So then, on Wednesday 22nd November it’s back to Molineux where Wolves host ‘Dirty Leeds.’
After last Saturday’s visit to the Madejski Stadium where Wolves, roared on by a travelling support of almost 4,000, enjoyed another victory albeit somewhat undeserved despite two classy goals from Cavaleiro and Doherty, Nuno’s wolfpack have another chance to take a further step towards the Premiership. Doherty could again be a key player for Wolves, using his pace and guile to exploit the weakness that Leeds have in the left side of defence.
After regaining the top spot in the table, Wolves have a 12 point advantage over Leeds who currently sit in 7th place. Nuno has Barry Douglas available again after his one match suspension but may opt to stick with Ruben Vinagre in the left wingback slot after his impressive performance on Saturday. A player who, based on his first half performance may be at risk of being dropped is John Ruddy although some brilliant reaction saves in the second half will probably ensure that he keeps his place. With the only ex-Wolves player in the Leeds squad being keeper Andy Lonergan it’s unlikely that the home side will, on this occasion, be conceding a goal from an ex-player come back to haunt them.
Wolves’ nearest rivals in the table, Sheffield United and Cardiff both won their matches on Friday and Saturday respectively and if both win their games this evening they will keep the pressure on Wolves to maintain their 2 point advantage.
Leeds travel to Wolverhampton after their excellent win at home to Middlesborough on Sunday. They have taken only 6 points from their last 5 games and their early top of the league position seemed to have faded in the memory as they slid backwards down the table. However, the latest win will have restored some confidence in both the players and the fans.
Leeds are renowned for their high turnover of managers, their last seven Head Coaches having had an average of just 136 days in charge. Thomas Christiansen who has been in charge now for 160 days has a slightly better goals per game average that his seven predecessors and has been backed by the Leeds Chairman who is “Taking a long-term approach to success."
Gem’s prediction:
Wolves 2 Leeds 1
Wolves v Leeds Match Preview
posted on 22/11/17
comment by Spangles (U17289)
posted 2 hours, 10 minutes ago
It was great to see the reception Dave got when he came on Saturday, just as Kevin Doyle had done when he made his final appearance at Molineux. I am sure if Leon plays for Blades at Molineux he will get a far less welcoming reception. All this is based on how the supporters feel the players did in their time with Wolves and shows how forums often represent quite different views from those that go to the games.
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Do the forms represent a different view?
I am pretty sure if we were ranking the players mentioned in terms of likeability and effort at wolves then Dave and Doyle would come out ahead of Leon or Siggy.
Likewise if we were to rank all four in terms of ability Doyle would come out streets ahead of the other three.
posted on 22/11/17
comment by wolfieintheSunshineState (U16306)
posted 2 minutes ago
I think Leon Clarke is giving the middle finger to quite a few on here.Just shows what a player can do when coached properly. He's now the leading scorer in this division and I'm sure he'll get a mixed reception from the "true" fans (as Bute puts it) when he comes to Molineux.
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Personally speaking o am very pleased for Leon Clarke, after what must have been a very tough time after his father's murder he could easily have lost his way, especially given he is lazy and doesn't care apparently, but yet here he is as the championships top scorer, a division he isn't good enough for(apparently).
posted on 22/11/17
comment by wolfieintheSunshineState (U16306)
posted 31 seconds ago
I think Leon Clarke is giving the middle finger to quite a few on here.Just shows what a player can do when coached properly. He's now the leading scorer in this division and I'm sure he'll get a mixed reception from the "true" fans (as Bute puts it) when he comes to Molineux.
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Not really. There are plenty of examples of strikers who suddenly hit a run of form late in their careers, despite being less than average at Championship level prior to that. Iwelumo was a classic example for us. Jamie Cureton is another one who had a purple patch at Norwich late on for one season at this level, despite being poor elsewhere.
It doesn't change the fact that, like those two examples; for most of his career, Leon wasn't good enough to play Championshp football. It also doesn't change the fact that he was poor whilst at Wolves. He seems to have found a system that works for him where he is now, but it probably won't last and he will disappear from everyones consciousness (except possibly Cinci who will continue to point out whenever he scores) by this time next year.
I'd much rather have Bonatini. Clarke isn't good enough for us and I'm glad he isn't here.
posted on 22/11/17
Hadn't brought Leon up all season chief, others have done so way ahead of me each time it has become a topic
posted on 23/11/17
leon clarke wasn't coached properly...
the latest in the never ending mass of football fan clichés and statements that just don't make any sense when you actually consider the facts behind it. the guy has had about 20 coaches in his career, yet somehow the suggestion is that his inability to play decent football at wolves - in two spells separated by ten years and a dozen clubs - is down to KJ and his team?
over a fifteen year career this is Clarke's best ever run of form, giving weight to the league he is in as well as number of goals. as tam says, sometimes it just clicks for all sorts of players in all sorts of teams...dog knows, roger Johnson once looked like an unstoppable force of nature in the tightest defence in the premier league with a future playing for England. but the reality most fans accept now, post his move to wolves, is that he was an average stopper in a team built on negative defensive tactics, and that without scott dann his limitations and personal dubious characteristics lead to a rapid decline down the leagues and eventually off to national league Bromley via the indian super league.
or in other words, as with Clarke during both stints at wolves, 'he's 5hit, get rid'.
posted on 23/11/17
comment by Tamwolf (U17286)
posted 1 day, 11 hours ago
comment by Sir Halfy ...40%Chinese40%Portuguese20%NPD (U11570)
posted 7 hours, 58 minutes ago
We haven't had a prolific goal scorer since Dave signed.......coincidentally, we have one now he's gone !
Fancy that
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SEB and Afobe were pretty prolific at this level for us. Dicko was a 1 in 2 striker until his injury too. All played whilst he was here, at least one of them was here whilst Leon and Siggy were too.
As Cinci said; ‘#davemyths’.
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Yeah SEB was pretty good but his stats declined coincidentally, Adobe had the potential but wasn't with us long enough
Leon was shat for us, but I wish him well !
posted on 23/11/17
Love these little biatchfests btw
posted on 23/11/17
comment by Sir Halfy ...40%Chinese40%Portuguese20%NPD (U11570)
posted 3 minutes ago
comment by Tamwolf (U17286)
posted 1 day, 11 hours ago
comment by Sir Halfy ...40%Chinese40%Portuguese20%NPD (U11570)
posted 7 hours, 58 minutes ago
We haven't had a prolific goal scorer since Dave signed.......coincidentally, we have one now he's gone !
Fancy that
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SEB and Afobe were pretty prolific at this level for us. Dicko was a 1 in 2 striker until his injury too. All played whilst he was here, at least one of them was here whilst Leon and Siggy were too.
As Cinci said; ‘#davemyths’.
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Yeah SEB was pretty good but his stats declined coincidentally, Adobe had the potential but wasn't with us long enough
Leon was shat for us, but I wish him well !
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SEBs stats declined after we got promoted. We was prolific in this division.
posted on 23/11/17
No doubt at all the inept coaching was a huge issue in our goalscoring woes, even the mercurial dave had huge spells without a goal as the shackles were tightened more and more, we didn't set up to win a game for months on end, good luck trying to score in that set up.
As for SEB, brilliant at this level and possibly the most natural goalscorer we have had for a long time, only Bully and Sturridge probably rival him on that front and Afobe, though a different player.
posted on 24/11/17
SEB and afobe both had golden spells in the championship but ultimately neither went on to great success in the premier league (so far, for afobe)
I think of the current crop they have all shown good ability in the championship plus potential to do well in the prem in a strong team. there's extra pace and skill in costa, jota and cav, and altho bona doesn't have great pace he just seems to have the knack of getting in the right place along with being a very calm finisher