We’re off to Man City tomorrow for a game that most neutrals will be expecting us to get a right good roasting in. Hopefully Wolves can do us proud as they did on Tuesday and maybe even sneak a result. As always, predictions are welcome. I’m going for 1-1 with Super Keogh to the rescue the draw for the boys in old gold.
Anyway, here’s City fan John to share his thoughts ahead of the game:
Hello Wolves fans. Your blog maestro Thomas has kindly asked me to write this preview for Saturdays game between these two great clubs, I’ll try and break it down so it’s easy to read as I have been known to ramble:
Can Money buy Success?
Tevez - One of many big money arrivals at City
The answer is yes, but it does take time. As I’m sure you’re aware by now, Man City have the richest club owner in the world. We are not the richest club as many papers make out, that title belongs to the red half of Manchester.
Our far eastern promise has brought in many players this season, but if I had to pick my favourite it would be Barry. His record goes before him and so far he’s proved a great bit of business
Only time will tell if the investment will pay off, but it should be a great ride.
More than once in a Blue Moon
Well let’s start with City’s form: we had a mixed pre-season with only one goal from our strikers and two wins out of 7 games.
Following this iffy form, City produced a good result at Blackburn to get us up and running for the season.
We also played a midweek game against Barca, which in front of 92,000 of their fans, we won 1-0. So we go into Saturday’s game full of confidence.
Welcome to The Middle Eastlands – The City of Manchester Stadium
First of I would like to say I look forward to chanting against those of you attending the match on Saturday. I also hope you have a great day out no matter what the result.
Eastlands is one of the largest and newest stadiums in the premiership and about 42,000 blues and 6000 away fans, a tidy total of 48k. Given the build up during the summer it should be packed out on Saturday.
On your arrival you will notice Manchester City Councils waste of money: ‘The B of the Bang’. A giant abstract art piece which was never completed and now burdens the landscape surrounding our stadium.
Our match day marshals are fair people and allow you to stand and chant which is more than some clubs allow away fans to do.
Wolves will need to beware as last season City had a better home record than Arsenal. At home Hughes and his team turn on the style and players like Robinho play to their best.
Will City Play 1-1-8?
Despite the digs of many WUMS and lesser TV and paper pundits, City will not play a mythical 8 strikers up front. The reality is that our front line options are made up of Robinho, Tevez. Adabayor, Bellamy and Santa Cruz, all our other strikers are either on loan, released or are in the process of being shipped out. Out of those players Santa is out injured until September.
Our front line can also include wide men such as Wright-Phillips, Petrov (our unsettled, but inform left winger). We Also have a young Slovak lad called Vladimir Weiss, but more on that little gem later.
City will most likely play 4-3-3 against Wolves, with the team sheet seeing Nigel De Jong returning to the midfield in place of Wright Phillips. Up front there is a chance of seeing a magic 3 of Robinho, Adebayor and Tevez, which has us City fans salivating at the prospect.
We have a big squad with a bench that is probably only matched by Utd, Chelski and maybe Spurs. Although my predicted 4-3-3 is likely based on pre-season formation, we have the options within the squad to try any formation you can think of, and played a 4-4-2 away to Blackburn.
Gold & Black Magic
I expect Wolves will send their team out using a 4-1-4-1 formation as given that we may play 3 up front you need the protection of a anchor man In midfield. Outside of that you will need the extra player in midfield to minimize the influence of our creative players.
Players to Look Out For
Ireland will be my man for you to watch during the match. Our little Irish granny killing, pink car wheeled wonder is the type of player who as well as making things happen in the midfield, is also capable of scoring important goals from Long and short distances. Last term he scored 10 goals, was our player of the season, our most improved player and has become a symbol of our academy and the team.
Following a strong pre-season and a start at the Camp Nou in Wednesdays friendly, Vladimir Weiss is without doubt a young player to watch. If he does comes on as a sub you will see this 19 year old Slovak light up the pitch. He is a quick, two footed winger with the skills to match. A star in the making.
The End of The ‘Sky Four’?
Where will Manchester City finish is difficult to predict.
What is clear is this: For Hughes to keep his job we must finish in the top six, which is reasonable given that he has spent £200m+ on playing staff alone.
Personally I think we will finish 5th but feel we miss that one player in defence that holds many top 4 teams together, although Shay Given may yet prove to be that player. In my opinion he is only bettered by Cech and Van der Sar.
Dog-Fight
The obvious question is whether Wolves can stay up?
Personally I think you have a chance providing your fans back the team at home like Stoke’s did. Unless Portsmouth are sold into Arab money by the end of the transfer window they and Hull may go down. That I believe leaves you, Burnley and Birmingham to fight it out to avoid 18th place, I feel Birmingham have the strongest squad so will survive, so it basically comes down to you and Burnley.
As for tomorrow…
As a Blue I’m not really going to predict anything other than a win for City. The scoreline depends on how you go about playing: If you play an open flowing game you could find game finishing 3-1 or worse for you.
Alternatively if you work hard and close us down and somehow keep are star players in check you may come away with a respectable 2-1 or 1-0.
If City fail to meet up to their pre-season expectations as we all too often do, there is always a chance of you nicking a valuable point.
Anyway I hope you enjoyed my blog and those of you attending the game have a great day out.
Thanks for guest-blogging John.
You’re a brave man to say the Blues have a better squad than us though. Expect some comeback on that one matey.
Interesting to see how a neutral sees things though.
Yeah this is the first person I’ve seen to predict Blues are better than Wolves. Also Portsmouth’s alleged “arab money” won’t have that much of an effect as the arab who is involved is part of the consortium. However this is just my opinion and I don’t know too much about the business side of football.
As for tomorrow, I think we should treat this as a sort of bonus game. If we lose, fair enough, City are a good side. But if we draw, it’s more 1 point gained than 2 points lost.
I hope Doyle and Berra play. I would love to see Berra and Mancienne team up as I personally rate Berra and may compliment Mancienne perfectly, but no way will we keep a clean sheet. I can see us having many chances but Given may prove too good.
What a great blog from John. I think this is awesome, being able to get the views of a guest blogger, and especially ones writtem with eloquence and intellect.John shows his passion for his club in a very good way, and you can tell he is very proud of what his club are trying to achieve, which is, of course, to dislodge one of the “big 4″. I’m sure we would all say amen to that !!
I think we could get something from the game tomorrow.After all , I’m sure it will be most peoples first choice home win on the fixed odds, and we have absolutely nothing to lose. There will be a lot of pressure on City to substantiate the mega bucks already shelled out on their rebuild
Our defence holds the key. I would play a sweeper tomorrow, play 5 at the back, 4 in midfiled, and Keoghonaldo up front on his tod.
ON live here at midnight, I can;t wait, better make sure the stocks of Little Creatures are replenished
COME ON YOU WOLVES!!!!
I was enjoying that until you said blues had a better squad than us, you obviously don’t know anything about footbal ha, ha.
Another great blog from a guest blogger, i know we say it every week but it’s a brilliant feature, keep it up.
I’m really jealous of anyone going to the game tomorrow, i didn’t move my fat arse quick enough to sort out a ticket. I went to the CoM stadium last time we were up and it was easily one of my favourite days out, great city and great stadium.
I’ve put a few quid on us winning 2-1 and after i backed wolves and burnley in the week i’m hoping my winning run continues. Man city may have a load of good players but it could be an advantage for us to be playing them early on before they’ve properly gelled as a team. Hopefully the players are all nackered from their trip to Barcelona as well. Last time i was there it took me a week to recover but i doubt many of the players went on a 48 hour drinking session.
Good luck lads, do us proud again.
Nick – wouldn’t put a 48 hour drinking session past Criag Bellamy!
Another great guest-blogger, keep it up (although maybe with less ridiculous views about Birmingham in future please!). I’m not sure what to expect from this game at all. On paper, you have to say we’ll be lucky to get anything from it. However, I thought that about the Wigan match, and my pessimism proved unfounded. If Wolves can battle hard and close down like the highlights/reports from the Wigan game suggested, its possible we might nick a result here. Will be interesting to see how Man Citeh’s ‘flair’ players react to the dogged persistance of Henry, Ward, Halford et al.
Regarding team selection, does anybody else expect Mick to reward the XI from Wigan with an unchanged side? Maybe with Berra and Doyle to get a run-out late on if required?
I thought my bit about b’ham would get a few comments LOL, but im glad this is proving popular.
I don’t claim to be a Wolves expert far from it, nor do i know much about lower league football, my compent was based upon the fact they b’ham appars to have invested more in the transfer window, but as stoke proved it not who you buy but how you play, good luck for the season ahead.
A great article John and I reiterate what Down Under Dazza said in that it was written with intellect and eloquence. I really hope that Citeh sneak into the top 4 this year, Man ‘ure look very ordinary so far and wouldn’t it be great if Citeh sneaked in at their expense.
A difficult game for the Wolves tomorrow but not one we should be afraid of. In my opinion a lot of good teams struggle against the lesser teams especially if it’s 0-0 after 20 mins or so. We need to bring Citeh down to our level and I have a suspicion that will be the case. Looks like Robiniho and that dude who quit the Arse last season are out which reduces their potency a little. Given is a great keeper and it will be difficult but I don’t rate Citeh’s back 4. This game will be either 0-0 or again we’ll nick it with a solitary strike and if we do it will be Milijas with a belter from 40 yards or a deflection off the backside of Stearman.
In case any of you are interested, there is a Wolves blog by an American from Detroit called Adam. He is a convert to Football from all that American nonsense and his chosen team is Wolves having been introduced to them by his boss and lifelong fan and former season ticket holder who relocated a few years back. He gives a good insight to his new found love from an American perspective. Here’s the link – http://eplwolvesfc.blogspot.com/
As a wolves fan living in Manc land this game is a little tasty. My missus is a city fan by birth, however nearly a decade of propaganda on my part has turned her from the blue moon. Despite having a season ticket for longer than is sensible I couldn’t manage to get tickets in the away end. So me and and the missus will be cheering on the wolves (in our heads) from the home seats. Needless to say I would love it, love it if we beat them, love it.
Cheers for the link Jed, always good to hear about enthusiastic Wolves fans in foreign climates. I think it’s quality that there are people spreading the Good Word all over the world. Hopefully football is going to be massive in America in a few years and i reckon it should be your mission, Jed, to ensure that as many Americans as possible support a real team like Wolves rather than the obvious big 4.
I saw a fan from Cyprus as I was walking out of the Molineux last year after one of our many victories. He was possibly the happiest man i have ever seen and he was going on about how lucky we were as we were able to watch the Wolves every week. It was really uplifting to see someone from so far away supporting my local team with such passion. Personally i always think it’s wierd that anyone outside of England has ever even heard of Wolves let alone supports them.
Anyway, i’ve had a few beers and am rambling slightly so i’m going to leave it at that.
Bring on Wolves’ world domination.
Must say I think Most City fans are very humble, and was nice to see sections of their crowd applauding us on Saturday. I wonder if the “red half” of the City will do the same?