‘STRIKERS DRIVE CLEAN-SHEET RECORD BID’
BRUNO LAGE says Jose Sa will have his strikers to thank if the Wolves keeper breaks the club’s record for Premier League shut-outs this season.
Portuguese boss Lage paid tribute to the character of his team after they beat Tottenham in midweek to make it four wins from their last five league games. Sa chalked up his ninth clean sheet of the PL campaign and now stands just four short of the record set by Rui Patricio two years ago.
However, Lage was keen to praise his forwards, rather than his shot-stopper. He said: “What is so important to Jose are Raul Jimenez and Fabio Silva.
“If they don’t score goals what you want from them is to work and to press. It’s team-work. It’s very important for Jose. We have a lot of goals that we start from Jose and clean sheets are not just about him but the players in front of him.
“He is making a contribution. We build up from the back.
“Our goalkeeping coach Tony Roberts has been working with Jose and improving his skills. He’s coming out of the box well now to control space behind the defenders.”
Wolves have 15 games left to better Patricio’s clean-sheet record. Their recent form has pushed them to within two wins of the top four and they have conceded just three goals in their last seven fixtures.
But as for Europe next season. Lage said: “It’s about concentrating now. And not dreaming.”