Neves Penalty Earns Wolves Win Over Forest
Wolves’ match-winner Ruben Neves alerted his team-mates to the pre-match social media wind-up that backfired badly on Nottingham Forest at Molineux.
In the build-up to their 1-0 defeat, Forest’s official Twitter account posted a mock-up picture of striker Emmanuel Dennis sat on the pitch at the City Ground with three wolf cubs calmly sat with him, with the caption ‘Playtime’.
The post was subsequently deleted, but not before Neves had forwarded it to the Wolves squad.
Neves went on to score the only goal from the penalty spot to lift Wolves out of the relegation zone and leave Forest bottom of the Premier League.
Wolves then posted ‘Playtime’s over’, together with a picture of an axe embedded in a tree trunk.
“Yes, we were aware of it,” said Wolves interim manager Steve Davis. “We were going to use it in the talk but Ruben said he put it on the players’ chat so I didn’t need to say any more.
“Those sort of things used to happen on the pitch. That doesn’t happen so much now, but it gave us an edge.”
Wolves also had to thank goalkeeper Jose Sa for coming out on top in a game of two VAR penalties.
Whilst Neves scored after Harry Toffolo handled Adama Traore’s shot, Sa turned away Brennan Johnson’s effort after VAR had spotted Mathues Nunes tugging back Ryan Yates.
The save was made more remarkable as Sa has been playing with a broken bone in his wrist since he damaged it against Fulham on 13 August.
“It was the other [wrist] thankfully,” said Davis. “He has played through it. A lot of players can play through pain. Some can’t. Fair play to Jose to show courage at that moment.”
Asked if it was dangerous, Davis added: “It depends where the break is. If his wrist is hanging off he is not going to play. It is the severity of the damage. The player has an X-ray and together with the coach decides whether the risk is worth it.”
Victory was a superb way for Davis and fellow boss James Collins to start a crucial week that ends with a home clash with Leicester next Sunday.
However, for Steve Cooper, the pain goes on. His side are without a win since August and have picked up a single point from their last seven games.
For lifelong Wolves fan Davis, presiding over this victory will be particularly satisfying.
Chairman Jeff Shi’s search for a permanent replacement for Bruno Lage continues and Wolves’ biggest problem – a lack of goal threat – remains.
But Neves’ goal – only Wolves’ fourth in the league this season and their first in the second half of a game for 11 matches – gave them their second win in 17 matches and will lift spirits around a club seemingly in freefall.
No-one encapsulates Wolves’ slide down the Premier League more than Adama Traore.
During two seventh-placed finishes under Nuno Espirito Santo, the Spain winger was a genuine threat.
While inconsistency has always been an irritating feature of his game, at his best Traore is capable of unhinging defences with his pace alone.
But with only three league goals since 2019, his contract running out at the end of the season and a hoped-for move to Barcelona failing to materialise, Traore’s time at Molineux appears to be drifting to a mediocre end.
He at least looked capable of creating chances here, crossing for Kilman to head against a post and Rayan Ait-Nouri to nod wide at the far post.
It was Traore’s shot which struck Harry Toffolo and eventually brought Wolves their penalty after Bramall was sent to the screen by VAR Lee Mason.
