Whatever happens in our remaining games, we already know that history will remember this current Wolves side.
Deservedly so too.
It was stated by some that we were expected to reign supreme like this for the duration, but as we saw earlier in the season, the advantage of greater resources only comes into play when used wisely.
Wolves had to stumble through the first half of this campaign, relying on the profligacy of others to keep in touch at the top.
But even when they got their act together in mid-December, performances didn’t always deliver results. A one point return from dominant displays against Gillingham and Leyton Orient underlining the fact.
So for this team to wrack up 9 wins on the bounce, overcoming a variety of opposition using all manner of tactics as well as Kenny’s much-talked about ‘high motivation levels’, is a remarkable achievement.
Shrewsbury
A glance at the table suggests Wolves will never have a better chance to claim a tenth consecutive league win. The Shrews are languishing down in 23rd place, just two points off the bottom.
Their away form is bad, but perhaps not as bad as their league position would suggest. They’ve lost eight of their sixteen away matches thus far, but claimed three wins and five draws.
Scoring goals has been the major problem and the 34 they’ve managed this season represents the lowest of any team in League One. Liam McAlinden scored three of those goals in his nine game loan spell prior to the new year.
A 1-1 draw with Crawley kept them within touching distance of safety and an unlikely win at Molineux tomorrow could see them climb out of the relegation zone.
Wolves
Sam Ricketts is reportedly a minor doubt for this one. I’d like to see the same XI again of course, but if the skipper doesn’t make it, then Matt Doherty is a more than capable replacement.
Great to see Leon Clarke come on and get his first goal in his second spell at the club in midweek. A very well taken goal it was too. His confidence should be high whenever he’s called upon for this one.
I just wonder whether Kenny might look at this game and consider making a few changes? The likes of Doherty, Clarke and maybe even Dave Edwards could be a given a start to save legs ahead of another midweek away fixture at Crawley.
The odds
Wolves are massive favourites to make it ten in a row at 1/3. The draw is a generous 9/2 and an away win is as unlikely 10/1. A good week for insurance betters.
Jack Price and Sam Ricketts are the only two outfield players yet to score for Wolves this season. If you fancy either of them to correct that with the first goal tomorrow, they’re 14/1 and 25/1 respectively.
The gaffer
Predictions
I had my work cut out this morning adding all the PL points to the overall table from the last three matches. Suffice to say, most people added to their tallies.
A particular well done to Dalmation Wolf who got the scores bang on in our last two historic wins. No mean feat when you consider the 3-0 and 4-1 scorelines in those matches.
This weekend I’m backing us to win, hopefully by a comfortable margin again. It’s imperative we do so as well with Leyton Orient and/or Brentford guaranteed to drop points. A draw or a Leyton Orient win probably the best result from that game I’d say.
Derby or no derby, Wolves have the better players and unless we do something very stupid, I just can’t see us not winning again.
3-0.
Up The Wolves!
Wolves 6 Shrewsbury 0
I see Shrewsbury as being the sort of team that might be overawed by playing us. They’re low on confidence and I think we can get on top of them quickly, much like we did against Swindon. I really think if we get stuck into them early then we could pick up a tidy 4-0 win.
I think it will be the oppersite they’ll be up for it, they’d get grate satisfaction turning us over there in a win, win situation everyone’s expecting them to get hammered but football doesn’t always work out like that just because there 2nd from bottom how many times have we seen this happen where the top team plays one of the bottom teams and gets turned over, complacency that’s what KJ trying to warn the players about I think some fans need to take notice too !
I think KJ may well make some slight changes to the current team in order to rest some players ready for the first of our away games in hand against Crawley on Tuesday. Winning that will be his priority I’m sure in order to create a decent gap to the teams just below us. That said, I think we should win tomorrow, driven on by another passionate showing by the Molineux faithful, with a scoreline of at least 3-0 against Shrewsbury.
Interesting that the Shrews manager has just commented in the E and S article that Wolves are not Real Madrid. That’s the second time in a month that the opposition have made such a statement. What is that all about? Surely it will only fire up our lads even more to prove a point tomorrow? Bring it on! COYW
I know, weird statement. We’re obviously more like Barcelona.
Right, this is a must win for us, and fingers crossed Orient beat Brentford 1-0 that will build the gap between them and us, and then when we play Orient a nice victory will see us clear at the top.
I expect us to win easily, a 4-1 again to Wolves would go down nicely and build on our impressive goal difference.
Only one result will be entertained in Houston tomorrow, 5 – 1 to the Wufflers.
C f H, This may well be the game your dream score becomes reality !
My favourite thing about the comments coming out of the Wolves camp after the Swindon result is that they are unhappy with the 2nd half display and want to make sure they are too good for the opposition throughout the full 90 minutes.
If we start against the Shrews with the same tenacity shown against the Robins then we should have another unassailable lead by half-time. Carry on in the second half and we could be looking at our first (and long overdue) cricket score this season.
Despite all the optimism and fantastic run of form, I still can’t shake the nagging memory of THAT season when the unmentionables pipped us to second place and got into the Prem. The one saving grace is the inimitable Kenny Jackett, who I thoroughly believe in to keep us going all the way to the last kick of the season, and deliver us our title.
Signs of encouragement too from Get West London, who predict we will finish top with 99 points (http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/pore-over-stats-predict-brentford-6830529). That would do nicely!
Finally, a word of thanks to Thomas and Ben, the fixture pile-up means you guys now have to provide an unenviable amount of content to keep the blog going in the style to which we have become accustomed. You guys spoil us, you really do.
Us 4 Them 0
UTW
Got to be a decent win tomorrow. We should be in a comfortable position by half time and then Spud can rest a couple of players ready for mid-week. I can’t remember being this optimistic for years, if ever. In Spud I trust for a 4-1 victory.
Can’t really see anything other than a home win here.
Wolves 3 – 0 Shrewsbury Town
Come On Wolves!
I would like to whole heartedly agree with Sleachy and thank Thomas and Ben for the amazing effort they put in on our behalf.
I noticed Kenny kept Bakary on until the 94th min on Tuesday and after 3 games in a week, I reckon he’ll give way for Clarke with Jacobs filling his wide pposition.
Shouldn’t affect the result though, 3-0.
I think I will rein it in a bit.
Wolves 2-0 Shrewsbury
Wolves 2 0 Shrewsbury. I think he’ll make a change or two. Hopefully complacency won’t be an issue. I think we’ll go home happy tho. Come on you wolves
A straightforward 3 – 0.
Ten straight wins? Hard to see any other outcome. 4-0 victory.
Rather surprised no one going for the obvious scoreline – 5-0 to the Wolves 🙂
Kenny to make changes but result the same 2-0 wolves
Gonna go for 2-0
I would actually like to see Wolves make some changes to the starting lineup, of course not too many, but there are decent players who need a game and I feel that we should have the measure of Shrewsbury to the point where resting a few regulars will do no harm.
I’d fancy Wolves to grab a 2-0 win.
Lets not get too carried away 6-1 to WWFC.
We have only conceded 9 goals at home all season – remarkable is an understatement 🙂
All games in this league are hard and it takes a great deal of effort for any team to go on a run of winning 9 games on the trot. We will need to be able to follow up the Swindon win with a more consistent 90 mins performance. Like others have mentioned, I was pleased to see how disappointed the players were with their second half performance at Swindon.
Listening to KJ talk is very refreshing. His attitude and application is top class. He talks a great deal of sense and his realisation of the potential dangers are spot on. I really can’t remember when I heard any Wolves manager talk with such passion and common sense. Top marks to him.
On to the game and whilst I expect us to win it may be closer than a lot of people on here think, though I hope I am wrong!
Wolves 2-1 Shrewsbury
🙂
Wolves win, 4-0
Thanks Clive for your nice comments .. much appreciated. When my body clock comes back to normal I’ll sent some pics to you…. NZ .. a not to be missed experience. Check out the A J Hackett website.
Back to tomorrow .. it’s my first game since end of Jan and I’m really looking forward to it. (no more 4am jobs). On paper we should win comfortably .. but I reckon the Shrews will have a 9 man defence sat just in front of the keeper .. making life difficult for us. Nevertheless I’ll go for a Wolves 2 v 0 Shrewsbury.
I think that Clive might, at last, have predicted the correct score. A good show tomorrow will do wonders (just like double diamond did all those years ago.) 3 points tomorrow and then onward to my neck of the woods on Tuesday (really looking forward to seeing the lads in action again.) 5-1 to the boys
First time I got drunk was on snakebite, made up of Woodpecker cider and Double Diamond!!!
I like another type of DD now…but that’s another story 😛
In my opinion this should be the most straight forward victory of all on our way to ‘The Perfect Ten’.
Who knows, Clive might even be in with a shout of getting a bonus point this week.
But I think that I agree with those who say that Kuddly Ken will rest a couple of players for the big games to come.
So I reckon it’s back to the Wolves standby score.
3-0 to the men in old gold.
Don’t you just love listening to KJ talking.
He is straight and honest and tells it exactly like it is.
His voice has a restful and relaxing quality.
I’ve not been sleeping so well lately and I’m sure it would be quite therapeutic to have him read me a bedtime story. It’s a King Size bed so I’m sure we’d fit him in…..
“What’s that dear?”.
“No there wouldn’t be room in the bed for the nice Mr Ikeme as well. And anyway, it’s sleep we want!”.
Sorry about that.
The present Mrs DG’er has other ideas.
Where was I?
Oh! Yes! The bedtime story.
It would start something like…
“Once upon a time there was a Wicked (fat) Witch of The West Midlands who ruled the land with a fist of iron and a locked wallet. All the good people left the land and the bad people stayed and there was great unrest.
All the witch cared about was gold and meat pies and blowing his own trumpet loudly throughout the land.
Then, one day, along came Prince Kenny and slew the witch and……
…….zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Goodnight all.
Funny!
Was the Wicked Witch’s name Morgana? Or perhaps the greedy, pie-gobbling Moxerella?
Please, do continue … does Prince Kenny fulfill the prophecy from the far land of Houstonia and his knights win by 5 gold pieces to 1?
🙂
GW
DOOGooder, I know exactly what you mean about Kenny’s voice. It has a soothing, reassuring quality to it.
He would have been great on Jackanory. Didn’t even realize there was a pun in that until I wrote it.
I also fully understand the present Mrs. DOOGooders “Chucky Egg” comment you posted on an earlier thread. I can fully see that too.
There is nothing what so ever to dislike about this guy.
Long may his reign continue.
That’s a cracker even Michael Jacob’s would have been proud of Doog.
4-0 to Wolves! Let’s make it 10!
Wolves 4 – 0 Shrewsbury for me please
Wolves 5 – 0 Shrewsbury
Time to get carried away 🙂
Thanks for the mention Thomas and/or Ben. I’m afraid my attention was directed towards Twitter at the pub quiz on Tuesday night so my contribution towards my team effort was miserable . I can therefore understand how the team let things slip in the second half. Not so Saturday I think, so I’m going for 6-0. It’s about time we really put someone to the sword, and I think Mr Jackett will be emphasising the need for a very healthy goals for column. If I get this one right as well, I’m straight off to the corner shop for a lottery ticket.
I really hope that’s your hat-trick mate. what a result that would be!
With the greatest of respect to Shrewsbury surely this has to be 10 in a row?
My tribute beard is starting to itch.
Wolves 3 – Shrewsbury 1
UTW
Have you tried washing it?
Wash a beard?
What a novel idea.
That’s why I still got last month’s egg yolk in there!!
Do they have runny yolks your side of the pond then Clive?
I think this could be a tougher game than most people think but I’ll still go for Wolves to win 3-0.
Comfortable 5 – 1 victory for the Wolves!
All winning runs come to an end. However I do think we’ll achieve the perfect ten and win this one. I’m going for 3-0 although I wouldn’t be surprised at a higher margin as sooner or later we’re going to chalk a big score up. I think KJ will keep the same starting line up and gradually give Clarke more game time. What a cracking last goal against Swindon! Dicko, as I’ve said elsewhere, is beginning to remind me of “wee” Johnny Hancocks from the great Wolves sides of the 1950s. Wee Johnny, whilst a winger, was also one of the all-time highest goal scorers for Wolves. Both are diminutive in height, with a low centre of gravity, an eye for goal, and fast!
Mike Jackson : “it’s not like we are playing Real Madrid”
Well maybe not but it’s the closest thing to them this league has ever seen.
He obviously hasn’t watched the Brentford and Swindon goals.
Stick it up’em lads.
Don’t know whether I have been thinking too much about Clive from Houston lately, but I found myself driving home today singing…..
5-1 to the Wanderers,
5-1 to the Wanderers,….
You all know the tune to sing along to.
So that’s my prediction.
Come on me Bearded Babbies!!
If you have been thinking too much about me, you really need to get a life.
I know I am attractive and gorjus, and like to make new friends, but there are limits!!
I wasn’t thinking of you in that regard Clive.
I have a very full life and a beautiful young wife.
If I am ever Houston way on business however, I may have to look you up and talk Wolves over a couple of pints in the Richmond Arms.
A little glance at the tables ,we are 6 goals behind Orients total. So 6-0 for me
Be good to see Graham Turners old boys tomorrow,
Happy Days are here again.
We’re gonna win A Football league again
And so on
Could and should be an avalanche ..
But we all know it isn’t as easy as that….or is it?
Wolves 3-0 Sako Dicko Clarke
Have to disagree with Clive!
Wolves 5 Shrewsbury 0
I’m going Wolves 5 Shrews 1
For once, a serious note.
Please give Graham Turner the biggest roar of the season when he shows up tomorrow.
All that needs to be said is that HE SIGNED BULLY
Ay Men.
And a big thank you to Ron Saunders, after all Bully’s first touch wasn’t good enough.
FOwb, and thanks for Bully and Tommo.
Don’t know whether you have seen this Clive.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQBf7QDsGU4
I saw that years ago, but thanks for sharing it again. Great piece that. The bit about the lad who fell through the roof had me laughing!
COME ON ME BABBIES!
Optimistic, positive, confident, certain we WILL gain promotion. The Score? It’s been rolling around the many empty spaces in my head all week………..Wolves 4 Shrewsbury 0
I hope we’ll start with Dicko and Sako, in fact an unchanged side apart from any injuries. By all means bring on substitutes later when we’re well ahead. I’d be nervous if we play too many ‘new’ faces, altho I’m sure they”ll play their parts as the season roars to its end.
Wolves 5 Shrews 0
I was gutted when we conceded last week – almost like we’d lost ! Surely another clean sheet tomorrow ?
It will be interesting to see how we go against a more packed, deep defence. A high line has seen some beautiful defence splitting passes and lightning pace tear through the opposition.
Wolves 2 – Shrews 0
Straightforward 3 points but expect Shrewsbury won’t want to ruin their goal difference too much so may continue to park the bus even when behind
Wolves 3-0 Shrewsbury Town
No disrespect to Mr Turner as he did a good job for us many years ago but can’t see the shrews stopping us ,I’ll go for a 3-0 win for wolves
I can’t see anything other than a thumping here.
5-0 win to the mighty Wanderers!
3-0 to the Wolves
UTW
3 – 0.
And I’m sorry about my earlier comment about snakebite and liking buxom women.
Thought I’d better say that, in case Mrs Telford Wolf ever reads the blog.
Wolves 6
Shrewsbury 0
Jackett 10
Out of 10
Clive could well hit the jackpot this week,but I’m going for
Wolves 4 Shrews 0
Still waiting for that thrashing so I’m going for a 5-0 to me babbies.UTW
Wolves 3:0 Shrewsbury
Yes, time at last to go with CfH, though I can only see them scoring if we have some sort of lapse, perhaps thinking about the crowded fixtures to come. That might also mean 5 aren’t racked up. But still, 5-1 Wolves.
Great day out in Shrewsbury in the sunshine, earlier this season. Let’s hope for the same tomorrow.
Good to get chance to acknowledge Graham a Turner again. What he did for Wolves is on par with what KJ is doing now.
Keep picking same team. Don’t make changes unless enforced. The wins will keep the young legs going strong. Looking for another comfortable win tomorrow.
Wolves 4 Shrewsbury 0
I have pushed a slight worry about a draw to the back of my mind. Given the quality of the goals that are going in at the moment and the fact that everyone seems to want the ball and is capable of using it to good effect it’s difficult to see why the run should not continue for a bit.
I’ll go for Wolves 4 Shrewsbury 0.
Having a friday evening sup and reading the best football blog in the world (friends and going out was last night ! – live on my rep now anyway).
Looking at this record of 14 consecutive wins currently held by 4 clubs – Arsenal, Bristol City, Preston and Man Ure. Wouldnt it be great if we
could put one name on this 100 year plus record.
Pheonix and Ashes spring to mind as well as Darkness and Light. I am not
religious or superstitious but the prayer mat is out and the horseshoe is in the lucky underpants. Lets do this !
UTWFOWBWTID.
It is always a worrying sign when anything Clive writes has the remotest connection with reality but just this once
Wolves 5 Shrews 1
When i was last in the UK, whenever myself and my dad went to a Wolves game we always had a tendency to lose. Dad’s going to the game on Saturday so hopefully the trend won’t continue! If so we all know who to blame….
Wolves 2-0 Shrewsbury
May need to rest a few for this one, One or two looked a bit leggy in the 2nd half at Swindon but after the brilliant first half who can blame them. As a team thats as good a 45 as Ive seen in years Loved the closing down and pace going forward and not seen passing so crisp like that ages. Whatever the team another 3-0 is on the cards.
Wolves 4-0 Shrews. Nuff said.
Not sure my earlier post got through,but 3-0 to the golden boys.
COME ON YOU WOLVES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Blinded by the light shining through our team at the moment. Got to be No 10, got to be there. Wolves 4 Shrewsbury 0.
Wolves 5 Salopians 0!
GT at The Mol tomorrow – gonna be pretty emotional I imagine for him and not an few of the old gold ‘n’ black faithful. God those days back in the 80s what a roller coaster ride that was! From the desperate days of the Bhattis and huddled up at the top of the south bank wondering how the fVck things ended up so bad to the best days ever with Bully, Mutch and Robbie D causing havoc and of course GT (Wolves fan to boot) in charge. Great, great days! And thanks to Kenny and the boys he’s got down there now, it’s sort of happening all over again. Just hope KJ manages to do what Turner (unluckily) missed out on and get’s us back to the Prem, where we belong! Come on The Wolves!
Wolves 2-1 Shrewsbury (because i havn’t seen too many if any 2-1’s)
Wolves 4-0 Shrewsbury
No idea why but 1 – 1 for me
Got to be double figures. COYW
Wolves 3 – 1 Shrewsbury
Wolves 4-0 Shrews. The march to the title continues.
I don’t think they will be the push over most people think this will be there cup final the highlight of there season may be carerer for some of them. They will be up for pudding on our chips, big crowd big stadium, no I think like the last couple of games at home the first 30, 45 minutes will be tight until we gradually start to take control of the game
I’m sticking to not predicting a win and I wouldn’t be that surprised with a draw there coming here and everunify is expecting them to lose so what have they got to lose, nothing and that makes them dangerous.
Remember what KJ said about the second half At Swindon, complacency just because there down the bottom doesn’t mean we have won already.
Hmmm…If we are resting players, 2-0 to Wolves…if not, could be 4-0…
I’ll go for 3-0
My Step-dad is the reason I’m a Wanderer. When he was a lad living in Whitmore Reans he used to hear the roar from the Mol during the midweek matches as he was going to bed, and he’d ask his mum what the noise was. “Don’t worry dear, it’s just the Wolves”. Well obviously that put the fear of god into him, until he was old enough to work out what she really meant.
By the time of Bull, Mutch et al he was a season ticket holder and had just married my mum. Excited about what was going on he started taking me along, and I remember him telling me we used to be a big club, and we were on the way back and would get there again.
He kept his season ticket until last year, but since Brighton away he hasn’t been able to bring himself to go to a game. After enduring all the shite we had served up week after week, he just couldn’t put himself through it again.
I’ve been on at him all season to get involved again, and he’s had various arguments as to why he isn’t ranging from “we might be doing well at this level, but it’s not like it was in the 80s” to “I think I’m just going off football in general”.
Well today is the day he has finally relented. He’s got tickets in the North Bank for him and my Mum and I’m delighted. This is testament to the giant strides KJ has made in reconnecting with the fans, and I am beyond grateful.
I hope we deliver one of the scorelines we used to in the 80s, as that would really make his day.
UTW
Nice one mate!
Let us know what he thought about it.
I’m sure the lads won’t let him down.
It might turn out to be one of those days when nothing goes right and they nick one against the run of play, or we’ll run rampant. Wolves 5 – Shrewsbury 0
Only one outcome for me…so much so it’s even on the coupon.
Wolves 5 – 0 Shrewsbury
UTW!
Wolves 5-0 Shrewsbury
Wolves 2-0 shrewsbury
A bit too late to comment – but I agree with all above about the confidence in the team …
Wolves 3 Shrews 1