Bruno Lage: Wolves showed character in win over Spurs

An impressive attacking display in the first half allowed Wolves to race into a 2-0 lead before a rigid defensive performance saw the game out.

Wolves lacked that clinical edge at home to Arsenal on Thursday and the head coach has praised his side for putting right those wrongs.

Lage said:"I think we had a good game for 90 minutes, very good. Especially the first 45 minutes.

"We are playing against a top team. Their manager is one of the best and everywhere he goes he gets results.

"It was important we came to play against them with the character I've been asking for, for the last few weeks. Especially when we arrive with 34 points, I don't want anyone comfortable. I want them to give one step forward and come with character to play our game.

"We didn't do that in the way I like against Arsenal. We deserved more than that in that game, but we didn't play the way I want. Today we did that, especially in the first 45 minutes.

"We played very well and created a lot of chances. After that they changed the system a little bit and put one more man in to control Ruben's (Neves) actions.

"We changed a little bit the positions of Leander (Dendoncker) and Luke (Cundle) and I think we controlled the game.

"They had one or two chances to score goals but we also had one or two more.

"In the end the most important thing is we played the way I like to play. We played with the ball, came with character and we won the three points."

Raul Jimenez netted his first goal for a month and his first in open play since late November, in what was an impressive display.

And Lage believes the striker proved his doubters wrong after a lacklustre performance in midweek.

"There were a lot of questions about Raul after the Arsenal game, saying he should score goals," Lage added.

"I don't say a word to Raul to score goals. The pressure is every time on training and if they're training the way I like.

"If they play the way I like, and they deserve that because they have talent, then the good things will come.

"The players know they have pressure and from my side the pressure is to work hard every day. I didn't talk about any goals and today Raul scored again.

"This is football. It's very hard and he knows as a striker he needs to score goals, but he has a lot of things to do as he did again with a good performance."

The hard-fought victory at Spurs moves Wolves to seventh in the league and one point above the London club, although they do have a game in hand.

Wolves, however, have games in hand on some clubs above them and are firmly in the hunt for a European spot.

But when asked if he is now focusing on a top six finish, Lage said: "No, the goal every time is to look and improve the way we are working. The most important thing is that.

"I don't promise anything. Every time we win it is exciting for the fans to watch the league table and the points we have, but for me the challenge now is to recover the team, understand how Leicester play to decide the best plan and best XI to play the way we played today.

"That is my concern every time. We want the character every time to do better."