There’s something about Albions.
We’ve managed a few narrow wins over Brighton in semi-recent history, but have also experienced plenty of chastening defeats.
In one of the more harrowing stats I’ve unearthed, the aggregate score is 16-3 over the most recent four straight losses to the Seagulls. Gulp.
Then of course there’s our abysmal record down the road against that other lot. More about that next week.
It’s about time we started doling out some pain I’d say, but as always against this oppositon, I don’t expect an easy ride.
Brighton
It’s damaging to us that Hwang is away at the Asian Cup, but I’ll happily accept the trade-off with Mitoma missing for them. He has been a constant thorn in our side in the three games we’ve faced him.
As you’ll be aware I’m sure, they’re far from a one-man team. In fact, Roberto De Zerbi has probably rotated his starting XI more than any other coach in the Premier League, such is his faith in the collective group.
And overall, you’d have to say they’ve delivered, with European glory still a realistic possibility and consistent enough league form to keep them in and around the top six.
Can they keep pulling rabbits out of the hat with their blend of near-perfect recruitment and elite coaching? It’s hard to think they won’t get stung eventually if top talent keeps getting harvested by the elite, but in the age of FFP where player trading is essential for everyone, they must be in the most robust position of any top-flight club.
Last time out they came back to progress in the FA Cup with a 4-2 win at Stoke and will be nicely rested up for this one.
But others who will miss out for them on Monday (through injury and the pursuit of international glory) include Solly March, Joel Veltman, Julio Enciso, Ansu Fati and Simon Adingra – all fine players, so that’s helpful to our cause.
Wolves
Our own squad is stretched by international duty and the suspension for Joao Gomes, but I expect to see a strong XI on Monday.
Dawson has to come back into the side in my opinion and then there’s a decision to be made at left-back between Hugo Bueno and Doherty as well as who plays across that front three.
Pedro must be close to getting a start now, so it should be him and either Sarabia or Bellegarde operating on the other side around Cunha. That decision might be made on a tactical basis to combat Brighton’s unique style of play.
We could really do with getting through this one unscathed with our options from the bench significantly reduced without Gomes, Boubacar, Hwang, Ait-Nouri, Fabio or Kalajdzic to call on. Four of those should be back in a few weeks, but if we aspire to greater things over the second half of the season, I think we could do with one or two additions, even if the likes of Hodge and Fraser can do a decent job in the interim.
Predictions
Only Steve K was bold enough to predict a 3-0 victory in our last league game against Everton. Well done to him for that unbridled display of optimism.
There’s no reason we shouldn’t have our say in this game, but we have to respect Brighton and they’ve only lost once in the league at home this season. A draw would be a solid result for us and I’ll back us to collect that point in an entertaining, high-scoring contest – 2-2.
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Up The Wolves!
Surely Gary has worked out how to stop this Albion team performing against us ….the Park the Bus and strike on the break must be the best option surely and hope they have an off day …..a draw would be good 3 more points fantastic
I’m still a bit miffed about the fact that Joao Gomes is suspended.
Sending off? Not in my book.
However, in spite of that and injuries and International call ups, we have to make do with what we’ve got.
I think it will be enough to get at least a draw… as long as we have our ‘Brentford, we will not be beaten’ heads on.
Turn up as we sometimes do, giving the ball away and getting outmuscled, we could be in trouble.
But I like to think that Gary is gradually instilling a positive, aggressive approach into our play…. and into my predictions.
Let’s go for a win.
There’s no doubting the quality of our football before the break. In fact it’s fair to say that the break came at just the wrong time for us. Although I wouldn’t say that to the team as they were sunning themselves in Abu Dhabi.
Brighton continue to exceed the levels one would expect from the resources available. They do though seem to have dropped off a little from the terrific side we’ve seen over the last couple of seasons.
So overall, I feel I have a little more confidence as we head to the seaside than I have in the recent past. It’s a pain to be missing the international contingent but the remaining players are stepping up quite admirably and team selections will be very interesting when the full squad reconvenes.
I think we’ll give a better account than we have over the past coupe of matches against them (couldn’t do worse really!)
I’ll follow the leader(Thomas) and go for a draw
Brighton have been a little more inconsistent this season, but are still a quality side. If we were back to full strength I would be more confident, but have a feeling we may just come up a little short. As I am invariably wrong with my predictions, I look forward to getting this one wrong as well. 🙂
It’s about time we put one over Brighton after the drubbing we’ve had of them of late 2-1 to the Wolves
There’s something about Albions, Thomas? Well, that lot down the road shouldn’t even be called Albion. I wonder why that name slipped in originally. Probably to Posh themselves up a bit. Here’s a clue from the internet:
“The name Albion has been translated as “white land”; and the Romans explained it as referring to the chalk cliffs at Dover (Latin albus=white)”
OK, Brighton is reasonably near the white cliffs of Dover and has cliffs of its own. But West Brom a ‘white land’ ? Sandwell is in the bloody Black Country!
My take against Brighton is that we are both evenly matched and coached now. I forecast a thrilling match with goals galore. 2-2 or 3-3 ?
Will there be full on commitment in the challenges with Albion ?
Will they be out for revenge for our last defeat?
just praying there’s no stupid sendings off or injuries before next weeks showdown…Pity we’ve got such good players missing due to prestigious world competitions…. Albion may have similar problems I don’t know ? …maybe there an egg and spoon race in Kinver or somewhere in that they might have been called up to …or a cousin snagging contest maybe ?
It’s our time to have another away win! And to finally get a decent win over Brighton. We have the players and in GON a match plan to win this! In the pack, we trust! A hard press , go hunt them down in their own back yard!
As well as we’ve been playing lately, the run has to end somewhere. This has always been a tricky fixture and I can see it being that way again. I can see us coming out the wrong end of a decent contest. Hope I’m wrong.
Returning from India late Sunday before Travelling to Brighton on Monday. Will. be shattered so hopefully the team will making worthwhile.
Worried about sending offs and more injuries as squad is almost threadbare.
Firstly.. I’ve got a couple of tickets going (good price boss) if anyone living locally or is interested..
Brighton away is always tough .. and the memory of Roger Johnson throwing his shirt to the fans still haunts me ..
We’ve obviously moved on from that relegation troubled era and moved along quite nicely too with 3 PL wins on the bounce to boast about .. but this will be tough .. tough because we’re missing a very key player in Joao Gomes .. as DOOG writes above .. never a sending off .. and so if gas robbed us of a key player… We’ve got ‘shoe ins’ though in Doyle and Hodge so hope springs eternal ..
Tough night on the South Coast and if Cunha can carry on his work and Samedo relaxes a little without Mitoma all over him .. we’ll have a chance.
A draw it is ..
It’s simple we struggle against blue and white stripes, Brighton ,the lesser Albion and even Huddersfield we need them to be in their away kit
used to be a time when this fixture was no sweat but the Hove lot have done an amazing turnaround in recent years and seem able to cope with repeated raids for their talent This is something we may have to learn from as there’s disconcerting rumours about Ait-Nouri and Kilman and no doubt come the season end there will be big money flashed our way for Pedro.
Meantime I’m still of the view that we can be there or thereabouts for 7th or 8th given the quality of our squad and the coaches. No rubbish defeats please lads…lets take a well earned point and start to think about dismantling Baggies and Manure over the next week or so
OODCL
It feels ridiculous to predict a win after the last time Wolves visited Brighton, but this team keeps surprising.
Difficult. Head says a defeat but…
No idea, lets go with a draw
Against all the odds the time as come to put one over on this lot and the Mighty Wolves sneak in for a late win and I collect my first points in the prediction league
this season as we continue our march up the table.
C O Y W
Brighton have scored in 22 straight home games and Wolves have been scoring loads in recent games! So high scoring game for me!
They’re good
We are ok. I hope we win.
Given the appalling stats over the last few matches, a point would be a satisfactory result. Obviously we would all want to take all 3; however, with the players that we have away, and given the break, which may have some effect on our recent momentum, it’s a draw for me.
At home I’d fancy us. But on the south coast gut is saying we’re in for a long day.
Gary Galatico to pull the rabbit out of the hat to claim of famous win, this will make the rest sit up and take heed. as for the other lot a week or so of nail biting.
Would love to win at the Amex for once but I can’t see beyond a hard-fought draw.
Hoping for a draw, but not overly optimistic.
The seagulls are flying and our record against them is pretty lamentable.
Hoping that I’ll get a pleasant surprise with a good win. But …. I have a bad feeling on this one. Good for us Mitoma is not there, but Welbeck is
A draw. Please.
A tough looking fixture this one. But on the other hand we’re in a good vein of form ourselves. Even so, we’re going to need our best form to escape with a respectable outcome. So our best form it’ll have to be then and I’m game to go for a share of the spoils in a ding-dong contest.
Too much negativity here understandably given we have conceded 16 in our last 4 games against them! So, time for a return to Dec 2021 when Romain did the job for us 1-0 or the previous season when we should have won but ended up gifting them a 3-3 draw! As its my granddaughter’s first ever live Wolves game I’m going for a 2-1 win for the Old Gold.
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The prospect of going level on points with both Brighton and Chelsea if we win is too exciting to resist. Let’s go with it! Like the old bard said, “Dreaming is for free!”
Greetings,
Albion related problems are going to be addressed Monday coming. With Gazzbo at the helm and the unit flush from the heroics in the replay, we can be reasonably confident recent seaside blues can be avoided.
Gazzbo is familiar with the ways of the Saaaf Coast, Seagulls, Fatboy Slim beach parties, flip flops, saucy postcards, chips, beachballs etc, and wont be tripped up by any of that. He is a manager on the up.
Put it this way, win 4-0 and we leapfrog Brighton up into 8th spot. The least we deserve. And can be expected after De Zerbi’s team twist their ankles jogging on the ‘beach’. I’ve seen more sand in the Gornal builder’s merchant.
1 lv & COYW.
Brighton are such a strong team, we will have to press at the correct moments and be prepared to sit back and hit them on the counter.
Brighton are pretty good but seem to be a bit more vulnerable with significant players out.
Wolves are pretty good but seem to be a bit more vulnerable with significant players out.
BIG games coming up before the end of February.
22.1 Brighton Away
28.1 West Brom Away
1.2 Man Utd Home
4.2 Chelsea Away
10.2 Brentford Home
17.2 Spurs Away
25.2 Sheffield Utd Home
Understandably there’s building anticipation around our FA Cup tie against the Baggies, but we have to focus on the South Coast Albion first.
Absent will be, Gomes (suspended), Hwang, Ait-Nourhi and Traore.
Hwang missed an Asian Cup game due to a hip-flexor injury, but is expected to recover for South Korea’s next game. His earliest return will be in time to play against Man Utd.
The Afcon final is February 11th. Both Boubacar and Rayan will be back at the very latest to play Spurs.
With our recent form we can expect to be competitive against Brighton, hopefully consigning our awful performances the last two times out to the history books. A cumulative 10-1 doesn’t make for good reading.
But this is a different Wolves team.
So, one game at a time.
Looking back, since the beginning of December, we lost narrowly away to Arsenal and were thumped by West Ham away, although a number of the squad had suffered from illness. Otherwise we’ve recorded 5 wins and 2 draws.
11th and 28 points after 20 games. Incredibly we’re just 4 points from a European place. Whilst it’s too early to start booking flights, we have every opportunity of climbing further up the table and cementing a mid table or top half finish in a season that had started with little hope.
The campaign restarts this Monday. I wouldn’t be surprised to see us nick a win.
But a draw should be seen as a good result and huge progress v last season.
Nope – faith and belief. We’re gonna win!
UTW
How things have changed in a few months! Looking down the comments it’s interesting and heartwarming how positive Wolves fans are feeling these days, and rightly so. Shows what a great job Gary O’Neil is doing, as I doubt if anyone would have predicted an away win at Brighton at the beginning of the season. Now you’re all at it! ?
I’m going for a draw this time, which would be a good result given the strength of the opposition.
Also I’m delighted to see Gary and the club taking the FA Cup seriously for once. It’s the only competition we can win this season and we have shown that in a one-off match we can beat anyone. So great to see us puttung out our best team against Brentford and looking forward to next weekend
Please can we play against West Brom in old gold though – Nathan Fraser’s winning goal off the bench will be replayed for years to come and I want him to be wearing our proper colours, not that awful blue away strip.
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We’re not going to get a pasting like last time. We’ve got a much better team, but it’s going to be a hard old workout.
There’s no reason why we can’t snatch a point off them and score a couple of goals.
Gary O’Neil has achieved wonders in improving our home form such that we now never look like being beaten. The next stage is to impose ourselves more away from Molineux and ball retention is key. Our squad is looking very thin until the absentees’ return and any injuries/ red cards will leave us down to the bare bones.
That said I am optimistic going into the Brighton game- I do not hold with the view that our previous recent record at Brighton can have a bearing on future games and without the bizarre VAR decisions we would be above them in the league,
This season’s home game drubbing was a one-off where every Brighton chance seemed to go in and we could not hit a barn door. I don’t believe they are currently any better than us and we should be confident in our approach. Cunha with a double.
This will end 2-2. Having spoken to Henrietta the psychic slugs twin sister, Tracey today I confidently predict a draw. If you look at the table you will see almost identical records( probably identical had it not been for VAR). Closely matched sides then. They have a solid home record. Just one defeat. Bogey side up their with Huddersfield but I reckon we will come up with a tangible reward this time. So am going for a 2-2. My record of pain against this lot goes back to a freezing cold Friday night at Molineux in 1978/80 when Peter Ward got a hat trick. I have hated them ever since. And it’s nothing to do with their fans singing ‘Albion Albion’. Or the blue and white stripes………Honest…
Based on nothing more than the law of averages, I’m going for a narrow win.
We just don’t seem able to get a win against Brighton, a fine team. Definitely a bogey team for us to a great extent. We’ve won three league games of late so are due a loss. However, I’m going for a 3-1 win which may seem contrary. There’s just something about this squad whom you can never put down.
This would be with the hope that the ref is decent and we get no injuries with our limited squad. COYW…
I feel like if we can avoid an early concession we’ll be in good shape for getting a point. It’ll be interesting to see how GON approaches things.
Was good to see our old pal Romain Saiss captaining Morocco today; I miss his presence. Ait Nouri looked quite strong for Algeria yesterday right up until his unfortunate and somewhat fluky concession of a late penalty.
This team seems to have a different mindset from previous years’ teams so I am not looking at past results too strongly.
Why not
Tough game tonight this is a game for Gomes so he will be a miss, with their high line I would give Neto a start and get him fully up to speed for them lot on Sunday. I think we look ok defensively but have a knack of conceding daft goals
Think we’ll score. Think they will as well. Will hope for a win but take a draw.
This team seems to have a different mindset from previous years’ teams so I am not looking at past results too strongly.
We have to beat them sometime it mat as well be tonight
Boy, have they had a mixed bag of results over the season!! They certainly carry a big goal threat, but they don’t keep many clean sheets. If we can pick up where we left off before the winter ‘break’ then it could be a very entertaining game and points could be had.
However, both sides are missing several. Should still be entertaining but they look to have greater strength in depth, so reluctantly I going to have to predict a victory for the Seagulls.
utw.
Can’t see it being a 6-0 hammering like last time we were at the Amex but also can’t predict anything but a loss here. Hope I’m wrong!
Yes you will be wrong
I’ll back us to get a point. Score draw
Jez, some crap referee decisions again.
Wolves force a player mistake — a foul, Brighton force a player mistake — good play.
Good defending Wolves, hopefully sneak a winner late on.
Brighton have been in excellent form lately, wins in their last 3 league matches. Wolves on the other hand have struggled, only managing 1 win in their last 5. Based on these statistics, it’s hard to see Wolves getting anything from this match. Brighton’s attacking prowess will likely be too much for Wolves to handle, and I predict a comfortable victory for the home side.