Wolves fans were left gutted on Sunday as Manchester City snatched a win right at the death at Molineux.
Wolves lost 2-1 with John Stones scoring an injury-time header, after a huge effort defensively from the home side.
Gary O’Neil changed the formation to a back three with wing-backs, and it worked for the most part. Wolves restricted City to efforts from the edge of the box, and Jose Sa – who replaced the injured Sam Johnstone – was in inspired form.
There were a lot of positives to take from the performance.
Dave Edwards praised Craig Dawson for his handling of Erling Haaland and a number of others were praised by supporters.
Edwards also enjoyed the performance of one midfielder in particular.
Dave Edwards hails Joao Gomes after Wolves’ defeat to Man City
Joao Gomes has probably not had the start to 2024/25 he would have hoped for.
The Brazilian dynamo was immense last term alongside Mario Lemina, but this season he hasn’t quite been at the races.
But on Sunday, Gomes was brilliant. It was a dogged and determined display from The Pitbull, and he like many others did not deserve to be on the losing side.
Edwards was left impressed, writing in his latest E&S column: “I was interested to see how they would line up in front of that, whether they would go with the two up front and play a flat three in midfield.
“Joao Gomes was released a little bit higher, to play on the right of the front three, almost like a right number 10.
“I thought he was absolutely fabulous. I thought his ball-winning skills were exceptional.”
More like it from Wolves’ best ball-winner Gomes
It was great to see Gomes back to somewhere near his best against City.
It hasn’t quite happened for him so far this campaign, but then, a lot of players have been below the standards of last season.
Against City, Gomes was so industrious. As per Sofascore data, he made the most tackles (6) out of any player in the game (from both teams), and he also contested the most duels (17) which another game-high.
You could see the fire in his belly, a lot of which probably came after his tangle with Mateo Kovacic during a Man City free-kick, which ridiculously earned him a yellow card.
Edwards has previously suggested Gomes is Wolves’ best ball-winner ever, and performances like the one against City do support that. He just has a superb knack of robbing an opponent even when the ball looks totally protected.
It’s been a tough start for Wolves but the fixture list will now relent, and O’Neil needs £15 million ace Gomes to find the form he showed last season and sustain it.