Despite the sense of injustice, I was impressed with Bournemouth when they came to Molineux in December.
After Wolves went down to 10 they moved the ball superbly and played with a tempo and urgency we simply couldn’t cope with.
That said, prior to Rajiv van La Parra’s dismissal they were far less threatening in a competitive game that the home side were edging.
Confidence was fragile back then of course, but this time Wolves aren’t going into the game on a run of four straight defeats. They’re looking for a fourth straight victory.
Bournemouth
The Cherries could do with a victory. They haven’t had any wins in their last five matches, which has seen them drop out of the top two and to within touching distance of the play-off chasers.
In fact, a Wolves win would put them level on points with Bournemouth, which is incredible when you consider where two clubs were at the turn of the year.
There’s no doubting they get the ball down and pass as efficiently as anyone in the league. In the recent defeat at Notts Forest, they enjoyed an astonishing 75% possession.
The consensus seems to be that they’re not playing badly despite the poor run of results, but perhaps aren’t being as cool in the final third.
With eight wins, six draws and three defeats, their home form isn’t as formidable as one might expect. They’ve generally looked more menacing away from Dean Court.
Wolves
When you’ve got pace, you’ve always got a chance and Wolves have it in abundance at present.
Your guess is as good as mine in terms of Kenny Jackett’s team selection. There seem to be four or five positions that are interchangeable between a handful of players.
That’s not a bad thing either, as it means he can freshen things up without dramatically changing the dynamic.
It’s a squad game and I do think it’s a positive that the manager adapts the team to combat the opposition. It shows strength of character too because it leaves him open for criticism in defeat.
The gaffer
Predictions
I’ve predicted wins most of the season because I genuinely have a great deal of confidence in the manager and players.
That’s not going to change despite the fact we’ve now got two tough back-to-back fixtures. Four points from Bournemouth and Watford would be a very good return.
Winning tonight would make a big splash and you know what? I think we’re going to do it.
Sticking with my go-to prediction – 3-1
Up The Wolves.
With still so much to play for a draw would be ok. What we dont want is the sort of limp performance we delivered at Norwich. I will stick with us to keep it coming.
Tough to know who’s going to play, but we should do well whoever gets the nod.
Here’s hoping!
A tight game but I’m backing Afobe and/or Dicko to keep running at the home side until the end and nick us a cheeky three points with a late winner.
Agreed Bagsy, just setting off for the Goldsands.
Come on me babbies!!
Kenny in civvies! I hope he’s not letting his standards slip.
My admiration for him is as strong as ever.
He’s still talking the talk and now he’s got us walking the walk.
This is going to be one hell of a test but we owe Bournemouth one so I have to go for a win on principal.
Nothing to fear and everything to gain.
Come on you Wolves!!!
Gutted that I can’t get to Bournemouth tonight. Of all the games to make midweek. Thank you Football League!!!
We owe them one. Let’s hope it’s pay back time tonight. The starting 11 will be interesting, but whatever he goes with – remember, a kenny knows best.
I think we are playing them at the right time. Im expecting goals, so let’s hope we shade it and come back on 60 points.
Itd be nice to get in that top 6 tonight
Good away point secured
The defeat to these left a really bad taste worse than the few hammerings we took from the likes of Derby….it’s the cheat factor that riles me most…”.so hopefully they’ll get their just deserts this evening
Hoping we go better than a draw, but staying unbeaten would be good even if we do only pick up 1.
Revenge is a dish best eaten cold. Form is everything at this stage of the season, and they haven’ t got any. They may knock the ball around a bit, but our away game is based on the counter-attack and that will suit us nicely. If the Molineux cheat-fest is anything to go by, there will be more Cherries falling tonight than during a Checkhov harvest. Hope someone gets the opportunity to remind Arter that football is a physical contact sport.
Love the Chekhov reference (though like a Bobby Zamora strike it will probably sail way over the bar for most.) Hope we can get a Tolstoy or Solzhenitsyn quote for the Watford game!
Wasn’t Chekhov is the Russian crew member in Star Trek ?
Thanks. We aim to please (- unlike Bobby Zamora…)
I hope I’m wrong!
Its been a berserk season, so difficult to call … so i’ll sit on the fance
Just don’t know how to call this – again. Hoping I’m wrong in my prediction but Bournemouth haven’t become a poor team overnight. They badly need a win to keep in touch with the automatic places and we need a win to stay in touch with those hoping for the playoffs. They are at home which edges it for me – I think!!
I saw recently that 50% of KJ’s results since taking charge have resulted in us keeping a clean sheet.
With that in mind, I’m upgrading my standard prediction from 2-1 to 2-0.
Here’s hoping we put the record straight against this lot tonight!
UTW
I’m going for a Brentford of last season. Really tight to call but what the hell.
Reckon they’ve got 3 points that belong to us anyway…they should give us the game.
Would love a win but happy with a draw.
There is no doubt these two games will be huge in determining our fate in May.
Come on me babbies
Agree with Dalmation Wolf above .. this game has all the similarities to Brentford away last year.
Attacking opposition, generally scoring goals, we’re the away team BUT like last year we will defend resolutely and then get our noses in front .. this will make them anxious, try a few con the ref tricks and then we catch them on the break .. ( a la Jacobs style) for number 2 .. get in and …
FOafcb.
We owe them
We are in great form
They are in poor form
Unfortunately, it sounds like a classic defeat for us!
Two big games this week. If we lose them both our season is over.
Here’s hoping for a win in this one.
I went to Bournemouth once.
It was closed.
Scooped from Ludlow, Pete Morgan, Glynn the shit fan and I went for a week and had an ex army tent partially set up in some field.
So drunk most of the time we didn’t give a shit that the thing eventually collapsed upon us!!
That is my overriding memory of Bournemouth.
Bournemouth football is an oxymoron, like Scottish goalkeepers.
They are currently in the stratosphere compared to the backwater they should be in, consequently their position is false, and we will tonight knock them back down another peg or two.
Nothing other than a Wufflers win is on the cards, and then bring on Watfor, another team punching above their wait!! (typos on a porpoise!!)
Nice to have two games a week, it keeps Thomas on his toes with the Preddo league thingy!!
Can you believe it?
I am almost wanting the shit to win tonight, to help seal Villa’s fate.
I said almost.
FOwb & tp
Shame on you for even ALMOST wanting them to win!
I think a nil nil draw with twenty two players sent off and a fight between the two fans would be favourite.
And I hope it snows.
Like many have commented above, the previous encounter left a really bad taste, more so after RVLP’s red was rescinded, which I had a feeling it would.
We owe this lot, we as fans know it, and the team know it. The lads and the travelling support will be well up for this one tonight.
Revenge will be sweet.
Come on Me Babbies!!!
Same again please.
Hard to predict given the form of both clubs. I’m sitting on the fence on this one and going for a 1-1 draw.
I think wolves will win one nil . Confidence sky high and what a time to come good . There s no stopping our attack we are rampaging in this league and we could be scoring these goals in the prem . No wonder that twat PULIS wants Sako .
Morgan and moxey … Only a fool would break that counter attacking force up at such an early stage . This is special and those teams around us know it !!
Defense has been holding strong recently. Let’s hope they can keep it up. Dicko + sako with the goals imo. COYW
We need to keep winning.
Take each game as it comes.
Good luck lads!
Because every time I predict Wolves to loose, they win.
Roll on.
I am really dreaming of 6 points from the games this week, that will put us where we want tobe. We seem to be on a roll, so why
not?
Any win will do of course, as the 3 points would be a nice way of sticking 2 fingers up at the opposition. Hit them on the break – and this game the chances will go in I believe. If the wife will let me interrupt the cruise programme later, teletext here I come.
Like others, I use this blog as a chance to share memories and banter, predicting is something I am very WBA at. So I predict us to lose tonight with the hope we will turn the whinging cherries over.
The team are certainly up for it, everyone one on the coach are up for it and Kenny is certainly up for it.
Of all our matches this season, these are the 3 points I want. We woz robbed at Molineux, dirty tactics were employed by certain of their players and payback is overdue.
Reading the comments from their players on the various blogs they are in squeaky bum mode and are not overly confident, as opposed to us who are firing on all at present, bring it on Mini Wembley time tonight.
COMB’s
🙂
Draw tonight win Saturday would be a decent return and keep us on track
I’m gonna stick with my not trying to predict a score and hope for the best, may not even be able to listen tonight so maybe that’ll help things as well.
I predict and end to end game resulting in a goal fest. Wolves to come out on top.
I will be keeping in touch via the official Wolves twitter . I may even twitter myself if the mood takes me.
No idea who KJ will choose in midfield or upfront but his constant changes have resulted in the opposition not knowing what is going on. Well done Kenny.
Also a big mention for Joe Gallen whom I believe has made more of an impact than we probably realise.
Onwards & Upwards
🙂
At Molineux everything seemed to go their way …. I can’t see that happening again and on a level playing field with current form we ought to beat them quite decisively. Of course, I could be wrong …….
Not such a daunting prospect as it looked a few weeks ago but I think two good sides will share the spoils.
If we’re going for the playoffs we need to be good enough for this one.
I’d like to think we will keep winning but I’m not sure about this one.
I hate Bounemouth with a passion I have ever since that cup match in the 50’s.
I hope we can really stuff the south coast whingers tonight.
have to be concerned with recent run of form… the goals are drying up, marked decline of 2 goal decrease in the ‘goals for’ column on a match by match basis…. you wha?, only joking, though this is a tough assignment, I’ll be happy with a score draw but hoping that I’m wrong and that our defence will keep up their current mean streak. oh, and Doyle to nab one from the bench maybe?
I’m sticking with predicting a draw and Wolves winning and why not the boys should be full of confidence and fearing nothing Bournmouth are having a sticky patch so there’s no better time to be playing them plus if what goes around comes around we’re are due a bit of luck against them they got away with the points a Molinuex more by good fortune than skill.
Come on Wolves it’s your time to shine your time to grab this oppertunity and run with it all the way to the Premier League, Out of Darkness cometh Light lets make the dark years a distance memory and bask in the light. ( don’t know where that came from ).
COME ON ME BABIES………….!
I am a placid individual except when it comes to all things Gold and Black, and I am still incensed by the incompetent refereeing that led to the robbery we witnessed when the Cherries came to town. If there is any justice in this world then the points tonight MUST belong to us.
Feeling recklessly optimistic about this one!
doubt we can keep another clean sheet
But a point would be fine
Come on Wolves!
0-4. Two for Afobe, one for Dicko and one for Sako.
Keeganesque about this……… I will love it if we just beat them
5.00pm Just checked the parking here and it’s shite..
Draw draw draw…but if we can produce some magic either Sako..K Mac(!) Dicko,def Afobe (needs to put his last miss right), then who knows
We could grab some glory…
Fearful of a Norwich debacle but I ll be screaming across to Stu if we get a result..
I’m in the next block mate I owe you a pint actually so I’ll see if I can spot yer..
COYW
Hope I’m wrong, but Bournemouth are desperate for a home win.
BTW, do we still want to be like Everton?
Team selection is anyone’s guess but I think we’ll be too strong on the break and hope the defensive surety stays.
We owe them and think we’ll deliver tonight.
With our pace we look a dead cert to score away from home. Hopefully our defence can hold
COME ON ME BABIES
I would happily take a point from this fixture but I think we have enough to edge this one.
UTW
All the plaudits about how we’re now doing and our season’s ambitions, 3 good wins, their bad run having to end soon and enough E&S headlines to paper the AFC dressing room walls and get their danders up, it’s got disappointment written all over it! And of all the teams to be developing a big rivalry with!! Still, that sounds like the sense of entitlement that an Ipswich blogger sensed in our blog!! But we’ve moved to a new level and will capitalise. I think!
I’m copping out by going for a draw.
Not quite at the ‘anything but a loss’ stage, but not far off.
Hope I’m wrong !!!!
If we win tonight confidence is going to be sky high. I think we will sneak it and give ourselves a great chance of kicking on for the rest of the season. The pace we have going forwards is fantastic, I know if I were the opposition I wouldn’t fancy playing is at all.
Amazing stat in the E&S this week about Batth starting every game for Jackett. He and Stears have been immense (for most) of this season, which gives us a great starting point.
Very much unsure with this one, Bournemouth are certainly a good side, then again we proved at Molineux that we are more then a match for them on our day. I’ll just have to sit on the fence.
Just seen the line up, come on wolves, a win would be fantastic, but I can just as easily see a loss.
2-0 away win should be attainable tonight.
Hopefully we are more desperate than they are. Dicko to sneak the winner.
Wolves just carry on winning
I really cannot make up my mind on this one.We could have,maybe should have won the Molineux game.At the time Bournemouth were riding the crest of a wave and we were on a downer.How times change ! I’ve gone for a Wolves win but I can’t say I’m as confident as I was on Saturday.
Wolves win coming up.
We need to get straight at them tonight, don’t give them a second on the ball if we’re gonna get anything .
Don’t know if KJ should be tinkering with the side,but shouldn’t complain he knows best I think.
Anyway we owe them big time for the way some of their players reacted to that ref Jones if you can call him a ref.UTW.
Were on a roll.
KJ pushing for automatic promotion…
Part of me thinks nahh… Play-offs it is, then I think what a manager he is!
Aim for the stars but reach the moon.
Aiming for the top spots takes away the fear of trying to consolidate in the playoff positions as you then start looking over your shoulder and fearing the worst. By playing with confidence and no fear in trying to knock those off the top spot you forget about the ones then trying to chase you down, fear is gone!
(I write this as we go a goal down to Bournemouth), so no rose tinted glasses, more the bigger picture.
So till the end of the season, “lads – don’t look down!” – (it can get scary).
Just seen the result, gutted really thought we were going to go on a run……………….Watford won, Brenford, Boro…….just fee l so deflated and I know the seasons not over and the play offs are still attainable, it’s just I got my hopes up and now well..
If we had won tonight it would of set up the Watford game a treat.
Gutted…!
Yea Its just a step Too Far for this team..
One thing to beat Struggling teams but as soon as we come up against Decent Top 6 opposition we Bottle it…
Been the same all Season. We don’t move the ball Quick enough..
Lets keep building and hope we become a Top Six team next Season
When i saw the line up feared they would take control of the game. A disjointed performance from an imbalanced team. Towards the end even the players were acting like frustrated spectators.
There has been some brave talking off the pitch but i am still not convinced the development necessary is going to follow on it. Hope we now go on another run and maybe i get proved wrong.
I ve just spoken to a mate of mine who attended the game tonight,he thought the team was all wrong the way KJ had set it up.
B,mouth were head and shoulders above us for 90% of the game,disjointed was his words.
Most of the fan thought there’s to much tinkering especially this time of the season when you need a settled side .
We still need a Alex wray type midfielder in our team to get the results we need to break into the top six . So KJ get searching and stop TINKERING.
Gonna be tough now on saturday,but who knows with this wolves side.UTW.
Disappointing but not yet terminal for our play off hopes. However, we simply have to beat Watford at the weekend. I’ve expected mid table from the outset this season and thought the play offs would be an over achievement for this side. My frustration is simply because it’s the small differences that make the big difference e.g. One good midfield signing not made, a striker like Afobe signed in the summer not January etc. Anyway, keep the faith for the rest of the season and come back prepared to be underwhelmed by a lack of summer investment, moxey’s latest and greatest excuses etc 🙂
Sutton Coldfield Wolf
Your’e bang on the money there, there was a contant void in midfield which Bournemouth constantly punished us with by dominating it and spreading balls to their players all night. Don’t get me wrong as MacDonald was magnificent last night again a brilliant through ball for Afobe to run onto, but that meant he was very busy and Edwards was off his game last night along with quite a few others.
Two points I learnt last night through my silent reflection before ko, I noticed all the team going through their warm up process, all giving 100% and really concentrating. Doherty was pratting about with Banks Lendall during the whole session and he was not even giving 20% effort, half hearted to say the least. Come the match he was just the same, very poor performance and why Kenny didn’t swap him for Iorfa within 15 minutes of kick off will baffle me for ever and a day.
Secondly, RVLP is certainly below Parra, as far as I can see he is a winger who can’t take his opponents on, who runs in ever decreasing circles instead of straight lines and feels he has to beat defenders twice often three times every time he has the ball. He is nowhere near as good as Henry at this present moment in time.
Of all the games this season this was the quietest away support we have had all season, there were 9800 fans in the ground and the Cherries sang from start to final whistle, they were brilliant and the effect was there for all to see, Bournemouth ran their legs off at 90 MPH. Wolves just didn’t give us much to cheer about.
We were solidly beaten last night, they gave the Cherries too much space and were done by a team that actually didn’t play that great, they just wanted to win more than Wolves.
Watford on Saturday will be interesting, one, to see what team Kenny picks and two, to see who turns up to play, a few of them didn’t perform last night.
Not a night to remember believe me, the quicker we move on from thatperformance the better.
Rumour has us in for Danny Drinkwater the 24 year old ex Man U midfield player who is with Leicester, also Man U’s U21’s forward Wilson who they want to go out on loan, he has stated he prefers Wolves if he is to go, must be the medication he’s taking.
We desperately need a quality Midfield signing to complement MacDonald.
Onwards & Sidewards again, an all too familiar pattern this season.
🙂
Shame is it not? We can all see what we are missing, two or even one quality addition in the right areas and we wouldn’t be talking about playoffs it would be automatic positions, that’s how close we are! I’m not going to read to much into this game as this is wolves we will proberly thrash Watford 12-0 and go on a run of 3-4 games! Fingers crossed! It ain’t over till the fat controller sings!
Painfull to see yesterday.. the best was that MacDonald is coming back to form with a more defensive midfielder by his side he could get back to being flamboyant..
Well taken goal by Afobe and Steers still looks like a player of the season contender..I agree Stu why did not Iorfa play ? We would of attacked down the right..
Must win against Watford ….
the pressure is mounting..
COYW
Possible Striker arriving in the next few days, Looks useful.
(Squirrel Regis)