If there was a team who suffered a more painful defeat than Wolves last weekend, it was probably Liverpool.
Kenny Dalglish’s side went down 4-0 at Spurs after seeing two players – Charlie Adam and Martin Skrtel – dismissed for a couple of reckless tackles apiece.
Oh, and just in case you’re wondering, both of them are back tomorrow having served their one game suspensions in the midweek Carling Cup win at Brighton.
Steven Gerrard also made his long-awaited return to action, so it’s conceivable he could have a role to play in this one too.
Thus far at Anfield, Liverpool have drawn with Sunderland and annihilated Bolton in what was an encouraging start before back-to-back defeats against Stoke and Tottenham derailed their progress.
They’ll be desperate for the win in this one and I’m expecting them to come out of the traps flying. Hopefully Wolves are equally prepared for this.
Over the last few years, we’ve generally done a decent job of setting our stall out against the top teams away from home and at least giving ourselves a chance of getting a result. That’s the minimum requirement for me.
The Team
It said on the official site yesterday that Fletcher is back in training, which presents Mick with an interesting conundrum. Does he throw the Scot back in at the deep end and maintain a 442 or keep him on the bench and play 451? I think he’ll go for that latter, so this is my predicted lineup.
So that’s Ward reverting to left-back, Guedioura and Hunt brought into the team to make a 451, leaving Doyle to play up front on his own. Johnson will hopefully have recovered adequately to take his place in defence.
Hammill and Milijas are two other players who must be pushing hard for a start, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see them given a game. However, both of them seem to have been largely overlooked by Mick, which is a shame because I think they’re worthy of a sustained run in the side.
Prediction League
Only two people predicted we’d lose to QPR last weekend, but not even they believed we’d get stuffed 3-0. Still, a point apiece goes to Ben and Kowloon Wolf. Well done lads.
Thanks to everyone for making the job of updating the table an easy one this week. 🙂
I think we’ll lose this one.
Back-to-back wins at Anfield is surely the stuff of dreams isn’t it?
Liverpool have a lot of creativity in that side now and I’m expecting the likes of Suarez, Downing and Adam will cause us grief.
3-1 to the scousers.
I do think we’re capable of going there and getting a result, providing Mick gets it right with the tactics and the lads play to their potential. They’re still vulnerable at the back in my eyes, so hopefully we can stay in the game long enough to ask a few questions of our own.
If you’re going to Anfield tomorrow, have a great day out and get behind the lads.
Up The Wolves.
We’ll play better but lose again, 2-0 to Liverpool
I can’t see us winning this, last weeks match was a dread and unless Guedioura can repeat his moves from the match vs Milwall i think this will be ugly.
4-0 to liverpool.
Hopefully it won’t be as bad as QPR, but think it will be another loss sadly. I’ll opt for 2-0 to Liverpool, but as Ward proved last year, you never know. Really hope Mick gets Adlene on the pitch from the outset.
The big assumption is Johnson who I don’t think will be fit which leaves us a stark prospect in defence but I’ll be positive on that one and assume he is playing!
As to the team I would like to see Hammil and Milijas given a start with the loss of Henry and OHara (Yes I know but he has been shocking the last two weeks with the worse passing on the pitch) and Guedioura is a MUST!
My Choice:
Hennessy
Stearman
Johnson
Berra
Ward
Guedioura
Milijas
Hunt
Hammill
Jarvis
Doyle
I still expect to lose as Liverpool will be highly motivated and pretty much at full strength but we may sneak a win or more possibly a draw and it will have given us a great chance of a trying a new line up in a match which won’t be a 6 pointer. More pertinent will be MM actually taking action on what he has rightly already stated was his mistake against QPR in terms of team selection. Let’s see if words translate into action!
Oh forget to say 2-1 to Liverpool!
Lose 3-1. He will play Edwards in midfield too in a 5 man midfield IMO.
Another half fit favourite slotted straight back into the first team ahead of Milijas and Adlene!
If he does I hope it is a Man City like performance from Edwards!
I’ll go for Liverpool 1-0 Wolves. I also hope for a fluid 4-5-1, and we’ll surely put in more of a shift than last weekend, but I just can’t see where a goal is coming from at the moment.
There’s only one way we will get anything out of this and that would be a dirty scrap. I just don’t think we’ve got enough of that at the mo.
Liverpool 2 – Wolves 0
1 nil to the wolves. I still remember fulham and blackburn!
Can’t see the scousers rolling over this time so I’d take a draw now …
After the money Liverpool have spent and the quality in their side, unless we play a 5 man midfield it could be painful. i`d love a wolves victory but they will have far too much pace and flair for us and I unhappily expect another 3-0 defeat. Fortunately I`m at a wedding with the ceremony at 3pm so I`ll pick up the final score around 6pm.
Can’t us winning. Even if we play our absolute best, Liverpool should at least match us unless they have a shocker. I think they may be downheartened though, so I’ll call a 1-1 draw…
Liverpool 2:0 Wolves.
Anything more would be a bonus!
3-1 liverpool
good win midweek boys
Well I’m gonna buck the trend and go for a win for the Wanderers.
We’ve seen it at Molineux so many times down the years, a plucky side from the lower echelons of the division set out to frustrate us and get the home crowd groaning every unforced error, then suddenly an inspired attack or lucky set-piece gives the away side something to defend and despite being roared on by a baying crowd, the pre-match favourites do everything BUT score the equaliser.
0-1 to us, either Milijas or Guedioura off the bench with the winner.
COME ON ME BABBIES!!
I agree with Chipp’y selection, but can’t see it happening.
Henry and Ward will definitely play, and probably George since he scored on Tuesday.
McDickwadhead will once again get his tactics round his neck, and I fear a real stuffing, especially if Johnson doesn’t play. On a side note, he played every league game for Birmingham for 2 seasons, how come after 5 games for us he is a doubt?
Are our training methods wrong?
Wouldnt surprise me, McShithead gets everything else wrong.
Liverdole 6 Wolves 0
FOMM
can’t you be a bit more positive clive??
liverpool 4-0
OK, let’s split the difference…Liverdole 5 Wolves 0!!
done
.
Clive, have a little more faith.
3rd year in the top flight!
Wolves to win today 2-1!!!
2-0 Liverpool unfortunately. Think I’d go 4-5-1.
2-1 to wolves just fancie it
Liverpool 2 – 2 Wolves
bbbrrrrrrr ay ay ay nnnnnnzzzzzzzzzzz
1-0 to Liverpool unfortunately.
Unfortunately 4 – 0 to the thieving scouse bar stewards
3-1 Liverpool win.
1-1 draw I think…..
Not a single abusive Liverpool fan been on here yet – how amazing!
As we are nearly all predicting a loss perhaps they are all just speechless?
The optimism smashes you in the face when you walk in here doesn’t it?! Lmao.
I watched you lot against Millwall, Guedioura was immense, especially that goal, an underrated force in your side that could cause trouble for us lot tomorrow. And i hope Fletcher stays on the bench! Haha.
As an outsider looking in, the one thing that always provides me with hope is your defence, there’s worse in the league but they just don’t seem to click as a unit, always seems to be a chance certainly for someone like Suarez to well and truly undo you.
Nevertheless, our defence hasn’t been superb of late either, Skrtel if fielded on the right, it’ll be a disaster but Glen Johnson is back i hear and Flanno/Kelly will probably be in Dalglish’s mind too.
Absolutely embarrassed us last year at Anfield but i’m afraid i can’t see you doing it again.
2-0 Suarez and Kuyt,
Best of luck for the season!
@LFCKirstyLFC
thanks Kirsty. Our defence has been a lot better this year (apart from QPR and a couple of concentration lapses v spurs) thanks to Johnson coming in and barking instructions at his defensive colleagues.
you are right with Guedioura, his enthusiasm and drive make him a constant threat, but he is prone to rash decisions and extreme optimism rather than playing the percentages (but who likes players who play percentages?), although I hear that against Millwall he was the best decision maker on the pitch so hopefully it’s a sign of things to come.
I’ve had a soft spot for the reds since living with 3 scousers at uni in the season you won the European cup and really hope you dislodge one of the big cockney clubs from the top 4 this year.
But obviously I hope we smash you 6-0 tomorrow!
UP THE WOLVES!
@chrismeach
Johnson was a good buy for you to be fair, just never understand why you don’t splash the cash a bit more to cover your backs.
Like now with your striker situation, one gets injured and you’re in a pickle.
And i hope so too, that’s one thing you always hear from a lot of opposition fans, they don’t like the Reds but they’d rather us than teams like Arsenal, Chelsea and United.
Kirsty, clearly you haven’t seen much of Wolves this season.
Our defence in gelling nicely.
We went 309 minutes without conceeding between Blackburn scoring and Spurs scoring. I’m pretty sure that this is the best mark in the PL this season.
Moving Ward up front was a mistake. We’ll do just fine this weekend.
I haven’t seen as much as others granted. But i have seen enough and my opinion stands, as i say you’ve had better days but you just don’t seem to click.
See today’s result for pointers :).
As much as I’d love to see Wolves getting a point from this, I’ll predict a 3 – 0 defeat…
But then again,who knows? Sunderland, for example, got lucky..fingers crossed still.
2-0 defeat from me – I just want this to be a Tottenham loss and not a QPR loss!
Feeling optimistic, I’ll predict a 2-2 draw at Anfield. Hammill starts and gets his first in the Prem and Johnson gets his first in Old Gold.
UTW
A creditable 0-0 draw. Come on me babbies!
PAH! You ain’t gonna keep a clean sheet! Lol
I believe we draw with Liverpool 1-1. We score first and hold on against a furious offensive rush from Liverpool. They score one, but we turn their other opportunities aside.
I can’t see liverpool score more than the odd goal and i can see us score so
for me its got to be 1-1,
Get us back with a least a point at the mighty reds.
Come on you wolves lets fight for the shirt after the no show.QPR.
Sorry to say but I think it’ll be 3-0 to Liverpool
We can do it! 2-1 wolves!
2-1 Liverpool, think we play well though.
4-1 Pool, Suarez x2 Downing, Adam. O’Hara.
2-1 to Liverpool.
A 4-5-1 formation will make us harder to break down.
I’d like to see Guedioura start and maybe replaced by Millijas later on if he tires. Or even start with Millijas as well & drop O’Hara (just to give him a kick up the ass).
Whats with all the negativity? People must reallly want to win that prediction league. Anyway 1-1 with doyle on the scoresheet for us
We can do it. Wolves 1 Liverpool Zero
5-1 to Liverpool, i’m really sorry to say. I’m having a bad day.
I can’t make up my mind between a gutsy draw or a thumping loss.
Usually the pessimist in me wins out..
But for some strange reason, I am going for 1-1
Liverpool 3 Wolves 0
Edwards will walk straight into the team in a 4-5-1 since he had a decent game against Millwall and Ward will return to left back. Milijas
Liverpool 3 Wolves 0
Edwards will walk straight into the team in a 4-5-1 since he had a decent game against Millwall and Ward will return to left back. Milijas will be on the bench for 90 minutes and Guedioura will play right midfield in the last 10. Hammill is also out of favor and will not feature. Mick is stubborn and feels he needs to play his Championship favorites to safe us against a better side. It is a joke.
UTW!
I take my hat off to you Clemens, can’t believe Adlene or Hammill isn’t starting
Clemens how correct you were. Heard the 2nd half commentary. Doherty and Hennessy our best players?
Why, oh why did Guedioura not start?
Yes, and sadly so. Lucky enough, my scoreline was not correct though.
Mick has his favorites and we have seen it once again today.
What I don’t understand as well is that Mick puts on Guedioura and not Hammill who is an out and out winger. Guedioura is an excellent player – when he plays in the center of the park.
I simply cannot get my head around that Edwards – plagued by injury for ages – gets the nod ahead of him. And sure enough Edwards is taken off at half time after he completely failed to turn up in the first half.
But that are the ways of Mick McCarthy.
We are deemed to fight for survival once again which pains me as it underlines how little the team has improved since promotion. In that context, 7 points in 6 games is acceptable, I feel, when you look at the opposition.
On a side note – I think Liverpool looked, well, ordinary. Can’t see them claiming a Champions League spot this season.
It is quite baffling Mick’s pig headedness.
I think it is limiting the team and players.
One of the reasons I think Wolves would improve under another manager is he would make better use of what we have.
Considering Jarvis did some good work for about a 10 minute spell, why oh why, did we not start with Hammill, for the first half?
He deserved a chance after the game against Millwall and so did Guedioura or Milijas before Edwards.
Perhaps Morgan has financial troubles and cannot afford to sack MM, for it is blatantly obvious that this manager will have us battling, once more, relegation.
Will he play Doherty again? – I doubt it.
I predicted a 2-0 defeat last week Thomas but i stuck it on the Guest House blog by mistake. Come on give me a break, i need the points. 1-1 this week.
Liverpool 2 Wolves 0. I expect the performance will be marginally better than last week, but not much.
On another note, did anyone check out Tim Nash’s Wolves chat on the Express and Star website yesterday? He came across as nothing more than a sycophant for Mick McCarthy, Jez Moxey and Steve Morgan. He also continuously dismissed suggestions that Karl Henry was crap. Seems like he’s angling for a press officer role down the Molineux.
Prediction – Liverpool 1-2 Wolves
I think we can do it again. C’mon!
2-1 Wolves.
Belief returns
2-0 Liverpool unfortunately. As long as the performance is better than the QPR game…
a good performance but i think we will lose 2-0 id go with the exact same team at the top and hope we can nick something
I’m hoping for a much better performance than against QPR.
Still not sure we can beat them this year, so 2-0 to Liverpool.
Don’t think it’ll happen really but I am forcing myself into a happy clapper outfit for this season. I don’t think anyone deserves to keep their place from the QPR game so lets see them earn the right to get back in the team……Coca Cola Cup team to start this one for me (maybe not Volkes, he didn’t even have any confidence in a 5-0 win, let James Spray start instead). I think we’d spring a big shock and win with that team but…..
My prediction is that the team who played against QPR will walk straight back in (booooooooooo), result 2-2 Ward hat trick (1 in our net).
Jesus. I wouldn’t mind 40k a week to miss-read ever single fucking long ball Reina has played. We are a fucking joke at the back.
I said it last season and I’ll say it again – McCarthy out!
Another night spent crying with anguish into my beer in Hong Kong …
1st half – (4-5-1) Apart from the first 5 minutes, we were poor. Our defending was pretty uniformly awful; attack toothless. Carroll wreaking havoc. Johnson having a bit of a nightmare. Skrtel committing foul after foul but he was never going to get booked.
2nd half – (4-4-2) Big change. We were the better side by quite some distance. Great finish from Fletch for his goal, and a much improved performance all over the park. Impressive debut from Doherty. Skrtel committing foul after foul but he was never going to get booked.
Overall a good job in the second 45; but heartbreaking that MM backs an obviously losing horse for so long and can’t change the formation until half-time.
I feel your pain. Skrtl should have been off in the first half – not sure what was going on with the ref today but he certainly isn’t a Wolves fan…
Well, at least Mick’s only getting half a game wrong now. Thought we were going to go all out attack today but we started so defensively and it just invited the pressure. Add to that some appalling defending, some dodgy refereeing and a total lack of creativity, it was a shock that we weren’t 4 or so down at half time. Berra seemed to end up dealing with Carrol far too often and Johnson ended up with Suarez…who was more than happy to turn him at every given opportunity. Hennesey saved us from complete embarassment yet again.
Fletcher and Doherty came on and it became a completely different game. Obviously Fletcher is recovering from an injury so he wouldnt start but we should have stayed with 442. The second half proved that we look and play so much better in this formation – just look at how alive O’Hara and Jarvis became!
Let down again by a poor start and duff tactics. Doherty to start next game for sure and Edwards looked like he’ll be able to do a job for us in a few weeks…but again, we’re playing half fit players over perfectly able fit ones. Doyle held the ball up very well but seems reluctant to have a pop at goal at the moment. All in all, a better performance, but then again, the fact that they turned up and put their shirts on the right way round is a huge improvement on recent weeks.
Can anyone explain to me what Kevin Doyle brings to the side? For a striker, he’s about as deadly as Tomas Frankowski.
I have been suggesting this for weeks now, can anyone remember Doyles last shot on target? Not seen todays game yet, yes he holds the the ball up, but he isn’t in the box enough for my liking.
I heard the 2nd half on the radio.
Doherty sounded way and ahead our best performer.
Hennessey was good too.
But why no Guedioura from the start?
Baffled by Mick’s tactics yet again.
Doherty looked like a seasoned pro – certainly didn’t mind sticking a foot in anyway and looked as composed as anyone on the field today. Guediora came on and skinned the back four with one move…i’m not even exaggerating. HE MUST START!
No adlene because he had to shoe horn Edwards back in – another one of his favourites.
It is quite baffling Mick’s pig headedness.
I think it is limiting the team and players.
One of the reasons I think Wolves would improve under another manager is he would make better use of what we have.
Considering Jarvis did some good work for about a 10 minute spell, why oh why, did we not start with Hammill, for the first half?
He deserved a chance after the game against Millwall and so did Guedioura or Milijas before Edwards.
Perhaps Morgan has financial troubles and cannot afford to sack MM, for it is blatantly obvious that this manager will have us battling, once more, relegation.
Will he play Doherty again? – I doubt it.
“it is blatantly obvious that this manager will have us battling, once more, relegation.”
By the sounds of it, we really took the fight to Liverpool in the second half so I remain optimistic about our PL chances