It occurred to me a few a weeks back that Wolves fate this season will be largely decided away from Molineux.
We took just one miserly point from three home matches against West Ham, Hull and Portsmouth. That’s not good enough. So if we’re to escape an immediate return to ‘the Fizzy’, positive results in the return fixtures are an absolute must.
Wolves only managed a point in the game at Molineux
That needs to start this Saturday with the trip to the KC Stadium. Wolves are a point and two places better off than Hull going into this match, so you might argue that a draw is a positive result. Not for me though.
We haven’t won in the league since beating Burnley in December and if we can’t get three points here, that run could continue for a considerable amount of time. Our next three fixtures are Blues away, followed by Spurs and Chelsea at home and if Wolves are sitting in the bottom three ahead of that run of games, I worry for us.
I wonder whether Mick will go all out for the win and revert to a 4-4-2 system? We did well with five across the midfield against Liverpool, but I don’t think we should be giving Hull the same respect. By going with two strikers, I think it shows positive intent on our manager’s part, which would be good to see.
This is the starting XI I’d pick:
Hahnemann
Ward
Berra
Craddock
Zubar
Foley
Milijas
Henry
Jarvis
Doyle
SEB
I have a sneaky suspicion that our manager has a few surprises up his sleeve though, so that team is by no means what I expect to see. Whatever he decides to do though, I just hope he gets it right because I don’t want to be sitting here again, writing about poor tactics costing us a result.
There is of course an interesting sub-plot to this match, with speculation surrounding Stephen Hunt’s future. The fact that this story rages on, tells me that we can expect developments before the transfer window closes on Monday. There’s conflicting views on whether Hull ‘need’ to sell in this window and that could well be the determining factor in whether the deal goes through or not.
Whatever the outcome of that speculation, the result this Saturday is paramount and Wolves need to get it.
I’m expecting a tight, cagey game, with a moment of quality giving one side the edge. I just hope it comes from a Milijas or a Doyle and not from a Giovanni or a Zaki.
My prediction: 1-0 Wolves
If you’re making the trek to the KC Stadium, have a great day and roar the lads on.
Up the Wolves.
Hull City are desperate to address their £10m debt and rising wage bill and chairman Adam Pearson has said the club will listen to offers for all of his players.
Full story: Daily Star
Thank you – can we have Hunt ready for saturday?
Hope someone has a punt on Bullard too – and that will be the end of them!
I hate how drawn out the hunt thing has been. either your skint and you need to sell or your not ffs.
apologies. its just i dont need drama in football. Man up and tell us the damn truth!
p.s. 2-1 to wolves. Doyle and craddock.
Stourbridge – the fact that srory’s from the daily star doesn’t make it entirely believable.
It’s got a draw written all over it aint it? Just hope we can nick it. Agree we should go 442, if we’re afraid to attack Hull then we deserve to be relegated
True Rich – but I am hanging onto the hope of a decent signing this window – so the Star is the bible in my eyes at the moment.
Interesting to read MM’s comments on SEB on the E&S website – finally seems to be mirroring what most of us have been saying on here for a few weeks now.
“There’s been a fair bit of loyalty, support, encouragement and arms around the shoulder to try to get the best out of him.”
“Well there comes a point – sometimes for the player’s own good – when it’s not getting any easier, when that goal isn’t coming, and they have to come out.”
“It might be time for someone else to play up front.”
Shame we have on one any better – need to sort that out fast as the window closes Sunday!
PS One nil would do me! Anything for three points – but I fear a draw so that nothing will be decided!
Hey Tom, good preview, I fully agree that we need to get all three points from this match and therefore need to be positive. Are you going?
However, I disagree with the 442 with SEB reinstated. For me, it’s time to drop SEB as recently (particularly against Wigan) he has been a passenger. I’d like to see us stick with 451 but with two attacking wingers and centre mids. If we can overrun Hull in midfield and get some quality service to Doyle we should win this one.
Ideally, I’d like to see:
Hahnemann
Zubar, Craddock, Berra, Ward
Mancienne
Bia, Milijas, Edwards (if fit, Jones if not), Jarvis
Doyle
However, I can’t see Henry or Foley being dropped in reality.
Andrew, I am indeed going.
It’s a fixture that has the potential for utter ecstasy or complete misery. I pray for the former.
My biggest concern about the match is what our manager will do with his tactics and team selection. If it’s anything like the Chelsea fiasco, this could well be my last away match of the season.
Hahnemann
Zubar, Craddock, Berra, Ward
Mancienne
Bia, Milijas, Henry, Jarvis
Doyle
For me. henry has done nothing wrong in my eyes this season to get dropped and Bia has looked good in training. He may give us more going forward over foley!
I don’t care the system he plays. I don’t care the players he picks. We just need the three points.
Bleedin’ obvious I know, but it’s true.
As Sam says, the formation I would most like to see is –
Hahnemann
Zubar, Craddock, Berra, Ward
Mancienne
Bia, Milijas, Henry, Jarvis
Doyle
Will be a tough close game but no reason to fear Hull.
If there’s no reason to fear Hull why not go with a front two or a five man midfield, with someone more attacking rather than Mancienne.
Though we performed well against Liverpool defensively, we didn’t offer much going forward. I reckon we’ll have to offer a bit more initiative to beat Hull
I reckon MM should stick with the 4-5-1 simply because it worked. Sure it would be a little bit more positive going with the 4-4-2, but realistically who do we have? Maybe Vokes after his performance against Palace but thats another unknown in a crucial match.
If we manage to stifle them in defence and midfield and give them nothing then we should be able to walk away with the win.
I agree with Sam and Jed, only difference to the team should be bia for foley for that “positive” approach. I dont think Kightly should play (some rumours that he might be back for the game) just so we dont risk him, and i cant see how he would be match fit.
Rich, if you look at that midfield then its not toooooo defensive. I loved the way mancienne played that holding midfield, and it totally freed henry up and he was actually to be found in the final third!!! Milijas and Jarvis we know about, and Bia if the vids are anything to go by then he should be attacking as well.
I’m going to a mates house (a Hull supporter) so hopefully I’ll be able to rub in some doom and gloom for him!
Up the Wolves
PS Thomas thanks for clearing the post in the previous thread, sorry for that little spack
Mick is waxing lyrical about Adlene. Looking forward to seeing more.
ps John Terry. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.
Ha, ha, ha – yet more evidence that John Terry is complete nob head.
They’ve had his Dad selling coke, JT selling off the record tours around the Chelsea training ground (because Im sure he doesn’t earn enough each week) now he’s sh*gged Wayne Bridge’s wife – surely Fabio has to end his stint as England captain.
Horrible scumbag tw@t – Gerrard or Rooney as captain for South Africa!
It’s a game we desperately need to win. So it will be a 1-0 defeat, and once more we will question the quality of the side and how badly we have done in the transfer market
As long as we don’t concede in the first 10-15 minutes I think we could hold out for a draw, maybe even snatch a late winner!!! Now that would be nice… Craddock in the 89th minute!
Exeter Wolf – Nice one
Terrible game, no quality in our team apart from Jarvis and Doyle. Setting up with 7 defensive players just does not work, and how long before everyone realises what a liability Berra is… gave away their first goal, ducked out of 2 or 3 key challenges, and Zubar looks like he is quickly having any ability coached out of him. As much as I like Doyle, he was bought to score goals, in that respect he has proved very costly. McCarthy asks him to do too much, he may as well play as a 6th midfielder
Daz – mind what you say about Zubar. That performance typified what he did for OM over the last couple of seasons (and why the fans over there turned on him), he does good things defensively, has decent techniqure, but has one or two brain explosions a match. Has potential, but needs to “grow up” as a footballer a bit more – I think you’re too quick to bag MM.
Also, with RZ – when people say he played “Champions League” football for Marseille, he was 5th choice centre back and 3rd choice right back, one with potential, not the finished product.
I think McCarthy is out of his depth at this level.He has bought too many versatile players instead of buying players for an exact position. This is why he has tinkered so much with the team. …Foley…right back..now in midfield… Mancienne.. CD ..now defensive midfield…Doyle…striker..now our 6th midfielder…Halford…long throws…not even in squad…. I could go on. So MM has no idea what his best line up is , and keeps swapping all players into different positions in teh hope that something works. If we had gone 442 on Saturday, we would have won, but now, because we got a point from a dire Pool side, he thinks 451 is the best option. I feel so sorry for Doyle, he is pure class, runs his taters off, because there is insuffiecient quality to help him out.
oh…and playing Foley in midfield is complete twonk, he looks lost, and has no idea what his role is supposed to be. Put him back at right back where he is supposed to be, put Zubar in CD and drop that donkey Berra
oh… and my dementia has firmly set in.. I mentioned Foley twice…
But in response to my comment about Ronald Zubar…