It is worrying that none of the teams at the bottom are prepared to lay down and die.
Everton, Southampton, Bournemouth and even Wolves have looked like being cut adrift at one stage or another, only to muscle their way back into contention.
Losing last weekend has really left things in the balance for us, but results elsewhere continue to highlight the importance of seeing every game as a chance to collect a result.
There’s no reason at all we can’t bounce back immediately at Craven Cottage.
Fulham
The Cottagers (does anyone still call them that?) are having that dream first season back in the Premier League that Wolves enjoyed all those years ago.
They’ve even got a Portuguese manager in the dugout, a Portuguese midfielder at the heart of the action and the same shirt design and sponsor we had in 2018. Copycats.
On a more serious note, well done to them for finding stability after so many yoyo years. They probably haven’t got the credit they deserve considering they sit just four points below the Champions League places.
Victory against fellow European hopefuls Brighton last weekend was another big result made all the more impressive by the fact they were without Aleksandar Mitrovic.
Their 11-goal top scorer missed the game with a hamstring injury and is a possible doubt for tomorrow. I sincerely hope he doesn’t play.
It’s been said before but Wolves made a huge mistake not going all out to get João Palhinha in the summer. He’s been one of the stars of the Premier League season.
Wolves
Julen got it wrong against Bournemouth. It was too cautious against a team that came to defend. Fortunately, not many others will deploy that tactic between now and May.
I expect to see Lemina re-instated to the starting XI against another of his former clubs. Costa, who was unlucky not to start against Bournemouth in my opinion, would give us a better focal point to the attack.
It’s a coin toss between Cunha and Traore but the latter has shown he can give us something extra from the bench in the later stages of a game.
How long can we go with Cunha, Costa, Sarabia and Raul all remaining on zero Premier League goals? Something has to give, surely? A law of average or something.
Predictions
Nobody thought we’d lose to Bournemouth last time out so it was a total blank.
Rich, therefore, remains 3 clear at the top of the overall table at the end of Gameweek 23.
As always, if you’d like to join in with the Prediction League this season, 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!
I feel bizarrely upbeat about our prospects considering the respective positions of both teams and last weekend’s result.
On that tighter-looking Craven Cottage pitch I would hope some of our technical players might thrive and we see the best out of Sarabia, Cunha, Nunes and a few others.
Fulham will give us plenty to worry about though, even if Mitrovic doesn’t play. However, if he is absent that is clearly in our favour. No other Fulham player has got more than 4 goals.
Still, we always seem to find a way to concede so it will probably take two goals to win and I can’t quite stretch to that on last weekend’s evidence.
I’m expecting a more complete display against a team that want to play football.
This will be a good test and I think I’ll get something out of it although I win might be a step too far.
Doncha just hate predictive!
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Looking for a reaction the Bournemouth defeat. Hopefully Mitrovic absent.
A result is very possible here as Fulham will not be parking the bus.
Playing a better team will, strangely, give us a better chance. We have been, over the last few years, notoriously crap at breaking down a packed defence and Fulham at home will be sure to give it a go.
Personally, I’m really pleased to see clubs like Fulham and Brighton snapping at the heels of, the boring six. Aided, of course, by the ineptitude of some of them. Reminiscent of our first two seasons back with the big boys under Nuno, their fans must be on cloud nine. Time for us to bring them back down to earth awhile, with a bump.
Kinda like Bournemouth did to us last week.
Tricky tie for the boys and a tricky tie to predict. Fulham are flying high and, even without Mitrovic, proved against a very good Brighton side, that they are a tough side to beat.
And then there is us. Showing a lot of promise ourselves in recent times but then falling back into old ways against the Cherries. Let’s hope Lemina coming back into the side will put us back on the right path.
The way things are at the moment I think I’d take a point in the is one. But as Thomas wrote “How long can we go with Cunha, Costa, Sarabia and Raul all remaining on zero Premier League goals”. Despite recent results I am not sure that we have solved our goal scoring issues.
What a wasted opportunity last week; it certainly made for a miserable journey home.
Tomorrow (after a deserved JLO kick up the backside) l expect to see business resumed as ‘normal’.
Other results didn’t particulary help us last week and we would be fools to rely on them.
It really is about time at least one of our front men got on the scoresheet so get doing what your paid for lads.
3 points heading back up northwards by 10pm tomorrow.
Need to get back to winning ways 2-1 to the Wolves.
RIP John Motson.
Hopefully we’ll get at least a draw.
Wrote my thoughts on this game and then lost it before I posted!! Aarrgg!
To summarise, I feel we will get a clean sheet and odds are one of our forwards will score! If not, we will get a dirty sheet and none of our forwards will score!I
Not very analytical I confess but such is life!!
Apparently
https://www.footballfancast.com/wolves-transfer-rumours/wolves-news-wwfc-transfer-rumours-adama-traore-molineux-summer
Agree better when comes on than starts
Palhina v Lemina will be feisty
Another space wasting article.
Just thought it was interesting update about his possible latest feelings
Also just how little goals he has scored to date
No need to apologise Basher. I think it is worthwhile bringing to
the attention of others an article. That interested you. Thank you.
Clearly the ‘insider’ has not been watching the Wolves games if he says Traore hasn’t had a new lease of life under J.Lo, he’s like a new signing since Lage’s departure. With stats so poor on paper he’s unlikely to secure a more lucrative contract in the Prem and if progress continues under J.Lo it would be a no brainer to stay as the new manager clearly utilises his skills very well.
Trouble is take last night saw few attempts to take the full back on and saw one cross that was ballooned to the back post
Do we really need someone who rarely contributes ?
By the was I am/was a Traore supporter
yes indeed … Rest in peace John motson . a great pundit . Sad news
Indeed.Sad news. However I don’t think Motty would see himself as a pundit.
Fulham, my Londoner grandad’s favourite side.
A proper club, in a proper stadium, with proper fans.
The first game of football I ever went to see was Fulham against Blackburn Rovers at Craven Cottage. Johnny Haynes, George Cohen, Jimmy Hill, Jim Langley, Alan Mullery, Tosh Chamberlain, Tony Macedo… they had a good side that was always underperforming.
The latest incarnation seem to have got that particular fault out of their system.
But they are the sort of side that we should be getting points from.
With Lemina back and Costa starting, I think a draw shouldn’t be out of the question on Friday night.
If Mitrovic isn’t playing I might even go for a win.
Unexpected
Next 3 games would take a point from each
I think we have got to go and attack from the off like we did with Liverpool. it was all too powder puff against Bournemouth despite chances in the 1st half , they shithoused the rest of the match once it hit the blokes thigh and went in
Adama off the bench, crossing in to Diego to break his duck
I suspect that Fulham will look upon this game much as we did against Bournemouth last week- a comfortable home win against underperforming opposition. The league table doesn’t lie and if Mitrovic plays it will be a struggle.
However, as previously stated, we do play better against attack minded teams and can get a result tomorrow if we are prepared to be brave, play the ball in earlier and commit players into the box.
I would play Thomas’s line-up, excellent bench but too early for Neto- he came back too early last one. Hoping for a point but suspect Fulham may have too much for us at home.
Not sure the latest on Podence’s fitness but he was on fire before his injury, our only consistent goal threat. So if he is fit, he needs to come back in for me. I have to say I’ve been pretty underwhelmed by Cunha so far, I’m hoping there’s more to come.
Tough game this. They’re a good side, and haven’t lost many at home. We’ve got a tough run of games now which is why last week was so disappointing. We could easily be back in the brown stuff quickly. This one could probably go either way, so let’s say a draw.
Tough game but I think we will bounce back following last Saturday.
Hoping we play Jimi or Costa so at least we have a focal point for the attack. Let Cunha play off them with either Adama or Sarabia wide. Just struggling to see where goals will come from again. I can’t see us winning but desperate to eat my words.
Me too Steppenwolfe.
Last Saturday knocked my confidence for six. As you say we are still struggling up top.
Come on lads prove my negativity to be misplaced.
Optimistic
We need a focal point up front if only to keep the centre backs busy. Start with Diego for me…
Fulham are a very good team at present so we need to be at our best to get a point…
So disappointed with last weeks effort so hopefully they will not only come roaring out of the traps but get their clinical boots on as well.
Just want to see Costa get one and hopefully kick start his Wolves stay. He is looking a lot fitter than when he arrived which considering he hadn’t played for so long although not surprising does indicate he’s at least been putting the effort in. Let’s hope it pays dividends.
On another note, sad to see the passing of one of the greats in the commentary world. I have been banging on to anyone in the room bothering to listen when I’m watching games about how I don’t want to know about commentators (especially co-commentators) ‘When I’s’ stories. I was going back to those long lost days when it was just a commentator and all they did was let you know whereabouts on the field the football was. Today I came across a nice touch from Motty to a fresh faced Martin Tyler on his commentating debut when he sent him a pre-match bit of advice “ ‘Talk little, but say a lot’.” Oh Mr Motson you and your kind are sorely missed, RIP good man, now come on me babbies!
Isn’t it just typical that the one season we get embroiled in a relegation battle all teams down there are regularly picking up points You usually get 2 teams fairly hopelessly detached by now . It is what it is. I have noticed we have won 2 drawn 2 and lost 1 of our last 5 away games (and that defeat was Citeh). So maybe we are more confortable away from home ? Any way tomorrow a stray bottlenose whale on route to the arctic will inadvertently swim up the Thames, see the nice twinkly floodlights off the Fulham ground and think ” this is a jolly nice place to stop for a bit of a rest”. Which it does. With 75 minutes gone and still 0-0 the whale decides to do its water spout thingy spray out the top of his head. The powerful jet emits in to orbit, over the roof of the stand and showers down in a torrential blast on to the Fulham goalies head just as WWFC are on the attack. Temporarily blinded by the torrent the keeper runs around in a panic thus leaving an open net for a cross from Adama to trickle home. The whale having performed his spout then moves off up towards Hammersmith. Leaving WWFC to defend the last few minutes and secure a precious 1-0 victory. After the game Marco Silva said ” I’m pissed off that a stray bottleneck whale has cost us 3 points. If i’d have known I would have given our goalie an umbrella”. J Lo said ” We win. But are only happy for 2 hours. It’s not often a powerful water spout from a bottleneck whale can affect a game. But we take the 3 points and move on.” FULHAM 0 WWFC 1.
I do hope we don’t have to rely on your scenario in order to win the game Cheesey. You don’t get many Bottleneck Whales in these parts.
I don’t think that is very likely
It would more likely be a Minke whale in that part of the Thames
It’s a bicycle wale in Tipton canal.
If the water has come from the Thames is likely to be a shower of you know what lol. The kit man will be working overtime getting them jumpers white again.
.
The mighty Wolves back to there very best in front of the Sky cameras.
This really is a hard one to call. Fulham are playing well. Wolves were on the comeback trail but tripped up on Saturday. I’m crossing everything in the hope the Old Gold are shining again.
On another note, Tuesday was the funeral of our friend Steve Biles (Brompton Wolf). The service was live streamed at the time and is available online for a short time. His family have asked me to post details, should any bloggers wish to watch.
Website: https://watch.obitus.com
Username: goke2555
Password: 628893
A very moving tribute to a lovely man.
Rest easy Steve.
Thanks for that Dougie.
Hi WP I didn’t know Brompton personally but always liked his balanced commenting. As an ex Bill Oddie myself, that was a really nice service and I had my money on the goodbye tune early on. RIP fellow Wolf, it’s in the DNA.
There was a while not that long ago when we did very well on away days in London.
But scoring goals is such a problem that it is hard to see a positive result.
Over the course of the season, Nunes has got into numerous great positions – its amazing that he has not finished off even one of his many chances. I feel that once he gets his first one, he will become a useful scorer.
Would be right on Wolves brand for the player we were strongly linked with for a few years Paulhinha to score the winning goal.
Pissed, I am! Wolves should be too.
Would love a win, but all depends which Wolves team turns up !
Certainly need a focal point up front (N.B. Cunha is NOT a focal point). In fact I wouldn’t mind seeing Costa, with Podence and Traore either side.
I hate to say this, but I am worried this could be a bad one for us.
More in hope.
Getting news of the result will be welcomed as we’re headed to the hot pools for the weekend.
Last week was simply nothing out of the ordinary.. concede a goal and against teams playing gamesmanship and bus parking .. not a cat in hells chance .. however .. score first and that’s throws a different light on it ..
Which is exactly what we’ll do tomorrow.. Diego Costa .. get in .. and show the absent Mitrovic (hopefully) who’s the daddy of roughnecks.
We beat Fulham early in the season (thanks to Sa’s penalty save) so they’ll be respectful of us.
I’d like to think we’d score two but I’ll not be greedy .. oh go on then .. and out of respect for Steve and Clive .. I’ll raise a glass or two for you ..
“We beat Fulham early in the season (thanks to Sa’s penalty save) so they’ll be respectful of us.”
No, it was 0-0 and Mitro missed a penalty.
Apologies.. you were right .. senior moment…
You new to this site .. or a f@@kin schoolteacher..?
We did beat beat you nil nil
And tonight we will probably thrash you one all
So stick that up your old aris
I think Wolves will win in a 10-7 draw.
I’d take a draw
But
Lads it’s Fulham
I’m still reeling from the Bournemouth loss and have temporarily lost my bursting optimism.
I hope I’m proved wrong but I think Fulham will not make anything easy for us, especially scoring goals.
It’s galling to see the parallels between Fulham this season and the Wolves of 2018/19 and I agree that the home side deserve more credit than they’ve been afforded. Marco Silva has rebuilt his reputation after a dodgy stint at Everton and they’ve recruited well, with Palhina unfortunately the stand-out.
I’d expect a response after last weekend’s shocker but I’m not confident we’ll get anything here. I hope to be proved wrong though!
Fulham are doing brilliantly under Silva but with Lemina back and Mitrovic hopefully out we have to be optimistic of a result, we have shown enough that we can turn it on despite last weeks disappointment. UTW
You’re right Thomas, nobody calls them the Cottagers anymore. Probably because ‘cottaging’ has a certain meaning these days. .
Fulham is certainly a proper old-style football club and will hopefully never interest some sovereign wealth fund from a murderous blood-thirsty country. I remember the great Johnny Haynes. For fun in practice he would kick balls from the centre circle to land on each corner flag in turn. When the wage limit of £20 a week was dropped he became the first £100 a week footballer. When he retired I think he ran a fish and chip shop before moving to South Africa. What would he be worth now?
We have a decent record at Fulham. I’m thinking 2-2 or nicking it 2-1. I’ve bet each way.
I remember a Tuesday night match down there in about 1998/1999. We got to Euston from Wolvo at about 12.30. Got on the tube and went down the Kings Road in the afternoon. Absolutely wrecked. Don’t remember going in the ground. But I came round enough to remember Neil Emblem getting a late winner in a 1-0 win. Those were the days my friend.
It’s back to negativity after a week where I was sure we’d get a result…
Let’s put last week’s disappointment out of our minds. Fulham are having a great season, far better than most people thought they would have. But we have more than enough talent in our squad to get something tonight. A point would be a good result.
Hope you’re right of course m’colleague, but our serious difficulty when it comes to goal scoring concerns me and Fulham are a good team. They won’t have Mitrovic so I’m going to go for a 1-0 loss rather than 2-0.
Last week, for the first time, Julen’s team selection disappointed and puzzled me. I would have thought that Podence should have started and Neto might have been selected for the subs bench. Had they been then I think we might have troubled Bournemouth a lot more than we did. All the same, I’m still a Lopetegui fan and hope he takes a more positive and attacking approach tonight. If he does then my scorecast might well end up up the creek and I will be delighted if things work out like that!
I still think we’re on the up despite last weekends result. We’re a good side but haven’t reached our full potential yet. I’m confident that we’ll not only stay up but probably finish lower mid table. I think we’ll be back among the goals tonight so I’ll say 2 1 wolves. Cunha to score inside 10 mins from a sarabia cross!
Just when you think a typical Wolves performance of losing to a poor team we will throw in a typical Wolves performance and lose to a poor team. Playing against a team that comes at us might help but Fulham are flying to be fair to them
Negativity has dragged me down this week. But I’m hoping we’ll at least score!
Just want to get my prediction in (for what it’s worth!).
A score draw (hoping for a win but trying to be realistic ).
Disappointed last week so no idea what will happen tonight. Fulham flying but as usual I live in hope. No idea where the goals are coming from.
Don’t want to be pessimistic but head says 2-1 Fulham… I’m hoping we can get something though so my heart Is saying 1-1
Well Lads,
It’s coming up to half time and we’re 1-0 up and playing well.
Serabia’s first goal for the team.
Let’s push on and get a couple more.
1 lv & COYW.