This was bound to happen at some point.
You don’t always get the set piece opener or force that mistake or produce that moment of magic to unlock the door.
No, sometimes it just doesn’t work out.
Sunderland lined up at Molineux as they would at The Nou Camp with every blue shirt behind the ball defending the width of their penalty box.
To their credit, they did it very effectively.
If we’re honest, Wolves didn’t squander any glaring opportunities all afternoon and with 72% possession, 23 shots and a third of the game contested with an extra man it’s disappointing that their goalkeeper never had to extend himself beyond fielding crosses and routine saves.
Neves sprayed his passes, Jota made those incisive runs and Cavaleiro twisted and turned his man for fun, but when the final ball came it just never landed near a gold shirt.
Hardly a surprise. Bonatini was crowded out half the time and in more disappointing instances, simply not in the right place when the crosses rained in.
The introduction of N’Diaye and later Helder Costa created a few more cracks, but you felt we needed more bodies in the box rather than two more floating around on the periphery.
When Plan A is so effective you don’t need to worry as much about the backup, so I’m not going to get my knickers twisted about our lack of striking options at the first shutout we’ve suffered for months.
But certainly some support for Bonatini must be priority number one in January. I doubt the Black Cats will be the last team to park the bus.
Three of the next four games are away and that isn’t a bad thing. This team are definitely at their best when the opposition are rushing forward rather than camping out.
Nuno says he’ll find the solutions to deal with both and based on everything we’ve seen so far, you’d be foolish to doubt him.
Wow,that was quick Thomas, I logged in to see if there were any comments on the preview comments.
Disappointing for me; I never thought they would score, and felt sure we’d get one before the end, especially when they went down to ten men, but it didn’t make much difference as they had the whole team defending.
We could do with Reading taking a point or three from Cardiff on Monday now !
When a team loses a man but still has something to play for, the effect is often that the remaining ten individuals pull together and work even harder as a unit.
Weirdly, we might have been better off if the oaf Cattermole had stayed on the pitch and made a few more mistakes.
Still 5 points clear & dangerous has promised to score for Reading on Monday against the Taffs.
Colemans game plan worked for him.
Stats showed we should have won, but we day.
Ready to start another 6 match winning run thru Chrimbo & NY
Disappointed yes, but probs because we have come to expect to win each game.
Nervous? Narrrrr Nuno has got this.
Back to winning ways against the Owls with a Clive.
Onwards & upwards.
COMB FOwb/av/Colin/blouses
I said before the Blouse that I would take 4 from 2 and I am happy with that. Bus parked. A few scruffy passes. Over hit crosses. One of them days at the office when you feel one degree under and it doe quite go to plan. DOE giv a shit. The steam roller will continue on to the promised land. No doubt.
One sided game but then only one side attempted to play football and win the game.
Ruben Neves – I think I love this man more each time I see him play. He was exquisite today and I remain convinced he is one of the best midfielders I have ever seen in old gold and black.
Still top, another clean sheet – that’s 15 in 25 games in all competitions I think – and still the best team in the division by a country mile. Smile people – the lovely snow is coming!
A good summary Thomas ..
Let’s be honest 19 points from the last 21 on offer …. we’d all take that.
From the outset Sunderland played 5:4:1 and even Man City would have struggled to penetrate that barrier….although in fairness they defended stoutly too.
Had to loff at how the Sunderland players reacted to Marc Wilson’s yellow card for the mauling, grappling and eventually throw down of Jota .. nicely pictured above…. and Cattermole ..well wot a bonehead.
Still they (Sunderland) kept their shape ..looking for a half chance to nick one…which ultimately proved a step too far.
Clean sheet, top of the league ….what’s not to like about where we are..
Neves …….sublime ….but I feel today against 10 men another forward and body in the box might have been a better choice.
I agree totally about the need for another striker. Bonatini looked off the pace but when you look st the bench there wasn’t an obvious like for like replacement.
Some people have called us the ‘Man Citeh’ of the Championship.
If that’s the case perhaps we should call Sunderland the ‘Wolves’ of the Championship for the way they stopped us from scoring – just as we did to MC – with a gritty defensive display.
The difference being that when we played City we didn’t try to maim their creative players – and we had chances to have won the game.
Ho Hum! We just have to get better at getting round parked buses and avoiding wrecking balls.
Because it doesn’t take a university professor to work out that we can struggle against those sort of tactics.
I am confident that Nuno will work out a suitable plan B.
The way things are panning out our trip to Cardiff on the 7th of April is going to be a real humdinger.
According to my abacus we will clinch the title on Easter Monday 2nd April at home to Hull so perhaps the Cardiff game is when we get presented with the trophy? Yakky dah! ?
You might well be right but your abacus depends on Cardiff dropping more points than us.
Let’s hope that starts tonight at 8.
Dave Edwards… Could he end up a hero?
Don’t answer that!
Have you slipped into a different time zone down there in Wiltshire? Reading v Cardiff is Monday night. Dave who?
Haven’t you heard of the Wiltshirenational date line?
It runs through the Market Place between the bus stop and the litter bin.
We’re operating on Melksham Mean time here.
Wiltshire date line.
Isn’t that what Tinder is Doog.?
Thought that Bonatini missed a very good chance first half after great bye-line work from Cav.
Jota had one saved second half that looked on it’s way, excellent save.
Sunderland parked the old Community Transport bus alright. Some of their players pushing the age when they’ll have to get the local Ring & Rode to the Xmas Tinsel & Turkey.
Cattermole’s party piece2 yellows in just about a minute was pretty good going even for him. With the cold weather he probably needed the loo!
New improved blog formats tricky! Maybe it doesn’t suit my I-phone. Great to see Club Legend Dave Edwards at H-T saying his goodbyes.
Oh dear. We failed to make it seven on the trot. Calamity: for once we failed to score. Glory be: we `ve only got a meagre 19 points out of the last 21 available. Nuno, you really will have to sort out this mess quickly or we will be compelled to try to get Dean Saunders back. ! ! ! !
To continue to win every game is a sheer impossibility in any league, so let`s look on the positives. We didn`t lose. Yet again we kept a clean sheet. We still look a country mile better than any other team in this division. We are no less than 8 points clear of the third placed team. Guys, this is just a blip. Nothing`s changed. Premiership here we come
We’ve actually come up against several teams who’ve come to park the bus. If Bonatini finishes the only clearcut chance we have then it’s business as usual. In the end I found myself wishing the Wolves fans had sang “How sh*t must you be to be pleased you got nil” but apart from that you have to take your hat off to Coleman. Sunderland came to Molineux for 0-0 and got 0-0 and were very pleased with themselves. This is how far we’ve come in a very short space of time.
Thanks for the speedy write-up Thomas.
I thought it was an absorbing game against determined opponents. We tried to break them down but in the end I was happy with a point. I was a little concerned that they might suddenly break away and snatch an undeserved victory at the death, so not too many gripes on my part.
Good to see Dave Edwards get to say his farewells at the break. Fingers crossed that he and his colleagues do the business against Cardiff on Monday.
Nothing much to add to the write up…..more teams will decide that probably that is the only way to hold Wolves…..just one goal would have changed yesterdays match because then they would have had to come out to salvage something. Disappointed mostly at our shooting from .distance …expected at least to be on target rather than the corner flag…..but ….the championship is long and a hard slog….more to come. ..come on wolves!
When you looked at their line-up it was fairly obvious how this game was going to pan out. Not a ‘flair’player in sight. Their 5-4-1 worked well and for those who think we’re going to turn up in the Prem next year and just breeze into Europe this was a shot across the bows. As someone mentioned, if Leo had put away the one clear chance in the 1st half its a different story. Likewise, if Wilson had been given a red for his rugby tackle above we may well have won, given how the game opened up after Cattermole walked. It was only then that we saw the little interchanges between Leo and Jota that cause such chaos in defences. All that aside, I thought we started a bit sluggishly, but grew into the game as it went on. Finally, I’ve never seen a goalkeeper take so long over every goal kick – it was as though he was precisely calculating the trajectory of each and every kick – height, speed, angle of descent – and yet not one of them reached a blue shirt. Surely merited a yellow card.
Spot on report Tomas and excellent comments. I think the conditions played to Sunderlands advantage by slowing down the pace of the game. On another day we would run out easy winners. Nerves was excellent. Cav was an inspiration Jota must be made from titanium to keep getting up from the beatings he’s getting. Boly superb – i have never seen a wolves defender deck players by just leaning into them – incredible. I think the cold quietened the crowd. Pity we can’t bottle the away support and unleash it to raise the players. Ah well..on to Sheffield and then the promised land
Sometimes it helps when things dont quite go according to plan .
It spurs NUNO and his team into another dimension where they have to find an answer and find that answer they will because thats what they are brilliant at.
After this slight setback i shall watch with anticipation to see how he gets around the next bunch of inept numpties who turn up with 11 defenders.
Proper putting the willy bolys up this division we are, proper pooing their panties about having to play the mighty WOLVES they are.
Remember when our eyes were rolling at the thought of playing chelsea and arsenal ?
Well thats how the others are thinking about when its their turn to play us.
Now the giant digger has been parked in front of the goal and we failed to get around it some will be saying ” thats how to do it we will do that”
BIG MISTAKE !
NUNOISM RULES AND YOU WILL FAIL … FOOLS.
UTW
You can’t blame Sunderland for the way they set up. They’re in the relegation zone and yesterday’s point could be the one that keeps ’em up. I guess we’ll have to get used to that in home games as teams realise coming at us is generally a fruitless exercise.As ever, an early goal would have changed everything.
Masterclass from Neves. Flashes of quality from our frontline although Bonatini seemed a little subdued. Boly was…..well, Boly.
I was gonna stay over in Wolvo after the game, but I took the advice of London Wolves Loyal and headed home after the match to avoid the snow. Sat at home by the woodburner this morning I’m thinking, ‘good advice Matt’. Also, I was amazed to discover we have a psychic blogger in our midst. Witley was waiting in the NBB with my beer in hand before I even set foot in the place. Terrific stuff.
Tele game on Friday. Can’t wait.
Sorry I missed you guys in NBB prematch. My 6 hour journey – train delays largely due to industrial action – meant I missed the first 10 minutes of the game. Didn’t see anyone I knew in NBB post match, but I can’t fault Matt’s logic.
Shame we missed you Exiled. Shame you missed the first ten minutes too, but to be honest, the first ten was just like the following eighty. Nothing to shout about.
Thawed out, slept on it, rationalised it all and a happy bunny now after yesterdays latest episode in our progress towards the PL. There cannot be many that still doubt we are a different animal now, we have outstanding players throughout the team, players who can feign serious injury to see players sent off just like teams used to do to us week in week out, then up on their feet and at em again.
Players who can rip holes in teams week in week out and set up runs, twists and turns like we have not seen the likes of down at the Molineux in years.
Great point above from Spikeyboy, teams are shitting themselves at the prospect of coming up against our stars, so we are doing it all right. The stats flying around and continually mounting up prove we are getting it bang on.
Looks like the first victim of our continued success could strangely enough be a Portuguese manager, with Sheff Weds Carvalho being threatened with the sack if they get beat by us on Friday. I bet as a Portuguese manager, we won’t have a repeat of yesterdays negative footy, if you want to get out of the relegation zone, shirley it would be better to get the fans on your side by making a fight of it.
Right that’s Winter over with, 4” of snow in Pendeford Wolvo today, another new record for Wolves, so let’s get it melted and back on to the job in hand.
Bedford,
Monday April 2nd eh? I’m gonna put that on my Calendar and see how you did, very interesting……..
Lovin it.
These are the days my friend,
I hope they never end,
We’ll sing and dance forever and a day.
Can’t beat a good old fashioned pitch invasion ..!!
I noticed the police weren’t slow off the mark getting to the front…
If we need further proof…..
Signs up on the website.
Wolves Vs Ipswich. SOLD OUT.
Well done the Wolves 12th man.
Bring back The Duck! Great goals from Nazon v Japan and his direct style is worth a punt in such games until we sign A.N. Other
http://www.soccer-blogger.com/2017/10/10/japan-vs-haiti-3-3-highlights-2017-friendly-duckens-nazon-goals-kagawa-video/
Disappointed we couldn’t get that All important goal to secure the three points.
I’m sure Nuno will come up with a plan when it happens again. Still don’t like that negativity in managers to park the bus though.
Frustrated but heartened by the way we stroked the ball around from side to side.
Fast forward Friday night which will be a different game I suppose with Wednesday wanting to turn us over.UTW.
What impressed me most was the way the Portuguese lads got stuck in and wore short sleeve tops and no gloves – illustrating to the Winter doubters that they’re made of sterner stuff – come on you WOLVES !!
Barry Douglas, a tough Scotsman take note ….
If we can get the nxt 3 points at Sheffield and then stuff MM..this one I checked the score
second half and was amazed to see we were still at 0-0..expectancy of 2 goals at least ..how my confidence has changed…,
However.. was a crap result really but we’ve already proven we are the best ..I have no problem in taking a draw…
I’m slightly perturbed that Leon Clarke is being mentioned
to come back ..surely this cannot be true…
Now that’s worth worrying about..
Here’s a conum….conumdru…..cunundru…..puzzle for ya.
How come Ruby Neves can ping a pass 60 yards onto a team-mates best foot, but can’t hit the frame of a goal (since Hull) from 25?
Should Nuno ban him from shooting so close?
This isn’t a criticism, I could watch him all day, but he had a few chances to hit the target on Saturday and, we’ll…didn’t.
Strange for a kid I rate as our cleverest midfield maestro since Willie Carr.
UTW
The passes just look accurate because the other players run onto them.
He is just putting them in pre-determined areas.
amusing to think of the goalposts running on to Neve’s long range shots…………
Now there’s an idea….
I’m watching the Manchester Derby so I can get an idea how Wolves will do against Man U next season.
Doing a few calculations and if we get 8 points for each block of 5 games from now on that should be enough for automatic promotion. It is actually 1.6 points per game which over a season is play off form. It is ours to lose now.
Just shows how far we have come when a team recently relegated from The Prem are happy with a point at The Molineux. Another clean sheet and another point towards promotion is how I see it. I actually did an 8-fold accumulator yesterday which would have paid out just under £500. Seven teams won and guess who let me down ? You guessed it, Wolves ! Was I pissed off ? Not in the slightest as I only bet £2 and I will get plenty back when we are beating the “cream” of The Premier League next year. A big thank you also to the volunteers who worked late into the night and the early hours to make sure the game went ahead. Onwards and upwards because this IS the year.
P.S
Can we please gain promotion against the shit (Forest) as that really would make an old man very happy.
On Sat 20 Jan? That is a big ask. I have no doubt whatsoever that we will be promoted, but for that to be confirmed next month is being a tad ambitious lol.
Nothing to worry about. Saw some talk after the game about tricky fixtures coming up and concerns about goals.
But it was just one of those games where we couldn’t quite get through. We’d won 6 on the bounce, it was going to come eventually.
What buoyed me is that we were so dominant. It wasn’t as if we played poorly. We still look far and above anything else in the division and as long as we continue to do so we will be fine.
Any one notice at major snooker events how the majority of the crowd seem to have a cough. Check it out in between frames. Sorry to divert from all things WWFC. Interesting song in pub last night ‘Jeff Shi went to Saudi to buy a lambahigini. He came back with a striker Leo Bonatini. He scores with his left foot he scores with his right. And when we win the Championship he’ score all fucking night’
From Billy Quiet W2 Upper front row and square on to the 18 yard line I can tell you at times Coleman pulled 6 in a line – especially after the Sunderland mindless and mentality deranged midfielder Cattermole was shown red. (Mind you Wolves had their own utter idiot in Muscat – I know he was a “folk hero” at Molineux but for me was the ultimate liability. No doubt I will get slated for saying that but his disciplinary record was deplorable and did us no favours whatsoever).
I can’t blame Coleman- Sunderland are desperate for points – and he achieved his objective.
Onto Friday and Hillsborough – yesterday was just a blip.
BOG
Could not agree more about Muscat. Saw him sent off once for some stupidity, could not believe it when some folks actually applauded him off the field. Mindless bloody idiot.
For me Muscat was an embarrassing thug AND a liability
Another point towards promotion
Another clean sheet I know it was Sunderland but still
Watched the city game yesterday I think we play very similar to them, starting from the back breaking with pace, pep must be watching us, move on to the owls Friday, Hooe reading do us a favour and do Cardiff then that point we got sat will be a good one
Up the wolves
The more I think about it the more perturbed I am at the lack of protection given to our players. Jota and Neves seem to be particular targets and I noticed that on Saturday Nuno had another telling off from the referee for protesting too much. If one of our players does get crocked maybe Wolves should seek legal redress because some of the punishment meted out to our players amounted to calculated wilful damage.
Its probably not a direction we want to go in as it opens up a can of worms, but just putting it out there.
To break down teams who “park the bus” we definitely need a striker complimentary to what we have.Chelsea Batshuayi,will do.
Not even a possibility but it would be interesting if we could bring on Crouch for the last 20 minutes of such a game. Or maybe put Holy up front for the last 10 minutes. There is a part of me that detests such anti football tactics but……
Watching an episode of The Two Ronnies from 1986 earlier I was amazed to hear this from Ronnie Corbett in the opening ‘news headlines’;
‘And later we’ll be hearing from Willis Warburton who tragically yesterday came so close to achieving his lifelong ambition of becoming a professional footballer ….but then signed for Wolverhampton Wanderers’.
How times have changed.
OODCL
Don’t worry the shut out was my mates fault. That’s the 3rd wolves game he’s been to, and we haven’t scored in any of them! To be fair he’s not really a wolves fan, but don’t think he believes we re the highest scorers in the league and just won 6 in a row.
I’d rest bonatini for the next one, seemed to be ball watching a lot and his movement was slow. I’d start bright, then bring on bonatini as an impact sub if needed.
SDE to score against the Sheep Shaggers tonight. The sight of Warnock’s face on telly put me off my beer……for a bit.
He’s been sent off, so you can relax now?
Early days I know, but Reading leading Cardiff 1-0. Fingers crossed.
Just coming up to HT and its 2-0 Reading. Never been a royals fan before. Feels kinda weird.
I was chatting to a guy who works behind the scenes at the Mol about the January window. I asked him if Nuno would be buying any strikers. He said Iwobi. I said what, Iwobi from Arsenal. He said ‘No, Iwobi buying anybody’. 🙂
Two own goals, the footy Gods are smiling.
Stu,
I’ve just put a pound on a hatrick of home goals & one to go in off the ref’s arse
4:0 to Redding
How good was that point now!
I know it’s our year.
Lmfao
And now Colin Wanker has been shouted at for being “a very naughty boy”
Fekin Brillo
PS does Colin have an identical twin which is just a scroutum?
Coming from your part of the World, I think you’ll understand this.
His face is as rough as a bears arse.
His injuries are starting to pile up too.
Wolves U23’s came back from 2-0 down to win 4-2 against Southampton at their place.
Donovan Wilson hat trick
Hause got the other one.
Happy days.
FOcc
WTF do I know.
Ce la vie.
?
I’m so chuffed I’ll give you a quid.
Win – win.
You nicked that – I used that months ago lol
I never said I’d thought it up Brompto’. I just couldn’t remember to to give the credit to.
Shame how the Reading game ended up though. 🙁
Confucius he say
“Don’t count your chickens until they are hatched”.
Nuff said!
But still enjoyed loffing at grumpy fekin Colin…. & still 4 points clear
2-2. Lucky twats. Still 4 points below us though.
We would have taken that Cardiff City result if offered it before the game.
Hello boys, I’m back!
( name the movie)
Didn’t see the Brum game, but we won, so who cares?
Watched the Slumberland game and was as disgusted as the rest of you with the treatment of, and lack of protection to, ……… fill in the blank name.
Some of assaults are deserving of criminal charges.
And, I disagree vehemently with those who reckon Coleman is a good manager.
Anyone who sets a team up “not to lose” does a huge disservice to the game.
What a negative attitude to have.
If you are not going on to the pitch to win, why bother at all?
And anyone who pick Edwards as an International hasn’t got a clue either!
I await the usual piss taking comments to the statement that I finally have been able to take a proper bath this week, the first one for ten years!
Happy days in Houston!
FOwb
Independence Day. If only America was still a colony of ours then you could still lay claim to be British as opposed to being a Yankee Doodle Dandy. Talking of YDD that starred Jimmy Cagney. So then I was going to say “you dirty rat” but then you went on about having a first bath for ages and thought better of it. Talking of being British we have running water over here, baths, showers, the lot. It’s great. As for Warnock’s Cloggers getting a point at Reading I blame Desperate Dave the useless git. Probably a Welsh thing. You know how them Welshies like to stick together and in fact often keeping it ‘in the family’. Sorry Exiled!
OODCL
Be careful what you say about the Welsh Bedders!
If Dougie’s Barbara reads this blog, your bollocks are fried on toast!
The movie – was it Debbie Does Dallas 2 – the sequel?
Also you say International, but it was only Wales!
Was the Bath like Clint Eastwood used to in a Big Galvo Tub?
Barbara has: Byrd eich bollocks yn cael eu ffrio mewn olew tsili – yn byw mewn ofn Bedford.
Should be ‘bydd’ not ‘byrd’
Chilli oil?
Oooh! Dear Oh Dear!
Love it!!
Yep. And that is why I dare not cross her.
Don’t mention the Welsh. I did once but I think I got away with it.
Favourite Bond film? Dai Another Day.
Favourite royal? Lady Dai
And you got a mind like a Welsh railway, one track and dirty.
My favourite Bond film was The Living Dai-lights.
Favourite Beatles song? Yester-dai.
Favourite tree disease – Ash Dai Bach
If there was a God Warnock would go round his Nans house for a cup of tea and his Nan sez ‘Colin you’re a fuckin wanker `
……. “oh son, and you stink of piss”
Interesting little article. Unusual to see such a balanced view of our situation.
https://realsport101.com/news/sports/football/wolves-are-the-championship-leaders-on-course-to-join-englands-elite/
Read in the local rag Ziro up for sale I’m a bit surprised I still think he got something to offer…..?
It’s a shame for the kid, a good, developing speedy striker crocked by the same kind of mindless toss piece the like of whom is now hell bent on doing Jota. If memory serves, I don’t think the fucker even got a yellow card.
I know referees are sloooowwwly waking up to the amount of violence being meted out to our young Diogo because I (along with all wolves fans) certainly do not want history repeating itself.
Larry – the bastard was Antony Kay and he did get a yellow but in the 50 odd years I have been watching football this was the worst tackle I have ever seen – and I grew up watching Ron Harris, Norman Hunter, Tommy Smith and the like. Full force, at pace, took him out at the knee and 100% deliberate. To make matters worse neither Kay nor MK Franchise apologised afterwards to either Zyro or Wolves which just goes to show what lowlife little plastic club they are. As you rightly say what happened to poor Zyro could easily happen to Jota or Neves unless referees give the protection they are supposed to though with managers like Warnock and the other dinosaurs it is surely only a matter of time.
Bedford. I particularly remember Ron Chopper Harris, as my local club is Chelsea. Standing on the terraces as a school kid, it was like watching a gladiator in Ancient Rome, chopping down opponents. Chopper Harris certainly had a wicked tackle in his repertoire. He also had a eye for the ladies. I met him at a Chelsea FC social event this summer where he gave a speech. His favourite story was that ladies kept asking where his nickname of Chopper came from. His usual reply was that it was something to do with his tackle.
Good to see it is now raining. Hopefully it will wash away the hideous snow man in someone’s garden up the road. Fuck me. I went past it yesterday and it frightened me to death. Like something out of The Exorcist it was. In fact not unlike Warnock in a strange sort of way.
This bloke stopped me today and said “Excuse me mate, is there a B&Q in Bedford?”
I said “ Well there’s a ‘B’”.
OODCL
If your Tesco’s is anything like mine, there’s a Queue as well.
All together now, to the tune of Bingle Jells……
Oh what fun it is to see the shit drop into the bottom three,
Without kicking a ball!
Ho fuckin’ ho!!
You can get 5-1 if West Brom stay up! Thought you might like those numbers.
Nice one, Crystal Palace. Woy of the Wovers will save you from welegation.
The way West Brom are going they will need Poo-less back.
Just secured our seats for the Swansea game.
Well, it’ll give us something to look forward to.
There’s nothing going on in the next couple of weeks is there.