Wolves' Conor Coady takes plaudits but keeps his eye on the ball

The captain has had a superb time at Molineux since joining in 2015 – and particularly since Nuno Espirito Santo arrived in 2017 and moved him to the heart of the back three.

But, in recent months, Coady has taken his football to another level and has been a key figure in a Wolves defence that has kept five clean sheets from their last seven Premier League games.

Many supporters and journalists alike believe the England international is at the very top of his game, but when asked if he’s currently playing the best football of his career, Coady is not yet quite so convinced.

“I’ve heard a few people saying this in the last few days,” he said. “To be honest, I don’t know. I really don’t know.

“I’m enjoying my football a hell of a lot playing in this team and under this manager.

“This manager is absolutely fantastic, I’ll be honest, with his ways and ideas of wanting to play.

“At the same time I’ve had some good years at this football club and I’d like to think I’ve played my part in the Championship, coming into the Premier League and staying in the Premier League and doing well.

“In terms of ‘form of my life’, I’m just enjoying playing football and playing with the boys I’m playing with. And more importantly, playing with this manager.”

Bruno Lage has made Wolves much tighter in defence this season and has been helped by some superb performances from Coady.

The head coach has adapted the captain’s role, too, and how they build up play.

Coady is often slightly further up the field now, is more aggressive in his tackles and interceptions, and will try to play out from the back with the help of goalkeeper Jose Sa.

He added: “A lot of people look at us, the way we play and that it’s still the same formation and think it’s a similar Wolves from the last few years, but it’s completely not.

“It’s a lot more aggressive Wolves and it’s up to us to try to adapt to the way the manager wants to do that.

“All the boys have done that, not just myself. I’m trying to work my socks off every single day to try to do what he’s asking of us, we’re all trying that. All the boys will tell you the same thing.

“He’s been fantastic. The way he speaks, organises and his attention to detail is incredible.

“I’m just trying to take on board everything he’s trying to give us every day and trying to help this football club move forward.”

In the 0-0 draw with Chelsea, Wolves adapted once again and aimed to play through the middle of the pitch and find the wing-backs further up the field.

And Coady was pleased with the team’s application against a difficult opponent.

“It was something we worked on playing it through midfield and having bodies in midfield, because we know how good they are in there,” he said.

“We tried to impose our way of playing and I think we did that in the first half.

“We’re coming up against the team that won the Champions League last year. One of the best teams in the world.

“They have a world-class manager and you know at half-time they’ll try and change things to get back on top. We knew it was coming and we knew at times we’d have to defend and we did that really well.

“At the end of the day, look at the game we’ve had and we’ve come away with a point. Take the positives from it and move on to Boxing Day.”