liverpool. However, despite wanting to hold out for Champions League football, Nunes was convinced to join Bruno Lage’s project and now finds himself in Little Portugal’s Wolverhampton base.
The Tactical Side
Nunes offers something that Wolves fans have been crying out for for several years, and that is a progressive midfielder.
Not only does he fit the profile of what Wolves need, but he’s also one of the best in Europe at what he does.
He’s played the majority of his career at central midfield having been used in 71 games in that position. However, according to transfermarkt, he has also dabbled in defensive midfield and attacking midfield duties.
This blend of positions makes him the ideal box-to-box midfielder for Wolves as he is able to cover several key characteristics.
His passing can be hit and miss due to a preference for trying riskier passes, but in terms of a short-range passer, he is proficient.
Questions remain as to whether he can adapt to the physicality of the Premier League due to his slighter frame, however, his dribbling and carrying numbers are exceptional.
He also boasts fantastic percentiles when it comes to through balls, which suggests he will be a player that will frequently be able to bridge the gap between the midfield and the attack.
Despite his height, he provides agility and superb technical ability to turn away from pressing opponents. When it comes to press-resistant midfielders, he’s up there with the best.
According to FBRef, he is also in the top one percent for dribbles completed. This will aid Wolves’ speed in transition but also offer them an outlet should they need to bypass a high press.
With the eye test, it is clear to see he is adept with the ball at his feet, and whilst his passing may need touching up, Wolves have other players that can replace that missing passing range.
Taking a look at the stats below, beautifully formatted by Breaking the Lines, we can see the empirical data that supports this. His short and medium pass completion mixed with his passes under pressure denotes that he is a midfielder that will be able to break the line with quicker passes into free space, whilst being able to do it under pressure.
With pressing being something Wolves’ midfield and defence has struggled to cope with, Nunes offers us a perfect player to keep the ball and find space where he can impact games on the front foot.
Whilst Ruben Neves offers the passing range from deep that Nunes does not, Nunes offers the mobility and dynamism that Neves lacks. In essence, they are the perfect complimentary midfield partnership. With Wolves potentially switching to a 4-3-3, putting Joao Moutinho into the mix with his ball recovery and metronome-like passing makes for one of the league’s best and most complete midfields.
With this signing, Wolves have every key characteristic covered, not to mention excellent leadership qualities and experience at the highest level.
You can view more tactical analysis using the video below:
The Expert View
We spoke to Alex Brice, founder of Football Wonderkids, to give to us some more insight into Nunes:
“Matheus, for me in the Primeira Liga, is the player who gives the most guarantees.
“This is a player that can play at the six role, that can play in the eight role, and if he has to, he can be the one making the final pass.
“In my opinion, this is a stepping stone for Matheus. You guys will easily double (your money) with him.”
In regards to his main qualities, Alex said:
“Definitely expect one of the best box-to-box midfielders straight off the bat. He’s perfect for the Premier League.
“I’m so surprised you guys got him. Wolves fans, be happy about this one. It’s such a good deal.
“He’ll have an instant impact. You should expect a player that could be playing for Liverpool and add quality (to the Liverpool midfield)”
On Nunes’ career so far, Alex explained:
“The biggest loser here is Ruben Amorim. Matheus won’t be (happy) either, it’s not that he doesn’t want to go to Wolves, going to the Prem is a big opportunity for him, but he loves the core at Sporting.
“He was working at a cafe four or five years ago and now he’s going to the Prem. It’s a ‘started from the bottom’ type story.
“Mentally he is a very strong person because he went from rags to riches, and I really value those types of people.”
Discussing the reception from Portuguese fans, Alex said:
“Honestly Portuguese fans love it because the fact of the matter is Portugal wants to see Portuguese people do well outside (overseas).
“Seeing people succeed in England at Wolves in the Premier League, the best league in the world, we all accept there’s a lot movement in Portugal.”
With an away game coming up fast this weekend against Tottenham, Wolves will be hoping their new star man will be in full viewing for his Premier League debut. With the rebuild under Lage picking up pace, this truly does feel like a signing which could propel Wolves back into the picture for European qualification.
Wolves face on Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday in what will be a tough test but could be the first time Wolves fans see Matheus Nunes in the famous old gold and black. We spoke with Matt Hayes, a Tottenham blogger who gave us the low down on Spurs.
How has the start of the season gone for you?
We have had two very different performances after a very successful transfer window. We were cohesive, dominant and convincing on the opening day against an admittedly weak Southampton side without needing to start any of our new signings. Son looked rusty but I’m sure he’ll get past that soon! Sunday at Stamford Bridge was the chalk to our opening day cheese where Chelsea were simply better. At the end of the day, however, our point counts the same as theirs and we earned ours in a very un-Spursy way.
Are you happy with the transfer business that’s been conducted by your club?
Our business has been incredibly sensible. There is a faction of our fanbase that is understandably underwhelmed with our defensive acquisitions – the £150m investment by the board seemed to promise an expensive left centre-back in the shape of Alessandro Bastoni or Josko Gvardiol & a marauding right-wingback a la Hakimi. Djed Spence and Clement Lenglet on loan didn’t scratch that itch. The signings of Yves Bissouma, Richarlison, Ivan Perisic & Destiny Udogie are all fantastic in their own right. We now have the squad depth to challenge Chelsea for third place.
What is your opinion on your manager?
He’s the best in the world. Of course, I know he isn’t, but he’s made us feel like he is. He had a massively successful time at Juventus with Fabio Paratici and their partnership seems to be bearing fruit yet again. They are two men who breathe football and live to work, and their most outstanding accomplishment so far is getting money from the board and convincing Daniel Levy to give up control on transfers. Conte has instilled a ‘never-say-die’ attitude in a team known for bottling the big occasions, and we have a genuine feeling that silverware isn’t far away.
What is your team’s typical formation and style of play?
Conte is wedded to a 3-4-3, although we did switch to a 4-4-2 in the second half against Chelsea to match their formation in possession. Romero and Davies in the wide centre-back roles will play more advanced than you are expecting. Our wingbacks, whoever plays, will stretch the pitch as wide as possible. We aim to be physically dominant in midfield, where we admittedly lack creativity. Our front three speaks for itself – Kulusevski has been a priceless addition to our team. Only 2 players have more goal contributions in the Premier League since he joined: Harry Kane and Heung-min Son. We like to have the ball, but we love to be without it.
Which player do you tip to have a big season for Spurs?
Dejan Kulusevski. The man is the most exciting talent Tottenham have signed in my decade or so supporting the club. He’s only 22 but he’s experienced, with over 100 top-flight appearances under his belt. He is so dangerous when he gets the ball on his left foot, whether he’s aiming for the head of Harry Kane or the far top corner. Without him at our disposal, Arsenal would have strolled into the top 4 last season. My money is on Kulu keeping us in that top 4 for another year.
How do you think you will do this season?
I think we can beat Chelsea to third place. I won’t kid myself into thinking we can challenge Man City or Liverpool, but I believe our squad is better than Chelsea’s. I said before our clash at the Bridge that I expected Chelsea to win as they have the better starting eleven, but I expect us to finish above them because we have greater depth all across the pitch to allow us to deal with 50-60 fixtures between now and May.
What are your thoughts on Wolves?
I have a soft spot for Wolves. My late grandfather had a season ticket at Molineux back in the day. I have been impressed with your business this summer. Goncalo Guedes is a brilliant player who always caught my eye when I watched Bryan Gil at Valencia last season. As an Irishman, I am a big fan of Nathan Collins & wrapping Hee-chan Hwang up on a permanent deal was a no-brainer. From an outside perspective, I’m confused at the Conor Coady departure but I’m sure Bruno Lage has his reasons!
Who from Wolves are you worried about playing against?
If Goncalo Guedes is in the side, he could cause us problems. We are defensively weak at wingback and his pace could easily exploit the often-bemusing defensive positioning out wide. Pedro Neto fits into the same category. I will always be concerned about the passing range of Ruben Neves when we play Wolves. The pace you have up top with his vision could cause us big problems on the transition.
Score prediction for our game?
I’ll go with a 2-1 win for Spurs. We don’t seem capable of keeping clean sheets, but we have so much going for us on the front foot. I’m definitely expecting a tighter affair than our opening-day romp against Southampton but I think we will edge it back in front of our home crowd. Harry Kane will be gunning for a goal or two – he is one goal away from setting the all-time record of most Premier League goals for a single club. He already has 184.
Wolves secured their first point of the new league season following a goalless draw at home to newly promoted Fulham.
José Sá came to the rescue for Wolves deep into the second half as he saved Alexsandar Mitrovic’s penalty, after the Fulham forward was brought down by Rayan Aït-Nouri.
Wolves struggled to create after the opening ten minutes, and proved once again how necessary new additions are going to be to the teams success this season.
Here are five things we learnt following the draw.
The lack of a goal scorer is going to prove costly
Wolves’ main concern last season was the lack of goals the side scored, and two games into the new campaign, that problem is still evidently there.
Pedro Neto and Morgan Gibbs-White both missed fantastic chances for the home side, and Wolves only forced Fulham’s goalkeeper Marek Rodák into one save all game.
Wolves top scorer last year was Raul Jimenez, with just six goals, and with no out and out striker yet to be brought, the problems are evident to see.
New addition Goncalo Guedes could hopefully take some relief off of these problems, but more is needed for the side.
The centre-back partnership were able to contain Mitrovic
Mitrovic has lived in the nightmares of Wolves defenders over the last few years, with many struggling to deal with his bullish attacking style.
However, Max Kilman and Nathan Collins managed to keep Fulham’s star striker quiet throughout the majority of the game, something that one of the leagues best defences at Liverpool were unable to do last week.
The partnership looked solid at Leeds, but has grown once again this week, both looking very comfortable on the ball and are clearly on each other’s wave length.
Nelson Semedo looked in great shape
Semedo has been out injured for Wolves since the end of the previous season, but that wasn’t evident when he came on late in the game on Saturday.
The full back only played 20 minutes of action but put in arguably the best delivery of the game for Wolves, following a great drive down the left hand side.
Defensively, he also looked solid, and with Jonny’s early struggles for Wolves this year, Semedo may find that his starting role may be easier to regain than initially thought.
Sa can save penalties
José Sá has been one of the most important signings Wolves have made since returning to the Premier League, as the goalkeeper quickly proved himself to be one of the best in the league.
However, one issue he’s always had was saving penalties, which he finally did for the first time against Fulham, as he saved Mitrovic’s effort down to his right hand side.
Sá was much more composed against Fulham than at Leeds last week, where he made a couple of erratic decisions, but the keeper looked much more like his usual self last weekend.
Wolves will be in desperate need for another fantastic year out of Sá, after the Portuguese goalkeeper had one of the most successful statistical seasons in Premier League history last season.
Gibbs-White is up for a fight
Not many players have the bravery to get into the face of Alexandar Mitrovic, but Gibbs-White didn’t back down after being taken out by the striker on a counter attack.
Both players received a yellow card for the incident, but he’s proving he is willing to give his all for the shift, despite speculation of a move away from Molineux.
Gibbs-White is going to be a key figure for Wolves this year, his creativity is something that Wolves’ attack missed last season, and his drive with the ball is something that has also been lacking.
Him and Daniel Podence were prone to a few too many fancy flicks that didn’t come off on Saturday, but if he keeps playing consistently well it’ll be clear to see why Wolves have valued him so high.
Wolves started off their home campaign with a frustrating 0-0 draw to Fulham, in a game where they could have (any maybe should have) scored.
The home side missed key chances with Pedro Neto, Daniel Podence and Morgan Gibbs-White all missing proverbial sitters before Jose Sa saved a penalty from Aleksandar Mitrovic to spare Wolves’ blushes.
The result means Wolves have one defeat and one draw from their opening two games, only scoring a solitary goal.
Let’s take a look at the player ratings from the first home game of the season:
Jose Sa
An all-round solid performance from Sa. Whilst he didn’t have too much to do over the course of the match, he looked comfortable in his shot stopping and much better on the ball. There were some shaky moments when coming to collect crosses but the penalty save more than makes up for it. Won Wolves a point today and that will get him some bonus points.
8/10
Rayan Aït-Nouri
A decent performance from the Frenchman. Looked okay going forward with some bright runs and certainly offered WOlves a good outlet from the back. He was shaky at times defensively but didn’t get beaten too often to be considered a liability. The challenge for the penalty was yet another rash decision though, and it almost cost Wolves another game through individual errors for the second week in a row. Needs to improve his defensive intelligence if he is to play in a four at the back.
6/10
Max Kilman
One positive that can be said about this match was the performance of Kilman and Collins. The Englishman looked composed on and off the ball and was excellent at nullifying Fulham’s threats. Produced some marvellous passes out from the back to switch the play and get Wolves going. His intelligence in his tackle selection is second to none and his aerial presence makes the world of difference. Certainly a lot of potential for him in a centre-back pairing.
8/10
Nathan Collins
100% tackles won. 100% ground duels won. 93% pass accuracy. Similarly to his partner at the back, Collins was coolness personified for the entire game. He made difficult challenges and passes look easy and showed why Wolves forked out so much money on him. His build along with his finesse on the ball is a wonderful blend for a centre-back and him and Kilman kept a close eye on Mitrovic and Pereria all game. It is hard to believe he is still only 21 years of age. A very solid foundation to build off.
8/10
Jonny
A very off-colour performance from a usually consistent player. He was beaten almost every time by Neeskans Kebano and for the most part, looked leggy. Was not able to contribute anything of note going forward and was the pathway to most of Fulham’s breaks towards the Wolves goal. The return of Nelson Semedo may be a welcome one if Jonny can return to the left-hand side.
5/10
Leander Dendoncker
One of Dendoncker’s better performances in a Wolves shirt. Won the ball back consistently and kept Wolves ticking in possession. There were times when he could have been a bit more forward-thinking with his passing, rather than opting to play the ball sideways or back to Kilman or Collins. It was interesting to see him pushing on to join the front four in attack, but he was not able to forge anything in terms of a goalscoring chance. A solid game from the Belgian.
7/10
Ruben Neves
Not vintage Neves by any means, but still a well-rounded performance. His passing range and inventiveness created chances out of nothing at times and he was again intelligent in winning the ball back for the side. Made a very timely block on the line in the first half to keep the score at 0-0. A particular moment for the collectors’ box with a horribly mishit free-kick in the first half.
8/10
Morgan Gibbs-White
Played in the 10 role although drifted out wide several times. This was a frustrating performance for Gibbs-White, whilst his off the ball pressing and work rate was impressive, his productivity on the ball was muted. Produced some fantastic turns to get away from the Fulham midfield but tried the flicks and tricks too often for my liking. Needs to improve his decision-making at this level. His afternoon was not helped when he missed an open goal from around 7 yards out. Whilst the cross for the chance was powerful, you would expect a player of his supposed quality to convert the opportunity. Did not happen for him today but he will improve.
6/10
Pedro Neto
A lot of energy shown from Neto in this game but his lack of end product was very telling. Missed a sitter in the first half after a mistake by Fulham goalkeeper Rodak, but was instrumental in all things positive going forward. Was the only winger in the second half looking to create with some fantastic direct running, but ultimately his crossing was unable to produce any tangible results. You could argue a lack of a striker is the cause, but there are no excuses for that first-half miss. Needs to learn to pull the trigger.
7/10
Hwang Hee-Chan
A very muted game from the South Korean again. Very similar pattern to his performance at Leeds last week in which he started brightly with some good pace and runs, but then faded out of the game fairly quickly. Had a great chance to score early in the first half but hit his effort straight at Rodak. By the end of the first half, you could be forgiven for forgetting he was on the pitch. Unfortunately for Hwang, this shows why Wolves need a striker.
5/10
Daniel Podence
A poor showing from Podence in this one. Showed glimpses of magic, but was far too individualistic and tried too hard on the ball to create the spectacular. There were moments where a cross should have been put in but he tried to beat his man with some skill instead. Sometimes less is more and he, like others, need to stick to the fundamental basics before trying to walk the ball in.
5/10
SUBS
Goncalo Guedes
Brought on from the bench around the 57th minute for his first outing in Wolves colours. Unfortunately for him, Fulham were set on taking the pace out of the game and were constantly hacking down Wolves players anytime they went on a break. He was one of the players targeted and, as such, could not get a foothold in the match. When he was allowed, he showed some great pace and direct play – not too dissimilarly to Pedro Neto. Still plenty of time to show what he can do, this was a tricky scenario to be thrown into.
6/10
Adama Traore
Was brought on with 15 minutes to go but in that time, the ball was barely in play and he was not able to really get involved. Would feel harsh giving a rating for him, but good to see him back in a Wolves shirt.
N/A
Nelson Semedo
Came on at the same time as Adama and had more to do. Looked comfortable defensively and an improvement on Jonny, but again, he did not have the chance to really showcase his talents going forward. When he is fully fit you would imagine he will come in for Jonny at right-back, his improvement under Lage has been impressive and this cameo showed how Wolves miss his energy. Still did enough to be given a special mention but for me, 15 minutes isn’t enough to judge for a match rating.
Wolves are reportedly among clubs interested in Chelsea’s Ethan Ampadu.
A number of Italian clubs such as Empoli, Spezia and Cremonese are also interested but the defender wants more ‘clarity’ over his future and not just a loan deal with no option according to reports coming out of Italy.
Still only 21-years-of-age, Amapdu has played in both the Premier League and Serie A for Sheffield United and Venezia – where he featured as mostly a central midfielder for the Italian side.
Ampadu is versatile and can also play at right back and occasionally centre back. The Welsh international was one of the most promising players to come out of the EFL after he signed for Chelsea from Exeter, aged 16.
He currently has two years left on his deal.
Wolves interested in Traore but reports stating a deal is close are wide of the mark
FC Metz midfielder Boubacar Traore wants to join Wolves.
It’s said that his entourage have agreed with the salary conditions offered by Wolves and his transfer could be finalised in the coming days according to reports coming out of Metz.
However, Liam Keen has since reported that Wolves are aware and do have an interest in Traore but news that a bid has been made is wide of the mark.
The same news outlet has since replied to Liam Keen – insisting he is a liar.
Traore was one of the best performing midfielders for his age last season in terms of ball winning and ball progression qualities.
Wolves continue to be linked with 6-foot-6 striker
Wolves have reportedly opened with a ‘low offer’ for Strasbourg striker Ludovic Ajorque according to Alan Nixon.
It’s said Wolves have offered around £10m but will have to almost double it if they want to sign the Frenchman.
Other reports from France suggest wolves have bid around €12m but Strasbourg want €15m.
Express and Star reporter Liam Keen has since ruled out the signing of Ajorque and has reported that Wolves have submitted no offers for the French forward but they are aware of him.
Rayan Ait Nouri still a target for Manchester City
More news has broken that suggests that Manchester City’s interest in Rayan Ait Nouri is genuine according to the Telegraph.
It had previously been reported that City were looking at the player but had opted to try and sign Marc Cucurella – who has now signed for Chelsea.
The sale of Cucurella should inflate Ait Nouri’s valuation and it’s worth remembering that Wolves will owe Angers a percentage of the fee if he is sold. Wolves do have the option to buy Angers out of the clause.
John Ruddy left Wolves in the summer after a five-year stay at Molineux. The former England international sat down EXCLUSIVELY with Talking Wolves to chat about his time at Wolves.
“The move only came about after Carl’s news broke which was devastating for everybody and Wolves needed to act quickly. For both parties it worked really well as the club was replacing an experienced goalkeeper with a goalkeeper with similar experience but for me it worked because I was going to a club who had ambitions to get promoted.”
The promotion winning season
That summer, Wolves brought in the likes of Ruben Neves, Diogo Jota and Willy Boly.
“You could always see the quality with Neves, Diogo and Boly,” explained Ruddy. “There were other players too though – Bonatini, Douglas and Bennett were pivotal for us.”
When asked if he knew straight away that the club were going to be battling for promotion, Ruddy explained that you could see quality across the squad but the team cohesion helped too.
“Nuno came in and never changed his philosophy for any team and we knew every player’s role across the team which made it a lot easier for the cohesion across the group. Going into games, we all knew what we expected from each position which was massive for us that season and the only disappointment was not getting 100 points.”
Wolves went to already relegated Sunderland on the final day of that season, needing just one point to break the 100 points barrier but head coach Nuno Espirito Santo made wholesale changes to the line-up as Wolves lost the game 3-0.
“I was having a hernia operation that day so I couldn’t play,” Ruddy said. “I think Nuno wanted to give people recognition for stuff behind the scenes that most people wouldn’t have seen. He was very good at managing the squad and keeping people happy that season but he was still expecting to bring at least a point back!”
THAT Cardiff game
Wolves fans will need no reminders about the game that almost clinched promotion back to the Premier League for Wolves in the most dramatic fashion.
Ruddy was involved in two late penalties for Cardiff, with Wolves 1-0 up – saving one of them as Junior Hoilett hit the crossbar with the other.
“It was a lively bus on the way back from Cardiff”, said Ruddy. “Rui Silva came on the bus (assistant manager at the time) and we all asked whether we could have a few beers considering we’d just pretty much won promotion. Him and Nuno strolled over to the Asda and bought us all a few crates so we could have beer on the way home. It was a real nice moment.”
For most Wolves fans watching, they were watching those closing moments through their fingers but Ruddy said the team knew what to expect.
“We knew how they were going to play and we stood up to that until the last minute but I still don’t think the ‘push’ from Coady was a foul,” explained Ruddy.
“I’ll give Cav the benefit of the doubt for the other one and he’s still adamant to this day that he slipped but I still don’t know what he’s doing,” jokes Ruddy.
Promotion to the Premier League
That summer, Wolves bought Rui Patricio who was instated as Wolves’ No.1 by Nuno, meaning John Ruddy would have to watch from the side lines for the majority of that season. Ruddy knew the club would bring in goalkeeping reinforcements but he felt it was his shirt to lose.
“When Nuno told me he was going to be playing Rui then there’s not much I can do apart from just take it,” said Ruddy. “Nuno told me two weeks before the Premier League season was meant to start.”
Ruddy felt that Nuno could have told him sooner about his decision as the Championship season was starting one week after the news was broken to him, meaning it was unlikely he could find another club to play for.
“You either sit here and kick up a fuss or you just get on with it and the person I am, I just got on with it,” explained Ruddy. “I always backed myself and if I was given the opportunity I would have taken it but that didn’t come.”
Wembley heartbreak
Wolves missed out on reaching the FA Cup Final that season in the most heartbreaking fashion as they lost to Watford in extra time – despite being 2-0 up for most of the game.
“It’s the one game in my career that I’ve never watched any footage back from and it’s the biggest regret in my career,” explained Ruddy. “We were ten seconds away from winning the game and by that point you’re so deflated and it’s very difficult to get yourself going again but all the lads feel the same and it shouldn’t have gone the way it did.”
Wolves in Europe
Despite their FA Cup woes, Wolves still managed to pick themselves up and qualify for the Europa League as they finished seventh in the league.
Wolves’ Europa League campaign started in Armenia and Northern Ireland and Ruddy explained that the travelling did take it out of the players a little.
“We landed back in England from Armenia at five o’clock Friday morning and then you’re playing again on the Sunday,” said John. “It was brilliant for the club and it helped the club grow a lot quicker in terms of the techniques used for recoveries and from my point of view, to go to the likes of Besiktas to play was a dream.”
The decision and the timing came as a shock to many Wolves fans and Ruddy explained that the timing was strange but the decision was less surprising.
“We had a meeting just before the Everton game and Nuno brought us all into the changing room and told us what was happening,” said Ruddy. “It was a tough meeting because you’d shared a dressing room for four years, so it was tough to see him getting so emotional as he had invested a lot into the club and we’d invested a lot into him during that period.”
Ruddy explained further, “The timing was a shock but you could just sense that something was brewing and something wasn’t quite right. He started to tinker with things which he had never done before which was one of the first signs.”
Rui Patricio out and Jose Sa in
In the summer that Nuno left Wolves, No.1 goalkeeper Rui Patricio also left the club for Roma meaning there was a vacant goalkeeping spot in the Wolves team. Wolves bought Jose Sa to fill this void and Ruddy explained he’d already called what would happen in April that year.
“I was round Ruben’s (Neves) for dinner in April and we were chatting about Rui maybe moving on and I said “If Rui leaves we’ll just bring in Jose Sa anyway” and Ruben knew Jose anyway and he said “ah yes, that would make sense because Jose might be looking to leave Olympiacos.””
Ruddy feels that Sa can reach the heights of Patricio’s career and feels he doesn’t get the recognition he deserves from the Portugal national team but feels Rui may have struggled to play the way Bruno Lage wants to.
“With all due respect to Rui, I feel he may have struggled to play the way that Bruno wants his keepers to play,” said Ruddy. “That’s why Sa stood out last year because he’s the complete opposite in terms of playing styles to Rui.”
Working under Bruno Lage
Ruddy spent his final season at Wolves under current Head Coach Bruno Lage. Ruddy believes that Lage is a fantastic coach but is still learning other parts of his trade.
“He’s a very good coach on the training pitch and is extremely thorough,” Ruddy said. “His man-management could be improved as he’s very passionate so you know exactly what he’s thinking, which, sometimes it’s a good thing and sometimes it’s a bad thing. At this level of management you need to find a balance and with Bruno, he will come in and you will know exactly how he is feeling – whether that is good or bad.”
“It’s different styles of management for different people though and in terms of how he coaches a team, he is very, very good.”
Leaving Wolves on a free transfer
John Ruddy left Wolves at the end of his contract in May this year after five years at the club. Many reports suggest that Ruddy was offered a new deal and he explained, with real sensitivity, what actually happened.
“I had a meeting with people at the club and they explained that they had an option for an extension which I didn’t know about,” said John. “I said I wanted to go and play first team football but I will do what’s right for the club and if you’ve got the option then the ball is in your court. It got to about six or seven weeks before the end of the season and I was informed they were going to take the option.”
Despite wanting playing time, Ruddy said that he was happy to stay at Wolves but the contract saga took a twist just days before the end of the season.
“The day before the end of the season was the day they had to confirm they were going to take up the option and it was on that day that the club let me know they weren’t going to trigger it.”
Ruddy would then have to come on to replace Jose Sa in the fixture at Anfield the next day.
An Instagram post from Ruddy’s account suggested that the goalkeeper was a little disgruntled with how the club dealt with it but Ruddy said he understood the decision.
“The club is a business and if they feel as a business then it will be better not to carry me for another year then that’s fine but honesty in football is quite hard to come by but there are honest people at Wolves. I’ve got no issue with the outcome – just how the outcome was dealt with.”
Ruddy doesn’t feel like the situation is a big deal though and genuinely wanted the best for the club but alluded to the fact that senior board members at the club had the final say on the decision. Ruddy believes that both Scott Sellars and Bruno Lage were in favour of him staying.
The former England international also feels that the club has had the opportunity to push on and break into the top six if Wolves had made some key signings.
“I don’t think it’s just necessarily last season but Wolves have had a couple of quiet windows and finishing seventh twice in a row would have been a good opportunity to bring in the right people, at the right time and we could have kicked on but you have to find the right people. For every Ruben Neves, Diogo Jota and Pedro Neto, there are players that you aren’t going to make your money back on so it’s about finding the right players and nurturing them the right way.”
Ruddy believes that the injuries that have happened in recent times can’t be legislated for.
“When you lose key players in the way that we did then it will affect any squad and you can’t legislate for that. Perhaps the club could have made more additions but would have those additions gone straight into the first team. You can buy players for the future like Fabio Silva and if you get the injuries Wolves have had then there’s no guarantee these players are going to be ready.
Life after Wolves
Ruddy, who travels from Norfolk but plans to find somewhere closer to Birmingham for himself, is now the No.1 keeper at Birmingham City. He admitted it was a quiet summer for clubs trying to secure his services.
“It was very quiet in terms of approaches but I think it was a difficult window for a lot of people. I’m 35 and I’ve not played consistently for four years so it’s hard to say to these clubs “come and pick me up” but Birmingham came in and the manager has been brilliant with me since I’ve gone there.”
Being the No.1 is a good feeling again for Ruddy who’s had an unbeaten start to his time at St Andrews.
John Ruddy has already started doing his coaching badges but he explained he still isn’t sure whether that’s for him but it’s good to have options.
“It’s a lot of work and admin”, joked Ruddy. “It’s not something that I am desperate to follow but the badges are something I’d like to have as an option.”
Ruddy finishes with a statement of fond memories and a real proud feeling about his time at Molineux.
“It doesn’t matter how it ended, I will always have fond memories of Wolves and it was a real honour to be part of the club and to play a small part in the success we had.”
Wolves have announced their biggest summer signing since their first window after promotion with the arrival of 25-year-old Portugal international Gonçalo Guedes from Spanish side Valencia, in a deal thought to be worth around £27.5million.
Bruno Lage was keen to reassure fans in his post-match press conference on Saturday that the club had been ‘talking with players’ and that any stress the supporters may have had would be quelled soon enough.
Soon really was the case as hours after Wolves’ 2-1 season-opening defeat at Leeds, strong links came out from Spain reporting that a deal had been struck between Valencia and an unnamed Premier League side. That side turned out to be Wolves as reliable journalists such as Héctor Gómez and Fabrizio Romano confirmed the club’s interest and offer. The rest, as we say, is history.
Guedes has signed a five year deal at Molineux.
Let us take a look at what Guedes can offer and his career up to this point so far:
The Story So Far
Guedes began his career at Portuguese giants Benfica, after impressing for Benfica’s B team ( 11 goals and 16 assists in 38 games) he was promoted into the first team squad. He played 67 games for the side, amassing the same goals and assists total that he had achieved with the B team.
This earnt him a big money move to PSG for a fee of around £27million in the summer of 2016. After playing 13 games for the Ligue 1 champions and only managing one assist in that time, he was moved on to Valencia the next summer.
Guedes spent 5 years at Valencia, originally joining them on loan in 2017. He started strongly in Spain, notching six goals and 11 assists in his debut campaign.
This prompted Los Che to splash out £36million on the Portuguese winger and he went on to be a crucial member of the first team. He played 177 times for the club, producing 36 goals and 30 assists.
Last season was a career-high in terms of goal contributions, registering an impressive 11 goals and six assists playing as a second striker alongside Maxi Gomez.
Guedes has been one of the shining lights in a stagnating Valencia side, and his impressive capture could mark the beginning of the club’s new rebuild under the guidance of Bruno Lage.
The Tactical Side
So where can Guedes fit into this Wolves side? Well, using Transfermarkt we can get a more in-depth idea as to where he might slot in.
The first note of importance is his ability to play across the frontline. As previously mentioned, he had an excellent campaign last season playing a more central role alongside Uruguayan forward Maxi Gómez. However, throughout his career, he has been primarily deployed at left wing.
Having played 104 games in this position, contributing 16 goals and 17 assists, it’s safe to say that this is his most favoured position and one which Wolves fans can expect him to play this campaign.
As we know though, he can play up top. His record as a second striker is comparatively far more potent, having registered 19 goals and 16 assists in 52 appearances. This suggests that Lage could switch to the 4-4-2 he used at Benfica, with Guedes supporting another centre-forward such as Jimenez.
As this is unlikely due to the preferred use of the 4-3-3 or the 4-2-3-1, it is most likely that ( if he were to play up top) he would be used as a lone striker that could interlink with Wolves’ three supporting attacking players.
Guedes has had slightly less success as a lone forward (10 goals and 11 assists in 34 games) but he does offer a viable option that could fit well into Wolves’ fluid front four system.
One thing to note is that throughout pre-season and against Leeds, our attacking players have not really used fixed positions and have roamed infield or swapped over to create a greater sense of fluidity and attacking dynamism. This could suit Guedes as a more potent option within that attacking unit.
According to statistics gathered by FBref, Guedes has consistently out-performed his expected goals and assists in his time at Valencia (in domestic competitions it must be said). In an isolated season, you could suggest it was simply pure luck, but this consistent defiance of the rules of numbers denotes that he is a more potent threat.
Guedes outperformed his xG and xA consistently at Valencia
Having a player that is clinical in front of goal is an asset that has been missing from Wolves’ current wingers despite their incredible ball-carrying and creative talent.
Alongside his more potent end product, Guedes also ranks highly for progressive passes, carries, and dribbles completed. As seen below, he hits the top five, seven and six percent respectively in these areas.
This shows us that he is adept on the ball and is someone that can drive Wolves up the pitch consistently. Whilst Wolves have players that are strong in this metric, having another option that can perform in this area is certainly no negative. His high percentage in progressive passes also shows that he does come with some excellent passing intelligence and a willingness to pass forwards into advanced areas.
Whilst his passing accuracy is not anything to shout about, when it comes to making risky passes the percentage is always lower. It is also worth noting Daniel Podence has similar passing percentages and he is considered Wolves’ best creative player, showing that numbers aren’t always as good as the trusted eye test.
Guedes also possesses good statistics when it comes to tackles and interceptions. Whilst his pressure numbers are low, we can see that he is a forward player capable of defending from the front and one that has the awareness to potentially nip in in front of defenders and win the ball back high up the pitch.
The Expert View
We spoke to some experts on Goncalo Guedes to get an idea of what sort of player and character he is and how he could make an impact on the Premier League this season:
Paco Polit – Spanish journalist:
“If I’m completely honest, I believe he has been carrying Valencia for the past two seasons, especially on the pure stats.
“I believe that both him and Carlos Soler have overall been outstanding in those two areas, especially as the team has lowered its overall level.
“Guedes had been a breakout star in that first season in Valencia. In that sense, he had to pick up the mantle from the big players that had left. Him, Soler and Gaya have been the three biggest players for Valencia.
“He is possibly one of the stars who didn’t play for Barcelona, Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid.”
On Guedes’ best position and profile, Polit explained:
“Most of the time he played as a left-winger, but with the freedom to make diagonal runs towards the centre of the attacking front, and be able to finish both inside the box, but also with mid and long-range shots which are quite powerful and consistent.
“Most of his best goals have been in that sense. He has the ability to score in many ways, but also he has modified the way he has played in the last few seasons. He started as a player for the left wing or the middle, in the last few months, he’s been a pure number nine. He’s been the main striker for Valencia.
“He’s been consistently one of the players with the most fouls committed against him in the last five seasons, this means when he’s dribbling he’s a threat and 100% a menace. He hasn’t been protected much by the referees in Spain.
“He needs to feel important in the starting lineup, I think that if you pay that money for Guedes it’s to place him straight into the lineup. If he doesn’t play, he might find himself outside that place where he is happy.”
In regards to the fee, Polit stated that he believed Wolves were getting good value for money:
“When Valencia had the option to buy, the price tag on Guedes was between 40-50m Euros. I believe today he is a much better player than he was four years ago.
“I think his market value should be around 40m Euros or more, so I think Wolves are getting a good deal with the player.”
“So overall, Mendes has been crucial towards this transfer happening. I don’t know if Wolves are getting the best bargain price possible because I think that the negotiation has been pretty short.
“I think that in this case, Valencia have gotten the short end of the stick even after receiving those 32 plus three million euros.”
So the big question, how high can Guedes get in the English game?
“He’s an international player with Portugal. He has scored goals with them. He has worn number seven with Portugal like Cristiano Ronaldo.
“If he has a good season, he can easily be one of the top five news players in the league hands down, I’m totally positive on that one.”
Wolves have seemingly struck gold again with the help of super-agent Jorge Mendes. The controversial relationship between the club and the agent has offered Wolves another path to signing an internationally recognized player and for a decent price, whether Guedes will be a hit is yet to be seen but this marks a key signing in the new era at Wolves.
