Express & Star

Matt Doherty: Wolves staff are 'top class'

Matt Doherty has hailed Nuno and his backroom staff as 'top class' ­– as he called for the team to start firing in the goals.

Published
Last updated
Matt Doherty (© AMA / Sam Bagnall)

Wolves have won both their first two games of the season 1-0 – a winning margin they also registered in their final two games of pre-season.

Doherty is delighted with the clean sheets and feels more goals will follow.

"It's been positive," he said of Wolves' start. "We haven't scored many goals but we've kept two clean sheets.

"We're defensively solid, we just need to start scoring more goals.

"If you keep clean sheets you're going to win games, even if it is 1-0.

"But that's not going to happen every game. We need to start putting teams away and closing out games. Middlesbrough could have equalised near the end – it should have been 2 -0 game for us.

"When we have everybody fit and flying, whichever three players play (up front) we'll have one of the best in the league.

"Three at the back needs a full pre-season to work on it and that's what he's done from day one.

"We've not played four at the back even in training.

"We look good playing it. We're not firing many goals in but we're solid and that's where you need to start.

"In training, when it works the (opposition) team can't get through us."

Nuno has brought in a new backroom team including assistant Rui Pedro Silva and goalkeeping coach Rui Barbosa.

Doherty, who admits Wolves will face a tough test away at Derby today, is impressed with the new staff – and enjoying the new wing back role they've placed him in.

"I quite enjoy it," he said of the position. "It's quite difficult – we play quite high so I'm a winger at times and then have to get back. So you need to be quite fit, but me and Barry seemed to have grasped what he wants us to do.

"I feel comfortable playing the position. I didn't need much coaching to understand what I needed to do, it came quite naturally so it's a nice position.

"It's not just the gaffer, all the staff – I've been very impressed with them, they're top class.

"Everything they do there's a reason why they're doing it, they're very detailed.

"They've been very good.

"I've gone to Derby a few times and don't think I've ever won there and they normally score a few goals.

"It's a difficult place to go.

"I watched them against Sunderland and they were okay. They're at home, a lot of the boys haven't played there, it's going to be tough."