To cheer myself up after a dismal showing last night I was thinking about the best performance we’ve managed at Molineux this season.
Beating Man City and Spurs were the headline wins, but I think my favourite was the 3-0 against Everton.
It’s been rare to see Wolves take anyone apart in recent years but we really chewed up the Toffees that day.
With the exception of Craig Dawson, Gary now has all the players from the lineup that day at his disposal, so maybe we can get that team on the pitch Saturday and hope for better?
Luton
What will be concerning for Forest – referees aside – is that Luton have got four decent fixtures to finish the season.
Wolves, Everton, West Ham and Fulham isn’t a bad sequence coming down the final straight. If they can get six points, I think they’ll stay up.
With just six wins from 34 games so far, that isn’t statistically likely but you never know. I certainly expect them to give us a big test on Saturday.
Ross Barkley has probably been their star player and is already being linked with moves up the food chain.
Carlton Morris and Elijah Adebayo have been the goal-getters and nine each is a solid return. 47 scored overall is more than respectable (one more than Wolves incidentally) but 75 conceded is a big problem.
My gut instinct is that inability to keep the back door shut will see them fall just short in the coming weeks and sent back to the Championship.
Either way, you’d have to say Rob Edwards has done a great job and significantly enhanced his reputation. If Gary O’Neil did move on in the near future, it’s not a stretch to imagine him returning to Molineux to take up the role he held in interim back in 2016.
Wolves
As I said in the intro, we should have the possibility of getting a proper front three on the pitch from the start so I hope that happens.
Nelson was struggling towards the end against Bournemouth and it’s not unlikely that a few of the above might get rotated out, but as the most winnable game we have left, it makes sense to push hard for the points.
Bellegarde didn’t make the bench last night, but he’s another one that could return to give us better options this time.
Predictions
Not a single person predicted a 0-1 defeat against the Cherries, so that’s easy.
I’ve gone for a draw and a defeat in my last two, so I’ll boldly forecast a win here. Luton will cause us plenty of problems, but I expect us to enjoy good possession and create chances.
If we can get minutes of the attackers and regain some of that cohesion in the final third, I would expect us to have the edge. 2-1.
As always, if you’d like to join in with the Prediction League this season, it’s simple – just leave your prediction in the comment section below using the boxes provided. Then repeat for every preview article throughout the season, making sure you always use the same email address to make your prediction. Your email is what ties you to your overall score.
Up The Wolves!
Thought I’d start off the chat with predicting a 2-0 home victory. Others can therefore avoid this score as I haven’t got one right all season.
The 1st half v Bournemouth was appalling.I believe our season is over.
Players leggy + tired.
Insufficient squad and inevitable injuries, resulting in players being asked to play out of position Team pattern lacking apart from the tedious passi g around the back.
All that being said GO’N has done a great job with the cards at his disposal.
Last chance of a win here so I’ll go for a 1-0 without any conviction.
I’m going for 3-1. I think this is the worst performance, prediction league that is, since l joined this blog.
Thr lads need to get a win to hopefully give us a bit of a boost for the last 3.
Must admit, l look forward to seasons end now, performances have dropped off considerably, and understanding so.
3 points please boys.
I get the feeling that Luton may pay the price for Wolves recent frustrations … I think we might just unload a whole lot of whoop ass on them
They’ve battled hard and I wish Rob Edwards well
But not this Saturday
Just a quick one for now. The latest ESPN VAR table. Wolves bottom on -5 (we are bottom of the bloody thing every season). Surprisingly Forest are 2nd on +4 decisions in favour despite them thinking they are the most hard done by. Wolves had 4 goals scored disallowed by VAR and one goal not awarded against us overturned and given. But these things even themselves out right?
The problem is not that we have more decisions go against us. If the goals we scored genuinely had issues then they should be chalked off. Fair enough.
No, the problem is that too many of the decisions being made by Stockley Park are just simply wrong. Unfathomably wrong.
Luton have an energy and purpose we sadly lack.
I’m still tamping mad over last night’s debacle. Wolves I can forgive, because I have an Old Gold bias. The performance of the match officials and those hiding away in Stockley Park, I can’t.
It’s all been said before, so I’m not going over the same ground. Suffice it to say, their interventions led to a frustrating stop-start game that failed to warm an already chill night.
Saturday is another day and another battle. Hopefully, the lads coming back from injury will be another step toward regaining their earlier form. I am so hoping for a change of fortune, results-wise.
Overall, we can still be pleased with Wolves this season. There will be much to chew over when our last home match of the season, against Crystal Palace, is done and dusted. I would love to chew the fat with those bloggers on here that I only know by the usernames. So many people yet to meet and have a glass of wine, or two, with. You know the details:
Bloggers’ Ball, 6.30pm on Saturday 11 May at Rosso E Nero on Darlington Street.
It would great to put faces to blogger names – but let us know if you’re coming by responding to Thomas’ earlier blog in this respect.
Ps: ‘tamping’ is a Welsh term. Well, I had to pick up some of the lingo after 30 years in south Wales.
Well, that’s two Welsh expressions I know now.
Popty ping is the other. I love that.
See you tomorrow mate.
Last but one home game before the Bloggers get together on the 11th May .. we still need to know of any more attendees so that we can finalise the plans with Nero and Rosso .. please please give it a go … it’s a great night out.
Luton then , to follow our Home game bonanza this week.
I was impressed with Luton in the pre-season friendly by their effort and work rate in the 0-0 draw that day ..
I think though that the grind of so many tough games has finally caught up with them … despite Rob Edwards stella efforts.
Gary Galactico will have kicked arse today , and that of Sarabiax S Bueno and Hwang will have a warm glow after their poor poor efforts on Wed.
So with a different mindset now installed I see a comfortable victory coming along …
Whoever scores I’m not bothered so long as var keeps its ugly nose out of our business…
Wolves 3-1
i shall be attending mate … i will sort after Saturday
Brilliant Matt .. look fwd to that .. and there could be a drink on the table too .. (stress .. could be ..!)
Wolves 0 – 9 VAR
Would drop Sarabia and play Chirewa. Much more energy and looks to go forward. Will be at bloggers ball . Looking forward to meet some of you that I met the one and only time I made it.
No idea on score or result. My predictions have been rubbish although it does not help that I can’t predict a loss!
Brilliant. Looking forward to catching up with you again.
Dougie
Time for the real Wolves to turn up! Will be tough but we should just about handle it!
Was thinking about next season already. Wondered how many of our players will still be at Wolves and how many new players will come in?
And then the possibility that The shits from down the road could actually get promoted! Hhhmmm!
Anyway I hope.none of our players are thinking of next season — that would mean they are already on the beach!
Haven’t got a clue. Luton need the points, but we should have a more settled forward line than of late, so trying to feel positive. UTW
Can’t remember if it’s 1 good performance followed by 1 or 2 bad ones, think I’ll go for the latter as I’ve never seen wolves beat Luton and we don’t seem to like the 100mph stuff
Thomas I think Bueno is injured if so I woul play Traore in the mf and play a 4 3 3 going for a 2 – 1 for the Wolves.
Going for a 1-0 win as I am a glutton for punishment ! I agree with Franski regarding starting Chirewa instead of Sarabia (if nothing else, we can keep Sarabia away from corner kicks. He is too accurate with corner kicks. Always land in the same place. Goalkeepers hands !! ). I was quite impressed with Chirewa, and lets face it, we are not going to Europe or The Championship. So give the lad some experience.
As for the near future, I am of the opinion that getting 50M plus for Neto will be a great deal. He is a very good player but .. rather vulnerable strings of ham! I’d rather we get a couple of solid 20M players with the money. Sa has performed extremely well, which could enhance his value considerably. Plenty of good goalies about waiting for their chance to show their quality. Shame about Fabio screwing up his loan. I was hoping for some sort of offer (which does not seem forthcoming any time soon). He might have to settle for 10 minute stints at the end of the game next season.
I see that Brighton were the latest team to suffer at the hands of poor refereeing and VAR decisions last night.
I’m not saying they would have beaten Man City but the free kick that led to Foden’s first goal was a clear slip and one and possibly two good penalty shouts were denied by Marvin the paranoid android at Stockley Park. And a hand ball in the area by Ake the like of which I’ve seen given before (although not against a top 6 team, funny that!) was ignored.
As far as tomorrow is concerned, let’s welcome Rob Edwards back with a smile and admiration for what he’s done for Luton… and send him away with his tail between his legs after we batter them.
And I mean that in a very loving way of course.
Luton are scrapping for their PL lives and so will be dangerous opponents. They may need to push forward somewhat to try to bag the points though, so may play into our hands.
Are we up for the fight, that is the question.
Fingers crossed the lads are up for this after the Cherries’ horror no show. UTW!
Cant be any worse than the 1st half against Bournemouth….we were absolutley shite.
Praying for a better performance tomorrow and get back to winning ways….COYW
SPARE TICKET ALERT…….I have a spare ticket for tomorrows game if anyones interested . If you would like to go and join me in the Steve Bull J10 then email me at Roger.lewis@directlegal.co.uk
Luton aren’t great
We haven’t been playing great but,,,,
We can and will be great tomorrow due to an arse kicking from the coach who has just been handed his own arse on a platter from the guy who replaced him .
I can see a 4-1 win here , possibly our last win of the season and difficult even for var to snatch 3 goals from us but, ya never know?
Anyone on the bbc sport premier press conferences can vote to keep or bin var ( Sweden have just scrapped it due to fan protests) last time I checked, it was comfortably 3-1 to bin it ??
Tried a couple of thumbs up but got two ?? Instead, all the same really.
Utw
With zero confidence at all, I’m backing us to get the win. It can’t be any worse than against Bournemouth, right?
Game the wolves should win fairly easily in theory, so it’ll probably be a painful slog.
Week of weakness. Another loss, spice at the bottom
Surely we can’t lose this one after five losses and two draws in the last seven games… This game screams three points for us!
Why do referees and VAR operators seem to hate Wolves so much? They’ve got a bit to answer for our recent lack of points too. I’m beginning to think football was so much more fun in the Championship, purely because of lack of VAR.
I’m being conservative and going for 1-0 win, because we are bound to have at least one goal disallowed.
Coming mob- handed to Bloggers’ gig and looking forwards to reconnecting with old friends and making new ones
Hopefully we are basking in the warm glow of two excellent final
Home wins … a point off Citeh? Hmm doubt that.
But meantime let’s out fight the hatters who won’t like it up em even with Dashing Rob on the touchline
The energy of Chirewa and Traore are what we need big time
OODCL
Luton or no Luton, we’ll have to play better than Wednesday or lose another game in this rather dismal run.
I didn’t see a lack of effort against Bournemouth, just lacking that yard of pace and speed of thought that made us so dangerous earlier in the season. Victims of a depleted squad and general burnout after a long season.
Good noises from Gary’s press conference though and with one last heave we should have enough to take the points.
COYW
FO VAR
Luton are quite a direct muscular side. Exactly the sort of team we historically struggle. Rob Edwards will be very aware of it.
We’re on fumes so it’s going to be a tough afternoon.
I still think we should scrape it though.
PS. Morally I would like to claim full prediction league points for Wednesday.
Bloody VAR!
I’m going for a 2-1 loss, obviously hoping for the reverse.
What a wonderful midweek evening; NOT. I thought Doyley and Gomes were looking leggy and uncoordinated from the start. Has there been a bug going around the squad?
With all the money going around the game regarding gambling, I am not convinced thhat there is some form of corruption going on. Surely the officials can not be that inept. But maybe that’s what it is. However on the night Bournemouth were well worth their win. Well done to them. Our bad! With the M6 shut down as also was the A14 mostly, it took me five hours to drive home to Debenham. So I am just about fit again to wander across to Wolvy on Saturday for something better, I hope. Come on, Lads, do it for us all…
Let’s have a look at 3 big VAR decisions in 3 recent home games at Molineux. The Coventry bloke puts the ball in the net with his arm…..VAR … can’t see anything wrong. Nothing to see here. GOAL.. West Ham Kilman header ruled out because the kid is standing in front of the goalie. VAR…NO GOAL…..Same weekend Newcastle v Spurs. Same scenario. Toon bloke header. Toon bloke standing in front of Spurs goalie…..VAR ……Erm….well nothing actually. GOAL. Bournemouth. Their bloke pushes Cunha who raises an arm over the blokes head. The bloke carries on . No one appeals for anything. ………VAR……..Erm….NO GOAL. FOUL AND YELLOW CARD CUNHA. Listening to Radio 5 news on way to work this morning our old mate COLIN WANKER was on. They were discussing Forest v Citeh this weekend and Forest issue with VAR. Warnock goes. Don’t know about that but Wolves have had a hell of a lot of decisions go against them. And the 5 live presenter went yeah another ludicrous one the other night. It is well known now that we are getting the shitty end of the stick not just this season. But every bloody season. We will be screwed over again tomorrow with a stupid penalty. Like the Wolves player cleared the ball and it hit a passing seagull. VAR…….the little known rule 758 (I) [2.7] ” no player, especially playing for Wolverhampton Wanderers FC shall kick the ball towards a sea gull…….unless it’s Arsenal or something then it’s the fuckin sea gulls fault for getting in the way”….. VAR … “Could you go to the monitor. Wolves player. Sea gull”….. Ref ” ah yes. The sea gull ruling……..yes I can see Semedo’s ….clearance hit a seagull ….. Penalty to Luton”….. Having said all that. If we get one more shitty decision go against us I will personally fly a fucking drone over Stockley Park and drop a bomb on it. Think we will sneak it tomorrow. By 2-1. WWFC 2 HATTERS 1. After the game GON said ” Strangely enough as I was taking the dog for a walk last night a sea gull landed on my head. I knew at that point there would be a new way of VAR screwing us over. I wasn’t surprised. But I’ve given up.Fuck em”
Cheesey … Gertrude .. the now redundant Beatties cat has suggested you pop into Neros on the corner of Darlington St and Waterloo Rd on the 11 May for a swift half ..
She’s checked with Henrietta and Tracy, who both agreed , that your presence is a necessity before we all get together.. it’s fine by them that you don’t have to stay but they both adamantly say that a swift half would please many bloggers ..
What’s holding you back good friend and Blogger ICON..?
Might pop in for a quick un on way back from Molineux on route to the Plough where my drinking gang go before and after. Bet they doe do Coors in that posh gaff tho .
Think it will be close
.
Just get some attackers back now Bueno out and Toti not fully fit but still fancy us to win
Sadly, I think we have very little left in the tank. Luton will be desperate for a result.
Wolves 0 VAR 2.
Hoping to see a response after arguably the worse performance under O’Neil. Luton really need a win so they should come and be aggressive in their press. At times we look suspect when playing out from the back but if we beat their press we should be able to damage them with hopefully a front 3 containing Cunha and Hwang.
Beating Spurs at Molineux is probably my favourite bc it came so late and from, imo, unexpected quarters thereby giving rise to HOPE. The thing that kills you. And partly why I can’t wait for this season to end. (Beating Spurs at Wembley is also a favourite.)
Turning to today. Much as I like Rob E I want Wolves to get a high score for once. But I’m not confident enough to predict it. Would live a clean sheet – but I’m not confident enough to predict that either. (Like others, this is my worse prediction season,)
Well we’re in the doldrums after plodding through the worst run of results we’ve had under our manager, albeit due to a shocking collection of injuries. Some of those injured warriors are now making their way back into match-readiness, but we still didn’t look much better in our last game.
Take a look at Luton’s stats for the season and they come across as an unusual article. They’re floundering at the wrong end of the table and yet seem to have a better goal SCORING record than ourselves.
So taking into consideration our own sad recent history and Luton’s goal scoring prowess I’m going for another score draw, without shed loads of confidence!
UTW