Wolves have started 2026 as they mean to go on after a first-half blitz against West Ham.
Rob Edwards made the bold choice to bench Andre, and it ultimately paid off. The Old Gold decimated the away side by scoring three goals in the opening 45 minutes.
In the second half, Wolves sat off, but as a defensive unit they were able to keep West Ham at bay; the visitors never looked like scoring.
They bided their time and looked to hit them on the counter, but it would be those three finishes in the first half that separated the two.
Wolves’ head coach will be delighted to be off the mark, and after recent performances, the Wanderers might be turning a corner.
Who was your MOTM during that brilliant 3-0 win for Wolves? 🤩
Mateus Mane was a breath of fresh air, but Hwang Hee-chan was exceptional too
Mateus Mane will rightly take the headlines for Wolves.
The young forward did not get a goal contribution for the opening goal, but make no mistake about it, he played a crucial role.
The way Mane opened his body to shrug Soungoutou Magassa off of him had an air of experience about it, and his pass to Hwang Hee-chan was perfectly weighted, who then set up Jhon Arias to make it 1-0.
Mane would later win a penalty, which the South Korean tucked away calmly, before later adding his first goal for Wolves to make it 3-0.
It was a breakthrough showing from the academy prospect, but that should not take away the light from Hwang Hee-chan, who was just as good on the day.
Has that Hwang Hee-chan performance changed your perception about the South Korean?
He rolled back the years with that display 🔥
The 29-year-old was extremely lively on the ball and looked to take his man on at every opportunity. The forward has been subject to criticism over the past few months, but today, he should be gaining praise.
Hwang has also struggled from the penalty spot in the past, but in a huge moment of the game, in a decisive moment for Wolves, he put that behind him to score.
Hwang Hee-chan’s substitution was a blow
One of the only negatives from the match was the fact that Hwang Hee-chan was forced off injured, and after months of underperforming, it is a blow that he had to come off just as he was hitting his stride.
Hopefully, over the coming days, and before Wolves’ next match against Everton, Rob Edwards can provide us with some positive updates.
A confident Hwang is an asset any team would like to have, and that performance against West Ham was akin to the ones he has shown in his better days at Molineux.
The 29-year-old has been suggested as a possible January exit, but maybe he can convince the hierarchy he should stick around.
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