[Archived] Preview of Wolves vs. Rovers; 22 May 2011.

[brian nelsen]

Undoubtedly he took us several steps backwards during those months but I doubt many people expected him to get the results we managed to get since. That doesn't absolve him from blame, far from it, but its worthy of a degree of credit. The point at the Emirates, the win against Bolton and the draw against Utd appear to have kept us up.

Of course he deserves some credit (he may have weed on those chips after his late night Saturday shenanigans). Obviously, we don't want to be where we are, but, I for one have enjoyed every bit of it. We need new blood, get rid of a few, a chairman is a must. And unless another manager is to come in the summer, give Steve Kean full backing for at least as long as Allardyce (August-December). I am confident this manager can get good results.

[cruz]

immediately belying the scripted spin / myth that we have played free-flowing, attractive, pass and move football under this manager.

I must have missed that fairytale. I think only you read that book

[Hughesy]

We both have a dilemma....

Go and just attack them and try and get the early lead?

Sit back, let them attack us and play on the counter? Will they want to attack us incase we break?

Or will this game see 0-0 at HT and see how things are going around the country?!

Personally id be instructing the boys to keep it tight at the back, attack early on & try to get a lead to protect.....then we see how the others are doing as the day progresses.

[den]

We both have a dilemma....

Go and just attack them and try and get the early lead?

Sit back, let them attack us and play on the counter? Will they want to attack us incase we break?

Or will this game see 0-0 at HT and see how things are going around the country?!

Personally id be instructing the boys to keep it tight at the back, attack early on & try to get a lead to protect.....then we see how the others are doing as the day progresses.

sorry Hughesy, we can't possibly have any game plan that involves seeing how the other sides are doing. That might come into it later on in the game, but Kean must have a game plan that wins the game.

[philipl]

For that tactic to work Hughesy, Kean needs to buy a radio and be sober enough to flick the on switch... neither of which he managed last Saturday.

I think our tactics will be determined by Wolves coming out to attack us and being vulnerable to the counter attack. If you look at Wolves best results, they have come from their willingness to knock it around and get many bodies forward.

As I have written before, the fitness of both Samba and Hoilett is going to be critical for us. Thankfully we have the extra day to get them right.

[den]

Bolton...at home....we had to win....he set us up to win....

we won.

For the last time, we didn't have to beat Bolton, because we couldn't get relegated if we didn't.

Settling for anything less than a win at Wolves puts our future in the hands of other teams and could see us go down there and then. I don't envy Kean, because he's got a very, very difficult task here. He has to make sure we repel a Wolves onslaught - and that's what it will be, because this is a game that Wolves also will see as a game that they must win, while finding some way to score gaols at the other end.

I think you see this really, but can't see fit to put your beloved manager where he might fail.

[daveJ]

Weird that we aint behind the goal this year..

could have swore we were last season

[yoda]

We both have a dilemma....

Go and just attack them and try and get the early lead?

Sit back, let them attack us and play on the counter? Will they want to attack us incase we break?

Or will this game see 0-0 at HT and see how things are going around the country?!

Personally id be instructing the boys to keep it tight at the back, attack early on & try to get a lead to protect.....then we see how the others are doing as the day progresses.

what if the other teams score in the last minute, were stuffed,

we have to win

[Manchester Blue]

No it was magicalmorten. We couldn't have been relegated that day, whatever the result. This is totally different. He has to set up a side that can score goals, while at the same time not get caught out on the break. IHe has to have it in his mind, that we simply must win this game. He's managed that only once this year.

It will take a tremendous effort to win at Wolves. If we do that, then he'll deserve credit for that - even though he got us in this position in the first place.

Sorry Den I don't agree that you can say Bolton wasn't a must win. Without that win and the cushion it gave us we'd be in the bottom three, everyone before and after agreed it was must win. I agree technically it wasn't but you can't accuse him of not being able to set a team up for a must win so far, given that every game he's been in charge of hasn't been by your definition.

My own opinion is he's perfectly capable of setting us up in the same manner as we went to West Ham and play solid and hit them on the break and that would be fine imo. I don't believe we have to go all out and win, a draw will almost certainly be good enough. Of course try and win by all means, but no need for gung ho.

[BRFC95]

Sorry Den I don't agree that you can say Bolton wasn't a must win.

A 'must win game' is one where relegation (in our case this season) is the outcome if a win isn't achieved.

We wouldn't have been relegated after the Bolton match had we lost.

It wasn't a 'must win game'

[RibbleValleyRover]

The last time Rovers scored more than one goal in a game was back in March. If Wolves take an early lead it could be a nail biting afternoon on Sunday...

[John]

Not the place for it, or relevant, but when is the last time we won 2 games back to back out of interest?

Off the top of my head, West Brom then Liverpool?

[RevidgeBlue]

For the last time, we didn't have to beat Bolton, because we couldn't get relegated if we didn't.

Of course Bolton was a "must win" game den. All our games at that point were "must win" until we got that vital and elusive first win. Without those extra two points we'd have been totally stuffed going into the last game hoping against hope and needing to get a better result than three other teams! The fact we got that win also turned the West Ham and United games into "must not lose" games. Without a win at some point they'd have been "must win" games as well.

You're only saying that because you refuse to give Kean credit for anything. He needed a win against Bolton, and he got it.

Is his overall record to date good enough? That's a separate issue entirely.

[nellybc]

so whats the general feeling on the line up ?? Providing its a full squad to choose from.....

Robinson, Salgado, Jones, Samba, Givet, Emerton, Jones, Nzonzi, Olsson, Hoilett, Roberts

Subs from: Bunn, Hanley, Andrews, Roque, Niko, Benjani,Dunn,Pedersen Formica, Rochina (fitness)

[den]

Sorry Den I don't agree that you can say Bolton wasn't a must win. Without that win and the cushion it gave us we'd be in the bottom three, everyone before and after agreed it was must win. I agree technically it wasn't but you can't accuse him of not being able to set a team up for a must win so far, given that every game he's been in charge of hasn't been by your definition.

Absolutely - technically it wasn't MB. Technically, from the K.O. this is. We weren't at the last chance saloon against Bolton, that's my point. Against Wolves he must approach as though we are. This is different in my opinion. It's a difficult one for him to judge. He must get the balance between attack and defence spot on. Too gung ho going forward and we'll get hit on the break. Too little attacking threat and we could well fail to get the win that he must go for. Let's be honest, going for a draw is asking for trouble because, again IMO, we're not good enough to set out for that and achieve it. Go for a draw and I think we'll lose.

I suppose what I'm trying to say, is that there might be no second chance if we don't beat Wolves and that gives him something to think about that he hasn't had so far.

Nor am I accusing him of anything here MB. If he manages to win a very difficult game, he'll get credit from me - I've already said that. I don't envy him with this one.

[den]

Of course Bolton was a "must win" game den. All our games at that point were "must win" until we got that vital and elusive first win. Without those extra two points we'd have been totally stuffed going into the last game hoping against hope and needing to get a better result than three other teams!

If we hadn't beaten Bolton, we would have had another three games to get wins. This is different. After Sunday we don't get any more chances. That puts a lot more pressure on the manager and the players. That's why I said that we'll find out how good a manager he really is. Can he cope under the pressure?

You're only saying that because you refuse to give Kean credit for anything.

Do me a favour Rev. I'm happy to give Kean credit if he can come up with the goods. It's a big ask to win at Wolves, and if you actually look at what I've said he's got the opportunity to impress. Were you the same with Allardyce?

[RevidgeBlue]

If we hadn't beaten Bolton, we would have had another three games to get wins. This is different. After Sunday we don't get any more chances. That puts a lot more pressure on the manager and the players. That's why I said that we'll find out how good a manager he really is. Can he cope under the pressure?

That's a bit like saying if we lose the first 23 matches of the season, game 24 isn't a "must win" game bcause we can still win the last 14 games for 42 points and safety!

If the Bolton game wasn't in reality a "must win" game with only two home fixtures left, and the second one being against Manchester United, I don't know what was. Technically then the Wolves game isn't a "must win" game either because we can draw or lose and still stay up.

However like you I fully agree it is far wiser to treat it as such to attempt to remove any possibility of results elsewhere proving our undoing. However unlikely or remote that possibility may seem

[Lancs Rover]

what if the other teams score in the last minute, were stuffed,

we have to win

Spot on.

[tony gale's mic]

Of course Bolton was a "must win" game den. All our games at that point were "must win" until we got that vital and elusive first win. Without those extra two points we'd have been totally stuffed going into the last game hoping against hope and needing to get a better result than three other teams! The fact we got that win also turned the West Ham and United games into "must not lose" games. Without a win at some point they'd have been "must win" games as well.

You're only saying that because you refuse to give Kean credit for anything. He needed a win against Bolton, and he got it.

Is his overall record to date good enough? That's a separate issue entirely.

And you've been continually defending Kean on this board. That's far more of an illogical position.

For what it's worth, I don't think the win versus Bolton was all that impressive - especially considering the form they've been in and their away record. Had Bolton scored with that shot that hit the woodwork early on, things could have been totally different.

I am however happy to give Kean some credit for the way we performed against Manchester United, even though we squandered our lead.

Undoubtedly he took us several steps backwards during those months but I doubt many people expected him to get the results we managed to get since. That doesn't absolve him from blame, far from it, but its worthy of a degree of credit. The point at the Emirates, the win against Bolton and the draw against Utd appear to have kept us up.

And the 4 points lost at home to Birmingham and Blackpool could well have sent us down if circumstances had been just a little different.

[den]

That's a bit like saying if we lose the first 23 matches of the season, game 24 isn't a "must win" game bcause we can still win the last 14 games for 42 points and safety!

I'll have one last go.

The Wolves game, for Steve Kean, will be a totally different game than Bolton. Bolton were away from home, tired and their season had, to all intents and purposes, finished. Yes, we wanted a win badly, but we weren't in a "win or be relegated" situation. Kean hasn't been in that position before. He's never been faced with having to win an away game against a side that could be relegated if they don't beat us. Kean will be tested far more on Sunday at Wolverhampton than he was against Bolton. Wolves have to win and will fancy their chances. The atmosphere from their fans will be intimidating. I imagine they'll fly at us from the off. I asked the question "can he get a win when it really matters"? That's why we'll learn more about him than we have before.

You, MB and magicmorten seem to be arguing that he's already proven that he can do it. I disagree.

[Baz]

Well thats a pedantic pointless argument over the wording of a "must-win" game.

Shall we move on?

Does anyone know how Wolves will set up in the game?

Im presuming they will be 4-5-1, but is that likely to change for this game? Do they have any particular strengths or weaknesses? From what I have seen they rely on scoring from break away attacks and crosses, and look vunerable to set-pieces. Is that a fair assumption?

Details of Molineux

[bennyboyt11]

They use the wings well, with Jarvis and Hunt providing pace, in the middle Henry is designated with stopping/interrupting play. Up front Fletcher is having a great run, but their preferred player Doyle is back in fitness.

I believe we'll have to use our main asset, our wingers to beat Wolves, the middle shouldn't be too much of a problem providing Samba is fit, as the two Jones should be more than enough to cope with their midfield. Up front is the problem however, Kalinic I feel would be too lightweight so I'd be tempted with Roberts/Benjani or RSC/Roberts.

[elwaxo]

Let's be honest, going for a draw is asking for trouble because, again IMO, we're not good enough to set out for that and achieve it. Go for a draw and I think we'll lose.

I don't think any manager actually goes for a draw, it's about priorities, how much emphasis do you put on defence and how much on attack. Like a plank of wood in the sea, predicting how much pressure needs to be put at either end for it to capsize! How you spread your weight about on the plank... I hope this makes sense... It does in my head anyway

I'm looking forward to the game... it's not an ideal situation, but surely excitement is what football is all about!!!

[Exiled in Toronto]

If we hadn't beaten Bolton, we would have had another three games to get wins. This is different. After Sunday we don't get any more chances. That puts a lot more pressure on the manager and the players. That's why I said that we'll find out how good a manager he really is. Can he cope under the pressure?

Can't see the logic in deciding to judge a manager on one highly unusual game. Firstly because anything can happen in one game that is beyond the scope of the manager to influence, and secondly, by your definition, we haven't had a must-win game since Man Utd at home in 1999 and 1986 before that. If he does excel in this situation, he'll be retired before we need such skills again.

[1864roverite]

For me, there is a simple approach to this game.

The line up for the kick off must be 4-5-1.

Assuming Samba is fit enough to start the line up from midfield should be this.

Salgado Samba P Jones Givet

Hoilett Emerton JJ NZonzi Olsson

Employing this lot allows some interchange should we suffer an injury.

Up front, Roberts should be used from the off, even if he just runs around harrassing the wolves defence for 45 minutes.

the subs bench will be interesting.

M Diouf, RSC and Kalinic are definates as is Bunn. Hanley should be on there as well as Dunn and Pederson.

I agree with Philip. Wolves are under more pressure than us, as a point leaves them below us whilst their goal difference may also be a worry.

The above team allows for a number of changes. Hoilett can be replaced by emerton, Dunn and Diouf. Samba can be replaced by Hanley or Givet, Pederson can play left or central midfield whilst olsson is mr versatile. Rovers also have the option of 4-4-2 or 3-5-2 if required.

The trick is for Rovers to score first. That puts ALL the pressure on Wolves. Deflates the other teams below us and heaps loads of pressure on others.

I keep telling myself I am not worried or concerned. I hope that at 605pm on Sunday the season is put to bed and I can concentrate on a good few fishing trips instead of crying a summer of tears for relegation.