Good afternoon threadsters.......Y’all ready for some European football ?
Live @ http://www.ja606.co.uk/articles/viewLiveArticle/413283
One match ban enabled
Forward Diogo Jota has not travelled to Istanbul with the Wolves squad for their Europa League group stage match against Besiktas on Thursday.
Jota picked up a toe injury before the Premier League draw at Crystal Palace and missed Saturday's win over Watford.
The Portuguese will have to "wait and see" if he will return in time for Sunday's trip to Manchester City.
Wolves are seeking their first victory in the main stage of a European competition since 1980.
The victory against Watford was their first in the Premier League this season, following five successive games without a win in normal time.
Nuno Espirito Santo has no other fresh injury concerns, while Besiktas could field two players on loan from English clubs - Arsenal midfielder Mohamed Elneny and Liverpool keeper Loris Karius.
The Turkish side are bottom of Group K after a 4-2 defeat by Slovan Bratislava in their opening game.
'I've heard Besiktas is even louder'
Wolves midfielder Leander Dendoncker is wary of the atmosphere his side could face in Istanbul.
Their first appearance in a European competition's main phase for 39 years ended in a 1-0 defeat by Sporting Braga in their opening group game.
"Besiktas is obviously known for its fans and its stadium, and it's tough to go and play there," said Dendoncker.
"I played my first Champions League game with Anderlecht in Galatasaray and I've heard Besiktas is even louder!"
Wolves boss Nuno added: "We expect a very tough match. The Europa League is a very tough competition so we have to be ready."
The best of the stats
This will be the first competitive meeting between Besiktas and Wolves, and the first time Wolves have faced a Turkish side in European competition.
Including qualifiers, Besiktas are unbeaten in their last four home games against English sides in European competitions (W3 D1), keeping clean sheets in their last three.
Besiktas have lost their last two Europa League games - they have not lost three in a row in the competition since March 2012, with two of the three defeats in that run coming against that season's champions Atletico Madrid.
Wolves have won each of their three away games in Europe in 2019-20 (all qualifiers), scoring 11 goals across three trips - 4-1 v Crusaders, 4-0 v FC Pyunik and 3-2 v Torino.
Adem Ljajic has been directly involved in three goals in his last five Europa League starts for Besiktas, scoring once and providing two assists.
🇪🇺Besiktas v Wolves🇪🇺[LIVE]
posted on 4/10/19
Dean Saunders has won his appeal against his jail sentence.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-49934716
posted on 4/10/19
Saiss is a better midfielder than defender for me.
posted on 4/10/19
I think I'd prefer to see Saiss in midfield because that is his best position more than anything. The trouble is, he isn't quite dynamic enough at this level to play in a midfield two in this system.
I think he is an excellent holding player, who would fit in very well if we went to four at the back, but that is unlikely to ever happen under Nuno; so he is destined to be our utility player who can fill a number of roles.
posted on 4/10/19
When all of Neves, Dendoncker and Moutinho are on form Saiss is very unlikely to replace any of them in midfield on a regular basis.
As I said earlier, the more I see of Boly and Saiss together the better it is looking. Time will tell.
Was disappointed with both Neto and MGW last night, but both are very young and will hopefully improve.
Really looking forward to Jota being fully fit and on form. No amount of clubs learning our system will get round the fact that together and on form Jiminez and Jota are a class act.
posted on 4/10/19
I think the Boly, Coady, Saiss back line has a future. Boly seems to have adapted to the change well and I have thought for some time this would be the best position for Saiss. Do think Bennett is unlucky to be left out though and when asked to play the Coady role recently his distribution was excellent, making a mockery of the criticism he sometimes gets for that. Vallejo looks well short to me and although he may improve I think there is every chance he will prove to be a rare poor signing by this regime.
posted on 4/10/19
comment by Spangles (U17289)
posted 9 hours, 21 minutes ago
Wolves have been given 7,000 tickets for the cup game at Villa which will of course sell out and create a great atmosphere. The next home game is already sold out as are the next Away league games.
The stay at home fans are voting with their feet and as herb says are bored and will doubtless stay at home. Those that go to the games are loving where Wolves are and the next game can never come quickly enough
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Wolves site says our allocation is 5,326
https://www.wolves.co.uk/news/club/20191004-tickets-to-go-on-sale-for-carabao-cup-tie-with-villa/
posted on 4/10/19
Yes Villa fans had been moaning in the week we had been given 7,000 tickets in their North Stand and that season ticket holders were having to move to another stand. Maybe they found a compromise. Rules of the competition are that we are entitled to 10% of capacity whatever that is at Villa Park nowadays
posted on 5/10/19
10% would be 4,200.
all villa sth have been moved out - no doubt due to crowd probems when the north stand was shared with albion.
posted on 5/10/19
all villa north stand sth of course
posted on 5/10/19
Terrible weekend thus far in our battle to avoid relegation.
Remember that whenever West Brom get promoted, Wolves get relegated - and West Brom are playing some of the most electric pass and move football ever seen in the Championship.