Wolves face another difficult task this weekend following the upheaval which as taken place at the club since their last game. Under21 and Under 18 Managers James Collins and Steve Davies have been asked to caretake the first team whilst a new Manager is sought to replace the departed Bruno Lage, and they face the huge challenge of a trip to Stamford Bridge to face a team settling in under their new Manager Graham Potter.
Fans will no doubt be hoping for a good team selection and a good team performance for the game as much as for some points, and the availability of players within the Wolves squad will not make that easy for the caretaker Managers to achieve. However it will be interesting to see their approach to the game; whether they will stick with a four man defence, whether Toti Gomez or Yerson Mosquera will get a start within the defence, whether Adama Traore will start in place of the sadly once again injured Pedro Neto and of course whether Diego Costa will now be fit to make the start he clearly desires to. Part of the spine of the team in Nathan Coillins and Ruben Neves are both suspended for this game which is likely to be a serious drawback for the team, but it will give others the opportunity to step up and impress, particularly if - as rumoured - the likely replacement for Lage, Julen Lopetegui will be attending the game. In his pre-match press call Steve Davies says that Conte is likely to play some part in the game, but obviously hasn't declared whether he will start against his old team.
Chelsea have N'Golo Kante and their close season signing Wesley Fofana sidelined through injury, but still have a hugely talented squad to pick from, and will be keen to add to the two wins they have had in the Premier League and Europa League this week. It has now also been announced that midfielder Boubacar Traore - who stood a good chance of deputising for Neves - has been ill all week and unable to train, and he will not be in the travelling squad.
The game is due to kick off at 3pm and will not be televised this week. Our referee will be Simon Hooper, with David Coote on VAR Duty
Unfortunately one of us will miss it due to prior commitments and be unable to offer any updates on this game. However board members are encouraged to offer their own observations and create a conversation around the game at this particularly interesting time for the club
Nice little article by the E&S about Steve Davis Click here. Genuinely proud to be involved with the first team. What baptism of fire however, okay we’ve done alright v Chelsea in the past but this looks ominous. Anyway reckon we’ll have a sniff? Of course anything can happen but I can’t see it.
No Neto, Neves, Collins. I won’t even begin to predict the line up, except for Davis and Collins I hope they approach this without the pressure or shackles of Bruno’s recent past. Fresh start even if it is a one off.
Good luck to them, I just hope other results this weekend mean we have a shot of getting out of the bottom 3 next week v Forest, especially as I’ll be there.
UTW
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:10:08:09:39:49 by Ivybridge Wolf.
Players missing due to injury, suspension or out on loan and no manager currently in post, what could be added to make matters worse? Chelsea looking good under their new manager so I am not expecting any points from this match, more likely a case of trying to keep the score down to respectable levels. It would be nice for Steve Davis to squeeze something out of this but it's a tough ask. As always I would expect the team to give their all which is all we can ask and with a bit of luck and a strong following wind it is not beyond belief that we grind something out of this game _____ we can but hope.
Traore and Costa start. Well!!
And Toti Gomez comes in. The lineup doesn’t look bad but you would imagine we need a strong start if we are to get anything.
Time for Guedes and Nunes to get going.
Chelsea disrespectful with a sh..load of changes.
I think that is the best team we could have hoped to have put out for this game - great judgement by our Managers. Traore has a point to prove and Costa will relish starting at the bridge. I’m sure Toti will come up with the goods too. A weak Chelsea team really, so we have a chance of at least a point.
We are under the cosh a little at the moment, defending deep but defending okay at present. Sa makes a very good save to his left, and a great cross ball flies across the 6 yard box for a goal kick. Phew!
Lovely ball from Nunes to release Adama on the right, nice cross but Nunes can’t quite get to it properly and heads over from 6-7 yards. That’s the biggest attack or time we’ve had on the ball for a good while
It’s one way traffic in the main, sadly but we’ve had some isolated chances.
To summarise what I’ve seen, Chelsea absolutely dominating and Wolves played a. Like the away side and b. Like a team representing the bottom end of the table.
One way traffic during that first half and we are lucky to only be one goal down. Occasional forays into the Chelsea half but too often dwelling on the ball too long or misplacing the pass. Causing a lot of our own problems in defence by giving the ball away too easily. Good level of effort and no one has really let the side down. Need to feed Costa more than we have so far.
Cmon lads.
Can't watch anything, so thanks for the updates. The starting 11 looks too light in the midfield, which seems an odd thing to say when our squad depth issues are meant to be strikers and central defenders.
There's not much point in having 4 forwards when there is no ball winning bite in the midfield. Looks like a Hail Mary team selection.
Turning this ship around is going to be an extraordinary task for whoever the new manager might be.
Good cross from Adama, deflected into Hwangs path who can’t get hold from 9 yards and bounces into the keepers hands
A comment on the Costa reception. As good as it was from Chelsea fans, Costa really did the slow walk back to the bench, almost a lap of honour which I found a bit to much - especially when he started shaking hands with Chelsea fans.
Anyway, RAN on for Jonny and Campbell on for Adama. 73 minutes gone
Sorry, it was Hodge who came on at HT - thanks Lupy, my error. He’s got a yellow for his troubles. I blame my eyesight, which to be fair ay great at times! I’m saying he’s a Cundle lookalike!!
Good news Leicester are losing, though at this rate and on todays showing, I am really worried about our next 3 matches. Forest, Palace and then Leicester.
77 gone.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:10:08:16:40:13 by Ivybridge Wolf.
Not much to say here. Chelsea moving ever closer to a very routine 3 points they deserve. We are making no impression. Some neat stuff at times but zero impact.
FT 3-0 and a good old fashioned beating and being honest, outplayed.
I don't think many Wolves fans would have predicted much more than a defeat but the manner of the defeat always wrankles when it liek today. More of the same Bruno inspired football, some possession but nothing to show. We have no attacking force. Additionally, that first half it was completely one way traffic for up to 35 minutes of it - or more.
The new manager has got loads to do - 3 massive matches about to start, commencing with Forest next weekend. Will we have a new manager by then? Will Lopetegui want to manage two apparently failing sides in one season?
Early days to throw in any towel, but we have to show more fight, more intent to gain 3 points, whether it be Chelsea of Forest!!
Big willy and coady were the main reason we finished where we have in past seasons. Sell them both for pitiful amounts, sign a player relegated with Burnley taking away our main asset of defensive strength leaving our already weak attack with... well bar costa no one. What could possibly go wrong? 🤡
As for the adage of " you pay for what you get " what a load of nonsense that is... imagine anyone thinking silva is equal to 7 connor coadys with the transfer fees. The defence has been ripped apart, we have midfield depth meaning having to play kids from the youth team and one striker who isnt fully fit. We're doomed ☠
Too many back passes, too many passes adrift. Sad stuff.
Normally we would be looking forward to four winnable games coming up, but even our best players look beaten. We did have a pretty spell in the second half which hinted at what might be.
A draw or worse against Forest could be catastrophic (or a springboard)
I hope the new manager brings his magic wand with him, he will need it with this gutless lot. No passion and no fight again we just rolled over. Bruno has ripped the heart from this team, jeff Shi needs sacking if he sanctioned the coady move and also let saiss and boly leave, really bad management. It's sad to see how far we have fallen in a short space of time, we had a great team when we were in Europe. When nuno left the team just needed fine tuning but I'm afraid lage has destroyed it. Really worried where this season is going. The new manager has a big job on his hands.
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