COADY HELPS LIFT SPIRITS AT WOLVES AS TESTING AWAY DAYS LOOM
THERE is an air of optimism around Molineux now — and that is just the feeling Wolves will need in the next two matches. On Thursday comes a Europa League tie in the fiery atmosphere of the Besiktas Stadium in Istanbul. On Sunday comes the small matter of a clash with champions Manchester City at the Etihad. Conor Coady, for one, knows the importance of this win against Watford. Along with the outstanding Willy Boly, Coady formed a defensive wall that Watford just could not penetrate. Couple that with a sparkling full debut for 19-year-old Pedro Neto, who laid on the first goal for Matt Doherty, and the foundations were there for Wolves’ first league win of the season. Watford’s cause was not helped by an own-goal from Daryl Janmaat on the hour and an anonymous display by Gerard Deulofeu, who was taken off at half-time, with the problems confronting new manager Quique Sanchez Flores clear to see. He cited ‘insecurities’ among his players. Wolves were anything but insecure. ‘It was important that we got back to basics in our defensive structure,’ said Coady. ‘It has not been tense or any sense of panic but of course we haven’t been happy with the results.’ Now comes a taxing two games. First Besiktas. ‘It is going to be tough, hostile,’ said Coady who revealed that a pre-match gathering of the players played its part in the win. ‘We said it in the dressing room and the huddle before the game that we had to win with the Besiktas and Manchester City games coming up.’ For Adama Traore, there was a sense of justice in the result. ‘We haven’t had the points return we would have liked,’ he said. ‘The effort and the work was there and we kept on fighting.’ Watford’s problem was summed up by midfielder Tom Cleverley. ‘Every time it goes into our box it feels a little more
dangerous than when it goes into their box,’ he said. ‘We have got to work even harder than we are doing.’ WOLVES (3-4-1-2): Patricio 7; BOLY 8, Coady 7, Saiss 7; Doherty 7, Moutinho 7, Dendoncker 6, Jonny 7; Neto 7 (Gibbs-White 57min, 6); Traore 7 (Neves 87) Jimenez 6 (Cutrone 79). Subs not used: Ruddy, Bennett, Vinagre, Kilman. Scorers: Doherty 18, Janmaat 61 (og). Manager: Nuno Espirito Santo 7. WATFORD (4-2-3-1): Foster 7; Janmaat 6, Cathcart 6, Dawson 6, Holebas 6; Doucoure 6, Capoue 6; Sarr 6 (Gray 71, 6), Cleverley 7, Deulofeu 5 (Pereyra 46, 6); Welbeck 6. Subs not used: Gomes, Chalobah, Quina, Femenia, Kabasele. Booked: Holebas. Manager: Quique Sanchez Flores 6. Referee: Paul Tierney 7. Attendance: 30,711.