The most boring thing is to know that this Wolverhampton Wanderers team is ready to avoid relegation from the Premier League.
Perhaps it's more frustrating to know that it won't, but even so, another well-earned point, this time at Brentford, underlines how many gains have been made since Rob Edwards was appointed in November, replacing the beleaguered Vitor Pereira.
He came in from Middlesbrough and painted the rusty walls of Molineux old gold again, reviving hope and a kind of euphoria. The recent victories of Aston Villa and Liverpool prove that.
Brentford took a two-goal lead away to Gtech on Monday evening, but Wolves bounced back to go top.
How wolves met at Brentford
After goals from Adam Armstrong and Tolu Arokadare earned Wolves a point, Edwards spoke of the 'togetherness' that has been regained at the club since his arrival.
Old Gold are not flying well, they are still stuck at the bottom of the Premier League and are 12 points behind with seven games left. To overturn that deficit, they'll need 1.7 points per game, and that's assuming Nottingham Forest and West Ham United don't get any more points.
However, the band has reconnected and is playing solid. Wolves will go down in the Championship, let's face it, but not without a fight to back them up as they claw their way back.
Armstrong was a revelation, his incredible touch on Monday getting him off the fence. However, he has played well since joining from Southampton in January.
Armstrong and Arokadare played well, and the likes of Mateus Mane again gave the fans joy and excitement, but there is another Wolves man who stood out in west London, and could be the club's Player of the Season.
The Wolves player of the season has been revealed
Retaining some of Wolves' star players will be a tough task for Fosun and Edwards this summer, but it is important to keep some of the key players on the books.
Joao Gomes will be the chief among them, the 25-year-old is a real football player with midfield power. He has been the secret ingredient at the heart of Edwards' success, and clubs such as Manchester United are interested in signing him.
Against the Bees, the Brazilian midfielder was in fine form, shocking on the ball, completing 87% of his passes, while creating plenty of chances. His energy was too much for the hosts at times, finding six balls and winning seven of 11 duels. He then attempted two of three dribbles.
Gomes is too good to play in the Championship, but if the Midlands club lose him this summer, they will cost £50m to sign him.
|
Joao Gomes' Premier League form |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Math (* in 90) |
24/25 |
25/26 |
|
The same (begins) |
36 (35) |
29 (26) |
|
Terms + Help |
3 + 1 |
1 + 1 |
|
Contact* |
59.8 |
58.3 |
|
Accurate passes* |
37.7 (86%) |
35.8 (86%) |
|
Opportunities created* |
0.6 |
0.5 |
|
Item lost* |
10.2 |
10.1 |
|
Dribbles* |
0.8 |
1.3 |
|
Football recovery* |
5.6 |
5.7 |
|
Facing + meeting* |
3.9 |
4.0 |
|
Delete* |
0.9 |
1.3 |
|
Duels won* |
5.7 (46%) |
6.3 (51%) |
It's fair to say that Armstrong and Arokadare's success in the final third is a direct product of Gomes' tireless work in the middle of the park. He has maintained a high level of performance despite his team's wide slump.
Will it be enough to stave off the all-consuming threat of relegation? Probably not. But this is a player whose tenacity and drive have proven to be the difference in recent months, allowing this to be a case worth following even after such adversity.
He was Wolves' Player of the Season, for sure, and will be fondly remembered when the inevitable requests arrive in the postbox this summer, asking about the availability of the relegated star.
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