[Archived] Wolves Preview

[Tris]

Wasnt sure where to post this, but I was just at ewood and saw Dunny and Reid leaving the stadium. I wonder if they were having fitness checks?

The 1st team squad trained at Ewood today.

[Helmshore blue]

The 1st team squad trained at Ewood today.

Shame I wasnt slightly earlier then!

Feeling confident ahead of tomorrow. Hopefully a comfortable win, with Kalinic and Di Santo getting their first goals.

[gumboots]

I think there is entirely too much optimism around here. Wolves will not be a push over. I know I have only seen the West Ham game and I have been reassured by plenty of people that we did play well in the first 2 matches, but I have to say I'm approaching tomorrow's game with great trepidation. We didn't look like scoring against West ham and i don't see where we're going to suddenly get goals from because when we get anywhere near goal we look ponderous and give the opposition defence plenty of time to get in place.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

We really must win this to boost confidence..In the name of god Sam two strikers tomorrow PLEASE!

2-1 Rovers

Att: 25,400

[modes98]

Hopefully a comfortable win, with Kalinic and Di Santo getting their first goals.

Is Di Santo fit?

Physio Room shows him as a slight doubt, but it puts Nelsen down as the same.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

I think there is entirely too much optimism around here. Wolves will not be a push over. I know I have only seen the West Ham game and I have been reassured by plenty of people that we did play well in the first 2 matches, but I have to say I'm approaching tomorrow's game with great trepidation. We didn't look like scoring against West ham and i don't see where we're going to suddenly get goals from because when we get anywhere near goal we look ponderous and give the opposition defence plenty of time to get in place.

West Ham wasn't the best match - but we still had enough chances to win the game. In the previous matches - we had easily enough chances to get something out of both matches. Out main problem is putting the chances away. Why that would suddenly change - hopefully that by sheer probablility it will If we don't get a win - we will know that we are in for a long hard season.

[Dunnfc]

Wasnt sure where to post this, but I was just at ewood and saw Dunny and Reid leaving the stadium. I wonder if they were having fitness checks?

Could well be but arn't both of those them out of contract soon? Maybe thrashing out a new deal?

[Amo]

I think there is entirely too much optimism around here.

Can you have too much of a good thing?

I'd say savour the moment if I were you.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Don't care how we win or how much by as long as we get the three points. If its a 1-0 or a lucky goal e.g. the ball bounces off Kalinic's backside into the net i don't care.

Need to start picking points up before the horrendous run in in October.

I'll be very worried if we can't beat a Wolves side at home with a fully fit squad to choose from.

[LeChuck]

I'll be very worried if we can't beat a Wolves side at home with a fully fit squad to choose from.

Well...we haven't really. Whilst Nelsen, Emerton, Reid, Kalinic, Salgado, Dunn, Grella etc. might not necessarily be injured as such, none are really 'fit' enough to contribute to anywhere near their full potential. It would be asking a lot for any one of them to play 90 minutes. That's a big chunk of our first team.

Not that I'm trying to make excuses because we should be winning this one.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Well...we haven't really. Whilst Nelsen, Emerton, Reid, Kalinic, Salgado, Dunn, Grella etc. might not necessarily be injured as such, none are really 'fit' enough to contribute to anywhere near their full potential. It would be asking a lot for any one of them to play 90 minutes. That's a big chunk of our first team.

Not that I'm trying to make excuses because we should be winning this one.

Wolves have plenty of players out as well, Kightly, Ebanks-Blake...

We should be beating the likes of Wolves, especially at home and i won't be accepting/happy with anything less than a win.

[Guest charlie1]

Why does everyone keep picking salgado in their first choice eleven. jacobsen and Chimbonda are both much better. Salgado is a legend at Real Madrid but he is to old to play Prem footy and miles to slow.

[only2garners]

Chuck in a long flight back with connections on top of 90 minutes in a Wednesday World Cup Qualifier and I cannot see Sam starting the Admiral.

They were only in Jordan, not too far away and it wasn't a World Cup qualifier - New Zealand have a play-off against Bahrain for a place in South Africa in October/November.

[CrazyIvan]

Why does everyone keep picking salgado in their first choice eleven. jacobsen and Chimbonda are both much better. Salgado is a legend at Real Madrid but he is to old to play Prem footy and miles to slow.

I don't know how you work that out. We haven't seen him play yet...

[Guest charlie1]

I have watched him most of his career and his always been slow and out of position he will struggle massivley in the premiership. Jacobsen or Chimbonda are both better options at right back.

[Blueandwhitemike]

Going on the performances in the first 3 games we should win this one. We have a stronger squad to choose from than the WHam game and Wolves should be the weakest opposition so far, so there is a good reason for the optimism.

An early goal will really help us, settling the nerves and allowing the team to play football. No early goal and it might be tough, Wolves have started decently and will still have that rush from being a newly promoted team full of hope and optimism.

With so many to choose from and not knowing exactly how they are all doing it makes it very difficult to guess the team, I'd go for

Robbo

Chimbonda Samba Nelsen Givet

Emerton Dunn Grella MGP

Kalinic McCarthy ( though if he and Di Santo aren't fit it will probably be Roberts )

In the first half of last season most people said Emerton was the best player, so I'd have him in if he is ready even though I preferred him at RB.

I don't know how good Salgado is so I wouldn't have him in my team unless he has been fantastic in training.

If we get and early goal we should win comfortably but it will probably be 1-0 and I'd be satisfied with that.

Hope the atmosphere in the Darwen End is better for this game, hope the team gives it a reason to be.

p.s. I do wish people would leave their slagging off of Andrews to his own thread.

[MCMC1875]

Not many selecting Keith on here.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Not many selecting Keith at all?

If Dunny and Grella are fit enough then i can't see Keith starting. Both Dunny and Grella have had some decent gametime recently and for me they should be starting this game if they are 100%.

N'Zonzi apparently took a bit of a knock with the France U-21's, so there would be a valid reason for dropping him if he isn't fully fit.

[67splitscreen]

The 1st team squad trained at Ewood today.

Is that the normal practice on a Friday. no pun's please.

[MCMC1875]

Is that the normal practice on a Friday. no pun's please.

Watch your apostrophes 67.

[John]

Is that the normal practice on a Friday. no pun's please.

Under Sam, yes. He likes to work on tactics/formation etc on the pitch itself.

[67splitscreen]

Under Sam, yes. He likes to work on tactics/formation etc on the pitch itself.

Cheers john, I thought maybe we had some secret weapon ready for launch at 3pm tomorrow.

[JamieUK]

I cant see Dunn starting in the centre of a 4-4-2, neither do I see him being dropped - I think we'll see 1 up front again. As a compromise I'd take him on the right hand side if Diouf's not back.

[American]

Wouldn't mind seeing us go to a diamond, but doubt it will happen.

[Ozz]

Wolves are a bit like us really. Good traditional club, won a lot in the past, fell on hard times later on. Proud of their distinctive kits too, refusing to call it yellow-great page full of the classics Wolves Kits. Jack Heyward even tried to copy our Jack, and bank roll them back to the big time, but failed miserably, putting our efforts into perspective.

This is one of my favourites.

As a Chorley lad though, I can't help but remind any Wolves readers of the classic encounters between them and Chorley FC in the FA cup in 1986. After two drawn games, one at Burnden Park, Chorley won the toss for the second replay and took the former English Champs back to Bolton (Chorley's ground was not deemed safe then in the post Bradford era) and walloped them 3-0.

This is generally accepted as the nadir for Wolves, their progress hitting rock bottom here.