Express & Star

Liam Keen comment: Wolves show promise with first win of the season

Gary O’Neil earned his first win of the season and Wolves are up and running.

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Goncalo Guedes. Picture: Gary Oakley/PA Wire.

It may only have been the Carabao Cup, but it was the perfect tonic to the weekend’s battering against Chelsea.

Wolves needed to give players minutes, respond to that loss and find a result – and O’Neil’s men managed to tick all of the boxes on a successful night at Molineux.

Defensive dilemma

In the opening two Premier League games, and particularly against Chelsea, Wolves have been too open and looked fragile defensively.

The aggressive style, choosing youth and athleticism in Yerson Mosquera over experience in Craig Dawson, has offered mixed results.

Santi Bueno was a player who would have left on loan this summer if Wolves were able to bring in a centre-back, but their struggles in the transfer market meant Bueno started against Burnley and the defender played like he had a point to prove.

He is not as quick as Mosquera or Toti Gomes, but instead used his tactical intelligence and game management to position himself well for any Clarets attacks.

Bueno was also strong physically, good in the air and good with the ball at his feet.

At a time when the defender will be frustrated at his minutes, he proved he can still offer something to this Wolves team.

Dawson also put in a solid shift and will be important this season, while Pedro Lima had a fantastic debut.