I was wrong.
In the post-Barnsley discussion thread and my preview for Saturday’s game I felt Wolves would lose, regardless of the team selection.
Perhaps I was giving Newcastle too much credit or Walter Zenga and his players not enough, but could you blame me after Tuesday’s collapse?
Prior to the first leg of the St. James’ Park double header, I felt the most important thing was to at least see the emergence of a team. And boy did we get that and more.
Hopefully it’s the start of something and not just the first of many high points in a topsy-turvy season.
Newcastle
The Magpies had most of the ball and forced Carl Ikeme into a couple of worldies, but I didn’t hear anyone begrudging Wolves what turned out to be a comfortable away win.
Rafa Benitez perhaps paid the price himself for rotation, as the likes of Mitrovic and Gouffran were dropped after featuring in the blitz of QPR.
Or maybe they were tired or maybe they thought they’d win comfortably. Whatever the reason, Wolves were well on top and that won’t sit well with the Toon supporters.
You’d expect the manager to ring the changes again and much like Wolves, it’s hard to know whether their supposed second string will even be inferior to the team we faced on Saturday.
Newcastle fan Jake hosts a Championship Podcast (which I’m due to be on early next week) and he sent me a few Tweets ahead of this one:
“Wolves looked to be a good team on Saturday, but previous results suggest a lack of consistency. Play-offs the ceiling? We have recovered well since bad start. Saturday was a reminder that we won’t be able to win every match. I’m not sure what team we will put out on Tuesday. That said, I can’t see you winning twice at SJP, so a home win this time!”
Wolves
Since Kevin McDonald’s absence and subsequent sale, we haven’t had any matchwinners in the middle of the park. Hopefully Romain Saiss can be that man.
The Moroccan was a key performer on Saturday and given how flaky we looked against Burton and Barnsley, he must be nailed on to start against Brentford.
As for tomorrow, I can see Zenga going big and changing the entire side. The above represents a completely different XI to Saturday, save for Doherty at full-back.
Speaking of full-backs I’m not sure how far away Silvio is from getting a game or Ola John. Zenga has been fairly tight-lipped on their status but would be great to see them back fighting for a shirt.
Predictions
I wanna go to Wembley baby. It’s long overdue and we haven’t even got anywhere close in the last 10 years and more.
This is a tough tie, but you would hope that whatever the team selection we’ve got a few players that can produce a moment of magic to help us progress.
Newcastle will be fired up after getting turned over at the weekend, so expecting a tough test, but with the residue of optimism still in the air from Saturday I’ll back us to squeak through.
2-1.
I want a day out at Wembley watching Wolves turn over Sandwell Town. 1-0 to the Wolves.
The hard work paid off on Saturday. Can see another good couple of performances coming up, they must all be feeling great after such a turn around.
Will Newcastle be trying to rescue their pride or will they still be in the complacent zone thinking it was just a blip. Would be great to get the double over them and add more weight to the wobble.
NUFC 1-2 Wolves (Stearman + Gladon)
This game is almost for fun for me given that the last result meant so much as to our top six potential..
The league is paramount..
However ..The Geordies can’t afford to risk key players in this one either so perhaps it’s a game re the strengths of both squads theirs apparently the strongest in the Championship.Im not sure about that.
But then there is our desire to go to Wembly as you’ve said Thomas and if anything to see a bloggers bash at Wembly would be something to say the least..plus of course for all the heart ache we deserve it anyway..
So,attack attack.. I haven’t a clue who’s going to play Ola John even Dicko in part…- Innes? Def Steers my unfavourite player..
Anyway, I’ll go for a win as we are perhaps becoming their bogey team and I’m curious as to how many will be there this time from Wolves- the feel good factor is worth 2000 at the gate..
2-1 to us..
COYW
Dicko played tonight (Monday night). He won’t play Tuesday.
Still in shock from Saturday, never saw that coming neither I suspect did many others. But hey who cares that win did wonders for all of us, I even had bragging rights over my Leeds supporting newsagent this morning.
Not sure what the team will be, or even care really, as with many of us the league is the main target I wish for. A trip to Wembly would be nice but is somewhat unlikely even if we win this one.
Just hope whoever is pick shows the same effort and application as on Saturday.
2-1 to us
Steve your’e way off the mark buddy, they only gave us 1500 tickets and as of this morning we have sold 450.
So me and the other 449 will be there shouting our heads off in the hope of another surprise. I think Siass and CBJ will both play and so I’m going for another 1-0 to the Wanderers, as you say, they will be looking at protecting key players for the league. I am not bothered about Wembley, I’m there for the Eng Vs Malta game and the Eng Vs Scotland game so that will do me. Bring on the league, onwards and Upwards towards Brentford.
Newcastle 0
Wolves 1
COYW’s
🙂
Well, like a lot of other bloggers, I definitely got it wrong on Saturday. All credit to Walter and the boys it was a stunning result and I just wish I had been there to see it. So I’ll be hoping to get left with egg all over my smiling face with this prediction because l fancy Newcastle to turn us over Tuesday night. Rafa will be expecting a similar bounce back to what we had Saturday. A draw would be superb but a 3- 0 defeat is more likely.
Having consumed a large portion of humble pie after forecasting a loss on Saturday I reckon that we will win again tomorrow. I feel that our changed team will be stronger than their changed team and we will sneak a win – maybe during extra time.
By the way – having seen the highlights from Saturday I can’t help feeling that our expansive style of play is better suited to a wider pitch – are we allowed to change our pitch size during the season? If so, we should do it ASAP
OODCL
Ooops – forgot to add:
Newcastle 1
Wolves 2
Need to repeat Saturday’s performance and we will win 3-1
Can’t see lightening striking twice. Saturday was the one that counted. Newcastle 2 Us 0
I’m staying with a friend for the evening,who lives in Jesmond.
Unfortunately,she has bought tickets in the Gallowgate.
As you can imagine,I’ve been practising my best Tyneside accent and am fairly confident (At the moment).
Just hoping it doesn’t go to penalties!
Haway Me Babbies.
Wa’yay lass! Just tell them that just like Tony Bliar you remember standing on the Gallowgate terraces watching Jackie Millburn.
Bit of a hard call this likely to be ressies vs ressies and I’m not sure who will be best.
Anyway I predicted a heavy defeat last time and we won. So I’ll do it again and hope for the best. Newcastle 4-1
Unfortunately l think Stearman is cup tied after representing Fulham in an earlier round. I suspect therefore that Batth will partner Hause.
The worse news is that Luke Shaw is having a scan on a recurring groin problem which will not help our retention of CBJ. I think though they can only recall him after Christmas. We could do with him all season as he looked class on Saturday.
A good point Cannock about widening the pitch at Molineux if we are going with make the best use of Costa, Tex and Cavaleiro.
Stu you must be up there as fan of the years ..you don’t miss much do you mate..?
I stand corrected re tickets and I’m surprised a bit but that’s the EFL..
Hope it’s a thriller..
I hear Steers is cup tied from Fulham..
He just aint got a life!!!
Well who would have thought it? Win by two goals and there could have been more and a clean sheet. What a turn around, well done to the manager, the players and the supporters who made the long trip up north, not only did we outplay them, we out sang them as well, you were fantastic. As for Tuesday, I think this might prove a bridge too far and I think Newcastle will win but only just. With the anticipated team changes, I don’t think our 2nd 11 will be good enough to roll them over again but this is wolves we are talking about so expect the unexpected. Newcastle 3 Wolves 2 in extra time
Sticking to my original score 4-0 for the prediction i mabe for saturday last,come on me babbies.UTW.
Its a nailed on certainty
We will not lose another game this season
Champions and two winning trips to Wemberlee!!
5-1 to us termorra
FOwb
Unlikely we keep another clean sheet up there but i never predict defeat. So 2-2 and win on penalties. Hey Racheal wolf – i stayed in Jesmond a few times when I was up there with work. There was a great pub called the Lonsdale by the metro station. Check it out if you have time. If it’s still there! Any way the fog on the tyne will decend on Lonergans goal in the 46th minute……………………
I have to register my disappointment in all the bloggers who are predicting defeat.
Disloyal traitors the lot of you!
I’m too frightened to because:-
a) It would show that I don’t know very much about sports
b) I might be forced to eat s-aitch-one-tea
So I’m going for a ‘Tie’.
2-1 to us.
Phew! I think I’ve covered all bases there.
Was that the bass you were eating the other day??
So difficult to predict when we’ve no idea about team selections for both sides, so I’ll stick with my original (and thank goodness) hopelessly wrong prediction for last Saturday – 3-1 to the Toon.
With any luck I’ll be just as spectacularly wrong.
UTW!
P.S. Does anyone know the answer to the pitch widening conundrum above?
No chance slacker, covered all bases, I think u can expect a good shafting from the luuverly Armando.
Going for a tie, the one you wore last year was a proppa bobby dazzler.
Tek no notice ar kid, we know your’e a part time supporter who knows chuff all. Stick to the pond building business your’e on safe ground there, does she know where you live yet?
As for BB, I think he may be Armadoo in disquise.
🙁
It will depend on what team Zenga puts out and how up for it they are, but must they have some confidence, and will want to do it again, so why not ? Walter will want it so won’t risk flaky players.
Could be pulsating, or a damp squib. Hope not penalties for the sake of our travelling fans !
Nouha Dicko *scores* at Telford Wolves beating Middlesboro 2-0.
Oh, right, I was thinking there was a chance Dicko would be on the bench at Newcastle. Won’t it be great to get him playing with this team !
The bookies are making Newcastle well odds on- with us 9-2. That’s tempting.
Finished 2-1 Boro get a goal with last kick of the game. Wolves lying 3rd in the table.
Thanks for the tip Cheesy.Might depend on what time the game finishes.
Wolves to edge it in extra time
Newcastle 2-3 Wolves
As we don’t know who will be in either team or how seriously they’ll take it, any prediction is, unlike normal games, pure guesswork.
They will be desperate for revenge. We will want to prove it was no fluke.
They have home advantage but their fans could turn ugly if things seem to be going wrong again.
After weighing up all the pro’s and cons I’ve decided the result will be………..1-0 to us.
“any prediction is, unlike normal games, pure guesswork”.
Are you seriously suggesting that is not normally the case young man?
Tonked by Barnsley at home and beating Newcastle away – this prediction malarkey is pure guesswork to me.
Don’t know what’s up with you lot? It’s only been 48 hours and you’ve forgotten the score.
I for one am not making the same mistake of giving the ‘toon’ a consolation goal…..so it’s 2-0 again or maybe 3…..I’ll give it some thought!
UTW
Think we will draw.
Gladon to score the equaliser.
Newcastle 1 – 2 Wolves
Expect a raft of changes with starts for Lonergan, Hause, Coady, Saville, Wallace, Gladon and Mason.
Hope we win but would trade a loss for 3 points on Saturday against Brentford to be honest.
Be nice to finally see Ola John – maybe time for a cameo by Dicko?
To those bloggers who are asking about the pitch size, I covered this in a post a few weeks ago. My understanding is that teams have to submit details of pitch dimensions to the league authorities before the season starts and are unable to change size again until the following season. If you think about it this makes sense otherwise clubs would be continually altering pitches depending on the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition.
I mentioned before that Wolves (Walter) may have scored something of an own goal by reducing the pitch width by 8 to 10 yards because the onus is on us to take the game to the opposition at home and on such a narrow pitch it is extremely difficult to break the opposition down. This leads to player and fan frustration and in my view increases the possibility of being caught on the counter as games wear on.
I don’t think it’s any coincidence therefore that our best performances by far to date (Blues and Magpies) have come away from home.Only against Reading have we looked anywhere near the part and that was due largely to their weird pass the ball across their own penalty area tactics which were duly taken advantage of.
Thanks for the clarification Sea Pigeon.
You could be right about Walt’s own goal, although Barnsley might have scored 6 or 7 on a wider pitch!?!
UTW!
Thanks for the clarification Sea Pigeon. Pity though!!!!
I would love to see us at Wembley, and why the hell not. The bus is rolling the trolls are trolling. Going for a 8-0 as to us as I hear stearman is cup tied.
1-1 by the way.
Penalties to decide. No idea which way.
Yep, I can see this game going to penalties. Our record is not that good in that area, but I’m sure Walter will have them practicing their penalty kicks. It’s a lottery but wouldn’t it be nice to beat Newcastle 3 times in a season.
Wolves will win 0-3. Toon fans start leaving the park at the 63 minute mark, which will be the time of the 3rd goal.
You are probably asking “Tim, how can you be so precise in your prediction?’. Well, I know a lot about sports.
And I also learned from my late father that you can make all the predictions you want. You brag about the ones the come true and simply forget about the ones that went horribly wrong.
Oh yes and your late great father told me, 98.6% of statistics are made up on the spot or was that 76.4%.
Like it Tim, PMSL
Or as Mark Twain said, “Statistics are like a loose woman. Once you’ve got your hands on them you can do what you want with them”.
Footballers by and large are not known for their thinking capabilities, and neither are the powers that be in the Football League for that matter, but that’s a whole other kettle of bass.
Therefore, my reasoning for not being able to change pitch widths willy nilly throughout the season is that the scrubbed out lines would still be highly visible, ala rugby games at Wembley for example, and would totally confuse the shit out of most players.
They have enough trouble understanding simple tactics, let alone complicated instructions like stay between the clearer marked white lines.
The aforementioned powers that be must have had a brain fart and realized how confusing this would be, our guys excepted of course, but especially for the totally brain dead of sandwell, eland road, etc, etc.
Oh and Wayne Rooney.
Craft beer not all its cracked up to be…..its better!!
Couple of double IPA Rodeo Clowns and I’m feeling no pain.
A Happy FOwb to y’all
Somewhat humbled and confused by Saturday
Have now got no instinct whatsoever on outcome
Really dont care much about this cup and I suspect both managers will ring big changes because they don’t care either
Back to my Saturday forecast
Hope we soon work out best team and leave them on pitch .. Big games coming up..
We lose 3 0 though
I expect big changes for both teams tonight so this may be a contest of squad strength-in-depth. If so, then I think we’ll win again.
However, will Rafa be keen to get revenge, right a wrong, or simply to get back to winning ways? We know Walter will mix it up but I hope he starts with Saiss again. It wouldn’t make sense to drop him after such a great debut. Keep the lad’s momentum going, I say
UTW
I’m embarrassed!
I was at the game on Saturday – sat amongst 5 Newcastle fans – and I posted just as the final whistle blew. Excited; overjoyed; and a pint (or two?) inside me, I should have kept my phone in my pocket.
Apologies if I offended anyone.
As for who I am . . . . I’m certainly not Amanda in disguise. I live in Alnwick and I, like a few on here, have been following Wolves since Stan Cullis was manager – 1959, to be precise.
So, as you can calculate, I am getting on in years, but that doesn’t prevent me from making a twat of myself once in a while – although, hopefully, it is getting rarer.
I’ll be there again tonight, sat with the same Newcastle fans, but I’m not going to predict anything and I’m going back to lurking.
Adieu!
“Barry Bucknell”
It takes a big man to do what you’ve done Barry.
(Sit in the middle of a bunch of Geordies I mean, not apologise).
Give the boys a shout for all of us who won’t be there and we’ll call it quits.
Lurk no longer.
Nice one Barry.
We really are a decent lot on here, given a chance we can have a laugh, talk about footy and vent our spleen in a friendly not always polite but friendly manner. You have to realise every now and again we get an idiot, troll or Tesco fan come on having a go, but we soon suss em out and tend to root them out pretty quick. Glad your not Amanda (one of her is enough) your contributions so far have been welcome but if anyone targets an individual it tends to draw a response.
I’m up there again tonight, it will be easy to spot me, I will be wearing a Wolves shirt??
I’ll be in the 450 + Wolves fans still out singing the Toon library.
Thank you for coming on and telling us a little about yourself, I for one, look forward to hearing from you in the future.
Nice one mate.
You mean you are not going to predict a win BB – “eat shit” then. 🙂
Nice post – we all do it on a regular basis but we all want the same thing.
Well Stearman can not play so that in its self improves our chance of doing the double. In some ways I’d like Walt to play the same team as they seemed to have clicked and the more they play together the better they’ll get and learn each others game, but I except there will be changes as some players will be tired after putting in a great effort Saturday.
I’d love us to have a cup run its long over due and if we play like we did against Newcastle we’d have a good chance of going far in one of the cups.
This ones a toss up. It should all come down to who wants it more and I think Newcastle will want some revenge, but it’s football and anything can happen!
Wolves 1
Newcastle 2
Lots of changes hard to call
I think we will.edge it in extra time
Cmon the wolves
I Def would start saiss give him some game time.
2 1 wolves
I hope we stay in this competition one way or another as for once we have a squad so big we need to keep them all playing competitively
On a more serious note I was wandering if mr cheeseburger could throw some light on an occurrence
This morning I have been watching some black and white striped fish in the sea
Those on the outside seemed to be mainly swimming clockwise while those in the middle seemed mainly to face the west
Would you see this as a sign of somethings ?
Jesus was a fisher of men. This is a sure sign of his imminent return.
NOT the return of Jesus Garcia Sanjuan PLEASE – one of our poorer signings…
Hopefully the start of a cup run.
Wolves win on penalties after 1-1 at end of extra time.
Where’s NU1976 when you want to abuse someone?
Beware wounded Magpies. But, we have the quality to match as long as we work hard. I think we will squeak through, maybe by penalties at worst. If I have to put a winning score below regardless of a win by penalties, I’ll go for 1-0 to us.
The furthest we have reached in the league cup.is the quarter s in 1996
20 bloody years that is
Cmon boys let’s break this hoodoo!
Probably different teams, probably different referee, probably smaller attendance, probably same result.
As the mercurial and irreplaceable James Alexander Gordon might have said in his unmistakable brogue…………
Newcastle United NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIILLLLLLLLLLLLLL
Wolverhampton Wanderers……………………………………..two
BOG
Disappointed my 1-0 win prediction for Saturday went out of the window, although I was ecstatic to see the second goal go in.
As for tonite, well I`m going for another 1-0 win prediction, and why not. Both sides will be much changed I suspect and there is no reason we can`t give another performance of true grit, and win comfortably .
As for that little shit who quite rightly got sent off, and they have the gall to appeal, well I hope the authorities turn it down and double the likely suspension.
The entire squad is having a mini break in Toon, lucky devils, but whatever the result, can Walter get the lads to perform at home. They should be on a great high with two wins in the northeast in a matter of days, roll on the weekend.
I don’t really go for the revenge stuff tbh , I remember Newcastle being in both cup finals against arsenal and lost both , I think we will do them again as they will carry all the expectation but I won’t be too bothered either !
Us to win 2 1
Look at that picture in the blog…Wonga vs The Money Shop
There’s something sadly depressing about that.
Vernun Anita red card upheld and quite rightly so. Wasn’t two footed but it was bad enough.
Am I bovvered ? Nah. We got the league points and that is far more important than the ‘Couldn’t Care Less’ cup. I expect to see them start with a target man (Murphy, Mitrovic – basically anybody taller than Dwight Gayle) and Wallace, Coady and Cavailero to feature for us. Hope we win, if only for the confidence boost, but Saturday’s match is much more significant.
For this I’m going for a draw then wolves to win on penalties
London Loyal. I believe the fish you were observing are severely traumatised by the defeat on Saturday and were also caught up in the fog on the tyne hence the peculiar behaviour. Unable to see clearly they panicked and began swimming around in a random fashion. It is also possible those fish circling the ones in the middle were a gang of Notts County fish looking for aggro. The fish facing the West are Newcastle fish. The sun sets in the West. This brings darkness which means another defeat for the Geordies. These fish displaying suicidal tendecies probably had their heads kicked in by the Notts County fish. So LWL a clear sign of impending doom for the Geordies at SJP tonight. …. probably….
All these Tuesday games. It’s quiz night and it always looks as if I’m cheating, checking scores on my iPhone. But tonight could be exciting so bugger all those who tutter, it’s important to me. I think this one will go to penalties. Anything can happen.
Susan Stranks came to me in a dream, one for sorrow, two for joy………..
Wolves 2 v Newcastle 1
I see Silvio starts for us. Be interesting to see what he can do.
Not a lot to say about this game, we played what I would consider to be most of our B team players, but out of tne darkness cometh light indeed. Silvio is a great find, Ola John brought life to a dull game, Gladon showed why he will not be replacing Dicko or Bodvarsson up front any time soon.
We should have been 3 up in the first half if Wallace had been switched on, but hey ho, as a Newcastle fan said on Saturday “no one died” well they almost did at the final whistle. All the Geordie kids that got in for £3 decided they had had enough of the Wolves fans out singing them and about 2 thousand of the little devils were waiting for the Wolves fans outside.
It was quite comical, the Wolves fans walked straight through them singing and clapping, the coppers did naff all, but it all ended safely for the Wolves fans.
Onwards and upwards to Saturday, can’t wait to see Dicko come back, Sky TV were saying “he’s almost ready”, the guys that went to Telford last night said, “his goal was a stunner”
With Silvio, Ola John and Dicko supplementing that team from Saturday only good things can happen.
COYW’s, the Micky mouse cup is gone let’s concentrate on the league.
🙂
How come you didn’t go to Telford last night?
Friggin’ part time supporter!
Me and Jen de Wolf were in our skiddies and it came on Wolvesnewsnow and it was too late. Gutted, apparently it was a good game.
Skiddies?
Is that skiddies as in underpants?
You need nappies.
This is Ken & Carmen, Carmen is Maltese, I talked to them at Huddersfield and Ken said, “he reads our blog all the time and recognised me from the site”. They were at Newcastle on Saturday and again tonight. I keep on to Ken to write on the blog as he’s an avid fan of Wolves and very knowledgeable.
So come on Ken and your sweet little Malteser, get on the site, you know you want to.
See you both Saturday probably.
COY Ken & Carmen