Based on that old chestnut about winning being a habit, Saturday could prove a bigger setback than it first appeared.
But if Shrewsbury proved anything, it’s that the only way to effectively combat this Wolves team is to contain them.
That’s an approach that can be more easily justified when visiting Molineux than entertaining the league leaders on your own patch.
I doubt very much that either Crawley tomorrow or Sheffield United on Saturday will be prepared to camp out inside their own 18-yard box for long stints at a time.
For this reason, playing away should make for much more open games of football, which will hopefully open the doors for the damage to be done.
Crawley
Poor weather and a negligent groundsman left Crawley with a backlog of fixtures to clear between now and May.
With many of the teams around them having played 37, John Gregory’s side have only made it to game 32.
How they wade through these games in hand could still have a decisive bearing on how their season ends.
Midtable still seems their most likely destination, but an unlikely play-off challenge could still materialise if the points are steadily accumulated.
Their home form is solid, with 7 wins and 5 draws from their 16 matches to date.
They’ve both scored and conceded 16 goals at home, so it’s clear many of their matches have been decided by slim margins, as was the case in their 1-0 victory over Colchester at the weekend.
Wolves
Sam Ricketts is back and I’d be tempted to restore him to the starting lineup and go with the tried and tested XI:
Kenny has spoken about the importance of keeping a settled team, so I hope changes are only made out of necessity. I’d back the above team to beat anyone in this league.
Leon Clarke, Matt Dohery and Ethan Ebanks-Landell failed to grab their respective opportunities but all could conceivably start. Dave Edwards and Lee Evans are two other contenders.
The odds
Wolves are the bookies favourites for the win at 19/20. Crawley are 16/5 and the draw is 13/5.
Kevin McDonald got forward to good effect at the weekend and he’s available at 17/2 for the first goalscorer tomorrow.
All odds available here.
Predictions
It’s safe to say the PL was considerably easier to update after the weekend than it has been of late, with only one person predicting a draw against Shrewsbury.
bullyisagod was the only person who didn’t think we’d win comfortably, so well done to him (or her) for being the sole recipient of a point.
I think these two away matches will be very tough but I think if we continue to go about our business as we have been, the results will hold steady.
I’m predicting a win tomorrow, but four points from the next two matches certainly wouldn’t be a disaster.
2-1.
Up The Wolves!
Back to business as usual
Wolves 2 Crawley 0
Stood in the crowd today for MK Dons tickets, we were there at 9-40 am, doors open at 10-00 am. Queue went around the North Bank, they gave us 6 tickets, the guy in front wanted and got 10, come on Wolves fairs fair. I love the team, I’m a season ticket holder and go to all away games but what about the other thousands of genuine Wolves fans who could have gone. 2tickets each supporter number would have been more than fair.
On the positive, Happy days are here again. Saturday was a blip.
3-0 Wolves
Wolves & bloody proud
Very magnaminous StuWolf, well said.
I am in total agreement there mate.
It smacks of ‘The bad old days’ attitude of getting the money in quick and sod the fans.
Somebody should tell Kuddly Ken.
He’d sort it.
So much for an away game…I only live a 10 minute drive from the ground, so I’m really looking forward to being in a sold out away end tomorrow. That’s a pretty awesome effort though, to have sold out our allocation, as I appreciate it isn’t quite so close to most people. Especially on a Tuesday night.
Anyone else on here going to be there tomorrow?
That said – maybe my attendance will be a curse? Hopefully not, but I’ll still opt for a tight 1-1 draw.
standard 3-0 win
0-0
I would put Elokobi in for Golbourne, Evans and Edwards in for Macca and Price freshen it up a bit
Why!! freshen what up, there’s nothing needs freshening, on another day we would have beaten them quite easily.so I would leave well alone.
no panic.
Elokobi cannot do the job that Golbourne does; if you want someone to blast the ball up into the stands then George is your man but don’t expect him to complete a pass to someone on the same team. Golbourne is a far more talented player especially when it comes to distribution. No need to change anything unless anyone is injured.
You’re havin’ a larff, entcha??!!
you must be joking……… ?
Well looks like we have ran out of steam but I am wrong as you have all said so I guess we will probs struggle again Saturday with the same team selection. All I am saying is they must be tired. Footballers are not robots. A draw would be good but this is their cup final. We will have to dig deep to win the league FWAW KEEP THE FAITH!!
Lets all forget what happened on Saturday and get back to winning ways at crawley tomorrow night.
I’m going for a 2-0 to me babbies,lets get back to winning ways.UTW.
If you change a winning (drawing) team just coz you can, or others are fit, then you have a recipe for disaster.
Firstly, the replacements will never gel initially as well as a settled team, and more importantly, what does that say to those dropped?
You aint good enough, although you’ve just won x on the bounce?
And do the players you haven’t dropped start looking over their shoulders, and their game suffers for it?
No, methinks we should keep the same 11 as long as we can, coz that is the best 11 we have.
Back to winning ways tomorrow,
Crawlers 1 Rampant Mighty Wanderers 5
Totally agree Clive no need to panic..
Wasn’t expecting no goals on Saturday – Sporting Bet are happy!
This could be a tricky one, especially on that pitch.
Let’s bounce back and start another winning run.
Crawley 0 Wolves 3
That’ll do nicely.
2-0 to Wolves and we resume our winning ways!
hmm last time out I wrote that I was blinded by all those wins and could see no other outcome. Well now my eyes are open again and I got to see for myself how our team is shaping up, you will be glad to hear I still see no other outcome! Crawley 1 Wolves 2
Bagsy,
I’ll be there breaking another record for another club in league 1, since your so close the beers are on you.:-)
Onwards & Upwards.
Still 3-0 to Wolves
I’ll warn you StuWolf, they don’t serve Banks’s down here!
As you can tell by the name I’m Scottish, I’ll drink anything if your’e buying.
🙂 🙂
2-0 win to the mighty Wanderers!
Would love some daylight between us and third.
I should have remembered that I am a natural pessimist, a glass half empty girl, after all I have been a Wolves supporter since 1960. I went for 6-0 against The Shrews and was ready to gamble on the lottery for the first time since 1996. Thank you my golden boys for showing me real way of the world and keeping my feet firmly planted on the green sod.
However, I can’t see a loss tomorrow night so am going for Crawley 0 Wolves 3.
CRAWLEY 2 WOLVES 1
Crawly 1-2 Wolves
Crawley 1-3 Wolves
I live 5 miles from the ground so really looking forward to seeing a 2-0 win tomorrow. Have a safe journey down (or up) to those that are making the journey. Really good show being another sell out.
I’m living in Horsham as well, Graham. Nice to know I’m not the only Wolf in the ‘Sham.
I’m there and hoping we can rob 3 points..faith in KJ Dicko Jacobs and Sako should see us…in theory…
The pitch will cut up….
0-2 Wolves
Again I think it will be tight first 30, 40 minutes. I’m assuming KJ will stick to the same team with Ricketts the only change.
I think it will be a more open game than on Saturday which will suit of system and style of play.
Lets hope now all the talk about records is done we can concentrate on taking full advantage of our games in hand without that hanging round our neck.
Just over 3000 at Crawley last weekend for a Saturday home game compared to 24k at the Mol. Surely with our amazing support we can return to winning ways and score a few despite the black slime that is apparently to blame for the substandard pitch. Remember they almost took a point of us at home so expect a muddy (or sandy) battle. Thinking 2-0 to WW
Solid 0-2, Sako an Dicko
Wished I was still back in the UK for this season.
I traveled everywhere with Wolves back in the Bully years the last time we were in this predicament.
The away games were always the highlight.
Safe travels to you all tomorrow. Give a shout for all us unable to attend, but there in spirit.
I shall be listening in live as usual.
Crawley 1, Wolves 3.
Come on me Babbies!!!
Crawley 1 – 1 Wolves. Saturday was a wake-up call and there hasn’t been enough time to get over it. Back to winning ways on the weekend but this one will be a struggle.
KJ has said today that the Crawley pitch has been well sanded, so we can expect a tentative first half hour or so while our team get used to playing on that surface. Good to see that Ricketts is back fit for this game because he was definitely missed on Saturday. I’m sure the lads will want to make amends for not managing to score against the Shrews so I think that 2-0 to us should be a realistic result for this one.
Looking forward to joining in again with all the Wolves fans , cheering the team on and singing our hearts out. Swindon was a blast! COYW
I’m going for a 2-1 win for Wolves (ever the optimist).
Time to get back to winning ways for the Wolves – I’ll predict a 0-2 win to us!
2-0 to the Wolves
UTW
Suggestion that big George might get a game has made me come over a bit queasy.
On the assumption that won’t happen, Crawley 0-2 Wolves.
Crawley 1 Wolves 2
Still awaiting my first double pointer
Absolutely no need for panic after Sat. Our master tactician KJ will have studied all the options, ie fatigue, opposition set up, pitch, wind factor etc and will pick a team best suited, even it it includes some shuffling on team selection. Thats his job .. and so ar he’s made a bloody good effort.
Crawley wont play like Shrews did on Sat, as Thomas says so this should more of a football game than defending for your life game (like Shrews on Sat).
I’m sure we’ll play with caution and a tight defence and eventually get our goal and defend it.
So I’m going for Crawley 0 v 1 Wolves.
‘KJ will …pick a team best suited’
I tend to agree with you and given that several reports of Saturdays match indicated that some of the players looked ‘leggy’ I expect to see at least a couple of changes. Nothing to do with criticism of individual players but simply an acknowledgment by KJ that we have a tough one on Saturday and a lot of matches in a short space of time. Maybe rest Dicko and give Doherty more match time.
Crawley 1 Wolves 0. Gillingham deja vu
Crawley 1 Wolves 3
Crawley 0 4 wolves. I really can’t decide how this game will pan out so im throwing a random guess on the table. Saturday is the real tough game coming up
Bearing in mind the state of their pitch, not being particularly conducive to our passing game, perhaps it would be a good idea to get Mick McCarthy back for this one.
Only joking lads!
After a sticky start, I predict a smooth performance resulting in the first win of our NEW record run of victories.
2-0 to the men in old gold (or lavender).
Bit confused , wandered if anyone could explain what happened to 10k 2mk . I got my ticket yesterday but but was unable to get two extra for my boy and his pal , we were going to have a few beers a boys saturday . I was looking forward to it , GUTTED
1-0 to the Wolves.
Actually just found out we ve sold ten thousand and it looks like we still need loads more .
Saturday was just a bump.
Crawley 0-3 Wolves
Might hit a slightly sticky patch (and pitch). Crawley 1 – Wolves 1.
Crawley arn’t going to roll over and make it easy, in fact I think it’ll be a tough game, but then arn’t most games in this league. It’s likely to be a more open game than Saturday though so I’ll go with Wolves to win 2-0.
First of all fair play to Shrewsbury for getting their point at the weekend. Luckily Leyton Orient lost so we increased our gap on 3rd spot to 3 points with 2 games in hand one of which is tonight. So even if we draw we are still pulling ground on 3rd place. As much as I’d like to win the league at a canter I’d happily settle for second spot right now.
This might be a tricky game but hopefully we can get back to winning ways at the first attempt with a difficult game away at the Blades at the weekend.
Crawley 1 – Wolves 2
UTW
Back to wining ways I hope 2-0
Just hoping that we don’t screw things up with our games in hand, the 6 points there will make a big difference!
Crawley 0-2 Wolves
Let’s finish this strongly!
UTW
Crawley 0 – 3 Wolves
Crawley 1:2 Wolves
I think we missed Ricketts Saturday. With his comparative maturity and captaincy he has a calming influence. Hopefully we will start with the same team as usual, Ricketts included and carry on our winning ways. I was thinking maybe Sako needs a rest, but these players look like they want to play and are paid handsomely, for their endeavour.
Sneaking suspicion it might be a draw but will stick with my usual:
Crawley 0 Wolves 4
Think we’ll get back to winning ways here wolves 2 Crawley 0.
Crawley 1 Wolves 4 (Sako hat trick to make up for all the shots he should have scored from at the weekend), and a goal from Ricketts to say “I’m back”.
UTW/FOWB
I’m going for:
Crawley 1 Wolves 0
a low energy shocker akin to second half v Swindon
I really don’t care if my prediction is wrong . About to leave home for the game and feel it will be another draw – not too bad as it will stretch that lead over the O’s a little further .
Really hoping for a handsome win …three or four …but ;
Crawley 1 Wolves 1
August 23rd at home to Crawley was a lucky 2-1 win for Wolves. They outplayed us for long periods. Fast forward to March 18th and Wolves have improved beyond recognition from that day in August. Crawly are a decent footballing team and with a small, poor pitch they are used to it is going to tough to get a result there.
With one eye on the Sheff Utd game at the weekend I believe KJ will not risk Ricketts, having had a run out last Saturday I expect Doherty to play at right back.
Not easy but I still expect Wolves to overcome Crawley
Crawley 1-3 Wolves
🙂
Not sure how the pitch will affect ouir play, but reckon the team will be determined to get back to winning ways, so I’ll go for Crawley 0 Wolves 3
Im gonna go for the wolves to go and give crawley an outrageous mauling….
5-0 wolves
Why not?
I hope I’m wrong but ……
Crawley 2 Wolves 1
Always the optimist, I’m sticking to my decision not to predict goals for the opposition. Crawley 0 Wolves 2.
Crawley 1-2 Wolves
Crawley 1 Wolves 2
Crawley 0 Wolves 2
UTW!
Crawley 0-2 Wolves
Back to winning ways and no need to panic. I’d stick with the team that’s full of confidence
Nearly forgot to get my prediction in
Back to my tried and trusted 2-1 win to us, and back to winning ways!!
Could be a bit tighter,this one.
Crawley 0 Wolves 1
Terrible pitch and a mediocre team. We should still be able to get back to our best. Creepy Crawley 0-2 Wolves.
Just a win,1-0 to Wolves will do for me.
COME ON YOU WOLVES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I can see it being a difficult one tonight but I still fancy us to win 2-1.
Just squeezed in, Crawley 0 – 2 Wolves for me please
Wolves to win 2-0 come on