WBA 3-1 Wolves - A Preview
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By Tom Bason
February 18 2011
I don't have a clue what's going to happen on Sunday. I'm also not a good enough writer to sum up all my feelings of excitement, pessimism and hope for the weekend. So I thought I'd load up the teams on Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 and see what happens when they go head to head:
Report
West Brom made just one change from the exciting 3-3 draw with West Ham last weekend, Gabriel Tamas coming in for the injured Youssuf Mulumbu, with Paul Scharner moving forward into midfield. Wolves were unchanged from the team defeated 2-0 at Arsenal with Kevin Doyle continuing to plough a lone furrow upfront. While three of the Wolves starting-11 have experienced a Black Country Derby before, Chris Brunt was the lone West Brom played to have done so.
The game started with brightly, with Wolves having the first shot of the match, Kevin Doyle drawing a fine save from Boaz Myhill in the West Brom goal. However, Wolves were soon behind, Peter Odemwingie, running from deep, broke clear of the sluggish Wolves defence and finished well into the top of Wayne Hennessey's net, leaving the Welsh number one with no chance. After this, the game was end to end, Nenad Milijas hitting a freekick narrowly over the bar with Jerome Thomas shooting straight at Hennessey when well placed in the Wolves box.
Half time: WBA 1-0 Wolves
If Wolves were looking for a fast start to the second half, they didn't get it. A fine Nicky Shorey cross was glanced home at the near post by the Graham Dorrans for his second goal in as many weeks. This prompted an attacking substitution from Wolves manager Mick McCarthy, withdrawing captain Karl Henry for striker Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, to give Doyle more support upfront. This gave Wolves some more attacking thrust, and they forced a succession of corners on the hour mark. The third of these corners did lead to a goal. Unfortunately it ended up in the Wolves goal. Jarvis' corner was hacked clear and Marc-Antoine Fortune managed to break clear of Richard Stearman to make it 3-0. Wolves did manage to pull a late goal back through Doyle, but their attacking efforts were in vain.
Full time: WBA 3-1 Wolves
This is a massive win for West Brom, pulling them three points clear of the relegation zone. For Wolves though, this is a disastrous result. Nothing but 3 points against Blackpool next week will be good enough.
Lineups
West Bromwich Albion: Myhill; Jara, Tamas, Olsson, Shorey; Scharner, Brunt; Dorrans, Odemwingie, Thomas (Morrison, 55); Fortune (Cox, 81)
Wolves: Hennnessey; Zubar, Stearman, Berra, Elokobi; Henry (Ebanks-Blake, 55), Milijaš, O’Hara; Hammill, Doyle, Jarvis
Match Stats
WBA Wolves
3 Goals Scored 1
8 Shots 6
5 On Target 3
4 Fouls 2
4 Corner Kicks 4
53 Possession 47
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I would play both Fletcher and Doyle, and set out to win the game with an attacking formation. But what do I know...
What appeared to some as poor play by Wolves was in actual fact good play made to look poor by an exceptional display by Arsenal.
Against West Brom, that same effort, by Wolves, would have found greater traction. I have predicted a 2-2 result, hedging my bets. But if we turn up . . . and we seem to on alternative matches, we should not do too badly.
Come on you Wolves!
Seriously, who knows? Depends which Wolves team turns up!
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