Matheus Cunha has been leading the line in every way imaginable, making his sudden absence a painful one to accept.
I don’t like the cryptic nature of the timeframe put on his return either with reports ranging from a few weeks to the remainder of the season.
Hwang may return, but his own injury record, much like Neto’s, hardly inspires confidence as we stare down the final stretch.
Still, one could argue we’re in a favourable position in the table and the team have coped without other key players this season, so why not again?
This one is a particularly tough assignment, but I wouldn’t count us out.
Spurs
We’re probably high on Ange’s hit list after that injury-time miracle at Molineux a few months back. It was a wonderful way to win but a sore one to lose.
Spurs were missing some key personnel that day but I think they’ll be pushing back towards full strength tomorrow and whenever that’s been the case, they’ve invariably won a lot of football matches.
I just checked their latest injury news and Udogie and Porro are the only possible doubts. If both of them were missing it would clip their wings and aid our cause, but there’s plenty of quality elsewhere on the pitch to worry about.
One statistical anomaly is that Son has never scored against Wolves in a dozen or so matches played. Hopefully, that run continues tomorrow. Johnson, Richarlison and Maddison all have much healthier records.
I have them down as just about holding onto fourth place by the end of the season, which would be some achievement for Postecoglou. He’s changed the culture there and cut out a lot of deadwood. With the right backing in the summer, they could really press on.
Wolves
If Hwang is fit, you’d have thought he would come back in and Gary sticks to the same shape that’s delivered him success.
Nathan Fraser did well in that second half against Brentford without ever threatening their goal. His hold-up play and layoffs were tidy, which is so often a problem for young players just trying to get a foothold in the game. There’s definitely potential there, but it’s a big call to throw him in from the start.
Another option would be playing three midfielders, probably bringing Doyle in alongside Lemina and Gomes and then Sarabia just behind Neto. That’s a negative, counter-attack-reliant side, but it might give us more stability and protection in midfield.
One maverick option would be to go four at the back, play Bellegarde ahead of Gomes and Lemina and then a front three ahead of that. That’s what we did against Liverpool earlier in the season and it worked well for an hour.
A word on Bellegarde, who I feel a bit sorry for of late. I’m hearing abuse based on recent performances where he’s been asked to play right up top, a position that in no way suits his game. He’s been a victim of us shifting to a back three but I think he can offer more deployed deeper.
Predictions
A few people had us down to lose against Brentford, but nobody thought we’d blank, so as a consequence, there were no correct scorelines.
I think it’s going to be a struggle tomorrow. Spurs are going to ask a lot of questions and our defence has looked anything but solid in recent weeks, suggesting we’re likely to concede at least one and probably a couple. Can we do enough going the other way to stay in the game? Possibly, but without Cunha, I worry about how it all connects together against one of the better sides. 3-1 Tottenham.
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Up The Wolves!
A tough one to be sure. I’d be more than happy to take a point from this; it might be too much to ask though.
We are Wolves and that means we sometimes come up with the unexpected. Fingers ( and anything else l can) crossed.
Cunha is a BIG loss.
Typical of our recent luck to have a player, nearing top form and playing to his undoubted potential, taken by injury. Let’s hope it’s not long term like Pedro Neto’s was.
With a paper thin squad we are going to be concentrating on staying mid table rather than pushing for a possible European place. A shame considering the improvement we’ve shown when we have all players fit
On that subject, given the way Wolves have looked after Neto over the times he has been out, wouldn’t it be nice if he gave us one more season as a token of his gratitude. He obviously loves the club and the players.
And the fans love him.
Come on Pedro!
I think we’ll be humiliated…
I hope I am wrong!
Good preview Thomas.
Personally think we’ll struggle to get anything out of it sad to say. Wish I could be more optimistic.
Hwang is seen in practice videos.
Ever the optimist same score as at the moment 2-1 to the Wolves.
As ever I’m optimistic after a win and pessimistic after a loss
We need a solid performance at the back though in London
We’ve been up and down against this team historically, tomorrow I feel a draw would be an excellent point, a victory lead the line on MOTD and a loss will have the press lauding their chances of Champions League next season ….
Prior to Man U at home we were looking up the table. Prior to Chelsea away, we were looking down. After Chelsea away we were fighting for a place in Europe. After Brentford at home we slipped back into bottom half of table. What a roller coaster! Lets face it we have exceeded expectations many times this season but we are a midtable team at best and we need to tread carefully over the next few games, keep our confidence level high, keep the cup run going and secure the points we need. With Cunha out Spurs away will bring little joy I feel. But, if the roller coaster keeps rolling, who knows?
The good news is that we are top of the bottom half!!!!
As Royston Keane once said: “Lads, it’s Spurs.”
Porro and Udogie out for them so will lose a lot in them going forward hopefully
I quite like the new version of Tottingham.
POS plays the game the right way, however we’re a team with half a dozen big players and when they’re injured or out of form we’re vulnerable.
This is one of those weeks.
And by the way, get off Belgarde’s back. He’s a victim of doing whatever he’s asked to do for the good of the team.
Good post- there’s some who can’t wait to identify a scapegoat at the first setback. Bellegarde is an excellent football in the right position.
Having supported the team for many years, I have learnt to enjoy the brilliant performances and give credit to the opposition when we have come up short.
As long as the boys put the effort in and don’t cheat I will cheer any player in a Wolves shirt- lucky lads.
We will need everyone playing to their maximum today but you can never write us off, particularly if Ait gets some space.
Cheeky point.
Not optimistic I’m afraid. I’ll sit on the fence and hope, against hope, we’ll get apoint.
Interesting to see who he starts with upfront – presumably Hwang to come on rather than start.
In which case has to start with Fraser and not Bellegarde.
To now lose Cunha to a lengthy injury following the layoff for Neto which he’s not fully back up to speed from is particularly cruel. It means our two best players haven’t been able to play together for a chunk of the season and we may never see them together in Wolves shirts again. These are the realities of a midtable selling club.
It’s gutting for Cunha who has been unplayable at times this season. Not to get too negative about it, but you have to say it’s a big dent to any European aspirations. Let’s hope the season doesn’t peter out from here as it did under Lage.
Spurs away has been a good game for us since we came back up (the early 2020 win being the modern Wolves peak) and you can never rule out one of those Wolves away days. We did it at Chelsea but Cunha was on fire that day and Spurs are a step up. I reckon we’ll push them close but just fall short.
“….Initially, Gary O’Neil said that Cunha’s injury was a significant one and he put no timeline on his return to action, which handed Wolves a devastating blow.
However, the 24-year-old revealed on his Instagram story that the extent of his injury wasn’t as bad as first thought and he would only be out of action for a few weeks, expelling any further speculation on his fitness for the remainder of the season….”
News this week quite bad not least that top six are jostling for Pedro and indications we are on breadline re FFP…..how the hell do we stay up next year ? We need more bright young things …. Is Fraser one?
Where’s a new Centre back?
Astute buys last January ( thanks JLo) mostly worked to get us mid table.. but is that a formula that can happen this summer?
Aaargh
Let’s at least see Pedro Cunha and Channy together a few times before seasons over
Meantime I’d say try out Fraser and be braced for tough time tomorrow
The wonderful Cunha is a massive loss. I can’t see Spurs losing this with our up and down defence askew at the moment. If Lemina can find his mojo that will help. Just praying Neto and Hwang can remain injury free but…
We need Sarabia to hit the heights and Hwang To get on the end of some Neto crosses.
I can only see us losing against a very good Spurs side sadly.
I’ve tried to be optimistic with my judgement here .. ie quite a few away wins against the Spuds over the past few years …. and you know there’s a but coming along …..
.. losing Cunha and having no strong back up just shows the fine lines we’re treading with the squad ..
OK Hwang is back ..but his game isn’t comparable to Cunha .. and I fear that he (Hwang) isn’t the driving force that’s needed …
Spurs have got some key players missing but unfortunately they’re stuffed with match winners and don’t you just know that Brennan Johnson will get a goal ..
A tough day tomorrow I’m afraid ..
Due a battering this season and I feel tomorrow could be the one. If our defence/Sa is anywhere near as sloppy as it was against Brentford it could be a cricket score with the pressure spurs will be putting them under!
Not confident at all. 3-1 spurs and that’s being optimistic.
The effectiveness of our forward line is reduced by the loss of Cunha, but Hwang should fill the gap to a limited degree.
Bit worried about our defense. A short while ago we were the only team not to have a goal scored against us from a corner! Now, three goals directly from a corner in three games! But GON would certainly have worked on this during the week!
Tough game and would consider a draw a great achievement!
Cunha will be missed, but I’m hopeful Wolves can still nab a point.
We’ve have been conceding goals at a high rate and Spurs have Son back in attack. Scared for this one
Reality kicks in, I’m afraid.
I can’t see us winning this one with our ‘at the moment’ fragile squad.
Nevertheless… COYMW!
It’s the hope that gets ya!
Although I can make a case for us being able to expose the spurs high line there is no doubt this is a very tough game. Particularly with the absence of our recent talisman Cunha. You could argue the rumoured absence of both of their full backs even things up . I predict goals and us just coming up short
You never know
Gutted over Cunha injury. It seems we are fated not to have 3 of our best players Neto Cunha and Hwang on the pitch at the same time. Will be at Spurs tomorrow with everything crossed for a win although I have my doubts.
Without Cunha and with Hwang also probably not 100% fit, this will be a challenging fixture. Hope we set up to be more counter-attacking, otherwise it might run away from us. Look forward to getting it horribly wrong. UTW
Even with our best player out … we still have too much for these…
Without Cunha, the chance of scoring any goals has diminished.
Greetings,
It was Bob Marley’s Birthday recently, and he used to go to White Hart Lane to see Ozzie play.
Could be Son v Hwang in the S Korean heavy weight clash, but Channy gets a hat trick when Neto carves open the backline.
The Wombat turns purple on the touchline, and Gazzbo looks as surprised as the rest of us.
1 lv & COYW
Don’t think we’ve got enough to hurt them without Cunha, they’ve got their two centre backs back plus Maddison, I think they’ll double up on hwang and Neto and leave us wanting
A tough game coming up, and Wolves’ paper-thin squad is likely to be severely tested. Still, I have to hope they have the resolve to come away with pride intact.
Well, my optimistic spell sadly only lasted 1 week.
I want us to win. I want ange to win (love Ange) want us to win more.
The loss of Cunha is a big loss of course, but Hwang had been performing well this season, for us a well as his home nation. Hopefully he will be d sharp and link up with Neto as he did earlier in the season.
Spurs though will be tough to beat. I’ve been week off in my predictions recently. Let’s hope that is the case again for this one.
Obviously it’s Spurs so anything is possible. But they seem to score loads and are less flaky. So…
Agreed Avebury – hope we’re wrong.
UTW!
utw.
.
I have a dreadful prediction record lately, so let’s hope that that continues!!
.
Can’t see anything but a 5-1 to the mighty wolves
Yes indeed. Cunha will be sorely missed, but at least we have Hwang to come in and he has proven that he can score a goal or 2.
Meanwhile Spurs are making good progress by and large under Postecoglou I think and therefore they’ll be hard to beat.
With that in mind I’m going for a narrow defeat I’m afraid.
ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC!
Where’s that Prosecco?
A memorable win with a great all round performance.
Postecoglou totally lacking in any recognition of Wolves performance.No class or respect.
Of course, it is about what a team does when out of possession, and Wolves are masters of that. Dare I say it, they are better out of possession than in possession. Witness the Brentford game. We do much bette4 against attacking teams.