Wolves fans are delighted with how things are going at the moment under Gary O’Neil – and Roy Keane has noticed something about the team under the new manager compared to previous years.
There was elation yesterday as Wanderers beat West Bromwich Albion 2-0 at the Hawthorns in the FA Cup fourth-round.
Pedro Neto and Matheus Cunha got the goals for the visitors.
Neto scored after a brilliant breakaway from a West Brom corner and in the second-half, Cunha collected a ball over the top from the brilliant Max Kilman to finish well under goalkeeper Josh Griffiths.
It wasn’t an amazing performance from Wolves, but it was never about that.
Before the game though, Keane was speaking about Wolves in general – and there’s something he’s noticed about Wolves under Gary O’Neil…
Roy Keane believes Wolves are now more exciting to watch under Gary O’Neil
O’Neil came under the microscope ahead of Sunday’s crunch match, with Roy Keane and Joleon Lescott both impressed with what he has done this season at Molineux.
Not much was expected of him, given the late stage at which he came in and the fact Wolves sold a host of big players.
But O’Neil’s got Wolves just three points off seventh place in the Premier League, and has now guided the club into the fifth round of the FA Cup.
And Keane believes Wolves are ‘definitely’ now a more exciting team to watch. He said on ITV: “It’s really worked out so far, it’s been a good fit for both parties. He came in late which can be difficult. But his personality has come across well.
“I think Wolves are definitely a little bit more exciting than they were over the last few years. I still think they need a few more goals to their game, but it’s been a really good fit for both parties.
“I used to watch them years ago, they were nice on the eye, almost too obsessed with the possession side of it. But they’ve had a bit more end product and I think they’re a touch more exciting than they were previously.”
Keane is right
It’s hard to argue with Keane here that Wolves are a more exciting watch compared to previous years.
Under Nuno Espirito Santo, Bruno Lage and Julen Lopetegui, Wolves could be quite uninspiring.
The brand of football under Nuno was heavily based on being solid at the back and counter-attacking, with Lage trying to follow that style of play. Under Lopetegui, Wolves were mainly concentrating on just being hard to beat.
But O’Neil has definitely gotten Wolves playing more freely, with players expressing themselves more.
At times this season we have seen some terrific football, and this term there has actually been some end product, which is what fans have been crying out for for years.
And who knows how good things could get once O’Neil gets to the summer and can spend more freely on new players.