Wolves vs WHUFC -- December 4th, 2019

Off to the Black Country... lots of questions... we'll see what answers we get.

ok... game on... 3:45 gone so far...

who's playing?

25 Martin
24 Fredericks
4 Balbuena
21 Ogbonna
3 Cresswell
11 Snodgrass
16 Noble
41 Rice
18 Fornals
8 Felipe Anderson
22 Haller

Substitutes

5 Zabaleta
7 Yarmolenko
13 Jiménez
15 C Sánchez
26 Masuaku
27 Ajeti
37 Holland

well... couple things are evident form the line-up...

Antonio is injured... so that's awesome news... since no one in the team, except possibly Snodgrass, kinda gives a shit.

Anderson is back in the starting XI so his pitiful return on investment carries no obvious penalties for him.

Haller will be the lone man up front... otherwise it's the same team as pulled off the Chelsea win, so hardly any real surprises.

10 minutes...

nice play down the wing... even an overlapping player running into position.

resulting corner wasn't so good though

all of Wolves play is coming through Traore

although having said that we leave acres of space at the back for pretty much any player to wander through.. fortunately Fredericks heads clear.

Fornals runs onto a Cresswell ball... out for a corner...

we're playing better than usual... still a bit lackluster, still a bit pants... so 'better' isn't exactly a high bar to reach... but yes... for those who like things on the positive side... we're playing better.

I mean we're kinda defending okay... because wolves haven't scored and we keep clearing the ball...


but we're not that good because Wolves keep coming and we keep giving them space on the ball and let them do things we shouldn't...

Hayden Mullins is Watford's caretaker manager....


and while I wonder about other things because the game is bit flat... Wolves score...

Martin left standing... corner comes in... Wolves player not marked as he runs into the middle of the 6 yard box (how many times have I written that this season???) and the ball gets deflected off Cresswell - so I guess Martin (who I was about to say hasn't made a save all game yet, despite all Wolves pressure) is off the hook...

But it's beenrelentles pressure for 10-15 minutes and we're down a goal...

free kick to us...

uncontested header clear by the Wolves defense...

26 minutes gone...


The Guardian's take:

"GOAL! Wolves 1-0 West Ham (Dendoncker, 23 mins)

Another set-piece goal! It’s a corner from the left, nobody stops Dendoncker’s bulldozing run into the six-yard box, and he touches it back across goal and inside the post with an outstretched boot!"


The BBC view:

"Goal! Wolverhampton Wanderers 1, West Ham United 0. Leander Dendoncker (Wolverhampton Wanderers) right footed shot from very close range to the bottom left corner. Assisted by João Moutinho with a cross following a corner."

the good thing is that we're still pressing forward... corner as we speak...

Rice's header is easily saved - but we got to the ball first.

Yes, seeing us keeping on keeping on, is heartening... we just might not be very good...

Snoddy and Fornals are putting themselves about the most...

Fredericks is involved n a lot...

Anderson looks like he's trying (for Anderson, he'd still be below any other player for effort)

Haller, Noble seem pretty anonymous and invisible...

that's how I see it so far.

great shot by Fornals brings out a great save... nice interplay between him and anderson - which is great to see.

oh, Noble made a contribution... fouled a Wolves player...

player still getting treatment on the ground thanks to the elbow of Noble he took to the head... ridiculous foul... Noble jumping... back turned to the player and ball... arm lashing out... he was lucky to just get a yellow...

a real captain's contribution...

almost the end of the half... been mucho wolves possession and attacking which is boring to talk about...

we did get down to their box but Noble got bundled off the ball (immediately calling for a penalty... only person in the ground who did)

but it's all back to Wolves attacking... almost all coming through Traore... but hardly anything actually getting through to Martin...


oooh... Haller has the ball.

2 minutes of aded time... probably all for the Noble foul.

Wolves keep a-coming.

first half is over... we're losing.

we've lost our last 9 games when going behind.

as things stand we're down a place to 14th...

we need a win... which means we need something we're not so good at...

the players come out to 'Thunderstruck' by AC/DC...

so sad to see how poor we are without Antonio... one man doesn't make a team... except in our case.

the important thing to note is that one man SHOULDN'T make a team...






no changes.

Snoddy and a Wolves player collide... plenty of being injured on the ground... but we're now back up and on with a wolves free kick...

interesting taking a trawl around social media at half time...

the consensus seems to be that Haller is shit and should be sold.

We're a shit ream without Antonio

It's weirdly pretty split between 'nice link up play between Anderson and Fornals' and 'formals is our shittiest signing after Roberto and should be sold'

lot of people think Snoddy is useless despite him being our most progressive and attacking player...

so it seems the more people you ask, the less clear the picture gets... which is pretty spot on given the upcoming election...

first 5 minutes have been all Wolves... and they're back at us (from a West Ham throw)

we're back to 13th in the table - thanks to the results of other teams... nothing to do with us.

Martin earns his place...

Wolves fly down the wing... play the ball into the middle of the box... our one defender can't stop the ball going to the other Wolves forward - Martin decides to run out to cover and smothers the shot form close range...

keeps us in the game.

Yarmo looks looks like he's going to get warmed up... few other players on the team should try the same thing..


great ball over the top form Fornals to Snody who runs in unmarked on the goal... but then slides over and can't make his second touch... so the keeper easily cleans up.


Snoddy to add insult to injury... is the player who's going to be subbed...