An in-form Wolves side inflicted more misery upon Cardiff City as they beat Neil Warnock’s men 2-0 at Molineux.
Nuno Espirito Santo rotated the side somewhat, but the home side claimed the lead early on. Diogo Jota was set up by Raul Jimenez, and the Portuguese striker finished unerringly. The duo combined for the second goal as well, and it was Jimenez who scored this time to make it 2-0. Cardiff were shell-shocked, and never really recovered after falling two goals behind in the 20th minute.
Wolves were the dominant side throughout, and they had numerous chances to increase their lead. Cardiff’s misery was multiplied when Sol Bamba suffered a knee injury in the game. The centre-back could miss the rest of the season if it turns out to be a bad one. Wolves climbed to 7th spot with the win, meanwhile Cardiff stay in 18th place.
Rotated side delivers for Nuno
The Wolves manager rotated his side for the game, and started some players who are often benched. All of them came through for Nuno, as Wolves won comfortably. He essentially killed two birds with one stone, as key players like Ruben Neves, Joao Moutinho, and Matt Doherty were rested.
Adama Traore started at right wing-back in Doherty’s absence, and he shined. His raw pace and trickery were a constant menace, and the likes of Sol Bamba and Joe Bennett had a nightmare. Ruben Vinagre started on the opposite flank, and he too impressed. The youngster almost scored in the second half, but Neil Etheridge saved smartly to keep him out.
Morgan Gibbs-White and Roman Saiss started in midfield, and both were excellent. Saiss impressed, as he set the tone for the side from central midfield. John Ruddy started in goal, and he was relatively untroubled. Regulars Raul Jimenez and Diogo Jota provided the spark in attack, as Wolves rolled to an easy win.
Jimenez keeps on flourishing in debut season
What a signing he’s been. Raul Jimenez was signed from Benfica on loan, and he has been their best signing without a doubt. He has 11 goals and 6 assists in his debut Premier League season, and the Mexican has been one of the many standout performers in Nuno’s side this campaign.
Jimenez is crucial to Wolves, especially in the final third. He often drops deep to combine with the likes of Doherty and Jonny, which enables the wing-backs to be involved in the attack. He gobbles up chances as well, both with foot and head. Of late he has combined well with Diogo Jota, which has really pushed the attack into another gear.
Nuno will be desperate to sign Jimenez on a permanent basis. A £30 million deal is rumoured to be on the cards, but that looks like a bargain if he continues to deliver returns like these. Only nine players have scored more Premier League goals this season, and all of them play for a club in the top 6. What a season he’s having.
Contrasting paths for both sides after last season
About 18 months ago, Nuno inflicted the worst league defeat on Neil Warnock’s Cardiff side. At the time, both of them were gunning to win the Championship. Wolves eventually won it, but Cardiff gave them a fight, finishing second. How the hierarchy has changed now.
Wolves are 7th in the Premier League, and they look likely as any other side to break the ‘top 6’ dominance. Buoyed by transfer investment and great management, Wolves have really impressed since getting promoted. Cardiff meanwhile are in 18th place, severely embroiled in a relegation battle.
They are two points afloat of safety, and Warnock will know that relegation is a real possibility. To his credit though, he has appreciated the job Nuno has done. “He has done a great job – he’s my missus’ favourite manager. He’s a lovely man as well,” he said prior to the game.
Cardiff fail to impress on either end
Only Huddersfield have scored fewer goals than Cardiff, and only Fulham have conceded more goals than Cardiff. These two are clearly the main reasons why the Bluebirds find themselves in the spot they are currently. Against Wolves, the same problems were clearly visible again.
Their defence was shaky from the off, and they have Neil Etheridge to thank for keeping the scoreline at 2-0. He produced brilliant stops to keep Jimenez and Leander Denconcker at bay. Going forward, Cardiff were far from impressive. Oumar Niasse has been a bright spark since his January move, but even he was anonymous.
Warnock aptly said after the game, “We’re not scoring goals and conceding silly ones. We have to get a goal in front for a change.” As it stands, they are 2 points adrift of safety. Nine games are left, and Cardiff need serious changes if they want to avoid dropping back to the Championship straightway.
The 3-5-2 formation working wonders for Wolves
Wolves started the season playing a 3-4-3 system, and it seemed to work well enough for them. Until it did not. They were stuck in a rut, and Cardiff were actually one of the sides who exploited their weaknesses in a 2-1 win. The opponents were pressing Neves and Moutinho, and Wolves were unable to get into their rhythm.
Nuno tweaked it, and it has paid dividends. He put an extra man in midfield, which has been Dendoncker in recent weeks. Jota and Jimenez have played up front, and their chemistry has really developed. The lack of actual wingers has meant that both the wing-backs can push forward and provide impetus in attack.
The change in system has propelled their rise in the table. Wolves will face Manchester United in the FA Cup on March 16, and Nuno will be hopeful of causing an upset on the day.
