OPINION
Wolverhampton Wanderers got their season off and running with a 1-0 victory over West Ham United on Saturday, their first win back in the Premier League.
After draws with Everton and Manchester City and defeat to Leicester, Nuno Espirito Santo’s side were eager to pick up their first three points.
However, it didn’t look like it would happen at the London Stadium until Adama Traore sent the travelling fans into raptures with his 94th minute strike.
Here, This is Futbol has listed three things that we learned from the team’s slender victory in East London.
Wolves will be comfortable this season
If it wasn’t clear after Wolves’ 1-1 draw with champions Manchester City last weekend, it certainly was after today: Wolves are going to be just fine this season.
Nuno’s team were a cut above the rest in the Championship last season, and they’re now showing that they have more than enough to compete with every team in the Premier League. To secure victory over a side like West Ham, no matter the manner of it, is a big boost for the Molineux outfit.
The quality throughout the team is obvious, from Rui Patricio in goal to Leo Bonatini up top. There should be no worries in Wolverhampton this year.
Traore must be unleashed from start
Today’s match winner, Adama Traore, mustn’t languish on the Wolves bench for much longer. His place there, as a new signing, made sense today, but from now on he must be in from the start.
The club record signing must be let loose and given license to wreak havoc amongst opposition defences, Wolves will surely benefit from doing so.
Defenders hate pace, and that’s one thing that Traore has in abundance. He’s going to be an nightmare for opponents but a joy for Wolves supporters this season.
Rui Patricio is world class
What a boon it is for Wolves to have a goalkeeper like Rui Patricio. The Portugal number one had another phenomenal game in between the sticks on Saturday, and has earned his team points already this campaign.
It makes such a difference for defenders to have someone they trust playing behind them, and Patricio is as trustworthy as they come.
He made two more excellent stops today, preventing Michail Antonio and Marko Arnautovic from scoring, while his save of Raheem Sterling’s rasping half-volley last weekend will live long in the memory. He is truly exceptional.