If recent League Cup form is anything to go by, this will be the end.
The pattern is traditionally either lose to lower league opposition or progress narrowly against lower league opposition and then lose to first semi-decent opposition.
We managed to scrape by against Yeovil so logic dictates that last season’s finalists will almost certainly end our hopes, particularly on their own soil.
Or maybe, just maybe, we’ll break the cycle.
Southampton
I thought the Saints were unlucky to lose to Man Utd in that final back in February. They were the better team for much of the game.
A cup victory would have been the least the club deserved having had to contend with the top brass poaching their players and coaching staff for years on end.
They’ve stood firm this summer with the Virgil Van Dijk saga, but you sense he too will get his move at some point.
Mauricio Pellegrino is the latest manager brought in from abroad to carry on their good Premier League form and he’s had a solid start with four points from his two games.
They’ll play a second string tonight, but that’s still likely to include people like Shane Long, Charlie Austin and James Ward-Prowse, so ample quality they will feel to get the job done.
Wolves
I can’t imagine Nuno will play his strongest side, even against Premier League opposition. I’d like to progress so I’m hoping for a decent XI though.
This is a good opportunity for fringe players to make their claim though, following our first defeat at the weekend.
A solid outing in this one and they could find themselves in the team for Brentford. I expect Dicko and Cavaleiro to be at the front of the queue.
The above team still has some really good talent involved, so maybe I shouldn’t be quite so down?
Predictions
As you can probably tell, I’m not confident about our prospects, but that’s purely on the basis we’ll ring the changes and be more disjointed.
If we were heading down to play Southampton reserves with our first eleven that would be a very different proposition.
Maybe we will? But more likely a weakened team and a predictable exit.
3-1 loss I’m afraid.
Up The Wolves!
Sums it up nicely. It will be difficult as Southampton have a good squad. I would like a cup run and we do have strength in depth, so we should be able to put out a side capable of getting a result from this. Nuno will not want to loose two on the trot!
I can see a draw and us winning on penalties.
Forever hopeful
I tend to agree with you Thomas.
Reading the morning paper it seems like Saints are going to field a strong squad and I don’t think Nuno will risk his top men in the:-
‘I can’t pronounce their name or even know who the Sam Hill the sponsors are’ Cup.
A narrow, but brave defeat I think.
PS. I liked it better when it was just The League Cup. It seemed worth winning then.
I still cannot take seriously a team with a girlie named stadium.
They also stole half of our city’s name.
Really cannot get over excited about a very second string competition, one that was filled with glory and prestige 40 odd years ago, when squads didnt exist, you saw the first eleven every game, and to be honest, much better football.
All you young ‘uns who poo poo us old ‘uns for having rose tinted memories need to look at the dvd of both the 1974 and 1980 League cup finals, and see quality from all teams involved.
As they say, I know, coz I was there!!
5-1 tonight to me babbies, just to keep my 100% record going!!
FOwb
Even their owner sound like a girlie.
I reckon we will win this one, unless DB plays.
Time to say sorry Bromto’ He played and we are in the next round. Come on this is are year !!
See my post below mate lol
There again he might just come up for a corner and head one in……. oh ….. he just has. Well done Danny Boy lol.
Nice one Bromto’ COYW
Oh, you did see it pmsl.
see you at a match sometime soon mate.
Team looks pretty much what I would imagine it will be too.
Think we will draw 2-2 and then valiantly go out on penalties.
Beders, thanks for the beer on Saturday. Your a Wolf in Wolf clothing. But your predos’ are shite, see you a week on saturday, my turn. Hope Mrs Beders Is good. Wolves are we !!
Witters – a week on Saturday? What’s that then a party round your house? We don’t play again after this Saturday till 9th September. Mrs BW ok-ish thanks for asking mate.
Is Southampton one of our graveyard venues (like Boro away?) I can’t recall a win there for years. May be wrong? At least we won’t be playing a rugby team tonight which may just suit our style. May be sneak a draw and pens? 1-1 and 5-4 on pens!
I remember well a great win at Southampton – the week after a bad loss -can anybody fill in the details -5-1 to us was it ?
Nuno will try to save face and your team looks as good as any from a second 11, i’m down there tonight with Newark and Sue so hoping to see some half decent footy for our fans efforts. I do believe we’ve sold our allocation, 1700, whilst Southampton were moaning the other day that so far they’ve only sold 1/3 of their normal. So Wolves 12th man should sound pretty good in an empty stadium.
Ever the optimist I want a 1-0 to us, so if the second string can oblige I’d be grateful.
Enternal Optimist.
COMBabbies.
Tend to agree with the team but nuno is supposed to have the whole squad singing from the same hymn sheet so if that turns out to be the case then that group of players could well surprise a few.
DRAW 1-1
Good summary Thomas. Even mighty Cardiff perished last night. Backhander Warnock moaned about the referee, as usual.
I can see Nuno wanting to bounce back but without risking the majority of his best eleven. I can see a credible 1-1 draw. Even if we go out on penalties that would be a good result and a good test.
The team is going to be not far off Thomas’ selection, which leads me to think we may well get over-run in midfield. Also, for me, Jota needs a rest and maybe Big Willy too.
Draw 2-2 after extra time.
God know what happens with pens
I can’t see any value in playing any of our first eleven after the tough run of games they’ve had recently. Other squad members need game time and compared to the League, the Carabao Cup is just a sideline.
There’s a rumour that Phil Ofosu-Ayeh is now fit so this would be a golden opportunity to give him a run out. Likewise several other guys who have spent these early games waiting in the wings.
As strong as I think our second string may be compared to many, Southampton’s looks stronger still, so will provide a stern test whoever they put out. Should be a good competitive game though and well done to the many Wolves fans who are turning out to cheer the boys on. Fantastic show of support.
Difficult to predict the end result, but I’ll go with a 3-2 to us after ET, if there is extra time.
A 2-0 victory to wolves. I’d be surprised if Jota starts. Graham should start out on the right wing. Perhaps Seedorf could get his chance as a right sided winger, or maybe Pedro Gonqalves could be brought up from the u-23 to cover the right wingback. Another interesting player I’d like to see get his chance is Herc, as a backup for Ronan on the bench.
I’ve just checked the first team list on the official Wolves website, and Prince is still listed there. Could Prince get his first match of the season?
I’ve been wondering about that too. Did you also see that Instagram on Twitter this morning from Wolves Fancast of Helder Costa and Prince Oniangue playing a reaction game (https://t.co/ZBeaFORy2K)?
He wasn’t among the players listed in the squad list: https://www.wolves.co.uk/news/first-team/20170728-squad-numbers-confirmed/
– Is he ineligible for a cup run, or do they register a squad list for the cup?
Wolves are 5-1 at the bookies.
Juno’s new Wolves will bounce back from Cardiff’s defrauding victory.
More goals for Bonatini.
Wolves 2- Southampton 0
See, the bookies know a good thing, copying my prediction!!
I can’t disagree with your team selection Thomas. I’m not expecting too much from tonight’s game but it is a chance for Nuno to further instill his football playing style with other squad members. Sorry but I can’t see beyond a plucky 1-0 loss.
Gone are the Southampton of old days ….
John McGrath … who kicked anything that moved ..and anything that didn’t, Byrne , Gabriel … all built like brick toilets.
At least tonight should be a football match in the sense of playing football …. unlike Saturday, which was more of a gbh and assault game.
I believe we have players who will be desperate to earn starting place at Brentford and hopefully will stand up and put on a performance that will secure a victory.
Hope all the travelling mobsters come home smiling, although I don’t share their optimism.
Disappointingly I think we will lose narrowly……. 0:1
On paper our second string actually looks a pretty decent side, but I still fancy the Saints to do enough against us to get through on home turf and bag a fairly steady 2-1 win.
Like Wolfstoker I can see the value in resting many players but would this be fair on the supporters making the journey south.
No. But I would think they would expect wholesale changes.
I shall be there as I promised my son I’d join him as he is now working in the area, unfortunately in the Southampton END! Though for me a 3hr drive to see the reserves is real dedication..lol. In all honesty I can’t see anything but a loss on the cards, but as others have written it is a chance for the rest of the squad to stake a place.
What concerns me more is how this team will react to the Cardiff loss, other teams will have watched it and be sure to come to the Mol to rough us up/in your face, no room to play/kick a Portuguese day – particularly if we have more ineffective referees. Nuno will need to get around this somehow and I’m not sure how. Latest news is Jo Mason on loan, so hopefully we will soon have news of an incoming striker.
To be honest I couldn’t care less about this game. All the way down to Southampton and back then down to Brentford on Saturday it’s not been a kind draw. Santo will surely pick a second 11 and that’s it we’ll be out. If we are to mount a serious challenge for promotion and it’s looking good so far, we could probably do without the league cup. Hopefully we won’t pick up any injuries whilst we’re down there. 2 0 Southampton
We might surprise them tonight. I think we will win.
1-0
I hate to find a second string put out, and even worse when they fail to take the opportunity to impress.
But can’t predict a loss, and given that Soton will also put out their leftovers why not a win, with an early goal like against Liverpool, to give us momentum, and then another just before half time. Then another after 50 minutes .
3-0
Its a funny old game 1-0 (Price). Good odds on this one.
Joe Mason joins …. wait for it ……..Burton Albion… on loan.
I could never believe we’d paid £3 million for Mason.
I would like to think NES would play a strong side but alas in think he’el play a weaker side than he did against the Taffs.
Having said that I think we’el lose because they have quality in reserve.
Would’ve been good to have got another striker in for this game to bed him in for the real and most important games.
The blouses have been busy in recruitment of late with 3 players coming in on loan.
Southampton 2-1 Wolves.
Wolves win 2-1
looking forward to seeing who Nuno rests and who from the 2nd string puts in a performance
It’s funny cos this second string a few are mensioning looks suspiciously like last seasons first string ! Shows how much we have moved on I suppose, anyway the league cup final of 1980 is still the best day of my football supporting life , a 17 year old traveling to wolves on my own to join the hordes on one of the special Wembley trains to see us beat, ( against all the odds) a brilliant forest team ,meny moments of that day will stay with me forever and will only fade after we’ve won a couple of championships and champions leagues so for purely nostalgic reasons I’m predicting a wolves win 2 1
1700 fans ! Just brilliant lads .
The strength of the wolf is in the pack
Utw
How about this,
Norris
Bennett Batth Deslandes
Marshall Ronan Price 1Edwards
Vinagre Dicko Cavalerio
If they play Nuno’s new footy, why not a win.
Well me and Sue are here already. This is the furthest I have ever driven to watch The Wolves,190 miles in fact so hoping for a win. Had a tenner on us at 10/3 so quietly confident,but as long as we play well who knows. Looking forward to seeing Stu,not just because he has our tickets,but because he is a top bloke. Just one last thing,if anyone else is driving we have found a really cheap car park 10 minutes from the stadium. It is on Ascupart Street and the postcode is SO14 1LU
Saints-0 Wolves-2
This top bloke you are on about has left your ticket on the fridge at home, Iv’e got mine and Sue’s.?
You lie like a dawg, Stuwuffler, I just broke into your house, knowing you was away, and you don’t even own a fridge, ya tightwad!!
Beders, thanks for the beer on Saturday. Your a Wolf in Wolf clothing. But your predos’ are shite, see you a week on saturday, my turn. Hope Mrs Beders Is good. Wolves are we !!
Sorry Clive the sites gone to shite once again. Wrong reply to your post. How long have you been a Burgular ????
Five foot nine inches
Witley, that’s across.
American diet of Supersize me everything.
Because I’m out of the Midlands reception area I listened to the Cardiff match on BBC Wales. The ex-pro who was summarising heaped praise on the players ….. for their skill? …. no, because of the sheer professionalism of their time wasting …. one player was said to have mastered the ‘Peter Kay run’ – looking as though he was dashing to leave the pitch quickly when substituted while actually almost standing still. Mr. Warnock’s coaching methods pay off again – allegedly!!
All last night’s result needs to make my joy complete is for us to win tonight. While not actually hopeful I do think it might just happen.
I have always been grateful to Southampton for their 1-0 win against MU in the 1976 FA Cup final – I backed them because of the very generous odds on offer – 7-1 I believe I got. Nobody gave them a chance then – I just hope we also win against the odds tonight.
COYW CONM
Southampton 1
Wolves 2
Maybe AET.
BOG your a gent, but there was no way we were going to ship a goal my son. Next !!!!!
give the youth team a run out and then lets move on and focus on the Bees
2-0 to Saints
I thought we might struggle until seeing the 17/2 on offer from Betvictor.Much too big in a two horse race so I decided to fill my boots.About time we won there too.2-1 to the boys.
I got 19-2 with BetVictor just before kick-off.
I think it’s unlikely that we would have let Joe Mason head off to Burton unless there was something concrete on bringing in one, or probably two, replacements. Deals done, surely, before we would let our No3 senior striker move on.
I’ll have to give up betting on the first scorer; our outfield players score more than ‘strikers.
As for Dicko, I wonder if he’s going to stay, I’ll be interested to see how bloggers who were there rate him, according to the BBC live text reports he had several chances………..
I view us as equivalent to a lower table Premiership team and therefore I feel we can easily upset Southampton. The division we are in is based on last season’s team quality, not this season’s.
0-2 Wolves.
For those struggling to remember a win down there how about this one?
August 1969 and after winning our first three games 3-1, 2-1 and 3-2 a young 12 year old Bedford Wolf whilst holidaying on the nearby Isle of Wight begs his Dad to get the ferry across to Southampton to see the midweek Saints v Wolves clash. Saints had won 4-1 at Old Trafford on the Saturday with Ron Davies getting all four. Despite pleading Dad said no. But hey we won 3-2 to make it four wins from four.
Get in there my boys. Thanks Betvictor!!!
2-0 Wilson ….. get in. Only been on 2 minutes.
Next ……………
Get in 2.0 nil Wolves
I am beginning to love playing Prem teams away from home!!
Augers well for next season when we are up there.
Excellent result tonight, shit eating grin back in full radiant mode, made even sweeter by carduff and apeshit going out last night.
Lets get the shit away next round!!
Well done lads!!
Batth was lucky to get away with his goal when you see the picture of him making sure the defender did not out jump him.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/article-4817654/Southampton-0-2-Wolves
Give him a secound chance Bromto’ he’s a Wolf !!
Lol. You are correct my friend. I wi?l refrain.
Phew. Got 19-2 on Wolves just before kick-off. The odds looked stupid so I took them. At 2-1 I wouldn’t have bothered.
Smethwick Town next please in the land that time forgot. Told you we would win (1-1 draw and 5-4 pens) but hey 2-0 will do. FWAW FOWB…
Quote from the Soton ‘Daily Echo’
17: Saints really pushing on now against this Wolves side, who do not look up to much at all. [0-0]
Hah !
Amazing. Our entire reserve team backed up by mostly kids beat a PL side at their place and a PL side who played a lot of first teamers and also brought on their big guns off the bench. 5 wins from 6 games and 4 clean sheets. Are we dreaming this?
Well, that was feckin A
Well, more like an A+
Get in there, what a game to watch, poor old Dicko was gasping and grunting all the way through, sad to watch really, had we had the Dicko of old, we would have had a hat full.
A proven top notch striker on the end of some of those moves tonight would have had a field day.We got to the half time with ease, second half it was like we brought a different team, such was the improvement, as they gathered momentum the 12th man kicked in and carried them over the line.
Absolutely fabulous to see Ian & Sue Newark (the lovely Sue… Ian), they drove all the way down from Newark, but they’re staying in spitting distance of St Mary’s and ain’t driving all the way home unlike me, but the journey will be so much better after that result.
As an observation, Marshall was outstanding in his 45 minutes, movement off the ball, covering back and protecting the ball for runners. They looked a good example of Nuno’s first team. Great to get a win out of Southampton after so many years.
Let’s get back on track at Brenford, Ipshit and Car-diff to lose and we sit in our rightful place.
Blip over.
Onwards and Upwards.
can’t say I agree with you re Marshall. We were a changed team when he was taken off for the much superior Ronan – he was excellent. Clock is ticking for poor old dicko and Graham, who was poor.
Dave,
Your talking to the wrong man here about Conor Ronan. I’m his No1 fan, I have his mobile number and talk with the lad from time to time, and 100% I agree with you he had one of his best games tonight albeit 45 mins.
But, my point on Marshall is how well the lad did on his return after time out with an injury a very solid 45 min performance.
Have to agree on Graham too, never been much of a fan of his, I find him lazy at the moment, but I’m certain under Nuno he’s going to develop.
I would be interested to here your views on young Vinagre, I love the bloke and thought he turned the Southampton bloke inside out tonight, he’s just turned 18 I believe.
Yes sure Stu, fair play it’s nice to see him back! Same for zyro who had a great sub appearance. Vinagre looked really dangerous too, some good link up play with Cav, Graham was better in second half once Ronan came on. I hope Ronan can stay fit, he could be something special, very intelligent and mobile player, made the difference for us
W h e r e ‘ s P a u l ?
Send a message to Warnock, stick that up your arse.
Brilliant, just brilliant! Well done Wolves. Also, well played to our amazing travelling support, including Stu and the Newarks.
Great great result with the writing on the wall for Dicko…etched in fact..
Enough is enough…
“etched in fact” love it.
Sadly I also believe he needs to move on, but we must replace him first. I anticipate some new strikers coming in fairly pronto.
When are you planning on opening mate? Are we bloggers going to be your first guests?
Thought etched in fact was rather clever..yep you Stu and bloggers very welcome when we open (Oct /Nov)
Rooms within about a year or so too football NCFC ground 25 mins…
I suppose we will get fined again for playing a weakened side and making 11 changes.
Get in!
COYW
Well!
It’s turned out nice again today ain’t it?
Thank you Bet365 – at half time we’d gone out to 9/1
A cheeky fiver provided some beer tokens for the bank holiday… ?
A very happy bunny.
A new striker must also be iminent with Mason off to Burton
COYW
Great feeling isn’t it. Winning away at a PL club. Felt so happy I decided to wear one of my Wolves ties today.
I should take it back for a refund, Bedders, it looks too tight!
Cheeky wee chappie!
Is this better?