Match Thread: Wolves v Manchester United KO 8.15pm 1.2.24
SPOT THE BALL!!!
By Ivybridge Wolf
February 1 2024
Off the back of our excellent 2-0 win at the Baggies (less said about the non-football stuff the better), Wolves play host to Manchester United this evening with a chance to overtake them in the league on goal difference. Revenge was sweet v Albion last Sunday and fully deserved against a well organised, resolute Baggies side who caused one or two problems, however the premier league quality shone through with two excellent goals from our superb danger men, Neto and Cunha. I’m sure Molineux will give the lads a rousing reception when they enter the pitch today!! More revenge will be equally gratifying tonight (should we win) versus a side we dominated in August but couldn’t take our chances, only to be robbed of a point by a scandalous non-VAR intervention when Onana poll axed Sasa Kalajdzic. Perhaps we should have scored well before this incident and won it that way, that would be a fair criticism. Alas, football does not work on sympathy or righting wrongs and Wolves will need to work extremely hard tonight to obtain sporting justice.
The Onana disgrace was the first of many injustices, but we did get a lovely ‘sorry card’ from Howard Webb. But that was just the start of some real howlers, Luton, Newcastle, Sheffield United, Fulham, all matches where mystifying decisions have deprived us of critical points. As for Onana, he is available for Manchester United today as Cameroon were eliminated from the ACON.
Onto our recent record v Manchester United. After our promotion, we did well under Nuno, drew at Old Trafford, won at Molineux, and won at home in the cup. Since then, we’ve played eleven times (all competitions) winning just 1, drawing 3 and losing the rest, including the last three! Until I looked that up, I thought we’d done much better than that. Certainly, we’ve competed, but our only win in that time was at Old Trafford when Moutinho scored the winner (see here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgiWdRPGXuE ) which was in fact our first victory there since 1980.
Irrespective of recent seasons v Manchester United, our home form this term is very good (last 8 played W5 D3 L0), and I expect us to take them on. On current form (the last 6 matches) we have picked up a highly creditable 11 points, with only one defeat v West Ham. In the same period, our opponents have only won one and lost three, accruing just 5 points. Additionally, we have now scored in 17 consecutive premier league games at Molineux (longest since 1968) and are just one goal short of our total goal haul in the whole of last season.
Since the weekend, Rashford and his shenanigans have hit the headlines once again with media attention focused on whether he’ll make the side v Wolves. BORING!! Meanwhile Wolves’ progress observed both on and off the pitch gives every indication that we will contend once again and give them a good game. Will we be pre-match favourites with all the bookies? Don’t like the sound of that, we are with a few! Regardless, out of the traps quick please Wolves! We have every chance.
To the team selection. South Korea’s dramatic win on Tuesday, Hwang netting the decisive penalty shootout winner, means he won’t be around for tonight or Chelsea or maybe beyond. Meanwhile Gomes is available again and the sight of Ait Nouri as a substitute v Albion means he is back in contention for a start too. Who would change a winning side? It would be harsh, but I can see a scenario where Ait Nouri replaces the Doc (what a brilliant interception and pass to Neto v WBA). I think it less likely that Gomes would come in for Doyle who again played so well for us last weekend. Additionally, I read Sarabia is fit again and so may be considered ahead of Bellegarde? A few decisions for the ever-impressive Gary O’Neil to make, though surely the rest of the side, barring injury will pick themselves.
The match will be covered live on TNT with a kick off time of 8.15pm. Good luck to the team, enjoy the game and please enter your comments and observations in this match thread in the usual way. Here’s to a good Wolves performance and everything crossed for another 3 points.
Up The Wolves!!
If you do not already have an account Click here to Register.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:03:02:14:31:18 by Cheshire wolf.
I’m sorry but I cannot offer any regular updates on tonight’s game as I’m double booked. Typical that TNT would decide we should play on a Thursday night and on the fortnightly one that I am out!! I will be in a pub trying to avoid the score so that I can watch the game tomorrow morning. Let’s hope it’s worth waiting for.
C’mon me babbies!!!
UTW
Anyway we got Doherty for another start and THEY bring on Rashford. Time to subdue his exuberance.
Bad news we are losing 2-0.
Good news, we are losing 2-0.
It can only get better
I was genuinely shocked we pulled it back to 3-3 and ultimately gutted by the choking Man United winner … which was a fine finish, alas.
Plenty to be pleased about with that second half performance but a bit of a stinker of a first half.
Excellent match with a deflating ending.
UTW!
Utd have quality forward players that have cost a hell of a lot of money and if you allow them space this is what you are going to get when they are on their game and unfortunately they were last night, don't think we could of complained if we were 5-0 down at half time.
A lot better 2nd half and we showed great spirit to pull it back to 3-3.
Don't think we deserved anything from the game but it was gutting how we gave their winner away, 4 or 5 players around him and know one puts a tackle in before he gets near the area and shoots, but that's how we defended all game.
Oh well we have had a good run, suppose we have to lose at home sometime let's hope we can bounce back at Chelsea which won't be easy.
Just a note on transfers, I can't help feeling wolves have sold o'neil short here.
Letting strikers leave and not replacing them is a big risk, a few injuries to the like of cunha, neto and chan and we are in trouble.
Haven't we been here before? you would of thought jeff Shi had learnt his lesson, obviously not!
You can't expect the likes of cunha and neto to keep playing 2 games a week as they will suffer from burn out.
Maybe Shi thinks we are safe from a relegation scrap and we will get away with it i hope he's right.