I can’t think about The Valley without thinking about that Ebanks-Blake goal.
Backheel nutmeg. Abracadabra footwork. Missile finish.
I’ve said many times before that moments are what make being a football fan worthwhile and that’s right up there in my top ten (wedged somewhere between Bully’s 300th goal and Fernando Gomez’s wonder volley against Stockport circa 1998).
Anyway, a memory to treasure and a wonderful game too. Both clubs have enjoyed a stint in League One since, but both are now back at the top end of the Championship.
Charlton
Belgian gaffer Bob Peeters must think this English football-lark isn’t as tough as people make out. His team are undefeated in their six league matches to date.
The Addicks are obeying that tried and tested formula for success of winning at home and drawing away. All three of their wins have come in a 100% start at the Valley – overcoming Derby, Wigan and Watford no less.
I recognise very few names from their weekend teamsheet, which reinforces the fact that they’re a bit of an unknown quantity this season. Perhaps that’s why they’ve been able to catch some of the more fancied teams off guard?
Either way, Wolves will likely need to play far better than they did at Blackpool if they hope to bring anything back from the capital.
Wolves
I suspect Kenny might revert to the go-to XI after giving Sako and Evans a rest at Bloomfield Road. I think the former’s cutting edge in the final third was badly missed:
James Henry and Leon Clarke, two players yet to be given a proper chance might also be considered for a start. And what of Tommy Rowe, who didn’t even make the bench at Blackpool? Will he be involved this time?
The gaffer
Predictions
Most people (including myself) thought we’d smash Blackpool, so well done to marin wolf, Twixfix, ben, jazzWolf and whitestone wolf who didn’t follow the crowd and all picked up two points.
I’m holding firm with my positive predictions though due to a gut instinct about the strength of the squad. There’s also a suggestion Charlton have been riding their luck a bit, particularly against Watford, so I have an inkling we might just edge them out.
2-1.
Up The Wolves!
Another deserved point and high possession, the goals will come just not tonight!!!
feeling like a late goal from sako to reward our huge amount of possession is on the cards…
come on me babbies
I predicted a tight game against the tangerines, and was only out by a single goal.
I think it will be tight again tonight, but with Sako on the pitch surely we’ll edge it.
Would be happy with a draw
Bad result, poor performance, no cutting edge, no luck, one to get our minds back on the job and to get our heads down and work on our team play for Saturday.
Confidence high in both camps.
I’ll settle for a point, as the Addicks are right up there.
UTW!
I had a dream!!!!
My last dream was wrong so hopefully this one will be also. I don’t mind dipping out on points in the prediction league if it means 3 points for the Wolves. I will take the hit!
I’d settle for a draw.
We would have won our last game if it wasn’t for a tired Dicko and Sako. Go Wolfies!
Unlike Blackpool Charlton will allow Wolves time and space and be 3-0 down before they realise that Wolves can play them off the park
I think you are spot on with your analysis and with that I think we’ll win. Tough game tho!
Keep up the great start lads
IN KENNY WE TRUST
Way out on Saturday by the Golden mile., as Thomas said, ” there are moments you remember that endear you to Wolves”, but by the same token, moments to forget, Saturday was one of them so now I shall forget it.
Still think we are the best team in this league so I’m going with the Brompton boy.
Out of the Darkness cometh Rowe & Saville.
🙂
I truly hope you are right my friend. I went with my dream again and it is the first time for a very very long time, that I have predicted we lose.
Are you there tonight?
No mate. Guess I am connecting with Wiziwig. Quite a distance from North Yorkshire is Charlton.
Brompton
Received your answer as an e-mail, so not sure if you got my reply…..
Again,
Just assumed “(Brompton)” was a souven handle, i’m there tonight so will give you a wave on Wiziwig.
🙂
No problem mate. I am going to the Bolton game at the Mol though. Will be in the “Beer Garden” around 12 ish. Did not understand your souven handle bit !!
Southern name “Brompton in London” so thought you lived that way.
Got the kids Saturday but may pop round and sponge a drink 🙂
Gotcha. Brompton on Swale, a small village in North Yorkshire. Lovely and quiet place. 3 Hrs to the Mol. Be good to see you mate , and I am sure I can provide you with a beer or two.
1
Sako and Evans to score if they return.
You might want to place your prediction in the box below your name and email mate, otherwise it wont be recorded.
Another good away point. Sooner or later some teams going to get lucky and score a couple.
I’d take a draw here, as this has another Rotherham written all over it.
After Saturdays fairly average show ill happy with another point
Dicko too score
As predicted the curse of Manager of the month struck at Blackpool. I think it is time for Clarke to be given a chance, he was scoring for fun in pre-season.
I have a feeling that we will struggle a bit tonight, would settle for a draw but do not like to predict anything but a win.
Have posted this once but don’t think its come up so if you get my prediction twice Thomas then my apologies in advance!
Hoping for a return to winning ways.
UTW
l really was going for a 0-0 but that would be boring ..and this Wolves side are anything but . However , goals win games of course and perhaps Kenny has put a velvet rocket up the team ! I’m hoping for a convincing win and performance to match .Sticking with a draw though , perhaps Dicko can replicate THAT blakey goal ?? that will make for a great trip home !!
Nicely summed up Thomas.
I shall begin and end my spiel with a quote from one of my all time heroes in one of my all time favourite films.
“How many all time favourite films can you have for God’s sake?”
“As many as I like, so shut up!”
“Fair enough”
That wasn’t the quote, that was just my other evil self trying to put his oar in.
Here’s the quote, and it’s for all you who are predicting anything less than a win for us:-
“Why don’t you knock it off with them negative waves? Why don’t you dig how beautiful it is out here? Why don’t you say something righteous and hopeful for a change? ”
I think Saturday was a minor blip.
I think we are going to win comfortably tonight.
So there!
Here’s the other quote. No prizes for guessing the character or the film:-
“Crazy… I mean like, so many positive waves… maybe we can’t lose, you’re on!”
Kelly’s Heroes? Never seen it – worth a watch then?
Guess that’s me told!!!
I was going to say a defeat but then i struggled to remember two poor performances in a row under KJ so why start now?
A tough game this, I reckon. When you look at the teams they’ve beaten, they’re no mugs, even if they have ridden their luck.
I’ll be in the away end tonight though, so fingers crossed we are able to turn it on a bit and produce a bit more in the final third.
Back to winning ways.
Tight game with a positive result hopefully going top of the table
A point that could be crucial come May.
THAT SEB GOAL…HELL YEAH!
Our defence can’t keep compensating for our lack of firepower. It’s got to give sometime.
Perhaps our toughest test so far. Charlton are in form and undefeated. The gods were against us at Blackpool – Manager of the month and a team at the bottom, was surprised we managed to get a point.
We certainly missed the impudence that Sako provides over a full 90 minutes and the influence and understanding he has with Dicko.
A tight game but we will get back to winning ways tonight.
Onwards and Upwards
🙂
Sako scores again but not enough
Our lack of goals is going to hurt sooner or later
Going to be a tough game but Charlton have rode their luck in a few of their games this season (esp vs Watford and Sheff Wed). I think we’ll control the game, lets just hope we have the cutting edge.
Wolves possession in 6 league games has been 58% 67% 51% 67% 50% & 63%making an average of 60:40
The goals ratio is very poor. It doesn’t take a scientist to work out what the problem is.
– It’s criminal to have left it this long to get a goalscorer in.
Should have been sorted in August. Once again, the board have let us down. I’m sure Kenny feels the same too – he drops enough hints in post match reports.
We were lacklustre at Blackpool, so I expect us to be on our game tonight.
It will be a tough fixture, with us coming out with the points.
Que:Sako
Tough one this. A draw would be ok – normal service to be resumed next weekend.
Going for an optimistic win, but my head says 1-1. I just think we may be bossed around a little more, but with Sako and Dicko pushing on I’m hoping we’ll steal it.
Should be a tough match, hoping to pick up a point but not expecting it.
Thought we would thrash Blackpool so the odds against beating Charlton are receding.
A draw must be on the cards here – either 0-0 or 1-1. I’ll plump for the latter.
Will be ok with a scoreless draw again as long as we keep winning our home games.
With a solid defence and finding it hard to score lately this is a no brainer. A nil all draw (which would suit us fine I think).
Sako and Evans to score!
60th min Saville goal.
I’m keeping faith in our ability to get goals from a variety of players, not just one traditional striker.
I think we’ll bounce back from Saturday.
Not as optimistic as the Doogooder. Tricky one tonight. Think we will come up short. :-/
D oes anyone really believe we will not be promoted?
O nly a few will say we will not, and the majority will believe we will.
E veryone else will sit on the fence but none will believe in relegation.
S o, if we don’t get relegated, and if we dont get promoted, where will we be?
S till in the Championship, consolidating our position for a very bright future and
T empting those strikers away from their Clubs to play for the Gold and Black and
E ventually take us to where we belong, the Premiership. I believe that it will be
V ery good for us not to go straight up this season, allowing us to consolidate and get
E ven better than we are. I believe that we are not yet ready, but soon will be.
B ut I know a few of you (in fact quite a few of you) will completely disagree and I
U nderstand that, but on this blog everyone has their own opinion and mine is mine. I
L ike what I am seeing on the pitch, but I am still not sure that the two Ms are letting
L oose the cash that is needed to allow us to progress as rapidly as we would like.
H opefully I am wrong and we will see some money being released to buy a Striker, an
A wesome Striker, one that scores goals and not an attacking midfielder (sorry Kevin).
V arious attempts have been made to get one in, but have fallen short at the last hurdle.
E very one of them could have done us well, but why did we not manage to get them in?
A bstruse?
S o, here we are, playing some lovely football, moving the ball round well, nice movement
O ff the ball, running into space, good vision, good holding, crisp passing and then a really
N ice final pass, with no-one there to finish it. Has Stephen George Bull MBE got the answer?
Thomas,
It looked okay before I posted it!!! Do you think you can incorporate an edit button so we can edit the post when we spot our mistakes? Or, should I just give myself a slap?
Think there will only be one goal in it – hoping it goes to us.
Don’t fancy this one much.
Too soon after the game after international break …
Tough one to call but I’m with Thomas on the feeling that they have rode their luck and perhaps dare I say punching above their weight. Need the bragging rights over my Charlton supporting workmate anyway so remaining the eternal optomist UTMW
And thank you Mr. Sako in advance.
As usual, after an international break, coupled with manager of the month curse ( now we know how women feel every month) and Blackpool not getting a single point up until we played them, it was obvious their bad run was going to come to an end against us.
By that same logic, Charlton are going to have their unbeaten run ended by The Mighty Wanderers tonight, or this afternoon if you are in Houston.
Shooting boots are packed and ready to go, Total annihilation tonight.
By the way, Charlton are one of five teams, that used to be in the football league, with the same first and last letter.
Can y’all name the others?
Aston Villa
Liverpool
Northampton Town
Give up on the other !
Could it be York City Clive?
Finally someone is awake!!
Will be a tough test, a draw wouldnt be a bad result
Can’t see us coming away with anything from this one unfortunately !!
Hope I’m wrong but we need someone to convert out chances UTW
Hate predicting a defeat, but think we will struggle, here’s hoping for nil points and 3 points for the wolves.COYW.
I’ve gone for 3.2 to Wolves because both teams are set up to be attack minded with Sako down to score the winner from either a free kick or s 30 yard pile driver I think we’ll just edge.
..
Brought on if we are struggling up front or may be from the start or
Saying that now it will probably end up 0.0. I’d like to see Clarke
Pail featherstone.
Sums up us Wolves fans perfectly……
Old age is catching up here . Not feeling myself these days. Mind you, not feeling anybody else either !!
Wolves to win. Ever the optimist !
goals hard to come at present..but we can defend
the toughest test yet.
Going to stick with the 1-1 formula in the hope that we nick it.
I think we will revert to the trusted 11 and even though they won on Saturday the football league show suggested it was all Watford but we know how highlights can be twisted
I sense trouble at the valley
Another clean sheet for Wolves
A solid 2-0 win for us tonight.
Don’t think we’ll keep a clean sheet but we will win.
We are due a flood of goals again. Charlton cant stay undefeated forever. Edwards will be sacrificed I think. I would like to see Sako in the hole though instead. Throw either Henry or Jacobs out wide then.Preferably the former.
They’re doing too well for us simply to get over Saturday and roll along effortlessly and we’re not scoring enough so far. That’ll get sorted but for the moment it feels like a draw.
Fernando Gomez…a Rolls Royce of a player
I don’t feel comfortable with this one. I think we’ll score but the law of averages suggests that the opposition are going to sometime – even if we concede a couple, our goals against will still be excellent …… but what do I know. the last time I saw Charlton, Sam Bartram was in goal for them …. so forecasting the worst but hoping for the best.
Definitely going to be a tough one against a bit of an unknown. Think we might bounce back from the Blackpool game though.
Kenny will have a plan I have no doubt.
Come on Me Babbies!!!
Comfortable win! I hope.
Think we can just scrap a win, Clark needs to make the best of this opportunity.
Up the Wolves. ..
Worry over .. back home and ready to predict!
From what I saw of Charlton v Watford on Sat (tv) the Hornets were unlucky to lose and Charlton’ s goal was a dubious penalty.
Summing all of that up points to a well earned win with total domination of possession and couple of goals on the break.
Wolves aye we again…
Another solid performance and a good away point.
Got to stay positive.Wolves to win.
Just made it in time!!
We’ve done well against the top teams but not tonight. Still concerned we can’t score enough either.
I would bring back Sako but leave Saville in. Blackpool’s losing run came to an end at the weekend so now it’s time for Charlton’s winning run to end.
This will be a testing game but hopefully our defence will hold firm but our striker problems will prevent us taking full advantage of their efforts.
Wolftone
Come on me babbies!!!
Think this one will be tight, but we’ll sneak it late with a Sako rocket!
Surely one if these games will end 2-1 in Wolves favor.
I can’t see us getting much out of this so it’s a bore drawer for me.
2-0 to the Wolves
obviously my forecast is ****ed as Clarke is playing – or not, as the case seems to be according to local radio. Bring Dicko on -and Jacobs !
Now that was a game of football, end to end, two off the woodwork and Wolves back on song by the end of the game, every single fan came out of the ground buzzing. That’s the new Wolves team we’re happy to watch, can’t wait for Saturday.
.:-) 🙂
Logging my incorrect prediction.
Going for a more obscure score for no other reason than I am struggling in the PL and need to start taking risks