Wolves are just one game away from Wembley after beating Brighton in the FA Cup last night, with pundit Andy Thompson identifying one key part of the team that earned the Old Gold the win.
Wolves progressed into the quarter-finals of the FA Cup last night after beating Brighton 1-0 at Molineux.
The Old Gold will face a tough battle against Championship outfit Coventry City in the next round, taking Gary O’Neil’s side just one win away from securing a place in the semi-final at Wembley.
Not many would have anticipated just how influential the manager would be on the group of players he inherited from Julen Lopetegui, with Wolves enjoying a cup run and sitting just one point from the top seven in the Premier League.
How Wolves won against Brighton
After the shaky second half against Sheffield United sent Molineux into an anxiety-ridden state, a fast start was needed against the Seagulls to calm any nerves carried over.
A fast start is exactly what the fans received as Mario Lemina buried a fine cross courtesy of Jean-Ricner Bellegarde to put the Old Gold ahead after just two minutes played.
The goal was all that was needed to win the game for the hosts, along with some defiant defending, as Roberto De Zerbi’s side applied the pressure.
Wolves were forced to make a mammoth 39 clearances in the 90 minutes played, truly earning their place in the quarter-finals despite the visitor’s dominance.
What Andy Thompson said about Wolves after Brighton victory
Speaking on the Wolves Weekly podcast in reaction to the fixture, Andy Thompson pinpointed just how good O’Neil’s defence was in suppressing the pressure that Brighton exerted.
“You can’t blame the way that they defended and battled for everything in that game tonight.”
Many raised their eyebrows at the manager’s squad selection prior to kick-off, with a host of changes made to accommodate some of the first-team regulars to have a rest.
Two changes were made to the defence, with Matt Doherty and Santiago Bueno coming in for Craig Dawson and Nelson Semedo, with Thompson praising the work of the back line.
“I thought him [Bueno] and Kilman and Toti defended brilliantly all evening. They got their head on it, they got the block, they got the challenges in.”
“Doherty played well, I think everything that you’ve asked of the back line and the lads in front of them, they did tonight.”
When revising the statistics after the game, it’s remarkable that Wolves managed to secure the win and keep a clean sheet amid Brighton’s threat.
As per Sofascore, the hosts faced 18 shots from the Seagulls, as well as seeing their opponent dominate with 72% possession of the ball.
It was a commendable shift from all the players involved last night, in a result that could inspire the squad to push for a spot at Wembley.