Wolverhampton Wanderers completed a comeback that might go down in history as one of the best comebacks ever against Frank Lampard's Chelsea.
Playing without a man that has 40% of their goals, Raúl Jimenez, Wolves struggled in the first half to get anything going. As the second half went on Wolves grew into the game before going behind to an Olivier Giroud volley which just snuck over the line.
Nuno Espirito Santo brought off youngster Fabio Silva and brought on Adama Traore which seemed to change the game. Daniel Podence got the first with a brilliantly taken finish and it was left to Wolves’ golden boy this season, Pedro Neto.
The run started from inside his own half and he kept going before he stroked the ball home past Edouard Mendy in the Chelsea net, and sent the whole Wolves pack around the world into pandemonium.
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Goalkeepers and defenders
Rui Patricio – 6 – Patricio didn’t have much to do throughout the game but for the most part he delivered when he was called into action. If we are being extra critical, Patricio probably should have done better with the Chelsea goal.
The volley from Giroud was straight at him, albeit struck very well, but it was straight at him and despite getting a hand to it he will look back at it tomorrow and be disappointed that he didn’t keep it out.
Nelson Semedo – 6 – After a very poor week for Semedo at Wolves, he showed his character today. It would have been easy for Semedo to shy away from the challenge of a rampant Christian Pulisic running at him, but he didn’t.
He stood his ground and tried his best. He was still a little clumsy with his tackling and positioning, but he was better and showed signs of improvement. On top of that, going forward he did much better and showed why he was once playing his football in the Camp Nou.
He offered a threat down the right-hand side and should have probably had a goal but he decided against shooting most probably down to his lack of confidence.
Willy Boly – 5 – Willy Boly is a prime example of a player that hasn’t fully recovered from an injury. Having picked up a late last year, Boly hasn’t really been the same since coming back.
Tonight, he was caught sleeping for the Chelsea goal. When the ball came into the box, Boly wasn’t sharp to the ball and he let the ball come to him rather than going to meet it and convincingly clear his lines. By the time the ball had got to him, it was off Giroud’s foot and over the goal line. The defender will have to improve in the future and get back to the quality centre-half that Wolves fans know he can be.
Romain Saiss – 6 – A solid game from the Moroccan helped Wolves to the victory. He did what he does best and won his 50/50s, winning the ball back for Wolves when they needed it the most.
Apart from that, Saiss went through the game rather un-noticed which is what you want from a centre half. So overall, Saiss did well.
Fernando Marçal – 7 – Marçal once again was excellent tonight for Wolves. Going forward he was good and provided support for Neto and Podence but defensively is where he excelled.
Once again, he had a very solid game and showed his experience as a defender. He very rarely got beat all game and when he got the ball he hardly gave it away. Overall, a very solid performance from Marçal.
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Midfielders
Ruben Neves – 6 – Coming into the side for the suspended Joao Moutinho, Neves shows signs of his class by controlling the game when Wolves had the ball. Neves looked to hit the diagonal passes that he always does, and he did so with good effect. Overall, a very solid game from Neves.
Leander Dendonker – 5 – Dendonker struggled today and wasn’t moving like we know Dendonker usually does. He was withdrawn at half time and replaced by Owen Otasowie. Dendonker didn’t do much in the game before being withdrawn and it will be interesting to see what the issue with him actually was.
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Attackers
Pedro Neto – 8 – The man that has been the shining light in Wolves’ season so far grabbed the winner in the last minute of the game.
He picked up the ball just inside the Chelsea half and ran the backline of Chelsea, before stroking the ball past Mendy in goal. Despite struggling to get into the game in the first half, his second-half performance showed just how good he can be when he is confident and runs at the opposition defence and gives the defender something to think about.
Fabio Silva – 5 – Silva came into this game knowing he had a battle on his hands. It was Fabio Silva vs Thiago Silva, a battle in which was won by the experienced Chelsea defender.
Once again, he showed signs and glimpses of the wonderkid that he has been touted as, but also showed that he still needs time to develop. He had the ball in the back of the net at one point, but it was ruled out as offside as Silva found himself a good few yards in front of the last defender.
Daniel Podence – 9 – Podence picked up the Man Of The Match Award tonight as he caused the Chelsea back line all sorts of trouble. The goal that he scored was one of pure class, as he almost had too much time to think about what he needed to do.
Having been stood up by two Chelsea defenders, Podence flicked the ball onto his left before moving it back onto his right and faking a shot which gave him the space to get a shot away. Despite the shot taking a slight deflection, Podence shaped up to bend the ball into the far corner before sticking it under the bar at the near post and beating Mendy in the Chelsea goal.
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Substitutes:
Owen Otasowie (Replaced Dendonker, 45’) – 8 – The 19-year-old American was thrown in to make his Premier League debut and he passed the test with flying colours.
He showed his class at a young age while he was on the ball, and he put a lot of effort in, covering a lot of ground. He was pivotal in the second half performance which is a credit to the central midfielder who was making his league debut.
Adama Traore (Replaced Fabio Silva, 61’) – 7 – The pacey winger came on in the 61st minute and changed the game. He replaced Silva, who was struggling to really get going up top, and helped draw out the Chelsea defenders, allowing Neto and Podence to thrive around him. Another game without a goal contribution for Traore which is worrying, but his introduction was timely as it was the turning point in the match.
Vitinha (Replaced Daniel Podence, 90’) – N/A