Hello again from sunny Mallorca where yours truly has so much time on his hands he can bring the points hungry wolfpack all the facts and figures you love to discuss before Halfy lets rip on match day.
So after two comfortable home wins, Wolves make the short journey into Birmingham to show the sad and dejected Blues fans how football should be played. This match is televised so around half of the disillusioned 10,000 Birmingham fans will probably stay at home to watch their side get put to the sword and avoid public humiliation.
With a nice, comfortable 4 points cushion at the top of the table on 44 points, Wolves, team and supporters, are enjoying their football and it shows; not only in the results but in the performances. Opposing team managers having studied videos of past Wolves games make brave pre-match statements. Strangely though, after each game, having seen Wolves play in front of them and having seen their team surgically dissected, they resort to admitting that Wolves are the best in the league. This of course comes as no surprise to the Wolves faithful who have known that for weeks now.
So what can I say about Birmingham City? Well they have a few things in common with Wolves:
1. Both teams have Chinese owners
2. Both have an attacking midfielder known as Jota
3. Both sacked a manager at the wrong time and then made poor choices for replacements.
The 14th December 2016 is a date which will stick in the mind (and stick in the craw) of many a Birmingham City supporter. It was the day that the Blues board inexplicably sacked Gary Rowett. After guiding his team from 21st to 10th the previous season he had then gone on to steer them to 7th place with more than half a season to run. His replacement: Gianfranco Zola proceeded to do a ‘Ståle Solbakken’ and try to instigate a style of play that was so alien to the players that they couldn’t cope with it. He, like Ståle at Wolves, failed spectacularly. Then came Harry Redknapp who, in simple terms, arrived, spent money, changed almost the entire squad and left with the club in worse shape than when he arrived. Enter stage left Steve Cotterill, a brave man indeed!
Having given one ex-Wolves keeper a harrowing time when trouncing Leeds, the Wolves’ fantastic foursome have the chance to make a mug of Tomasz Kuszczak this time should he be selected ahead of David Stockdale. The travelling fans will be hoping to see a Destruction Derby despite the home side doing all they can to keep the score line as low as possible.
Currently occupying 21st place in the table with 16 points and having scored only 10 goals but conceded 28, it is clear that Blues have problems at both ends of the pitch and Steve Cotterill has his work cut out to keep his team above the dreaded drop zone! As an intelligent man he will know that this game is all about damage limitation so expect to see a large blue bus parked across the pitch for most of the game. He, the players and fans will take some heart from the previous game though with Blues earning a point on the road from high flying Sheffield united.
Simon Hooper has been confirmed as the referee for the fixture.
The Wiltshire-base official has taken charge of 19 games so far this season, where he has dished out a total of 58 yellow cards and two reds.
Gem’s prediction: Blues 0 Wolves 4
Birmingham City v Wolves Match Preview
posted on 4/12/17
comment by Cinciwolf-Wolves, passing the ball since 2017 (U11551)
Also worth noting that nobody has suggested short passes equaling better...
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I think that's what you were implying when you posted the Wolves/Birmingham figures. That's how I read it.
posted on 4/12/17
Wolves incidentally
2014-15......407 top
2015-16......328 bottom half
2016-17......305 bottom half
2017-18......373 7th
These numbers certainly show that we are better the more short passes we make
posted on 4/12/17
comment by Isle of Bute (U16473)
posted 2 minutes ago
comment by Cinciwolf-Wolves, passing the ball since 2017 (U11551)
Also worth noting that nobody has suggested short passes equaling better...
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I think that's what you were implying when you posted the Wolves/Birmingham figures. That's how I read it.
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Don't think i needed to post pass numbers to show we are better than Birmingham do you
posted on 4/12/17
comment by Cinciwolf-Wolves, passing the ball since 2017 (U11551)
posted less than a minute ago
Wolves incidentally
2014-15......407 top
2015-16......328 bottom half
2016-17......305 bottom half
2017-18......373 7th
These numbers certainly show that we are better the more short passes we make
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perhaps that should say 'we have performed better'
posted on 4/12/17
comment by Cinciwolf-Wolves, passing the ball since 2017 (U11551)
posted less than a minute ago
comment by Cinciwolf-Wolves, passing the ball since 2017 (U11551)
posted less than a minute ago
Wolves incidentally
2014-15......407 top
2015-16......328 bottom half
2016-17......305 bottom half
2017-18......373 7th
These numbers certainly show that we are better the more short passes we make
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perhaps that should say 'we have performed better'
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Oops and those years are back to front
2014-15......373
2015-16......328 bottom half
2016-17......305 bottom half
2017-18......407
posted on 4/12/17
comment by Cinciwolf-Wolves, passing the ball since 2017 (U11551)
posted 33 minutes ago
Last season 3 champo sides made over 400 passes a game, Fulham, Huddersfield and Reading, all finishing top six whilst fourth in the list was Newcastle.
Also worth noting that nobody has suggested short passes equaling better and that one poster got all uppity for reasons nobody can really fathom.
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posted on 4/12/17
Morning lads. I hope everyone is gearing up for tonights match. having read some comment on 'ere, I just have to correct a comment from DJ. The goalkeeper who scored the first ever goal for his side in Seria A didn't dive to score. His quote "...I just closed my eyes and jumped. It was a goalkeepers goal, not a forwards."
https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/onesport/cps/624/cpsprodpb/A7E7/production/_99038924_brignoli.jpg
posted on 5/12/17
Not that it makes a blind bit of difference whether he dived to head the ball or not, in actual fact, yes he did.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/42223530
posted on 5/12/17
have to say WITSS, you've come across as a bit of a d!ck with this one
even if you were right you didn't 'have to correct' anyone! as it is you weren't right either.
posted on 6/12/17
350
And thread closed methinks. Thanks guys