Wolves Fans' Verdict v Villa: "A masterclass"

Rob Cartwright

What's your verdict on the match? Games like this rarely happen. A local derby, a full house and live tv cameras.

We all know what comes next don’t we?

Well not this Wolves team. They were simply superb; not in spells, not just a couple of key players. They were class all over the park. We were in the stands too.

I can’t think of a performance that I have enjoyed watching so much. Even at 0-0 the whole team played with confidence and self belief. The passing and possession football is majestic at times. Neves, Saiss, Jota, Costa are all equally as comfortable making and receiving passes whether it be five yards or 25 yards.

Nuno has the defence joining the party too. Batth, Miranda and Coady dealt with everything Villa could muster, and their use of the ball was top class. Not a single hoof ball upfield in the whole game. The same intelligent play, utilising Doherty and Douglas as the outlets. They were finding space on the flanks easy to find.

The only concern was could we play as well in the second half, as we hadn’t yet scored. The reality is we played even better. Villa didn’t have a sniff until the final few minutes.

The half time sub with Bonatini replacing Costa made a big impact at the right end of the pitch. The runs made by a Jota and Cavaleiro now had more purpose with greater presence in the Villa box.

Jota’s impact was growing. It was just a matter of time for the first goal and when it came, he scored a left foot cracker.

Bonatini got the second from a tight angle, after Jota had run with the ball from the halfway line. A deserved goal as he ran the villa defence ragged throughout the second half.. The reality is that Viila we’re struggling to get the ball off us.

The best moment came a few minutes later. 19 consecutive passes followed by two Jota headers and two Bonatini shots. How did that not go in? Pure filth!

Who played well – and who didn't impress? There were a few 9/10 performances. Neves, Saiss, Miranda, Doherty, Jota, Batth were at that level. The others were not that far behind.

I thought Cavaleiro was the best player in the first half. He dealt well with some rough stuff by Villa. Man of the match was Jota. Great runs, involved in both goals and accuracy of his passing was excellent.

And a big shout for Bonatini who I think had a massive impact on our ability to score.

There's a big call ahead for Nuno, as any of the starting XI who make way for Bonatini will be hard done by. What a dilemma to have.

Russ Cockburn

What's your verdict on the match? The last time I saw a derby win as comfortable as that Paul Crichton was finding touch more regularly than Jonny Wilkinson. This wasn’t just a comfortable 2-0 win, it was a masterclass in Nuno’s playing philosophy…controlling the play, being patient and then unlocking the opposition with pace, verve and skill.

It also represented a shift in power and, in the first time in my Wolves support life, we are a much better team than the seals. All of this completed in the same year as we had Paul Lambert at the helm.

Villa were bullied on the pitch and in the stands. Molineux was awash with noise, passion and wit, whilst the boys from Aston did their best to complete their annual sponsored silence for 93 minutes. It’s okay turning up in big numbers (fair play to them for that), but it’s not great if you’re only going to sing two times and sound like a pre-pubescent 12 year-old getting Messi in their FIFA ultimate team.

The first half saw us control possession without having too many clear cut chances. Neves and Saiss were relaxed, Cav was getting kicked to pieces and Jota was starting to pull the strings.

Bruce truly had the shackles on his team, allowing us possession without causing any threat of note. It was a pattern that was going to flow throughout the game.

Second half was a different story. The calmness was still there, but there was a renewed zest about the Wolves play. Jota, as you would expect, was at the heart of everything, terrorising the Villa back three and eventually lifting the lid off Molineux with his seventh strike of the season.

Molineux was buzzing more than the ‘New Arrivals’ section at Ann Summers and the men in gold and black were dominating every first, second and third ball.

Coady and Batth were loving a local derby walk in the park, whilst Rodders put in arguably his best performance of the season. The way we play out from the back is key to our attacking threat and I can’t praise the wing backs enough. Barry is the modern day Denis Irwin…consistent, reliable, quality.

Doherty is on another level this season. If we’d have brought him from the Algarve, we’d be talking about one of the signings of the season, a £10m player in the making.

It was in contrast to Villa’s old timers. Whelan did his best impression of a clapped out Cortina, Terry turned slower than a tanker and Snodgrass – apart from the free-kick – was anonymous.

When the second arrived it came as no surprise. Jota again the architect and our Saudi prince the man to apply the coup d'etat to the Midlands supposedly biggest team. You could almost see them reaching for their Rotterdam 82 programme…

We even had time to nearly score the goal of the century…it’s just like watching the Wolves! Something special is happening at Molineux and we’re lapping it up.

Fosun had an indifferent first season, but are obviously very quick learners. They realised where they went wrong and have done everything to put it right. You only have to compare the differences between Jeff Shi and Dr Tony Xia. One is in control, the other wouldn’t look out of place in the Hangover movie.

Who played well – and who didn't impress? Every player did more than his bit in what was a complete performance, including the return of the midfield Rolls-Royce that is Rueben Neves.

However, what can you say about Jota? The guy is a genius, simple at that. Quick, great feet and can finish, what is he doing plying his trade in a city that gets excited about a Debenhams opening? Well who cares he is at WV1 and he is the man that will lead our promotion charge.

For all of his filthy attributes, I love the heart he has. He doesn’t like to lose any challenge and can put himself about when he has to. This guy won’t just do it on a cold night in Stoke, he’ll get them to name an oatcake after him!

It’s Diogo, not Diego…he makes me happy, he makes me feel this way!

Natalie Wood

What's your verdict on the match? I can honestly say I haven’t enjoyed watching Wolves more than I am at the moment, not just because of the results but also because of the passion and commitment shown by all the players. There is a real buzz around the club that has been missing for the past few years and it’s great to have it back!

Aside from the football (which is just beautiful at times) I think the club as a whole have really stepped things up this year especially with the match day experience that really builds excitement and atmosphere in the ground well before kick off.

From the first few minutes of the match Wolves took control of the game and never really lost it.

I also have to say it is so refreshing to have a defence that doesn’t give you a heart attack every time the ball comes into the box... very few mistakes between them.

It is especially great to see Danny Batth playing with such confidence again. I can’t really think of anything negative to say...which as a Wolves fan feels a bit strange!! I suppose the only negative is that we didn’t score more!

Overall a solid performance by all the team. Going into the game we all knew it would be tough and really our first proper test. Villa didn’t play that well but I think a lot of it was down to how well we played as a team. A real warning performance for the rest of the league!!

Who played well – and who didn't impress? Neves completed bossed the midfield – I can’t say I’ve ever watched a player with such a great eye for the ball and his passing technique is in my opinion up there with some of the best in the world. Jota and Cavaleiro were also exceptional, as always these days.

Clive Smith

What's your verdict on the match? Wow – this Nuno chap keeps pushing the bar higher and higher. When did we last play that good at home? Looks like he knows what he's doing!

A quarter of the season has gone and we look the real deal. Passing football in the opponent's half like we have never seen before. Laurie D has had the font changed on the back page of the programme and there is clarity to see the team there and on the pitch. Players know what they should be doing and today they all performed at a high level.

Neves' peripheral vision is outstanding. He sees passes that only look possible after he has already played the ball.

Steve Bull MBE is a legend, a cult hero, 300 goals, love him to bits, always will. But Jota, less than 20 games I know, he might be the best quality player I have seen in a Wolves shirt. At times he looks unplayable. It started away to Forest and has continued.

We played excellent for the whole 90 minutes. Under pressure we passed in neat triangles or squares with claret and blue blurs looking like pig in the middle, rarely getting close to the ball. For once we looked the team with an extra man. There was prolonged applause at half time and at the final whistle I did not want to leave, it had been so good.

How have we got to this level in such a short space of time? You look at the seven players on the bench and you're happy for any of them to come on. Poor young Vinagre - he has to score two wonder goals next time to keep his place. All the pieces in the jigsaw are in place. 'We need a goalscorer' - pah! what do we all know eh?

And THAT move in the second half with the oles and Jota nearly scoring - brilliant.

On paper it looked a tough game. Villa on a roll, a strong experienced side with pace in attack. The pressure was on with the carrot of top place hanging over us and a large expectant crowd. In possession though we looked relaxed while the pressure and intensity was applied in getting the ball back when we did not have it.

In open play Villa hardly had anything of note close to goal. Set pieces looked their only possible chance but our 'team defending' was more than competent too.

Great atmosphere and great noise. Not sure why many sing w...w.... Wanderers. The irony and sarcasm has long since gone and there are many more songs we can reproduce and goad the opposition contingent with.

Who played well – and who didn't impress? Ruddy was redundant a lot of the time, merely a spectator. He surprisingly let a free kick hit the bar, but otherwise caught any crosses he had to.

Douglas and Doherty were solid in defence and a threat out on the touchlines when we spread the play wide.

Miranda, Coady and Batth all did well, again. Against a lively frontline they all played well. Miranda was probably the pick. He had the most to do one-to-one but stayed in control and was intent on winning the ball fairly which he frequently did. He nearly scored with a shot too. Coady very much holds his position and is able to cover when a spare man evades the other two. In the air they all looked strong.

Neves and Saiss were totally in control of midfield, hunting the ball down, collecting it, distributing it to a gold shirt. Sounds easy - worked a treat. Saiss looks fitter, has more stamina and covers more of the pitch than he ever used to. Neves hit one wonderful shot the keeper did well to keep out. His form has improved over the last couple of games.

Costa played the first half but looked a little short of pace. Last season he would have been okay, but our tempo is quicker now and that showed. Not all managers would have been so proactive to make the change that early.

Bonatina played the second half and just fitted in perfectly. Open for passes he played a constant give and go game. A clinical finish sealed the result although he missed the chance of a second which may have got him a start next game!

Cav was strong in possession. Unpredictable and difficult to tackle he contributed well in the final third and, although frustrating at times, he is less wasteful than Enobakhare.

Jota is just a joy to watch. His balance and ability to turn away from (often two) players is like Aguero or Sanchez. Let's hope nobody else notices. He did that in the first half on halfway and was only thwarted by a good tackle in their box. He was man of the match, but he had plenty of competition.

Besides Costa and Ruddy everyone deserved an 8/10 or more.

Marshall and N'Diaye came on for the last 15 minutes. N'Diaye showed great energy as if he had been desperate to get on for half an hour.

Chris Hughes

What's your verdict on the match? Where to start with that one? The most complete performance I've ever witnessed from a Wolves side. The whole team played magnificently, Nuno played a blinder with team selection and substitutions and the fans were vocal throughout.

Do you change a side that won its last game 4-0? You do if you're Nuno. Despite a solid performance at Burton, Bennett was out for the returning defensive lynchpin Coady and, after putting in a marvellous, marauding display at Burton, so was youngster Vinagre in order to bring in the more experienced Douglas at left wing back. Both choices were vindicated as Coady and Douglas excelled throughout.

Nuno got his subs right too. The exciting front three of Jota, Cavaleiro and Costa did well in the first half but we never truly got in behind the deep-lying Villa back line and our chances were mostly from range.

At half time Nuno introduced Bonatini from the bench for Costa, who had seemed to try and force the issue a little too often in the first half rather than sticking to the 'model' of playing a patient, probing game, and this change turned the game. Suddenly we had a central focal point in Bonatini who wanted to drop deeper and pull Terry or Chester out of their defensive shell and leave gaps to be exploited. And boy, did we exploit them!?

Terry will be having nightmares for the rest of this week with flashbacks of our Portuguese genius Jota repeatedly tying him in more knots than you'd find on an ocean liner (which incidentally would probably turn more quickly than the former England captain).

Some Villa fans claimed Terry would have our attackers in his pocket on Saturday. After watching the game you feel he could have had more pockets than a snooker table and still wouldn't manage to get Jota into one of them! Jota's finish for the opener was like an Exocet missile aimed squarely at the claims that Villa's unbeaten September and four-game winning run proved they are one of the best sides in the division.

He then moved through the Villa back line like a perfectly-balanced dancer, leaving three defenders in his wake, before a last-ditch challenge prevented him from launching another missile towards the Villa goal. However, the bargain-Brazilian Bonatini was on hand to pick up the loose ball and order a taxi for Johnstone in the Villa goal and double the lead. Game, set and match. Our artistry had outclassed their industry. Our brains had outsmarted their brawn. Our philosopher Nuno had out thought their stoic Bruce.

So we've discussed the manager and the players but what of the fans? 30,239 of us were at Molineux to witness a game that should be uploaded onto a dodgy website it was so dirty.

Everyone did their job in creating an atmosphere befitting of the football on display. The South Bank were up for it as they always are but, not for the first time this season, I noticed more voices around me in the North Bank starting to make themselves heard. Perhaps we are all being roused from our slumber by the wet dream football on display? Only in October and already Nuno's philosophy is bringing performances like this. If we continue to improve at the same rate we have since August then the club will have to start offering us private screening rooms to watch (in the words of @Darb1983) "Absolute. Pure. Unadulterated. Filth."

Who played well – and who didn't impress? Jota had a decent first half but he took his game to another level after the break.

Adam Virgo

What's your verdict on the match? Seeing as it’s my 24th birthday today, Wolves definitely gave me a great early present by putting on the best of performance of the season – certainly at home anyway – and going top of the league.

A wonderful and complete performance from every single player yesterday. Villa aren’t mugs let’s be honest, they hadn’t lost in eight games, spent a lot of money like us and it was a local derby, but we just wiped the floor with them.

We controlled the game from start to finish. We also didn’t allow their main players such as Hourihane, Adomah and Kodjia to have time on the ball and nullified everything they tried to do.

First half we had full control but just lacked that cutting edge at times. Defensively we weren’t troubled which was thanks to everyone doing their job on and off the ball. I wouldn’t necessarily say we had a clear cut chance in the first half where we should have scored but our all round general play deserved to have been more rewarding.

Second half we approached it slightly differently being that Costa went off for Bonatini at half time and it worked a treat. Costa still isn’t match fit and against Terry and Chester, someone like Bonatini could drag them out a little to leave gaps for Jota and Cavaleiro. We absolutely bossed it in the second half though, the passing was unbelievable at times and we could have scored more than two.

Who played well – and who didn't impress? Every single player played well, which is becoming a bit of a recurring theme. It’s rare you have anything bad to say about anyone which as opposed to last season is a complete contrast.

Firstly, the man of the match, Diogo Jota. When is this guy never twisting and turning defenders inside out? Took his goal superbly well, breaking the fan cam in the process he hit the ball that hard. For Bonatini’s goal, he absolutely emasculated Chester and Terry in one move.

Ruben Neves had arguably his best game this season. He’s been class in plenty of games but I just felt yesterday he controlled the game with Saiss easily. His flick over a Villa player’s head to set up the move for the second goal was outstanding.

Matt Doherty once again having a brilliant game. Up against the in form Albert Adomah and he didn’t give him a sniff all evening. Got up and down the right flank on numerous occasions causing regular problems for Villa.

The back three were solid, didn’t give Kodjia or Davis any real chances on goal and I’m sure when Miranda got home and emptied his pockets, Jonathan Kodjia may well have came out because he absolutely bossed him all game.

Leo Bonatini, another sub appearance and another goal. Five for the season with four assists and some people still doubt him. Doesn’t add up to me but he’s been great for us, he came out this week and said he wants to stay at Wolves and I will gladly take him permanently with open arms. He causes problems for defenders by dragging them out, his hold up play is excellent and that finish yesterday proved that he’s better than any striker (maybe bar Afobe) we’ve had in years.

Overall, a 10/10 performance and a fantastic three points. Top of the league but still a lot of work to be done. Another home game next week and hopefully we can win but Preston aren’t any pushovers that’s for sure.

Russ Evers (Hatherton Wolves)

What's your verdict on the match? A masterclass in second gear. Totally dominant from the first to the last minute including a cameo of 30 odd passes that even had the Villa fans clapping.

At times we were unplayable and we were never short of being extremely comfortable. The first question was when would we score and the second was how many.

All this at a pace we controlled and know that it can be upped almost at will.

Quite what happens when we move up to third gear and above remains to be seen but it could be something very special. Magic.

Who played well – and who didn't impress? Neves and Saiss controlled the midfield whilst the rest of the team performed as they should. And then there is Diogo. Utterly magnificent.

Heather Large

What's your verdict on the match? Top of the league ay we! It was surely written in the stars – a local derby, full house, live on TV, the chance to move into that coveted top spot and both players and fans full of giddy anticipation.

How many times have we seen Wolves crumble under that sort of pressure or simply not turn up?

But it's definitely looking like those days could be well and truly behind us, there was no stopping us last night, we were dominating, confident and playing brilliant football that Aston Villa just couldn't match however much they tried.

Finishing the game without three points clearly wasn't an option for Nuno's men because, from the very first kick, we played the game how we wanted to and like a real pack of wolves, working together to hunt down their prey, we exploited the weaknesses in the Villa midfield.

Doing most of the damage were Diogo Jota and Ruben Neves, whose skilful, creative and sublime footwork was just something else. Sometimes I have to pinch myself to realise these are Wolves players.

They were wonderfully aided and abetted by Helder Costa, Romain Saiss and Ivan Cavaleiro – even when the latter had three men marking him, he still managed to give them the slip.

But to single them out isn't fair because every Wolves man played a part, it was a superb team performance. Conor Coady, Danny Batth and Roderick Miranda,in particular, were solid at the back and John Ruddy...well, actually, I don't remember him doing that much so he should have been feeling quite refreshed this morning...

And when you think our bench included Ruben Vinagre and Alfred N'Diaye, it just shows the strength we have in the squad now.

It's hard not to get carried away because it's all starting to get very exciting.

Who played well – and who didn't impress? It was the best team performance of the season so far, in my opinion, so every player impressed. Can't fault them at all.

Also, have to mention the great show of support from the Villa fans who all joined in with the applause for Carl Ikeme - maybe we can forgive them for sneaking off home before the final whistle?!