We’ve got legs.
That’s not something you’ve been able to say about some of the static, plodding Wolves teams we’ve seen in recent years.
Man Utd certainly looked surprised at how quickly they were closed down in possession, with the ball transported up the other end in double quick time.
The obvious disappointment – aside from another robo-ref howler – was the continued profligacy in front of goal.
Sarabia, Neto and Cunha all should have done better and if we don’t address that issue, it will be another long old season, regardless of how many yards are covered.
Brighton
There were no such problems for the Seagulls in their opening day slaughter of Luton. It was 4 and it could have been double.
I think there’s a suspicion their form will eventually drop off when they get drowned out by all those European fixtures. And can they really keep selling all these top players and maintain a level? They’ve managed it so far.
Another £150m of talent has headed out the exit over the summer with about a third reinvested into the team. Cash was splashed on forward João Pedro, a player many of the top sides have reportedly coveted but it’s Brighton who’ve made the move.
Fellow attacker Evan Ferguson is another to watch. Still only 18 and already looks to have everything you’d want in a number 9.
It’s too early in the season to say with confidence how this latest incarnation will fare but I can’t see them being any lower than midtable.
Wolves
Before anyone shouts at me, I don’t have access to my computer for a new team graphic so I’m using last week’s again. Terrible I know.
But other than Ait-Nouri for Doherty, I think the above is the team I’d pick. We’ve got to play a number 9 and for me that should be Sasa.
He’s going to be a magnet to incidents like we saw in the dying stages of the Utd game because defenders (and goalkeepers obviously) don’t know how to handle him.
I know Fabio is flavour of the month but my worry there is we get even more running and enthusiasm but still no end product. Hopefully I’m proven wrong if he does get the nod and maybe it’s too early to be starting Kalajdzik anyway.
Predictions
Plenty of people correctly guessed we’d lose at Man Utd but nobody got the scoreline. You can view the early table here.
This week I’m feeling more optimistic having enjoyed that opening weekend performance, but I have a lot of respect for Brighton. Their away form was exceptional last season and coming hot on the heels of another great win, they make me nervous.
I’ll go for an entertaining score draw, which would do for me. We just want to get on the board. 2-2.
Up The Wolves.
Brighton are our bogey team. So I’m going for a defeat but with more hope than I went into last game. Hopefully they will prove me wrong.
Onwards and upwards we go. After Monday night’s stirring, yet ultimately fruitless performance and bitterly unfair result, we face a very different and equally tough game against Brighton.
Yes, the same Brighton that stuffed us 6-0 in April. On their run in they also managed to hold the Champions League title holders to 1-1, beat Arsenal 3-0 at the Emirates and beat Man Utd, but also lost 5-1 to Everton, 2-1 to Villa and 4-1 to Newcastle.
On their first game of the season they beat newcomers Luton 4-1 at home.
So, they are formidable opponents, but beatable.
We are formidable and will be motivated to right the wrongs of our visit to Old Trafford.
Fair weather Wolves supporters take note. We are not destined to a relegation battle. We have a very talented high quality squad. If there were any concern, it would be that a couple of injuries in the wrong position would leave us short. That aside, Monday night should have at least shown we are able to compete at the highest level.
If we can maintain that attitude and approach under the new coach, and continue to create that many chances, goals will come.
That is what has been lacking for 2 seasons. Most people focus on the striker being the issue. But it was the lack of creativity and progressive play that was the issue. Monday night’s 23 attempts on goal was the highest by a visiting team to Old Trafford since Chelsea 2005.
Goals will come.
With goals comes wins.
Wins breed confidence.
Confidence gives belief.
Belief is everything.
However, despite Monday’s hugely positive performance, we have zero points. It’s vital we do not lose on Saturday and important we play without fear. 3 points are really what’s needed. We do not want to be the perpetual plucky losers. We are Wolves and we want to be winners.
Molineux will no doubt get fully behind the team on Saturday and remind everyone and ourselves that it is our fortress.
We will not be beaten there.
You shall not pass.
At least not with Lemina and Gomes in midfield.
UTW
The atmosphere inside Molineux on Saturday promises to be electric and, judging by their performance at OT, our team have it in them to reward the fans for their support.
For me, Monday was the best, most exhilarating Wolves performance for several years. I’m not sure if our lads can repeat that level, but for sure, if we give them the love, they’ll give us everything they have in return.
Something has changed in our team. You can almost touch it.
They deserve to have us alongside them and perhaps, playing Brighton and not Manure, the officials may give both sides a fair crack of the whip.
I really, really hope so.
Brighton have a great squad, but don’t see any 6-0 battering this time round. Expect Wolves to respond to the Molineux crowd with a confident combative display. Draw for me too Thomas. UTW
My guess is that with the Golden Palace behind them we will witness another full-blooded Wolves performance,,,,if not now then when, for goodness sake.?
Brighton have a clever style but if we can repeat the 23 shots from OT then some will go in ( please!!)
I think the Young Prince needs a proper run out and lets see Saka K arrive as a sub earlier this time….My head says a draw but my heart feels the light coming…
Cunha and Neto
UTW
I don’t know why Gary waited until the 87th minutes to put Sasa in.
He really can’t play more than 10 minutes yet?
Might it have something to do with the fact we were playing so well and had already brought Fabio on?
So we’re looking for a goal and you don’t bring on a striker who scored well in the Bundesliga and pull off a defensive midfielder earlier than the 87th minute?
Captain Hindsight
Shit stirrer John, note no prediction, just another whinge. Yawn……
Another battling loss. Was so pleased with how we played last week.
Really anticipating this game, and hope we can continue in this vein of form!
I was wandering how much of that performance was due to JL’s pre-season work and how much was due to GO and a new manager’s bounce. Time will tell, I guess.
Never mind that awful VAR decision at Old Trafford, my mind drifted back to a couple of seasons earlier during Ollie’s first season where Man U were awarded 27 penalties over the course of the season! Unreal and unbelivable!
So difficult to predict Wolves’s results but am confident we will score a couple if we play like last week. Either Fabio or Kalajdzik to start, but one of them has to start.
Like all Wolves fans, I was heartened by what I saw on Monday and it certainly lifted my hopes and expectations for the near future. If our players can play with that kind of energy we should see some very exciting and indeed, surprising results.
Formation wise, I wouldn’t mind seeing Bueno introduced at LB. RAN was solid attacking but caught out in defence quite a few times. Cunha was superb, but proved he is no goal scorer. We need to start with a proper CF. Take yr pick from Sasa or Fabio. I must admit, I was impressed with the improvement I saw in Fabio Silva. Runs faster, and certainly more grit in his tackles. On the other hand we have seen nothing of Sasa.
The one player we could certainly bench at the moment is Sarabia. I have seen nothing so far from this chappie. Methinks he will be going the Guedes way!
Brighton are a strong and ever improving team, so I would be quite happy with a point and overjoyed with three.
Not sure you can mention those two in the same breath, vic. At least Sarabia tries and seems committed to the cause.
Gotta disagree with you on that one, he couldn’t hit a barn door but he finds space and is full of running. I think he’ll come good.
Well, I am excited for this season!!! The lads looked great!!! I’m pulling for a 2-1 win!! Neto has to score and I think that we get the other off a set piece maybe Dawson or Sasa!!
Wanted at the Golden Palace, a fair unbiased set of match officials.
Tomorrow is a great opportunity to see where we are.
I have a feeling there are some good times ahead. Another new beginning.
Can’t wait,only one more sleep ?
opps
Where are we drinking tomorrow me old mate ?
I want to be a millionaire but its not going to happen!
I’m feeling heartened about this team and can feel good things will surely and finally come our way, despite dodgy and fake apologetic officials and dangerous, reckless goal keepers. :-))
I can’t predict anything else other than a home win.
Come on me babbies.
Play the way we played at MU and I think Brighton will be in for a shock if Wolves can find their shooting boots a 2-1 win for the Wolves.
We are going to have to perform even better than we did at old Trafford to get anything from this game. Having seen both our fixtures against Brighton at first hand I was really impressed by them – they are a very, very good team.
Best wishes to GON for his home debut, I will happily take a draw.
.
We have a really good first team but this season will see lots more yellow and red cards so fear our lack of depth will be telling . Still a score draw would be ok in this difficult fixture
If we keep creating chances the goals will come
Plenty of positives to take from the Man U game and rightly we should all be feeling much more positive about this season than we were. There is talent in this side and, as Thomas, pointed out, energy as well.
The trouble is – I have no confidence that, even if we manage to put the ball in the net, it won’t be chalked off by Stockley Park. Well at least we will have another apology from Howard Webb to look forward to, eh?
Brighton though are a tough second fixture. They seem to have a bit of a hoodoo over us and were in excellent form last season.
With a rocking Mol behind us there is no reason why we couldn’t bag the points, but until we start showing our scoring credentials my predicted scores will regretfully have a negative tint to them.
Looking forward to travelling up to this game. A good show last game; only missing piece was the ball in the back of their net.
A few more days with GON’s coaching hopefully put that right.
Was going 3-1 but already taken by a fee people. So, payback for our battering at theirs.
Incredible performance at OT. Surely we can produce more of the same at the Mol with our fans behind them. Barring another VAR debacle I think we can pick up all three.
I’d keep Ait in and start Fabio
Morally, I should be getting 3 points from the first game as I predicted a 1-1 draw but, there again, our play deserved at least a 2-0 win!
As there’s no way we are going to get a 20 goal a season striker, continuing to get bodies into the box and shooting practice, practice, practice has to be the way forward.
Another 1-1 for me despite Brighton being our bogey team.
Brighton are talented but vulnerable.
It’s been a while since I have been this keen to get up the Molinuex. The performance against United was like a breath of fresh air. Our press and intensity to win the ball back was very good, that approach will be severely tested against Brighton as this is exactly what they want. That being said I am confident we get a positive result surely we have earned a bit of luck and I am hoping Brighton are still adapting to losing two key players.
Without wishing to be a glass half empty type of chap I truly cant help the pessimism until that ball actually is put behind the line between the posts …there’s no argument to be had with how the preseason unity of the team irrespective of the leadership has transformed the performances of so many individuals as witnessed on Monday….but lingering nerves prevail even though 1 maybe 2 looked like new signings such was their contribution
I cant help thinking back to the optimism that was pumping through the veins like the old Banks’s draft mild taps in the Stags Head when Mr Lage regime had a positive but eventually fruitless start to a campaign ….with different personnel having led us out of that managers disaster , the new regime to my mind are on trial so to speak as to a continuation of where the Spaniard left off ….one swallow doesn’t a summer make and I truly hope the abject woefulness of the opposition on Monday didn’t over inflate the abilities and skill of the a fore mentioned players
The opposition must be the envy of many a teams fans at the moment in the way they have solidly recruited and reminds me of when we brought players into the club in the early days of the Fosun regime to the astonishment of all around us not to mention our own fan base …. unfortunately not seemingly immediately replaced by a better version once sold
They’re good ….so …my 6 numbers for the lottery this Saturday are 6,9,19,26,36,52
my head predicts a loss for the afternoon my heart a win 2-1 ….Good luck too to the ladies on Sunday
Really enjoyed the trip to Manchester on monday despite being robbed at the end. The pressing and forward passing was such a surprise, even more than against Rennes.
Looking forward to tomorrow although Brighton will be a tough opponent.
It’s amazing what one game can do – pre-United, I was one of the doom and gloom brigade predicting our imminent demise. One spirited defeat later and I’m planning to buy the new home top on pay day. For shame.
As I said in my blog, I was really impressed with how we approached Monday’s fixture and I think teams will have to work hard to get points off of us this season, which is more than can be said about recent seasons.
It’s early days but O’Neil seems to be a very switched on coach who is very adept at conjuring up a game plan. I do wonder what our overall style of play will end up being under him, as the noise from Bournemouth fans seems to be that he adapts his tactics based on who he’s up against, but that’s hopefully a question for the long-term rather than now.
Like Thom, I’d like to see a focal point added to the line-up, but I’d go with Fabio for now as I think we need to manage Sasa’s minutes carefully. The former was really energetic from the bench on Monday and looks like he’s got a point to prove.
Our home form was pretty stellar under Lopetegui and I think it’ll need to be again this season, so I’m going for an optimistic score draw.
Thomas
I really think basing your tactics on who you are playing that day is very wise.
Football can in some ways be not unlike military battles.
Every battle is different, requiring different abilities and techniques each one…
I really want him to succeed as a mix of English, sorry British players , European and worldwide players is healthier as they will all be supporting each other.
Onwards and upwards eh
I expect we will get another apology from the PGMOL, after the match when VAR awarded Brighton two doggy penalties and disallowed three goals by us!!!!!
If we play like we did the other night, I’m expecting a decent game. But that was an almost perfect away performance. The onus now is to set the tempo at home against a very good side, which is a different thing. Such oceans of space United left in their midfield are unlikely to be available this time.
We showed last season though that we can get good results at home so there’s no reason why not.
Have to take points from these home fixtures if we’re to survive never mind prosper. Can we actually score 2? More in hope than expectation.
Trying to work out how you’ve managed an astonishing -5, on, what is for you, a fairly mild and innocuous (ta spellchecker) prediction comment.
Did you kick someone’s granny down the park again?
More likely Roosting Chickens, now Gary has, for a week at least, halted the Anti – Fosun rhetoric with that Cavalier display up the Traff. Baffled, but hey, 1 lv.
There is an old Hungarian proverb (probably) : ” Beware the wise old woman who pours a jug of custard over Next Door Neighbours Cat. For when this happens it is a sure sign of a Wolverhampton Wanderers FC victory by 2 goals to 1″ . And another ancient proverb from Ulaanbataar ” When the Mongolian Elk herd go to wetherspoons it is a sure sign of a Wolverhampton Wanderers FC victory by 2 goals to 1 but only if the herd order burger and chips” So imagine my surprise when I looked out of the upstairs window over the neighbours fence and indeed there was a wise old woman pouring a jug of custard over Next Door Neighbours cat (NDNC) . NDNC wasn’t amused when I spoke to him later but I advised it was all for the greater good if a WWFC victory was assured.He agreed. I then went to wetherspoons yesterday evening and sure enough a herd of 7 Mongolian Elk were up the bar ordering burger and chips. The omens are good as both ancient proverbs came true so it can only mean one thing WWFC 2 BHA 1. Di Zerbi will be helpless in the face of such mystical powers as Gary O’Neil’s men rampage around the Molineux turf. The floodgates open and WWFC go 2-0 up with goals from Hwang and Sasa. Although BHA pull a goal back it is too little too late. After the game GON said ” It is always great to receive assistance from NDNC and a herd of Mongolian elk. But the lads also did great and I am pleased with the win” Di Zerbi said ” I though something strange was going on. As our team bus arrived I looked out of the window and saw a cat grinning up at me covered in custard. I guess it was a bad omen for us. But we live to figh another day”. WWFC 2 BHA 1.
I think you are on to something.
In what i thought was a complete coincidence, I saw 3 back-to-back episodes of Roobarb & Custard last night. Custard the cat waved his left paw once and his right paw twice in each episode. Thank you for helping me understand the portents – i can sit back and relax now!
Roobarb and Custard were great. I was a big fan. I remember the one episode when thick fog had descended on Roobarb and Custard and they couldn’t see anything so Roobarb invented a machine that sucked all the fog up. Brilliant! And splendid music too.
YOUR MAD AS A HATTER !
You’re right …
I get it from my old granddad. He was as mad as a box of frogs. Amongst the many instances of insanity was when you used to visit their house. He would answer the door with a pair of grannies bloomers on his head. He never took anything seriously. Everything was turned in to a laugh! Bless his soul.
Cunha is starting to look the real deal but I think that the final unlocking of his talent will be when he gets played from the start alongside, or slightly behind, a proper No9.
I know I’m not by any means the only person who thinks this, but it seems mostly to pass by the man who picks the team.
I expect there’s a very good reason that’s much too complex for the likes of me.
I always thought that playing 4-2-4 was choosing a disc on a jukebox.
Oh, did I tell you I’ve just bought one?
No? Well recently I….
The PMDG’er has just told me to shut up about the bloody jukebox.
I predict a win. 2-1 should do it.
Coincidentally that’s the number of Hi Ho Silver Lining on my n……………….
Shut up about the damn Jukebox.
Tis a beaut’ though. They don’t make ’em like that anymore.
The NSM ‘Prestige’. Not a Wurlitzer is it DG?
The PMDGer is probably right, there’s a Vile fan living in there singing along with ‘Hi Ho Silver Lining’, pretending JB was a Villain.
Plus I don’t think you should have cleared out her ‘Wade Whimsies’ bunny collection to make room, that’s got trouble written all over it. 1 lv.
Not a Wurlitzer Rasta.
I wanted one that was of my jukebox playing era. It can play discs that don’t have to have the centres gouged out. Plus, classic 50s boxes like Wurlitzers and Rock-Olas can cost an arm and a leg.
I’ve cleared it of Vile fans and the PMDG’ers ‘Wade Whimsies’ collection is safely stored next to my stash of back issues of Penthouse magazine.
Good to see you on form DOOG. 1 lv
Probably , at the moment , the second or maybe third best team in the Premier league but I’m going for the win
Unlike a lot of fans, who maybe right, I am not of the mind that our attempts on goal are as before and therefore a cause for worry. I may be wrong but it is how I feel. On another day, Silva’s three shots near the end which were on target and had power would have been productive. The defenders were magnificent and successful in throwing themselves into last ditch blocks for United. Similarly, on other days I feel Neto and Cunha, in particular, would find the net.
Brighton are a heck of a team at present and will prove at least as difficult as United. However, I think we will prove successful this time. Hopefully…
I also believe that I should have the points for predicting 1-1 against Yanited and I’m looking forward to receiving my official apology.
Turning to BHA. I’m predicting 2-1 to Wolves. Start with the same team except for Fabio for Pablo (probably). It’ll be tough.
I too believe I should have an official apology from Howard Webb. I forecast 1-1 but this was denied by that ‘don’t get above yourselves’ decision. By now the A and the W keys on his keyboard must wearing out! About time we had an Apologies column added to the league tables, just after the Goal Difference column. If you’re equal on points and GD, you go above if you have more Howard Webb apologies! Could make a lot of difference at the end of the season! Someone once correctly said that a superior goal difference was worth an extra point. So should more apologies!
Tomorrow I expect Wolves to feed on those bloody-nuisance Seagulls. Silva to start, he needs more minutes to get the goal that will unlock his chakras. Can’t expect to bring him on late and score. He’s on the brink. The team’s performance against Man U was a continuation of that splendid form against Stade Rennais, so is partly down to Lopetegui. Best form since Nuno at his glorious best. We are again in good hands. Gary O’Neil has more than one thing in common with Eddie Howe (Bournemouth). The other thing? They are both examples of young, talented and hungry English coaches. A rare breed in the top flight. 2-1 Wolves.
Goals. I can see goals.
Brighton are knocking them in and we look ready to score a few too
What a difference one game makes, even when you lose! Time to demonstrate that we are going somewhere this year and to make them pesky seagulls pay for the failure of officialdom at OT and for the pain they inflicted on us last season.
So talk squalk as my wife calls it has us to lose quite convincingly to a superb brighton side as our game against utd was a fluke and down to utd not being at the races just yet because of a slow start.
What a bunch of top six loving tossers !
brighton scored 4 at home against a team that really is more nailed on than jesus to return from whence they came …big deal… as im pretty sure even with our misfiring forwards we could have bettered that if we had been fortunate to have been drawn against luton at home for our first game.
Even so when the Mongolian elk herd run across the pitch brighton will be so bewildered even the crown prince will score as the ball bounces off the back of his head a la danny grumfuttuck and into there net.
Danny grumfuttuck was a footballer created by marty feldman i think we should sign him up asap before the window breaks.
Nailed on winners am we !
‘…more nailed on than Jesus’. Class. 1 lv
top of the table (alphabetically that is)!
.
.
With a fair wind, the same positivity we saw Monday night and no refereeing foul up’s, I think we can get something tomorrow. Looking forward to a full house at Molineux and welcoming GON to his first home league game.
You can do it boys …
I think this is winnable if we employ a striker alongside Cuhna, but I’m not sure if that’ll happen until too late again.
All we really need is a striker to be a comfortable mid table team.
Agood side as we’ve seen last year.
But we’re a good side too.
Goals will come for sure..hopefully tomorrow at the Mol’
I have a dreadful feeling that we’ll continue to struggle to score tomorrow and that BRIGHTon will score themselves as they appear to routinely do.
Hope I’m wrong of course. Sorry y’all….
Great performance last Monday .. and tomorrow may see the clash of the giraffes .. Kaladsic and Dunk..
Forget the comparisons of games versus Luton .. they’re dreadful regardless..
I’m relying on our good form against Man U and Rennes to continue .. in which case we’ll be fine .. Cunha and Neto to score ..
Shit on the seagulls.. shit on the seagulls today .. woo woo ah ..
Now that would be karma ..
I threw the dice for this one as I ain’t got one right yet
I’m going full monty goalfest, Monday’s performance has encouraged me to join in the prediction league. As i can never bring myself to predict a loss i abstained last year but if we continue in that vein i reckon i will garner some points even with my predicament. I can’t see them not scoring but with the home crowd whipping up a frenzy we’re gonna find our shooting boots and put 3 past em in reply to their 2 against us. Fabio upfront with Cunha in behind please, the noise is too loud now to ignore now although it would be slightly unlucky for anyone to be dropped from Mondays starters. We need goals though and that’s what Silvas about with Sarabia dropped to the bench cos despite all his good efforts he still can’t hit a barn door. It’s too early for Kaladjzic to start for me, softly softly catchee monkey, fresh legs after 70min. UTW
Greetings Taxidermists,
Swiftly moving on from the stuffing meted out to the woeful Midges Monday night, its the turn of the Seagulls. Full of fish from their hollow victory over the Hatters, we’re going to need to clean out the mid – bird before our boy’s get stuck in at the tail, shredding feathers to get at the Parson’s Nose. Naturally our defence will keep an eye on that nasty, chip stealing beak. Not a problem for Ballon D’awson. (Cheers Prawny)
Would like to see The Doc (you can call me Papa) chucking it over for Sasa to nod it home. Surely the reason we’ve got him in the team.
Glad management have resisted the temptation to sell Cunha for £100mil this week.
Webby, where’s our bonus points you owe us? I keep looking at the table and it still says WWFC, Nil points. C’mon, you’re better than that.
Now King Kenny Hibbitt has retired from monitoring dodgy Refs, hung up his AK47 and donated his Hummer to ‘Save the Children’, I fear we’re going into the season a bit light in the Ref control department.
We can’t rely on Gary questioning the 4th official every week, that’s only going one way. Wear that yellow card with pride.
1 lv & COYW.
Stuff the bogey team bit and let’s become every teams bogeys this season and
flick them back up where they belong up Merson hooter and the rest of the Var
cheating slimy nose in the trough gits.
Tough game against the Chip Pinchers tomorrow but we have the talent to get a result if we play like Monday night.
I was going to predict a draw, but what the heck. A win it is
Come on, Wolves, let’s put those pundits’ noses out of joint.
There will be easier games than this, they’re a good team with lots of confidence
Hope we get a good performance and a result
Take the positives from Monday night’s defeat & we must be due a win against these lot eventually, fingers crossed for a home win
I watched the ManU game with disbelief and a growing sense of excitement for the season ahead. Could hardly believe my eyes. What a transformation in attitude and approach. It was even enjoyable to watch… when was the last time we enjoyed watching Wolves? So, great start, the failure to net the big concern but with that number of chances and better refs we will do fine.
Definitely need to start with a centre forward.
One has to ask whether Stockley Park is fit for service – corrupt or inept or both. Those officials had already messed up last season yet still get to ruin our match. What would happen to us at work if we were found to be completely incompetent?
Rant over.
We can beat Brighton.
If the ball hits Lewis Dunk on the hand in the penalty box you can imagine VAR coming up with this riling : ” Because Lewis Dunk is 8ft 10 it is unfair to penalise him . If he had been 5ft 2 the ball wouldn’t have hit his ar. So fuck off Wolves”
…..arm…..not arse…
Until we can put the ball in the back of the net, we can’t win games.
To me Fabio looks our most likely route to goal.
Happy with an ugly one nil to start.
I hope destabilising newspaper reports regarding Nunes and Lemina are shrugged off and we get full focus on the match. With the twelveth man cheering us on we can’t lose yet again to this lot.
This looks like a tough one, Brighton are no mugs. I think a lot will depend on Gary O’Neil’s tactics. Monday’s performance is reason for hope though plus they’ll have the crowd behind them, so I’m going for a narrow Wolves win.
Sasa and Fabio to score.
Time for a win!
I really think Wolves will get a point from this game, so I’m going for a draw. Brighton are a great team but when they let one in they tend to let more.
Well that was good.
How can I be positive?
We won the last 35mins (plus time added on) 1-0 with only the loss of one player!