I concur with Gary’s assessment that Tuesday’s win was massive.
The champagne and caviar successes against City and Spurs were joyous but seeing off crappy old Burnley with a grim, workmanlike performance is more significant.
Job one is staying up so that result represents a bigger swing in our favour, opening up the gap and providing the ideal platform to go and attack another winnable home game.
I’m feeling optimistic. Let’s get after them lads.
Forest
This is a good time to be playing Forest with Cooper scrambling around trying to work out the best XI to deploy after a harrowing defeat to Fulham.
I think consistency breeds success in the Premier League so chopping and changing the team creates a breeding ground for struggle.
He’s reportedly on the edge but has dug himself out before and it looks like he’ll be in the dugout tomorrow with another chance to save his bacon. Julen Lopetegui has been touted as a possible successor, which would be an odd move for our former head coach considering he left ‘cos we’re shite’, but it’s a funny old game and all that.
The injury to Taiwo Awoniyi is a blow because I always think they look an intimidating outfit when the big striker is leading the line. He’s proven himself a potent weapon at this level with a tidy goals to games ratio.
Chris Wood seems to enjoy his games against us though and you can bet Morgan Gibbs-White will put a few extra per cent into his performance too. Both were left out in midweek but will surely come back in for this one.
I don’t think they’ll go down, regardless of what they do with the manager, so if I were them I’d stay the course and sort it out in the summer.
Wolves
It would be nice to get Sa, Ait-Nouri and Neto back in the squad but it’s not entirely clear when any of them will return.
I’d play Bellegarde after he was rested against Burnley and with Bueno struggling with cramp, either Doc or Ait-Nouri to come in down the left.
We haven’t seen much of Sasa or anything of Fabio since the Sheff Utd game, suggesting to me that there will be ins and outs up front if the deals are there to be done in January. We’ve already been linked to a striker by reputable sources so it’s not just guesswork.
I quite like the balance and shape of the squad, so I think it’s more about just changing one or two to get a few different profiles of player to give us a bit extra.
Predictions
Well done to Big Nachos, London Wolves Loyal and Mike Jones who all correctly predicted the scoreline against Burnley.
I’m going for a victory tomorrow. At their best, Forest are a decent team and at the start of the season I thought they’d be comfortable midtable. But I don’t think they’ve found their groove and Cooper still doesn’t seem to know his best team. There’s a good opportunity to get another win here and I think we’ll get it. 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!
I suppose there’s two trains of thought to be applied to tomorrow’s game. On one hand, it’s a great time to be playing Forest because they’re coming off the back of a 5-0 shellacking and have won just one in the last 11. On the other hand, they’ll be desperate to avoid another defeat and will probably be difficult to break down. Either way, Tuesday’s game shows that we are capable of seeing off stubborn opposition.
Bringing Jean-Ricner in would be a tad harsh on Sarabia but, like you Thom, I think he gives us something different, namely the ability to quickly progress the ball up field, which is key in Pedro’s absence. Hopefully RAN will be fit, as I do think he gives us a little more going forward than young Hugo.
The oddest thing about this season is that the complete lack of expectation has coincided with Molineux being a really enjoyable place to watch football again. Huge credit has to go to the manager and his coaching staff for that.
UTW!
Feel we should win this. Would also be nice to be the reason why another manager is sacked (although slightly insulting that so many teams see losing to Wolves as the bottom of the barrel…). I kinda hate Chris Wood – as much because he is a kiwi and I am an aussie so it would be disloyal to not hate him. But he does seem to score a lot against us. Hoping MGW feels the wrath of the crowd too after his “performance” last time he was over our way. Is it wrong that I want to see the crowd make him cry?
I was super-confident against Burnley – misplaced confidence it seems. So I might go for a 1-1 draw against Forest. After their routing during the week they will be desperate to score – hopefully will open up some chances up the back for us?
For the first time in years, this is a game that I feel we will win comfortably! I don’t think I have ever have felt this confident before a Wolves game. If it is all square after 20 minutes, we will take full control and score 3 goals. Why? Because it is a gut feeling! Not an analysis of the teams, or track records etc., but a gut feeling! Our team is well balanced and Forest are reeling!
However, history shows Wolves never win easy and there is always a squeaky bum time during the last 15 minutes when we lead. Of dear!
Hhhhmmm? Which one will it be, past performances or my gut! Hhhmmmm
If you accept the view of most of the media Forest’s visit to the Molineux is make or break for Steve Cooper. So, will this inspire Forest’s players or leave them despondent. MGW will not require building up but that could lead to him to adopt the school boy persona he often displays. ” I’m the best player so I take all the set pieces and do the dribbling, just watch my tricks and flicks.”
Whatever I don’t believe Forest have the players to win more than the odd game. Let’s hope it’s not tomorrow.
Results over performances take priority every match day .. and Tuesdays crucial win has certainly compensated for two previous away defeats.
I’m looking forward to wishing Gibbs White a merry Xmas .. like yeah … so I’m hoping , if he returns to the team, that the North bank give him hell .. just like Matheus Nunes when he dropped in on WV1. .. Where’s he disappeared to I ask .
The Mighty Wolves must be up for it tomorrow… the return of Air Nouri would be good and I’d be inclined to go with Bellegarde over Sarabia…
Bentley did well in midweek and is an able replacement for Sa if he’s still injured … I do prefer Sa though …
Let’s hammer at Forests’ nerves and get a couple of early goals to see us through ..
Wolves to win ..
This has got to be a win game for Wolves Forest are in a mess getting beat by 5 of Fulham does not bode well for them.Wolves play there best game we should have enough for the win.
Forest do score a few . Their problem, then, is keeping the ball out of their own net.
What was pleasing about the Burnley result was a clean sheet. If we can get another tomorrow we should be comfortable.
would like to see a dominant performance from our lads, i think this is a good opportunity to get some goals
im still erring on a 1-0 though
I agree with Thomas and Ben that we need Bellegarde to start.
Without Neto, we are without pace and trickery on the wings.
Just think what carnage Pedro could have caused against a ponderous Burnley.
I expect us to win. I like Steve Cooper but our needs are greater than his in my opinion.
A little disappointed with the performance but chuffed with the 3 points from the midweek display
I think if Cooper sets up his team to try and prove his worth to his masters and comes to attack at all cost we will win this easily …. however I believe he is a smart manager and will probably play for a draw that will keep his tenure secure till the next match ….either way we up our game from Tuesday then its another 3 on the board
People are nuts ignoring Saribia …his Stats v Burnley were impressive
53 touches in the game
3 key touches and 87 ped cent pass accuracy
Coame on at Arsenal last ten mins … 2 nil down … we get a goal
No mins at Fulham …. lost
Came on against Spurs … one nil down … a couple of mins to go … scores one , sets up the winner
for fuck sake, we’ve got an excellent player on our hands , I’m more than happy to see him in the team
Agreed London. Sarabia is a class act and needs a run in the team .
Get well soon.
WITLEY….
no need to save us space tomorrow. me and Dickie caught Covid … probably off one of those dirty Arsenal f@@@@rs … or maybe those Fulham mingers … who knows !?
Not getting complacent about this one, Cooper is a decent manager and he will get a reaction from the team.
Not wasting my breath in insulting MGW- it will only inspire him to perform.
Full concentration and a win will follow, but don’t underestimate a wounded team.
Keep Sarabia hungry and he will be motivated, I thought he was going through the motions earlier in the season.
Don’t think I’ve ever predicted a 5 goal thriller before so here goes
Happy with the clean sheet on Tuesday (long may it continue) and more than happy with 3 points after a turgid performance for most of the game. A fast start and discipline to avoid ‘soft’ yellow cards (I know I go on about it but it could cost us players through bans when we still have a rather thin (but improving) squad).
I share the ‘disappointment’ with MGW and I hope he has a horrid game with the Wolves crowd on his back all the time. I am also not very keen on Chris Wood after he chose to move to Leicester and broke a commitment to my OH’s team (I know lots of players do that . Who says I have to be logical!)
Would love to see a comprehensive Wolves win with us scoring lots of goals and putting on a class performance.
I’m not convinced this will be a walkover, as most of our games are anything but.
I want to see Sarabia do a few more minutes, quite a few in fact. I think he is looking useful to us now.
I shall add my score to the prediction league, in the hope that it will get fixed at some point.
A cautious 2-1 win for me…
Hi everyone, just joined this blog as Express and Star seem to be demanding money to read their Wolves stuff online now, which (although detailed and interesting, if a bit bland sometimes) I’m not really prepared to do. So googled other sources of Wolves chat and this blog came up. Nice to be here!
It’s always a bit of a struggle playing Forest as they seem to want to beat Wolves more than other teams, but hopefully we can end up on top at the weekend. Burnley was a rather strange match as we showed no urgency at all in the first 25 minutes, and whenever a player – particularly Bueno – had the option of a forward pass or a backward one always played it backwards. Perhaps this was the plan as we’ve let in goals in the first few minutes in the last three matches. If so it worked, but any neutral tuning in on Amazon Prime would have bailed long before Hwang tucked home the winner.
I’m predicting a win, though, and have a feeling that we will be more up for it, mainly because Forest will be too, and so will the crowd. Wolves never make things easy on us though, but I’m going for a 2-1 win this time. And please … no VAR issues, I just can’t take any more of that.
nice to have you on board Catford and Welcome!
pity about the express and star . They want a lof of money for something that used to be free, but I understand that they must survive
Maybe they should have a smaller fee for just Wolves content as there are probably a few thousand of us scattered around that are only interested in the Wolves and not so much about a roundabout in Gailey or whatever.
Thanks for the welcome! As for the Express and Star, that’s a good point. I appreciate that many papers are introducing paid content but it feels a lot of money just to read a few articles about the Wolves. Also rather annoying the Wolves content that’s not marked PLUS is still blocked from viewing on my phone, even though it’s supposed to be free. I do still watch Nathan Judah and Liam Keen on YouTube though, I find their summaries of matches entertaining.
Have a good weekend!
Express and liar are having a laugh Matt.
See you in the Lynch gate tomorrow.
Got covid mate …Duckies too
Hope it’s not too bad Matt. Get better quickly.
KTF
Do you mind ..
I care a lot about roundabouts in Gailey ..
it’s a sound idea though LWL … why pay a fee to read about nothing stories ..
Welcome to the blog Catford. It is always a balanced blog, with some excellent bloggers contributing.
KTF
You can listen to the E&S podcast on Soundcloud, just get the number and headline from the E&S and search on the Soundcloud site.
Pay no heed to the 5-0 Forest thrashing at Fulham this week, they will be shutting up shop tomorrow and playing for a draw. I don’t think we will be seeing fancy stepovers from MGW, unless in his own penalty area. 1-0 to Wolves.
Let’s go!! Hoping to keep another clean sheet!! 2-0 in Wolves favor!!!
Am slowly warming to Sarabia and the porous Forest back line could be another opportunity for him to show his talents. Bentley the clean sheet man, I’m hoping he can continue in the same vein, he and those around him are good enough to do it. Let’s get 2-0 ahead by 80 mins then manage the rest of the game with aplomb and a few rounds of ole, ole, ole, ole!
I feel this one will be electric.
I see a few yellows and a red being dished out.
Here’s hoping all 3 points stay at Molineux.
Graham, let’s hope the cards are all for players in red (or whatever stupid second or third strip they play in!) and not old gold.
Tricky game that needs a decent ref (don’t laugh!) – anyone know who’s got the whistle tomorrow?
Discipline lads and we can win this, lose your heads and over react to any cheating provocation and it could be a disaster.
COMBs!
Are you serious…
Ref tomorrow is Sam Barrott .. Sam who I hear you say .. exact…!!!
Why do we always get shit refs …
They are all shit atm
Will be OK with this
These encounters have been fiery of late so important to keep cool heads tomorrow and avoid getting pulled into skirmishes and send offs . Let’s hope for no VAR antics as well. Come on Wanderers!
Not going to be easy ,they’ll try and be all over us in the first 20 hoping to get something like the previous few games we’ve played, but we are at home so hopefully the crowd will play a huge part
Another clean sheet ?
Something unsettling about that Chris Wood. Looks like the sort of bloke who would trip your granny up in the queue at Tesco in order to get in front. If you combined Chris Wood with MGW you would almost certainly get something so ugly it would put you off your beer. So the key tomorrow is to keep them off the equation. Come to think of it. If you combined MGW Chris Wood and Steve Cooper in to a morphous being it will culminate in something so horrid you are unable to open the curtains. Not tomoz. Wolves 2 Forest 1.
.
Greetings Bloggers old and new,
The Coops balloon is looking well and truly flat. What a Joy to see Jimi’s nonchalant back heel for Fulham’s fourth. Coops doing his best ‘Bulldog chewing thistle’ impression. He probably won’t have many more uncomfortable evenings in his career.
But let’s keep the pressure on the Forest boys and not start like a Sunday stroll in the country. Keep the home wins going Gazzbo and dish out some ointment to Coops. You know the score.
1 lv & COYW
Let’s have a fast start tomorrow and get out of second gear that we were in on Tuesday and that should be enough to chopped the forest down and make it two in a row
This is sure to be a testy one. I’m hopeful the wolves keep their calm and come away with another 3 huge points.
I’m not sure when the Forest game became such a grudge match. Is it just the MGW effect? However, for sure it’s now the one, with the Vile and Manure, that we all want to win.
Only one of us can though of course, and, with us lot spuring the lads on, I feel we are going to sweep them aside and, from all reports, seal the fate of their beleaguered manager.
The interesting question for me is Sa or Bentley. Can you drop a keeper who hasn’t yet conceded and has looked composed and confident in everything he’s done?
Difficult one for young Gary but I know which way I’d go.
Should be a fun afternoon.
also worried MGW will try his best with an ax to grind, but here’s hoping we show our quality can’t be stopped by var.
Sometimes you can try too hard.
Both Forest and ourselves struggle to score and both of us have negative goal differences as well. Given that I’m going for a score draw.
It’s been a weird week of PL matches
Such poor football not least by Citeh … Villa just had to show up
Spuds crap
Jimenez scores 2 .. well
Done
Would we boo him?
No
Why boo MGW ?
He did nothing wrong like Nunes
Any road
This fixture always trips my nostalgia button
Peter Knowles played his last game
We were 3-0 at half time and could have scored 5
Final result 3-3!
Hope not tomorrow
Need focus on 3 points please
We have a better squad and should win
Ok
I
Know this is boring
But please please can anyone see how I might land 2 tix for Brentford on Dec 27 th!!???
Flying back to USA the next morning
Would love to Wanderers spoil the B’ s Christmas while I’m nearby
OODCL
Squeaking bye.
One for old times sake
FOWB
Keep it going
I always get nervous playing a team on a poor run but I can never understand why, there’s a reason they are on the poor run.
Fancy us tomorrow Bellegarde in for Sarabia and probably Sa back in goal for the unfortunate Bentley
Wolves are favourites today, but that is an irrelevance.
It’s the score at 5pm that matters.
It seems that if we win, we send Cooper packing. The Forest boss is in a precarious position after just 1 win in 11 and a 5-0 humiliation at Fulham midweek (Raul 2).
The supporters are largely still behind him, but the mutterings of discontent among the players, and the owners staring at the possibility of relegation should things continue, will only mean one thing if they lose today.
Interestingly, over 33 games they have a 42% win record with their striker, Awoniyi, but only 11% since his groin injury. And he’s injured today.
Forest’s inability to find a way without him is costing them dear.
Decisions for the boss; to start Sa or Bentley. Daniel made a strong case for his consideration with his showing against Burnley and Arsenal. With Raysn Ait-Nourhi injured, as long as Hugo Bueno has recovered sufficiently from his severe cramp on Tuesday, he would be expected to start. If not then Doherty.
Sarabia would have a right to feel disappointed if not in the starting line up after recent performances ( for goodness sake sort out your corner delivery). The multi positional Bellegarde could take his place.
Neto is still at least a week away from a return, but he absolutely must not be rushed back.
I predict a 3-1 win and a lot of stick for a former one of our own.
UTW
Reasons for disliking MGW:
He is arrogant
His girlfriend is rude , jumped down my throat and was aggressive when I suggested wolves needed to improve in second half in an away game when he was playing. I was talking generally but she assumed I was talking about him.
She was in the toilet and I did not realise she was there until she came out all guns blazing.
MGW has tried to wind up our players to get them booked in the last couple of games. Hope our players keep their cool today as I am sure he will be doing the same.
His goal celebrations against us. Hope I don’t see one today.
I would never boo players who have left but Nunes and
MGW are the exception.
Hopefully a more positive performance today and a win. Would like Bentley to play and keep another clean sheet. Don’t know what has happened to Sa. When he came in and replaced Patricio, we all thought his distribution was so much better, however it certainly is not now. Is it lack of confidence or less confidence in his defence?
This is a good time to build on consistency (that’s winning two out of two). It was great to see Cunha getting a couple of goals and hopefully lift his morale. As a further encouragement, I would like to tell him that I have added him to my Fantasy League team. So a hat trck against Forest would be absolutely wonderful.
Going for a 3-1 win. Cunha to get a hat trick after forest go in the lead in the first 10 mins.
Easy 2-0 (he writes with little real confidence)
Two wins in a week seems too good to be true but Forest should be there for the taking after the Fulham debacle. They may come out fighting for Cooper and we’ll have to cut out the sloppy errors from the other night. Things are rarely straightforward for us but I’ll back us to get the win.
At the start of the week I’d have snapped your hand off for 4 points from the possible 6. So a point today wouldn’t be bad at all. However Molineux is a tough place to come at the minute so I’m confident about getting a win. I’ll say a hard fought 2 1 with cunha and hwang with the goals
.
What I want to know is we have lost a big Willy and a stiff Johnny what will happen next?
Crowd will boo MGW but not big Willy?
It’s difficult to predict the score for this one, but we’re at home and Forest are in a mess so it really should be a Wolves win.
This won’t be easy but I’m going for a nervy win.
A somewhat optimistic 3 – 1 to the mighty Wolves
Things to worry about
Woods and MGW
We were very poor v Burnley
We are brilliant at stopping opposition’s poor runs.
utw
Could be feisty with all the vitriole towards MGW winding him up, personally I don’t blame him going and speaking out on the way he was treated, he’s a great player. Wet ground and sliding tackles could see a few cards brandished. 2-1 the wolves
We’re over due another Var controversy, mgw dive in the box?
I suspect this one will be tough. Fully expect it to be tight.
Also I think J Los problem was that we were shite and he wasn’t been given the money to improve. Also the rumour was kilman was next out of the door so I could see his justification. Forest are still spending so he could do a job there. Suspect the temptation of the United job will be too much though.
I’ve predicted a loss last time and we won so I’ll go with that logic again.
Time for Wolves to go on a roll.
Are you Dougie in disguise..
Want to see Wolves really attacking this one. We were just too passive for long spells against Burnley. Nottingham Forest will have a go today and we need to exploit the inevitable emerging gaps and progress the ball up the pitch at speed. Good chance for another 3 points. UTW
Very winnable – looking for a comfortable victory.
3-1 wolves