Wolfpack toasts that unfamiliar winning feeling

Rob Cartwright

Such a good feeling getting the away win. Goodison has been kind to us over the last few years. There was a lot of emotion released when we scored, both from the fans and the players. Would be good to feel this more often now.

We didn’t start the game well. Slow in possession and lacking confidence to go forward, choosing far too often to turn and play the ball backwards. Who says the events off field don’t affect the players on the pitch?

Everton were on top, for sure, and we had Sa to thank for keeping us in the game. Some of his saves were breathtaking. He deserves a new contract for this performance alone.

Neto frustrated me. He was up against 38 year old Ashley Young, yet time after time he received the ball and turned backwards. He took him on only once in the first half and left him struggling in his tracks. He didn’t see as much of the ball in the second half, but credit is due for the excellent cross to Kalajdazic for the goal. It was inch perfect.

The second half was different. Ait-Nouri played wide left and helped us take the ball forward. We started creating chances. Silva was unlucky to be offside for his first effort that he slotted into the net. The second effort was a bad miss with just Pickford to beat, he put the shot wide. He then made way for Sarabia which was a strange substitution. We really wanted to see Kalajdazic as the pendulum was swinging in our favour.

Sa made an absolutely brilliant save pushing over the bar while falling backwards.

Kalajdazic came on with 5 minutes plus added time remaining. Not really long enough?

It was long enough for him to score. This was being in the right place, asking for the ball and moving past the defender to glide his header into the corner. He could be the forward we’ve been craving whilst recovering from injury. Let’s hope so.

Sa is my Man of the Match. He saved us a number of times. Semedo had another good game, as did Lemina. The defence looked unsteady to me and allowed Everton to get too many attempts on goal. Gomes was a disappointment and after an early booking did not get involved enough. I’d stick with Silva and we have to find space for Kalajdazic. I think this makes Hwang place in jeopardy, as I’d like to see Kalajdazic and Cunha together.

As for Nunes, I’d start him against Blackpool, unless City offer £70m+

He’s not really set the place alight with only rare glimpses of what he’s capable of. I think he knew we were a stepping stone and feels he is better than we are.

He should have spent more time talking to Neves.

Neves will never be forgotten; we’ll struggle to remember Nunes.

Stephen Jackson

Following the gold and black from across the pond, I rely on news sources such as this one, and colleagues such as these, to know and feel what is going on with WWFC.

When I switched on the television coverage on Saturday I honestly thought I had the wrong game. Who decided on the all red strip? That looked like the furthest thing from a Wolves kit that I could imagine, and straight from the kick off we gave the ball away within seconds and I thought, “here we go again.” The first half was awful, not much can be said. Thankfully Sa was in the mood and kept us in the contest.

Second half was marginally better and with a stroke of luck we knicked a goal, did it come off the big man’s shoulder? Gary looked like he knew what a smash and grab that was. Surely Sasa must start from the beginning now. Nunes looks like he’s already readying himself for the sky blue of Manchester, we can only hope the funds will be used to usher a few new faces in through the door. What must Doherty need to do in training to get a run out? Would love to see him, I thought he was good in preseason, but unfortunately for him, he’s found himself in the same place he’s been for the last few years, on the bench!

John Lalley

Already labelled as a clash between two potential strugglers, the pessimism appears justified. There was ample evidence that both these teams are likely to be experiencing a severely challenging season; anxiety, lack of confidence and fear of losing superseded any semblance of quality.

All the more reason to take what positives you can amid the mediocrity and regardless of the lack of style, for Wolves the result is a massive boost.

Six months previously to the day, Lopetegui celebrated his first win on this ground and began the successful push for survival. Whether Gary O’Neil’s initial victory carries similar significance only time will reveal, but the breathing space secured at Goodison sure lifts some of the pressure and insecurity abounding prior to kick-off.

The first-half performance was all too reminiscent of so many away days we suffered last season; devoid of structure and ambition and simply a holding operation intent on survival. Everton’s finishing was as desperate and erratic as ours, but even so, both Jordan Pickford and Jose Sa conjured up a remarkable save apiece that seemed to have ensured stalemate. Probably, such a nondescript game merited a goalless outcome but just as we had on Boxing Day, Wolves contrived an unlikely final word. Neto the provider and Kalajdzic the finisher, have both had their Molineux careers savaged by injury so it was gratifying to see them significantly involved. Neto post-injury has been a shadow of the talent that so excited us prior to his misfortunes, but this assist was outstanding enabling Kalajdzic to belatedly open his account. After his travails, the relief and the elation must have been immeasurable! It was a fortunate connection by the Austrian, more shoulder than head, but at least he was in the penalty box acting like a striker intent on sniffing out an opportunity. For so long, the six-yard area has been almost a no-go area for gold shirts with all manner of opportunities left to go begging. This time, right place, right time, three points and job done; scintillating it wasn’t, satisfying it certainly was. The policy of contraction at Molineux roars on apace and unabated; I’m baffled by the scale of it all and flummoxed as to when this diminution will end. Just how much lolly do we have to bank before we re-start operating like an ambitious Premier League club? We probably won’t be winning too many this season, so I’m damned if I’m not going to savour this one! Who’s next out of the exit door?

Clive of Burton

It was not a great game (we played better at Old Trafford) both teams were poor, but it was the same last season and both stayed up. Our pattern and style of play has still to develop under O’Neil with plenty of areas for improvement.

Our passing at the back is just not accurate enough. In the first half we gave the ball away so many times in our own half. It is surely too risky unless we improve significantly. Last season, a pass to Neves was ‘safe’, we have no-one that safe anymore.

The trouble with going long-ball is that – despite the large sums of money we paid – Silva and Cunha are not good at retaining possession with their backs to goal. It was disappointing to reach half-time without having had a shot on target, given we’d had 39 shots (11 on target) in the two previous games.

Lemina and Gomes were full of energy although the latter’s booking inside thirty minutes was a worry. Neto had lots of space available, up against Young, but is less convincing, and less of a goal threat, on the right wing. The star of the half however was Semedo who defended and tackled really well.

After the interval the game increased in pace, became more open and both teams must have been permission to enter their opponents box with the ball.

There were still plenty of turnovers in possession while both sides had an offside goal chalked off and Silva missed an excellent one on one.

Wolves were grateful to MOTM Sa who had his best game in quite a while. He had several O’Neil brought on Toti, to tighten the defence and Kalajdzic to liven up the attack. We amazingly won a header in the opponents’ box and all hell broke loose in the away end. Three points from an away win – as rare as hens’ teeth.

All that pessimism can be forgotten, for a few days at least.

In the post-match celebrations it was Neto, who’d made the assist, that came over all Conor Coady and exploded with joy. Good on ya Pedro.