On the whole, I’ve been impressed with our home form this season.
We’ve generally turned up in matches or at least hung in there and pushed teams right to the end when the performances haven’t been up to scratch.
That’s a sign of a good team.
Five of our eight remaining fixtures are at Molineux and I suspect they represent our best chance of picking up points.
This will be a tough one but we’re capable of getting a result.
West Ham
I’ll be keeping one eye on what happens at West Ham in the summer, partially fretting about the domino effect.
David Moyes reckons he’s been offered a contract extension and it’s up to him whether or not he signs it.
Should be leave, you do have to wonder if Gary O’Neil might be high up on their potential list of successors. Given his burgeoning reputation as one of the league’s top young coaches and his association with the club, I’d be concerned if they started sniffing around.
Nestled in seventh with a Europa League quarter final on the horizon, their season could still end in glory or turn sour depending on how the next month or so unfolds.
They’ve got a lot of talent in that team so I think it’s fair to expect they should be pushing the top six, which they are just about doing, coming into this one three points behind Man Utd.
I couldn’t believe how they folded at Newcastle last weekend to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, but a more solid display against Spurs on Tuesday was a reminder they’re not to be taken lightly.
Wolves
How many minutes can we get out of Cunha?
That’s got to be the thought ping ponging around Gary’s head. With his name on the team sheet, we look a credible top half outfit. Without him, you just see a gaping chasm.
I suspect it will be Fraser or Chiwome again, at least for the first half, and in fairness, we did enjoy some good spells at Villa and Burnley with the latter leading the line, so I shouldn’t be too critical.
Gary will give his injury update later I’m sure so hopefully we get some good news about Dawson, Bellegarde and Hwang. Getting those three back would be very handy indeed, although I suspect tomorrow is still too soon for all of them.
Predictions
Well done to silverwolf, Cheeseburger of Death, Aquilador, West Parksian, Aussiewolf and Winchcomb Wolf who all correctly predicted the 1-1 at Turf Moor.
I’m going to join them again, sitting on the fence with a 1-1 prediction. I feel equal doses of confidence and pessimism both about our prospects and what West Ham might produce. If they play to their maximum against our depleted team I struggle to see us keeping pace, but there’s still enough in this Wolves team to have hope and if we can stay in the game and get something out of Cunha, it could yet be our day.
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!
It’s always hard to work out what you’re gonna get with West Ham. What’s the opposite of a bogey side? Because at home, that’s what West Ham have been for us.
They haven’t won here with fans in the ground since our first game back in the PL in 2009. But you get that nagging feeling that can’t last forever, and they are a decent side.
Let’s hope Cunha is back in the side and it would be great to see Dawson too for this battle, but I’m not sure that’s likely.
Home advantage might just sway it for us. It’s probably going to be a trickle feed of our injured coming back in, but what with being safe, that would be better than rushing them back only to pick up a further injury.
I fancy Chiwome to get another chance and so long as RAN trusts him and feeds him the ball, I’m sure he can do something for us.
As Thomas mentions – West Ham are a very decent outfit and are pushing for a European place. But as we are only 3 points behind and with a game in hand we should consider ourselves on a par, at least once we have everyone back.
Let’s hope GON also remembers that if Moyles decides that he doesn’t fancy being booed at by the Hammers fans any longer.
They have been having as mixed a bag of results as we have recently too.
So another diffcult one to to predict. But I think we are due a win, inspired by perhaps by the return of Cunha to the Golden Palace.
I think most would agree that West Ham have a pretty decent team… and amongst them are players that can hurt you .. Paqueta, Antonio and the man mountain .. Kurt Zouma… so whoever Gary Galactico picks will need to be 8/10 or better…
I agree that GO’n sees Doherty as a key player in the remaining games… for experience alone , and I’d like to see him start..
Having Dawson return against his former club would be a plus but I don’t think he’s quite ready .. so it’s coming down to our main striker …CUNHA.
It would be nice for him to get a goal but that’s then putting on pressure and raising expectation..
We’re two teams pretty evenly matched league position wise so I’m hedging for a draw…
Bad signal in pub sorry need to send prediction
Whenever we play West Ham I am always reminded of poor old Arthur Fowler off EastEnders. He went stark raving bonkers on a bench in the square. No wonder really after Pauline threw a TV at him and then smashed him in the face with a frying pan. I think I would go bonkers as well. I occasionally sit on a bench by Gornal library and talk to the bush outside but apart from that I am pretty stable. It’s a nice bit of shrubbery and adds a certain ambience to Gornal. I was down there the other day and Tracy the basking shark popped by and offered me one of her orange chips which was nice. I said ‘how are we going to get on v West Ham?’. She said it’s a close one but thinks WWFC will shade it 3 goals to 2. I said that’s good, then I said adios to the shrubbery and went up the boozer. I will confidently predict a 3-2 win to Wolves. WWFC 3 WHAM 2.
Shrub be a good game …..
The Knights who say Ni. Bring us a shrubbery!
Still can’t see where we are going to score from. Best I can see is a low scoring draw
Cunha please be back and lead the line.
Couldn’t agree more with your opening two paragraphs Thomas. We’re clearly showing the signs of a good team. To which I add also, the signs of a good coach.
Forget Europe, a top ten finish would be a great achievement from where Gary started out in August. Sixth to 13th place is looking pretty crowded. Chelsea are finally getting it together in fits and starts. Top ten for us would mean overtaking Brighton or Newcastle, or even West Ham. If we beat the Hammers tomorrow we will be above them on GD. although level on points. Mind you, that might stir them to make a play for Gary. He’s a Bromley boy, from just down the road. I’d be inclined to back us 2-1 if Dawson was starting and Cuhna playing a good part. Without Dawson, 1-1 would be a result.
All depends whether Cunha gets on the pitch if just the second half would give the team a big boost.
Too much negativity.
A win to take us above the rented stadium lot with a game in hand.
Be positive everyone and make some noise tomoro.
Lemina back to his best
This season feels like it will end with a fizzle, not a bang…
Sadly, I can’t see our depleted team getting any points from this game.
They have pace (Bowen) and strength (Antonio) up front, while we have a promising 18yo.
Would love to see them take 3 points, but it’s hard to see where the goals will come from.
I’d take a point with a patched up strike force anyway. West Ham are a good side and have a bit more depth than us.
Third claret / blue gig in one week
1 more point doesn’t sound as fun as 3…..so why not?
Surprise us lads
Meantime still loved seeing manure cough up that 4 th goal
What goes around comes around
Just sad chelsea didn’t lose too
Aah… sod the injuries, we gonna win this one!
COYW!!!!!!
Our third glass of claret this week, a loss and draw. Gonna sign off with a win to complete the trio. UTW
A win!
It’s already been pointed out that tomorrow will be our third drop of claret in a week. Logically a loss and a draw should be followed by a win. That would be so good – and well earned by our battling heroes.
I suspect that, after a hard week, tomorrow will come down to which team can drag themselves over the finishing line. The Hammers seem better equipped, in terms of man power, but I can’t discount our boys.
Hoping to see some familiar old gold faces returning to the fold.
?????
Always a bit hit or miss with spam ,a bit like areselves you don’t know whose going to turn up
Don’t think chiwome should start as montezuma will absolutely bully him and hopefully Paqueta gets his marching orders early ,as he is one of the dirtiest players I’ve seen in a long time reminds me of the latinos in the seventies
Horses for courses is never truer when we play this lot. We don’t seem able to string two passes together when we play them away. At home though it’s a different story and, despite the depleted ranks, Moyes will be throwing his toys out of the pram come 5pm.
Looks like 2 closely matched teams, but our injury list of notable attacking stars will hamper us. I have a feeling we might come unstuck by the odd goal alas. I’m also getting nervous about our chances of clinging on to Gary I’m afraid.
This could go either way but home support will see us through!
Wish I knew the team. Where the goals will come from is still the issue.
If we are going to play the youngsters, the older players need to pass to them or we may as well play with ten men. I like the look of Chiwome. He made some nice runs against Burnley but was ignored. One particular occasion when he played a lovely through ball to Sarabia and then continued on his run into a good position only for Sarabia to ignore him and lose the ball.
If we can hold on till cunha gets on the pitch I think we could scrape a draw. With their attacking threat and how leaky our defence is I can’t see it happening. Think we’ll go 2-0 down and pull one back in the second half
Keep it at 0-0 till half time, then we release Cunha in the second half and mince the spammers to take the points
We need more heft up front and I still think our best option is the temporary use of Doc up front down the middle.
Presuming we will again prefer the use of boys against men, I will go for a 2-1 loss, hoping for a surprise.
COYW… ?
Hoping …
.
We’ve got no hope. But we’ve been without hope before and come up trumps.
Greetings,
Wet Spam may have distanced themselves from the Kat Kickers Klub, but are unable to rid themselves of the alien influence of David Moyes.
They may be looking at Gazzbo with the jealous eyes of a thwarted Casanova, but it’s hands off. I fully expect the boss to have a special plan for those Cheeky Cockernees. Where’s Bonzo when you need him?
To be fair the Mol must look like a shoe box compared to their Olympic Stadium. It was optimistic thinking that would get filled up every week. It’s been along time since there were 90k Whammers singing along to Eurovision Bubble glory.
Anyway a wins a win however it happens.
1 lv & COYW
A flip of a coin result for me as I cannot make up my mind whether to go with my head or my heart. I must admit, the heart has let me down a few times this season. However Wolves are renowned for doing better against the top teams . A draw is a good result for us and most pundits have tipped a 1-1 draw. So, just to be different, going for a 2-2 draw (says he, wondering how we are going to get 2 goals).
I just don’t see us being in the form to win games with a team with good players playing out of position and a couple of kids thrown in to fill gaps. Even if Cunha does play he’s going to need time to play himself into form.
West Ham though are a funny old team. On their day they look like a top six side, on another relegation candidates. I’m hoping they show up as the latter but I’m not confident.
I’m hoping for a stalemate.
*More expecting than hoping for.
I’ll back us to get the win. It’ll be a tight game though. Lemina with the only goal of the game.
GON speculation, he’s not going to West Ham or anywhere else
Going to be positive although they are a tall aggressive team
Cut out our Molineux defensive failings witnessed against the Reds and the Sky Blues and the Iron Works can be beaten. A win will take us above this lot, so let’s be having it! What more motivation do we need? Chiwome to get on the scoresheet which will boost his and the team’s confidence no end.
UTW.
Who knows?
As for GON’s future, I trust he would want to stay to reap the success from his hard work this season. With a bit more depth, and our injured players back, this is a good team that can really compete for a European place NEXT season (definitely don’t want one this season).
Not sure why but I fancy us
Just in time
I have just seen the line up. It looks if Doherty has been given freedom to roam and Sarabia is leading from the front.
Past performances suggest that he does not have the work rate or physicality to
play there. Presumably Gary is not trusting the youngsters this time.
No doubt Cunha will emerge at some time.
Pretty sick of playing against claret and blue this week! However, haven’t lost and drawn, it’s time for a win.
Well we’ve had some VAR shite this season but that is up there with the worst !!!!
Why the f##k did it need to even be looked at by var !!!
That ref wants the sack what a twat !!
Bloody horrific decision – cruel, painful and unfair.