I still feel a bit drained after Monday night.
Much like Gary O’Neil, those decisions just sapped all of my energy. Losing at the death is bad enough, but under those circumstances – again – it’s just so demoralising.
After a similar situation at Sheffield Utd we were able to bounce back and beat Spurs. But this is an even bigger ask, away to the league leaders with several players unavailable.
The lads are really going to have to dig in and we can only hope – at a minimum – for a fair fight.
Arsenal
Until yesterday, I was going to write about how Arsenal had managed to get back to the top without hitting their stride. Then they hit Lens for six in the Champions League.
The worry is that mega win will play key figures like Saka, Martinelli and Odegaard (who all scored) into top-form at the worst possible time – for us anyway.
Saka already has 7 goals and 10 assists this season and he is still the main man, despite not reaching his best level recently. He scored in the 5-0 rout in this fixture at the end of last season and truth be told, we were lucky to escape with a fairly modest pummeling in what proved to be Julen Lopetegui’s final competitive game in charge.
In the games I’ve watched them play, I don’t think they’re as fluid or attractive a team as they were last season, but they’re clearly doing something right because the results keep coming. The only game they’ve lost was up at Newcastle and even that was to a goal wrapped up in VAR controversy.
My money remains on Manchester City for the title, but it wouldn’t surprise me if Arsenal won it. I would expect them to dip into the market in January for some reinforcements and that might well tip the balance in their favour. Ivan Toney has been strongly linked, as has Pedro Neto, but the former seems a more obvious and likely acquisition in the immediate.
Wolves
Monday was costly for Gary O’Neil with Lemina and Gomes both picking up their fifth bookings of the season and Rayan Ait-Nouri sidelined by injury.
Craig Dawson will probably return to what’s likely to be a more rigid back three. Matt Doherty or Hugo Bueno could fill in for Ait-Nouri and that’s a big call for Gary because Arsenal are strong in those wide attacking positions.
Doyle and Traore will both surely get a start with the other two midfielders out and the front three probably picks itself unless the manager has something more bespoke up his sleeve for such a tough assignment.
At the time of writing, I’ve not heard anything about Pedro’s return. I’m hoping he doesn’t miss the busy December period because he can be a real difference-maker in some of the more winnable games. Tomorrow, I’m assuming, has come too soon.
Predictions
Nobody predicted a 3-2 loss at Craven Cottage (owing to a string of officiating blunders) so we can just move on.
For the hardcore predictors, I’ve spent a block of time trying to update the overall table this week. As it stands, Wokywolf leads the way, but I’m still carrying out some checks. Please do let me know in the comment section if you think your score is wrong, as it will help me identify the issues and fix.
I can’t see beyond a defeat tomorrow. I think Arsenal will have too much for us, particularly with some key personnel missing. Hopefully, we can show some fight and at least make a game of it, but my best guess is probably a 3-1 loss.
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.
Up The Wolves!
You can only hope that Arsenal will be on such a high after the drubbing they gave out midweek that they think that they can take their foot of the gas for this one.
On paper there can be nothing but a home win; that said, we are consistently inconsistent.
Could we take a point or 3?
Highly unlikely but it’s a funny old game isn’t it?
So I have a theory that we are all viewing this VAR controversy the wrong way around. We don’t need less VAR – we need more VAR. We need a system to check for when VAR makes clear and obvious errors. Call it VAR Elite. They would call the VAR operators to a screen to review their decision and this would be televised and played on the big screens in the stadium. We’d obviously need a process to correct VAR Elite when they make clear and obvious errors. That’d be VAR Ultimate.
This would not just ensure more correct decisions, but with the extra referees and layers of bureaucracy, PGMOL and the Premier League could collect much more revenue in bribes. Win – Win…
Aussie
Could project your scenario a whole lot further.
Don’t forget the new select panel of elite specialist KC’s who will be on standby in court every Monday to step in when points deductions start to be dished out on a regular basis mid season. And then of course there will be damages to be resolved when promotions and relegations are historically reversed retrospectively and those deemed erroneous have to be redressed financially and possibly current results reversed by a fast track appeals system formulated by the big 6 and carried out by PGMOL; Burnley will be permanently in the courts. And Wolves will have a fully staffed legal dept. including ex referees.
We could even stop playing football on the pitch and have computer generated results open to legal challenges say on a monthly basis. Just think of the social benefits; all football grounds could be demolished with their sites given over to low cost housing with their own shopping malls and entertainment complex. No need either for traffic disruption or hooligans on the streets.
OR
We could disband the Premier Greed League dominated by the self appointed elite and revert to a fully integrated system all operating under the same governing body as was The Football League prior to 1993 when the big city cartel along with Sky hijacked English football.
Oh and on the pitch while it still counts this weekend sorry but it’s –
Definitely prefer your first option ???
Sadly, a 3-1 loss. This maybe good news with regard to my ability to forecast results.
Too many non match fit replacements facing really good players. Mind you, football is a ‘funny game’.
Can’t see us getting anything with Gomes and Lemina out (not to mention Pedro), but you never know!
Feeling quite negative about this one. Lemina and Gomes out along with Ait and the obligatory VAR controversy if things are tight at the end.
Not looking forward to this one at all.
6 goals in this one including an extremely dodgy penalty after a 7 minute var inquisition- arsenal will be glad of it too
Them 1
Us 5
Come on you wolves
The big plus out of all of this VARce is the fans are united with the players, the Head Coach and the Sporting Director Matt Hobbs (who achieved legendary status after he was reported to have called Ref Anthony Taylor ‘Fucking Useless’ and asked him when the next apology would be). All we need to see now is for Jeff to effect a fierce right hook and afflict a black eye on Howard Webb ‘s face next time he comes to Compton to apologise. That would be jolly splendid. I was walking through Gornal a couple of days ago and a chap I know (a WBA fan ) offered genuine sympathy for the latest VAR atrocity against us. Yes. A Baggie. He meant it as well, no piss taking. We had a good chat and I complimented him on the job Carlos is doing for them at the moment. As for Arsenal tomorrow well the odds are stacked against us. It was funny a couple of weeks back I was reading the Arsenal fans forum which had a comments feed on the Wolves v Spurs game. Obvious elation all round when Mario struck the 97th minute winner. In the comments after general gratitude to Wolves. One bloke said ‘fair play to Wolves doing us massive favours’ and this was followed up by a more cautious chap going ‘ yeah until they play us and do the same’ which was amusing. I am basing my prediction on this chaps obvious discomfort at playing us. They have to lose some time and we owe them one after a fair few VAR atrocities going against us against them (remember Guedes last season?) . They say these things ‘even themselves out’. So I am fully expecting three Arsenal players to be sent off for ‘soft’ headbutts. Hwang to score a hat trick of goals including two highly dubious penalties and one where he was 12 yards offside but the VAR camera mysteriously stopped working at the very point. So yes. Just like in 1979 it will be Arsenal 2 WWFC 3. After the game Mikel Arteta couldn’t attend the press conference because he had spontaneously combusted and was on the surface of the moon waiting for Jeff Bezos to come and pick him up on board the New Shepard space ship. GON said ‘ I like VAR -clearly helps the game and gave the correct decisions today. Thanks Howard.’ GOONERS 2 WWFC 3.
This is a hard game but if we can beat MC and Spurs we must have a chance ever the optimist 2-1 to the Wolves.
Thomas, I predicted both Bournemouth and Tottenham correctly and the win at Everton so a respectable 7 by my calculation rather than a pathetic 2 as stated in the table.
I’m going for broke in predicting 2-1 to us to make a mockery of the lamentable officiating in the Sheff U and Fulham matches.
As I said earlier, VAR has become as hated as VAT. And we can’t even pay cash to avoid VAR. Talking about paying cash and VAR, I wonder…
My immediate solution to VAR is to ban slo-mo replays permanently. Yes, VAR can look at something twice and more but it must be at the same running speed as the referee sees it on the pitch. Slo-mo makes everything look bad.
I cannot see anything but a hefty loss at The Arse. 3-0
Regarding the VAR argument, let us remember why VAR was brought in , in the first place.In the old days, we saw what happened on the ground the same way (and speed) that the ref saw it. But when TV started going super slo-mo and multi camera angles, all of a sudden, we had much better view of what happened, than the referee had. All of a sudden, fans were a lot more critical of referees’ decisions. So VAR was brought in to balance things out.
Therefore, if the call to scrap VAR becomes viable, then surely, all the slow motion, close angle action also needs to be scrapped ! Otherwise, we are back to square one.
https://untold-arsenal.com/archives/104697
This Arsenal blog gives an interesting take on matters of the moment, and shows that conspiracy/corruption theories are increasing their scope. The writer came up with one that had never crossed my mind. Alsao an interesting take on the reasons for the Everton deduction and why the fan protest didn’t receive much press coverage.
I won’t make a prediction – on my form over the last couple of years I’ve relegated myself!!. I’ll just bask in happy memories of being at Highbury for a 5-1 Wolves win. The bonus was to see the look on the surrounding Arsenal fans’ faces when they commented on the fact that the players weren’t celebrating the goals and I explained that Stan Cullis had forbidden them to – he said that they were getting paid to score goals, and shouldn’t celebrate for just doing their job. The effect on opposition fans was huge. When Jimmy Murray scored five of the six by which we beat Chelsea around the same time, the only person to congratulate him was Jimmy Greaves!!
COYW – let’s have a win, if only for old-times sake.
From the Arsenal blog:
Newcastle vs. Arsenal – referee – Stuart Attwell.
Man. City vs. Liverpool – VAR – Stuart Attwell
Fulham vs. Wolves – VAR – Stuart Attwell
VAR will definitely be on side in this game… har har.
We will win this one with two penalties that Shockley Park (my spell check changed Stockley to Shockley and I kinda like it) will award us and converted by Hwang into points.
Arsenal might be lucky and get one past Dawson.
Anyway, three points is on the agenda.
If you believe that you’ll believe anything…
I can’t go far back enough to check the Prediction League points but I’m sure I predicted the Spurs and Bournemouth results correctly.
I think that’s all I got right, as I’m usually rubbish in my predictions. 🙂
With the heart of our midfield missing through suspension, it’s a really bad time to be playing Arsenal. Don’t hold out much hope other than me getting this as wrong as my Man City prediction. UTW
Thomas I think there is an error on you blog page. I can see where to put the Wolves and Arsenal score, but its missing the field for the number that VAR will score!
Thanks for the reminder Thomas !
I knew we were up against VAR but I couldn’t remember which team they were bringing along this week for cover.
I’m not in the Prediction League coz I’m crap at it.
Echoed sentiments from the Shire, Thomas
Disappointing display from the officialdom together with some of the replacements in the team on Monday evening……we lack quality depth in all departments of the squad which no amount of endeavor and hard work can replace when up against any team in the division …..as for the referee and VAR decisions, its already been puked out so many times, there surely can be no lining left to the farcical intestinal crap that is match officiating in this country……. it makes me wonder how much more the players and management can take before one or the other snaps ?
If a positive result is pulled out of this fixture after Gary,s 2023 tenure of this team ,the man can surely cast his bread across the water and it come back buttered
My sneaking feeling is that opposition players are now diving over the limbs of Wolves defenders KNOWING the result as the refs are intimidated to give a decision and the VAR lot have degenerative ocular issues
ahhh for the fun of it calling a lucky draw……what do they say its the hope that kills you?
Hard to feel optimistic as even a fully fit and available team squad would struggle here
Hope Dawson back
Let’s try Semedo in midfield as he will get skinned by Martinelli
Why not start with Sasa as that would at least give us a chance from the occasional set piece?
Whatever, this will be a long match to watch
OODCL
.
We are scoring in every game so I am optimistic! Yes, on paper we won’t have a chance in hell, especially with four of our best players injured.
My biggest concern is the lack of steel in our new midfield. I feel that we have to play them a bit on the physical side to have a chance.
Still very annoyed after the game against them a year or two ago when they got a late goal, and wasted so much time thereafter, and when the whistle blew, they celebrated as though they had won the Champions league. The last 10 minutes they played like a bottom club that took the lead against Champions and were holding on for dear life!
Just for that I will predict a win!!
Well well well! Just read that the VAR review panel has agreed that every one of 4 controversial decisions when we played against Fulham were CORRECT!
Matt Hobbs was absolutely right, they are a bunch of “f*****g idiots. That is why they probably decided that way as Matt Hobbs would be right and they WOULD have to apologise!
Totally incompetent and definitely biased against Wolves!
We playing against a top six London club is a VAR disaster waiting to happen!
Having seen your post StK I looked up a report on it – and that proves even more what a crock this “Clear and Obvious” nonsense is. Apparently the panel agreed with both of Stuart Atwell’s decisions but by a majority of 3 to 2. If they can’t agree with each other after being able to review it at their leisure, what chance is there of ever getting a decision made in such a way that isn’t going to offend someone – normally us!!!!
I was reminded of the story about an MP who was taken seriously ill. He got a letter from the local committee saying that they had, by a majority of 12 to 11 voted to send him best wishes for a speedy recovery!! How can VAR be just if on issues such as penalties it’s only ever going to be a majority decision?
Well after the last few episodes of the rich and corrupt,the next episode involves a depleted underdog versus an on form mega club ,but the underdog has proven on occasion he can upset a mega club so insurance is needed so the mega club has got itself the mega wrap around policy including the selection of referee and var officials and as a bonus the forth official will be on board too
It’s going to be a 16 v 11 and a bloodbath and can’t see me getting up at stupid o’clock to watch this as I can’t afford another laptop (frisbee) when it turns to shit
Only chance we got is my predictions are so shit
Away to the in form league leaders.
Several key players out.
Oh, and the officials track record of doing everything within their power to help us lose points (7 so far).
It’s a very optimistic fan that’s going to predict anything other than a loss.
And yet, football is a funny old game.
If we can put in a performance without further injuries and suspensions, I’d take that. Something to build on ready for Burnley.
UTW
utw
Looks like a very predictable outcome for us this week I’m afraid.
Be really good to see Dawson back, but Arsenal’s attack is of a far higher quality than Fulham’s.
Hard to see us getting anything from the game I reckon. In fact even my suggestion of a defeat by the odd goal in 3 is looking optimistic.
All the same, that’s what I’m going for……..
Nope wrong game, wrong time unfortunately. I’d take a point, but I suspect we’re in for a hiding.
When I look back to my prediction versus Man City(0-3) I overthought it then and I’m not going to repeat my error.
Arsenal might be good (as Man City are) but we had a game plan then and I’m hoping Gary Galactico has done his homework twice .. stop their wingers (and Havertz from diving) and we’re in with a chance ..
Dawson’s return brings back some resilience and Cunha and Hwang have been learning how to dive in the box …resulting in Gabriel getting sent off …
I know it’s a long shot but why not …
Forgot to add .. apparently Arsenal’s front players have been issued with AI socks…
They’re designed to trigger an alarm at Stockley Park in the VAR room so that penalties at the Emirates aren’t missed .. plainly missed as in ‘clear and obvious…’
The loss of Gomes and especially Lemina for this one will be painful, I’m afraid.
Closer than expected, but still a loss.
Cheer up Thomas.
I must point out that anyone living in a fkin Cottage will be made up with the outstanding performance VARse put in on Monday night.
We’re still 12th in the most controversial league in world footy.
We haven’t had any FFP points deducted yet.
Though a few WTF points have gone astray.
The Arse have been woeful in comparison to last season.
We beat Citeh.
In the topsy turvy world of WWFC we win at a canter.
As George Micheal used to say,
‘Drop a bollock at the Cottage Monday, but make out plenty up the Arse come Saturday.’
Or words to that effect.
You gotta have Faith.
Hope and Charity on standby if that goes tits up.
The blog is still excellent value for money, and a tonic for all the rotten refereeing we’re being subjected to.
1 lv & COYW
Note:
Kenny Hibbitt has pointed out that the Columbian 3rd division North is probably more corrupt than the EPL due to the availability of high quality nose candy and Kalashnikovs.
Cheers Kenny.
Brilliant RW- far too much gloom and doom on this thread.
Yes, Arsenal are overwhelming favourites but my years of supporting Wolves tells me to expect the unexpected.
We turned over City and Spurs ( albeit we played both teams at a good time) and may be decimated ourselves by absences to key players but Gary is not happy and the boys will be motivated.
The Doc’s legs may have gone, the big Austrian simply can’t run and Fabio cannot be trusted but they will always have our support if they have a go.
One nil to the Wolves.
Even with Lemina and Gomes this would be a tough game so to play it without those two protecting a defence that struggles to keep a clean sheet anyway spells trouble to me. However if we are being honest we would rather have them available for the 2 games after.
For all the reasons many have already mentioned, you would have to be brave to predict a win for this one. On top of that, I think our run of matches in which we have scored has to end at some point, this is as likely a game for that to happen as any. Sadly, our run of conceding goals in matches is not likely to come to an end in this match.
But I don’t think it will be the drubbing some are expecting. And Spurs were top, I think, when we beat them after the previous VAR riddled travesty. I think we might give them a game at least – Stockley Park aside.
Hum … not confident. A goal would be nice but …
Great to have Dawson back, but losing Gomes and Lemina really hurts our defensive protection.
Was going to predict 1-3 with our goal coming as a crumb thrown by VAR so that they can argue that we sometimes get the “rub of the green” in a contentious decision, but then realised that this was way too unrealistic a scenario.
unfortunately agree with all this.
Imagine the crap storm that would have exploded in the media if this VAR fiasco had happen to one of the super corrupt 6 .Floppy Kloppy wanted a game replayed when they had one decision go against them ,Fxxk knows what would happen if they had as many as us and the number of points we have lost to this VAR farce .
So I’ve ask VAR for this week result ( as they seems to be dictating the goals in our games ) and they say it will be 3-1 to Arse and 2 penalties in extra time if the score is 1-1 after 90 minutes
Have to go with my head instead of my heart this time
Without Nets or Gomwmes or Mario I fear we may well be in for a spanking.
Hooe to be suitably proved wrong!
Paulus I too hope to be proved wrong, but I fear the loss of Mario and Gomez will be too much to compensate for.
C’mon me babbies prove me wrong!
In hope rather than expectation!
We don’t have the strength in depth for this one.
I think we take whatever comes on the chin and move on to midweek.
At full strength we’d give them a game but not with the available players.
F U C K V A R
FWAW !
Lets go Wolves!
Very tough to score against them.
Ever the optomist
Thomas – i cannot be on 2 pts surely ?
When boxing was a real sport (with one champion per category), some fighters were given a ‘punchers chance’. Take everything his highly skilled opponent could throw, then finish it with a knockout shot himself. If you can keep the other fella away from your chin, one big hit will do the trick. We can do that. Think Ali v Foreman. Rope-a-dope and all that.
Betcha they get a penalty. And we don’t.
Old Chinese proverb Wolfstroker …
He who take massive punch on jaw .. don’t get up too quickly…
Can’t see past a close fought loss, though the VARce will no doubt give the Arse an added time leg up of 2 yet again contentious goals.
Gary Galatico to work his magic. C O Y W.
It’d be great if Gary could surprise us with a tactical masterclass,and he does seem to have some talent in that area, but short of that, I can’t really see anything other than a loss I’m sorry to say.
.
Wow. A lot of comments similar to before we played City.
Incidentally, there are a couple of articles about Wolves players in today’s Daily Mail.
in a lovely bar in islington getting ready
Battle of the VAR ‘victims’? We shall see. Let’s hope it doesn’t make an appearance. (And I’ve given up saying that if we had taken our chances then VAR mistakes would be irrelevant because it’s obvious those mistakes affect our manager and our players as well as us.) I’m going with a draw because I cannot predict a loss.
Trying to be optimistic
Sneaking in just under the wire
Can’t see us getting anything here.
What was the difference between the ‘in the box’ tackle on Cunha by Arse and the two Fulham penalties?