Always Wolves
Always Wolves
Aston Villa MATCH REPORT Wolves by Always Wolves 38 seconds ago
Wolves 2-0 Aston Villa: Gomes Double Sends Molineux Wild
Craig Hickey reports on Wolves victory against Aston Villa 2-0 at a rain-soaked Molineux.
These games in recent times have had plenty of drama, Wolves have not lost at home to an Unai Emery side, personally I think today might be the day we may lose that record. Villa are flying high in the league and we can’t seem to score this season, I’m a bit nervous, well at least let’s give it a good go.
There are two changes from the Crystal Palace game, Joao Gomes comes back in after injury, Tolu drops to the bench and Toti Gomes comes in to replace the suspended Krejci, so the team is:
Jose Sa, Hugo Bueno, Jackson Tchachuoa, Santi Bueno, Yerson Mosquera, Toti, Joao Gomes, Andre, Bellegarde, Mateus Mane, Adam Armstrong
It’s a very wet Molineux tonight, the incessant rain will cause a few problems on a slippery surface, so we need to make sure our passing is on point this evening. The atmosphere is electric and both sets of fans are loud with their individual renditions of Hi Ho Silver Lining, this is what local derbies are about, the passion, the fervour and the noise!
Wolves start well and settle really quickly, putting Villa on the back foot, Bellegarde shows his intent early on, marauding through the Villa midfield and wins a free kick on the edge of the box. It’s between Hugo Bueno and Mane as to who is going to take it, up steps Mane, who curls a low effort just past the post. Wolves are already running the midfield in the early minutes, biting at the Villa heels and winning tackles but slowly Villa start to get more of the ball down the left hand side with Deigne whipping a ball in which goes for a corner. Villa deliver into the box and get a free header towards goal but it takes a deflection and the next corner is cleared.
It’s end to end stuff and Wolves get some opportunities on the Villa goal but efforts from Mane and Toti go wide, after good work to break into the box. Villa have an opportunity midway through the half as Matty Cash whips a ball into the box but a shot from Douglas Luiz is straight at Jose Sa. It’s very nip and tuck as the half wears on and Wolves are trying to penetrate the Villa back line down the flanks, Tchatchuoa and Bueno getting some joy against the full backs but the end product is just lacking.
Adam Armstrong is making some really intelligent runs in behind the defenders but we are not seeing those passes quick enough and we persist to go backwards and sidewards.
The referee is not having a good game in my opinion, missing late tackles by Villa and simulation at times, he does book Moqsuera for a foul but fails to see the Claret & Blue players as perpetrators. The half ends in stalemate, not a thriller by any means but Wolves look capable of holding their own.
Half-Time: Wolves 0 – 0 Aston Villa
The second half starts where the first left off, Wolves have the early possession but its Villa who are hitting us on the break, they seem to be targeting Tchatchuoa on the right side but he is holding his own. Wolves launch a counter attack and break forward but its that killer pass that we can’t seem to find, it’s frustrating but encouraging at the same time.
Villa are staring to turn the screw and Rogers is seeing more of the ball, the crosses are coming in but we are coping with it. The crowd are starting to get vocal and Wolves fans bring out the old repertoire, singing erupts about the good old days, Neves, Jota, Cavaleiro, Jiminez being sung loudly and proudly.
Rob Edwards is on the sidelines raising his hands to get the players going and it all seems to work as we get more of the ball, attacking the space and pinning Villa back, tackles crashing in. At last they are starting to show fight, determination and desire and on 61 minutes the deadlock is broken.
We break down the right with Tchatchuoa, he finds the busy Armstrong who has caught the Villa defence napping, he cuts it back to the edge of the penalty area and in rushes Joao Gomes to fiercely side foot a shot onto the underside of the bar and into the net!!! The stadium erupts and all you can see is flailing arms and legs as all four stands celebrate the goal, yet again I’m buried beneath a sea of people I hardly know, hugging and shouting with glee as a result of our team taking the lead. I suffered multiple bruising after the Arsenal goal last week, this baby is going to really smart!! Wolves 1 – 0 Aston Villa.
Its all Wolves now for the next 10 minutes, as we continuously break at speed, creating space in the midfield to push forward and pin Villa back but there are no shots on target. Andre and Joao Gomes are running the midfield, Bellegarde is powering forward and Mane is drawing defenders to him as he tries to create openings in behind the defence.
It’s after a long pause in the game for what I believe was an emergency toilet stop for referee, Craig Poulson, that Villa start to pressure our defence, we block, we head, we tackle and we fight for that clean sheet and Jose Sa comes to our rescue on two occasions to deny a certain goal. The board goes up for 7 minutes of added time, we all start to get nervous, shouts of “please hold on Wolves” can be heard around me. It’s the 97th minute and if you were there or listened on the radio or watched on TV, this moment will seem like a lifetime, the pinball event we witnessed where a Villa shot ricochet’s off everyone, bobbles towards a certain goal and hits someone on the line and goes away from danger, how did that happen?
Villa attack again, its cleared, Martinez is off his line, we are 4 v 2 and surely, we just need to run it into the corner and preserve this advantage, oh no, not Wolves…..this is a renewed killer instinct in the team. Mane sprints forward, plays it out to Joao Gomes, he tries to shoot goalwards, it’s blocked and breaks towards the edge of the area but Rodrigo Gomes doesn’t give up…..he runs towards the ball and swivels to shoot into a crowded goal and it powers past them all!!!!
We’ve done it, we’ve won it…..cue limbs again, we have the bragging rights, we are going down but we have got some fight and spirit in us to send home the claret and blue with a defeat.
The whistle blows and the players celebrate, Rob Edwards celebrates and so do the fans, we all deserved that today, players, manager, staff and fans.
Full-Time Wolves 2 – 0 Aston Villa
The record that we didn’t want has at last eluded us, Derby are still the worst team in Premier League history. I wasn’t convinced we would win another game this season, I’m glad I was wrong, this team won’t be the same next season but tonight will live long in the memory of all Wolves fans for many reasons.