Match Thread: Wolves v Arsenal 3pm KO 25.01.2025
Doc scores again
By Ivybridge Wolf
January 24 2025
Wolves’ relegation fight continues on Saturday afternoon at Molineux versus Arsenal who sit second in the league and 28 points better off. It is difficult to comprehend we did the double on them in 2020/21 (involving the head injury to Jimenez) however Wolves have lost all seven since then. Can Wolves somehow reverse this poor trend when so many Wolves fans struggle to see where the next point is coming from? Additionally, all with an interest in the Old Gold will be (once again) keeping a keen eye on elsewhere: Ipswich (away to Liverpool), Everton (away to Brighton), Soton (home to Forest) and Leicester (Sunday away to Spurs). The biggest surprise is that after 22 matches, 51 goals against and just 16 points, survival is still very much a possibility.
Monday night was another poor performance where player effort and attitude has been questioned, including by Pereira, much focusing on Cunha who didn’t play well and whose body language was not convincing. For that reason, I’ve selected the highlight of that match as todays leading photo – the perennial Doc after finishing well. Since the game at Stamford Bridge, much has been written about Cunha with rumours that both Arsenal and Forest are interested in making big bids for him. Is Cunha disruptive in the camp, does he ‘want away’? Only time will tell.
Certain media sources continue to claim Arsenal are having a dip in form. As per usual it’s all hyperbole … I wished Wolves had such dire problems, occupying, as the Gunners do, a paltry second position in the league! In terms of Wolves getting a result, we know Lemina will not play this month and Toti is back from injury and in contention. In order to succeed we know what needs to happen, we need to bolt the back door but having let in nine goals in the last three premier league fixtures, there are questions whether Pereira is taking the right line? After seven points in his first three games, performances, style of play and goals conceded are now very reminiscent of the rest of the season. The problems created by set pieces remain significant, and yet zonal marking continues!
In terms of stats, Arsenal have scored in each of the last 34 matches versus Wolves, unbeaten in 12, scored from 12 corners this season (Wolves defense beware!) but they have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last nine away in the premier league. Clearly Wolves have a chance!
We are in the middle of some very tough league fixtures and we can’t afford to overlook these type of games to amass more points. It’s the only way to keep the points total ticking over, relieve the pressure later in the season as well as keeping us afloat. It’s going to be difficult, but the team must get a grip of the situation before any more gaps grow, as they did with Everton winning last weekend.
Let’s hope Pereira and the team all have the appropriate fire in their bellies for this match, we need it, it has to be better than what we saw v Chelsea. Everything crossed for a spirited and focused performance and we give it a go.
I am unable to maintain a match thread on Saturday afternoon so will add my thoughts post-match. In the meantime, please leave your comments in the usual way.
Come on me babbies!! UTW
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:02:22:13:16:43 by Ivybridge Wolf.
Quote:Lupy
Not really expecting to get much out of any match,
You just knew there was only going to be one winner when gomes got sent off and so it proved.
Is perreira just another Walter zenga? Unfortunately it's starting to look like it.
Wrong starting line up for me again, starting with the invisible man sarabia a big mistake again.
We go a goal down and the manager brings on bellegarde, you have to wonder about his management of a game if he thinks he's the solution.
We need a goal and he brings on rodrigo and guedes with 3 minutes to go, way to late.
2 or 3 players needed before window shuts but I don't think we will get them.
I've lost faith in fosun they have killed this club in the last 3 seasons.
Chants of back the team or sell up coming from the Southbank today, it will probably fall on deaf ears, doesn't seem like fosun give a toss.
We were toothless in front of goal yet again but at least were defensively better, more solid even when it was 11 v 11. Having said that not sure how Havertz missed that early header - good positioning from Sa …… whose kicking was awful by the way!
As for the Arsenal sending off, I was in the middle of saying if that was 30 odds yards further up he’d be sent off …… But Oliver showed the red card before I could finish. Their fans really don’t like him! My gut feeling at that moment was it was a yellow.
Advantage us you’d have thought but I was utterly frustrated the way we played when a man up. Rubbish to be honest. We hardly did anything to take advantage of the extra man, walking around, no urgency, no movement and lacking in ideas. That carried on for the whole second half including after J Gomes was sent off and after we went 1-0 down (a very good finish). Cunha had a deflected shot well saved but too many players were trying to involve Cunha in everything we did rather than take some attacking responsibility themselves, it was so bl00dy obvious and totally counter productive.
It surprised me the side was unchanged from Monday night and the key changes yesterday were made too late to have any impact. Larsen was replaced early on after getting injured. He’s a real conundrum, I think his position play is really good, but he is so easily knocked off the ball, more often than not he can’t retain the ball (a first touch like a furry elephant yesterday) and he doesn’t have any killer speed. Hwang replaced him - he was innocuous and anonymous. The first big change was to get Bellegarde on …… really? The biggest impact he had was conceding a comedy goal kick when he fell down in instalments as the ball bobbled harmlessly over the line. Why not Doyle or Guedes, players who might make an impact or alter the style?
It’s absolutely correct to say we should have got a point, Arsenal had much the better of the match but you couldn’t say it was an accomplished Gunners performance including when the sides had even players. Ultimately we failed in a less than inspiring 90 minutes, hence more of the ‘I dont care about Jeff Shi, he dont care about me’ chants.
Finally a of positivity - Agbadou had a very good game. A couple of errors, yes, however Wolves best player of the day who defended with skill, ability and confidence. A fair few times he brushed the attacking Arsenal players aside and overall he impressed me. Well played!
Villa next week 😬😳 UTW
We have 16 points from 23 matches. Says it all really.
But we can't keep relying on other teams to save us we have somehow got to get results ourselves to drag us out of this.
Time to get that prayer mat out I think.
And I agree thought agbadou had a great game yesterday just a shame the rest didn't follow his lead.