NUNO’S SECOND-HALF BLOOMERS EYE TOP FOUR
WEST HAM 0 WOLVES 2
THEY are pressing ever harder against the door and whispering their sweet promises to those inside. If the suspicion was that Wolves would eventually go away, that they would fall back in this scramble for the top four, then it was based on iffy information. Perhaps now more than ever, they seem among the sides most suited to thrive in the new normal, in which it has become evident over the past week that fitness might be the greatest currency of all. Indeed, it is surely indisputable that those who get their legs back quickest in this second phase will have a distinct advantage on a short race track — and to that end, Wolves look ominously similar to the side of three months ago. In their beating of West Ham, they took their unbeaten run to six, made it five games in six in which they have kept a clean sheet, and maintained their astonishing record of changing matches in the second half. It is that last regard in which they continue to be so interesting. Consider how the table would look if results were decided after 45 minutes. They would be bottom, with only 12 goals and 25 points. Between 46 and 90 minutes, they are third with 31 goals and 57 points. And heavy weighting must go to the second-half adjustments made by Nuno Espirito Santo. On Saturday, via his substitutions, Nuno showed again what an intuition he has: Adama Traore changed the game off the bench.
He supplied a great cross for Raul Jimenez’s opener, then played a role in Pedro Neto’s thunderous strike for their second. It has left Wolves with an excellent opportunity — and they arguably have the kindest run-in of the top eight. ‘We will think game by game but we will try to win all of them,’ said Neto. ‘We are capable of winning all of them.’ West Ham, meanwhile, have one win and seven defeats in 10. With a number of injuries and a lack of goalscoring threat, they too have continued their trends. ‘We need some points now,’ said Mark Noble.