Wolves seek to avoid having the double done over them for the second time this season, whilst also hoping to capitalise on the poor recent form of Liverpool when they welcome Jurgen Klopp and his team to Molineux this evening
Nuno Espirito Santo will be very keen to achieve three points this evening to move away from the teams advancing from below Wolves, and to avoid getting drawn into an unlikely relegation battle. However they face stiff opposition from current Premier League Champions Liverpool, who have themselves been experiencing a most unusual and disappointing run of poor form, predominently in home games. Wolves gave the Champions-elect a good game last season, eventually succumbing to a Roberto Firmino header and losing 2 - 1, however the trip to Anfield this season ended in a 4 - 0 drubbing of Nuno's team.
If fans could only be in the ground this evening they would surely welcome the return of former player Diogo Jota who now wears a red jersey. Always popular and productive it will be hoped that his eye for a goal is not tuned in for this game!! Meanwhile the Wolves squad have spent the last week focusing on making a quicker start to games and playing with the same enthusiasm throughout the game, rather than relying on good second-half performances as have become the norm this season.
Whilst Nuno reports that Raul Jiminez and Daniel Podence are making progress in their recovery from injury, neither they nor Marcal will be expected to be in tonight's squad. However after spending the last two games sat on the bench it is hoped that Willy Boly will be able to start in defence for this game.
Tonight's game will kick of at 8pm and will feature on Sky TV's Monday Night Football programme. Our referee will be Craig Pawson who has presumably recovered from the furoré which resulted after he sent off two Arsenal players at Molineux last month. He will be assisted on VAR by Andy Madley.
This board will carry regular updates on the progress of the match, and board members are encouraged to post their own observations for the benefit of those unable to watch it.
One change for tonight's starting Xl with (thankfully) Willy Boly fit to return in defence. Willian Jose retains his place up front with Neto & Traore either side. Diogo Jota starts with Mane & Salah for L'pool. Line-up:
Great to see Boly back in the team, just hope he’s not too rusty.
The first team is slowly getting better as injured players return so we need to go toe to toe with Liverpool tonight. A hard ask and I hope that we are not too timid in our approach, Traore needs to show that he is worth a starting position and Semedo will need to have his wits about him defensively. Should be a good game, praying for a decent stream.
Cmon lads.
We have to take it to them, defending will invite pressure, however great to see Big Willy back. I would have selected Donk in the middle with Neves. But I am not the great Nuno!
Looking forward to it.
This fixture was my first ever Wolves match, 1971/72. 0-0 then, can’t see that tonight.
Wouldn’t it be great to see Willian or Fabio to score tonight? Willian has to get about a bit more!
Mane could really have gone down after the challenge fro Rui & would probably have got a penalty but he kept upright. Just seen Raul in the stand with his newly died blonde hair!!
Wolves attacking well & Adama gets our 1st corner - wasted. Great run by Adama again but Jose not ready for his pass. L’pool putting the pressure on but good defending & goalkeeping
Good header by Phillips to stop Semedo’s ball reaching Neto. Good pass from Jose but Neto offside Jose is having the best game I have seen from him so far
Corner to Wolves cleared but Neto puts it back in & Adama fouled by Thiago who gets his yellow card. Free kick 25 yds out for Neves easily collected by Allison
Half time whistle goes and we are losing after putting L’pool under good pressure. They broke very quickly with good crisp passing, Jota was unmarked and put a low shot into the corner. Rui got a hand to it but unable to keep it out. L’pool have had the best chances but play has been fairly even during the half. Wolves have been threatening as usual but no killer touch up front.
Wolves 0 L’pool 1
They’ve had the best 3 chances, two to Mane and then the goal. We haven’t played badly mind, that goal is a sucker punch however.
Trouble we don’t keep the ball well enough and passing accuracy has not been top notch and that for me is the difference. A couple times we gone backwards instead of taking them on and one hideous short corner. Traore, especially in the opening 20 looked menacing but failed in any effectiveness, crossing or final pass.
Positively we started well and ironically finished the half fairly strong but not troubling Allison enough - who looks a bit flappy to me.
What a dreadful end to the half. Jota ..... arrrrgg. But then we knows he’s good player.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021:03:15:20:55:15 by Ivybridge Wolf.
Good performance so far and unlucky to go in one goal down.
Willian much better tonight and Traore showing some glimpses of a threat.
Looks like Boly is bang on it from the start, great to have him back.
Passing is much quicker going forward but we still have to be more precise.
Still all to play for.
2nd half starts & Boly penalised for an excellent tackle. Wolves get a corner from the right ends up with Saiss putting it on CC’s head but too high. Salah has been quiet this evening - his shot sails over the bar
Adama & Neto need to swap sides - Robertson is dealing well with the threat from Adama. Jose goes through the middle and his pass to Adama is bloody awful. Rui passes out to Jonny & puts him in trouble. Adama’s best run of the night past Kabak but cleared.
CC running back has collided with & flattened Rui. Might need to use a concussion substitute. Not being replayed by Sky as unpleasant. John Ruddy to replace Rui
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021:03:15:21:49:11 by Cheshire wolf.
All over and we lose another match by a single goal to a very poor Liverpool. Well taken goal by Diogo Jota which perhaps Rui should have kept out.
Much more importantly Rui taken off on a stretcher after a collision with Conor Coady. We just do not have a goal scorer up front in Jose or Silva to match the effort put in by Neto, Traore Semedo and the midfield.
Wolves 0 Liverpool 1
Apart from the injury to Rui a good match even though we lost. If we can play with that same energy and intent we should do well in the latter matches of this lacklustre season.
Overall we played well but the usual problem of scoring.
Liverpool goal should have been saved.
Coady and Boly played well in defence although Coady should have at least got his header on target. That being said we haven't got a forward who can do any better. Jose had one of his better matches but doesn't look like scoring although better service might help.
Lost the stream for the injury to Rui so haven't seen it.
I won't be sorry when this dog's dinner of a season is over.
Andy Fincher
Lost the stream for the injury to Rui so haven't seen it.
None of us saw it really Andy, they were replaying the offside decision against Salah, then all of a sudden we could see Rui lying flat out on his back!
Decent performance from wolves but just no cutting edge in front of goal again. We should of had an early penalty for the goalkeepers challenge on semedo, I thought the ref was terrible again tonight, did var even check for a foul?, I'm sure if it was man utd there would of been a check! We can all see our problem is scoring goals, and I think we have seen enough of jose to say he's not the answer. I'm still waiting to see him have a shot at goal! Unlucky not to get something from the game tonight I thought Liverpool looked like they were there for the taking but we are just to powder puff in front of goal. You just New jota would score. My how we have missed him and raul up front this season and adama has really suffered because of that. Here's hoping Rui is ok that looked nasty.
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