Match thread: Arsenal v Wolves
Wolves fans salute you!
By Ivybridge Wolf
May 28 2023
As I write this, on Saturday 27th May, who could not be reminded that this is the 20th anniversary of our play off final victory. The Millenium stadium, Kennedy, Blake, Miller, Murray saves and Sir Jacks thumbs up!! A colossal date in our modern-day history to propel us into the topflight for the first time in 19 long long years. And on that note, heartfelt congratulations to Luton Town in achieving promotion in the same manner, the story remarkable as they have replaced non-league football with premier league glory within 10 years ….. it only seems like 5 minutes since they beat us in the cup as a national league side prompting Solbakken’s immediate departure! Good luck to them in 2023/24.
Wolves could do with our own mini piece of giant killing at the Emirates. A win could mean we even leap frog Chelsea (with the right results) who play Newcastle United and would add a million or so into the coffers. This fixture was ear marked by many (me included) as a potential title decider though with Arsenal’s season faltering and fizzling out at the wrong moment, this match is reduced to having nothing riding on it! No doubt Arsenal will want to end the season in the right fashion in front of their own – something we were all hoping for last week only to be confronted to a rather strange encounter, odd sections, poor substitutions and three key members of the squad (Moutinho, Ait Nouri and Jonny) not even showing up at Molineux to collect their end of season party poppers and wages.
In the meantime too, we have all read that Lopetegui is due to have important talks with Chairman Shi et al to set the scene and tone for 2023/24 ….. or not if you believe all that’s printed. Was Lopetegui really not told or just did not understand the impact of FFP during those protracted and elongated recruitment talks in October – November of last year? Or is this just paper talk or even JLo flexing his managerial muscles? Whatever, we could really do with his services next season – and to further stamp his mark on our squad.
Nevertheless, Julen gets things wrong, the starting 11 last week as an example, but also not getting Jimenez on the pitch for a final five minute hurrah. At least the manager has acknowledged that was an error. Lopetegui is also on the FA naughty step, his yellow v Everton last week means he has a one match touchline ban.
The team v Arsenal? Who knows, I haven’t a clue!! Irrespective, it’s a chance for our squad to shine, show a bit of fighting spirit and character and further dampen the mood of the home fans licking their wounds and thinking of what might have been. If Jimenez does get on, how poignant it would be on a pitch where he came close to losing his life in a Wolves shirt. I sincerely hope he does get his moment, however fleeting it might be, he has served us so well. Similarly it could be the last we ever see of Neves. What a player, what an inspiration, what class. Just superb. Thank you Ruben, not simply our player of the season!
And so to some stats - of the last 30 matches we have played Arsenal, they have scored in every one! Arsenal have won their last 11 final matches of the season; we have lost our last 5!! A glimmer of hope is that they have only kept 3 home clean sheets in 2022/23, however we have not mustered a win in any of our last 7 away fixtures and nor have we managed a win in London at all (6 games). Yes, it’ll be a classic!! Wouldn’t it be a nice surprise if it was?!
And with 2022/23 drawing to a close, a moment of reflection on what has been an odd and eventually relatively unremarkable season were if not for the fact that pre-Christmas, I and like so many, felt we were certain for the drop. Massive congratulations to Julen and the boys for turning things around. Nonetheless, the standard and entertainment has been generally poor with only a couple of real stand out moments …. footballing wise my personal match of the season was in the league v Liverpool at home. 3-0 and quite exhilarating. In fact, I’ve been lucky and seen us win far more than not (a bit of luck perhaps) though this must be tempered by the Amex 6-0 debacle. Whatever is decided on management and players during the closed season, we must see a greater emphasis on scoring goals, we are simply not good enough at present.
Off the pitch, life rolls on as a fan. I still love it. I still get infuriated. They give me highs and provide deep lows too. I love going, I love meeting up with my friend’s pre-match, I love reading about the Wolves and have loved coming on here contributing and I love reading your thoughts. In 1971/72 I started life as an active fan. The season after we finished 5th in the league. We’ve never equaled that since but irrespective, like so many, the passion, the hope, the dreams remain.
Enjoy the close season, a sincere thank you from Cheshire Wolf and myself to all of you for reading and for your contributions to The Molineux Way during 2022/23 and here’s to the next ….. we only need to wait until 12th August!! Feel free to leave a comment or two in the thread, you know what to do, now let’s go out with a bang and beat the bloody Gooners!!
Up The Wolves!!
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2023:07:07:22:13:26 by Ivybridge Wolf.
Thanks to you and Cheshire for keeping the place running. Let's hope the season ends with a flourish not a whimper, and that there won't be a lot of manager-and-money negativity getting in the way of a decent pre-season.
Another strange team selection from JL for today's game. Raul does indeed get his start, but Diego Costa isn't even on the bench. Ruben Neves and Craig Dawson are both on the bench!! Line-up:
Surprised that Costa Neto and Podence are not even on the bench.
Lemina and Gomes midfield but no Neves (same as when we had the recent successful spell during Rubén’s ban).
And Calamity Collins on for Dawson.
What a lousy season. Thank god we got Julen in
Another starting line up that simply could not have been predicted! Still, I get my wish and Raul plays.
Not sure about Collins for Dawson .... an odd one for certain. Sa back in goal, I wonder if he'll still be number one next season.
c'mon boys, a performance and endeavour is what we need. I'll try and comment as best I can, maybe at half time, I'm down the Duke of Cornwall with 'Ivybridge Wolves' for our end of season tea and biscuits.
UTW
Glad we’re safe!
Aarggggh
Anything we put anywhere near their box got nowhere near a Wolves player. Could be a lot worse than 3-0.
While Jef and Julen were squabbling about summer cash, it looks like they forgot to train this week.
And one last hurrah for Ruben Neves
Sorry to read that Bueno isn’t playing well today. He’s potentially a great player in my view.
Anyway, here’s to some kind of unlikely second half turn around. Or at least a goal or a better performance.
UTW
J-lo has done the job he was brought in to do in keeping us up, but my god he has a job on his hands sorting this team and he needs good backing but the vibe with fair play is not good but we will see.
The away form has to be sorted it is absolutely dreadful, got to feel for the fans having to watch this rubbish.
Have a good summer everyone and thanks to chesh and ivy for all their hard work on here.