The Cottagers come to Molineux this Sunday for a game that both sets of fans will be looking at and thinking, ‘we can win this one’.
From a Wolves’ perspective, we need to bounce back quickly after a weak performance against Blackburn and three points at home would be a great way to lift spirits. Returning stars will undoubtedly help our cause but it remains to be seen how many changes McCarthy will make to the starting XI.
McCarthy & Hodgson - Two former international coaches clash on Sunday
If you’re in the Fulham camp, a successful season last time out will have you believing your team can go to places like Molineux and win convincingly. However, much of their success has come at home with their record on the road slighlty more indifferent. So that leaves this game nicely poised in my opinion.
They’ve undoubtedly got some great players. People like Murphy, Duff and Johnson are no mugs at this level and have the kind of experience nobody in our squad can boast. But probably their most important player is Hangeland, who holds a very strong defence together. There was interest in him from Arsenal over the summer, which highlights just how good this powerful defender is and just how vital he’s become to Roy Hodgson’s team.
But Fulham are really more of a good, honest group of players than a team of superstars, so for that reason I think Wolves can stand toe-to-toe with them and maybe even come out on top. I think we might have the legs on them so hopefully the longer the game goes on, the better our chances should become, especially as they played on Thursday in the Europa League.
Whether or not we get a result depends greatly on the side McCarthy picks. I hope he has the good sense to make major changes to the side that flopped against Blackburn. That being said, this is the side I think we’ll see:
Hennessy
Stearman
Mancienne
Craddock
Hill
Kightly
Henry
Milijas
Jarvis
Keogh
Doyle
But it’s a guessing game really. Could the Hoff force his way in? Will Foley or SEB make a shock appearance? Might Edwards be given the nod ahead of Milijas? Lots of variations, which might drastically alter my forecasted eleven.
Anyone else want to take a stab at the line-up?
Whatever the team though, we’re desperate for one of our attacking players to put in a performance. Milijas and Doyle have both shown promising glimpses without really turning it on, so perhaps it’s time for one of those two to step up to the mark.
Call me optimistic but I’ve got a good feeling about this match and believe we have a great chance of taking something from it. I’m going for a 2-1 win and Doyle to score the first goal.
Now that really would be a Super Sunday.
Up The Wolves.
I was reading Alan Hansen’s preview of this game and he reckons goals will be at a premium therefore he predicts a 0-0 scoreline. So in reality that rules out the goaless draw because that buffoon couldn’t even predict the outcome of a one horse race! Again I think we’ll nick by the odd goal but it’s vitally important that we score first to give us confidence and if we do we should go on to win 2-0, with goals by Doyle and The Hoff late on.
I think its way too early for Craddock to feature but Kightly stands a chance. Keogh is bound to start and although I’d prefer to see The Hoff or SEB from the start, we still need to get right behind Keogh should he get the nod, anything else may have a dramatic effect on his and the teams confidence!
Role on Super Sunday!
Finding this hard to predict, Hodgson is doing good work at Fulham and so the ‘stature’ debate shouldn’t really figure in this.
With my Wolves hat sewn on to my head: 1-0, Craddock header after a goalmouth scramble, deflected off the hand of Duff in the 54th minute.
Milijas to be awarded a yellow card in the 6th minute for a late tackle.
Just read on the club website that Stearman is out for sunday and Craddock isn’t quite fully fit so looks like Foley may well come straight back in and Berra will (somehow) keep his place!!
Right so scractch that prediction. 1-0 but courtesy of a Foley cross that some how drifts in and beats the keeper in the 33rd
E&S quoting MM as saying Kightly & SEB to be on the bench, no mention of Foley –
http://www.expressandstar.com/2009/09/18/stearman-and-surman-out-of-wolves/
I’m hoping for a win on sunday but thinking a draw is a more realistic prospect with the injury problems we’ve got.
Stears and Surman injured….what now then?
That article seems pretty downcast. Lets hope the E&S are guilty of inaccurate reporting.
However, if it is true, i guess the starting line-up will be something along the lines of:
Hennessey
Foley, Berra, Mancienne, Elokobi
Halford, Henry, Milijas, Jarvis
Keogh, Doyle
Fulham were pretty tight at the back last season (see Helguson’s score from last season in fantasy football!) and unfortunately I just can’t see enough creativity in that starting XI. Sorry to be pessimistic, here’s hoping for another incorrect prediction!
Put Kightly in for the first 60 minutes. If you want creativity, why wait until the last half of the game to put him in?
We need offense. Also put Hoff in to start. He can’t be a defensive liability can he? So why not reward him for his goal and get the other strikers thinking about their future game time?
Ultimately, I think we want Kightly to be a regular and Milijas to be a regular. Why not start both? Hopefully Kightly will open things up for Milijas so he can be more creative.
Wolverhampton Wanderers
• Wolves have kept just one clean sheet in their last 11 Premier League home matches.
• Wolves have yet to win at home since winning promotion; last season they won 15 and drew five and lost three of their 23 home games.
Fulham
• They haven’t beaten Wolves at Molineux since winning 4-0 in 1985.
• The Cottagers have failed to score in 13 of their last 20 Premier League away games.
• Shot-shy Fulham have had the fewest attempts on target this season (11) along with Aston Villa.
At least with Kightly and SEB definitely on the bench, we’ve got two very good options.
Reading that report with McCarthy not ruling out Foley starting, I suspect he might make a return.
Looking at Andrewwfc’s predicted lineup, that seems pretty spot on to me now.
I’m still confident we can get a result but it’s going to take a big performance from everyone in old gold, as well as a moment of class from somewhere.
Roy Hodgson is wise. So wise.
3-0 Wolves. Elokobi to turn up to the pre-match meeting 2 hours early, and later in the day make that shoulder-dislocating tackle on Andy Johnson in the Europa League a few weeks ago look like a friendly pat on the back.
Sorry to be so pessimistic but I really cannot see us getting a result tomorrow.
I don’t see why Mick shouldn’t start The Hoff. He scored 1 in 45 minutes whereas Keogh has scored 1 in about 450 minutes (probably).
Thing that worries me is that Mick says he is showing loyalty…. to a losing team? Blues and Burnley have put our season into perspective.Fulham is now a must win game
Sorry to bring my petty squabbles onto the forum, but Dazza, did you see the result in the Glory v Roar game. Perth 4 Brisbane 2. Thank you very much.
Haha you got it spot on. glad doyle got off hte mark. was able to watch the final twenty minutes and it it was excrutiating