Preview

...now browsing by tag

 
 

Stoke vs. Wolves. Is it that time already?

Friday, August 13th, 2010

Wer…humpf…wrrr?  Wendy promised to wake me half way through the off-season, but here we are, and it all starts again tomorrow and I’ve slept through all that excitement.

Wolves have had an impressive preseason – they knew their targets, strengthened early, and got on with preparing for McCarthy’s and their first second season in the Premier League.

First up are Stoke.  Having established themselves over the last couple of seasons as a solid, if uninspiring to the neutral, presence in the Premier League, Stoke will be aiming to achieve that difficult push into the top half of the table in the next couple of seasons.  Up until the recent signing of Kenwyne Jones from Sunderland, however, they looked to be struggling to attract anyone likely to help them achieve this ambition, but this now looks probable to be the first of a few new arrivals to the Britannia before the transfer window closes.  Any more signings will be too late for this game, however, which is all to the good.

With Doyle still suffering with some form of bleeding calf complaint and unlikely to feature from the start, new boy Fletcher could be partnered up-front by Ebanks-Blake.  Blake showed in pre-season that he can still score good goals against Championship (or lower) level opposition.  He will need to show early in this season that he can do the same in the Premier League.

A key battle will be in the midfield, where Wolves’ best formation is far from clear. I expect to see Jarvis, Henry and Jones in the midfield.  Edwards looks McCarthy’s most likely choice after that, but as he is unlikely to be fit, we might see Halford if his recent rehabilitation in Mick’s eyes is to be believed.  Come back soon, Kightly!

It can be hoped that Jelle Van Damme will settle into the team more and improve on an unspectacular preseason.  Zubar will be missed, but I look forward to seeing Foley back at the back.  If good old Craddock’s legs can keep going, it should be business as usual in the centre for him and Berra.

Prediction: Kenwyne Jones proved his threat last season but Stoke haven’t progressed more than Wolves since last season.  Two draws last term – so it’s safe, if unexciting, to predict the more of the same: 1-1 with the expectation that Wolves will only continue to get better through the season as key injuries come back into the fold!

P.S. I covered the strange antics of Stoke’s weirdy mascots Pottermus and Pottermiss last season, so won’t bore anyone with all that again.

Post to Twitter

Posted in Football | No Responses »
Tags:

Fulham: Expecting a great day

Friday, April 16th, 2010

Everything’s looking pretty nice for Wolves. Despite last minute heartbreak at Arsenal and 90 minutes of nothing against Stoke, we’re still sitting in 14th place with the number of remaining games counting down rapidly. The sun is shining, and there’s likely to be a massive Wolves contingent present at Fulham hoping to see their team get a few points on the road to safety.

With a Europa League semi-final away fixture against Hamburg on Thursday, Fulham look odds on to rest a few keys players (and the bottom 5 are no doubt odds on to protest about the resting of players – oh, Premier League, what have you let yourself in for?) With any relegation threat a distant memory their minds will understandably be on the fixture after this, which should play into Wolves hands.

Fulham were distinctly unimpressive in the reverse fixture this season. Their home form, with 10 wins this season so far, suggests they’re a better team than we saw that day, but despite this it’s not unreasonable to expect Wolves can take another away win, especially as the goals have been flowing if not freely on the road, then more freely than at Molineux.

With Henry still suspended for the next two games, the team is likely to remain unchanged from last week. It would be nice to see Milijas or Guedioura given a chance from the bench to stake a claim for next season. It’s good to see Edwards back, however, and I’m backing Wolves to bounce back from last week’s Stoke-induced lethargy and show us what a steady line up, a little confidence and a few very good players can do.

The problem with expectations is that you can easily be let down, especially by a football team. Luckily Mick McCarthy and his team have more sense than to expect anything, so I expect them to go into the game with the necessary fight to take a win.

Kevin Doyle is due a goal; I’m going for 1-0 Wolves (and a big party). Fingers crossed.

Post to Twitter

Posted in Football | 1 Response »
Tags: ,

Stoke Preview: Haven’t they done well…

Wednesday, April 7th, 2010
Celebrating Craddock's brace for a 2-2 comeback at the Britannia

Celebrating Craddock's brace for a 2-2 comeback at the Britannia

With Wolves set to go head-to-head at Molineux with Midlands rivals Stoke City on Sunday, and little else to occupy my cotton wool-filled mind, it’s worth taking a little look at our opponents.

This season Wolves have already exceeded my expectations and I hope we’ll secure the points needed to ensure survival very soon, and go on to consolidate next year. Much in the vein of Stoke, in fact, who have certainly been one of the most quietly impressive Premier League success stories of the past two years. Like them or loathe them, it’s hard to disagree that they have done jolly well (WorldWideWolfie hands out patronising virtual pats on the head to the Stoke team at this point).

Stoke finished in a good 12th place in their first Premier League season, and currently look set to improve on that, sitting as they are in 10th. They may have picked up an ugly reputation in their first season for unattractive long ball/long throw thumping, and for kicking chunks out of the opposition, but Stoke are very much on the up – although how much further they, or any club in a similar position, can progress without massive investment is a question the Premier League has still to answer.

I believe that Wolves will show themselves to be the better team on Sunday, however, in terms both of motivation and finesse and, with the home advantage (or perhaps more accurately without Stoke having the home advantage), have enough to nick the win. Stoke sit higher in the table, but Wolves have shown steady improvement, not least in confidence, throughout the season and have played and especially defended with greater conviction since Christmas.

Stoke will be visiting on the back of two victories (against bottom four teams) but Wolves will want to maintain the momentum of recent fine performances and heal a little the wounds of last week’s last minute shocker.

Mick McCarthy’s biggest selection question off the back of a run where he has managed to pick a very stable line up will be who to replace the suspended Karl Henry. I’d favour giving Milijas another go as the only change, to see if he can impress, but expect to see Guedioura, who should should produce a battling performace in the Henry mould, but with an added attacking threat.

Interestingly there is some suggestion that Tony Pulis may decide to rest top scorer Ricardo Fuller, who is sitting on nine yellow cards ahead of this weekend’s amnesty, to avoid risking a suspension.

A close call, but I’ll predict 2-1 Wolves.

Post to Twitter

Posted in Football | 4 Responses »
Tags: , ,