Even I feel exhausted and all I’m doing is watching the games and scribbling about them on here.
So no surprise that our thin squad is feeling the strain, quite literally, as we run for the finish line.
With the FA Cup suddenly front and center in our thoughts, you’d almost forgive the lads a couple of shonky league performances, but even if he has to make changes, I’m confident Gary will have a plan for Saturday and they’ll give their all to try and execute.
That’s just become the norm lately. Long may it continue.
Newcastle
This is the toughest moment in Eddie Howe’s tenure at St. James’ Park. With the team down in 10th and decimated by injury, they’re someway off the barnstorming mavericks that swept nearly everyone aside last season.
It was always possible they’d struggle to keep that high octane football going under the strain of Champions League football and the demands across all the domestic competitions – and so it’s proved.
On the plus side, they’re still in the FA Cup themselves after despatching Blackburn on penalties, but they’ve got the tie nobody wanted against Man City so even that now looks like curtains unless they can rediscover top form.
What constitutes success for them from this position?
I guess some form of European football – top six is looking a stretch so it might be Conference League or bust – would give them something to get their teeth into next season when they regroup and go again.
If I were them, I’d stick with Eddie because at their best, which we saw some of earlier in the season, they’re one of the most devastating sides around. Starting again with a new manager would probably mean taking the longer road to success.
Wolves
If we’re lucky it will only be Hwang missing from the starting XI you’d probably expect to see below and we have an obvious replacement there in the form of Bellegarde.
Doyle, Santi Bueno, Traore and Doc all did well the other night so it wouldn’t upset me at all if any were in the team here.
With Hwang joining Cunha on the treatment table the only attacking thrust we have from the bench is Nathan Fraser and I suspect he’s going to see minutes here, maybe even from the start. Good luck to him.
After this one the games are all spaced a week apart in March so that should offer some respite and minimise the risk of further injuries.
Predictions
Well done to t’OM, London Wolves Loyal and vicsmith who all got the 1-0 scoreline correct against Sheffield United last weekend.
I don’t want to be predicting a loss but I think this is a tough ask after putting so much into the Brighton game. On the other hand, Newcastle haven’t been going so well lately and home wins have been harder to come by. I’ll go for an entertaining 2-2, which would be another fantastic result.
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!
If our form continues, Wolves will have a definite say in who will be the PL champions! Three of our last 4 games are against Man C., Liverpool and Arsenal! I look forward to the apprehension of those managers!
Newcastle had an energy-sapping extra time game on Tuesday and although they had an extra day’s rest they will also be tired. In general, I anticipate a relatively low energy game, with the fittest team winning– us!
Our small squad is about to catch up with us but our first 11 is still very good! Hope the young lad Fraser gets some game time!
All in all tough game to call!
Tough match to predict (aren’t they all !!) considering the improvement in Wolves results and the worsening (opposite of improving ??) for Newcastle. Going for a 1-1 draw.
On a slightly different note, may I ask if there is any probs with the prediction league table. I have been on 7 points for many weeks now. This week I scored the maximum 3 points, but still showing 7 points. I did send an email some weeks ago enquiring whether the prediction league table was being updated. No reply so far.
It is still fun predicting and reading the comments and predictions from fellow Wolves supporters
The software that adds up the scores for the Prediction League isn’t working mate. I have a developer coming in to address this at some point, but the system is still logging all the scores so keep at it and eventually the table should reflect everyone’s efforts.
Thank you Thomas.
Hopefully the toons are cream crackered and their injury woes continue, but we’ve beaten some of the best with a weakened team so we’ve nothing to fear except fatigue
With Channy missing we have to give Fraser a chance Bellgarde is not a CF we have tried him there before and it hasn’t worked out.
Not ready yet, Dek.
It’ll be another tough game so a point would be acceptable. However, l’m going to stretch my luck and predict a win.
On other matters, as above, my points remain on 2, whereas l got the spuds game bang on a few games ago.
.
Fact – we sit above Newcastle in the League.
Fact – they have far more injuries than we do.
Fact – I’m a lot more confident that we can go there and get a result than I would have been 6 months ago, despite us missing 2 of our attackers.
Ifs.
If we win tomorrow and Brighton and West Ham, who are playing away, don’t win, we are up to 7th.
I know, it’s a long shot, but it would not take a remarkable set of results in those 3 games to see us up to a European place with 11 to go.
Anyway, both teams will be playing a little bit like experienced boxers, in the penultimate round, tired, pushing through the pain and fatigue, carrying injuries.
Neither will want to concede an open shot to their opponent with so much at stake.
Neither possess the power and coordination they did at the start to land a knockout blow.
It will be cagey, tight, and probably not a great spectacle
But I believe we can get something from the game. Maybe even sneak 3 points.
Queue “Eye of the Tiger”
UTW
You cant really call it bounce backability when the team have won the last 2 but the tired performances going forward were far from pleasing on the eye in both of the last 2 games.
When ever there was a game in front of this gladiatorial assembly, having previously failed to impress,an impresario in the guise of a track suited genius has galvanized a performance of true pride on foreign soil to bag the spoils of battle, another increment towards a European campaign in the autumn.
Battle of the G’s in midfield will be interesting
Nathan the hero?
Once more into the breach or is this a bridge too far ?
It’s going to be tough for the Georgia’s…. all those lovely lads and lasses that have come to see the toon in their thousands and then they lose at home to Wolves
…Ant Dec …. Jimmy Nail and all the rest …..its only a game …. no as they say up there…” nee dee gan diving down toon owa propa pet !
UTW
Geordies
It’s going to be a tough match but our defence looked so solid against a tricky Brighton side I’m going for one nil to the Wanderers again.
I would love Wolves to win this match for so many reasons (getting into Europe, beating an oil state club) but this weekend I’d like them to do it for Manny and his son, who are walking 195 miles from Molineux to St James’s Park to raise money for Dementia UK. You can find out more and support these two Wolves fans here …
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/mkang
CW already donated. Manny is incredible. Good cause, hope he hits his target.
KTF
9th in the league and in a FA cup quarter final, surely no one expected this back in September, I certainly didn’t. This is already a memorable season, the question is now will it turn into a really special one. I’d love another win tomorrow but it could just be too soon after Wednesday’s game. It’s likely to be a tough slog with neither team at their best. So I’m going to predict a draw.
I’m always optimistic of our chances but this one looks like one where if we are not right on it defensively, as we were on Wednesday, we could be on the wrong end of a shellacking. Only saying.
This pack, however, seem even more together than during the ‘Coady years’ and Lemina will drive us on for a hard fought draw.
As a poster above says- do it for Manny, another inspirational character.
There is plenty of goals in this Newcastle side, but they have been dropping points recently. Both sides will be knackered from their FA cup exertions, and also missing several players. With our form recently they will be eyeing this one with trepidation.
Difficult to predict, so I’m going for the predictable.
Fortunately some of our big players only had a short workout on Wednesday which means fatigue for them should be less of an issue.
Tuesdays extra time i would expect to be harder both physically and emotionally for Newcastle.
I’ve got everything crossed that Lemina is ok and Bellegarde has probably earned his spot whether Channy is fit or not.
He was excellent until his legs fell off in the second half.
We’re deluding ourselves if we think young Frazer is the answer to our striker shortcomings at this point. He might be worth 20 minutes if we need to push for a goal when Bellegarde’s batteries are gone but no more.
This one for me is all about heart and fitness and I think and hope we might just edge it.
Difficult one to predict.
All comments above hold true – both sides threadbare.
Last 2 games have been poor despite the results – the 2nd half against Sheff needs putting into perspective. Us holding on against a team bottom of the league.
Not sure where our attacking point comes now unless young Fraser plays.
Bellegarde NOT a CF.
Hoping we can achieve something – sit on the fence 1-1 draw.
I can see this one being a tight game. After beating Chelsea and Spurs away why can’t do the same to Newcastle, who have been struggling of late? It definitely feels like an opportunity for us but, on the other hand, we’re coming off a big game in the week (as are they, in fairness) and have got a few injury problems. Maybe a draw is most likely, as is often the case in this fixture – and that would keep things ticking along nicely.
They’re usually tight these games, but I think we’ll shade it against the black & whites …
From what Gary says, Hee Chan seems to be week to week.
We can’t win them all, and if we had to lose any, I wouldn’t be too upset if it were this one. I wouldn’t be surprised if we ground out a result either.
Happy days are here again!
Count me in as another 1-1 draw prediction.
Geordie’s looked crap against Arsenal press last week and coughed up the ball a lot
Have we got the legs to do that?
We will see
I’ll take a point with the usual result and assume Dubravka is their MOM
UTW
Worried about the fatigue for the lads particularly after Wednesday, even though Gary rested a few.
I just read that we’ve given Coventry the lower Steve Bull AND the North Bank quadrant. Are we obliged to do this? There will be close to 5k of them.
With so many ex players and managers saying they need to quell Molineux for the first 15 mins this sort of is akin to shooting oneself in the foot, it’s bad enough giving sides the lower Steve bull
General rule for FA Cup ties is that the away fans get a 15% allocation
Need to reassess where away fans sit.
All down one side of pitch is giving too much away. We should hide them away up in a corner like Newcastle do.
Maybe fill in the corner bull/south bank – easiest access from railway/bus station.
The TV cameras can make it look like an away game. Most grounds keep away fans out of direct TV view.
I see that Joao Gomes has been called up to the Brazil squad.
A well deserved reward for his outstanding performances over the season.
And what a great piece of recruitment!
Certainly not the most straight forward, but one of the most successful in recent times.
Nice one Jeff.
Credit where it’s due.
Let’s hope he helps us to a win at the weekend.
Low scoring draw I feel
I’m sticking with us to stick one on the Toon.
It’s going to be a close one though.
COYW
With their injuries iit seems not so difficult a game, but I feel we have faced some very draining games against teams with extra days for recovery. This is another one and I suspect we may come up short for once. Bear with me. Every time I predict of late, the opposite occurs. I think we will lose 2-1…
Off to Newcastle early in the morning. Hoping for a win so the long journey back is more pleasant. Worried that there are some tired legs after the last two games but hope the team spirit will get them through.
A bridge to far after this week momentous efforts.
But then again what do I know ,I’ve been wrong every time so far this season
Feel it will be low energy game with luck or VAR having an impact – which is not usually a positive for us!
No idea.
Chan not been fit last few games anyway, the lads will do us proud
Just getting through this injury free would please me but I think we’ll grind out a point
50 years ago today, I enjoyed one of my best ever days out as the gold and black hordes witnessed their heroes put Man City to the sword. Ken Hibbitt and John Richards scored in a 2-1 victory. My ticket cost 80p!
Same result today will do nicely.
I haven’t a clue as to how this game will pan out .. there’s so many imponderables…
Fatigue, who might score for us , will those rested in midweek make a difference when they come back in, how will we set up… play the press or sit deep and counterattack..?
One thing that will be a factor is .. whoever scores first .. and apart from the blip at Chelsea, which didn’t matter anyway.. we’ve scored first in our last 3 games .. and won them ..!
I think we’ll score first today but unfortunately the Toon players will then go all out to con the referee into a penalty,, just like Schar did at Molineux..
I’ll settle for a draw..
While it sounds incredibly negative I don’t really see where the goals will come from.
I’d certainly be looking to attack Trippier.
I’m one of the optimists on this platform but what Gary has achieved so far is beyond my expectations. I always said that his achievement last season in keeping Bournemouth up exceeded JLo’s achievement in keeping Wolves up. And all without a sniff of a preseason at either club. I’ll go further now. JLo could not have done what Gary has done at Wolves this season.
OK, we have overachieved and we are on a roll. Today is the clash of the two outstanding young English coaches in football, and one of them is having a purple patch but the other is close to the sack it seems. I won’t be surprised if Gary pulls it off again as he seems tactically very astute. But I’ll go for a score draw 1-1
How the lads will muster the energy to put one foot in front of the other today, I can’t imagine.
The same 14/15 players have worked their socks off week after week all season long and I fear that this may be the straw that breaks the camels back. Three games in six days is too much and injuries beckon, especially for the more pacy forwards and wing backs.
So, with fingers and toes crossed, I predict a win but would take less if we escape further depletion of our threadbare squad.
Feels like a draw is on the cards. Seem so rare in the PL these days!
At a vital part of the season the thin squad is starting to creak, but the togetherness of the lads seems to be papering over this. As much as Brighton had the ball they never really looked like scoring and we got a chance to rest the ones that needed it and Santi and Doyle are really showing they could be starters. Obviously a blow losing Hwang but to be fair he has been miles off it since he came back.
Newcastle will be tough they are getting some of their players back.
This time of the year is tricky enough for us mere mortals who don’t have to keep superfit and play at their peak week in, week out (ok the performances have not been that great last two out but you know what I mean). Won’t repeat the comments above, most of which I agree with. Hoping for a win; predicting a draw.
Interesting article on the BBC sport website around WWFC accounts.
Wolves set to avoid rules breach despite big losses – https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68456113
I’d say this season has already been a success and if it did peter out due to fatigue and injuries to our smallish squad I won’t be complaining. If we can get anything from today I think that’s an achievement under the circumstances and I’ll be happy with and go with the usual 1-1. The lads have often exceeded my expectations this season so far though, so you never know!
With the ‘barmy army’ confined to the top corner of the stadium and our thin squad we will once again be up against it. Nevertheless, Neto will pick the Geordies apart and we’ll come away with at least a draw.
One day I’ll get the score right ?
Greetings,
Just time, without much flannel, to submit my usual for the prediction league. You know it will turn up one day, and that is the day you fail to put your score in. Fingers crossed, here goes.
1 lv & COYW
utw.
We’ve had a gruelling schedule lately and now we face a long haul to St James Park to face a Newcastle side which is not repeating the exploits of last season but still finds it easier to score goals than ourselves.
Hope I’m wrong but I think we’ll lose by the odd goal in 5.