Brentford 1 Wolves 2
I’ve not made as many away games as I’d like this season, but I wish I’d made this one.
Drones stopping play, a second half interval that felt as if it lasted an eternity, an overturned red card, a SECOND goal of the season for Joao Moutinho, and a canceled swansong from Adama Traore.
Whoops, I almost forgot to mention the pot-kettle-black irony of Brentford fans moaning about time wasting.
No, this isn’t a script for the new series of The Twilight Zone. This is a summary of the madcap events of Brentford 1 Wolves 2.
It’s certainly a game that will live long in the memory, and is further proof of the wonderful job Bruno Lage is doing at our club.
Wolves had to dig in deep for that today, and dig they did.
I’d say we were second best prior to drone-gate, with Brentford evidently keen to halt their recent bad run of results.
But after play finally resumed, we were much more fluent. I thought Podence did a great job of occupying the pockets of space between the home side’s defence and midfield, with young Fabio Silva showing plenty of willingness alongside him.
It was ironic that the deadlock should be broken by one of the least prolific scorers on the pitch, but it was a lovely goal nonetheless. Semedo, surely our most improved player this season, did really well to tee up our 5’7 maestro, who finished with aplomb.
The nerves kicked in around the time of the red card that never was, so much so that it wasn’t a huge surprise to see the Bees level the game. What was surprising was the paucity of our defending, with Ivan Toney virtually unmarked at the back post.
Still, to concede your first goal from a set piece at the end of January is some feat and, that aside, it was another assured defensive display from the Wanderers. Toti Gomes is virtually like a new signing and has brought some welcome competition for our established back three.
With the home side in the ascendancy, you’d have been forgiven for fearing the worst. But this Wolves team don’t roll over for anyone, and so it showed when Reuben Neves added another to his seemingly endless highlight reel.
It was a moment right up there with his scuffed winner at Villa Park, and proved even more crucial when Traore’s farewell strike was cruelly (but correctly) chalked off at the death.
The table doesn’t lie at this stage of the season so make no mistake about it, we’re in the mix for European football. And with Arsenal, Spurs and West Ham to come next month, squeaky bum time is just around the corner.
But bet against Bruno’s boys at your peril. They’re the real deal.