Tom Edozie was the man of the hour as he smashed home a dramatic late equaliser on his Premier League debut. Wolves started the game poorly, with the league leaders opening the scoreline in the fifth minute. The home side started the second half brighter than the first, before Hincapie scored what looked to be the winning goal. However, a fantastic curling effort from Hugo Bueno met the top corner to put the points in doubt for Arsenal. An incredibly spirited second half performance from Rob Edwards team was rewarded with Edozie’s effort. Wolves now sit on 10 points, just one behind Derby County’s record in the league. Player ratings from Tom Davison:
Jose Sa: 6/10
Off the back of a tremendous performance at Nottingham Forest, Sa was again reliable for Wolves. Covering aerial balls well, Sa was steady in the backline for a majority of the game.
Jackson Tchatchoua: 2/10
If I were to tell you this rating is generous, you’d hardly believe me. Unfortunately, this is as high of a rating as I can justify for the wing back. Going forward, he struggled immensely on the ball against the quality of the Arsenal backline. Defensively, he was absent until his substitution, which was met with jeers from the Wolves stands. While his positioning is usually good and was here, it’s not enough to redeem a woeful performance.
Ladislav Krejci: 6/10
Krejci is a must keep heading into the Championship next season. Consistency is key when you’re part of a backline, and Ladislav has spent the majority of the season looking far more able than some of his peers. Good on the ball and excellent at commanding his line to deal with Saka and Gyokeres, he deserves praise for a solid display.
Santi Bueno: 6.5/10
Has Santi Bueno ever put a foot wrong? Personally, I think he is by far the most underappreciated man in the Wolves team. Quietly going about his business and mopping up when necessary, him and Krejci form an excellent pair.
Yerson Mosquera: 5/10
It was a decent display from Mosquera, who continues to be one of the most entertaining characters in the league, but he wasn’t quite up to the standard of his peers at centre back. Occasionally misjudging the ball in the air, albeit in difficult conditions, Yerson seemed less confident than usual at dominating in duels.
Hugo Bueno: 7/10
Bueno has been one of the standout players of this Wolves team and today he proved crucial in Wolves comeback. Many times relied on to push Wolves up the pitch, he caused problems with his crosses before curling in a terrific strike to bring them back into the game. He continues to impress in a Wolves shirt this season.
Angel Gomes: N/A
Angel came off injured in the first half, barely able to make a mark on the game before his substitution.
Andre: 6.5/10
Retaining his starting role in the team after victory at Grimsby, Andre excelled at carrying the ball in Wolves half before dishing it off. Up against some of the best midfielders in the world, he more than held his own as Wolves clawed back the scoreline.
Mateus Mane: 7/10
This kid is going to go far isn’t he? It was a fearless performance from the youngster, who showed great skill on the ball to beat his man. Surprisingly, a central piece in Wolves hold up play against the likes of Rice and Zubimendi, he more than demonstrated he belongs at this level.
Jean-Ricner Bellegarde: 6.5/10
His first league start since injury ruled him out, Bellegarde shone in several moments in the midfield. Utilising clever trickery to get away from his man allowed him to run freely with the ball. It felt good to have him back, as an excellent option to have heading into next season.
Adam Armstrong: 5/10
While not doing anything particularly wrong, Armstrong had fairly little influence on the game. Started ahead of Tolu, it seemed that Wolves would be using him as a means to switch style of play. Gomes injury put pay to that however, as Wolves returned to a more direct style of Play with Tolu on the pitch.
Substitutes:
Tolu Arokodare: 6.5/10
Perhaps the best example of Tolu as a hold up striker to date, he did very well to keep the ball and contribute to moves on the counter. Coming on due to Gomes’ injury, Tolu did well on a whim to get himself into the game and win duels. He battled hard with Saliba for the better part of 90 minutes.
Rodrigo Gomes: 5/10
The winger replaced Jackson Tchatchoua to a parade of cheers from the South Bank, but Gomes didn’t do much in his place. While he fought hard to keep up with Arsenal and placed a significant amount of pressure on them, he did little in going forward to help Wolves complete the comeback.
Tom Edozie: 7/10
Truth be told, I don’t think Edozie played particularly well in the lead up to his goal, but in all honesty who cares? Tonight was all about him, scoring in his first Premier League appearance against the leaders. Providing Molineux with a feeling it hasn’t felt for a long time, Edozie wins my player of the night.
