Someone asked me the other day how many good performances we’ve seen this season and I have to admit, I was scratching my head.
Sheff Utd away was convincing if not spectacular. Palace at home similar. And I think we played quite well in the win at Arsenal that was overshadowed by Raul’s injury.
The home wins against Chelsea and Arsenal were exhilarating but felt more smash and grab than the result of a cohesive team performance.
Other than that, we’ve been scraping by, so it’s some achievement we’ve cobbled together 11 wins.
Even by this season’s standards though, that was a chastening defeat to Burnley and one we mustn’t repeat, especially in this game.
I’m sick and tired of being bested by our stripy neighbours and any victory – scrappy or otherwise – would be a welcome tonic.
West Brom
Albion are going down. I think if they’d hung on at Villa Park last weekend they’d still have a sniff but dropping those points was disastrous.
It’s no a stretch to imagine them winning this one, but getting enough from Liverpool, Arsenal, West Ham and Leeds is another matter. Brighton also have a 9 point and 28 goal difference head start.
But doubling us and staying in the race is a more than adequate incentive so we should expect them to be full throttle from the start.
Big Sam has found a good combination and a way of playing, but it’s probably come just too late, kind of reminiscent of that season we had under Dave Jones when the Cort/Camara partnership started firing right at the death.
Matheus Pereira has come alive and with 10 goals and 5 assists, his considerable skills won’t have gone unnoticed this season. If they do go down, I’ll be shocked if he’s still playing at The Hawrthorns next season.
Keeper Sam Jonhstone is another who has enhanced his reputation despite conceding a whopping 64 goals this season.
Wolves
If Moutinho is fit enough, I’d be desperate to get him back in the side and try to grunt out a result with a proper midfield three.
I don’t think I can watch another Daniel Podence performance after the last two. He looks weak, ponderous and uninterested. Surely he’s carrying an injury or something? I’ve seen enough in better times to know he’s not this bad.
If I thought there was any chance we could swap the wingbacks, I would, but probably fanciful. Semedo and Ait-Nouri weren’t to blame for the Burnley collapse but they’re so physically weak and don’t do enough in the opposite direction for me. Hoever and Marcel would at least offer more muscle.
Allardyce will have seen how Burnley mauled us and you can expect them to be getting plenty of balls into Diagne in the hope he can repeat Chris Wood’s exploits.
Last time out
I thought about leaving this section out. It was that dark back in January when they came from behind to win at Molineux I didn’t think I could feel any lower. I’ll repeat though, the results we’ve managed since are remarkable and if you’d offered me these respective positions heading into this game back then, I’d have done somersaults.
Our last visit to the Hawthorns wasn’t much better, with Shane Long running rings around Roger Johnson in yet another comfortable Black Country Derby victory for the Baggies.
It’s depressing to consider Wolves have won just 3 of the last 22 games between these sides. No, it’s more than that, it’s perversely cruel.
Predictions
Shockingly, nobody predicted the 4-0 scoreline against Burnley last time out.
But Brompton Wolf correctly predicted defeat and that was enough to move him to the top of the overall table at the end of Gameweek 33.
As always if you’d like to join in, simply leave your prediction for this game in the comment section below, which is where you’ll find my best guess.
Up The Wolves!
I’ll be dreaming about a Ruben Neves special or Adama gliding through their static defence, but suspect the reality will be different.
What will be quite interesting is who controls possession. Neither team likes having the ball so something has to give. What they did very well Molineux, was getting Perriera and Robinson into those pockets of space between midfield and attack on the counter. Although their goals came from the penalty spot and a long throw, it was getting the ball to those players in those areas that created the openings and ultimately won them the game.
I think our best bet is packing the midfield, controlling possession and isolating their forward players. Whether we can do that on current form, with this personnel is dubious, to say the least.
I’m not looking forward to the game at all and I just hope someone in a gold shirt takes this glorious opportunity to make themselves a hero and give us an exhilarating high in an otherwise horrible season.
As Kevin Keegan famously said 25 years ago to this very day, ‘I will love it if we beat them. Love it.’
Although I think we will be way, way better than against Burnley I still can’t see anything other than a defeat. We concede too easily and find it very hard to score whereas the baggies look dangerous every time they attack.
Interesting comment from Thomas re good games seen this year
Body language against Burnley was terrible
Think Podence will struggle with height and physical strength in the Prem
Hope Wolves show they want to win this more
Difficult to see us beating anyone at the moment. We look woeful. I’ve little confidence in Jose but Adama playing off him allows us more in the middle of the park. Other teams have played through a middle two far too easily. If it doesn’t work out then we’ve Fabio as an option or we can switch to a front three. Agree about Podence who has not got close to expectations and falls over far too easily. Hoping we tighten up at the back. Improvement needed all over the park.
After last week, I predict we comes out of the traps with steam coming from our ears and having two players sent off before half time
Albion will then cruise to a comfortable win
Until we get good quality players with premier league experience we will be relegation favourites next season. What about Maitland Niles, Bissuoma, Ben Mee, both Burnley full backs if we want to play a back four, Danny Ings, Trossard, and getting as much as we can for Traore, Podence, Silva, Dendoncker, Semedo to balance the books.
I’ve put a thumbs up against this entry, not because I agree with all aspects but because I feel an overhaul of that scale is worth consideration.
How do I predict this game?
With my head….dreading it totally
Baggies will not need motivating whatsoever and we’d better Actually turn up or its going to be a possible drubbing
Please someone make this season end!
I to am waiting for the season to end, I’ve been hammered on messages non stop about us getting beat by these. They have improved the team and we seem as bad as we’ve been since getting promoted. I can only predict a loss?. Id be happy with a draw.
.
No idea why, given our recent results, but l think we will just about hammer one more nail into the baggies coffin.
I think we all agree that the season end cannot come soon enough but wouldn’t it be nice to show some grit and determination to make us a tad happier about our squad.
Not too happy about seeing press comments about the possibility of NUS moving on. I would like to see him given a proper pre, and fan filled stadium, season to see where he can take us to again – we’ll see!
Come on boys; play for your shirt.
The fact that absolutely nothing went right in our home defeat to Burnley, I cannot believe I am making this prediction but the season’s over anyway…
That’s the spirit Aquilador!
My form here has been as poor as the team’s on the pitch but I like May and it would have been my Mum’s 84 birthday so who knows… spring is in the air and I’m feeling lucky
If other results go the right way this weekend then a victory for us may be the guarantee that we crave for Sandwell’s relegation. Wouldn’t it be nice if we are the ones who drive the final nail into their coffin? So, despite recent performances indicating something contrary, I’m going for a win!
The shadow dwellers will be going down and hopefully down again to division one.
It’s just a shame that Wolves can’t relegate them at this match.
End of season match for the Wolves and they are all on the beach BUT win this one Wolves and all the fans will be back on your side.
Overfill the midfield, kill the game and sneak a Ruben screamer in the top corner in the second half.
FOWB
I like what you say Sea Pigeon….
Results this weekend could see us with the opportunity to relegate the Boggies on Monday evening …… as Lionel Richie would sing …. ‘oh what a feeling .. we’ll be dancing on the ceiling….’
Think I will finally relax if Fulham dont beat Chelsea on Saturday evening. That will mean we are mathematically safe and can get thrashed for the rest of the season. Hopefully not but you don’t have to watch from behind the sofa . If that meks any sense!
The players have lost interest they just want to get through the rest of the games without injury go on their jollydays or at least back to their native countries and see who they are playing for next season.
They didnt turn up for mighty burnley and they wont turn up against the shite who wont live up to their name and will stuff us.
This season has been a nightmare after the previous two and the sooner it comes to an end and we are put out of our misery the better.
Roll on next term wipe the slate clean and start again.
Yeh, I echo most of you sentiments here Spikey, including your projected scoreline.
We just seem to have lost any motivation and suddenly our team looks like it has too many players in it who are not good enough.
Burnley was the absolute nadir surely!
Podence, being such a lightweight, falls over very easily. But do does Traore, who is anything but a lightweight. I really don’t get it. Neither player should be auditioning for Bambi On Ice, but there you go. The whole lot of them were disgraceful against Burnley. They played like they had spent the night in a pub. Chorley would have done better against Burnley. I’m still angry.
By my reckoning no team can be this bad twice in a row. If they are, then Nuno and the squad should be considering their futures this summer. If nothing else, it’s a bloody Black Country derby, pride is at stake for god’s sake. I can only go for a win with reservations.
When we played them earlier in the season i could not see how we could possibly not win but now for the return fixture I really can’t see us winning. Which inevitably means we will!!!! Nuno has hinted at even more injuries so God knows what team will start on Monday.
Last game, we looked like s##t, we played like s##t, and now we are playing the s##t, so we should feel right at home!
Against Burnley, the first goal was a one in ten shot, second a Boly mistake, the third a Tarore mistake, and the fourth, a Saiss mistake. Surely, we cannot be that poor again for one of the most important games of the season? Right?
Three at the back, bring in Killman and set up defensively. I don’t care how boring we are, just don’t lose. Even a nil-nil would be acceptable!
Sorry for being so negative but I have no idea or confidence which Wolves team and subsequent performance we will see! We live in hope!!!
Our bad game out of the way gotta beat them for the bragging rights
Our bad game out of the way? Singular? I think we’ve had more than one bad game. 4-0 away to West Ham, et al. Maybe Burnley was the really ultimate horror show like no other.
A narrow victory for hope over experience. Can’t be as bad as Burnley performance.
There are certain things you should do on any sightseeing tour of Sandwell. One .Ensure you don’t stop the motor vehicle in which you are travelling .Two. Enjoy the historic sight of Carters Green clock tower. Buzz Aldrin remarked on the remarkable views of the Earth from the moon and the magnificent sights on offer. The Great Wall of China. Carters Green clock tower. Well come Monday evening Big Fat Sam (BFS) might as well be on the moon as a wounded WWFC emerge from the Burnley nightmare and produce a swashbuckling display not seen for some time. Man City. Man Utd. Chelsea.Arsenal. Spurs away. European adventures. All of those moments come flooding back and a first victory in Smethwick for 25 years is secured by 3-1. After the game Nuno said “I have been to Beirut, Albania, Afghanistan but nothing compared to Smethwick so to win here is great. I am going to have 10 bottles of Super Bok to celebrate”. BFS said ” Being a life long Wolves fan , I’m not all that bothered we are going down. There is always someone like Southampton I can save next Christmas ‘. Sandwell Town 1 WWFC 3.
Do they have sightseeing tours of Sandwell? Maybe they do have vacationing visitors from the outside world as I think I recall that the movie Deliverance was set there. Must be hard to play the banjo with six thumbs.
A brief resume of the season so far.
Top half finish.
Some solid performances, maybe dropping off of late, but nothing to worry about
No worries about relegation.
Generally very satisfactory.
But enough about me in The Prediction League.
I have no great hope of us getting anything from our trip to ‘The Ghost Town’, but, because of my comfortable position in the aforesaid league, I’m going to predict a win.
To misquote Marc Antony in Julius Caesar:-
“Cry havoc and let slip the Wolves of war!”.
Let’s give Big Sam’s evil hordes a thrashing!
Heartfelt apologies to everyone on the Blog and indeed to all Wolves fans around the world but my prediction is how I feel at the moment.
By the way I believe Daniel Podence has recently suffered a close family bereavement which I think explains his recent lack of form.
OODCL
No apologies needed, Bedders old chap, yow gorra spikk yer moind!!
Can’t believe I am joining the ‘I can’t wait for the season to end’ brigade but sadly, I am. A 1-0 victory for WBA will make my miserable season though I can’t see us winning another game.
Support the 4 day social media boycott against on line race discrimination and abuse. Backed by English Premier League. English Football Leagues. Womens Super League.British Basketball League. Sky Sports.BT Sports.Lawn Tennis Association. Rugby Football Union. Rugby Players Association. Professional Cricketers Association. England and Wales Cricket Board.And many more. Thanks.
Being something of and old fogie who doesn’t fully understand the modern terminology, is this blog ‘social media’? Or something else?
I suppose it is in a way. I am attempting to join the boycott from today until mid day Monday. Not that I am accusing anyone of anything on here. Just showing a bit of old fashioned solidarity, which no longer seems to exist anymore in society after Thatcher binned it sadly. So in fact I am signing off now till Monday afternoon. Cheers all.
I must correct myself. Starts at 3pm today. Ends at midnight monday.
Damn. Just missed ya!!
Is it just me? Boycott by all means but 4 days? Really? So called celebrities/ stars should show that they really mean business and go for a minimum of a month.
Wolves 1 – Baggies 2
There needs to be a reaction. Doesn’t matter if it’s professional, personal or local pride, the players need to know it matters to us and therefore it should matter to them. After what happened last week, they owe us a performance.
Anything less and we’ll know something is up.
Sorry boys not at it at all.
Now prove me wrong.
Good Ebening:
I hope you are watching the game of Villareal versus Arsenal tonight so that you can see what a mistake it was for Arsenal to remove me from my position there.
It will also allow you to see the style of football I will be incorporating when I become the Wolbes coach next season.
Sincerely,
Unai
Not looking forward to this one to be honest. But, can’t believe that Nuno et al will allow or tolerate another no show.
It is a sad fact of modern football that our overseas contingent, regardless of platitudes on WWFC web sites or press articles, will never understand or get the depth of feeling of a black country derby and it will be ‘another’ game. My hope is that their professional pride will have them out of the traps and prove to us fans, Nuno and Fosun that winning is in their mentality.
Got to be on our mettle, no stupid penalties or lapses in concentration at set pieces and long throws.
Big Sam will have them wound up for survival so they will be up for it and fighting hard.
Lots of forecasts for us to lose, but as stated before will always go with my heart and can’t predict a loss.
Keep the faith.
I am in total agreement that this season has been a disaster, that things could not be much worse, but I do feel there is one over riding factor, way above all else, which has caused us to basically implode.
Forget the players who have left, and come in; forget the slew of injuries; forget the homesickness; the ONLY thing I believe has had us playing basically shit since we won at Tottenham is lack of fans.
Yes, it’s the same for every other team, I hear you cry, but is it?
A full, screaming Molineux at the end of December 2019 was the footballing equivalent of a collective orgasm, sheer, unadulterated bedlam, passion and ecstasy all rolled into one.
Can you imagine the likes of Willian Jose, Semedo, Marcal and Silva hearing the Molineux roar for the first time, strains of “Nuno had a Dream”, “Si, Senor, give the ball to Raul and he will score” and “We’ve got Neves”.?
Not been heard since.
Anywhere.
How many of our guys have said Molineux is the best atmosphere they’ve ever played in?
How many times have we the fans lifted our players on away grounds, where the home fans are regularly outshouted and out sung?
Lots.
This is why there have been so many unexpected away wins throughout the leagues this season.
If the British Government lift the crowd ban, and fans are let in for the last match of the season, I don’t care if there’s 50, 500 or 5000 inside, there is going to be 18 months of pent up frustration released on those scumbags from Salford, with their greedy masters, and their eardrums will bost!!
As for Monday down in shadowdweller land, I am ambivalent.
I will not be watching the game, some of us have to keep the economy going, and if they beat us and stay up, we can give them a double tonking next season.
If we win and they go down, well good riddance.
I have lost all interest in what happens now, the beautiful game has been tarnished badly by the corona bollocks, and lately by those sticky fingered billionaires who just cannot get their hands on enough money.
Well, screw ’em, they can call themselves all sorts of names, but will never be as good as us Wolves fans!
You really don’t think this season could have been worse Clive?
You’m just a plastic Wolves fan. Rather stick up a fence than watch me take Sandwell to the cleaners!
Stick up?
Stick up?
A stick up is what Butch and Sundance used to do.
A fence is a thing of beauty, lovingly built with skill and reverence, a masterpiece to behold.
Not stuck up.
Jeez
No idea really, my one hope is that we get some luck, and some goals will go in. I’d love to see both Jose and Fabio score a few before the end of the season.
On that basis I’ll cross my fingers and predict a 2-0.
On a positive note, you can get the Wolves kit for very cheap at the moment so you can have a lasting memory of this season…
I’m liking Thomas’s selection but as far as the result goes anything could happen.
As a glass half full sort of person I’ll go for a win but to be honest nothing would surprise me right now
After the shambolic performance against Burnley heaven help us. Will the Portuguese realise the significance of this fixture?
As always heart says we’ve got to win this, but my head says otherwise . .
Well, if we are not up for this after the embarrassment of last week, the embarrassment of our home defeat to Sandwell in our home game and the overall disappointment of a season, you have to seriously question the mindset of the current squad and Nuno’s ability to get the best out of them. We should be ravenous like the pack of hungry wolves we aspire to be, feasting on the striped ones relegation carcass with our appetite only satisfied at the final whistle with blood still dripping from our mouths on the back of an emphatic victory. Anything that falls well short of that and the pack will likely turn inwards and feed on itself.
It’s not nice singling out players but it has to be done when they consistently don’t. Turn up week in week out and are still put in the team to me this is one of Nuno’s biggest weakness and the most frustrating.
If Dendonker is anywhere near the team then it will be 11 against 10 the bloke and I use the word bloke deliberately because he is a big bloke but with no bottle . He doesn’t tackle doesn’t press he doesn’t impose himself he just runs around. I compared him to Dave Edwards but now I’m thinking that was harsh on Dave Edwards a least he used to chip in with a few goals and the odd decent performance.
You cannot afford to carry anyone in any League let alone the Premier League and for far to long Dendonker has been hitching a ride. The baggies will come at us like Burnley they will have studied that game and identified our weakness which at the moment are too many to list.
If we don’t at least show some fight then I’m afraid if we lose the calls for Nuno to go will get louder. People are comparing the situation we are in now to when McCarthey got the bullet and say we shouldn’t let history repeat its self……BUT there are two BIG differences between now and then.
Now we are safe then we were not and the other one we have a owner now who is supposedly still up for the project then we had Morgan.
Me I think the years has totally drained Nuno and I think he has fallen out of love with football he needs some time away from the game re: charge his batteries regain his love of the game. He face as Burnley were running riot had the look of a man drained lost and indifferent and unable to offer any solutions to our woes….just my option folks.
We need to start the game quicker and better than we did against Burnley put them on the back foot.
I would play Kilman the poor lad must be think what do I have to do to get into this team that is all over the place. Drop Dendonker and Jose play Silva and Matinhio.
Injuries to our three best players. A super long season last time out. Lack of virtually any pre-season, which we know Nuno values highly as he prepares his troops. No home visits for our foreign contingent.No fans in the stands.
All of these have been blamed for our crappy season but I don’t think we can pin our failures on any of these in particular. But add them all together and I’m sure the effects are showing. The team are tired. Physically worn out for sure but, more importantly, mentally knackered. The edge has gone and those split seconds which win the ball or cover the run just don’t seem to be there any more. And we’re not there to spur them on, like we do.
So yes, roll on season’s end so they can have a good, long rest and recuperate. They surely need it.
So many people seem to think they know how the players are feeling. They also seem to have an inside-track on Mendes’ evil plan and Fosun’s baordroom shenanigans.
I don’t have fucking clue what’s going on but I do know these are professional sportsmen who didn’t get to the top of the pile by being uncompetitive – last week’s result will be hurting.
So, I predict a damn good spanking for the Baggies!
I’ve predicted 2-0 every game so far this most miserable of seasons and I don’t think I’ve been right once. But I’m a stubborn Black Country boy and I’m going to stick with it.
Part of Fat Sam’s team talk will be about set-up and tactics and rehearsed set-pieces. But his main theme, on repeat will be lots and lots of long throws. And then some more long throws.
Wolves will have poor old Podence defending on the penalty spot so no worries!
Reading the comments above, you’d be forgiven for thinking that we’re playing Paris Saint- Germain or Barcelona on Monday and not a team that’s sitting second from bottom of the league having managed to score just 30 goals while conceding 64.
It’s the Baggies, for fuck’s sake – we’ll stuff them.
I’m changing my prediction!
You’ve used the f word twice.
I’m tellin’!
There’s some on here who get on their high horse when I use some mild profanity, so be warned, you could get some de merits and detention.
Anyway, bollocks to them, welcome to the blog, Old Bugger.
And, as ever, Fuck Off w. b.
I know I have a foul mouth, and I know it ain’t clever.
I never swore in front of my mom but everyone has to learn to live with it.
I save the “C” word for very special occasions.
Love it!
Chelsea ?
Jeff Astle and Tony Brown!
What part of the season did you wake up?
We’re playing crap,can’t score and albin will be bleeding up for it.
Yes, we’re playing crap.
BUT, Albion haven’t suddenly become invincible.
It may help, but ‘desire’ doesn’t win football matches.
Perhaps you’re suggesting that Fat Sam is a better manager than Nuno?
The wise man said “dreaming is for free”. So are nightmares unfortunately. And this season has been nothing short of one, with the Burnley game being the worst so far.
Personally I’m not in the can’t wait for the season to end camp yet. For two reasons:
1. I fight to the end. I wish the players did too. They say there’s nothing left to play for, but just the prospects of pipping Leeds or Villa to a top 10 finish should have been plenty. So disappointing.
2. I fear the end of season. I fear the summer. I hope to be proven wrong but last few transfer windows have been disastrous. There’s so much they need to get right. Let’s see.
Meanwhile, I’m counting on the team to redeem themselves from the shame they brought upon themselves and the club against burnley, and to rediscover their pride.
I’m still pretty pissed off. Sorry.
Apart from a handful of total capitulations, this season has seen us gather quite a few unearned points.
One of the many things that I have always appreciated with Nuno’s teams is our durability. We may get massacred possession wise, but we have been damn difficult to kill off!
I think Baggies are going to Muller us on Monday. But I think it will be Muller light and not quite sufficient to see us off.
As for next season? Who knows! Wouldn’t be surprised to lose anybody – including Nuno. But I would like to think that even with some financial restrictions smart trading, use of Mir Vinagre Cutrone and some of the current squad we can come up with a squad big enough and battle ready enough to compete for Europe next season.
Already quoted my prediction but will repeat.
I have no pleasure in predicting a defeat. We will be there for the taking if we concede an early goal and the opposition know it. Our heads are down. I don’t know whether it is just me but Conor seems to have lost his voice. It was always noticeable in previous seasons but I’ve not heard him half as much during this campaign. He’s always been key and the rock in defence along with Boly. Confidence seems to have been battered and the cohesion lost. I really hope my prediction is kicked on its arse, along with them down the road.
As said on previous blogs, one of the more alarming aspects about the Burnley defeat was that we knew how they would approach the game and we knew we would be in for a bit of a physical battle from Wood and Co but we weren’t able to do anything about it.
We know that Pereira is likely to be the danger man on Monday, so with Dendoncker not fit to do anything else, it may be that we do a man for man marking on him and see where that leads us.
I’ m usually a half full man but I am concerned about our scouting and recruitment policy particularly over the coming summer. With the success of the early Portuguese recruitment and the Mendes connection, we made a number of our established scouts redundant and are now reliant on Uncle Jorge more than ever. Effective sales and recruitment will be absolutely crucial over the next few months.
I would hope that targets have been identified for months, and as soon as allowed, we swoop in and pluck the trees of talent.
It’s show time, I hope these boys have been working hard all week, wba will target the flanks like Burnley and crosses in, nuno will play the same favourites, why no kids?If we lose same rubbish about solutions, I’m getting nervous, time to get drunk , wolves aie we.
Before we go off social media, one to discuss Monday, plus our 3 points.
Wolves fans urged to send in questions for chairman Jeff Shi Q&A with Jeff for the board meeting.
Going silent now (Mrs Marnhull Wolves hopes at home too!)
Just hope that he’s not as invisible answering questions as he has been all season.
Can the invisible man actually prove he’s there?
Our performances have continued to deteriorate this season as the injuries have mounted up. Replacements appear lightweight and the older pros are playing below par. Can’t score, can’t defend and no confidence. Fear the worst but hope for a backs to the wall defence and last minute goal a la Fulham to send the Baggies down. Don’t care after that, Nuno and the boys need a rest, as do we. Will never lose the faith, come on me babbies.
Here’s Hoping
whats all this shutting down social media cobblers ! am i living on a different planet
I’m still puzzled that folks believe the Shite won’t get relegated this week end…
If Brighton win and we win then the Boggies have to score 30 more goals in 5 remaining games than Brighton… as well as winning all the remaining games.
Yeah as if …..
So this could be a Bank holiday special folks … we’ll see.
Had a great chat to a maniac mate from Bedfordshire last night..(BOG) who hates the Albion with a passion.
I’m quite relaxed with Monday….
In fact I’ve just watched Danny Crainie score 2 and Wayne Clarke with a third scupper the Boggies in 1983… so it will be a replication of that glorious evening when we stuff the shadow dwellers by the same score…
Didn’t know Crainie and Clarke were still playing!!!
They will be there in spirt on Monday… sadly sending the Boggies into the Championship…xx
Nothing sad about it Twikey.
I fear for us in this game. I said before the Burnley game that we might be in trouble – although I didn’t quite expect how much trouble. And there are some similarities in this fixture. They have something to play for (just), whereas we don’t. They’ve been scoring quite freely recently, whereas we haven’t all season. They were stung in the previous game when they might have deserved more., whereas, well we didn’t deserve anything from our previous match and emphatically so.
It all suggests another heavy loss.
There are a few rays of hope perhaps. WB are not as good as a Burnley who ought to be higher up the league than they are. Also you would expect a reaction from our players after last week’s humiliation. Together with the added spice of a local derby the boys really ought to be fired up for this one. If they aren’t then we know that they are all already on the beach and, perhaps, already at other clubs.
My doubts over whether our largely Latin flavoured team really understand the spice in this particular derby though, especially without any fans in the ground, means I have to fear that this will be another defeat.
God, I hope I’m wrong though!!
And has anyone noticed who has sneaked his way to top of the Prediction League?
None other than our very own, I give y’all, the one, the only ……….
Chalkie The Cheat!!
Just something to brighten up everybody’s May as there’s a fair amount of gloom around this blog at the moment.
They will be in Div 2 next season. We won’t.
WBA v Wolves What it means………..
Chatting to Lord Twix for a while last night about the forthcoming nail-biter (AKA Mike Oldfield – as in Tubular Bells) it became apparent that our paths through life were on a parallel. We were both born at the Women’s Hospital, West Park which is/was a good length Bert Williams goal kick from Molineux, bread in the council estates of Wolverhampton district, drank in exactly the same town pubs, danced away at the Club Lafayette, played local Sunday league football and worked our passage at Black Country businesses as well as attending numerous away fixtures without knowing each other and of course mutual loathing of our next opponents! Top geezer.
It’s a funny old place The Black Country where I, like a fair number on this blog I would guess, grew up. If you look at any UK map/atlas there is no specific reference whatsoever. The terminology has no boundaries. Unlike for example counties or regions or towns and cities which have clearly defined borders, nobody really knows where it begins and ends. Even the weekly newspaper the Black Country Bugle, which I used to read religiously, cannot pinpoint the exact boundaries, probably because there aren’t any. We can however, make some assumptions. Originally 30’ deep coal seams which straddled the area were used as a rough guide but the last deep pit – Baggeridge Colliery in Sedgley – closed in 1966. Along with the dark, grey emissions from countless factories and chimneys the area got its name way back in the 1840’s when soot literally covered the area. However iron and other heavy industries had been established well beforehand including chain making which really came to prominence in 1912 with the sinking of the Titanic. The huge anchor chains and the anchor itself were manufactured deep in the heart of the Black Country at Netherton.
Very early references to the terminology indicate that the first time it was ever used was by a Lichfield town clerk in 1841 when addressing a reformer meeting that he had visited the “very black country” of Wolverhampton, Bilston and Tipton. Numerous other references give a different version of events but all agree that the area was pretty grim.
Yes, by god it was black! Queen Victoria when passing through the region by train instructed her lackeys to close the blinds on leaving Birmingham and reopening them well north of Wolverhampton so she did not have to see for herself the squalor her subjects endured from the innumerable grimy factories belching out thick, acrid smoke that populated the endless number of towns and settlements that seemed to merge into one huge blackened landscape permeated by the green covered slime of the canal system used to transport goods.
Well, what the hell has this to do with football? Well sod all actually.
Except that from this cesspit of filth 3 football teams emerged – Wolverhampton Wanderers, Walsall and (maybe) West Bromwich Albion. Arguments rage to this day whether or not The Hawthorns is actually in the boundary-less Black Country or indeed located in the Birmingham suburb of Handsworth which most definitely is NOT in the Black Country. To us normal folk, Birmingham was/is a foreign country with strange accents and even stranger habits such as going to St Andrews or Villa Park and drinking some odd foul-tasting beer called Ansells and still wearing shell-suits in 2021. With a Birmingham postcode and Birmingham telephone dialling code and half of the hovel seemingly within the Handsworth district, then for me WBA FC is NOT a Black Country football team. They are the Third Team In Birmingham – hereinafter known as TTTIB for short.
Consequently, Wolverhampton Wanderers FC are the undisputed Black Country Kings of football – lets face it Walsall FC really don’t register.
Nevertheless, I have to concede that TTTIB do draw some of their pathetic support from areas in what we traditionally call The Black Country. So, I have broken the area down for examples as follows – just my opinion obviously.
Strong TTTIB territory
Wednesbury, Hill Top, Smethwick, Oldbury, Great Bridge, Blackheath, West Bromwich (town), Tipton,
50/50 TTTIB – Mighty Wolves
Dudley, Netherton, Brierley Hill, Brockmoor, Stourbridge (some Villa fans, with voices yet to break, can be seen in prams around Stourbridge as well), Coseley, Rowley Regis, Tividale, Wordsley, Lye, Quarry Bank, Cradley Heath, Old Hill.
Strong Mighty Wolves territory
Wolverhampton (town), Sedgley, Lower Gornal, Upper Gornal, Wednesfield, Willenhall, Portobello, Bilston, Bradley, Moxley, Kingswinford, Wall Heath, The Straits, Wombourne,
Unknown and on the periphery
Walsall, Cannock (probably Wolves), Brownhills
Beating TTTIB means all is well, the World is correctly revolving on its axis, sunny skies greet every morning, birds forever chirrup, I awake with a song in my heart and a purpose to my stride and piss-taking becomes the norm.
Lose to TTTIB and the World is plunged into despair, clouds blot out the sun, flowers wilt in desperation, we enter a new ice-age and I slink about with hunched shoulders daring not to answer the phone in case……
So, this is the time to forget about our appalling recent record (3 wins in 23 fixtures), this is the time to virtually banish the cretins to the Chumpionship or even lower, never to darken our doorstep again. Just do it Wolves – just do it. For the sake of those of us with Black Country roots and those further afield – just do it. No excuse this time – just do it.
Nuno if you require a proper team talk to explain to the squad EXACTLY what it means I have no doubt any blogger on here will be able and willing to spare the time at Compton. Just do it Wolves – just do it.
Please…..
Bedfordshire Old Gold
BOG
(Picture from a painting of Bilston circa 1869).
Beautiful words. Thanks for the thought and effort. A perfect example of what makes this blog great
Well said. Educational and informative! And we expect the fight and the never surrender from our team! If we fight we can live with failure! But no fight like last week, big trouble!!
I think that’s a good summary of how the support splits.
I was born and bred in Darlaston and at school, apart form the odd arsehole who supported Man Utd (????), we were split 50/50 Wolves/WBA.
Good comment BOG, I asgree with most of it but take issue that Tipton strongly supported TTTIB. Having been born in the Lost City (def. Black Country) and spending my first 24 years in Tipton I can assure you that non of my mates even became close to being shadow dwellers. There may have been the odd one but they kept very quiet about it.
Always enjoy your posts keep the faith.
Hello Tipton – many apologies for incorrectly calling it wrong.
In 1972/73 I courted a girl from Ocker Hill – she lived virtually opposite the Tansad pram factory up towards the Ocker Hill power station.
It seemed the whole street were baggies – including her father. Hence I have always assumed its baggie. However thanks for putting me right!
Fingers and toes crossed already. I am bloody dreading it to get honest.
All the best
BOG
Hard to see a win finally coming against these based upon current form and players unavailable. Donk in a back 3?
Absolutely brilliant Mike, I love reading your posts. I will never forget your rant about WBA in the pub at Barnsley away a few years ago, you ended up getting quite emotional with your head in your hands and so I know what this fixture means to you. For us who have never lived in the area it is not quite the same. At school for me it was 99% Forest …………………………………………….and then 1% Wolves (ME). I actually sat in a bar in Majorca a few years ago with some of their fans and they told me that to go to Wolves as an Albion fan you really do take your life in your hands. They said that Wolverhampton is a f*****g evil place. I love the city and can’t wait to be back. I was born in Nottingham and have lived in Nottinghamshire all my life but as it says on the back of my shirt “Newark Wolves Ay We”.
Hello Ian – great to hear from you and oh yes I remember that pre match pint (well maybe 3 or 4) in the pub at Barnsley. I think we all ate 2 dinners as well – the pie and chips and mushy peas were delicious. Happy days.
Yep we all have our “local” rivalries and I recall when 4 of us sat in the away end at Nottingham Forest in the 17/18 season and you jumped up when we scored and won 2/1. Priceless memories – a very good moment for Dave and me but a wonderful one for you!
Tomorrow well it’s going to be the usual nerve shredding 90 minutes. Many Years ago I said to dad “is it true that supporters of both clubs went to each other’s grounds as they played home/away on alternate Saturdays?”
He looked at me similar to a cow staring at a train…
“No self respecting Wolves fan would be seen dead at their place” he thundered – unless naturally we were playing them.
It was a ridiculous rumour of course.
I knew a Wolves fan in Bridgnorth who detested them so much that when it became legislation that the home team kept all the gate receipts he simply refused to go!
All the best Ian and hopefully we can meet up again with you both at some far flung away boozer!
Mike
Excellent BOG but just one observation. Isn’t Stephen George Bull a Tiptonite? Exception that proves the rule maybe.
You are Spot on – He certainly does hail from Tipton Ped – The Lost City so I believe. Although some deluded stripey turds reckon he used to support their clowns from the Brummie Road shed. Not sure about that and I have no doubt the man himself would scoff at the suggestion.
As I replied to Tipton Exile above I stand corrected on Tipton – more Wolves supporters than I thought.
Well as the hours slowly tick down…..I know it’s only football but!
Try and enjoy the game Ped
BOG
Whatever it is that is affecting our players it seems to have spread to the U/23,s with a 5 – 0 thrashing by Reading of all teams. I dread to think what will happen in the games that follow this weekend.
It wasn’t so bad really given that most of our U-23s are a long way U-23 !
It certainly has been a Ho Hum season at best with some very inconsistent performances by our beloved team. But as far as I know the predictions on this site have always been predominantly favourable to Wolves. However, that last game against Burnley has knocked the stuffing out of us. I did say last week that it would be interesting to see what our bloggers predict in this game. Considering it is a local derby against a team virtually assured of relegation, I thought it would be 50/50. But wow, most are resigned to a loss. No faith in our team.
Shame, but I too have to agree with that sentiment.
It just seems inevitable that they do the double over us and get relegated. I wish our promotion team or semi final team could have played this fixture. I’m just hoping a good performance and positive result can lift our spirits for the last few games of the season. I cant ever remember wanting a season to end so much.
Nuno has signalled more injury problems ? you couldn’t make it up. I’ve got a horrible feeling Traore might be one of them from the tone of the comments but that is pure speculation on my part. If there is no pace in the team, Sandwell will have nothing to fear from us.
Now then…..what’s with all the mongers of doom and naysayers….yes without doubt a bad season…yes the Burnley game was an absolute serving of dross but and this is a big BUT…we are secure in the knowledge of two stonewall facts. 1. We are five games from the end of one of (and hopefully never to be repeated) the strangest seasons of our times, which we will end, knowing we will be playing Prem football for a fourth successive year. We will not be going into the final weekend with our backsides alternating between the sizes of a sixpence (that’s a very small coin for the younger readers) and a dustbin lid (again for our younger audience there was a time when bin lids were large round metal objects that could be removed and used as an early warning system). 2. The lovely warm feeling you get (unlike that temporary one which is nice for a second but then you wake up, worse still your staying at your mates) knowing regardless of how remaining results go the Boggies who have tormented us down through those stomach churning play off /second place catching years ARE GOING DOWN, yes my fellow Wanderers they are Kaputz, Finito, Vanquished, Trounced, Humbled, Beaten, they are a done Tom Turkey. So for me although something is rotten in the state of Sandwell in Wolverhampton I can smell the roses. Yes I am going to chalk this one down as hopefully a massive learning curve for Nuno and Co about just wanting that ‘smaller squad’….we were so lucky the first two seasons with so few injuries. Anyone can and we ALL do make mistakes but only idiots go on repeating them. Now let’s finish off this season with one emphatic win and let that be on Monday, then go and have a well earned rest. The mediocre players have to be moved on and some genuine (not young ones for the future) game winning players brought in. This has to be done if as the owners keep saying “we are in this for the long haul with the aim of making Wolves great again”. The job or project as they like to call it has been started, it has gone better than we initially hoped for or at least expected. This year has been a stall but given everything surrounding this season I am looking at it as more of a get out of jail free card…..so have a splendid bank holiday weekend my fellow Wolves bloggers and let’s regroup and go again next season with the 12th man ready to roar on the boys…UTW
How any positives can be taken from this season I’m really struggling to find.
I’ve been totally behind Nuno and the team but after watching the defeat last week…do any of the squad deserve to be kept?
I’m almost thinking why keep anyone.
Maybe a beer or two have muddled my thinking but the defeat against Burnley was a *””” show.
Nuno has shown himself as a ledgend but maybe he has taken the club as far as he can.
3 years is generally a managers life span.
I really don’t know but something has to change.
At least half of that team that didn’t turn up last week have to go but players like Neves really need better quality players around them if they are to improve and by that improve the team at the same time
Best we can hope for is to nullify the Baggies which is all we have done this
season, we must press, but to do that you need a motivated team ! Time
for a rest for the ponderous three touches Neves whose sole contribution is a raking long ball which ,more often than not is intercepted. Time for a attack minded manager and most importantly a new recruitment team ! Dire this season.
If I’m honest I think we’ll lose but I can’t go against us.
Wow there’s a lot to read here and I’m rushing to make dinner
Pure coincidence but just found an Albion News
Sat Nov 27 1971
Wolves
Parked
Shaw
Parkin
Bailey
Munro
Mccalliog
Hibbit
Richards
DougN
Wagstaffe
Baggies had Astle Hartford Gould etc
Remember Waggy running riot
Come on lads
Let’s put on a show!
Parkin not parked.
Parkes not parked, my mistake.
I prefer Parked
Lol
What a team!
Always remembered
I remember that team so well— just like yesterday!
Still so much doom and gloom.
It seems a little early for a post-season autopsy but here’s a few observations.
The players we have aren’t crap – how many full internationals turn out for us regularly?
The problem is how they all fit together (or not).
Nuno is still a very young head coach; still learning his trade. When he first came to Wolves he introduced a novel style, making sure we were defensively tight, converting to a fast counter-attack when possible.
This took the rest of the premier league teams a couple of seasons to fully work out but they have done; we now need to evolve.
Finshing 7th two seasons running wasn’t just down to Wolves playing well (we frequently didn’t), quite a few teams underperformed!
I feel sorry for Willian Jose and Fabio Silva. They come in for a lot of criticism but rarely are they supplied with quality ball in the box. That’s not the way we play.
If the problem does lie with Jeff Shi (and let’s face it, he’s even newer to this than Nuno), he’s a quick learner and I’m confident he’ll find the solution.
A few decent signings in the summer and we’ll be competing for a European place again next season because we definitely will be playing in the Premier League – unlike those fuckers next door!
Be happy fellow Wolves fans, it was never going to be uninterupted success.
The future is bright; it’s Old Gold!
One report of optimism! Much needed! Hope your analysis is correct but I do agree with your comments.
Let’s hope the European Championships don’t interfere with the off season rest, and pre-season, both of which are very important. And Hopefully, no further injuries over the summer!
If we can get one-twelfth of your predicted score, I will be very happy!!
Well, SOB, your jokey prediction lives up to your handle!
I understand all of the reasons put forward for Wolves’ current lack of form.
However, in my view this is an excellent text. Your point number three hits the nail perfectly.
As does your point about Jose and Silva.
Successful teams are made up of members who balance well with each other,
not individually well balanced individuals. Successful teams do not grow on trees.
Success depends on putting together a group of players who are clear of what is expected of them and have the knowledge and skill to contribute effectively.
I expect Nuno works on this every day.
I have recently watched Burnley, Brighton, WBA, and Fulham. I have been impressed with team performance of these clubs in the last month. I understand that they are fighting for survival, and we do not have to do that.
These are so called unfashionable teams and many look down on them.
It is interesting to think how many players’ names can you recall from each of these current teams. If , for example, Brighton had been playing ,as they have in some recent games, they might be safe.
I would love to see Wolves with the spirit showed by Burnley.
But perhaps , as Johnny Philips wrote in his excellent piece, they are drained.
Certainly not, as Hastings would say, “sucking diesel”.
Sorry, I meant Fulham, not Brighton who might have been safe.
Hmmmm
1-0, 1-1, 2-0, 2-1, 2-2?
Who knows?
I fear the worst but I just can’t bring myself to predict a defeat against this lot.
Just hoping that last week was “ a bad day at the office” and we get a much improved attitude/ performance on Monday.
Just our luck not to have played the Baggies in any of the last 3 seasons when we would surely have mullered them and run up a record number of goals. Instead we get to play them when we have a significant number of our most influential players out injured and there’s no crowds to inspire our players. I’m guessing a lot of our small squad have reached their physical limits which may explain why we are not pressing much, unlike in the past, leading to a drop off in performances. Roll on next season (bye-bye Baggies!), but in the meantime if we can nick a point I’ll be happy.
I can’t make any comment I am so disappointed with recent events…….
I honestly can’t see us scoring a goal between now and the end of the season. Kinda makes it hard to win.
Dang, that last one was fugly wasn’t it? Hopefully a change is at hand.
Let’s Go Wolves!
No to racism!
Well it’s bounce back time and boy do we need one.
Really not looking forward to the game. Wish it was a later kick off so that it doesn’t spoil the whole evening. We are devoid of any confidence and rumours of even more injuries.
Still hopeful.
Nuno says we need a new plan. Progress at last it seems, hopefully he will realize we need a bigger squad an some players with a bit more experience, but tha is for next season.
As for tonight frankly if I am honest I good not give a toss. The sooner this season is over the better. Been abysmal from start to finish. I doubt very much if we will get anything tonight.
Dreading tonight . Please Nuno don’t let the shite be our Huddersfield ! Need to play Kilman , Boly is a liability .Look at what he did against this lot and against Burnley . Midfield needs to be strong . For me it’s Nevez , Mountinho and Vintina . Agreed that Dendonker he is not at the races and is another Liability .
Quick word for Podence….stop losing possession or their mid field will be all over us.
Typical Wolves if we hand them three points and they stay up because of our ineptitude !
One word should say it all PRIDE COYW
Surely last game was the worst we can be.
Can’t see where our goals will come from so hopefully the defence stands up.
Just catching up on the Blog and I have to say that, with the exception of a few illuminating reads – BOG, Cheesie, Silly Old Bugger etc – the mood is dark. Not at all surprising considering the last outing, but on we go.
Positives for me today are that Molineux still looks lovely and my garden is getting some much needed rain. I’m looking forward to getting back to our stadium next season and watching Premier League action – that other lot can’t say that. For now, I shall be enjoying – ok, that might be a stretch – tonight’s match with a beer or two. I’m hoping Wolves will show some Pedigree but I may well end feeling Old Peculiar.
End up feeling ‘Old Peculiar?’
I didn’t know Clive was staying with you.
That would be Extremely Old and Very Peculiar.
Well I think we are going to win and send send that lot down
Lovely jubberly
On the assumption that Mosman Wolf is right and that the last game was the worst we can be, it might be the time for a turnaround and a very satisfying result – s o here goes….
COYW
Not looking forward to this and pathetically, on my part, submitting a prediction in the vain hope that I can move up the prediction league. So sad. A bit like my team at the moment. I can rationalise with the best but, frankly, I don’t have the energy.
A scraped and scrappy draw and another depressing evening followed by avoiding all sports media for a couple of days beckons.
BTW does reverse psychology work?!
Not sure about your last paragraph Deptford, but I’ve just seen the lineup.
Has Nuno fallen out with Kilman?
Not at all confident.
UTW!
I think I was hoping that by being miserable I would be pleasantly surprised!
This SKY commentator is awful.
He cannot shut up.
I always sync with Wolves TV now.
Was really looking forward to seeing Otasowie tonight – he’s given the ball away five times in the first twenty minutes!!
Two “hospital”passes. Very disappointed.????
Keep going lads, don’t sit back now , get the next goal
Utw
Vitinha excellent. Silva did well and otasowie got better as the game went on. Traore decision making poor. Can someone tell me what the point of podence and Semedo is? Probably enough to send Sandwell down but we should have won.
At least we showed some intent and passion.
20 shots with 10 on target – is that a record for this season?
It might not be the final nail in the Baggies’ coffin but the lid is firmly shut.
Well!
That was entertaining.
Now I’m about to eat a delicious fish pie. Over and out for the present.
More later.
Which side was the one threatened with relegation ,could not tell ! We are
in trouble next season with this squad !
Okay so it would have been nice to have beaten the boys from Smethwick but I’m taking the positives out of this game.
Perhaps the the biggest plus is that Silva played well and wasn’t substituted for the first time that I can remember , so well done to him.
I also thought that Vitinha and Ottesawie stepped up to the plate despite a nervous start by the latter and MGW looked good when he came on.
Ait-Nouri looked great going forward but he still looks a bit weak,pyshically as a defender. Neves for me was man of the match and looked back to somewhere near his best
On the whole though quite a lot to be be positive about but we do need to strengthen the squad.
For the first time in a long time I actually enjoyed watching the game!
Quite agree, lots of positives with no shortage of skill shown in appalling conditions. This was a relatively inexperienced side and we looked the more likely team to win.
Would love to know why knobhead Mike Dean called for the quick free kick to be retaken when we took it from the correct spot and had a three on one break in the last minute. Terrible decision !!
He didn’t want Wolves to score.
The player with most class and poise in difficult conditions was Kilman. Positioning was perfect, broke up attacks, controlled the ball, passed to a teammate. Can’t understand why he is not playing regularly.
Well well..I’m going to have to birch myself for thinking wed lose 3-0
It somehow look7as if we actually had a midfield, lots of supply to the strikers and a very entertaining game.
I think Silva ,one day soon will become a very good centre forward.
A very promising young lad who once he’s bulked up will be not unlike Jiminez
UTW