So what would you call our New Year’s Eve visit to the Reebok?
Must win or mustn’t lose?
If we’re serious about surviving more comfortably than last season, I think you’d call it a must win against a team with the worst home record in the league.
Bolton have lost 8 of their 9 home matches to date, with just a sole victory over Stoke to celebrate in front of their own crowd.
The stuff of nightmares for Owen Coyle and without doubt, for his side, this is definitely a must-win.
With that in mind, I’d personally settle for a point.
Wolves just have an unpleasant knack of losing these so-called six-pointers so a draw would represent a solid result.
Yes, a win would put satsifactory daylight between ourselves and the bottom, but a loss would suck us right in and the thought of that scenario ahead of a difficult January makes me feel more than a little nauseous.
Interestingly, Bolton haven’t drawn a match yet, so they’re certainly overdue a stalemate.
The Team
We’re forced into two changes with Milijas (wrongly) suspended and Zubar out injured. That’s a hammer blow to our immediate prospects in my opinion, as I rate both of those players highly.
What Mick now does with the team and specifically the midfield will be very interesting, but I suspect we’ll see something like this:
So that’s 442 with Stearman as a straight swap for Zubar, SEB in for Milijas and Edwards in for Forde.
Given Mick’s limited options in the center of midfield, it would appear to be a straight shootout between Edwards and Guedioura to start and I think he’ll deem the latter too much of a risk.
It’s conceivable we could see them both starting in a 451, but I have a suspicion we’ll go for it with two forwards.
Prediction League
5 enlightened souls correctly predicted a draw against Arsenal. 4 of them got the 1-1 scoreline too.
So well done to Karlir-Johanarnt Kristjanson, robin, Morph and Mark for scooping 3 points. The Wanderer takes a single.
Sadly, I think we’ll lose this match as we always lose the ‘mustn’t-lose’ matches.
I’ll go for 2-1 Bolton and just hope I’m slapping myself tomorrow evening for a lack of faith in my team.
If you’re heading to the Reebok tomorrow, have a great time and get right behind the lads.
Up The Wolves.
I think we’ll lose as well, just because it’s notlob and we always seem to lose to them. However saying that I’m going to finish the year in a positive way and predict 0-0
Happy New Year to you all from the frozen north!
If trends continue then Bolton hasn’t got a prayer of putting one into the net against Hennessey and company. The other side of the coin is also flipping in our favor – Fletcher is finding goals regularly and Jarvis is in top form. Shame Zubar is hurt – he was putting a bit of backfield spice into the Wolves attack.
Prediction: 2 – 0 Wolves. Fletcher, SEB.
Big game indeed, I think though we need not be too pessimistic about this game. I think that coming off a 1-1 draw at the Emirates against a side which we ALWAYS lose to is a fantastic result and a massive morale booster. I’m backing the boys to go out and win this one with passion and commitment and I think players like Karl Henry and Stephen Hunt will be important for this game because at times it will indefinitely become a scrap and they epitomise what we are all about and I think we will win this one but it’ll be a great game, 2-1 to the Wolves in the end.
They are absolutely shite at home with 1 win against an out of shape Stoke side and 8 defeats, they have the fans on their backs and we come into it full of momentum after the result against Arsenal so I think our two stand out players will end up on the score sheet, Jarvis and Fletcher. Apart from that 5-0 drubbing they gave Stoke, they’ve only scored 5 goals at home in 8 games and conceded 23! That’s an average of 3 goals conceded every game…
If we lose this one, I will begin to question our ability as a squad because Bolton are doomed for relegation in my eyes… Our next two games are against Chelsea and Tottenham so unless we want to be bottom of the league by mid-January then this really is one where we can show just how good we are. Capable enough, just not getting the results and I hope this result does us a massive favour.
Up the Wolves!!!
If we go for 4-4-2 I hope he chose to go with Hunt and Henry as the two inner midfielders and Forde on the right. Or the same line up as in the last match with Edwards in for Milijas
I hope we keep the same shape we had at Arsenal the longer the game goes without Bolton scoring the more nervous they will get.We have played 4-2-4 (or 4-4-2) quite a few times this season and only managed an average of one goal a game which, with the extra exposure, almost guarantees defeat.
Bolton are certainly no pushover at home although having lost 8/9 at home does suggest otherwise. Forget the table, they have been our nemesis over the years and always produce that bit extra to grind out a result against Wolves. We will be weakened with Zubar and Milijas missing and I’m resigning myself to a 1-0 loss. That said I didn’t expect anything out of Arsenal so I will be Twixed up if we get a point or go one better and win. Hoping to have a great New years eve starting at 16:45 tomorrow.
3-1 win to the Wolves. Cahill to have a mare. Happy New Year!!!
I’d love to see Wolves keeping momentum after the Arsenal game, plus I need a nice New Year’s present. 2-1, Fletcher and Hunt.
Happy New Year everyone!!!
Notlob 1-3 Wolves, I am really struggling to type that we’ll win cos, it’ll have a negative effect if my other predictions are anything to go on.
I can see this ‘world against us’ attitude working in our favour tomorrow though, here’s hoping eh??
Johnson, Fletcher and Seb to get the goals.
Bolton haven’t drawn this season. 1-1
Have no idea who MM will play.
According to E&S Foley is fit.
Will Forde play again?
Will Frimpong play against Chelsea?
Milijas’s loss is a big blow.
However am going to be optimistic, once more, in my prediction.
Bolton 1 Wolves 2
2-2. Fletcher and Hunt. It’s a can’t lose game, and I think I’d settle for a point as well.
Since we’re short Milijas and O’Hara for this fixture (and perhaps a few more), I’ve been playing around with some formations and squads in my head. What would we think of playing 4-5-1 with a midfield of Jarvis and Hunt constantly swapping on the flanks, Edwards (or Guedioura) and Henry laying deep, and (ready for this?) Hammill in the hole playing behind Fletcher?
I’d love to see what 19 could do trying to get in behind center halves when Fletcher wins flick-ons, as I think he (and perhaps Eddo, who doesn’t quite have the skill of Hamms) has the pace that our current strike force lacks. Defending and tracking back might be a problem, though, but if we’re stretched for players like we are now I think it’d be worth a look.
I seldom predict a win, but I’m going for 1 – 2 to Wolves.
IF we lose this then I think it’s a fairly accurate barometer of what’s going to happen for the rest of the season, as we have very difficult games coming up.
Draw 2-2 we can score just won’t defend
Easy 3 – 0 win.
McDickhead’s siege mentality will work, at least for this game.
FOMM
This will be such a breeze. I really think we are due a clean sheet, i say 1-0 wolves
Another 1-1 draw. Stodgy.
This game will be tougher than most think, however I fancy 1 – 0, Kevin Doyle to score and start to hit form.
1-1 draw, with an injury time penalty given against us when Johnson breathed on Davies on the halfway line.
Some ‘fans’ then leap to the ref’s defence and call me a cretin for questioning why Wolves appear to have been cheated.
Up the FA! Down with Wolves!
Well, we hadn’t won at Blackburn for a number of years before this season so… 2-1 Wolves with Bolton’s first goal being cancelled out quickly before we score the winner after a missed penalty!
My experienceof life in the premiership under McCarthy is endless disappointments leading to a complete lack of hope.This, is then followed by an amazing, unexpected result such as winning at Liverpool or beating Man U. Hope thus rekindled is again dashed by a series of further disappointments.
We had the good bit last week. Only one possible outcome under this regime, another huge disappointment. Probably take the lead and try to hang on for the rest of the match. 2-1 home win. Please prove me wrong.
2 – 0 to Wolves. If we do not win this one, with the difficult fixture list coming up, get ready to feel the pain.
I am not optimistic but my son insists it is
Bolton 1 – Wolves 2
I am not optimistic but my son insists it is Bolton 1 – Wolves 2
I think the moral will be high after the draw against Arsenal.
I predict a 1-0 win.
Win this Wolves will. Bolton 1-2 Wolves. Yes, hmmm. Meditate on this, I will
To you all, a happy new year I wish.
Looks odds on a 1-2 Wolves victory according to most peoples crystal balls!
What do people think of Frimpong coming on loan ? –
Are Arsenal lending him to us, with the possibility of a permanent deal in the summer & Doyle going the other way?
Let’s hope the majority of us are right today and it is not Bolton 2 Wolves 1……
Hope that’s not a curse.
Happy New Year to all.
Bad feeling about this one. It’s Bolton for starters.
Bolton 2 Wolves 0
2-1 defeat. That central midfield is awfully weak, it would be poor in the Championship.
Bolton 2 – Wolves 1 Not confident. Happy New Year to all!
I’m feeling oddly confident. 2-0 win for us. UTW!
Bolton 1-1 Wolves. Elokobi in the starting XI scares me though.
Just seen the line-up. Ward in midfield again?!
Just hope it’s not the disaster it was last time …
Just seen the line up! Wtf? Elokobi LB, ward in mid with Edwards and Guedi on the bench? Hmmm, hope that doesn’t do us over.
Predicting 1-1, Fletch
Yes! First correct predo in ages!!
A decent point, sounds like we had chances to win at the end tho. Terrible result at Trafford Park, just have to hope citeh don’t bottle it at the pie eaters…
Sounded like a game we could have eventually won but Mick’s starting line up with Ward in midfield seemed to give Bolton the start they needed.
Wolves to win 3-1 = Fletch on fire!!!! UTW!!!
just seen teams not happy will predict Bloton 3-1 Wolves would love to be proved wrong.
Did Mick nearly throw it away with his starting line up ? Over to you Clive !
Coming from a so-called ‘happy clapper’… Mick did nearly throw it away! I’ll say more in the verdict thread!