Match Thread: AFC Bournemouth v Wolves 22.02.2025 KO 3pm
A tough day in November
By Ivybridge Wolf
February 22 2025
Todays fixture is the first of two in a week, such are the coincidences associated with the FA Cup draw. This week, Wolves have (yet again) an extremely important premier league match in their bid for league survival. Wolves sit fourth bottom with Southampton already teetering on the precipice, Ipswich at home to Spurs and Leicester being thumped 0-4 last night at home to Brentford. Of course, Wolves can’t rely on other sides to keep losing and must take matters into their own hands with points. The performance last week was extremely good, even excellent in the second half, nevertheless the frustration of coming away empty handed at Anfield was palpable and not befitting the effort of the team. We just need the points.
Bournemouth, for their part, are having a terrific season, currently riding high and fifth in the league. In their last six games they have amassed 13 points winning four and drawing one. They have become a very tough side to beat and whilst a couple of seasons ago it would have been inconceivable that teams would go into matches at Dean Court as underdogs, Wolves will do just that this afternoon. Who could forget the drubbing The Cherries gave us at Molineux beating us 4-2 with Justin Kluivert hitting a hattrick of penalties, a match Bournemouth completed deserve to win. Hopefully Wolves’ very recent form will be able to turn the tide on the South Coast?
Whilst Wolves have only won one of the last five premier league matches between the two sides, the irony is that we are unbeaten in in that run of matches in Dorset, winning one and drawing one. On the negative, Wolves have lost their last three away games.
In terms of team selection, Pereira is gradually becoming a little easier to read, though sadly a few players will be missing today, Rodrigo Gomes, Hwang and now Agbadou. The latter was injured during Jota’s unsavoury attempts to get a penalty last weekend which means our new and impressive centre half has to sit it out. From a defensive perspective, the sooner Agbadou is back in the side the better. Two players are now available again, Sam Johnstone and Strand Larsen, though it is more than possible both will start on the bench. A comment on Munetsi, one of our January signings, he has now made a couple of decent cameo appearances are the signs are good showing strength on and off the ball, battling and forward thinking and surely only needs a goal to boost his confidence even further.
Today is a traditional 3pm kick off and, for my part, perhaps wearing Gold tinted spectacles, I believe we have an excellent chance of at least picking up a point today, even a win. Yes, Bournemouth have been brilliant and they are clear favourites, but should we capture that form and spirit which seems to now be gelling, three points is possible …… my hope has lifted. We are not too good to go down, that is a mad statement, but in my view we have been playing the best football of any of the bottom four with Cunha leading our pack. Good luck to Pereira and the side this afternoon, C’mon me babbies!!
Please leave your comments and thoughts in the usual way ………… UTW!!
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:03:04:10:28:46 by Ivybridge Wolf.
Wolves make three changes to the side that started their 2-1 defeat at Liverpool last Sunday.
Goncalo Guedes misses out, January signing Emmanuel Agbadou is injured and Pablo Sarabia is on the bench as Santiago Bueno, and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde all come in.
Wolves XI: Sa, Bueno, Doherty, Munetsi, T Gomes, Semedo, Andre, J Gomes, Ait Nouri, Bellegarde, Cunha.
Subs: Johnstone, Traore, Strand Larsen, Doyle, Sarabia, Forbs, Djiga, Lima, Pond.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:02:22:14:53:54 by An angry wolf.
Can we take advantage this time as opposed to versus Arsenal.
Ipswich losing at home 0-2
Another Cunha goal, a good finish by the sounds. Great stuff. Wolves have improved during the half.
Cherries 0-1 Wolves
Elsewhere, Ipswich 1-2 Spurs at HT
One nil and à good team talk from Vitor should see us onto the way for three points. Cmon lads.
Strand Larsen has replaced J Gomes at HT as Gomes was on a yellow .
Wolves have started this half well so far
9 minutes to go
Doyle on for Cunha
Bournemouth 0-1 Wolves
On a day when everything depends on the points, we have got all three. A terrific result which now puts us 5 points ahead of the drop zone. We deserved result last week, it didn’t happen, karma this week.
Not very assured in the second half, clear nerves in the team as the half wore on but we had really good chances to put it to bed, notably Munetsi.
Relief here, we’ve finally put distance between us and Leicester and Ipswich.
Fulham next up.
UTW
A massive 3 points today boy did we need that.
A few weeks ago I said it was clearly 3 from the bottom 4 to go down and with West Ham winning bar some kind of points deduction for city, this looks a sporting certainty. Wolves will have to top the mini league of 4 at the bottom which will probably happen to avoid the drop. I think without the red card, we would have lost today.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:02:22:23:19:35 by An angry wolf.