Match Thread: Wolves v Luton Town 27.4.24 KO 3pm
Willy Can
By Ivybridge Wolf
April 26 2024
Wolves welcome Luton Town to the first Molineux encounter since 26th August 2006 when we won 1-0 in the championship, with our last topflight match 40 years ago in the grim season of 1983/84 when Luton did the double over us. The front-page picture harks back even earlier to 1975 when this fixture was far more common and in an era that wonderfully predates the interference, meddling and dubious nature of the Video Assistant Referee. Yes, VAR raised its hideous head once again on Wednesday night, testing and exasperating the most avid and loyal fans. Is this what it has really come to? Please can somebody bring back the football we love!
As well as the Luton team, Rob Edwards makes his Molineux return as manager in a season when he has received many plaudits in the way he’s conducted himself on and off the pitch. Rob played in that 2006 Wolves side with a link here to remind us of that team which beat The Hatters. I expect Rob will receive a warm reception from the home crowd however any good wishes will expire at 3pm, at least until the end of the game. Whilst I’d like to see Luton survive, definitely not at the expense of us gaining 3 points on Saturday afternoon. In short, this awful run of 7 games without a win and the prospect of a 5th successive home defeat cannot be accepted.
There in lies the issue. Frankly, VAR apart, we played terrible against Bournemouth in front of a sub 26,000 crowd. O’Neil has described it as the worst performance of this season, we were totally second best, passive, poor with the ball and were it not for Sa it could have been much worse. That first half was especially dreadful and will give Luton hope of achieving a result despite being thumped at home last weekend and the match before. Other the absence of Dawson and Neto, the rest of the Wolves squad were available for selection v The Cherries but they collectively made a whole mess of the match ….. although what a terrific equaliser from Hwang. How I hate the VAR system. I’ve watched The Hatters several times this season who possess a highly competitive and physical style, capable of quick and dangerous attacking play. In Berkley they have a terrific player who has left many a midfielder for dead in the middle of the park and nullifying his ability will be key. The Wolves midfield certainly need to up their game from Wednesday. The whole of the Wolves have to be better versus Luton, they simply have to be.
Despite some positives, Luton are in the bottom three for a reason, only winning 1 in the last 13, have shipped 75 goals, only 2 clean sheets all season, and conceding in every away league match. We all know how Wolves can struggle against sides lower in the league, but this issue needs to be put to bed. I don’t really care if they feel tired or whatever the issues might be in the squad, these Wolves players must get closer to their potential, exploit Luton and stop the rot starting from the off!!
That said, maybe a little blind faith, but I fully expect they will do just that. Luton will certainly fight though I see opportunities arising on the break or through opposition errors. In short, I am anticipating 3 points to the Old Gold, and I will be there in my final Molineux trip up of 2023/24 (and why this front page is being published on Friday evening). An additional reluctant cheerio to the Combermere Arms, our pre match haunt, for a few summer months. I hope they do a cheese and black pudding cob – bostin fettle!
It’s a 3pm Saturday afternoon kick off, looking forward to a positive experience and a competitive performance. Good luck to the lads, good luck to Gary O’Neil – the BBC are reporting today he’s about to sign a new contract which is excellent news.
Finally, below is another retro programme front cover, from the last 'First Division' match between Wolves and Luton in 1984. Looking at the front page, we'd just beaten Liverpool, one of the only highlights that season! Fast forward to the present, 2024, enjoy the match and please leave your thoughts and comments in the thread below - Up The Wolves!!
Friday 26/4/24 8.45pm
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:05:11:16:47:39 by Cheshire wolf.
Quote:An angry wolf
I don't think GON has done enough to earn a new contract unless he is on a 1 year one which is doubtful.
You really can’t be serious Angry!!!
Quote:what has he done? A sh*t lower mid table side that has the worst form in the league pretty much. It's only because the expectation and ambition at this club is in the gutter that fans are happy with this. Every manager has a honeymoon period, the last few months have been awful. I don't think he should be sacked, but he doesn't deserve a new contract either...I notice you wait till wolves are ahead before posting Cheshire 😂💩Cheshire wolfQuote:An angry wolf
I don't think GON has done enough to earn a new contract unless he is on a 1 year one which is doubtful.
You really can’t be serious Angry!!!
Forest will be happy any way.
MOTD may give me some better understanding of the performance.
Not a classic match or performance but I felt we were the better side overall. As has been said, so much better than Bournemouth. It was even enough in the first 25 minutes but were grew into the match without necessarily causing many problems …. Then Hwang scores - a decent finish but came from nowhere. I felt we were clearly the better side second half and was pleased to see Toti score the second, after which it could and should have been 3 or 4. Alas, instead it was a late goal for Luton which raised the anxiety a bit, but not much. Luton’s effort couldn’t be faulted but I if they play like that, even with Forest losing today, they’ll find it hard to stay up. I hope they survive.
Great to get a win, it’s been a while, GON celebrated with the fans at FT, there’s quite a bond that has grown between the supporters and him, great to see.
Aside from the match, interesting to witness the chants of “f**k VAR” before a tackle had been made in anger. This song was repeated many times during the match. Additionally, after we scored, I I enjoyed so many Wolves supporters cranking up a low to louder roar which turned into a huge ironic cheer when the ref blew the whistle to start play again - i.e. ‘we’ve scored and it’s been alllowed’!!
The contempt for VAR and the whole sh!ty process at Molineux is not only palpable but audible
UTW
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:04:28:19:04:32 by Ivybridge Wolf.
Quote:Risca TM
I have to say I agree with Angry about GON's contract.
I’m not sure what more could have been expected from O’Neil this season, and I think it’s fair to say that his achievement has amazed many pundits, and commentators on the game, especially as at the beginning of the season we were expected to struggle aganst relegation having lost so many influential players.
Lopetegui was hailed as being our saviour last season, yet the fact we lost 5-0 at Arsenal and 6-0 at Brighton seemed to go unnoticed. He then decided - in my view - to leave the club a few days before the start of the season because he didn’t think the squad would be good enough, and failure during the season would reflect badly on him. Strangely enough he is still out of work 9 months later!!
On the other hand O’Neil came in and looked to do the best he could with the squad available to him and to make the most he could of the players available to him, in the knowledge that he still may not be able to add to the squad in January, which clearly proved to be the case.
To then go on and achieve a home win over Man City and to do the double over Chelsea and Tottenham, plus reaching the last 8 of the FA Cup - which we should have won - has surely surprised and delighted the great majority of Wolves fans and football fans elsewhere.
We have to agree that Fosun’s strategy over the past twelve months appear to amount to underfunding of the club, surely their performance over the summer transfer window will be held up to scrutiny, but O’Neil’s achievements this season should not be part of that scrutiny as he has managed what has been available to him. The fact also that he has has to manage for long periods without some of our ‘star’ players like Neto, Hwang and Cunha and has still achieved some good results is a credit to him and his team, but also the way he has motivated his players to be flexible in where and how they play, whilst also apperently enjoying the challenge. He has also developed several players into notable first team players such as Ait-Nouri and Toti, whilst not being afraid to give the yougsters their opportunities.
All in all I think our Manager has achieved far and above what we expected last August, and could have been even better but for some dreadful VAR decisions, and his efforts need to be suitably rewarded because of the potential he shows, and because our experince with Lopetegui just goes to show that the ‘big names’ are not always the best option.
Most managers get a bounce of good results early in their tenure, the last few months form would have us in the relegation zone which is where I expect us to be next season without significant investment. On a final note, the fact anyone thinks going out of the FA Cup to a championship club is praiseworthy having beat no one notable to get there bar one injury ravaged prem team illustrates just how pathetically low expectations are. The manager has done an OK job, nothing more or less but eulogising ever him like the next Brain clough is embarrassing 😹🤦♂️
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:05:01:15:26:48 by An angry wolf.