Match Thread: Everton vs Wolves
What A Winner!!
By Wolves
August 25 2023
Wolves fans can only dream of a repeat of the game at Goodison Park on Boxing Day 2022 when Rayan Ait-Nouri scored the winning goal deep into added time to give Julen Lopetegui his first win. The problem is that the two passes leading up to Ait-Nouri's goal were provided by Matheus Nunes and Adama Traore - neither of whom will feature in this season's game tomorrow!!
Goodison Park has been a happy hunting ground for Wolves in recent seasons, with a Conor Coady header also sealing the three points in the 2021-22 season. This time kick off is likely to see both teams at the bottom of the League having lost both of their opening games of the season. However Wolves have faced potential Top Six teams in Man Utd away and Brighton at home, whilst Everton have lost at home to Fulham and away at Villa Park, so the hangover from last season seemingly continues for the blue side of Liverpool.
Much of the focus on Wolves this week has been on whether Manchester City will meet the club's asking price for midfielder Matheus Nunes, with their first offer of £47 million being rejected. Opinions on social media vary, with the obvious fact that the club cannot just continue selling its quality players, especially with only a week to go in the transfer market leaving it difficult to find a replacement. Others believe Nunes has singularly failed to show the continuity, passion or energy in his performances, and his ridiculous sending off last saturday being indicative of a poor attitude, suggesting he should be allowed to leave for the right price. Meanwhile head coach Gary O'Neil simply wants the situation settling as soon as possible, whilst not expecting any of his players to move on before the window closes.
Gary O'Neil of course lost his last game at Everton with Bournemouth on the final day of last season which ultimately secured the Blues' survival, so he knows the ground and presumably the team which is largely unchanged from last term. Once again Dominic Calvert-Lewin will be unfit to play which may well see the on-loan Arnaut Danjuma and Neil Maupay start. Seamus Coleman, Dwight McNeil, Alex Iwobi, Mason Holgate, Demarai Gray and on-loan Jack Harrison are all unavailable so they are unlikely to be able to field a particularly strong team. On the other hand Wolves are not declaring any injuries, and the main question seems to revolve around who will replace the suspended Nunes - Hee Chan Hwang who scored last week, or Boubacar Traore who is a natural midfielder. Fabio Silva had good reports after his first start last week playing ahead of Matheus Cunha and may well be retained in that position. Cunha is getting good reviews too for his raking runs through the centre of the park, but we really need him to start wearing his scoring boots!!
The game will kick off at 3pm and will not be screened before MotD. Our referee will be the experienced Craig Pawson with Graham Scott on VAR duty.
Sadly family issues are likely to prevent Ivybridge Wolf from offering any regular updates, whilst, once again Cheshire Wolf is fortunate enough to be planning to stand in the Gwladys Street end amongst a throng of angry Everton fans, silently willing his team on to another victory at the Park, so he will be unable to offer any regular updates either. However members and visitors to the board are encouraged to create conversation by sharing opinions and observations before during and after the game.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2023:09:24:15:37:06 by Ivybridge Wolf.
On the Nunes situation .. it is ridiculous, I for one would not be crying if he left ….. it’s a question of what would happen to any incoming finance …. Replacement players (at the 11th hour) or the Fosun coffers?
Quote:It is, Everton home winLupy
Hope that my optimism isn't misplaced, 3-1 to Wolves.
Nevertheless I'm still hoping that we play them off the Park and score a few goals. I'll never learn.
Quote:I haveLupy
I take it you have made your prediction this week Angry?
The starting eleven looks a bit fragile. Bueno is ok going forward but not so much in defence; Semedo always worries me (rather have Doc).
Maybe we might actually hit the net
Wolves look shellshocked and unable to get out
Wolves look disjointed and lacking confidence. Flashes from Neto, Silva and Hwang but Gomes seems absent like Cuhna. We are not able to string together passes, and way too much reliance on long balls that don’t work.
Terrible game; right result. Nice opener from Kaladjzik.
Looked like it was heading for a 0-0 draw which wouldn't have been a surprise with both teams being hopeless in front of goal.
Nice to see sasa come on and get the winner and showing the rest how it's done, let's hope he stays fit.
Let's hope the win gives the team a bit of much needed confidence.
We still need quality additions adding to the team, will we get them? I very much doubt it more chance of more players leaving by the look of it.
Pedro Neto had a good game and has Ashley Young on toast several times, especially in the first half. Jose Sa kept us in the game with a huge stretch to palm a Doucoure effort over the bar but otherwise the defence coped well. I was pleased to see GO’N bring Ait Nouri on to play on the left wing replacing Hwang and he linked up really well with Bueno and made several good runs up the wing and out some good crosses in. Fabio was well marked throughout the game but did have a couple of good runs, and out the ball in the net but was offside, before kissing a better opportunity.
After full time I had to travel back from L’pool to Chester with three grumpy Evertonians, who cannot see the answer to their team’s scoring problems. We on the other hand can only hope that our first positive result of the season will lead to better performances and more goals