After a disappointing run of results, 2014 is ending brightly for Wolves as they made it 7 points from 3 games by winning at Watford on Boxing Day. It was a narrow but deserved win that could easily have been more decisive if they had taken their first half chances.
After their impressive appearances from the bench last week Jack Price and Nouha Dicko were called to the starting 11 as Wolves resorted to the 4-2-3-1 for nation they have used in most games since Kenny Jackett arrived at the club;
Ikeme
Iorfa, Batth, Stearman, Hause
McDonald, Price
Van La Parra, Edwards, Sako
Dicko
Wolves immediately looked more comfortable in the familiar formation after some unconvincing attempts at adopting a 4-4-2 set up. And they were set to create more chances than had been the case for many weeks. Their two wide played Van La Parra and Sako were creating problems from the word go with the Dutchman having a cross deflected for a corner then a Sako cross was punched clear by the home keeper Gomes. Then the two wingers combined with Sako getting free on the left before pulling the ball back to the edge of he box where Van La Parra shot inches wide.
In the next. Bute McDonald found Iorfa in the box but the ball got stuck under his feet and he was only able to prod the ball just too high. Then Edwards had a shot pushed wide before there was a brief scare at the other end as Ikene dropped a crisis in the heavy rain but quickly gathered at the second attempt. But most of the action was at the end and a tremendous drive from 30 yards out by Hausr was heading for the top corner before being tipped over by Gomes. The keeper then saved another from Van La Parra before Sako shot just wide.
There were a couple of blocks by Stearman before Wolves created an even better chance as Sako sent Dicko through butte striker put his effort just wide. It was an excellent half by Wolves and they could and probably should have been a couple of goals in front.
Watford looked a bit brighter in the second half but 12 minutes in Wolves finally got the break through. Van La Parra broke through on the left of the area and his low cross was turned in by Dicko. The home side didn’t look like getting back into the game until the final 15 minutes but then had a few close calls. An excellent save by Ikeme pushed an Ighalo shot onto the bar. Wolves then escaped a last minute scramble in their area before it was Ighalo again who smashed a 91st minute shot against the bar.
Ikeme 7 – one slip with a dropped cross and one fabulous save in another sound performance
Iorfa 7 – held his own against some tricky wing play and looks a fine prospect
Batth 8 – right back to his best now and commanding here
Stearman 8 – some fine blocks and composed defending
Hause 7 – sound defensively and had one tremendous shot out of the blue
McDonald 6 -dug in during the second half but struggled to impose himself in the midfield
Price 7 – fine return to the midfield with some tidy passes and tackles
Van La Parra 8 – starting to fulfil his early season promise and set up the winner
Edwards 6 – played his part in the centre and never stopped running
Sako 8 – always a threat and set up a number of chances
Dicko 8 – a man of the match return to the team to show why Wolves miss him so much when he s absent
The was much more like it from Wolves. The formation is the be that most suits this group of players and the return of Price and Dicko was significant in the improved performance as was the impressive young defence. Brentford at Molineux on Sunday and a win there would complete a fine end to 2014 and restore the optimism for 2015.
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