After two of the most boring and uneventful weeks in recent Molineux history, Wolves return to action this Saturday with a difficult game at Goodison Park.
Following the morale-crushing defeat to Portsmouth, you’d like to believe the boys in old gold will at the very least produce a performance.
And there’s evidence to suggest they will.
Scrutinising our progress thus far, you’d have to say that bouncing back is something we do quite well. Following the deflating opening day defeat to West Ham, we came out fighting at Wigan. Blackburn away was perhaps the worst performance of the campaign, yet we were able to quickly turn it around to overcome Fulham. This gives me hope that Wolves can get it right against the Toffees and maybe even dig out an unlikely result.
It’s a daunting task though.
Everton can give anyone a game when they’re on song and particularly at home, they’re a force to be reckoned with.
It worries me how well some of their midfielders break forward and I can definitely foresee the likes of Cahill, Osman and Pienaar causing us problems come Saturday. Ironically, if Wolves are to get a result, it might just be a former Everton player that throws a spanner in the works of their chief creators. I’m of course talking about Segundo Castillo. The Ecuadorian wrecking ball must play in my opinion to anchor our midfield and provide a shield in front of a leaky defence.
Up front, they’re certainly not lacking. Louis Saha is a striker of genuine quality and fully fit, must be considered their biggest threat. They’ve also got the imperious Yakubo finding his way back to full fitness and when he turns up, he’s practically unplayable. So whether Moyes adopts a 4-5-1 or a 4-4-2, I think our defence will need to put on their best performance so far in order to keep them out.
At the back though, I feel we might be able to expose one or two frailties. You can’t lose a player like Lescott and have a player like Jagielka sitting on the sidelines and not suffer. Even if we only deploy a lone striker, surely a couple of chances will fall our way and the end result might well come down to whether or not we take them.
I’m fully expecting Mick to flood the midfield as he did against Wigan and hope to grind out a result. This makes sense and with both our wingers fit, a 4-5-1 doesn’t necessarily equate to a defensive formation. But speaking of defence, could the much talked about Ronald Zubar finally be given his chance and if so, who is going to make way? Here’s my predicted lineup:
Hennessy
Halford
Berra
Zubar
Mancienne
Kightly
Henry
Castillo
Edwards
Jarvis
Doyle
Should Mick go for a two man attack, I’d expect Ebanks-Blake to be given a chance, perhaps at the expense of Edwards in midfield. But again, picking an eleven is pretty difficult, especially after such an indifferent display against Pompey. So really, your guess is as good as mine.
As far as a predicted scoreline goes, my heart says 1-1 but my head says 3-1 Everton. I’ll go with the latter but just hope that the boys come out fighting and surprise me with the result.
If you’re going to the match, have a great time and roar the lads on.
Up The Wolves.
Evertonian Preview
Here’s a mini-preview from an Everton fan, sent to me via the BBC 606 Message Board:
It’s great to see Wolves and Burnley back in the top flight. I’m hoping that both can survive. It’s always nice to see a mix up in the PL!
Saturdays match -
I can’t see a victory for Wolves. It may appear arrogant, but on paper we have far too much quality.
You may, depending on our performance sneak a draw but with the international break giving some of our team a rest and with the determination of our squad I fear for you.
We’ll pack the midfield and are learning to use the wings. Billy (our new russian) is showing glimmers of pure brilliance and his corners/crosses are almost pinpoint. With the likes of Cahill, Saha & Fellaini to target with such balls I can see us scoring more goals from open play this season.
Needless to add the quality of Saha upfront. Who, I would say is in the form of his life!
Our defence is getting stronger each week and Howard is in the form of his life so scoring against us won’t be easy. Distin & Yobo are partnering well, leaving the choice of Heitinga/Neil/Hibbert to cover RB.
The key to this battle will be the middle. From what i’ve seen of Wolves, they lack a bit of pace in the middle and that little bit of grit. If they let us play the flanks then they could be in trouble. If they block out the midfield and limit us to our ‘hoofball’ approach then I can see a draw.
Key players -
Wolves – Blake/Castillo/Kightly
Everton – Pienaar/Saha/Cahill
Good Luck
I don’t fear Everton at all. Yes they have good players and yes they are reasonable at home, but as my good friend and long time Everton fan says – Everton are dogshit!
Thomas you team choice is spot on for me, and I think as long as we keep it tight for 20-30 mins then the whinging scousers will be right on the backs of thier team. This is a game we can get something out of – we will need to be at our best, but we need to be at our best for every team in this league.
1-0 Wolves Dave Edwards in the 61st minute!
Sorry mate, but I always see teams like us getting results against the likes of Everton, you’re just that kind of team; lose points where they really shouldn’t.
Really cant see us getting anything out of this game to be honest.
Everton will be organised, work as hard (if not harder) than us, have home advantage and have greater quality in all areas. Add to this we always play poorly following an international break (not just this season) – the omens do not look good.
Would be amazed to see Castillo in the line up as he is currently in Chile with Ecuador and unlikely to be back before Friday – make no bones about it we miss this guy big time and midefield will be where this game is won and lost.
Our weakness in the air from set pieces will be tested to the full on Saturday – would play Berra and Zubar in the centre and Macienne left back.
Flying in from Switzerland for this one as I do for all matches and will be cheering the lads on but this is how I see it. Hope I am wrong.
Matt- now that’s commitment !!
I think it all comes down to Castillo playing or not. If he does alongside Henry, we can win the midfield battle and scrape a draw. I am feeling positive about this game, which is odd for me
Can’t see us getting much out of this game. Everton have so much more quality than we have. I watched the Australia/Oman game last night, Cahill is a powerhouse, and Saha one of the best strikers around… up against a possible debutant in Zubar. We haven’t got the guile, the experience, the energy/tempo or the skill factor to worry them. I’ll be ecstatic with a point to be honest…as it stands, I think we will get done 3-0…ho-hum
Matt – good shout about Castillo. I’l also play Ronnie at Centre Half, Mancienne at LB (who has thoroughly unimpressed me so far).
Daz – as a fellow Aussie (thank heavens Cahill scored) I agree Cahill poses a massive threat. I think we’ll lose 2-0, but a lot depends on the first 30 mins, if we hold tight and don’t concede we might just grind out a 0-0. I can see us conceeding from set pieces.
Thomas – I’ll do a Hennessey write up as well if you like a la Sunderland.
t’om…Farina out the door..YAY!!!! Wolves? amazing how our enthusiasm has been dampened by the first 8 games. After Saturday, that’s 25% of the season gone, w emay be in the bottom 3, and we haven’t played any big guns yet. I must admit, I’m really concerned about surviving. I still think we have the players to keep us up, but, we don;t seem to be getting the rub of the green.
WC 2010, I’d just love to be drawn in the same group as England, that’s one game we would definitely win….(puts tin hat on)
Equally (now Tin Hat is On) I agree we’d turn them over. I’d rather knock them out on penalties though.
I’m still enthusiastic. I’m loving every minute of being in the EPL. I get to watch them (almost) every week, plastic fans actually know who my team are, I have this feeling we’ll turn over one of the big 4 (call it blind hope/optimism).
The rub of the green must turn around sometime.
In short, it doesn’t matter if we might go down, we are in the big league, it’s a big adventure, and I’m generally too optimistic to care if we go down (despite every bone in my body wishing we stay up).
Hey T’om… it’s alright for you being 2 hours behind us
, after next week, it will be 1am before the game is on in BrizVegas, I need every second of beauty sleep I can get ! I suppose evening kick offs in the UK are a pain for you guys? Would kick off in the middle of the night!
Hey, where you in the Northbridge Hotel before the Wolves game in July? We had a few beers in the Brisbane, and I went to se ethe Nick Cave exhibition on the Sunday before flying home…cheers
Yeh, Champions League kicks off at 2:45am and the like. I wasn’t in the Northbridge, but was in the Brisbane for a beer with my girlfriend and cousin before the Wolves v Glory game.
Nick Cave… meh… Sorry.
It looks a very difficult game on paper and Everton are usually a force at home. I live in blind hope that we won’t be beaten again though. Would like to see Zubar in with Mancienne at LB also.
I’ll go for 1-1 with Kevin Doyle to score a penalty (we’re due one!)
I can not see anything but our guys being out classed. Everton are team full of genuinie top 6 PL players and are at home to boot. They will finish prob 6th or 7th this year and will get 3pts this weekend.
I think the latest poll says as much about our chances when asked how we will get on against Everton. Even the most positive choice is distinctly pessimistic…I did opt for it though, as I do think we might sneak a win. I think might is the operative word in that one though, as I think we might get spanked 3-0 as well. I might win the lottery one day, but I doubt it.
Thomas, I go with your team, I’d plump for that line-up too.
The class between the two teams is also highlighted with our longing for Castillo. An Everton mate I know wet himself when we signed him, as he was distinctly average for them.
If their fans knew we were pinning our whole hopes for a good result on him, they would be amazed. Even if it is true!
I’m looking back to Nigel Jemson inspiring Shrewsbury to an FA Cup win over them a few years back, when they still had an impressive Premiership team. And then there was Oldham (i think?) 2 years ago at Goodison, when they finished 5th yet lost 1-0.
Let’s treat it as a cup final and hope for the best! And without wishing to sound like a broke record, stop conceding these stupid twattish goals within 20 minutes of the kick off. Pleeeeaase!!!!!
For info:
“Ecuador’s frustration at going behind soon spilled over and in the 83rd minute they were reduced to ten men when Wolves midfielder Castillo went in with a studs-up, waist-high challenge on Fuentes which resulted in his inevitable dismissal.”
They lost 1-0 and havent qualified for the WC.
I would like to see the team with as much offensive flair as possible for tomorrows game. That means Doyle up front with Kightly and Milijas as mid fielders.
Let’s use this game to see how much offensive class we have, since most people are not predicting points anyway.