Here again, for one day only, GeminMallorca brings you the chance to discuss tomorrow’s game before we get down to the real business on Halfy’s super-duper match day thread in the morning.
Note! The match preview thread is cut ‘n paste free.
Saturday 21st sees top of the table Wolves host 5th place Preston North End at Molineux.
Having conceded only 11 goals, Wolves have scored 21, more than any other team in the Championship except Hull City (23)
In the last 5 games Wolves have won 4 and lost 1 (Sheffield United away) they have only lost one other game this season with the disappointing 2-1 loss at home to Cardiff.
Preston have become one of the league’s draw specialists having drawn 3 of their last 5 games and 6 of the 12 league games this season. They have also lost only one game so far (a 1-0 loss away to Derby County), a feat achieved by only one other side (Bristol City).
With wins against Sheffield Wednesday, Hull and Cardiff and draws against Middlesborough and Fulham, Alex Neil’s side have shown that they can perform against any opposition and Nuno Espirito Santo will be mindful of that when briefing his players before his high flying team take on Preston.
After the comprehensive thrashing that Wolves handed out to Burton Albion and the convincing win over Aston Villa last week, Wolves will surely be the bookies favourites to take 3 points from this game. However, Alex Neil has a team with a well organised defence which has conceded only 8 goals in the current campaign and Nuno’s young and hungry forwards will have to be at their best to find the back of the net.
Last time the two teams met was at Molineux on the last day of last season. Wolves ran out 1-0 winners thanks to a Danny Batth header. Preston will face a very different Wolves side tomorrow and the Molineux crowd will be expecting nothing less than three points.
Gem’s prediction: Wolves 2 Preston 0
Additional note for ex-pats. As this game is scheduled as the featured match on channel 5 there will be no live stream on Wolves TV.
For everyone with access to channel 5, tune in on Saturday night to Football on 5 at 10pm UK time.
Wolves v Preston match preview
posted on 21/10/17
posted on 21/10/17
comment by Tamwolf (U17286)
posted 4 hours, 19 minutes ago
Possession for possessions sake is pointless. It’s what we saw with Stale and led to some of the most boring football I have seen.
Possession with intent is fine and fantastic to watch. That is what we are seeing now.
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I should apologise, I actually sent my post without finishing the sentence.......
The better teams will have more possession and pass the ball better generally speaking over the course of a season.
This fact is highlighted in just about every division
posted on 21/10/17
comment by Reenie Turpin (U21403)
posted 4 hours, 25 minutes ago
comment by Spangles (U17289)
posted 5 minutes ago
Lots of rubbish talked about passing and possession and control in football matches. If those were the important things in football then Arsenal under Wenger would have dominated the Premier League for the last decade and more. Opposition teams when faced by teams with these priorities have learned to just let them have the ball as much as they want, it’s not important. The difference with Wolves now compared to our teams we have had for recent years is that we have bought in a group of players with a market value of £70m and guess what, they are better than the ones we bought in for a few million.
Brilliant teams that we have seen in Barcelona for many years are not great because they decided to play possession football, they are great because they have many of the best footballers on the planet
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You should take such common sense to the USA, Spangles. Those pesky ex-pats don't get it.
At the same time, take my regards to The Donald.
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So DJ has basically just said what I have said all along, better players pass the ball better, and with better players you are a better team, therefore you will generally be at the right end of the table.
posted on 21/10/17
There are numerous factors that dictate a game a football and you can even throw in luck as one of them. Barcelona are great because they play the passing game and possession football. Having good players helps of course, but I remember a a match where Liverpool had almost 75% possession but lost 0-2. They lost because they didn't put their chances away and Burnley got lucky.
Some teams do give up possession ,but not in their own one third. The do it because they try to stifle an opponents game.
So possession and passing will get you more results than the hoofball tactics employed by some teams.
posted on 21/10/17
Biggest difference to our side this season is the clear intention to look after the ball better and play from the back and control midfield.
posted on 21/10/17
posted on 21/10/17
Dunno who is the biggest lost cause reenie - cinci, wolfie or Trump
posted on 21/10/17
And of course everything you put up on here is gospel. Never known anyone as arrogant as you DJ.
posted on 22/10/17
comment by wolfieintheSunshineState (U16306)
posted 10 hours ago
And of course everything you put up on here is gospel. Never known anyone as arrogant as you DJ.
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posted on 22/10/17
comment by Spangles (U17289)
posted 16 hours, 14 minutes ago
Dunno who is the biggest lost cause reenie - cinci, wolfie or Trump
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It's definitely DJ, still clawing back from the summer of 'feck me could I have been anymore wrong week to week'