please log in to view this image ............................................... please log in to view this image Wolves................................... vs ...................... Swansea City Molineux Wolverhampton Sat 22-10-11 12:45 PM KO For travel info/info on the stadium click HERE For links to watch the game online, click HERE I will be giving my thoughts on the game shortly after full time at http://sportstonightlive.com/ Welcome one and all to the match thread for the game between Wolves and Swansea. Wolves have hit a sticky patch and will be looking to get back to winning ways against Swansea, who they last played in 2008 (triumphing on that occasion thanks to Ebanks-Blake), while Swansea really need to start picking up points on the road. I'd like to make a special note that Ashley Williams is about to make his 150th consecutive appearance for Swansea City since joining in 2008. In today's physical game, for a CB, it's nothing short of incredible. Well done, Ash. The Match; Wolves are looking to arrest their worst run in 27 years, going into the game on the back of 5 straight losses. A 2-0 loss at rivals WBA will have hurt, although there were signs in the game that better results may not be far away. For Mick McCarthy, though, this must be seen as a "must win" game. Swansea, meanwhile, will be smarting after a reverse at Norwich where they'd have hoped to have been more competitive than they were. The Swans have conceded 12 goals in 4 games on their travels, and compared with the 4 clean sheets (and 2 wins) we have at home, the difference is marked. Expect to see the Swans style away from home shift a little to a more counter attacking, "sit and break" approach. Prior Form; (most recent at top) West Brom 2 - 0 Wolves Premier League Wolves 1 - 2 Newcastle United Premier League Liverpool 2 - 1 Wolves Premier League Wolves 5 - 0 Millwall League Cup Wolves 0 - 3 QPR Premier League Norwich 3 - 1 Swansea City Premier League Swansea City 2 -0 Stoke Premier League Chelsea 4 - 1 Swansea City Premier League Swansea City 3 -0 West Brom Premier League Arsenal 1 - 0 Swansea City Premier League Team News; Wolves have some injury problems, which doesn't aid their cause after 5 straight losses in the league. Steven Fletcher, George Elokobi, and Kevin Foley all miss out, while David Edwards is rated as 50/50 for Saturdays game. The news Steven Caulker is ahead of schedule for a return will be music to Jacks' ears, but it'll still be a while before he's available. Augustien misses out again, as does Stephen Dobbie. Bodde and Tate remain sidelined for the foreseeable future. Trivia; Completely guessed lineups; Wolves Hennessey Stearman Ward Johnson Berra Henry Hammill Jarvis Milijas O'Hara Doyle Swansea Vorm Rangel Taylor Williams Monk Britton Gower Allen Sinclair Dyer Graham Key Battles; Danny Graham vs Johnson/Berra Danny Graham. He was starting to get some stick off a minority of impatient Swans fans over a lack of goals, but he's coming good. Ex-Cardiff (and won't he know it...) centre back Roger Johnson, as well as Christophe Berra, will be looking to stifle the ex-Watford targetman. The Swans need to pick up points away from home, and I wouldn't rule out a bold attacking effort on Saturday, so the Wolves defence will have to be up to scratch if they're to turn around the dire run of form they find themselves in at the moment. Brendan Rodgers before the game; Mick McCarthy ahead of the game; (and in typically forthright form!) Analysis; I'll be honest, going into this game I've been out of the loop and offline due to moving house/countries etc, and as such unable to absorb as much information as I normally do! By all accounts the Swans were very poor at Norwich and gifted goals, which we simply cannot afford to do in this league. If we can let Steve Morrison run rings around us, there are issues that need addressing. Wolves started the season brightly, but, brief respites in the cup aside, it's all been a bit doom and gloom of late. A win against a Swansea side who, if Wolves are serious about retaining PL status, they need to be finishing above, will go a long way to appeasing the fans, who no doubt are starting to wonder where the next win will come from. A defeat at home to another newly promoted side (after QPR's 3-0 triumph) would have fans asking a lot of questions, and would leave the club firmly in the relegation mix, and while it's still early days we are about 1/4 of the way through the season now, and while it may be early to use the table as a judge of how teams are faring, Wolves will NOT want to wake up on Sunday morning another 3 points behind Swansea City, and, potentially, a few others too. They can go a long way to silencing their critics by beating the Swans, and their best bet is (and no doubt McCarthy watched it) to mimic Norwich's tactics. They pressed us high up the field, restricting our ability to retain possession and feed our wide men. The Swans will have to watch out for Wolves wide men, in fairness. Some stats showed that Wolves cross completion of 30%+ is the highest in the league, with Matt Jarvis having a big say in that. The winger is, for me, one of the best natural wingers in the UK and should be in the England team, and he'll be looking to provide service for Kevin Doyle et al, against a team fairly renowned for a weakness in the air at the back. One time Swansea target Adam Hammill could also lineup, and will be looking to tease the Swans full backs. This means we should get to see some aerial acrobatics from Vorm, at the very least! Kevin Doyle, it is worth mentioning, is a quality player. Great in the air and good with both feet, he's a player who can make things happen, and I hope that Garry Monk is 100% fit, because if not he could be in for a rough time. The flipside of this is that, if Wolves are committing men forward down the wings, the same men that get the crosses in are going to have to track back given that the Swansea full backs (Neil Taylor and Angel Rangel) both like to overlap. Looking at it, I can see this being a game played primarily down the wings, as Wolves injuries mean they're likely to start with a 4-5-1 formation, which mimics the Swans (and also means 6 central midfielders starting on the field), which will probably limit the amount of play happening in the middle of the field. With so many players contesting the midfield area, I think a physical game is almost a certainty, but neither teams are "dirty" per se, so I think it'll be a game better described as having been full of "commitment, desire and passion". I won't go into too much depth, because, to be honest, I've only just got back online and as such I'm still catching up with all the weeks news, but if I find anything interesting I'll edit it in. Iachu Da. Scott Scottswan's famously biased, ill-fated and banned prediction; Wolves 1 - 3 Swansea
Early post, Scott but brilliant as usual. Draw for me. Wolves haven't been great and we are piss poor away. Sounds simplistic but that's the way I see it. If either manager's rocket up his players' jacksies hits home then either side could win by the odd goal. Yes, I'm hedging my bets. We can't be as poor this week as we were last can we?
Good thread Scotty. We need our first away point desperately this week after last weeks disappointment, not because the points are that important, but the momentum is vital in this run of 6 pointers we are in the middle of at the moment. Gonna be a tough team choice, because if Wolves press us like Norwich did, we may struggle to keep hold of the ball again. Not sure whether we should play an attacking midfileder or, like you've suggested, start with Gower. One gives you runs over the top, and the other plays long balls, both of which will stretch the game, and I guess it just depends where Brendan thinks we will see most of the ball. Can't see us coping with Jarvis and Doyle combining for a whole game, but i reckon we can score a couple. 1-2
Great thread again Scott. I`ve put us down to draw in the prediction. Not sure how this one`s going to go, Wolves will be desperate to win after their recent results and after our recent result, say no more. Norwich showed how to blast us off the pitch so Buck needs to "buck" his ideas a bit. Variety is the spice of life, and we are not showing much variety, as has been said on another thread. We`ve been hung drawn & quartered, to be expected by the top teams, unexpected by Norwich. Let`s vary our play a bit more & I`m sure that the results will come away from home. Saturday`s game could go either way, and I hope that our last game is a distant memory & we play to our potential.
Great thread Scott. I think the line-up needs to be tweaked .... Moras for Monk, Routledge for Britton. I wonder who will replace Dobbie on the bench - probably Beattie.
Thanks, Scott, top notch as always. As for the game, it's one to be wary of. Wolves aren't as bad as their league position suggests and have been on the wrong end of some pretty bad refereeing decisions (where have I heard that before?) that have not helped them. However, this is a game we can get something from but not if our players aren't prepared to scrap for everything. You can bet that Wolves will and they do have players who can hurt us. I think 1-1 but praying for better.
Rodgers needs to start sorting our away form out, it's bloody shocking if you ask me, Sousa style away would not be a bad idea until we can gain some confidence on the road, yes it's boring having our midfield sit so deep and be the first line of defence, but at least we'll gain some draws and points, while building confidence!......................... please log in to view this image Did someone mention Beattie! Shoot the man please, and Beattie................ please log in to view this image
Quotes from Rodgers seem to indicate Monk will be starting. Apparently he's got some new support to stop his foot going numb...
what choice do we have scott, we have some serious spending to do in january if we are to stay in the premiership if all we can do is rely on a non fit player that has to play....
Well we won't be spending Dai, so we might as well get used to the idea of relegation if that's the case. Monk has done ok, and Moras could be good. Wait and see. Caulker should be back in a month or so too.
why wont we spend if that is the only way to stay in the premiership. I tell you what if we don't spend then Brendan will walk, he wont stand for any nonsense if he is not alowed to do his job...
We won't spend in January because anyone with a brain doesn't spend in January. Prices are stupidly inflated, clubs get held to ransom and players don't have time to gel. Huw has gone on record a few times saying he avoids buying anyone in the Jan window, and Fergie does much the same... and it's seen him alright!
so your theory is sod strengthening and lets go backwards and certain relegation are you for real or what.. of course ALL i repeat ALL clubs look to strengthen in the January sales. its the only time to do what you can to stay up. jeez iv heard it all now, that scott is the most stupidest comment i have heard in a long time..
Well we have a track record of spending little money in general, and what we do spend we spend in the summer. Coupled with the fact we spent the most out of the three promoted clubs pre-season I'd say that makes us fairly unlikely to spend any money in January. A clever loan, or one or two frees, maybe...but signing anyone for decent money? Unlikely. Also, when calling me stupid, don't use phrases like "most stupidest". Doesn't help your cause.
To give a Wolves perspective, this is a really big game for us. It's surprising we are not in the bottom three already after 5 defeats in a row, and next week we go to Manchester City, so we really need a win. Confidence is low, and with Steven Fletcher injured it's difficult to see who will score the goals. McCarthy has a big decision to make. If we go 4-5-1 he will be accused of being negative, but if he picks Ebanks-Blake to partner Doyle, I can see your midfield outpassing Henry and O'Hara. The defence is not playing well either, and I can see Sinclair causing big problems for Stearman. It might be time for Zubar to get his first start. I'd like to see us try to emulate Norwich, with Henry, Guedioura and Milijas in the middle, and Hammill and Hunt wide, as for me, Jarvis and O'Hara haven't been delivering. I think the first goal will be crucial, and that line up gives us the best chance of the high energy start we need. This game could go either way.
"Also, when calling me stupid, don't use phrases like "most stupidest". Doesn't help your cause. " Daiswan: a legend in his own lunchtime.
