Regardless of what happens on Sunday, I think it’s been a good season.
We started poorly and have finished worse, but there was enough substance in the middle to call it a success over 38 games.
My expectations were set low with an unproven head coach backed by minimal investment, so to be north of 50 points with a top-half finish guaranteed is pleasing.
However, we can’t ignore how dismal performances have been in recent months and the club must take bold and decisive action over the summer to reshape the squad. It does feel like stick or twist time.
Unless there’s a high calibre alternative available (Lopetegui is rumoured to be leaving Sevilla) I’d stick with Bruno based on what we saw up to February. He’s a capable pair of hands.
It would be nice to sign-off this campaign on a positive, but I’m not holding my breath.
Liverpool
I know many people reserve a lot of hate for the scousers, but what they’ve achieved this season has been incredible. To reach the final of all three cup competitions and still be in with a chance of winning the league on Sunday is something we won’t see again for a long time.
It’s not beyond the realms of possibility that Aston Villa spoil the party at the Etihad, which would open the door for the reds to complete a domestic treble before squaring up to Madrid next weekend. If they did sweep the board we’d be talking about the greatest achievement in English football history.
Jurgen Klopp rested all of his go-to guys against Southampton in midweek so expect to see Robertson, Trent, van Dijk, Salah and Mane all back in the team on Sunday, refreshed and ready to go.
They’ve won 14 and drawn 4 in the league at Anfield this season, which gives them the best home record in the Premier League (City also have 14 wins but 2 defeats).
Wolves
Bruno can’t have them charging around the pitch trying to get after Liverpool as he did against City. This should be a proper batten down the hatches performance – low block, packed midfield, etc.
We went with something similar at Stamford Bridge and got a lot of joy on the counter-attack in the first half and I don’t see a better way.
I’d love to see a Wolves side that could engage teams higher up the pitch, counter-press and plunder goals, but we have to be realistic about the personnel and the methods that have become so deeply ingrained in this group.
What we can’t do is mess around with possession in central areas and allow Liverpool to swarm all over us. We need balls played into channels for our wingbacks and Neto to forage.
Last time out
The only time I thought we might get a point out of the match at Molineux in December was about 10 seconds before Origi slotted the winner. It was a cruel way to lose. We need the same resilience on Sunday.
It was a blood bath at Anfield last season and 4-0 didn’t flatter them. We made all the mistakes you can’t afford to on that fateful evening – starting with a horrible mistake from Coady – and were dutifully put to the sword.
Predictions
Well done to PeteRobbo for being the only one to correctly predict the 1-1 draw with Norwich last weekend.
And an even heartier well done to Brompton Wolf who has already won the 2021/22 Prediction League with an unassailable 4 point lead amassed at the end of Gameweek 37. I’ll do some final checks on the points tallies of all those at the top of the table to make sure it’s accurate before posting the final table next week.
As always, if you’d like to join in, it’s simple – just leave your prediction in the comment section below using the boxes provided. Then repeat for every preview article throughout the season, making sure you always use the same email address to make your prediction. Your email is what ties you to your overall score.
You can read my prediction for the game in the comment section below.
Up The Wolves!
They’ve scored 54 more league goals than us. Just imagine the cumulative joy alone of celebrating that many additional goals. It boggles the mind.
Everything points to a straightforward home victory so that’s what I’m predicting.
We do know that our players have it within them to be stubborn and organised so I hope we see all of that on Sunday. I don’t have any particular hatred for Liverpool but nothing would satisfy me more than raining on their parade just because no fans deserve a monopoly on happiness.
On a personal note, thanks to everyone for suffering through another 38 of my previews this season. I appreciate the kind and positive comments.
It would be good to finish this season on a positive note with a point or 3 but realistically it’s probably going to be another loss and then time to recharge batteries before pre season in the USA (albeit, a hastily revised programme.)
As Thomas says above, overall, a fairly decent season, however, the final portion of the season does offer some very worrying signs.
This close season, l believe, is going to one of the most important ones we have had for quite some time. It’ll be interesting to see what our squad looks like in August/ September time.
I’m still going to hope the lads do something special for us to remember on Sunday so a deal for me.
Draw, not deal
That’s a good starting 11 Thomas, happy with that.
Call me old fashioned, but I fancy a cheeky double, wolves x Villa to both get results.( ok, call me stupid)
I’ll be happy to seethe end of the season tbh, looking forward to seeing who leaves and who comes in , not too bothered about out- going’s either, if they don’t want to play for us, who cares and for the squad that we end up with for 22-23 ,,, come on you mighty wolves
Oops
Us to win 1-0
Well going for my usual 2-1 hoping Lvepool rest a few for CL final.
First of all Thomas, thank you for your wonderful blog. The articles are always informative and it is good to see the various opinions of Wolves fans. Congratulations also to Brompton for finishing top of the prediction league – not easy to do, especially knowing how fickle and inconsistent Wolves can be.
Regarding our last match, I was dreading that Liverpool would still be in with a chance of winning the league. Luckily, it will not come down to goal difference, so Liverpool can coast after their fourth goal. But they will want to celebrate with their fans a spectacular year for them. Much as I would jump for joy if we win (even at 3am in Oz), I will have to go with my head, not my heart.
There is always next year to look forward to (hopefully).
Can’t argue much with your assessment Thomas. It’s just alarming how the season tailed off and I think exposed weaknesses which were covered over or fans didn’t want to see earlier in the season because we were solid defensively and winning a lot of games 1-0.
That’s not to write off the whole season as a failure. There have been great moments, the wins at United and Spurs spring to mind, the win over Villa. I’m not one of these who expected European football at Christmas – but it really was there for the taking, with the fixtures we’ve had and how poor West Ham and Man Utd have been themselves lately. We’ve really stunk the place out since that Villa win. Traore has his detractors but he’s been a huge loss.
I don’t want to be overdramatic but if things don’t start well next season we could easily be staring at a relegation battle. We must find a way to score goals and we must work out quickly which players should still be here. Raul and Boly have looked way off it, Moutinho is still a fine player but is surely nearing the end. Replacing Neves, if he leaves, will be key, Saiss is also going. It felt like a big summer last year but this is bigger. Five players there who have been key to our success over the last four years.
Thanks again to Thomas and the team for continuing with the blog for all these years. Can always rely on a sensible and objective assessment.
I am truly losing my spark for football. These last 2 seasons have been really ruff. From Ageing referees not being able to keep up with games, to VAR deciding results and some awful, and I mean awful situations fans have been in.
The rules they make up and change to suit a narrative are obvious for all to see.. But it means nothing because its just a money game and its becoming more and more evident.
I have seen some pictures of development around the stadium and if that is even a thought at the moment then the priorities at our beloved club are totally wrong.
We have let mendez make some awful transfer decisions on our behalf and I do not see it changing. I am really really worried about next season. In a massive way, especially with the state of the economy.
I did have a glimmer of hope with Bruno, but some of the decisions he has made (regardless of his squad, its not an excuse) have really confirmed what we all thought. He isn’t built for the premier league, lack of experience and its magnified by the lack of backing. For me, Personally we need a clear-out and a few replacements to even fight for survival next year because it seems like the rest of the league are making massive improvements on squad and tactics, yet we rely on the same thing week in week out – Kind of like Burnleys old Hoof Ball tactics and Next year I do not see it suiting us at all.
With that being said, It could be counted as a successful season due to finishing Top half, But only because we didnt last season… and that speaks volumes.
I will be in the local, up here – shouting the boys on every chance I get and lets be honest there wont be many on Sunday.
As well as looking at the pictures of the proposed re-development, perhaps you should read what Jeff Shi said as well?
Something along the lines of: money is tight post-covid,new development will go ahead when (and if) possible but the first team has to be a priority with the funds available.
I go to watch football Tobe entertained . I am afraid by that measure this season for me has not been a success . An average if a goal a game is not much fun . Contrast Leicester who will probably end up in 8 th who have scored at least 20 more goals .
I would be happy to see Lage go after what can only be described as a terrible last third of the season for which he must take quite a lot of the blame with his strange selections , tactics , substitutions and failure to raise the team at any stage during g this terrible run of form .
Thanks for a great blog Thomas, and well done to Brompton for cruising to the other PL title. My thoughts on Bruno are still favourable in spite of recent results. He did a great job in taking over Nuno’s team, and deserves the chance to build his own now. I agree with your summary Thomas. we have to drop anchor against Liverpool and make it as tight as possible. Park the bloody bus if need be, 0-0 would be a triumph and 0-1 an absolute joy. Let’s stuff the Del-Boy Scousers for scamming Jota out of us. By the way I read the stupid conspiracy below from the Daily Mail, but I posted it on the Norwich result thread instead of this one. Hopefully Thomas will allow the repetition:
From the Daily Mail today:
“REVEALED: Integrity concerns emerge over title-chasing Liverpool’s crucial clash against Wolves – because Reds will pay Sunday’s opponents a multi-million pound bonus as part of the Diogo Jota transfer deal IF they win the Premier League”
Lets imagine we’re 1-0 up in injury time. Sa does a great impression of Bruce Grobbelaar and bicycle-kicks into his own net. Then after conceding a penalty, Conor Coady does a great impression of Paolo di Canio and pushes the referee over in the penalty area for good measure. We lose 2-1 at full time and cop several millions more from Liverpool next week. Daily Mail would be on the case! Is this what they think?
In reality, we would love to win on Sunday and by doing so we can’t be overtaken by Leicester for 8th place. If we finish 8th we earn £28.6mil. If we lose to Liverpool we will probably finish 11th and only earn £22mil. We obviously have a clear financial incentive to beat Liverpool…
We’re in for a long day here. This Liverpool side are daunting at the best of times but with a league title to steal at home they will be on fire. We will need to have a defensive masterclass performance in order to even keep the score down. I just don’t think this side has enough in the tank to cause an upset this late in the season.
But I agree overall this is a good season. It would have been nice to sneak Europe but that was very unlikely given the squad we have. The issue is now with the likely departure of Neves and Traore the ageing of moutinho and Boly, loss of the experience of Ruddy, Saiss and Marcal what are Fosun going to do to keep us standing still let alone chasing Europe. Another Fabio type signing could see us in a relegation scrap next year.
It’s a free hit but that doesn’t me we should let Liverpool walk all over us. For those that are out of form and or moving on they owe the fans a decent performance.
I am in the keep Bruno camp for all those calling for his head you would of taken 8th at the beginning of the season. If Fosun do pull the trigger which I suspect they won’t then whoever comes in first, needs to be able to decide who we buy not Sellears and secound needs to be given the funds to rebuild a larger squad and not just from sales and with quality.
As Thomas has said it has been a good season it just doesn’t feel like it when you consider we were so close to breaking into not just the top six but the top four.
Why we didn’t who knows and yeah Bruno will think he could have done things differently but for me the blame lys mainly at Jeff and Sellears door. They ignored Bruno’s appeals for new blood both in the summer and January windows. It’s there short sightedness and incompedence regarding recruitment that left Bruno with a at one point in the season down to the bare bones of the squad.
Attitudes and performance needs to change drastically not just on the pitch but in the board room, if not it could be a long hard season next year.
I do not believe would we have taken 8 th at the start is the right question .
To me you have to look at the last third of the season which has been absolutely disastrous and ask if it is ok to go with the same coach who oversaw that and in my view that is no and if they are going to change the coach that has to be now not after this disaster had continued in November when finding a good replacement is far far harder .
Time will tell !
At the end of the day if they sacked Bruno and put the Man City manager in it wouldn’t make any difference if they didn’t back him.
And I think your just being argumentative , nearly every fan was expecting us to be no where near 8th in fact most were expecting a relegation battle.
It would be interesting to see what Klopp and all these other so called great managers could do without money behind them Brunos had next to nothing and he doesn’t get the final say.
You are just guessing with your, ‘most were expecting a relegation battle ‘. Where’s your evidence for that? With Rsul hopefully back, I expected them to be top 10 and put my money where my mouth is to pay for next season’s season ticket.
Liverpool have the biggest incentive in the league to win this weekend. (Ok, maybe Leeds & Burnley too) and they’re too good to mess it up.
If we could pull a draw out of the hat that would be sensational but recent evidence shows that’s as likely as Boris keeping his zipper up!
Thomas is right. If we go all gung-ho we’re going to get picked off so play tight and hope for the odd counter is our only chance.
I too am looking forward to this all being over and seeing what next season brings.
Hopefully, the last month or two has given Wolves management some insight into who cannot seem to come to play every game.
The biggest difference between Wolves (and most teams) and the top two teams is consistency. We need to get rid of players who cannot bring their “A” game every time they are on the pitch.
Part of the problem might be that they are just playing against someone who is substantially better – maybe faster – and they cannot cope with that but if it is just from lack of effort, then they should be let go.
I also think the players have a fall-back status that has been ingrained in them for the last 5 years in which they pass sideways and backward. It seems to be in their DNA.
Maybe a good shakeup would get rid of that.
And thirdly, I think a tough decision or decisions have to be made about the striker situation. Will Raul come back? What do they do with Fabio? Should they get a third, already established, striker?
.
Well done Brompton.
Thanks to Thomas, Ben and Paddy.
Let’s face it, they’re gonna batter us whatever we do so i would prefer we go for it and play Chiquinho upfront with Neto and Silva. It’ll be more entertaining but I suspect it’ll be another tedious 90min from us with Bruno ploughing the same failed furrow. The only upside being than Man City havn’t been able to buy the league title again if Villa can draw with em.
I’d like to see Liverpool win all four. That would be an incredible achievement.
Can you imagine the arrogance of those scousers if they win all four? They’re more than bad enough at the moment. No thank you. I for one would much prefer Man City to win the league. You can’t buy the league by the way, just ask Man Utd and Chelsea , although having immense funding obviously helps.
I agree you cant ‘just’ buy the league, Man Utd are proof that you can throw a lot of money around but if you don’t have competent people spending it you will fail. With Chelsea i totally disagree though, they set the precident for what we now have. They have won the league 5 times since Ambramovich took over as opposed to once before that era. 2 x Champions League, 2 x Europa League, 5 x FA Cup, 3 x League Cup, basically eclipsing 98 years of trophies won before 2003.
I would prefer Liverpool’s arrogance than Man City’s continued dominance on Gulf State money. Not sure why i even care though, the whole league has gone to shit on that level.
Plus City are boring to watch, i hear all the plaudits, sublime etc. As a neutral it’s just boring, Liverpool are a good watch. There may be reasons for this like cos they are so consistent they do the same things over and over again but that whole keep possession till we find a gap zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
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2 dislikes and all you did was put a full stop, saddos
Well, I think I better choose a result with my head as my heart has made so many of my predictions incorrect of late… 3-0 to Liverpool sadly. Our defenders have gone to pot of late with Boly and Coady having a poor time and the wingbacks having no settled runs in their chosen positions. As for the forwards, they have never got really started. The close season should be busy, at least, in outgoings.
We will certainly get to know whether Fosun have retained their real interest and desire. I have some reservations as to this, but, hopefully I will be as accurate with this as my score line predictions of late…
Going for a reverse Clive which goes against the grain.
The only thing that will keep me from shoving needles in my eyelids is stopping’ Hotter’
From scoring…the only positive is its season over.
Then….bring on August! ?
Thank you for running this excellent blog. I love reading the previews and seeing what others think of the games. I think everyone was just a little bit more respectful of other’s point of view this season too, not that everyone isn’t normally well behaved.
Mixed bag this season, that’s for sure. Don’t know how anyone so consistently predicted the results. Well done Brompton, so long as there isn’t a late VAR challenge !
On balance I feel like we did well to finish in the top half with this sied. We have some talent on the pitch, but our continued lack of goals remains as concerning as it is befuddling. I can understand why many are calling for some investment in the side. It has to be balanced, though we don’t want to collapse under the weight of financial risks. Looks like several may be on their way in the summer anyway, so I hope Bruno can final stamp his mark on the personnel without plunging us into huge debts and financial fair play issues.
Anyway, as regard the game – Liverpool have been immense this year. It is a wonder that they are not already PL champions. I hope we can give them a game if only to give a few of our lot a good send off.
Thank you Thomas, and all others who covered, I remain impressed with what you produce season after season. I understand the amount of time that you spend on providing us a platform to get things off our chest prior to a respective kick off or to vent when the play did not go the way we had hoped. There has certainly been a difference in opinion throughout the season, and mostly of a healthy nature, with some comments getting close to the line. That however is what is expected and makes the blog all that more interesting.
By my calculation, and obviously subject to ratification, I believe this to be my “hat trick” of wins in the Prediction League, and I will therefore take a bow and refrain from competing next season.
I would like to finish by wishing all bloggers a healthy close season and look forward to seeing a number of you in August.
Stay Safe
By my calculation, and obviously subject to ratification, I believe Man City are about to achieve a double “hat trick” of wins in the Premier League in the 21st Century, and I will therefore ask them to take a bow and refrain from competing next season!
As Carlsberg do not do wish lists, this is very unlikely.
Are you forming a breakaway super league Brompton?
Congratulations Brompton on winning the Prediction League(again!).
WOLVES 0-3 Liverpool.
As others have said, a brilliant, informed and very well written blog and we are blessed to have authors of such ability in our midst. As regards the match- common sense dictates a loss, it’s just a question of how many isn’t it?
But is it- Wolves performances of recent year can often be unpredictable, and I never lose my appetite for optimism. Bruno and Cody are capable of engineering a grit, resilience and skill. Lady Luck favours the brave, I hope we are for the sake of the intrepid 12th man who will have to endure an afternoon of misery if we implode. UTW
Liverpool v Wolves – brief look back
November 8th 1969 is not I guess a very auspicious date in the memory of many folk but for me it represented my first (of about 14) visits to Anfield.
The Spion Kop at Anfield (so named after a battle in the Boer War) was fast becoming the number one “choir” – indeed it spawned the Kop Choir competition in 1970 in which the Wolves’ North Bank was chosen to be in the final 6 on the BBC programme “Sportsnight With Coleman”. The event was won by the Rotherham United choir.
The original Anfield Kop was a sweltering steep terrace where for big matches around 23,000 sardined together. Unfortunately on a cold, windswept and monsoon like November afternoon the attendance was barely 39,000. Consequently Anfield was about 14,000 adrift of overall capacity. Indeed the previous week, Molineux had a larger attendance when a Mike O’Grady goal had seen off West Brom.
Consequently from our vantage point in the Anfield Road end I was quite underwhelmed by the “famous Kop”. Church mice scurrying about on cotton wool made more noise.
The game itself was played on a mudheap. In fact the manicured “billiard table top” pitches of today bear absolutely no resemblance to those of half a century or so ago. None whatsoever. The only time pitches had any semblance of grass was August, September and maybe October.
Makeshift goalscorer Paul Walker had a golden opportunity to win it when he rounded Liverpool keeper Tommy Lawrence and centre half Ron Yeats and stroked the ball towards the empty goal only to stop dead in a huge puddle for a Liverpool defender – Chris Lawler maybe – to slide in and clear the ball to safety.
The other myth about Scouse fans was their apparent “sportsmanlike behaviour” . This was immediately dispelled after the game when we were ambushed over Stanley Park walking back to the coaches on the other side of the park by the graveyard (rather apt). Along with Bobby Fisher, Dibble, Tony Scott and Jevo (all from Sedgley/Gornal) we ran the gauntlet of scruffy Scouse gits all with halitosis and scuffed steel toe caps ready to boot your brains out. Similar to today the feds did absolutely nothing.
All this occurred 53 years ago. Where has time gone?
Bedfordshire Old Gold
BOG
Welcome back Mike. Hope all OK with you in Bedfordshire.
Love your posts Bog, maybe because we are the same age with similar memories. Alan Evans comes to mind.
Hope you, Bedders and the Bedford gang have good summer.
Maybe an away day like the Reading game next season. Stay safe.
Pleased the season is all but over. Hoping for a productive close season. Think we could be on the arse end of a tanking on this one.
The ghosts of 14th January 1984 are gonna come back and haunt Kipperty and the gang. Liverpool 0 Wolves 1. The all conquering Reds v hapless WWFC rooted to the foot of the table. They had Souness Rush Dalglish. We had Tony F**king Towner and Steve Mardenborough. And it was Steve Mardenborough who got us the winner off his shoulder. I was in Dudley town centre that day and was expecting a cricket score for Liverpool. I remember stopping by a TV shop window at about 5pm on the way back to the motor with no expectations what so ever. I nearly fell over when the final score popped up on the vide printer. Sadly we never did make a late push to avoid relegation although beating Sandwell Town at the aluminium shack and Liverpool away did provide a modicum of comfort. So shocks can happen. And Klipperty and his gang are gonna be on the end of another as Wolves do a ‘Mardenborough’. Funny we have only won one more time at Anfield since 1984 and that was the 1-0 inspired by Wardinho under Mad Mick in 2010 or 2011 ? Any way well done to Thomas and the gang for keeping the blog going. So. IT WILL BE LIVARPOOL 0 WWFC 1. With a goal from Conor Coady in the 94th minute.
Everyone has their moment of fame. That day was Mardenborough’s turn.
Here’s hoping.
Conspiracy theories abound!
Apparently, if Liverpool win the league, we benefit to the tune of a few million quid on the Jota sale.
So Jeff will be asking us to ship a few goals.
Meanwhile, the Sainted Stevie G will be preparing his troops for an all out assault on City to let the team that he hopes to manage one day get the domestic treble.
Of course, nothing works like that, so the only conspiracy theories I hold any truck with involve referees, VAR and how Brompton has managed to win the prediction league AGAIN.
I honestly can’t see anything other than a defeat at Liverpool, but as usual I can’t predict a loss so I’m going for a draw.
Which is probably why Brompton is at the top of the PL and I’m languishing near the bottom.
Many thanks Thomas for keeping the blog going for another year. Your work is greatly appreciated.
Just a shame we didn’t see you at the mini Bloggers’ Ballbash last weekend.
Maybe next year.
And…. expect a VAR penalty to Liverpool when VAR discover that the Mersey river has been affected by the Moon thus producing an unusual breeze which results in VVD missing his header from a corner, tripping up over a stray Aardvark which had entered the 6 yard box and colliding with a goal post in front of the Kop in the 92nd minute. Luckily Sa pulls off a brilliant save to keep it 0-0 until Coady strikes.
borrowing from balsall heathen
“Well done Brompton.
Thanks to Thomas, Ben and Paddy”
No BIG thank you to thomas who never fails to get balance right
meantime I will be heading across the Atlantic as the Wolves line up Sunday and will open my phone in SFO to discover if the obvious has happened.
I suspect it will and Villa will lose 2-1 and we will ship 3 or 4
Next season looms and i do fear that we won’t have our act together and will be adrift by November
Neto and MGW and Podence prove me wrong…please ..so I can plan return visit next May without a heavy heart
OODCL
Who is it pressing the dislike button?
A boggy?
Valid points if negative are deserved ?
Thought that this is a blog for free speech.
Whoever it is get a life
Don’t you just love people who hit the dislike button because somebody gives and opinion that doesn’t match their own.
Everyone on this blog, apart from Amanda (remember her?), dislikes Wolves losing.
Equally, everyone on this blog has the right to say if they think we’re going to get beaten.
We aren’t all ruled by a short fat chap who’s name begins with ‘P’ and ends with ‘N’.
…Yet.
Prompton?????
Strange ain’t it doogster…a decade ago it would have been so different wouldn’t it?
I have only, i believe pressed dislike if the post was totally out of order.
People are just looking for any reason to be offended to justify whatever goes on in their heads.
I find it soooo offensive ……..?
I’m so woke
I am gonna be offended when the Daily Mail Daily Express Express and Star shove the Queens jubilee down my throat next week. But i will just have to accept it. Luckily got my Sex Pistols God Save The Queen t shirt ready for the occasion. Oh. And thanks to Her Majesty for the extra day off. Appreciated.
Ay up. A monorchist. Must be a member of the aristocracy. Why else would you support an institution steeped in wealth and inherited privilege . Are you the Duke of Cambridge ?
The best way to fuck up a disliker .. is for all of to like the post .. therefore to hide the dislike and end up with a plus likes…
I’ve noticed it too .. for absolutely no good reason or reasoned argument…
Somebody disliked Marin Wolf for going back to USA..
So I liked it and therefore negated the dislike.
He /she needs a hot poker ramming where the sun don’t shine…,,
Well done Brompton Wolf – consistently the best predictor. Do you do the Pools?
Anyway, I am not hopeful for a positive result for Wolves. Ladbroke have us at 18/1 – which, ever the optimist, I’ve taken…I mean it is a two horse race…
Anyway thank you for all for an entertaining blog this season. Appreciate all the comments and though I don’t post much I read a lot.
Any rumour to the truth that Bruno has been having an affair with Jonny’s missus, was found out by Mrs. Raul, and Jeff sentenced him to a fortnight in the sin bin, i.e. Portugal, and he never had covid?
Bruno, you are toast if it be true.
On to duller things, like Anfield, where the supporters are the finest in the world, fairer than Tom Bombadil’s wife, and honest as me at Maine Road at the semi final v Leeds.
Obviously they will win, the score and scorers already marked down on the ref’s card.
Would be nice to see a major punch up on the half way line, involving every player plus the black cat from Goodison.
The game gets cancelled, but Liverfool deducted 3 points coz Kloppy sez the scheduling is all wrong, again.
The fact that they have played as many games as is possible in one season goes completely over his Teutonic bonce.
Any rode, an easy win for the lads termorra.
Well, all of the pundits are writing off The Wolves, and I certainly don’t blame them!
And if Gerrard’s Villa take points from City then all of the pundits will be happy.
And if all else fails then there is always VAR to give them a dodgy penalty. And so it is.
But upsets happen in football and why not tomorrow? I could give a hundred reasons why not, but always the optimist, I hope for a miracle! In reality I just hope we make a game of it and show some bottle!
We can all still dream!
Thanks first and foremost to Thomas, Ben(s), and Paddy.. for the outstanding quality of this blog, it’s format and the interesting and balanced summaries.. both pre and post match.
Congratulations too to Brompton on yet another Prediction league triumph.. well done mate..
I’m one of the lucky ones going to Anfield on Sunday where I’ll be singing that famous Liverpudlian song… sign on sign on with a pen in yerand….
As has already been said this Sunday requires a resolute approach, to try and make Liverpool anxious to try and score and so maintain the possibility of the quadruple..
They won’t need to worry as I’m sure Man City will marmalade the Villa.
I’m so praying that Ruben isn’t playing his last game for us … and that he gets on the scoresheet…
No one had us to come away from Chelsea with anything and this could go the same way..
Thanks Thomas for steering the Black & Gold jalopy up and down through another season. And all other contributors for making this a truly entertaining blog. WTF we going to do without you.
To be honest I’m more intereted in the demise of either Burnley or Leeds, than getting thumped by Toothy & Co at Spamfield.
All the canny Liverpool connections keep connecting in my suspicious mind – Coady, Stevie G, I even thought I saw Emlyn Hughs on the bus today, telling me that somehow,, and I’ve got no idea how, the Scouse do win the Prem. Obvs Vanilla need to get a point at the Twatihad, I wouldn’t put it past Stevie G to give them a steriod injection at half time..
Which means we have to fulfil our part in the prophecy and lose, collecting our Jota millions. Leicester & Brighton draw and we’re still 8th and a bit richer for the experience.
Hope the boys pull something outta the bag and make a fist of it.
1 lv & COYW
Like the team I’m limping across the finish line with my Prediction League entries. Guess I’ll have to go against…nah, can’t do it. Let’s Go Wolves!
Thanks to Thomas, Ben and Paddy for another year of information, insights and just an overall well-managed place to come and express opinions. And…
Well done to Brompton!
Hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable summer and that we’re not saying “let’s see what happens this winter” at the end of it like we’ve been saying the last couple of years.
A miracle if we score.
Im expecting a battering. ?
My heart says we will steal a Steve mardenbrough like 1-0 against all odds. My head says I might see the heaviest wolves defeat in my 48 years of following them. On that basis I can’t bring myself to make a score prediction.
Reports that Bruno, Sellers and Shi have been discussing restructuring and transfers since Jan, well that explains our form since then.
Thanks to Thomas for running the blog and prediction leagues
Hope everyone has a good close season and that 22/23 will be even better for the Wolves
All in all, it’s not been a bad season achieving 8th (at the moment!), considering the poor start. I’ll take that.
But there is a lot of patching up the holes to do for next season.
The Reds will be too strong for us and I’d like them to achieve the quadruple.
They’ve worked hard for it and deserve it.
Just this once mind!
The season has rather sunk without trace over the last couple of months but I won’t let that trample the memory of what went before. We have talent in our team, especially in some of our youngsters, though many of the old guard are a little frayed around the edges.
Perfect time for a reshuffle and rebuild and our team will be barely recognisable when we kick off next season. Frankly, looking at the last few games, it can’t happen soon enough.
I can’t see us hanging on to eighth but any kind of top half finish in this transition season will do for me. I feel lucky to be enjoying this golden period in the history of our club which ten years ago would have seemed to be in the realm of fairy stories.
Wolves Women on the Beeb this afternoon. Should be fun.
Spot on. My own fairy tale would be Adama coming off the bench on 70 minutes and wreaking havoc.
Especially if Adama can play for the Wolves women.
Spot on analysis Thomas. Thank you.
99 red balloons ……
Oh what a rip roaring send off the away supporters would give the Wolves team were they to burst one of those balloons. To silence Anfield with a roar of such magnitude it would register a 9.0 on the Richter scale and be felt back in the Black Country.
It seems in recent times we have had 99 dreams or more of tangible success. FA Cup semi finalists, only to be sucker punched by Watford. European League Quarter Finalists, before running out of steam against Sevilla. European qualification 2 seasons ago, only to miss out on goal difference. And this season. It promised so much. Even with nil points after 3 games, the team was sharp and competitive.
By April our bubble was burst. What has happened since has taken the shine off a campaign that had promised more, against the odds and against most supporters pre season expectations.
And so we are left to climb, turn around and look back. Gain some perspective. And probably come to the conclusion that it’s been a solid season overall. But like a boxer who’s legs are gone in the last round, we are hanging on for the bell. And whilst there is always the chance of the tiring fighter landing an unexpected knock out blow, the odds are long. 20/1 for a Wolves win.
We can dream. Wolves with little to play for. The Reds still with a chance of the title and keen to maintain a positive run before the huge heavy weight contest with Real Madrid.
There is the financial incentive of Premier league final positions; a few million £’s between each place. And the bonus for Diogo Jota’s sale should Liverpool lift the League title.
However, I’m pretty sure those things won’t register with the players at the kick off. Professionals all, but human also. Distractions are always present. The last game of the season is no exception. The next career move for some. The Summer holidays for others.
Liverpool rested a number of players for their win against Southampton so are likely to be at full strength on Sunday. The last time we beat them in a league game was 29th December 2010. Since then two victories in the FA Cup in 2017 and 2019.
Lose tomorrow and that would be 2 points for us from 21. The Summer break can’t come soon enough. A reset and rebuild absolutely required.
To come away with anything on Sunday, everyone will need to be a superhero. Everyone a Captain Kirk. But after the final final whistle, I suspect many Wolves fans will think of this season, and let it go.
UTW
Rumours about Bruno have been flying recently. Our Man in Houston’s being the latest. In fact, more rumours than a Fleetwood Mac album!
Assuming that the rumours are fake, I’m backing Bruno to stay and prosper, whatever happens against Liverpool. We will either cop an extra few million for Jota if Liverpool win the title, or an extra few million if we win tomorrow and hold onto 8th place.
If on the other hand the rumours are true, Bruno is not just toast, but burnt toast. If so, Fosun will have attractive options for the Wolves project, but they might be looking for more than just ability. Saint Nuno might well be in the frame for a return, due to his undoubted integrity.
Except we are likely to do the most Wolves-type result…
Lose to Liverpool who don’t win the title, and drop down the table so we
– don’t get Jota bonus
– lose 2m per place dropped (4m if Leicester and Brighton get past us)
Yes, unfortunately Leicester and Brighton can overtake us, and Man City will most likely win the title. We can lose millions as a result of dropping to 9th or 10th place, and will not get the Jota bonus. We have gone very Spursey. But if the main contributory factors are more to do with recent rumours about Bruno then we have to choose very carefully when replacing him.
”Always look on the bright side of life , do do, do do do do do do
”
Give MGW a game.
I’ve given up on Chinese take aways for the summer, they always flatter to deceive I find, a few tasty bits sometimes surprise me but lots of filler. And I always feel empty shortly afterwards despite so much boring rice. I hear that boiled goat bollocks are selling well to ManCs and NewCs but that’s not to my taste, definitely. When the fixtures came out I was looking forward to a nice dessert to round off the season but it looks like being a pie-in-the face finale, probably goosegogs or rhubarb flavour, sharp and sickly.
Only one Danny Batth.
Should be an easy Wolves win. Finish the season on a high! ?
With most of the predictions in for the season, time to say a big thanks to Thomas for another year of previews on our blog. Also thanks to Ben and the rest who have kept us informed with their reports. Well done to Brompton and best wishes to all those who post on the blog.
Here’s to next season.
One thing left to say is a massive thankyou Thomas and Ben for a very well put together Blog which would definitely win the Premier blog league ?
It takes such a lot of effort timewise and energy wise.
Totally appreciate your allowing us to vent safely and sensibly…..Cloive makes me chuckle and everyone else on here ,enjoy the summer ?
Our defending has gone completely to pot since the absence of Kilman and Semedo. No coincidence.
Our attack has totally lacked imagination, pace and guile since the absence of Podence and Traore. No coincidence.
Even with a fully operative defence and attack we’d struggle because the scousers are media darlings so VAR would come to their rescue in the event that things don’t go entirely their way.
Just show some pride in the shirt boys and make that set of teeth on the bench scowl, scowl, scowl.
Last chance for a real Wolves performance Hopefully we’ll be playing with more than two forwards, Thomas’s team is defensive; maybe that’s thought necessary to avoid a thumping, but I still believe that attack is the best form of defence.
It’s unfortunate if Podense is not available, but I’d definitely play Chiquinho.
Brilliant feature on BBC2 tonight on The Specials. Probably a bit f**cking woke. But there you go. Old Etonian spoon fed rich kids like Boris know better.
Cheesy, old chum.
Back in the day, were you by chance Maggie Thatcher’s biggest fan??!!
Would love to see us finish the season on a high but, sadly, I think our poor run will continue.
We’re just not playing well enough to get anything today. I just hope it’s not embarrassing and we show some fight and keep the score down
Gonna miss lo!
So we get to the final game with effectively nothing to play for. We won’t get any higher and probably won’t finish any lower than we are now.
Would I have taken 8th at the start of the season, too bloody right I would. I honestly expected a relegation fight when Bruno was appointed.
He has done much better than I expected, although the last few games have taken me back to the dark thoughts at the start of the season. Certainly relegation form if it continues next season.
We all know that massive investment is needed if we are to really challenge at the top. Will Fosun go for it, or will they do just enough to carry on as we are. Who knows but I suspect it will be the latter.
As for today I don’t expect to get anything other than a spanking from Liverpool. I would be happy to finish less than 4 goals down. Not going to predict an actual score don’t see the point given my position in the prediction league.
Have secreted a bottle of scotch and a glass behind the sofa and will try not to drink all of it during the match.
Have a good summer all of you and thanks to Thomas and Ben for all the hard work running the blog.
Sorry to be pessimistic but I cannot see anything but a defeat to end a dismal end to the season.
My only hope being that results go our way in other matches an we hang on for 8th.
The close season transfer is going to be imperative if we are to challenge for Europe next year, which was well within our grasp 2 months ago.
Please, please, please do NOT sell Reuben.
Would love nothing more than us to stop Liverpool winning.
Man C and Liverpool both to draw would be just perfect.
Dreaming is for free!
Final match of the season & at the start I would have bitten your hand off for where we are now.
I’ll reserve judgment on Fosun, Bruno etc until I see what happening with incoming new players, outgoings, investment & all that stuff!
I don’t expect to get anything out of today but I do expect the lads to turn up!
Thank you Thomas, Ben & everyone else who’s hard work keeps this blog going.
Hope everyone has a great summer.
Fuck Liverpool
Fuck jota
Wolves to ruin their season
Well done Brompton.
Thanks again to all at Roccos for the warm welcome.
don’t expect to win but hope we put up a fight. The performance is the most important so we (including the players and the manager) can all leave with our heads held high.
Out with Scousers tonight in Liverpool so dinner could be lively!!
First time I am predicting a loss.
It was great to see you at Rocco’s, Franski.
And now, the end is here….Let’s hope Bruno does it his way. It would certainly be good to gives the reds a bloody nose, even if the game is lost.
It’s been a long old season, with some plus points. Many thanks to Thomas, the two Bens and Paddy for their work on the Blog – not forgetting the occasional contributors. Also, to all those who come on here to comment or to just read, irrespective of their opinions. We all have our views when it comes to Wolves!
It’s been a long old season, with some plus points. The biggest, for me, is that Wolves haven’t needed to worry about relegation. I’ll be sorry to see some of the old guard go, but change is good. It will be great if they can bow out on a relative high. Just go out there and make us proud, one more time.
Oops….repetition. Where’s the edit button when you need it?
What a weird season. So much good play, so many opportunities to break into the Top 6 (mainly bc our rivals were also inconsistent) and so many depressing-to-watch performances.
All that’s left is Top 10 in both leagues – Premier and Prediction.
Ever hopeful, I can’t predict a loss so is it a tight draw or the ever-faithful 2-1. Decisions decisions but not as many as Fosun and the Wolves hierarchy and (some) players over the next few months. Here’s to next season!
You wouldn’t think wolves were even playing in this game the way these arrogant tossers carry on
See Merson laughing at us earlier … who’s the big joke really ? Wolves have been poor lately but at least we haven’t given all our money to the bookies or up our noses .
Hope wolves stick it to em today ! Wipe a few smiles off
Didn’t see that but agree that he’s a tosser. Can’t believe that Sky kept him on when they sacked Le Tiss, the Liverpool nose and that Scottish earring. He was the worst of the lot.
agree … and why do sky let that prick Caragher commentate on liverpool games .. i thought commentary was supposed to be neutral.
when Neto was going off he said that Neto was that good he could play for Liverpool
Glad Man city won it
Glad we nearly ruined their day
Well! If we perform like that every week next season, I won’t be too disappointed.
A VERY entertaining game.
And that’s what we pay to watch isn’t it?
Pretty sure VAR would have spent about 3 years looking at offside for Liverpool first goal if it was us. And a push on Boly penalty no VAR review. Given for Spurs last week. Thought we did well and maybe deserved summat . It is what it is. In the end a top 10 finish. You finish where you finish. Over 38 games. I suspect most Wolves fans would have taken 50 points and top 10 back in August.
We owe Neves everything fohis professionalism and service to the Wolves.
I think that the present squad will be dismantled this summer.
I truly hope that Fosun will step up and help us continue with our journey..
Only time will tell