Leo keeps Wolves on hot streak
TO those who questioned whether the Wolves players signed from sunnier climes could hack the English winter, here was an answer.
After attacking wins over Leeds and Bolton in recent days, this owed more to a determined defence but at the end Nuno Espirito Santo could reflect on a sixth successive victory that once again opened up a four-point gap to second-placed Cardiff.
Birmingham tried hard against their visitors from up the M6 but they did not have sufficient quality to break through after Leo Bonatini’s early goal, and Steve Cotterill must rectify a record that now reads six games from eight without scoring. Cotterill’s side finished with 10 men and are only two points off the bottom.
Wolves are known as the Championship’s moneybags but Birmingham also have players on £40,000 a week. It is just that those investments have been far less wise.
There can be no clearer proof than the statistic showing that Bonatini’s 12 Championship goals are two more than the entire Birmingham team.
The Brazilian’s strike here came inside eight minutes as any Birmingham plans to frustrate the visitors were left shredded. Against other teams Jonathan Grounds might have got away with conceding possession in midfield but Wolves are a different animal.
David Stockdale did brilliantly to keep out fierce shots from Ivan Cavaleiro, then Diogo Jota, but the Birmingham goalkeeper was helpless against Bonatini’s finish on the rebound. Michael Morrison got back to clear but he was a fraction late and Wolves were celebrating after referee Simon Hooper got a buzz on his wristwatch to confirm the ball had crossed the line.
In the 23rd minute Cavaleiro dribbled and shot hard from the edge of the area but Stockdale saved again. The goalkeeper used his leg on the hour to deny Jota at the end of a dazzling run and then thwarted Helder Costa, who dallied when put clean through.
The home fans reacted by calling for more intensity and Maikel Kieftenbeld obliged, riling Alfred N’Diaye to provoke a reaction that saw the Wolves midfielder booked.
Jota was being given special attention by Birmingham’s defenders on his 21st birthday but he shrugged off the heavy challenges to set off on another slaloming run before firing into the side-netting.
Birmingham then enjoyed a spell of pressure and such was Nuno’s concern he replaced Bonatini with Jack Price to beef up his midfield. But Wolves were able to see out the game comfortably when Harlee Dean was given a second booking with seven minutes left.
Nuno criticised a bad foul from Marc Roberts on Jota in the first half. He said: ‘I’m not against being aggressive as long as it is fair. Going in from behind is not being fair. That can injure the player.’
Cotterill said: ‘I’ve seen them take teams apart and they didn’t do that to us. We were very organised. They were average.’