If the reality of Premier League relegation hasn’t hit home yet, a first round cup tie against League Two Aldershot, before the Championship season has even kicked off, should do the trick.
Yes, the Shots are in town on Saturday looking to emulate the upset they caused at this stage in the competition last season, when they dispatched West Ham (another relegated side) 2-1 at Upton Park.
Of course another famous result in their short history is the two-legged 3-0 Division 4 play-off final victory back in 1987, against Wolves. That included a memorable 1-0 win at Molineux in front of 20,000+ spectators.
Some of you will remember it well no doubt. If you do, you’ll also no doubt recall Aldershot went bust not long after in 1992, reforming later that year with ‘Town’ appended to their name.
In more recent times Dean Holdsworth’s side finished 11th in League Two last season, 6 points adrift of the play-off places.
Their form in pre-season hasn’t been good. Consecutive defeats against Portsmouth, Crystal Palace and Woking certainly isn’t the ideal preparation for a cup-tie against a side two divisions above them. But what better time to pull out a result?
They’ve produced an interesting video preview of the game (including footage of the play-off game mentioned above) on YouTube. Click here to view that.
Wolves
After a promising start to pre-season and little activity on the outgoing transfer front, things are starting to get a bit messy. I think everyone is hoping for all business to be concluded in the next week, with suitable replacements for the players likely to leave.
I don’t know what sort of side Ståle is planning to send out on Saturday, but I hope it’s a strong one because the home crowd are crying out for a decent victory on home turf. We haven’t won any game at Molineux since the last-gasp turnaround against Sunderland, back in December!!
Assuming the likes of Fletcher, Jarvis, Kightly and O’Hara don’t feature for whatever reason, and no new signings arrive, this is the sort of team I’d hope to see:
If the new gaffer wants to play narrow without wingers, I have no problem with that, but I’d like to see some creativity which I’d hope Milijas could provide.
Dave Edwards is certainly a better bet down the right than David Davis for me, but I’d be equally content to see Hammill, Foley or any other player with experience of the position.
As long as we get the ball down and deliver a win, I don’t mind who plays. Victory is the most important thing at this stage.
As for a prediction, it’s almost impossible to say given that this will no doubt have the atmosphere of a pre-season game, but I think we’ll edge it all the same.
2-0.
If you’re at Molineux on Saturday have a great time and enjoy the match. The journey starts here.
Up The Wolves.
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I’ll go for an ambitious 3-1! Don’t think our present back 4 are even capable of a clean sheet against Aldershot, especially with our full backs being encouraged to do more attacking.
I’m going to kick off the season by prediciting a mighty 2-1 victory, with Bjorn hitting two. UTW. Let’s hope for a cracking season and keep up the fine work Thomas and Ben!
Nice team sheet Thomas. I was going to say 3-1 for the same reason as carl but just to be different I’ll go for 4-1 because I’ve got a sneaking feeling that EB and Siggy might just hit it off!
I hope Forde get’s the chance instead of Milijas. Sigurdarson and Blake did a better game than Sigurdarson and Nouble together. That’s the only reason I would go for Blake instead of Nouble, because Nouble has been one of our best strikers in the pre-season games.
An optimistic tip: a 4-0 victory for Wolves
Sorry Forde does not cut it, each time I have seen him he has been out of his depth and class, even against Walsall. I would be very concerned and pessimistic about our chances of a top 6 spot if he was a first choice. Needs to go on loan.
I can’t actually believe we are going into a competitive game at the start of a new season and Stephen Ward is still the left back. After last season, then the Euros and finally his woeful performance for the 2 goals at Soton, surely it must be time to give him a free transfer.
Don’t get me wrong I have nothing against the guy, and it’s not his fault he gets played as a left back, but surely McCarthy, Trappatoni and now Stale must realise he’s just not up to it!
Anyway, we will concede, down our left as usual but we will go on to win 5-1
Pretty much agree with the team…unless the loan for Slawomir Peszko is all sorted then Id like to see him in the side ahead of Edwards. With hopefully a second half cameo for Doyle alongside Siggi!
3-1 to us for ths one…
Yep, I’d go for Doyle ahead of SEB if he’s fit.
3 – 0 To the Wolves.
Predictions following on from last season.
Not the team or the result I expected. Surely not our first choice!??!
Even a below strength Wolves should be able to handle Aldershot.
Disappointing start.
I’m feeling pessimistic mainly due to the striking options but also with fullbacks leakier than my grandsons nappy. Best I can hope for is 2-1 to us and if Ebanks-Blake plays It will be crossed fingers for the entire 90 minutes.
Fletcher has handed in a transfer request. There you go…
Anyway. Agree with the team apart from Milijas starting but I hope he will for the reasons you mention. Victory is important and I predict a pretty poor game with us winning 1-0.
Suppose we all expected that to come sooner or later! Hopefully we won’t loose our nerve and spark a fire sale…we need to stick to our guns and get market value for Fletcher!
He is contracted to us for another couple of years at least and has been told he can go if the asking price is met…transfer request doesn’t change anything…just an agent and player playing games!
I may be wrong but I think, if you put in a trannsfer request, you forfeit a percentage of the transfer fee you might otherwise get, which then goes to the club. In which case, it does make a difference.
The important thing about handing in a transfer request is that it is a pretty strong statement. The difference contract/transfer wise may not be that big but it clearly shows where the players head is as Fletcher also put it on Twitter:
steven fletcher @stevenfletch10
Just handed in a transfer request just to let the fans know where I am at right now…. #headsgone
Can’t say I am surprised that he is leaving but I had hoped that he would have loved to stay with us if the clubs couldn’t agree a transfer fee. I am mildly disappointed that he is now trying to force himself out of the club at such a late stage of the window.
But if there is a player in the squad who deserves another crack at the PL it is definately Fletcher. So good luck to him and I wish him all the success in the world.
We have already strengthened the attack and Ståle can now spend the money in the areas where we are weak.
I’m hoping Milijas will prove me wrong, but I’m really not optimistic if he’s starting in midfield this season. Think he’s vastly overrated, immobile, and no better than David Jones. Worse infact.
Picking that team is one of your most difficult tasks I think mate.
That team still lacks any pace whatsoever, but it should be too strong for Aldershot. I’m going for an unconvinving 2-1 win.
Milijas is my Guedioura mate, just don’t think he’s ever been given a decent run.
There’s a lot of hate for the lazy bastard, which I think stems from a string of cameos from the bench last season. Understandable.
But here’s my case…
I simply refuse to believe a player who was absolutely instrumental in wins over Spurs, Man Utd, and Man City, scoring or creating goals in all of those games I might add, can’t be of use in the fizzy pop.
I also remember the goal against Bolton, the MOM performance at Anfield in the 1-0 win and the rescue mission he performed at the Britannia from 2-0 down at half-time.
More than anyone else, I think he’s been a victim of the McCarthy system.
With two wingers making the pitch as wide as possible, he was always being asked to run yards he just doesn’t have in him.
But with two holding midfielders and a narrower shape, I’d love to see what he can do, particularly against weaker opposition and with two strikers to hit.
Am I the only one?
Agree completely Thomas
All valid points mate. I do remember some absolute stinkers amid some decent games though. Palace away in the cup, where Derry bullied him like a pub player, still sticks in the mind.
I just think he has never grasped the opportunities thrown at him, possibly because he knew Mick would drop him at the soonest opportunity?
The Premier League actually affords players more time on the ball than the CCC mayhem and Milijas couldn’t cope with the pace then, so I do fear that games will pass him by in much the same way it did at Selhurst Park.
I’m sure Milijas is capable of doing a decent job as a left sided midfielder. We all know his passing skills. The lack of penetrative power is the big con, His style is different to Forde and his experience makes him to a better player overall. Playing Forde is an investment for the future, and Milijas isn’t necessary much better in a left mid field position. So it’s a short term philosophy vs. long term philosophy. I would also like to give Ismail a chance on the right.
We need a good run in the cup though 🙂
Spot on Thomas re Milijas. With kightly gone and Jarvis probably going we will need Ned’s creativity in the middle. Who else is going to knock the free kicks in the top corner?
Here’s a question: If you took Milijas out of that above side in place of David Davis, who would take the corners? Ha.
Mr. Ward was taking them at Soton Thomas.
So I think we are agreed- Milijas MUST start!
Banana skin day this one. I agree with Jed, why is Ward in your nominated team. I also agree with Ben, Mijas isn`t up to it either. i`m gardening at the weekend as the weather over here in Nottingham seems to be ok, leaves me free to watch the game at elland Road the week after.
I hope for those fans going the players relish the new style and get a performance and result wich are badly needed. So for me a 3-0 win. Long time since I forecast that, even with Ward in the side.
Ward is in because the full-backs (by the looks of it at least) are going to be asked to get forward more than ever this season.
In this respect, he’s miles ahead of George. And beyond Elokobi, there are really no other options apart from young Jamie Reckford, who doesn’t look like he’s gonna get a sniff.
Ward is our best left back, yes. Our main goal this season should be to score more goal than the opposition, not clean sheets (it’s too unrealistic :=) I also believe I’ve read that Doherty also can play left fullback. I don’t know how strong his left foot is, so it is difficult to measure him against Ward.
Best? Or least rubbish?
Ward was one of our best players at the start of last season – don’t dread having him in the team by any stretch of the imagination but I would like a new left-back!
As for the score – dunno whether to go for 2-1 or 3-0 win, but I’ll go for the latter! Not feeling so confident at the moment only because of Fletcher but we should still do well this season!
I am going for 3-0, thats what I expect and anything less is not a good result.
I fear I might be dissapointed.
Agree with Hamlet, Ward usually contributes up front, I would always be tempted to play him. But he is not a Left back and cost us alot of goals in the Prem. I know this is Championship Soccer but this has been so obvious for so long that it is time it was fixed and we were bedding in someone who can do the job in the Prem, next eason.
Not sure that I can be bothered with football this season! True sportsmen, the Olympians put these money grabbing spoilt little shits to shame. No loyalty what-so-ever!!!
For the record I think we’ll sneak a 1-0 win. Hopefully a good start to the season will bring back my appetite for the game which I used to love.
1-0 to Wolves.
Grim game to warm up to a grim season.
The South Bank will have turned on the ‘Powers that Be’ by October/November.
I see trouble ahead!
Come on you lot, you doom and gloom merchants. Think positive, teams like Ald****** are always a potential banana skin, so what !!! Win some lose some, consolidation and then promotion are our targets.
Unfortunately the team seems to be in a state of change but what’s new ??
Let SS get on with his vision, give him credit for changes in personnel. The Kightly deal looks good to me and he replaces him with a player he knows and trusts, let him get on with it. If Fletcher wants out, get what you can and wish him all the best, do the same with all the others who don’t want to stay.
Remember SS is the man don’t mention the others, they’re in the background, leave them there.
As ever UTW !!!!
Completely agree with everything you say!
5-0 wolves. Good feeling
Here we go, here we go, here we goooooo!!!
The excitement has finally kicked in. Time to go to buy my shirt ready for Barnsley 😀 (Can’t make Aldershot, unfortunately).
And I’ll go for a 3-1 win. I think the defensive frailties will continue for a few games just because old habits die hard.
The first games always an anti climax. I fully expect a dull draw and possibly a scraped penalty win. 1-1
Good call! Now let’s see what happens with the penalties…
You deserve double points for this! 😛
I’m not a soothsayer it’s just the grim reality of watching wolves in the cup too often!
Hope this counts towards the prediction league though, top after one game it’s like last season all over again!
Don’t like that team would rather see Foley in for Zubar, Ward left midfield, Elokobi left back until a replacement can be found, Doyle behind Sigurdson. Would give Baath a try in this game with Johnson. Henry & Doumbia. Right midfield is tough, Edwards really, but admit he is not good enough if Wolves want first time promotion. I would have liked them to keep Hammill and try & make a player out of him.
The players leaving for me is sad and a reflection on last season. It also regretably says a lot of what ambitious players feel about the lack of ambition in the club. I hope I am wrong about the latter point but it does not look great at the moment with no new defenders signed & the season upon us. Smacks of the lack of planning which ended up with us making do with what we had with TC as gaffer.
Solbakken has got a massive job on. I will not rush to judgement as yet but I have a nasty gut feeling at the moment that it could be another miserable season. How utterly crap Wolves were last season could be so ingrained it will take more than one season to expunge.
NO thoughts at this stage.
Still can’t believe I’m looking forward to Aldershot. Then Barnsley..!!
Feel like I am stuck in a time wrap and gone back 5 years..
I Mean what the hell is the point of being financially sound if you don’t progress with it ????
We might as well be Portsmouth, There is simply no point.
You have to spend and spend big.. to become an established premier league team.
Not just on transfers but on wages too.
Sorry but we will always be a championship club under the current owner and CEO.
Hope we win on Sat. Not holding my breath though, I am a realist, we won’t go up this year. Mid table best…
Morgan OUT!!! Moxey OUT!!! Johnson OUT!!! TC OUT!!!
Did mean No thoughts or No brain ?
Might as well be Portsmouth? You mean the team so deep in financial shit they’re starting League 1 with -10 points and virtually no squad? That will never happen to Wolves with Moxey and Morgan at the helm!
As for spending – we don’t need to spend BIG, we need to spend WISELY. You mention Portsmouth who spended big, had some successful seasons then fell far! I think we need to trust Stale on which players he wants to splash out on because I believe he’ll do a better job than our last manager
If you would rather be Portsmouth suggest you hurry up and get down there they could be gone by the end of the month…this is how ordinary players get 80K a week.
For those who didn’t understand the comment about Portsmouth.
It means that for all there problems, despite our Financial restraint are we a more successful club at the moment. We are no more successful than any other of the teams in the championship or League 1. NO
So our Financial policy isn’t working…
We made it to the promised land, The Premier League, and we blew it big style. With the same policy if we get there again the same thing will happen.
Spend wisely you say Not big, Do The top teams in the country spend wisely.. NO.
Do they spend big.. YES.
They spend over the top money on transfers and wages and guess what, the players keep em in the Premier league…
Moxey has been going on about wage caps and financial security since he came here, saying its for the best interests of the future of the club. One day we will benefit..
May I ask WHEN that day will be ???
As for the comment about me having No Brain, I thought we had all agreed to keep personal insults off the Blog.. But for the record I do have a brain, just with a different opinion to some others.
Morgan OUT!!! Moxey OUT!!! TC OUT!!! Johnson OUT!!!
Did Swansea spend big? I don’t think so… though it remains to be seen whether they stay in the PL with their loan signing gone (can never spell his name!) and what looks like Joe Allen going as well… perhaps your and my perception of what spending big is is different though!
And I cannot understand your first point for the life of me – are you saying that only the 20 PL clubs are successful? I understand where you’re coming from as far as we didn’t spend enough when we were a PL club, but when I think ‘successful’ right now I think ‘how likely is it that we can progress?’
Yes, we’ve been relegated but we have hope to bounce straight back up, we are stable on the financial side and our academy has the best status possible. Meanwhile, Pompey are hoping desperately that they still exist by the end of this year – can you see them coming back to top flight anytime soon? Let alone the Championship? Let alone League 1 survival even?
Then you have clubs like Barnsley who seem to be marooned in the Championship and look to be for many years to come…
BOO! Fletcher has put in a transfer request. I have lost some respect for him for doing that. Had he been sold I would say fair enough, it was expected anyway, but to try to force a move…not impressed.
This game is a replacement for what would have been our last friendly, as usual at home against decent opposition. This normally means fielding what is considered our strongest team and i reckon Stale will start with that.
Based on what i’ve seen in the last 2 friendlies, i reckon the back four will be Zubar, Johnson, Stearman and Ward, probably with De Vries in goal. Central midfield Henry and Doumbia with Sigurdason and, i think, Doyle up front.
But who will play wide midfield? If we sign this Polish guy in time, probably him with Forde on the left but he hasn’t really looked the answer to me.
As for the result, we shouldn’t take Aldershot too lightly. i’m a big fan of Dean Holdsworth as a manager and i’ve been following his career ever since i went to see our Development squad play his Newport County side a couple of years ago. You can bet his side will be well organised and tidy.
They are probably a bit short of fire power though and i think even we may be able to keep a clean sheet this time. I think those who haven’t seen them already will be pleasantly surprised by both Doumbia and Sigurdason. The latter is not only quick and mobile, which i was expecting, but he is also a very big lad and much more developed than on the youtube clips. I think they will both be great in this league.
I’m going for a 2-0 win and hopefully the start of what will be a great season for us all!
I think he’s done us a favour by putting in a transfer request personally. As Martin touched on earlier, if a player submits a transfer request they forefit a cut of the transfer fee. Crazily in modern football, if a club chooses to sell you and you haven’t submitted a transfer request, I think they call it a ‘loyalty’ (ha ha!) bonus and you get a cut of the transfer fee. Wouldn’t be surprised if we now accept the previous bid of £12m for Fletcher now cos we won’t owe him £1.2m or whatever of it. Wouldn’t be surprised if they’ve topped his wages up a bit their end to make up for it. Even though we’re still losing a cut of the profit to Burnley. it still leaves the 2 M’s with a nice wedge in their sky rocket’s that won’t be re-invested into the team. Afterall, we’ve already replaced him with a free transfer from West Ham.
Good points Carl. I do think though that Nouble is very much our third or fourth striker and, as such, a replacement for Vokes. And we have spent a reported £2.4 million on Sigurdason.
True, I just hope this kid is all he’s cracked up to be having never played in this country before. He certainly souds like he has the attributes. Even at £2.4m, that’ll be a £10m profit on who he’s replacing. £3m for Kightly and replaced with a loan signing. Jarvis sure to be sold for £6m+ as well as £1m for Guediourra, 500k for Vokes, plus anything we get for Berra or Hammill. Even with another couple of inevitably cheap or loan signings, I make that easily £20m+ in the bank for the 2M’s. And that’s after spouting all that drivel at the end of last season about not having to sell anyone and money actually being available to strengthen not weaken, nothing but liars and fuckin hypocrites!
What they said was not having to sell their best players, which wouldn’t include Guedioura, Berra, Hammill… but WOULD include Kites, Fletcher and Jarvis!
Two out of three are gone now – don’t know how much the board had control over this is they didn’t want to stay but I don’t think they should have said that in the first place
Hang on Hamlet, only Kites has gone so far out of those three. And you can’t keep players who insist on going or who won’t sign contracts. I think Moxey couldn’t have done much more with Fletcher. He’ll go eventually but with more money coming in.Don’t forget we turned down a reputed £1.8m for Zubar which surprised me. I think Stale knows who fits and who doesn’t.
The club said they wouldn’t sell unless it was in the best interests of the club. Getting top whack on people who are detemined to leave is just that.
I think we’ve made some good signings already and i reckon there will be more to come. Exciting times as far as i am concerned.
And improving the squad by the end of the transfer window, doesn’t have to mean not making a profit in the process. This is what shrewd judges can do. I’m positive about it and think we should give this new man a chance. This is a complete overhaul we are seeing here and not before time in my view.
Only 1 of the 3 gone so far but the other 2 are inevitable. I agree with maximising potential for these players and would share your view if I had any faith that any reasonable percentage of the money made would be re-invested. However, our experience of Morgan so far with the help of that fat prick don’t inspire confidence in me. The last couple of seasons penny pinching have landed us where we are now. The signings we are looking to make mainly appear to be cheap and foreign. That appears to be the ‘business plan’ that we have gone for, starting with the manager. A massive gamble if you ask me! But for who? Maybe not for the 2 M’s because if it comes off they’re covered in glory and if it doesn’t they get to hide behind the manager who the fans will inevitably turn on if it does go tits up. Call me a cynical bastard if you like but smell a rat!
1 out of 3 gone so far but the other 2 pretty much inevitable. I totally agree with maximising the profit on these players if they’re going anyway but could only share your optimism if I had any degree of faith that a decent percentage of the £ would be re-invested into the team. Our experience of Morgan so far and of the fat prick over the last god knows how many years gives me no cofidence in this whatsoever. Their penny pinching over the last two years has landed us where we are now (when it comes to managers not just players-Can we forget just how ludicrous TC’s appointment was?!) Our signing policy this season seems to have taken its lead from the managerial appointment-cheap and foreign. A massive gamble by all accounts if you ask me. For who though? Maybe not for the 2M’s because if it comes off (which it could well do-I’m not saying SS won’t turn out to be a gold and black God) they come out smelling of roses, but if it doesn’t they’ve got themselves a brilliant scapegoat while the fact that they’ve plundered £20m+ in player sales having said they wouldn’t will all be forgotten. Call me a cynical bastard but I don’t trust the 2M’s as far as I could throw them (in that fat greasy pricks case, that’s not very far at all!) and I smell a rat.
Well you could turn out to be right, Carl. But we have to at least wait and see what we have on Sept 3rd, how the team is playing and if we’re winning. After that, a brand new manager deserves at least one season to get things right; the fans must stay behind him at least til then.
Totally agree mate. SS is the one I feel for a bit in all of this, he’s gone from one madhouse to another!
Hmm, have to back and check exactly what they said! The chances of Fletch still being here are very slim though, unless the club has priced him too high for others to be interested – I was just assuming he was on his way out after the transfer request! 😛
Agree with everything you’ve said!
I think what you are thinking of Hamlet was Moxey saying our best players aren’t for sale. But that’s like my house isn’t for sale either, but if someone knocks on the door and makes me an offer that would be silly to turn down, i’d probably take it- in the best interests of myself and my family.
Spot-on Carl. We never re-invest apart from WV1!
Badly need some defenders who can defend.
Yes! I think if I saw some decent money being spent on the defence then I could believe that the 2 MM’s aren’t just grabbing the cash.
To be re-invested into the team? Fingers crossed…
Hi! First time poster, long reader. Excellent blogs lads, I tune in regularly! Have to say I’m anxious to say the least about this season – was always going to be hard, surely we never expected the likes of Fletcher, Jarvis, Kightly to stay on? With even the likes of De Vries attracting bids (could be left with ikeme as first choice until November?) we could be left with a shallow squad, much less one capable of challenging in any capacity… Still, in Solbakken we trust eh! Aldershot for me (like others) represents a ‘banana skin’ game for our boys – against the easiest opposition, we always manage to make it difficult, but that’s always been the way with Wolves right? Still, I’ll go for a nervy 1-0 – Sigurdson hopefully to open his account, maybe see a sneaky peak of Ismail now all these others are on their way eh!
Welcome J. Love getting the voyeurs to finally join in the action.
Like others, I’d like to get a glimpse of Ismail but don’t think we’ll see him. Unless I’m mistaken he hasn’t really featured with the first team during pre-season.
I reckon he’s another year away yet. May go on loan this year, although we know how that often ends up 🙁
Hi J. As no doubt Thomas and Ben will concur, good to have you on board.
Indeed. Loving having J on board! Top man.
Keep the faith boys, SS must be given time and why spend it with players who don’t want to be here ?? This season always was going to be a challenge and yes it does seem like we’ve been here before. SS needs all of our support, he has a massive task ahead and it is HIS responsibility to impose HIS wishes HIS plan onto the rest of the management team.
This will mean that like all managers he will want to import players that he is familiar with and who will support him and his approach. What’s new in that ???
Remember mind he will have to compromise on certain issues and that is no different to what we have to do in our lives at home and at work.
Please stop digging up the frailties of last season and all the personal vitriol which poisened the campaign and eventually brought us to where we are now. Don’t mention the people in the background, leave them there in the dark. Only this season matters do not try and de-rail this campaign with old news.We must look forwards not backwards.
As ever UTW !!!!
FOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOTTBAAAAAAAAALLLLL!
And the season starts, I’m very excited. As long as we win a few more games than last year I’ll be happy. Not expecting miracles this year but I am looking forward to the away days. Stuff going to Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs, over-priced, don’t serve beer to away fans and wolves generally playing crap! Bring on Charlton, Palace, Millwall, proper football games where it can conceivably go either way! As for Aldershot lets for a 2-0 win.
Confirmation that Slavomir Peszko has signed on a year long loan deal. Can play right or left of midfield, 27 year old Polish international with 24 caps. Sounds good on paper and hopefully a good replacement for Kightly. Keep ’em coming!
Hope he’s as good as Staale thinks he is Martin!
24 caps for his country must mean he can play a bit, unlike his unfortunate predecessor Kightly:
Plays on no wings (as perennially injured), 0 caps.
Thomas Frankowski: 22 caps for Poland-10 goals. 16 caps for Wolves-0 goals!
Oh yeah, forgot about him. Wasn’t very good was he? Stay positive though. I trust in Stale’s judgement until i have reason to doubt it.
Yeah, i’m loving all this. Poland are no world beaters but 24 full Polish caps beats the odd under 21 English one hands down.
Very refreshing after all those years of ” foreign players take too long to settle in, they’re far too risky”. More like “i can’t be assed to go and have a look, and anyway i’m going to Ireland for me hols” if you ask me.
Maybe it will be us unearthing great foreign players everybody else wished they had for a change.
Very much looking forward to the Aldershot match. What a pain getting a ticket though. I tried to do it online but there didn’t seem to be an option for claiming a concession, for which I’m entitled due to advancing years. So I rang up but was kept hanging on for several minutes, during which I heard the opening couple of lines of Hiho Silver Lining about 20 times. I wouldn’t have minded hearing it all the way through but they started it at the beginning after recorded announcements every few seconds telling me repeatedly I was first in the queue. I rang off after a while and tried again later, only to be told when I’d bought the ticket that I’d have to pick it up from the ticket office. Last season when I went to a Carling Cup game the ticket was loaded onto my ST card. Surely it ought to be easier than this?
Can’t you buy on the turnstile mate? I’m hoping so as that sounds like an utter nightmare scenario which I can painfully relate to!
Can’t wait for this game. Hopefully there will be a decent atmosphere with no home friendly this year. Looking forward to seeing Doumbia, Sigurdarson and Peszko in the flesh and Stale’s new system. I expect a comfortable win, for some reason.
I’m just hoping they always new fletch etc were heading out the door wether they liked it or not and that the plan was always to get the max return with targets already in place as soon as the deals are done.
As I said I’m just hoping and about to find out.
New to the site, looks a very good read!
I am going for a 3-0 win, hopefully Sigurdason gets on the scoresheet, and after a debut season to forget it would be nice to get a top performance out of Johnson, he has a lot of making up to do and no better place to start than at home on Saturday, he could still be a key player in this division if his head is right (and his missus deletes her Twitter account!!).
UTW
Welcome Banbury Wolves, Bienvenue from Zubar and Doumbia and Witaj from Peszko. We’re very cosmopolitan now you know!
Welcome aboard Banbury! Hope you’re right with the prediction. Think Johnson could be a real asset for us in time, not least with most other assets heading for pastures new! Just needs some performances under his belt and we’ll forget last season’s misdemeanors
Ben, how do you do the little o in Stale, there’s a formula isn’t there? Or anyone else know?
Thomas knows mate. I followed the instructions someone posted a while ago and I failed!
Hi Martin.
On a Mac it’s type the two keys ‘alt’ ‘a’
Clever å?
Thanks Doog, very clever a? Mine’s a windows pc though. i copy and paste sometimes but it’s a pain. Just don’t like calling him ‘stale’ – too much ammo for our enemies!
Ben. I hope Johnson rediscovers his mojo too. And I hope he does it for the right reason – for the good of the club and not just to put himself in the shop window.
Anyone seen the new team picture? Someone doesn’t look happy to be included… #headsgone
Moxey is probably ready to airbrush him out and replace him with someone like Danny Webber!
From E&S
It has now emerged that Fletcher has been angling for a move since returning to pre-season training, while he failed to turn up for treatment on his ankle injury or for training on Wednesday, arriving at Compton only to deliver his written transfer request.
Sources say he has threatened to play out his contract in the reserves, although he appeared at yesterday’s photocall.
What a wanker…
If that’s true he IS a bell-end, but we aren’t the first club to suffer from big ‘stars’ jumping ship after relegation, and we won’t be the last. It would be nice to stick the tosser in the reserves and to say to hell with him, but realistically it would serve the club better to sell him and get money that can be better spent on people who aren’t knobs.
This made me think of Kevin Doyle, who came out early doors and said that he would be staying to help us gain promotion, and feel a lot more respect for him. Especially after he had to run himself ragged the last 2 seasons playing a very thankless role.
Someone put it well on Twitter. Certainly a great player, and yep – probably should be playing in the Prem. But ‘#headsgone’? Think we all deserve a touch more respect than that.
It’s the sense of entitlement that he and Kightly seem to have shown to possess. Galling.
Sorry don’t understand it.
They did well for us, Kightly and Fletcher, why have them even in the squad, if they want to move?
Let them go I say.
Well, Kites has already left and in the unlikely even that Fletcher is still here we should use him as he’s a class player and I can’t imagine why he wouldn’t still give it his all if only to keep clubs interested in him!
You misunderstand Hamlet.
What i mean is if they want to go let them.
I don’t go along with this ‘slavery’ lark, making them play, even in the reserves, cos they’ve got a contract. If they don’t want to play for Wolves on yer bike.
Personally i like Doyle’s attitude and respect him for it. I hope he plays a key part in getting us up. Indeed hope Solbakken improves him.
As for Fletcher snap the hands of someone wanting to pay £10m, like Kites overrated.
Fair point I guess – we just need to get the best money available from them!
Hallo World, I’m back.
After a 2 week hiatus, mainly watching the blog and the Olympics, I have returned to stir the shit in my usual polite, unprovocative way.
The Olympics. Now there is dedication for you.
Dont care who the athlete, male, female, nor from which country they hail, those guys are true sportspeople. Working for years, most of them knowing they aint got a cat in hells chance of a medal, just wanting to be there, to take part.
“Professional” footballers? Bunch of vastly overpaid ponces, all about “whats in it for me?”
They all need to take a long hard look at both themselves and the Olympians to see what true sportsmanship is.
Enough.
Been reading with interest the comments about Fletcher and Kightly.
My take is: Kightly will never be as good as he was when we were last in the Championship…………good business to get rid for whatever.
Fletcher is higly over rated, scored 12 goals last season, and was our best player, but lets face it, my granny would have looked good in our line up last season, and she’s been dead for years.
No, get rid as well, especially as both of them seem to think they are too good for The Wolves.
We’ll see who’s smiling as we pass each other at the end of next season.
Fletcher is making a habit of getting relegated, so lets see if he gets his hat trick.
Kightly thinks he’ll get a look in at Stoke? Forget it, they’ll never even pass to him, just hoof it up field, McCarthy/Pulis style.
We have a month to get the defence sorted, and if Berra and Ward are anywhere near it we are bollixed. There are plenty of reasons why we let in a shed load of goals last season, and they are two of them. All this bollocks about Ward being an ever present last season, playing for Ireland etc etc is just that, bollocks. He will NEVER be a full back, and probably never be a real footballer, as long as he has a hole up his arse.
Predictions for Aldershot and the forthcoming season?
No thoughts one way or the other, let’s give ’em a chance to see what has been sorted by our new bloke, and get behind them 100%.
And, as usual, a hearty Fuck Off W… B… for the upcoming festivities!!!
Good to see you back Clive.
Your forthright honesty, has been as sorely missed, as a victory for the team!
You bring some life to this place! 😛
Welcome back Clive, I had heard you were at the Compton, for a medical having agreed personal terms with Jez.
Here here on the Olympics,
In really ps me off that players can sign contracts when they suit them and think they can just up and leave when it suits them. We all know that leaglly we can keep them, but in practical terms you can not. I got to thinking about the Olympics and the punishments handed out quickly for not trying. Wouldnt it be nice if the FA or FIFA had the balls to follow their lead. Any player obviously sulking and not giving of his best for his contracted team becasue he wants out, would lose his playing rights for “X” amount of time months or whatever. A contract is a contract. No income and no chance to go elsewhwere would sort em out.
Clive good to have you back and obviously refreshed from your break!
Still want the dross out and some decent defenders in especially a left-back with pace.
2-2 reality bites; honeymoon over before we are even on the plane?
Just Caught This…
http://www.footballfancast.com/2012/08/football-blogs/promising-to-be-the-closest-championship-season-to-date
Not Sure who this guy is but OMG he puts us Favourites to go up !!
Anyone share his View ?
Interesting times ahead.
Morgan OUT!!! Moxey OUT!!! TC OUT!!! Johnson OUT!!!
Time to move on Nige !!!
All this out, out, out, out is old news mate. They’re still there haven’t you noticed ??
New season, new manager, new ideas new personnel, etc etc. Leave them all fester in the background out of sight out of mind.
Time to move on. As ever UTW !!!!
When I see a reason to remove those comments I will.
I Haven’t Yet,
New season, new manager, new ideas, new personnel, Same OLD League……..Take you back 5 years ????
I’m Still behind the Team though, Still not Convinced of the motives of the Owner /CEO.
Interesting comments off David Gill of Man Utd on TV today, Not bothered about 500 million pounds worth of debt. I am not saying we should be in that much debt of course because we couldn’t sustain it. But Football is unlike any other business..
I expect a crushing win tomorrow nothing less than 3-0 will do.
Considering all the hype of the last few weeks from fans and Club alike , Should be realistic against this opposition…
Lets see how we get on..
Morgan OUT!!! Moxey OUT!!! TC OUT!!! Johnson OUT!!!
Wake up and smell the coffee mate. It’s 2012-2013 and we’re in the Ch. Raking up last seasons disaster and who you hold responsible for it is HISTORY. Get over it mate. Start afresh like the vast majority of supporters and try to start the season on a positive note.
Things can only get better !!!
As ever UTW and WW2-Ald1 or maybe it’s going to be a massive banana skin disaster. Who can we blame for that if it happens, the same 4 or …… who…???
I know its a big ask but lets try and be positive.
There’s no need to patronise mate.
I know what year it is and what league we are in.
As a Wolves fan I have also smelt plenty of coffee over the last few years.
All I am saying is, maybe its time the leadership smelt some. and understand football is about WINNING football matches and not making money….
(Proven by the biggest club in the world in debt to the tune of 500 Million. But Keep winning)
Morgan OUT!!! Moxey OUT!!! TC OUT!!! Johnson OUT!!!
fletcher and jarvis were two integral members of the squad that were relegated, bottom, comfortably the worst in the division. both played well in patches (jarvis-with commendable spirit- mainly when it was too late).but both fell victim, let’s face it, to mick’s style and indecisiveness (when it was screamingly obvious to everyone else) regarding the 442, 451/433 problem.
fletcher is a very good header of the ball with excellent touch (for a big man) and his goals per attempt stat (quoted somewhere on this blog if i’m not mistaken) is astonishing. if only we (including jarvis)had made more chances..
this is fletcher’s big moment. history suggests that martin o’neill and a bit of money almost guarantees top 8. we will find out now for sure if he’s any good. jarvis’s confidence was dented by capello, who can blame him for wanting to stay in the premier league and impress hodgson?
one thing is for sure though. given where we are and the season we’ve just had. if we get anything anywhere near the 25 million it’s being reported we are holding out for, someone will be getting a tidy little bonus
Well said Nige.
There was never any attempt to patronise you, sorry you feel that way. This blog contains over 100 comments and yours are the only ones which still peddle the rather negative vibes which I feel helped in part to destabilise last season for all of us. On the other hand I fully respect your point of view even though I personally find it rather distasteful and in the context of a new season totally unnecessary. Please accept my apology for any offence taken, but I really do feel that it is time to move on.
As ever UTW !!!!
Apologise for my facetious comment on the previous thread: but a) i do believe we are in a better position than Portsmouth. b) Man U can always bank on attracting a buyer who can either service the debt or pay it off.
Anyway it looks like the days of ever higher transfer fees, wages (and admission prices) are being reigned in by economic reality.Hopefully Wolves can benefit from there relatively strong postion.
Not sure how we are going to fare this season, but a change was certainly needed.
It’s good to see us taking a punt on some players from around the European leagues, we are certainly starting to get somewhat of a cosmopolitan feel about us..
I’d like to see Berra get his wishes and moved on, bit of a carthorse that we could do with out and definitely like the majority of others on here would like to see some attention paid to the defence now especially LB wether its to provide direct competion or replace Ward completely.
First game versus Leeds is live down under through Setanta if anyone else in Oz is looking for their fix, Setanta has picked up the Fizzy Pop league and is showing 3 games per week and the highlights package.
Wolves to beat Aldershot 2-0
Looks like Jarvis has now broken cover.For the amounts being talked about and the fact they want to leave i would let them go.Losing ‘star’ names can have a galvanising effect on the players left behind (Newcastle last season).
The club will probably be under pressure to spend the money quickly to avoid the usual accusations of profiteering or of having silly notions like building a stadium that belongs in Premier League – but it maybe better spent once the new manager has acclimatised.
Afternoon all, good to be back at last. Had the summer completely away from football due to the depression of last season. Even the euros couldn’t raise my enthusiasm but never the less we move on. So, let’s start on an optomistic note and go for a 3-0 win