With Wolves now five points from safety and hampered by a growing list of injuries, there doesn’t seem much cause for optimism ahead of Saturday’s game against Sunderland.
Following last weekend’s deflating loss at Blackpool, Mick McCarthy is now under intense pressure to deliver a result against his former side, knowing the consequences of another defeat could be severe – both for him and the club.
Karl Henry has been ruled out for two months with medial knee ligament damage and with Dave Edwards and Adlene Guedioura already on the sidelines, we have very few options in midfield.
Christophe Berra will also sit this one out having picked up his fifth booking of the season. Still, there’s some good news on the defensive front, as Ronald Zubar could well be named in the squad having completed his return from injury with an hour’s run out for the reserves.
But what of Sunderland?
Well, they’re currently seventh in the table and following that impressive 3-0 win at Chelsea, all eyes are very much on them in their first away match since the victory at Stamford Bridge. Interestingly though, that famous triumph was their only win on the road to date, with four draws and two defeats in their other games away from the Stadium of Light.
In fact, they’ve only won four games in total this season, which just goes to show how important scraping a few draws together can be.
Steve Bruce has his own injury problems to contend with too and will be without his first choice center-half pairing of Titus Bramble and Michael Turner for this one. That’s a massive boost for Wolves as the Mackems have built much of their success to date on a consistent and solid back-line.
The question is though, can we exploit that?
This is the team I think we’ll see from Wolves:
Hahnemann
Foley
Stearman
Mouyokolo
Elokobi
Hunt
Mancienne
Jones
Milijas
Jarvis
Doyle
I’m certain we’ll go 4-5-1 and given our lack of options in defence and midfield, that lineup seems the most likely bet. Mick could opt to throw in Zubar, Ward or van Damme at the back, but I’d be surprised to see any of them recalled. He could also give Fletcher a start on the right side of midfield instead of Hunt, whose struggled in recent games.
Prediction League
Well done to Jed and Stourbridge Wolf for getting the result spot-on last weekend. Special mention to Stourbridge too for correctly predicting Doyle would break his duck against ‘Championship defenders’. No extra points I’m afraid though, especially as you’re rapidly closing the gap on me at the top.
Kowloon Wolf, Exeter Wolf and Martin all picked up a point each for guessing we’d lose, without predicting the correct score.
This weekend, against all better judgment, I’m backing Wolves to get that all important win.
I think we’ll once again struggle at the back against the pace of Bent, Wellbeck and Gyan, so a cleansheet seems unlikely. But I’m hoping this will be the game where a few things come off for our attackers, particularly against a weakened Sunderland defence.
2-1 Wolves.
If you’re going to Molineux this weekend, get right behind the lads and lets really show our support. They need it more than ever.
Up The Wolves.
Must win? Yes sir.
Will we lose? Yes sir.
Wolves 0 – Sunderland 3
The form books say it all….
Sing your hearts out for the lads.
0-0. A boring no-score draw.
I’ll break out some champers for the clean sheet though.
You’re not going to have a headache Sunday morning are you Kowloon!
Clean sheet..???? Think you’ve broke out the Champers too early !!!!
Another defeat i’m afraid. Think i’m getting the hang of this prediction stuff, 1-2.
BTW Thomas what’s happened to the table. Or am i missing something?
The table can always be accessed via the ‘Prediction League’ link in the menu at the top of the site.
Or go here:
https://wolvesblog.com/prediction-league
0 – 2 .
Vote of confidence.
McCowardly gone.
Clipboard gone.
Most fans happy.
New Manager in.
Most fans happy.
Ward gone.
ALL fans happy.
Wolves start winning.
Safe.
All fans happy.
Next season top 4 finish and good cup runs.
Following season Champions League winners
All fans happy.
Clive wakes up.
Reality kicks in, McCowardly still here.
No fans happy.
that’s poetry that is
By the way, a fact of absolutely no earthly interest to you lot across the water, but it’s Turkey Day over here, Thanksgiving and all that bollocks.
Two days of piggin’ out and watching the most boring sport of all on TV, American Throwball.
If it’s any constellation, our stars, the Houston Texans, are worse than the Wolves, and our once mighty Basketball team, the Rockets are stuck at the bottom of their division as well.
Happy fuckin’ days!!!
FOWB
Cowboys and Saints was far from boring matey !
wolves lose
one fan (?) happy
tick tock
Wolves Lose – Clive Happy? I’m not sure I’d know the answer, given we don’t know the consequences of the loss. Clive, I’d be fascinated as to your response.
I’m never happy when we lose, but if it means MM out then bring it on.
I’m sure you mean Michael Turner, but I will let that one go.
It is a must win, as will be the next few games. Can we win, I think so but it’s going to be a tough job.
We will need Mancienne to be immense in the middle, and with Milijas and Jones infront of him we shouldn’t be short of creativity. In the two games I have seen them play together, they have linked up well which shows why we need more technical players in the middle.
Hunt is due a game where his hard work pays off, which will help Jarvis more than anything. Onuoha is only young, and I think he won’t have a clue what to do with Matty.
1-0 Wolves. Doyle.
Nice spot Louie. Fixed now.
Although you can hardly blame me. They’re both defenders and they both have that vacant, gormless look, so it’s easy to get confused.
And both English.
Talking of english defenders, when is Jody Craddock back? I’m sure he had set the Bolton game as his target..
Another 4 to 6 weeks amd he’s gutted apparantly.
Wolves 0 – 2 Sunderland
No way will we cope with the forward line of Sunderland. This should be McGoo’s last game in charge!
There is no altenative to play 451, as with Henderson & Cattermole in midfield, feeding their very pacey attack, we will have a problem. Our only hope is Wolves for a change score early and put the opposition on the back foot. I`d love to win this one, but I`m afraid we will lose 1-3.
What about Hunt at left back? I’m sure he played there for Reading and he couldn’t do any worse than those we’ve already tried.
Let’s hope this is the week we start to convert our chances. We’re making enough of them and now Doyle has ended his goal drought I fancy us to win 2-1
I’ll go for another 2-2 (My third in a row – gotta get it right some time)
No ways will we keep a clean sheet.
I’m going for a 2-2 draw here.
Doyle to get another goal and Wolves to squander a 2-nil lead!
3-2 to Sunderland. Our back 4 looked like total strangers against Bolton and Sunderland seem pretty bloody good going forward. Hope I’m completely wrong
I’ve given up being optimistic as its got me nowhere in the prediction league, 4-0 Sunderland and McCarthy sacked Sunday morning. Lets hope my poor run continues….
Wolves are about as good as the awful English cricket team you have sent here….so Wolves 1 Sunderland 2
Dazza, are you an Aussie or an English expat?
Just wondering whether you’re sledging our cricket team as an Aussie or just annoyed by the two days play we’ve had thus far as an Englishman?
For what it’s worth, either way, I think Engalnd will retain the urn. I fancy a 2-2 series draw.
Hi Thomas…am an expat…and EXTREMELY pissed off with this so far.No fight, meek bowling, bad captaincy
The Gabba graveyard about to, yet again, claim the first scalp. I reckon we will lose 3-0 unless we find some bowlers
2-1 Wolves (surely our luck has got to change…) Milijas and Fletcher
1 win in 14 with your best team for pretty much all of this period is not down to bad luck.
You’ll be lucky if MM picks Milijas! Probably drop him to accomodate a return for Ward (on crutches!)
Wovles 1 Sunderland 3. I don’t want this. I really really don’t. However I think it might occur. Would happily trade three prediction league points for 3 league points.
Also – Thomas, Jon, Bob China – unlucky, you appear to believe too heavily in Lawro. I think that you should be given a chance to change your mind if your guess is the same as his.
Mind you if Lawro “[has] a feeling this weekend is will see their season turn for the better. ” – who are we to argue.
I know, Lawro’s predictions have been like a kiss of death this season.
He seems to say we’ll win most weeks. In fact, I’m sure if you added up all his predictions to date we’d probably be in the top 8.
……if only (sigh)
We’re actually 10th in the Lawro league – West Ham are 8th.
Wolves 1:2 Sunderland.
We can not defend for toffee.
Again – no joy in picking up prediction league points for a loss at Blackpool last week! No joy in predicting another defeat, but can not see where our neext win is coming from (hope I am wrong though).
Vote of confidence to follow early next week, Championship football next August!
1-2. We’ll score early and lose cruelly in the last minute. I sincerly hope this will not be the case!
I’m going for a Wolves win (again).
2-1 i reckon and we’ll hear a rendition on Super Mick aswell.
Interesting to hear Mick say we were interested in loaning Danny Wellbeck before he went to Sunderland.
He’s exactly the kind of striker I think we need to supplement what we have already; quick, strong and direct.
A striker of that ilk is a must for me in January.
I’d prefer a quick strong left back.
Sorry to sound like a broken record, but if we see the following back 4 of
Mancienne Craddock Mouyokolo Zubar
then we would keep far more clean sheets? Got to be better than
Ward/Elokobi Berra Stearman Foley
I know JC is injured, but something like that is far more balanced, and Mancienne has been schooled in Chelsea’s academy as a bone fide left back.
Any thoughts?
Yeah, left back definitely the priority.
Although with our midfield injuries, we’re going to need one of those too.
Craddock must play when fit. People harp on about his age, but for me thats a good thing because he his experience means less errors, particularly when compared with Stearman.
I like your back four. Pace, ability on the ball and as I say, experience with Crddock to tie it all together.
The only thing I’d say is if we’re going to play 451, Mancienne has to play in midfield because we’ve got nobody else to slot in alongside Jones and Milijas.
In the short term I wouldn’t mind seeing:
Zubar
Berra
Mouyokolo
Van damme
Too right Thomas – if we had signed Wellbeck we could have spent the £7million wasted on Fletcher on a decent left back and centre half.
Ben – hear what you say about Mancienne, but probably need him to fill the Karl Henry void for the next couple of months. Would have been nice to see it tried prior to his injury though – but that would have involved some tactical sense from MM!
I was very keen to see Wolves sign Dindane over the summer, as I thought he’d bring something different and for a fraction of the cost we paid for Fletcher.
And as you say, that would have freed up money to spend elsewhere.
I think Fletcher is a good player though and he’s a goalscorer as his three to date with limited opportunities demonstrates.
The problem is where do you work him in? We’re not strong enough in defence or midfield to play 4-4-2, so unless you’re going to give him a run up front on his own or stick him out on the wing, he’s going to be a bit-part player.
I can only think Mick thought we’d play 4-4-2 this season or splashing out £7 million on Fletcher would surely have been as frivolous.
Play him at left back.
Jez Moxey pipes up and I have an instant reminder of why I prefer silence from the Wolves Finance Manager.
“we are missing Dave Edwards” ok thanks for that Jez, the guy is one of the most ordinary players I have seen in a wolves shirt and to spend the money McCarthy has, and now be clinging to the return of someone who didn’t get in the team when we got promoted, smacks of desperation.
“we play 451” do we? Maybe you should have told McCarthy this against Stoke, Fulham, Everton, Newcastle, Tottenham, Wigan West Ham, Aston Villa, and Bolton, where our record was p9, w1, d3, l5.
“we are amid an injury crisis” – Jez needs to be reminded Berra is actually suspended and Adlene Gueurdiora is at best a substitute. McCarthy showed his faith in Gueurdiora at home against Aston Villa earlier this season when he chose Edwards over Adlene and it was a terrible decision.
“the fans need to manage their expectations over forthcoming games” – this is coming from the guy who gets all the press down to Molineux to announce major stadium redevelopments but will not be lowering the price of the tickets because people will come from far and wide to be at the new Molinuex complex. You are deluded Jez, please stop giving Mick McCarthy millions of pounds and then questioning those wolves fans who have expectations a little better than bottom of the league, 9 defeats in 11 and a shocking 1 win in 14 games.
Mick has also revealed he doesn’t listen to phone ins and views of the fans. Well Mick I admire your single mindedness but I am not sure it is so wise to consistently dismiss your customers opinion as utterly irrelevant.
Spot on Daniel!
I second that – spot on. If our future hangs on dave Edwards then god help us.
Exactly the type of cr@p we have come to expect from the fat controller during times of crisis.
Empty words, that will mean absolutely nothing after another couple of defeats.
I think we have missed Dave Edwards.
We’ve lacked some energy in the middle, which we lacked against Blackpool and have had no one to make late runs and retain possession for us. He is a very underrated player, but I think we need him back.
Scooped…Beat this:
Maaaa Maa Do Do Do played for years but scored just twice
Maaa Ma Do Do Do
Gone back home to play for Nice
How they laughed, when they thought, they had sold him for a quid,
‘Shit zee bed’ cried their fans, ‘ee is back we can’t get rid!
Slow day at work? ha,ha,ha!
Good chant tho!
I’ve been thinking…Nice doesn’t work phonetically, so it would have to be
Maaaa Maa Do Do Do got the jigsaw’s missing piece
Maaa Ma Do Do Do
Gone back home to play for Nice
For this only I want us to sign him!
Foley and Mouyokolo both struggling for tomorrow apparently, according to Mick.
God knows what our back four will be like.
Could be a blessing in disguise though if it means Zubar gets back in sooner.
Unquestionably my favourite Wolves player. Welcome back Ronald.
Here, here Thomas! The Zubes added something Foley doesn’t for me.
I dont know what exactly, but cant wait to have him back.
Zubar was fantastic at right back for us last year but I think Foley has played better this year. I’d like to see him given a go at centre back, as we need pace and power to go next to a leader at the back (Craddock/Berra).
Can’t for Zubes to be back in the side, wherever it is.
Anyone else sick of Dave Jones constantly giving bull shit headlines to the E&S???
He’s going for the kill tomorrow apparently. If he gets it maybe he will then go missing for 5-6 games like he did after scoring against Stoke?
The only headline he should create is that he has signed a new contract – otherwise keep your head down and shut up while we are in the relegation zone.
Dave Jones’ quotes –
“So maybe we’ve got to get our head around the fact that we’ve got to win these games.” – no shit sherlock, is your head saying anything else??
“If I do get those chances tomorrow, I’m going to put them away.” – We’ll see, but I bet you don’t!
“The mental side of the game is huge and it has a lot to do with your performance on the pitch. Bill’s been working with us for two years now and nothing’s changed really.” – yes nothing has changed, you’re still shit!
For me I’m sick of reading what the players have to say, less talk more performances!
It’s getting a bit boring now! Every Friday, on the official Wolves website it reads something along the lines of;
Boss’ praise for manager Owen Coyle, or boss’ praise for Sunderland or Blackpool or whoever we’re playing next!
Who cares? Get on with it and win some games and win some praise of your own Mick.
Quickly, please!!!
No idea what’s going to happen tomorrow. I’ll go for 1-1
A 1-1 draw I reckon.
Separate prediction…England to lose the first test by an innings and 150 at least
Totally embarrassing, I have switched it off, and going to clean the car instead!
2-1 wolves. although everything is telling me its gonna be a sunderland win.
It’s official now, straight from the manager’s mouth. We who dare to criticise the team or the manager or take a different view on this blog, we’re all ‘NUMPTIES’ and not real fans. Real fans ‘care about the club’. Real fans obviously blindly tow the official line. Always agree 100% with the manager’s decisions, have no opinions of their own and continually reassure him what a bloody good job he’s doing bottom of the league.
Denial is often the beginning of the end. Surruond yourself with yes men and bury your head in the sand.
For your information Mick, i’ve cared about this club all my life and will continue to do so long after you’ve moved on and couldn’t ‘care’ less.
While we really need a win, I’ll go with a 1-1 draw.
Hmmmm interesting team today. Both Elokobi and Ward in defence and Hennessey in goal. I really hope it comes off but I feel this could be our first serious hammering of the season.
Well I can’t recall ever seeing so many defensive-minded players in one Wolves team! Zubar, Stearman, Elokobi, Ward, Foley, Mancienne … it’s as if we’re going to play a “back six” or something.
Gulp … I hope it works. Telly on, beer in the mug. Here we go …
Crikey. Good performance, great result! Well done the lads!
Ward returns and puts in a sterling perfomance, two subs getting goals. Mick’s safe until at least Christmas now I reckon.
And rightly so on the strength of that. Cracking.
Ben, please stay in Dublin for the rest of the season!!!