Wolves defender Willy Boly dodges Newcastle game to force Forest move
- Scott Allen
- 28 August 2022
Wolves boss Bruno Lage has revealed Nottingham Forest target Willy Boly failed to show up for the Newcastle match despite being in the squad.
Lage believes the 31-year-old Ivory Coast international is trying to force a move away from Wolves.
Boly has yet to play for Wolves this season but has been a regular on the bench, he was apparently injured for the Carabao Cup clash with Preston, but trained in the build-up to the Newcastle clash.
Nottingham Forest had reportedly had a £1million offer for Boly turned down earlier in the week.
"He was in the squad but he did not turn up," said Lage. "He has been a great professional, he has not had problems with me but he wants to force something.
"They are all men, they know how to do it, but they need to be professional. I took my decision to put him the squad list and he made his decision.
"He has a proposal in his hands and he wants to go. That's my feeling. I understand he wants to move but I told him he needs to understand I need to put him in the squad. After that Boly took his own decision."
Lage was also unhappy Newcastle defender Fabian Schar escaped a red card for a foul on Pedro Neto early in the second half of their 1-1 draw with Newcastle.
The Magpies were arguably the better side in the first half, with Joe Willock missing their best chance, but they found themselves behind at the break.
The opener came seven minutes before half-time when Neto found Goncalo Guedes and he teed up Neves, 25 yards out, to drill a superb drive past Nick Pope.
It rocked Newcastle and they struggled to recover until being handed a late lifeline when VAR denied Wolves a second.
The Magpies were caught on the break and Neto gave Ryan Fraser a shove to break away and tee up Raul Jimenez to tap in 10 minutes from time.
The visitors were furious referee Peter Bankes allowed the goal but the official was then encouraged to check the monitor and it was rightly ruled out.
It set up a dramatic finale where the Magpies levelled through Allan Saint-Maximin's brilliant late volley and could even have snatched victory.
"There were two decisions against us, it's hard to take. I was surprised when I saw it, it looks like a red card and - after we saw the image - 90 per cent of the people will say its a red card but VAR took a different decision," Lage said.
"VAR should have said to the referee to look and afterwards he could have taken a better decision.
"We gave another good performance. When we conceded the goal it is a bit frustrating but the good signals are there."
