Villa Park is not my favourite place.
I’ve been there a few times and never tasted anything other than bitter defeat.
My last visit was back in 1998 for that infamous FA Cup semi-final against Arsenal, where Mark McGhee presumably suffered a stroke prior to handing in the teamsheet. I was also present for a League Cup match against Villa a few years prior to that, which I believe we lost 2-0, Tommy Johnson getting one of the goals.
Zubar kept Young quiet in the game at Molineux
Then of course, they defeated us 3-2 on their home turf the last time we were in the Premiership, a game which perfectly encapsulated that memorable season. Tried our best, competed admirably but just weren’t quite good enough.
I think there’s a bit more about this current Wolves side, a point which was reinforced by the superb win at Turf Moor last week. We might have been hanging on at the end, but to leave with three points on a ground where Man Utd lost and Arsenal had to cling on for a draw is a great achievement. Make no mistake about that. It took guts, determination and no small amount of skill (with a sprinkle of fortune thrown in for good measure).
We’ll need to replicate that performance and step it up another gear if we’re to take anything from a Villa side rapidly closing in on the top four. Having beaten Wigan in the week, they’ll be desperate to kick-on with another win against another of the bottom sides.
Our chances of even scoring are limited. Villa have the meanest defence in the Premiership, having only conceded 10 goals at home all season. That’s very impressive, particularly as you wouldn’t mark them down as a defensive side.
Going forward, the threat is obvious. They’ve got wide players who can twist and turn full-backs into oblivion, causing untold mayhem down both flanks. If Wolves let the likes of Young, Downing and Milner run us ragged, it will be a very, very long day for us.
That being said, I’m hoping our five man midfield will give us the numbers to nullify their threat and force them into a change of approach. I expect the game plan will be to defend deep for much of the game, hoping to catch them out on the break, so it goes without saying that an early goal for the home side could prove disastrous.
If Wolves have to chase this game, I fear we’ll get picked off so a big performance from our back four and goalkeeper is a minimum requirement.
The team obviously continues to pick itself:
Hahnemann
Zubar
Craddock
Berra
Ward
Jarvis
Henry
Guedioura
Jones
Foley
Doyle
There’s a chance Dave Edwards could be on the bench and it’ll be great to see the hard-running midfielder back in contention. He certainly gives us a more offensive option on the right-side of midfield, which should prove handy for the remaining fixtures.
So do I think Wolves are capable of getting something at Villa Park? Emphatically, yes.
But whether I think we will get something is an entirely different question. If we play as well as I know we can, there’s every chance we’ll leave with something and we’re definitely due some luck in a local derby. That being said, Villa look strong at the moment and are a tough proposition at home.
It’s a tricky one.
I’ll ignore rational judgment and go for a 1-1 draw.
It is a derby after all!
If you’re going to the game, have a great time and roar the lads on.
Up The Wolves.
Villa are best when they are counter-attacking. When you consider the fact that we barely attack at all it should have 0-0 written all over it. However Villa are probably the best side in the division at set-pieces. Any chance Young gets to deliver a ball to Carew,Dunne,Collins et al will have me biting my nails. I see them winning 1-0 or 2-0 unfortunately. In general I really don’t think we’ll pick up many points in our next 3 games. That will leave us back in the thick of it with 6 games to go. This is when i think we’ll pick up points and a couple of wins should be enough then to ensure safety.
I’m guessing you mean next 4 games unless you fancy us at The Emirates!
Yeah make that 4 games.
I was there for FA cup semi Thomas. Bull and Keane on the bench with Steve Claridge up front.
I remember feeling really cheated! (that and drinking four cans of special brew really early in the car on the way there!)
I’d love a point in this one but being more realisyic I can see a 2.0 defeat!
Come on me baaaabbbbiiieeesss!
I was there too, it was my 18th birthday. What a crap day. Had to sit through a family meal in the evening feeling really miserable.
I was there in 1973, when we had the power cuts, and saw Villa beat Santos who had Pele playing.
That might have been an all time Villa Park friendly attendance record.
Only time I saw him play live, and the memory of him taking the piss out of the Villa players will live with me forever.
Now, if we had him playing for us tomorrow………………….
Still think weem gonna stuff ‘em 3 -1
FOWB
Seeing Pele play must have been pretty cool, I’ve never heard about him playing against Villa before. If we had him playing for us tomorrow…………..we’d probably still lose, he’s getting on a bit now. I’d rather have Doyle anyway.
Fingers crossed for a point, think that’s the most we can hope for, with or without Pele.
Has anyone else seen any legends play. I saw Gazza play against us at Burnley. He was my hero when I was younger, wasn’t at his best that day though. My dad always goes on about when George Best played at Molineux, best player he’s ever seen.
When you are a paid up member of the old farts brigade, like me and scooped are, the legends memory banks are crammed full.
Wolves v Utd, 2 seasons running, FA cup ties at the Mol.
Both games we were leading 2 – 0, and got stuffed both times!
Charlton, Best, Law, Crerand, Stepney, Stiles, the list goes on and on.
Back then, you always looked forward to whomever we played, coz all the other teams had their superstars.
Chivers, Gilzean, Greaves, England and Co for Spurs.
Rodney Marsh , Gerry Francis, Stan Bowles, QPR
All the Liverpool greats, Tommy Smith, Ian St John, Callaghan, Toshack, Keegan, etc
Francis Lee and Mike Summerbee from City.
Arsenal folk lore George Graham, Charlie George, Armstrong, Radford.
Even great fun at the poorthorns, with Waggy giving John Kaye twisted blood several seasons in a row.
They had their greats as well, Astle, Suggett, and Bomber Brown.
West Ham with the immortal trio of Hurst, Peters and Moore.
“We all fuckin hate Leeds”, with Charlton, Bremner, Lorimer, Hunter, Reaney, Clarke and all the others.
And the best of all, The Doog.
He may not have been the best footballer in the world, but he was the best showman, and when I saw his home debut hat trick against Hull for us, it was instant adulation.
I was sixteen back then, and, like many thousand others in the Mol that afternoon, he was an instant hero.
For the rest of his days, no matter what he said or did, for me he could do no wrong.
I am not ashamed to say that I cried when I heard he had died.
He will always have a very special place in my heart.
FOWB
Forgot, I saw Elton John in the Wolves colors, in a friendly/testimonial back in the early seventies.
FOWB
I remember George Best scoring 2 for us as we beat w*** ***m 4-0 in Mike Bailey’s testimonial!
And the 76 cup quarter final v Docherty’s man united (Coppell and Hill on the wings) when we threw away a two goal lead and lost in extra time is easily the best game of football I have ever seen (despite the result)
I can see a pretty good game tomorrow, as long as we’re not 1 down after 5 mins. We’re gonna have to make sure we stop/clear those crosses well, Milner and Young are class acts and should be at a big four club in my opinion.
Jarvis and Doyle are going to be important for us tomorrow. When we do get a chance to attack it’s most likely going to be those who provide the spark as usual.
I too am hopeful we will nick a point tomorrow.
First goal is key tomorrow. If they get it could a thumping, if we get it we could make life difficult for them.
Sounds like £43 a ticket has backfired on them with only 1900 sold in the away end but many paying 20 odd quid to sit in their ends. Could be fun
Steve Bull = my legend!
Nothing like the feeling of a Bully goal!
He loved every goal he scored for our club.
Sorry to bring it up again but on the bench with Robbie Keane – what the hell was McGoo thinking?
You’re right, Bully is the greatest legend ever. We wouldn’t be where we are now if not for that man. He will alwas be a hero but i pass him pretty much every day heading out of codsall as i’m heading in, where i work. I love him but when you see him every day the novelty wears off.
Probably told you all before, but he scored a hatrick in the first ever Wolves game i went to, pretty sure it was against fulham. I instantly fell in love with him and my dad said he was the fastest striker he’d ever seen.
We’re lucky enough to be watching the legends of the future playing for us at the moment. This is the best team we’ve had for a long time, Cradock is as good as Moore, Guedioura as good as Bobby Charlton and Hanneman as good as Gordon Banks. And Mad Mick’s better than Stan Cullis.
Might be a bit controversial, but is Bully the greatest as all his goals came outside of the top flight? Richards and the Doog etc were goalscorers in the top flight
What made Bully truly special for me (other than his astonishing goalscoring record obviously) was his unbelievable work rate. When you heard the ‘Bully’s gone get you’ chant growing as the defenders looked round panicking, wondering where he was, you knew he weas going to make something happen. It’s true that Dougan and Richards (and all the other greats) did it in the top flight but they played with some great players and how many points must Bully have earned us almost single-handedly.
Jeff Beck is coming to Houston next month.
Shall I go in me Wufflers shirt, jump on the stage and sing the correct words to Hi Ho Silver Lining??!!
I’ll predict it again, 3 – 1 to us termorra.
FOWB
A point further clear off the drop zone, I’m sure we would have all taken that at the start of the game. I was watching live in, of all places…Denpasar airport!
Can anyone please tell me the year that Elton John and Robert Plant played at the Wolves ground in a friendly/testimonial match? I believe it was around 1972-74 and Rod Stewart was also supposed to play but was apparently too drunk or hung over to play – bless. Also, could anyone tell me who’s testimonial it was??