BOURNEM’TH
WOLVES got away with it on a cold, sleety day in the Black Country.
They are in their best top-flight form in nearly 40 years – but you wouldn’t have guessed.
All those questions about sunshine foreigners not fancying it in the winter came back, and it needed a Charlie Daniels mistake for Raul Jimenez’s opener before a late Ivan Cavaleiro goal sealed their third successive Premier League victory.
Bournemouth deserved at least a point – Junior Stanislas smacking a free-kick against the crossbar in the second half – but the facts will tell you Wolves are seventh, a point behind Manchester United, and the Cherries are on a damaging run of one victory in seven games.
They’ve lost six of those and their bright start to the campaign, when the ice creams melted in the early season warmth, has been forgotten.
“I am very proud for the boys,” said Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo.
“They have made this possible. Before we were in a bad moment but now it is good.”
Wolves went six league games without a win prior to this run and he added: “Together we are trying to create something special in the most difficult competition in the world.
“But we are not looking at the table, just like last season when we were in the Championship.”
Substitute Cavaleiro finally finished off Bournemouth four minutes into added time with a solo breakaway, but it was Jimenez’s goal in the 12th minute that set Wolves up for all the points.
When things aren’t going for you, you don’t need a huge error like the one Daniels made for the visitors.
He took a throw, got the ball back and then tried to play some kind of defensive pass across the pitch that was picked up by Diogo Jota.
Jota had a lot to do, running at Bournemouth and bringing four players around him.
But that left Jimenez unmarked and whether Jota intended to find him, or screwed an attempted shot, only he will know.
Jimenez got the ball and, rightfooted, tapped in his fifth goal of the season.
Jota, with two goals in his previous two games, looked full of confidence and was the most dangerous player on the pitch.
Both Steve Cook and Jefferson Lerma were booked for fouls on him but he didn’t see out the first half, which must have been a relief to the Cherries. Just before the break Jimenez sent Jota away with a terrific pass.
Cook knew the danger, bouncing Jota off the ball with his shoulder as they headed towards the penalty area. Referee Simon Hooper said no foul, which saved Cook from being sent off for a second yellow, but the outcome was Jota flat on the turf.
The game was suddenly in need of a replacement hero.
Helder Costa came on and had an early chance to take over as the star of the show, but set free by Morgan Gibbs-white’s excellent t pass he ran and ran and then fired hopelessly wide.
Costa had a better shot saved and it was left to Cavaleiro to clinch the points.
“We have made a bad mistake for the first goal but we have controlled the match,” said Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe.
“I didn’t see a team there that was lacking in identity. We have our identity, a way of playing. I will always back us to come good eventually.
“We are kicking ourselves with the goals conceded.
“You don’t like losing but the players have done so well historically when we have been out of form that, hopefully, it can be the case again.”