It's almost a top of the table challenge for Wolves this evening as they travel to take on the team lying two places and one point below them in the Premier League.
It seems there isn't a better time to face Brighton than now as they are struggling to field a full strength team, with notable absences particularly from their defence due to injury, suspension and Covid infection. There has been talk of them trying to get the game postponed due to Covid infections, but the Premier League are not agreeing.
Wolves will be without central striker Raul Jimenez following his silly sending off at Man City, but otherwise appear to have a full squad to select from. It will be interesting to see who Bruno Lage will opt for to replace Jimenez, and in particular whether he will utilise Fabio Silva for his first start of the season. Silva has only featured for 11 minutes of PL games so far this season and is clearly therefore struggling to fulfil his £35m potential.
Goals are likely to be in short supply in this game with both teams scoring only 4 goals between them in nine fixtures since November 5th. Wolves in particular have failed to score in their last four outings. However with the defensive issues Brighton have we can only hope that Wolves adopt a seriously offensive approach to the game, and convert some of the chances they create.
Another point of interest will be the debut of Referee Tony Harrington, taking charge of his first PL game, and fans will hope this will not result in the frequently seen glut of yellow cards in these circumstances. He will have the support of the more experienced Craig Pawson on VAR duty.
Tonight's game will be screened on BT Sport 4 this evening and will kick off at 7:30pm.
This board will hope to provide regular updates on the progress of the game, whilst board members are encouraged to post their own views to promote discussion and share views.
Match Thread: Brighton & HA vs Wolves
Posted by: Wolves (IP Logged)
Date: 15/12/2021 15:24
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021:12:26:11:09:23 by Cheshire wolf.
Fortunate to have this match when Brighton are compromised so we should be aiming for three points tonight. If Fabio is to get any game time this season then this may be the match for him to be on the pitch from the start. My choice would be DP and Hwang to partner.
Silva is young, but it is striking that in this, of all matches and opportunities, Bruno elects to bench him. I’ve never been convinced, but he is young and I think it is fair the price tag was ‘elevated’.
Good to see Podence, Hwang will have to work incredibly hard to get his chances, do not understand why Traore is on the bench.
The defence picks itself.
Come Wanderers - this will be a real boost if we win it.
Neves caught by Connolly’s hand in the face but OK.
Now HCH tackles back and ends up down holding his hamstring & looking in pain.
Play goes on & BHA get a shot away into Jose’s arms. Now they get the first corner but a poor ball. HCH is back on.
Neves lets one-off fro 5 yds outside the area comfortably collected though. Very good recovery by Maxafter losing the ball. Joao concedes a free kick which is wasted. Adama shows Marcal how to deal with Lamptey!!
Hallelujah, a shot, a 30 yarder from Neves. Comfortable for the keeper.
We look solid in defence but in midfield and up front, when we do retain possession it is somewhat slow and ponderous. Not many off the ball runs and not making any openings
DP quickly on to a back pass but he can’t control it or get brought down by the keeper!! Good play by Wolves in final 3rd but Marcal’s cross is too close to the keeper.
Semedo goes down looking for a penalty but no chance. Good defending by Marcal for a throw in.
Some promising attacking play from us but we run out of ideas.
DP brought down on the edge of their area. Trink & DP over it. DP puts it into the wall for a corner.
Saiss converts against BHA again after a super pass by Neves
BHA 0 Wolves 1
Good play from DP, gets tripped 19 yards out. Here’s a chance. Wolves free kick, up comes DP ….. feeble effort! Gets a corner, short one, gets another corner ….. terrible corner ….. but bounces out, Neves chips, it’s Saiss in front of goal
1-0!!!!!!!!!
The ball from Neves, utter class - the best pass of the night by a mile. 1st goal for over 7 hours
It was a right footed volley by Saiss too. Our first goal for 7.5 hrs of play, and our first away goal since Leeds. Great save by Sa and a very fortunate miss by Mwepu from 5 yds out. Half time whistle and at last we lead a game.
BHA 0 Wolves 1
Another match where we are looking for last billing on MOTD and then right at the end a flurry of action, a very good goal by Wolves followed by a wonderful miss by Brighton.
We are fortunate to be ahead at this stage, not least because of that miss, however I’ll take it.
So solid (in general) at the back once again but the balance is not right from midfield upwards … but we’re winning and we have to enter the second half with a degree of confidence.
Just showing the miss again …. Laughable! 😂
UTW!!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021:12:15:20:27:59 by Ivybridge Wolf.
Very happy to be a goal up but prior to that we were very uninspiring, few ideas once we pass the half way line. Brighton actually looking the better team but that’s not saying much as the whole match has only been Championship quality. Hopefully we can grow into the game as it progresses.
DP looking lively and Trink seems to be getting the feel of the game but I think he will be pulled at some point to give Fabio an outing.
Best Wolves attacking move of the match, Traore plays Trincao in but saved …. Corner …. Delayed because the refs comms system need repairing , taking bloody ages ….. it’s still not flaming working ….. good grief …. Wolves fans cheering DP and Trinc who are playing keeps uppy by the corner flag
Genuinely, this is ridiculous. 4 minutes now..
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021:12:15:20:42:13 by Ivybridge Wolf.
And Trink gets his chance after a delicate pass by Adama,but he hits the keeper for a corner. Earlier Marcal put a cross over which beat the keeper and came back off the bar!!
Referee holding up play with technical issues. Fans becoming impatient with it after 4 minutes.
Some good attacking play from Wolves now, DP gets a shot away in the box but blocked by keeper. The front three are beginning to,inknup well together. Great break by Adama pass toDP who hits it straight at the keeper!! Adama would have been vilified if he’d held on to it mind!
Connolly replaced by Mac Allister for BHA. Ref still has commas issues.
Great ball in from BHA free kick but Mwepu can only lift it high up for Jose to collect.
Ref still has comma issues!! Embarrassing for him on his first PL game
More good defending by Wolves during a period of pressure from BHA.
Semedo gets forward and puts a superb ball across the area but nobody there!!
Marcal is down hurt again after running into Veltman.
Lallana preparing to come on.
Marcal fouls Lamptey on the right edge of our box & free kick goes for a corner. Wolves break & get a corner- two Wolves players fall over in the area but nowt given.
Careless free kicks being given away in dangerous areas. Their keeper is up for the free kicks. DP breaks but well tackled.
Romain Saiss called Man of the Match as the final whistle goes.
Not a classic by any means, but the result is the most important factor against a makeshift team.
Brighton 0 Wolves 1
Phew.
Three points gained and on the balance of play over ninety minutes we just about deserved it.
No standout performances but if there was a league for team hard work and team effort we would surely be top. Well done lads, not a classic but another small step forward,
.
A match which was totally forgettable for the first 44 minutes then sprung to life for 3 minutes. Great goal too. Then the miss ….. you have to see it if not already.
Much better in the second half which leads me to conclude we were the better side. Some very good counter attacking which really should have led to a second goal. It didn’t and there in lies the problem we all know about.
A decent team performance however and whilst previously critical, I thought the likes of Semedo and Trincao showed much more promise this evening - particularly in the second half …. A second half of more than 58 minutes!!
The one thing that sticks out again tonight is the defence. Bar that one glaring effort which was created by a rebound off Sa, the whole back 5, especially the central 3 were rock solid again. I was nervous in the last 15 but I shouldn’t have been.
Well done lads, not a classic by any means, but a well earned and deserved 3 points.
Wow! We've scored a goal. Fantastic pass from Neves and Saiss's finish was good by any standard but even more so coming from a defender. About the only good thing in the first half from either side.
Technology's great isn't it? Another reason why VAR should be binned.
Second half was better, which wouldn't have been difficult, and we created a decent couple of scoring chances which we haven't been doing in recent matches.
Marcal did quite well, especially considering he was a late replacement, but he did go down a lot and despite that I hope Ait-Nouri's injury isn't serious.
M-o-m for me a toss up between Coady and Saiss.
Good win a deserved 3 points but we should of put the game to bed, so many chances to finish Brighton off but we couldn't put one away. Thought we might pay for that but we managed to hold out. Any win against Brighton is a good one as they have been one of our bogey sides for years. Now nice easy one against Chelsea next Sunday, hope the injury to chan isn't as bad as it looked, come on wolves!
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