Aston Villa

I’m with Gary.

Plenty to admire and lacking a finish.

What I like about his Wolves team is that win, lose or draw, they come prepared for every game.

There’s a clear plan of action, an idea, a methodology to get a result whoever the opposition and whatever eleven players happen to make it onto the pitch.

It all looks cohesive and proactive, which as a supporter, is precisely what you hope to see.

And when players coming into the side like Doyle and Bueno, who haven’t been regulars, slot in with little fuss and put in such accomplished performances that has to be considered another positive sign of progress.

Could do with a striker though.

Leon Chiwome did himself proud on his Premier League debut, but he would have started the season eighth in line to occupy that position on the pitch, which really underlines the gravity of our attacking issues.

Without that battle hardened senior pro to lead the line, there was always the creeping feeling this was going to follow an uncomfortably predictable script – and so it proved.

Rayan Ait-Nouri fluffed the golden chance to alter that narrative and you didn’t need to be a lip reading expert to see what our head coach thought about that howler.

With something to hold onto, it would have been different. Instead, Villa got ahead and were able to manage it out with a degree of comfort knowing Wolves would struggle to finish their dinner.

The second goal felt like a particularly cruel slice of misfortune, but symbolised how they were able to win without exiting first gear.

We won’t have that possibility until a few of the walking wounded return, but this performance should at least breed confidence for more palatable fixtures on the horizon.

We found ourselves similarly placed in the first season of Bruno Lage.

Favourably positioned in the league coming around the final bend, but then an agonising late defeat to Arsenal and a couple of injuries to key players left a threadbare squad crawling to the finish.

The parallels are clear and we just have to hope that Coventry wasn’t Gary’s Arsenal moment and there are still a few good times to be enjoyed between now and the end of May.

There are more winnable games than this one to come, but the Premier League is so cutthroat, every point really is a prisoner while our options in attack remain limited at best.

We’ve performed well at Villa Park since coming back into the Premier League and are undefeated in the last four visits, but this will be the biggest test.

Villa

It’s going right to the wire in the race for the Champions League and with fifth place potentially getting it done, our neighbours have a great chance.

They still have to play City, Arsenal and Liverpool though so will be looking at all the other games – including this one – as must win.

Having been taken apart by Spurs a few weeks back they will have been buoyed by seeing their closest rivals follow that up with their own catastrophic loss to Fulham to underline the fact it’s anyone’s game.

With Spurs still having a game in hand and the marginally better run in, I would still lean slightly more towards them for fourth but I don’t see Man Utd having enough to trouble either of the sides for fifth.

Bringing it back to tomorrow, John McGinn is suspended and that is a big positive for Wolves. He’s an important component of their team and a player I’ve always rated highly.

Matty Cash also suffered an injury on international duty and will likely miss out but Jacob Ramsey could be back to swell the ranks.

Wolves

It doesn’t look like we’re getting any key players back for tomorrow with Gary ruling Dawson and Bellegarde out.

Hwang is a few weeks off and Neto is all but done for the season so that only leaves Matheus Cunha. If he is involved, you’d imagine they’ll be using him cautiously as the only senior forward we have available. Maybe some minutes off the bench?

That would leave the team we saw against Coventry almost certain to start again. But with the emphasis on Villa to attack, that might suit is better if we can seize on opportunities to counter.

Predictions

Well done to Shrewdsimon, Steppenwolfe, Dek, Happy Claptrap, Steady Eddie, Rich, WOLFSTROKER, West Parkian, Pauluswolf, Timberwolf, basherbaz, CHEESEBURGER OF DEATH and winchcombe wolf who all correctly predicted the 2-1 win over Fulham many weeks back before the international break and cup heartbreak.

I struggle to see us getting anything tomorrow. We’re not airtight defensively and without any sort of attack, it’s hard to envisage us living with a good Villa team. They’ve got a few out and that’s handy, but retain good options in all areas of the pitch. I’ll go 3-1 Villa and hope for a pleasant surprise.

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!

Considering the respective narratives surrounding the two clubs, I was pleased with that performance.

In a stop start tactical affair, Wolves had their say and at times looked the more likely winners.

There was a nice period at 1-1 when it seemed to be gold shirts hoovering up all the second balls and recycling attacks. Boubacar Traore was at the heart of a lot of that in an energetic cameo that bodes well now Lemina is suspended.

The only time it had the appearance of a team towards the top exerting their authority over a team towards the bottom was when they had the numerical advantage in stoppage time.

Emery went with a back three to match our own setup which set the tone of the game to cautious with very little attacking penetration from either team in the first half.

Sa did well to keep out a Cash effort and Ait-Nouri swiped at a cross but two organised defences dominated.

Cunha barely got a kick all game but did manage to swing the ball out wide for Pedro to put it across for Hwang to score. The front three do suddenly look like they’ve got the cut through to hurt defences. It was a smart goal.

The immediate equaliser felt preventable but it was a nice cross from Watkins on the angle that took out our entire defence.

Villa’s star man nearly won it with the final kick (or head) but on the balance of play I would say a point each was the fairest outcome.

Gary O’Neil should feel good that the defence seems more robust and the attack sharper than it has been for a while.

It’s disappointing that Lemina and Semedo (I think) are suspended for Bournemouth because the team is developing some consistency. Still, there are players to fill those gaps and belief is growing.

It’s been a good couple of weeks.

Last Saturday was a hard reset.

Confidence boosted, belief restored, slate wiped clean to move forward and attack the season.

I’m pleased for Gary O’Neil. The result and the hyper-calculated way it was achieved pours scorn on the idea he doesn’t have what it takes.

As I said last week, all his words should be about moving forward, developing the team and preaching positivity.

If we can beat Man City, regardless of the players they had out, we can beat anyone and that includes an excellent Aston Villa side.

Aston Villa

The only league games Villa haven’t won so far were at Anfield and St. James’ Park. The comprehensive nature of those defeats will have smarted but they’ve confidently seen off everyone else, culminating in that demolition job on Brighton last weekend.

Unai Emery worked his magic there. I watched the first half and Brighton just couldn’t get into their rhythm. Villa forced them into dangerous areas of the pitch and continually hustled them off the ball.

In Olly Watkins they’ve got one of the league’s most reliable strikers. It’s taken him a few games to get going but he followed up the winning goal at Stamford Bridge with a hat-trick last week so will be full of beans on Sunday. I would personally give him the same man-marking treatment dished out to Haaland to restrict his influence.

I also watched the second half of their Europa Conference League victory last night and the only disappointment will be that they had to deploy so many of the big guns to just about get the job done. Hopefully that plays into our hands a bit with the relatively short turnaround time.

They look a decent bet for the top six, but then again, you could say that about a few teams and with the likes of Chelsea and Man Utd underperforming, it will take a monumental effort to improve on last year’s 7th place finish. It was a ceiling we could never quite break through.

Wolves

I don’t see any logical reason to change the team. If it was lesser opposition who were likely to sit deep there might be value in sacrificing a defender but Villa will come forward.

Their midfielders like to carry the ball so I think there’s a good opportunity to sit in a shape and wait for the opportunities to pick their pockets.

There are good options for Gary O’Neil to change it if we’re ahead or chasing the game, so I’d stick with the tried and tested formula and respond as the game develops.

Bellegarde serves the final match of his suspension and it will be handy to have him back because we don’t have any other made-to-measure attacking central midfielders.

Predictions

Well done to Dallas Bob, Dek, Norsk Wolf, DancesWithWolves and DeptfordWolf for keeping the faith and getting the scoreline correct against Man City. Wokywolf leads the way in the overall table at the end of Gameweek 7.

A draw wouldn’t be an awful result, just to keep the momentum going and I’m going to back us to take a point. That’s based on being as resilient defensively as we were last Saturday. I think it will be difficult to keep them out but an entertaining 1-1 wouldn’t surprise me.

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!

Today might have marked the coronation of a new monarch, but there was only one king being toasted at full time.

Julen Lopetegui has completed his rescue act with three games to spare, and thoughts can now turn to next season.

Given the impact the Spaniard has had during his short time it’s intriguing to ponder where he could take us after a full pre-season and another transfer window.

And while memories of last week’s mauling at Brighton (or the many other miserable afternoons we’ve been made to endure this season) shouldn’t be erased entirely, now is a time to praise the stellar job our management team have done.

That’s eight clean sheets in the book since Jeff Shi whisked King Julen into Wolverhampton in his Lamborghini, and a ninth league win to boot.

Of those successes, there can be no doubt that the last four have been crucial. To put Chelsea, Brentford, Palace and Villa to the sword without conceding a single goal is no mean feat.

Today’s result was probably a tad harsh on a Villa side that certainly played the better football, though their persistent gamesmanship makes it easy to withhold sympathy.

Every player in gold and black put in the shift that’s necessary to see tight games out, with Lemina and the matchwinner Toti particularly imperious.

It was disappointing that we couldn’t create more in the final third, but a front three of Costa, Cunha, and a re-energised Neto at least offered energy.

One final shoutout ought to go to Jose Sa, who recovered from a miserable time last weekend to help ensure we took the points. That first-half save was crucial.

But the crown belongs to our knight in shining armour.

Arise, King Julen.

I don’t know what I’m less excited about.

The coronation or a vibrant looking Aston Villa side swaggering into Molineux hot on the heels of our six nil whooping.

At least we don’t have to go into work on Monday I suppose.

On a more serious note our home form has been good under Julen Lopetegui and I expect a response. Fingers crossed we get it.

Aston Villa

Well done to the Villa. I thought they’d spend the remaining weeks of the season marooned in 10th but they’ve been on an excellent run.

Defeat at Old Trafford last weekend took some of the wind out of their sails and with fixtures against Brighton, Liverpool and Spurs to close out the season, it’ll be tough to maintain that push for Europe.

The other side of that argument is they can take points off the teams around them so a 6th/7th place finish remains possible. I don’t think they’ll quite do enough.

I watched their game against Newcastle a few weeks ago and thought it was one of the most impressive performances I’ve seen from any team. They looked well balanced and carried a serious threat going forward. There’s plenty to feel good about heading into next season.

Ollie Watkins has become a goal machine in 2023 and is establishing himself as one of the best forwards in the Premier League. Nullifying him will be important tomorrow.

We did well for long periods in the game at Villa Park and should have been two up before they came back into it. By the end we were a tad fortunate to hang on for a point.

Wolves

We could just revert to the side that played well and got the wins against Chelsea and Brentford.

I maintain the shape and balance of that side was the best we’ve seen this season so I’m not sure why Lopetegui so willingly dismantled it.

There was a certain logic to playing four midfielders at Brighton to try and block the passing channels but it clearly didn’t work.

I thought Neto did alright running around up front but in terms of operating as one cohesive unit it was a total disaster.

Predictions

Yes, I did check and nobody predicted 6-0 last weekend.

Rich still holds a 4 point lead at the top of the overall table at the end of Gameweek 34.

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.

You can read my prediction for the game in the comment section below.