I’m desperate for Wembley, so a home tie against the lowest ranked side left in the competition felt rather dreamy.
That is until someone pointed out that drawing Spurs away would have made the path considerably easier.
Oh well, if we can overcome Bristol Rovers we’re just three matches away from earning that trip to the home of football the old fashioned way.
But I’m not getting ahead of myself. The convincing win over Southampton hasn’t papered over the cracks of our less than convincing win over Yeovil.
Cautious optimism is the order of the day.
Bristol Rovers
Midtable in League One is as high as I can remember Rovers being for some time and they appear to have consolidated their status in the third tier after promotion a few years back.
They finished just 7 points outside the play-offs last season so it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that they could be playing Championship football in the not too distant future.
Manager Darrell Clarke thinks the group of players should be pushing for promotion so there’s a certain level of expectation.
Striker Billy Bodin has scored for fun this season and was reportedly the subject of Championship interest in the final days of the transfer window. He’s one to look out for.
Fulham were dispatched 1-0 in the previous round, so Rovers already have form for upsetting the odds.
Wolves
A smaller squad and a handful of injuries could mean less changes to the starting XI, but then again I’d expect most of the second string to get some game time, which might mean a team something like:
The above is a touch disjointed so probably wide of the mark but you’d expect most of them to get on the pitch – either from the start or off the bench.
Helder Costa’s road to recovery has been a bit cloak and dagger of late, but he’s been training for a while so an appearance could be imminent. Hause is another that could make a long awaited return.
Dead certs to play must be Norris, Deslandes, Bennett, Price, Ronan and Enobakhare. Zyro, N’Diaye and Marshall could also do with some minutes.
Donovan Wilson will be keen to make an appearance against his former club and after coming off the bench to score against Southampton, you’d imagine he’ll feature at some stage.
Predictions
It’s a banana skin waiting to happen but we should have enough quality to get through, so hopefully we do it with a bit to spare for a change.
I’ll go for the trusty old 3-1.
Up The Wolves!
My god I am first to post!!!!
Wolves second string should be enough to overcome Bristol and show us and Santo what we have in reserve for any injuries.
Methinks Pricey must be champing at the bit.
When we drew Rovers my mind was cast back to 2015 Durban, South Africa (as you do). I’m going to bore you all with another reminisce of distant England cricket trips. Declan and his two mates. Bristol Rovers fans.Man that bloke could drink. Everytime we saw him he had two pints. All day at the cricket and later on in the local bars. He even saw off his two mates who were asleep in the hotel. My first words to him “you sound like you are from Bristol way. City fan?” Obviously the wrong way to start as he replied “Fuck off I hate them bastards-rovers mate”. Good lad he was. Wonder if he is there tomorrow night. I hope the pubs are well stocked if that bloke is in town! He was in Cape Town as well for the next test. They flew back a day after us. My last recollection of Declan was in the Dubliner pub sat up the bar with – 2 pints. On to the match. Went to ticket office this morning expecting it to be quiet. 11am and queue out the door. Got ticket after half hour wait. Should be a decent crowd. I predict a 2-0 win to the mighty WWFC.
Nice memories – there are quite a few “Declans” amongst Wolves away following….
I was at the game in 1972 when we last beat them in the League Cup.
4-0 I think the score was but I remember coming away from Molineux feeling a bit less than delighted with the performance.
That score will do tomorrow and that score and no injuries will do even better.
Wembley would be great – promotion would be better.
I think.
Ah memories of the 1972/73 league cup run that ended in a completely unjust semi-final defeat to those total bar stewards Tottingham. God how I hate those scumbags from N17.
Any road up onto The Gas. One of my players from my 14 years of youth football management and coaching plays for them though he’s been out injured for a bit. Stuart Sinclair. If he plays we’ll win. If he doesn’t play we’ll win.
Think it will be unnecessarily tight but a win is a win. I’m going for 2-1 or maybe 3-1.
I’d like us to win if only for the comedy value of watching the draw for the next round. Number 12, Wolves, red, will play number 12 Arsenal, blue, with both teams at home. Or away. Or maybe number 86 Accrington Stanley, green will be at home (or away) to someone beginning with a ‘M’ who might play in pink. Or maybe not. Where’s Rod Stewart when you need him?
OODCL
Beders, we don’t want Arse nal till the final !!
Does not matter when we play them in my opinion. To be the best you have to beat the best. That said, I get your point.
P.S. The bearded Bristol Rovers player pictured above is said Mr S. He didn’t have a beard when I knew him but then again he was only 14 then.
I have to agree Thomas but we have a knack of finding those banana skins. Or we used to. We still struggle more against the so-called weaker teams though. I’m sure Nuno could handle the challemge of the Portuguese version of a cup tie against the equivalent of Bristol Rovers, therefore I’m expecting a comfortable win with no casualties. 2-0.
Bristol at home on a wet tuesday night?
I was a bit like The Clash (Should I stay or should I go)
Then I thought, well there’s fekhaul on the tele, will probs get a chance to see a change in personnel, it’s only a tenner, The Stile sells Banks’s and then I just read only 3 games to get to wembley!
Thomas I just checked and I think the semi’s are over two legs – so after tomoz it’s four games to the final at Wembley (5th & 6th round, then semi’s home/away – then the big one)
Now I’m all Manfred Mann and If you got to go – GO NOW
going for a clive on this one 5:1 and Bright to score @ 50:1 on Bet365
Go Now was the Moody Blues mate. Hopefully it’s ‘I’m Still Standing’ this time tomorrow.
Manfred Mann did a song with that name.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4IdDmayilw
Written by Dylan. Thought it sounded familiar.
Well exiled, If you got to go – go now – was Manfred in 1965 – here’s the youtube – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmvUeSz4mwY
and not to be confused with Moody Blues – Go Now of the same year…
and whilst i’m confident of Eltons classic at 9.50pm tomoz, I’m looking for Queen “We are the Champions” in May 2018
I stand corrected RIckRack. I had forgotten that one.
50-1 for that scoreline *and* Bright to score is poor i.m.o. – id want at least 100-1 to be tempted (prove me wrong Bright).
Bristol Rovers – what a strange club with their massive cult following. About 10 years ago I saw Torquay play Rovers and their fans dressed up as pirates and were all around the home end as well as selling out their away allocation. That suggests to me they’re a bigger club than their league position suggests.
Surely we won’t mess this one up 3-0 for me
I’d agree with your cents to start, Thomas. We’ll probably need a mix of senior and young ‘uns, with the likes of Jota rested. I’m puzzled as to the situation with Zyro as I don’t think he has even been on the bench these last few games.
I’d be happy with 2-0 and no new injuries.
Certs not cents.
Life long Wolves fan here. Living in St.Kitts in the Caribbean and dodged Hurricane Irma, but now have Cat 5 Hurricane Maria bearing down on us. Win for me boys, win for me!! I might need all the encouragement this time tomorrow–win for me!! 2-0 to Wolves (I hope I am hear to read it!!!)
Hang in there Mikey and keep your head down.
You havn’t got a spare bedroom for a couple of weeks in January, cos I got a spare bedroom for the League Cup final if you need it !! Thought I’d ask before all the scrounging gits on here !!
Hope Maria gives you a bit of space, I don’t want to send you $20 dollars as well as Clive, who just pissed it up the wall.
Wolves to win this one 3-1.
A second hurricane in two weeks, Mikey, that’s just being greedy!!
Get copious amounts of beer down your neck, and pretend the hurricane is an ex wife, that way you know you are gonna lose your house!!
If ever there was an opportunity for a 5-1, tomorrow is it.
Never mind the “we always screw up” bollocks, this is the New Wolves, and all that superstitious crap is out the window.
Quake in yer boot, Rovers , Roy aint gonna save you in this comic!!
100% agree Clive. This “banana skin” talk is old hat. We are a new Wolves and we won’t slip up as we are now better than ever. I do disagree with your prediction though, as I believe we will keep a clean sheet.
Wolverhampton Wanderers 4
Bristol Rovers 0
Hmmmm. 70 mins played and it’s 0-0. What was I saying about bananas?
Home win next round
3 0 Marshall 2 and another Wolves player.
No problems this evening. Nunos’ total professionalism right through the club will ensure no slip ups. 4 – 1
Another Wolves nutcase in the pathof a hurricane.
All the best Mikey – you will need the fortitude of Clive in Houston who despite losing virtually everything continued to write articles for the blog and laughing at his own misfortune!
Class or what!
Anyway we wish you all the best.
BOG
Nearly forgot – 2-0 tonight.
I can (vaguely) recollect playing The Gas in the pre season Watney Cup at Eastville circa 1972.
Gave the programme to the museum along with hundreds of others. I think it was green from memory – no doubt Bedford Wolf has one in his amazing collection.
Ahh Eastville – a bit like the Shay with a greyhound/speedway track around it.
Now a retail park I believe.
The kind of fixture in which we’ve come a cropper so often in the recent past. And Rovers put one over Fulham at the Cottage in the last round so have previous for this kind of thing.
So all is in place for another famous cup upset at our expense but in all honesty, I can’t see it happening. Our reserves played superbly in the last round at Southampton and I don’t think the current management will let complacency rear it’s ugly head. Those picked to play will be trying to force their way into the first eleven and I foresee a convincing victory for our back-up players and, equally importantly, a restful evening for our first team.
Wolves 4 v 1 Bristol Rovers
Is it time for the banana skin?
Hope not
3-0 to us
Hope everything holds up for you Mikey
All the best Mikey in St Kitts.
A photographer mate of mine is married to a Dominican girl and they have a house out there.
Luckily they have just flown back to England so will be out when Maria visits.
Batten down the hatches mate and think of The Golden Palace.
Bristol Rovers proper nickname is The Pirates (The Gas was a derogatory name given by City fans due to the proximity of gas works to Eastville) – record attendance at the old Eastville was a shade under 39,000 v PNE.
However 39,000 + crammed in for another event – speedway maybe?
Rovers were on the receiving end of a 12-0 drubbing v Luton Town about 80 years ago. Joe Payne the Luton centre forward scored 10 of these which remains a football league record to this day.
After a fire in 1980 Rovers played some fixtures at Ashton Gate which must have gone down well – likewise Wolves played some games at the Hawthorns donkeys years ago after Molineux was closed due to crowd trouble.
Since then Rovers have played in Bath before moving to their current stadium Memorial Ground.
The second and last time I visited Eastville was Boxing Day 1976 when Wolves won 5-1. We took thousands of fans in a crowd of nearly 21,000 – huge by their standards then. Naturally Wolves won promotion…..like this season.
Cannot remember too much about games v Rovers at The Mol – a 5-0 victory on Bonfire night early 90’s maybe.
Rovers commenced life in the mid 1880’s with gold and black shirts before changing to blue and white and the curious “quarters” design.
BOG
Someone needs a pasting, why not Rovers? 5 nil to Wolves
Hang on in there Mikey, if you truly are a lifelong Wolves fan youv’e been through some Shit mate, so take this in your stride, no-one wants to go to shitty Houston, St Kitts now tnat’s a different matter if the garden swing gets blown off it’s hinges or tne gate bangs to hard in the ensuing gale / approaching Hurricane, we your blog mates will be over in our dozens to fix the gate and spend a couple of weeks consoling you and your family.
Seriously mate, good luck as with Clive we’re all behind you and wish you a safe time during the Bitch called Maria.
Back to Wolves,
Just read a great piece by Deslandes anout life at “New Wolves” and feeling really confident on all thing Old Gold and Black, (except the U23’s who lost last night) so a solid 6-0 to Wolves 2016 squad.
Realistically expecting 2-0 as goals are not so easy to come by even against the sides from lower leagues.
Wolves 2
The Gas 0
Hopefully some of our squad players will show they’ve still got plenty to offer and let the gaffer know they’re still around. 2-0 to Wolves.
got to be a wolves win I think Wolves 4 Bristol R 1
The Deslandes interview, nice kid, knows what he wants.
https://www.wolves.co.uk/news/first-team/20170919-i-just-want-us-to-go-as-far-as-we-can/
Just got back from holiday last night so I checked the Wolves web site this morning and had a pleasant surprise!! Still a few tickets available for Sheffield Utd away so snapped up two right away 🙂
Expecting a comfortable win tonight —- 3-0 to Wolves.
the team that beat Southampton would do the job well. We seem to have strength in depth but any new grouping will need to gel – I was interested to read that the back three at Soton played together in 11 v 11 training games. I have every confidence in Nuno, Zyro was on the bench on Saturday, would be great to see him score one or two tonight.
3-0 ?
Think Thomas’ starting team is not going to be too far away. Looking forward to see if Zyro can fill Leo’s boots.
2-0 to us.
With nearby Chorley in the back of my mind, I’m going for a 4-0 win. Good luck to all facing Maria over the next few days. Only surpassed on the gaseous front by Trump.
Any of you bloggers thinking of taking in Villa at home, I should think about getting your tickets soon, they are selling well, they’ve opened the first section of the North Bank Quadrant so they must be expecting a good crowd.
I’ve got a Blur alarm clock. So everyday I wake up to the sounds of ‘Parklife’. Except on Wednesdays when I get rudely awakened by the dustmen.
P.S. As you may know I get all the home programmes on subscription from Wolves – for some reason they have started sending me two of every game! So if anyone wants a free copy of the home programmes v Cardiff, Millwall and Bristol City let me know.
OODCL
Send ’em here Bedders, I’ll look after them, until the next flood, then I can be in the E &S again crying about lost Wolves memorablia!!!
Just found the game is gonna be streamed on one of those pesky illegal sites. I’m pretty much interested checking out on those squad players I’ve never seen so far.
Wolves 3-1 Bristol Rovers
That header picture has got to be Trevor Hockey’s brother.
Golden Oldies answer on a postal order please …
Just seen the teams ….who was that guy that sneaked in under the amended radar.
Teams looks a tad fragile but hopefully should have enough in the locker for a win…
Wolves 1-0 Bristol Rovers
Amended was meant to read Mendes…
Interesting to see Douglas, Hause and Gibbs White are all on the bench so fit again.
I love this competition, I had one of my greatest days as a Wolves fan at the 1980 final against NOTTS Forest. My first ever visit to Wembley and I haven’t been back there with Wolves since 1988. I was at Southampton in the last round and our kids and reserves never looked like losing against a strong Premiership side. But then we struggled a bit against Yeovil. Think we will win tonight then who knows ? Just imagine Wolves in the 2018 final – what a bloggers day out that would be.
Wolves 2
Bristol Rovers 0
If that comes true, Newarkers, I am relying on you to get me a ticket.
No problem Clive and you can even stay at ours if you want.
Come on Wolves. 81 minutes played and still no goals. NEWARK is getting Clive a ticket if you win
I did not know you could use more than 3 subs. I am certainly out of touch.
Fourth sub now allowed in extra time in this cup. At least the draw for the next round will be held on Planet Earth at a sensible time instead of some place we’ve never heard of at 4am our time. Can’t wait for the next rule change, maybe twelve a side or something. We could play 3-4-4…
At last. Let us keep this lead now boys.
I will be interested in the way we performed tonight from those who were there. The match stats are quite scary.
A win izza win izza win
I’ll take 1-0 every game thank you very much.
Glad I didnt wast a fiver live streaming tho!!!!
Hope we get a big club in the draw tomorrow. We struggle against lesser teams for some reason.
Nah, Brompters, lesser teams come to The Mol and its better than Wemberlee for them, so they raise their game, obviously in vain, coz it’s their cup final.
We, on the other hand, have bigger fry to fish, ie winning the second division, and the league cup is a mere minor distraction, lesser teams to be brushed aside with disdain, until we reach the hallowed turf of Wembley, although it aint so hallowed since the original was demolished.
Bring on the next round, we aint skeered!!!
I like your thinking Clive. And, I suppose they are ALL lesser teams really ’cause we are Wolves ay we.
Went to the game tonight & sorry to say my Clive prediction 5:1 was a crock of pants
firstly on the wolves tv we were playing a no38 with no name which i think is called buur
the rest was pretty nuch as Thomas predicted
The gas nearly filled the steve bull lower and played skme neat football and were certajnly not outclassed
overall we played OK some great interplay we had 52% possesion but it seemed more but we tried to walk the ball in with bright ability shining until the last 18yds
Buur was exposed was too light weight & easley pushed off the ball
norris was probably motm with 20 shot 10 on target to deal with
centre defense held well
price was normal industrious self, n’daiye & deslandes were ok
Marshall was wasteful from deadballs until late in the game
the 4 subs (yes 4) all played well
entertainment was as per the “norm” tonight, but £10 & a couple of pints was better than staying in & warchin complication street
pist to here Scoucers are knocked out, really wanted a repeat of last year with 8,000 plus fans but at least we’re in the draw
hopefully normal servjce to resume on saturday
PS well done Wasul against the shite and Boro
COwb
WHAT COwb was most definetly FOwb – WTF
A wins a win on to the next round! When was the last time we were joint top and into the 4 th round of league cup???? Really