Wolverhampton Wanderers (A) 06/01/25

 

Wolverhampton Wanderers 0-3 Nottingham Forest

                                                                             Gibbs-White 7'

                                                                             Wood 44'

                                                                             Awoniyi 90+4'

 

For me, playing on a Monday of a game week is the worst. Waiting all week for your team to play. Seeing other teams around you pick up points, knowing we have to get something too. The chance of your whole week being ruined if you lose. Well, that’s how it felt about the old Forest. A waste of an evening, standing in the freezing cold to not even get anything out of the game. However, the whole mood has now changed: looking forward to having cold fingers and toes knowing the lads will turn up for us in return.

This fixture was against Wolves. Since promotion we haven’t beaten them (unless you count the cup game where we won on penalties) drawing 4 and losing 1. However, our last 3 fixtures have also been against teams we haven’t beaten since our return to the top flight. Back in August at the City Ground, we drew 1-1 with goals for both Chris Wood and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde. To be honest this will be a game that haunts me if we narrowly miss out on Europe. Facing such a poor team and one that we should’ve beaten with all our chances; their goal was a just beautiful finish that dropped perfectly. This game would be more difficult though with Wolves finding a bit of form under their new manager.

After a light show, blasts of fire and a routine boo of the Premier League anthem, the game got underway. The Reds in the away kit for the first time. We all know the rivalry between Morgan and Wolves. They were booing his every touch of the ball and chanting about his girlfriend and child. However, he soon silenced them as he opened the scoring. Nicolas Dominguez cleared away an attack for the hosts which landed to Elliot Anderson. He found Gibbs-White in so much space in the midfield of the pitch before he turned and drove forward. He passed to Anthony Elanga to the right of him in the box before the Swede cut back to him. With a first time finish, he cooly placed it into the bottom corner with the help of a deflection. Running over to the South Bank for his celebration: the fingers in the ears. That’s now 6 goal contributions in his last 6 games. We have also scored the opening goal in 16 out of 20 games this season, more than any other side.

The hosts were looking for a response and nearly found one through Jorgen Strand Larsen. Anderson played pass looking for a teammate but Hwang Hee Chan latched onto it and drove forward into the box. Milenkovic did well to force him to a tighter angle but Hwang saw his strike partner in better space for a tap-in. It looked for a set on goal. Sels had come out to meet Hwang so surely no one was there to save it. Murillo was though! The effort from Strand Larsen just hit Murillo on his left leg on the line and Forest could clear after a narrow escape. Wolves weren’t done pushing for a quick response. A Rodrigo Gomes effort caused Sels to be at full stretch and parry it over the bar. Once again, the Reds’ ‘keeper was called into action. From midfield, Joao Gomes lofted a ball out to the left for Rodrigo Gomes. He whipped in a ball for Strand Larsen who got up well to head at goal. Yet again, you thought he was going to score but somehow Sels saved it. He stood there unmoved but saved the effort by sticking out his right arm.

Despite these brilliant chances it was the visitors who found themselves with the next goal to go into the break 2-0 up. Matz Sels lumped the ball wide which found Callum Hudson-Odoi on the left into the Wolves half. He let it bounce before heading it down past Matt Doherty, managing to wriggle away from the defender and drive towards the byline. He could’ve had a shot as he got to the 6-yard box but the angle was tight, so he passed back for Wood. His first time left footed shot found the far right bottom corner which turns out to be first left footed goal of the season.

It was going to be difficult for the hosts to find a way back into this. They hadn’t come back from 2-0 down in a Premier League game since January 2020 when they beat West Brom 3-2. To add to that they were facing the team with the best defensive record in the league. The first real chance of the second half came 20 minutes after kick off. Up one end, after some lovely link up play between Elanga and Gibbs-White down Forest’s right, the cutback evaded Wood and Hudson-Odoi could only back heel it to a Wolves’ player. The hosts broke forward with only a few back for Forest. Murillo and Strand Larsen were involved in an off the ball altercation leaving them on the floor as Goncalo Guedes continued his run. The Wolves’ number 9 had returned to his feet and found himself in space after Guedes found him. He took a few more touches before striking from the edge of the box but an in-from Sels put it behind for a corner with a one handed save. Forest continued denying Wolves any space keeping a resolute shape and forcing them into poor shots as they tried to find a way through.

In the dying moments of the game, a long clearance by Milenkovic had both Hudson-Odoi and Taiwo Awoniyi chasing. It landed at the feet of the winger on the left and a two on two situation was occurring. More Wolves players were running back but James Ward-Prowse also joined in on the attack. Hudson-Odoi picked him out with a lovely ball into the box. Jose Sa came out to meet him so the midfielder passed across the box to Awoniyi who had a simple finish. What a way to finish the game!

I can’t believe we’ve won 6 in a row. The last time we did that in the Premier League was in the 1966/67 season under Johnny Carey. In all honesty, I think Wolves were the better side in the first half. We were a bit sloppy and we weren’t looking after the ball that well. We were saved by Sels and Murillo. However, we were clinical and took our chances when they came. The second half was different, we limited their opportunities and went back to what we’ve been all season. Morgan was my man of the match but Sels also pulled of some unbelievable saves. I’m so happy for Taiwo too. He’s had a hard time with injury, Woody’s form and getting little opportunities. I think we were robbed of a penalty and I don’t understand how VAR can say Ait-Nouri’s arm is in a natural position when he moves his arm towards the ball. Since October 21^st, we’ve picked up the most points in the league. Before the game we had 37 points in 19 games which is an improvement of 20 points from our total at this stage last season (17). Two of the last 3 teams with a 20+ point improvement at the halfway stage in consecutive seasons have won the League (Chelsea and Leicester). Are we in the title race? That game against Liverpool will be some atmosphere but first let’s batter Luton!

 

Wolves: Jose Sa; Ait-Nouri, Bueno, Doherty; R.Gomes, J.Gomes, Doyle (Lemina 59'), Lima (Bellegarde 59'); Hwang (Sarabia 75'), Guedes (Forbs 75'); Strand Larsen 

 

Forest: Sels; Williams, Murillo, Milenkovic, Aina; Dominguez (Morato 60'), Anderson (Jota Silva 69'); Elanga (Yates 70'), Gibbs-White (Wrad-Prowse 88'), Hudson-Odoi; Wood (Awoniyi 88')