Yet more match thread shenanigans from the undisputed match thread king of the ring
Live @ https://www.ja606.co.uk/articles/viewLiveArticle/419144
One match ban enabled
Ruben Vinagre is expected to remain sidelined, but there could be changes to the side that beat Espanyol in the Europa League on Thursday.
Norwich defender Sam Byram will miss the rest of the season following hamstring surgery.
Ben Andrews: Four unanswered goals in the Europa League brought a much-needed return to form for Wolves. Their record showed one solitary win in nine before Thursday's demolition of Espanyol; they now return to what's becoming quite a fight for this year's European places.
Norwich, meanwhile, have all but run out of time to mount what would be a truly great escape. They're eight points from safety with 12 games to play.
Since the shock victory over Manchester City five months and 21 games ago, the Canaries have won just twice in the league, while the previously prolific Teemu Pukki has only a pair of penalties to show for 2020 thus far. Extra freshness may be their best hope here…
VIEW FROM THE DUGOUT
Wolves head coach Nuno Espirito Santo speaking after their win over Espanyol on Thursday: "We competed well, and the result is the consequence of what we did.
"It's another clean sheet, so defensive-wise we were really well. Then, you let the players develop their talent on the pitch, so I'm happy with the consistency of the team.
"Now we have a couple of days to play Norwich, we have to rest, recover and compete well on Sunday."
Norwich head coach Daniel Farke: "They are playing in Europe, they have kept three clean sheets, they have individual quality and it is a huge task. But I don't see any easy fixtures at this stage. It is about us. We always have a chance if we are good at our topics.
"People can write us off and say we have no chance to close the gap. But I don't agree. It is possible."
LAWRO'S PREDICTION: fack off Lawro
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
After a run of three straight victories over Wolves, Norwich have failed to win any of the past three encounters.
Norwich have won only two of their 27 league away fixtures against Wolves - both times in the second tier, in September 1995 and October 2016.
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolves have dropped points in nine of their 13 Premier League home fixtures this season, as many games as they did during the whole of the 2018-19 campaign.
They have drawn consecutive league matches 0-0 for the first time since April 2010. The last team to have three goalless draws in a row in the Premier League was West Ham in December 2015.
Wolves have led for just 305 minutes in league matches this season - but have recovered an unrivalled 18 points from losing positions.
Only Sheffield United have had more Premier League goals ruled out by VAR this season than Wolves' four.
Norwich City
Norwich have only won once in 13 Premier League games.
Their away record is the worst in the division, with a solitary win coming at Everton in November.
They are the only club not to have earned a top-flight point from a losing position this season.
Daniel Farke's side have not scored from open play in any of their past five league fixtures, with their only two goals in that time being penalties by Teemu Pukki.
Seventeen of Norwich's 24 Premier League goals this campaign have been scored by Pukki (11) or Todd Cantwell (six). No other player has scored more than once for the Canaries this season.
Norwich have 18 points after 26 matches. The fewest points a team has had after 27 fixtures of a Premier League season and gone on to avoid relegation is 18: West Bromwich Albion (2004-05), Portsmouth (2005-06) and Leicester City (2014-15).
🔥Wolves v Norwich🔥[LIVE]
posted on 24/2/20
Our form has generally been better when we have had European games. The period we had no European football, our form has dropped off.
posted on 24/2/20
100
posted on 24/2/20
Let's hope that continues to hold true Tam
posted on 24/2/20
comment by GeminMallorca FOVAR (U18318)
posted 44 minutes ago
100
----------------------------------------------------------------------
That’s the spirit Gemlad
posted on 24/2/20
comment by Tamwolf (U17286)
posted about 2 hours ago
Our form has generally been better when we have had European games. The period we had no European football, our form has dropped off.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
maybe, or maybe when big willy is out
posted on 24/2/20
comment by Uli Fritz (U8869)
posted about a minute ago
comment by Tamwolf (U17286)
posted about 2 hours ago
Our form has generally been better when we have had European games. The period we had no European football, our form has dropped off.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
maybe, or maybe when big willy is out
----------------------------------------------------------------------
We had Boly early in the season before the group stages started.
posted on 24/2/20
I think there’s some truth in us generally being better when the fixture list has been busy. There has been times when individuals have looked tired but when the expectation was that we would be better after a rest, we actually looked lethargic. Playing two times a week seems to get the players into a groove. I guess when they are playing more they don’t have to train as hard
posted on 25/2/20
Your last two sentences DJ are re-iterating what I suggested some while ago, when there were some on here complaining about having to play too many games each week. Players would rather play a competitive game than dart around on a training pitch.
Right now, the team virtually picks itself whether it's 3-4-3 or 3-5-2 and we have ample players on the bench that can come on and slot into place without disruption (even with a small senior squad).
posted on 25/2/20
Your last part simply isn't true at all.
If we play 3-5-2 and Moutinho, Neves or Dendoncker get injured or one is knackered we don't have someone that can slot into that formation without disruption.
The best player to slot into that formation is Saiss, but that can't happen without shuffling the defence also which means major disruption.
And lets not pretend MGW is capable because as yet he has not shown that he is at all, or at least very rarely leaving zero doubt that the 3-5-2 would be most effective with the three mentioned or Saiss.
3-4-3 isn't such an issue as Neto has generally looked very good when in that system and we shall assume Podence is going to be worthy also. Dendoncker could replace one of Neves or Moutinho etc.
posted on 25/2/20
Also worth adding that the mere fact we all keep saying 'the team picks itself' tells me we have few options which isn't really a position a team should be in.