Newcastle and Crystal Palace are the two sides I’d say are closest in style to Wolves.
Both play with a low defensive block, preferring to absorb pressure and break rather than committing bodies forward.
Last weekend the onus was on Wolves to attack and I thought they did that well, albeit not quite able to find that final pass or finish prior to Raul’s opener.
When teams sit in you’ve got to rotate the ball quickly to open up spaces and there are signs that Neto and Podence can do that better than their predecessors, even if the end product wasn’t there against Newcastle.
They’ll get another go on Friday with Palace likely to surrender territory in favour of solidity.
Check the odds on Wolves dominating the ball on the Powerplay Website with all markets available.
Palace
I think the Eagles will improve on last season by virtue of the fact they’ve got more attacking options at their disposal.
There’s still a high reliance on Wilfried Zaha though and fortunately for them he’s looked close to his potent best whenever I’ve seen him play in recent weeks.
Like Wolves, they’ve developed an effective way of playing in recent years, which has already seen them win at Old Trafford and collect a couple of useful wins against Southampton and Fulham this season.
A point against Brighton and defeats to Chelsea and Everton mean they come into this match with an almost identical record to Wolves (same points, scored two more, conceded one more).
They’re a thoroughly decent outfit and with the additions they’ve made like Clyne, Riedewald and Eze on top of those returning rom injury like van Aanholt and Sakho, I think they’re in strong contention for Europe.
Roy Hodgson has proven himself to be an excellent Premier League manager, building similarly effective teams at Fulham and West Brom. He should be afforded more credit than he gets.
The away end
Some comments lifted from a pre-match thread on the Holmesdale Palace forum.
Wolves away will be challenging and seem to be specialist at winning 1-0, sharing an equal points tally with ourselves, although I go for a 1-1 draw.
This is always going to be a difficult match for any team going to Wolves,It will be one of those games where we defend in depth looking for a point, so I would be happy at 0-0, on the other hand if we can nick one and win 0-1 then I will be very, very happy!
If they score early they could put a few past us. If we score early we could expose them on the break. I fancy a 1-0 smash and grab to us. Our full backs are gonna be in for an afternoon of work. For me I think Schlupp needs to play to give TM a hand and Andros needs another top performance to help out Clyne who looked pretty rusty at times last week. I felt like he wasn’t sure whether to stay or go to his man when their wingers got the ball.
The winner will go joint top on points with Everton and Liverpool. With that in mind, this will be a draw. 1-1, can’t see us keeping a clean sheet or scoring many.
Wolves
Most of our best moments came down the right against Newcastle, which made us more predictable. Perhaps Nuno will consider a more conventional wingback for down the left this time?
Then again, once he finds a team he likes, he does tend to stick with it, so Marcal and Hoever and Ait-Nouri may have to be content with another watching brief.
Traore has looked poor in both his recent cameos. I do wonder what his mindset is like having seen Jota leave and yet still finding himself outside of the starting XI?
Should he be in ahead of Neto or Podence? There’s certainly an argument to say so, and you would have thought if results do take a turn, he’d be one of the first to come back into the side.
Predictions
Well done to Marney, Dandy Wolf, BG and Martin57 who all correctly predicted the 1-1 scoreline against Newcastle.
Northumbrian Wolf and Graham from Horsham are joint top in the overall table at the end of Gameweek 6.
As always if you’d like to join in, simply leave your prediction for this game in the comment section below, which is where you’ll find my best guess.
Up The Wolves!
This fixture scares me a bit. We won it comfortably at the end of last season, but I think they were phoning it in a bit.
It’s still our best start to a Premier League season and I’d be ecstatic if we carried that on by winning this one, but I suspect another draw is incoming.
I’m clueless this season. I can’t resist going for the win as that will look very nice in the table!
History shows that when playing a Roy Hodgson team, when it hits the fan , it really hits the fan because of their pacey countering style. The Palace away fixture last season springs to mind, we were stronger in the first half but didn’t take our critical chance. Then second half they were fortunate to go ahead and from there it was all one way traffic with the unavoidable Saiss red card (Zaha knew to run at him multiple times) and Benteke missing a one-on-one that would have put the game to bed. A hopeful cross connecting with a Jota finish got us out of jail that day and that was a kind of turning point for the season I guess.
So I’m worried too. Show me that I’m wrong Wolves.
Good summary as ever Thomas. Bizarrely probably our most difficult game. They are, as you alluded to, likely to sit deep and counter, so has all the hallmarks of a draw. Fellow bloggers have commented that a rampaging Adama is a frightening prospect, maybe this is the game for him, get running towards the box, not just the corner flag, maybe Neto to make way and be a super sub?
We have had another uninterrupted week of training, this can only pay dividends in our new style. Got to come good one week!
Sadly I share the view that a draw looks most likely .
I am still hopeful that more time on the training pitch will help to get those close player connections going needed to score more as without doing so we cannot realistically hope for a top 6 finish .A clean sheet every week is not realistic .
I think Nuno has to give a Traore a run in the team from the start .He is the one player no opposition wants to face and he can cause the sort of havoc to create spaces for others .This may be the route to create more goals .I would put him in in place of Neto despite his good performances since he is more likley than Podence to be an impact sub .
Gonna be another good test for us to try and beat the low block.
Surely the result of last game didn’t tell the story of the first 80 minutes but following the first goal by Raul, Wolves looked flat footed – defensive minded with no intention of scoring another. 6 goals in 6 matches wont take us far but I actually predict 2 from us in this match. I think the training sessions this week as provided us with value and it will be show Friday night. Defense has looked great to start the season but they will have their hands full with a player like Zaha and the current form he is in. 2-0 final in our favor is my prediction. This is a huge game before we play the foxes next week. Look for no other than Raul to find the score sheet as well as possibly Neto or Donck. COYW
Start of last season was draw after draw after draw. We lost the points that could have put us top 4 (alright, along with the season end’s poor results).
Anyway, going for a draw, 0-0 but with a few thrills and near misses.
I will be one of those misses, missing the Mol. Not the same on the box.
Will my seat still be there when we get back?
Another interesting match. I can see us dominating possession again in this one. I would just like to avoid a nervous final few minutes by banging in a couple!
Another tight one but we’re due the rub of the green.
I thought against Newcastle there where some signs of improved football but when it’s 1-0 you are always at risk of something daft happening. I would go with the same team except for the LWB when we have a lot of the ball we need a more attacking option there. Probably to soon for Ait-Nouri so Marcal comes in.
Palace will pose more of a threat than Newcastle so we need to be aware off that but we do appear to be over the West Ham defensive horror show.
I hope we buck our ideas up on Friday night. Since lockdown we have gone from being a delight to watch with our exciting brand of football to a side that is largely predictable and pedestrian.
Wolverhampton Wanderers 1
Crystal Palace 0
On Sunday I shall achieve that age that The Beatles sang about – ‘…….birthday greetings, bottle of wine’ – so I expect my boys to deliver this week please.
P.S. My fundraising for MacMillan Cancer Support is now up to £2,335 so thank you all – no getting out of going in the icy North Sea on Christmas Day now!
Hi, can you repost the link to your fundraising page… I’ve been meaning to chip in … thanks
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/david-sims240720?utm_source=Sharethis&utm_medium=fundraising&utm_content=david-sims240720&utm_campaign=pfp-email&utm_term=bf49ebc668dc4f178bf79bc4ef05703c
Newcastle repeat mark 2 with Palace.
Will be boring park the bus by Woy, but can’t resist going for the win however.
Thanks. Done
After the weekend games the Press christened Palace’s tactics as “Roy-Ball”. This entails setting up his team as a block that is impenetrable, in other words 10 men behind the ball , defending the half way line, aka parking buses and hoping Zaha magic will nick a goal or a penalty.
Unfortunately so far Nuno has encouraged a possession based tactic with hundreds of square passes across the defensive or midfield thirds.
So a team that doesn’t want to concede v. a team that doesn’t know how to attack . Well that’s a certain 0-0.
The answer lies in our ability to penetrate either down the sides or play decisive forward passes, make quicker passes, even take pot shots from 20 yards, get Traore to run behind defenders or at least run past them, get Podence to beat players and then pass or shoot, please Nuno ,take the handbrakes off, fire up the engine and rip into Palace on Friday night.
Yes, a good summary BG. We seem to be really struggling for goals now that we’ve sold Matt and Diogo and I can’t see it being much different against a predominately well organised team like Palace.
We’ll be relying on Raul to get us a goal again I think. At the other end, can we keep a clean sheet ourselves? I’m not so sure that we can keep Zaha at bay for the whole match either, so I’m going for a score draw.
Like many, I can’t see anything than a 0-0 or 1-1 so I’ll go for a swashbuckling win for our boys
A win please Wolves!!!
Tough game ahead!!
Same as Sunday, hoping this will be the match when we gel and score a few.
Yow dough score if yow dough shoot.
Ay that roight, Cheesy?
We ave to shoot on sight, from everywhere, and the law of averages sez sum will goo in.
Wo they?
Our players need to look in the museum and watch film of Waggy, who was probably our best dribbler, give defenders twisted blood, then go and try to emulate him on the pitch.
I’ve been advocating this for wicks, teck a bloke on, get in the box an av a goo.
Yowm gunna getcha fare shair of penultees an all.
OK, enuff.
Cor yow tell arv bin torkin to Twixxo?
This is the game we come good, and throw Woy under the buses he will vainly attempt to park.
Caution will be in the wind, gloves off, shackles loosened, and any other cliche you want, to the cleaners you go, Mr. Hodgson.
Easy amble under the Molineux floodlights, top of the league by closing time, and there we shall remain until the season ends ………………………. providing it finishes at midnight!!!
Y’all will be pleased to know that I did my duty at The Chipper last night, royally taking the piss out of Neil, the shit -fan-owner!
To be fair, his fish n chips are as good as any in England, which is obviously more than can be said about his football team!
Look at that, two “swear” words.
Wonder how long before a vocabulary nazi gets me!
FOwb
Nice but if local dialect there Cliveyboy……..
I lernt a lot yesterday at the Black Country Living Museum…. theyres a plug for em eh.
Them gunna rebuild the Elephant and Castle pub (golden oldies will know it was on the corner of Lower Stafford St and Cannuck Rd.) .. a favorit last stop, watering hole before gooing to the Mol…. and seein Waggys wizardry.
Great heritage…. and many a memory of how Wolverhamton was a jewel in the Black Country crown….. Sunbeam motors, Midland Counties dairy, even the fag shops selling Senior Service, Woodbines and Park Drive…. as well as well chosen worded tobacco…?… remind you of the Penn Rd mate?
Yo, Cheesey, BOG and many others will loff and chuckle….
It was ironic too that the teacher picked me out in the lesson and gave me the cane…. oooh miss.
Tough game tomorrow….
Personally fed up of watching the buses parked up… making for another dour evening.. providing Zaha doesn’t go sprawling and suckers Martin Atkinson into his swallow dive then 1-0 should do it.
Nice bit of local dialect….
You can’t say Nazi!
You’ll be invading Poland next.
Making a crazy prediction this week…
I hope that podence doesn’t have to give way to Adama this week
Podence has been getting better and better every game . Fantastic signing and a much better player for us than jota has been for about a year ( reckon those rumours were probably true ) anyway we’ve looked a far worse team on both occasions when adama s come on . If he’s had his head turned then cash in . We need players that want to prove something.
Happy birthday Bedders . Much love and U T W
Adama is getting 25 minutes at the end of games that we are trying to see out? I don’t see his switch being the reason the “we looked a far worse team”. by the time he arrives we are already sitting back and not attempting anything.
Work in progress. They say Rome wasn’t built in a day. Well, a bit of it was. A couple of streets, a nice apartment block, a post office , a couple of parks ,an off licence and a dog kennel for Kevin the bull terrier. With the rest of it completed a few months after. Kevin was extremely pleased with the Roman’s as they managed to get him on Autumn Watch with Chris Packham and some Geese flying in from Outer Mongolia to spend winter on some mud flats in Bilston. Kevin managed to find a whale in Bilston canal. It was a bicycle whale (Black Country spake ay it Cloive). So on to Haloween Eve and a ghastly old relic will once again frequent the opposition dugout. Woy is back. To be fair I don’t mind Woy apart from the annoying rubbing of his face and questioning of why Wilf didn’t get at least 17 penalties. Well no penalties this time and no goals either. WWFC 2 CPFC 0.After the game Nuno said ” A great way to warm up for Halloween. I have already frightened my kids on zoom by wearing a Lee Hughes mask” woy said ” I think Wilf should have had 17 penalties. Perhaps the Ref was put off by Nuno wearing a Lee Hughes mask. Hideous”.
Despite our grinding out points this season I still think we’re a shadow of our former selves. That said we do have mitigating circumstances.
I’m officially going for the generic “WTF do I know” 2 – 1 win but because my competitive self has half an eye on the prediction league, my registered score might suggest I change my name to Boris.
Hopefully we click into gear and both score and manage the game.
Lets try Silva with H and Podence behind. A proper LWB (lets try them both). RWB (why not, lets try both). Big Lend & Rub.
Kill, Cod & Big boy Bolly.
Rui. Impact subs Adama, Neto and a couple that Nuno are being shy about
I’m struggling to work out your team Bob and reckon Nuno is scratching his head too.
Would be nice to pick up the points that slipped through our fingers last week.
WGH!
Two teams with a mindset of not conceding means a fairly drab game, as per usual, I’m afraid. The most obvious results are therefore 0-0, 1-0 or 0-1 and a level stakes wager on all three will yield a nice profit. I’ll consider that but, in the meantime, will go against the grain, so
Palace have the players to hurt anybody on the break and we’ll need to be on best behaviour at the back. I reckon we’ll see Marcal come in to fill the position we bought him for as Nuno wanted to bring him back gradually in the Newcastle game.
Otherwise, further growth in team understanding needs to be evident if we are to start finding the net more often. As Bedders said earlier, we seem to have lost our vim and verve and are battling through games instead of taking them by the scruff and shaking vigorously. But it will come, of that I’m sure.
A recurring theme on the Blog is whether to play Traore and when? As an impact sub or from the start and this week is typical. So here are my thoughts which are no better than most and not as good as Nuno’s.
So if Adama starts who do you drop? Podence, Samedo, Neto? Which is at the heart of the problem. All have been in good form and deserve their place. But as Palace are not a team that piles on the pressure couldn’t we afford to be less defensive in midfield. Donk, who has I think been playing well, drops to the bench this week. As an added benefit it will give us two quick players, Nelson and Adama up against Zaha. Take him out of the game and Palace lose their main threat. And Traore and Samedo might forge a good partnership.
Whatever selection Nuno goes for I expect a win.
We won’t find out if the Neto/Raul/Podence forward line can really click unless we give it 10 matches minimum so I expect no changes there. Marcel to start with Saiss and Neves in midfield. Traore to come on alongside Raul as first sub on the hour. Expecting Newcastle Mark 2 and we could easily lose if concentration levels fall. I was hoping Zaha had injured himself on the goalpost last match. Not a game to chase, if we are going to realise our ambitions to be a team of all seasons we need to find a way to win. Still a WIP so one all draw.
It’s a win for me.
Could be a boring stalemate or if either side score relatively early on in the proceedings we may be in for a mini goal fest. Likelihood sways towards the former so to buck the trend I’ll go for the latter.
5 goals to be scored in a tit for tat game with us, by way of Kilman’s head, giving us the 3 points.
Another difficult one to predict. I’m worried by our reliance on Jimenez for goals and a draw would seem to be the most likely. But I’m hoping that the Newcastle game would have been a good preparation for this game and that we’ll convert a few more of our chances this time around.
Tougher on grass than on paper, for sure. As both teams seem to be happy with a 1-0 scoreline, I think that’s how it will end up – so let’s hope it’s us doing the scoring. Wouldn’t it be lovely if it was a Neves Worldy (remember those ??).
I’ve always said that bringing Traore on in the 60th minute was the best option, but not so sure now. He seems a bit lost somehow. Maybe bringing him on at start might gee him up a bit.
The good news is that the game is on at 7am here in Oz – so can have a decent night’s sleep and still watch it directly.
I’m going back to what I wrote a couple of posts back, “Adama played a full 90 mins for Spain and he was the star of the show”. With that in mind I would give him 90 against Palace and swap Neto and Poddy when one’s run himself into the ground. We were getting more touches last week and the inter linking play between the forwards was starting to show positive signs.
Let’s just get the final ball sorted now and then improve our decision making in the box, goals will start to flow.
Watching Man U last night illustrated our problem, we’re to nicey nicey against other teams, United were feckin savage and ripped Leipzig apart with a cruel streak we don’t seem,to have.
I’m hoping it is going to continue to improve and we finally click, so 3-0 to me.
Ruthless Wolves 3 Podence, Adama, Neves ( from inside the box)
Woy’s Palace 0
I was in Gornal on Sunday at my 11 year old Grandsons game, the kids there were not a patch on our side but won it 4-3.
Our lads were tough and ruthless.
Gornal were rough and toothless.
There’s the difference.
Again, I’m finding it difficult to get excited about this game.
Missing Molineux?… Wolverhampton Withdrawal Symptoms? … Old Age?
Or just a general feeling of lethargy and lockdown pissedoffness.
Tell me to get over myself, but I still mourn the passing of Diogo Jota and Matt Doherty.
I don’t feel that ‘The Pack’ is complete at the moment. I hope that the replacements prove themselves to be worthy of wearing the shirt, but I think that until I see them in the flesh, sat in my seat in the Steve Bull (that’s me, not them obviously), they won’t establish themselves in my mind – and heart – as part of the Club that I love.
The trouble is, I think the players feel much the same way.
Until Molineux is packed and rocking again, I don’t reckon we’re going to see a full blooded 90 minute Wolves performance.
The players, particularly the new ones, need to experience what a roused Molineux crowd can bring to the team.
And so do I.
I don’t think you are a saddo, well not too much of one anyway, and I completely agree with you about the Mol.
The noise and atmosphere generated by 30,000 plus is unbelievable, even with the muted crap that comes over the airwaves on tv, ostensibly so we can better hear the commentators and so called expert analysists.
I dread to think how many fans have, or will be, turned off for good about attending or even watching, games in the future.
I feel we should re open all the grounds, for all events, sporting or otherwise, and fill our boots!
I am with you, Doogle, on being totally fed up with the whole bollocksed up situation.
We have had flus and coughs and colds and all manner of diseases for as long as we’ve inhabited this planet, and I say let Mother Nature take it’s course, and embrace the coming winter and holiday season with open arms, and lets have some fun, some fabulous football again, and be friendly and kind to everyone, even Tim and Albion fans………………until we play them, of course!
If we let mother nature take its course the hospitals will be overrun with Covid cases and everything else will be put on the backburner meaning more and more delays for operations etc resulting in many more deaths.
How this thing started was nothing to do with mother nature and how it ends won’t be either. Roll on the vaccines which NHS front line workers will be getting shortly.
Let’s get some cheer by stuffing the Palace tomorrow.
Glad to see that you know how it started, and more importantly, how it will end.
Please enlighten the rest of the world.
Well Donald, you’ve not got a clue and never really have. And what’s that stupid hair do all about?
If you don’t know how it started then that’s probably why you’ll lose the election even though you’ll claim it’s rigged or a fake result.
Maybe if you took the time to check the global news and weren’t so insular you’d be aware that the Oxford vaccine is to be rolled out shortly to front line NHS staff and the most vulnerable. Not early enough, unfortunately, to prevent the second wave.
Don’t be so fuckin stupid .
F o w b
Blimey so many differing opinions on team selection mainly centering around the enigmatic Traore.
Should he start or should he be an impact sub ?
Well his intro as an impact sub has been crap to say the least so maybe he should start .
Traore does have lazy moments when he seems to be in another world then someone lights his fuse and he’s off and as its almost bonfire night so lets light his fuse and watch him burst into flame.
Nuno needs to tell the lads to keep giving him the ball and yes we know he will balls it up more times than he gets it right but when he does get it right watch out woy. Perhaps he needs to be knackered up by half time then subbed for neto but by then we have our lead.
Just a theory which wont happen because i reckon nuno will play the same side as last game and it will be stalemate yet again….so
Traore from the start 3-0 ….Traore as an impact sub 1-1
It doesn’t help When Adama is having to come pick the ball up on our own box… That is the biggest difference this season regarding Adama being played or being UNplayable. By the time he turns he is all ready inline with 3 players as they get to him so quick. Thats ok when its outside there own box but outside ours he is a liability.
As was stated above, Adama played a full 90 minutes for Spain. When he was there, he was the talk of Spain, his picture splashed on the front/back page.
Nuno seems to prefer to use him 1/2 or less of the time that he is available, for some reason. That gives him 1/2 of the chance to get an assist or goal.
And you wonder why we don’t score a lot.
And as far as Jota goes, let’s wait until the end of the season. We all knew he was good but he wasn’t able to be consistent the whole season. Only time will tell if it will be different with his current team.
I think this is going to be a building game after Newcastle. Held the possession very well and played some nice one touch football.
I think with that in mind Nuno will give the green light on an all out attack with this game. Let the top 3 hold up the play and tear down the dodgy defence of Palace, they are still adjusting to there new style as we are gelling people into the team.
In all honesty, I want to see Marcal start but I wouldn’t drop Saiss, I’d put him in the middle with Donk so we can really dominate the Midfield as that is our weak spot in my eyes. Too many battles lost and not feeding the ball up quick enough.
I hope our tactical approach to this game is go all out. for 90. and Win the game….
Keep zaha quiet and we will be fine
Wolves win and clean sheet
I can see a banana skin looming but surely we will learn from the Newcastle result. Palace will be happy with a point but, unlike Newcastle, they will also be looking for three points.
I’ve read so many stories recently about this ‘force of nature’ worth 70 big ones, and I wonder why we are not playing Traore more! At this supposed value he must be our best player. I can’t imagine Klopp NOT starting his best player. OK, maybe Traore is our super-sub but he needs more time on the pitch of make a difference in a game. I still don’ t get it. A conspiracy theorist might think Nuno is wrapping him in cotton wool in readiness for a big money move when the clock strikes midnight on NYE.
Palace will be more of a handful than Newcastle, especially with Zaha in form. They will attack and leave gaps. I’m torn between 2-1 and 3-1 to us.
Marcel for Saiss, and maybe even Saiss for Dendoncker in midfield! Traore to start. While we need time to gel and learn the new system, the negative play in the first half is depressing! Something should change, although I must admit both Podence and Neto are playing really well! When a goal is scored by Wolves the absolute joy is well worth the wait but 6 goals in 6 games is torture. I believe that if our first half results Last season were full time results, we would have been relegated! I guess it is the Wolves way to ensure we have squeaky bum time in every game! Oh for a comfortable win, where I can relax and enjoy the game without too much stress. Nuno’s team selection will be Interesting. Better him than me!!
Its no wonder all our threatening play was down the right last home game, Saiss is not quick enough for wingback. Why not try that new French lad and see what he can do. Apart from the last 5 minutes I thought we were ok last time out, so put the shooting boots on for Fridays game and it could be a very enjoyable evening. Mmmm.
You are correct, Mark. For a back five to be fully effective you need raiding wing backs down both flanks who are fit as a fiddle so that they can chase back and do their defensive duties in equal measure. Semedo is still finding his feet so with Saiss’s ineffectiveness going forward we only have half a wing back at the moment and this is, I think, contributing significantly to the turgid displays that we are currently witnessing.
Another drab affair I fear. Anyone paying £14.95 to watch it on T.V ?
Not me
But I aint over there
Get it on regular tv, but that costs me a friggin’ packet every month, so still getting shafted by the tv companies!
No – have given my £15 to a local food bank like many fans fed up with the money grabbers who endanger the beautiful game. And that includes the American billionaires who think a a “super” league, a closed shop, offers them and their mates the money gravy boat. They know nothing about football and care less. But all they will do is kill the golden goose.
ALWAYS hesgoal.com for me
Stream can buffer at times but usually ok … and it’s free.
I’m watching it in the pub so will actually end up paying more, although I do get free refreshments with waitress service thrown in.
Free refreshments? Sounds like my sort of pub!
I did. Best £15 I’ve ever wasted.
Best game of the season so far.
Zaha and Saiss…..feeling a bit queasy about that combo…and Saiss and Eze could be lethal too
I’m in the Traore from the start camp….even if he just wins some free kicks for Neves
Sod it….lets go for it lads
Thomas’ team …minus Saiss and Moutinho….plus Traore and Neves
Nothing ventured…nothing gained
UTW
I honestly do not know what to think at the moment. I think I can see what Nuno is trying to achieve but I am not sure we have the players to do it.
Where is the creative midfield spark?
Where is the box to box engine?
The build up play still seems painfully slow, it is as if they have to stop and collectively consult the planning guidelines every time before anyone makes a move.
I have faith that Nuno will get it right in the end I just hope I have the will power to keep on watching it until he does.
Maybe the flair will turn up on Friday because Palace are the kind of team that would capitulate quite easily if we got an early goal (or two).
Just hope that someone can find the key to remove Woy’s bus.
After the Newcastle game I was dejected…very much a game where 2 points were definitely dropped ! Don’t want a repeat of the drab football that we all saw in the first half against the toon .
Can we get at em from the get go please Dr Nuno….we need first half goals to give us a second half momentum.
COYW
Vitinha is supposed to be in the mold of Moutinho. Shabani played for Bayern Munich and says Ajax wanted him to replace some guy named De Jong.
If Nuno really wants an attacking midfielder, he has two to choose from, once Shabani gets fully fit.
If he can play Neto at his age, then he can play one of these guys, too, if he really wants to.
The question is – does he really want an attacking mid-fielder or is it just the fans that want one?
Good to see that you’ve got Shabani’s ear, Tim.
Are you popping over the pond to Compton any time soon? In sure Nuno is anxious to meet up and maybe hand over control of training sessions.
How do I have Shabani’s ear? And why are all of your comments negative responses to other people?
Well you did say that he said Ajax wanted him to replace De Jong.
As I’ve been saying, I’m putting these ideas out there now and in a few weeks, everyone will be discussing this as though everyone always thought it to be the case.
(Someone will write that I’m stating the bleedin’ obvious.)
Some people will read it and digest it right away but people like you may take a few weeks.
Absolutely agree Tim .. shabani s link up play before injury, I thought, was outstanding. Watched him when’ever I could . Hope he makes the transition, great prospect
Over the years I have seem some distressing results against Palace. So I am going to be uber positive
Win 4-0 and we go 2nd. Win 8-0 and we go top. I think.
But that means nothing really. Slowly does it. A nice 3 points would be great, but if Saiss is playing I fear the worst. If he is not we may progress down the left unlike before. I still consider him a liability. Can’t see us winning this one tbh.
Come on lads. Put in the effort over 90 minutes, for a change. Show some enthusiasm. You are class but you are becoming Wolverhampton Underachievers.
This is going to be the game when it all turned around.
I was going 2-0 but Lawro’s done that and he’s crap at predictions.
We can’t wait to see you all again in the flesh. When we eventually flood back into the Mol all them newcomers will know they’ve arrived at the right place.
I fail to understand the coaching strategy.
The best player on the Wolverhampton team is clearly Adama Traore. He goes in around the 65th minute- and they always geta goal within the next 10 minutes.
The second best player is clearly Daniel Podence. He goes out around the 65th minute.
Why on Earth would you want your two best players on the field at the same time. You risk scoring 4 goals and making the game boring, I suppose. With only one in at a time, the defense can double up on the dangerous attacker- making the competition more sporting, I suppose.
It’s not like these guys are 34 years old. They are young and fit. The best defense is a great offense…and the best offense is a great offense…
Well it’s official, we are all a little bit grumpy and moany.
Palace seem very happy with their points total atm whilst we want more.nothing wrong with that of course but 7 from nine in this league is not an easy thing to do , just ask arsenal or united who are playing a bottom of the table clash this weekend whilst we go for top three.
We have fit players now so no need to shoehorn anyone in anywhere.
Marcel has to come in for me , Dendoncker has to play and I’d also like to see traore start to take all the emphasis off a bang in form Saha .
The difference tonight from the Newcastle game is that we are going to score in the first half, then get the second midway through the second half, they will get a consolation though late on , perhaps a penalty .
10 from 12 would put a big smile on every wolves fans face ,,,,, surely.
Come on you wolves
I still don’t think the wing back play on the left is working out. I like Saiss as a defender but his crosses going forward left a lot to be desired against Newcastle. Maybe time to see Marcal start.
If Marcal and Semedo start to click, it can all start to happen. And we’re long overdue for some Neves magic …
Come on Wanderers. You got this!
Has Nuno worked any magic in training this week, we can only hope. Having failed to break down a poor Newcastle side last week I don’t hold out much hope for this one.
0 – 0
We have some serious talent in our ranks, but our output in goals has consistently been on the low side. It does seem strange, and it’s made worse by not being at the games, because it’s something we all crave to watch as wolves rip up an opposing team. But I still feel it will come, eventually. Stu made a valid point in saying that we don’t have a ruthless streak in us. Defence first says Nuno, so let’s hope we push on game by game, starting with today. Hoping for a win.
My take on Adama is that he’s not showing enough to take his game to the next level. The word unplayable is mentioned a lot with him, but in terms of his all round game I don’t agree with it. Messi and Ronaldo in their prime we’re unplayable, adding in that ruthlessness that Stu mentioned. Messi in particular made his game all about taking the ball as close to the goal as possible with his skill and ability, before laying it off or scoring himself.
Adama was great last season and showed he can improve. But I don’t think the balance between passing simple, taking on down the wing then crossing, and going at the heart of a teams defence is there right now. I want him tapping into an open net on a weekly basis, such is his ability.
I think there is more than a run and cross player in there, and Nuno probably thinks it too. It’s up to the player himself to make the right decisions in games. I doubt he’s been told he can only go down the wing.
Just my thoughts while many people on here are bringing up the subject.
UTW
I’ve often thought Dom, that if Adama could do what he does on the wing, but through the middle heading for goal, he could be walking the ball into the net every game.
Just a dream I suppose, but a lovely one.
Spot on Wolfstroker. Ronaldo started off as a winger and ended up as the most potent striker of all time. Adama isn’t in his class, of course (only Messi is), but I’m sure we can all see that the potential is definitely there.
Thierry Henri also started off as a winger and things didn’t work out too badly when Wenger moved him to the middle.
Half the people here were ready to give up on him two seasons ago. Something about no football brain.
You ask why I criticise, Tim, and then you come out with rash, unsubstantiated comments like, ‘half the people on here were ready to give up on him two seasons ago ‘. Really? Some people, granted but it’s not necessary to tarnish 50% of bloggers with the same brush.
Yes Steve . Remember his goals v Man City. Both central.
A lovely dream indeed.
Walking the ball in the net or getting a penalty.
Either would do.
Great post again, Dom, thought provoking. Adama showed his potential to drive at pace into a defence in the Sevilla game. Let’s see more of that.
Good post Dom. Invite to join us in the Blackmore Vale Inn, Marnhull.. Still open mate.
Are they showing these so called box office games at the Blackmore vale inn?
Mark the landlord is a Palace, fan, so the 3 of us split the cost and also put then each paid £15.00 to charity too.
We are happy than Mark after the result!!
I’ve been saying the same thing for weeks, just not so eloquently put!
I would like to see Dendonker Saiss as holding midfielders with Neves playing centrally forward of them closer to the attack,linking the play.
At present we are not dynamic enough in midfield it has been stated so many times,which puts pressure on the defence and little creativity going forward.
As for Traore l will stand by what l stated last season @24 l don’t think their is anymore improvement to come,he will always be inconsistent,for all those good moments he gives in a game,let’s not forget those moments he is bundled off the ball and takes an age to recover never runs back when dispossessed.
He will probably play a blinder now and prove l know sweet f.a
Championships – zero. FA Cups – zero. League Cups – zero. European football – never. If ever there was a club destined just to make up the numbers it is Crystal Palace. Which is probably why I always feel slightly embarrassed whenever we drop points to them. That and the fact that they come from the most depressingly boring part of the wealthy South East of the country. Suburbia in a coma.
Anyway, regardless of all that Hodgson has got them set up nicely playing counter-attacking football a bit like how we used to play – with pace. So I foresee a long and difficult evening ahead of us, and probably a renewed sense of embarassment.
Traore has not performed great the last few weeks although he did for Spain hope he comes good in this
Rate Semedo but not defensively looked to be easily pushed off the ball which could be tricky against Zaha
Had an uninterrupted week to train together so hoping
how can he play great with 20minutes here and there in a 11man defensive tactic as we try to hold onto the scraps we have?
If he has to pick the ball up in our own half facing our own goal, HE wont be able to play his role.
Got to go for a win sometime
2-1 Wolves.
Ive got a feeling of Doom about this game for some reason. So I’m gonna for the first time ever go for a loss. ?
Hoping it comes together better this week. I feel we are close. Let’s score more than a single goal.
We all know it will be another tight game. We need to find regular goals from elsewhere in the team.
1-0 Wolves, Neto.
Well I could see progress in style of play against Newcastle, so I’m still positive about this season. Hopefully, we will come out more attacking tonight.
I’m going for a win. Very difficult to predict the starting 11 now.
Optimistic that we can win this one. With a weeks training under their belts, I’m hoping Nuno will have worked his magic.
If Semedo can keep Zaha quiet we can win this game.
Agreed Cannock.
COMBs!
Haven’t had time to read all the comments. Not that it would help me. I have no idea on the best team selection but I did see some promising interplay between Semedo and Neto; they’ve clearly been working together. And Podence even got the woeful Sky folk excited.
Adama needs to play soon if only to increase his sale price (will he, won’t he, I don’t know).
Going for a Wolves win bc it’s hard to do anything else.
My Millwall-supporting hubby can’t believe Palace are any good. ?
I’ve seen enough of an improvement since the newish squad have at last got back to train together to feel a little happier. Palace, on their day, are very dangerous, so I hope we are able to step our teamwork up to yet another level for this one. Is Marcal ready to start; I hope so. Has Semedo been able to work on his defensive positioning; Knowing Nuno, i would think so. Can Kilman maintain his great authoritative start? We just need someone to join n in the scoring stakes to really get going. Now is the time for one or two to step up to the mark; Jimenez can not do it all on his own. Zaha is a great player on his day so let’s hope today is not his day. I’m going for an optimistic 3-1 win. The performance is important for me; we need to see progress from what we know to be a good set of players…
Its a nailed on turning point today ….road to Damascus moment…..the green shoots were spouting through last Sunday only to be stunted late on by an error ….we are getting better ….convert the dominance in open play from superior players will eventually lead to games being convincingly won….we are a force to be reckoned with this season ….Palace will capitulate….Roy’s post match interview will be fascinating when he utters Traore hatrick ……..3-0
Bit of excitement would be nice wouldn’t it? On second thoughts, with the chance to go joint top give me a drab 1-0 any day. Zaha’s bound to score though, so we might need to score twice. Crazy, right?
As much as I like Saiss he’s not a WB so would like to see Marcal get a start. Not sure where to then play Saiss unless in the middle as suggested by a previous blogger.
Advantage of playing Traore from the start is possibility of more crosses into the box for others to latch into.
Like everyone else I’m fed up of no attendance at the Mol, also 1 week into the Wales lockdown getting fed up with the whole thing!
Home win to cheer us all up please Wolves.
Once again nothing would surprise me under the present artificial circumstances. On their day Palace perform well and Wilf Z normally causes defences a few problems. I’m still waiting for us to have OUR day and will forecast a good win in the hope that, as the old joke has it “It’s Tonight!, It’s Tonight!!”. Hoping that our ‘tricksters’ will give us all a ‘treat’.
COYW
I’m late. Wolves win.
Well the only thing we need now is for us to come out and play in the second half. Solid performance first half but we do need to play for 90 minutes, Palace are no mugs either.
Well, that’s the best first half display I’ve seen for a LONG time.
RIP Nobby Stiles, a small version of Connor Coady, funny fella.
You will be missed.
Now that’s what we wanted.
Nice one lads.
sleep well fellow wolfs superb result
It’s all evolving nicely
Come on you wolves
Well worth the 3-30 am wake up
Well done to the lads. Didn’t watch game as refuse to ppv when already paying for sky and bt sport But it must have been a decent performance as palace are a tough team. Nice to see us scoring in the first half too – it can only help!
Should have streamed it. Great game to watch.
Get in.
I certainly got that wrong.
Well played lads.
Yep, me too. I’ll predict 0-0 every week if it helps.
Well done lads, have a nice weekend, crack on next week.
Third!!! Flippin ‘eck.