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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2023:01:23:14:10:11 by Ivybridge Wolf.

So Matheus Cunha gets his first start for today's game, and the usual back line is restored. New signing Lamina is on the bench. Line-up:

JL is a quality manager and knows better than pander to the hysteria of jimenez having a good game based on scoring from 3 yards against forest.. he had a shocker and is rightly dropped.

Not bothering to look for a decent stream today so relying on some excellent portrayals of proceedings on here.

Wolves attacking the north Bank. Hwang slows an attack but it comes out to Hugo whose cross is met by Joao but goes wide.

Coufal gets a ball in to Bowen but his shot is comfortably saved by Jose



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2023:01:14:15:22:40 by Cheshire wolf.

Joao goes up for a ball against Declan Rice but ends up getting hurt when struck by Rice. I notice Craig Dawson isn’t in the Hammers match day squad. Good period of possession play from Wolves

Pod leaves the ball, Nunes picks it up and tries to place it past Fabianski but not enough power

Thankfully there are some decent streams today.. see you at full time gentlemen

Quote:

An angry wolf
Thankfully there are some decent streams today.. see you at full time gentlemen

Whatever happened to half time??

Antonio goes down in the area looking for a pen but ignored. Cresswell had been standing unmarked in loads of space though!. Wolves break, Joao feeds Semedo and he puts a perfect cross over but no-one there to convert it.

Nunes down injured again after another airborne challenge but he should be OK. West Ham putting ten men behind the ball when Wolves attack then trying to break on the counter

Several times now Semedo has sold players short with under power passes

Wolves break and ball ends up with Ruben who tries a shot but it loops up off a defender into Fabianski’s arms

Wolves doing the majority of the attacking but West Ham defending in numbers every time.

Bowen breaks down right & into the box past Hugo but his cross is easily collected by Jose. Free kick given against Joao 30 yds out, well cleared by Cunha

Good attacking play by Hugo earns a corner kick. Joao puts it right across the area and is met on the volley by Ruben but he skies it.

Good play by Nunes in possession moving forward unti he overplays the ball & losses it, but wasted by West Ham. Into last 5 minutes of the half.

Cunha break into left side of the box and puts a fine ball across but nobody there to convert. Hammers break but Semedo clears, they still attack until a foul on Hwang is given. Two added minutes to play

Cunha goes down between two Hammers players but nothing given. Whistle goes for halftime. Wolves have done the majority of the attacking but still lack the striker in the box to deliver the final blow. Neves has had a couple of long distance shots which have gone awry, but otherwise we haven’t really tested Fabianski. Hammers have also mounted a few attacks but Jose has always been comfortable dealing with them. Cunha still finding his feet leading the attack, has been well supported by Pod but HCH has been a.bit anonymous.
Wolves 0 West Ham 0

Quote:

Cheshire wolf

Quote:

An angry wolf
Thankfully there are some decent streams today.. see you at full time gentlemen

Whatever happened to half time??

Awful first half between 2 dreadful teams 0-0 🙄

No changes to either side as we kick off again.

The obsession with playing out from the back almost costs us again as Jose passes straight to the opposition, but somehow we survive. Wolves break, Semedo to Nunes to Pod who buries it from the edge of the area into the corner.
Wolves 1 Hammers 0



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2023:01:14:16:09:45 by Cheshire wolf.

2 more Wolves, than I can relax a bit. Come on.

Joao gets clattered again but once again no free kick, but play stopped in case it’s a head injury. Hammers given the ball to restart play!

Quote:

Billericay Wolf1
2 more Wolves, than I can relax a bit. Come on.

At least one more please BW. - keeping it realistic!!

Moyes aka ET surely on borrowed time if wet spam lose this. A club with delusions of grandeur still living in their days of the 1960s Instead of the current day.

Antonio always knows how to get a free kick! Theirs comes to nothing and at last we get one just in our own half. I would expect JL to start making his substitutions soon!

Can you sue your football team if they give you ulcers?

Free kick was given for a foul on Pod and he’s still receiving treatment. Benrhama coming on for Hammers. Cunha goes down far too easily on the edge of the box then complains! Bowen shoots from edge of the area but too high. Soucek replaced by Benrhama

We need another period of possession and another goal, before we sit too deep

Piquets gets a shot away which is deflected but an offside is given anyway

Raul replaces Cunha, and RAN replaces Podence

Free kick to Hammers is cleared temporarily. Jose collects a horrible deflected ball in from Cresswell. Good attack fro Wolves until it reaches Hwang who stands looking like he doesn’t know what to do with it. Crowd getting edgy now knowing we need a second goal. Good play between Raul & RAN but cleared.

Hwang tackles back well. FouL on Joao earns Aguerd a yellow card. Mario Lamina makes his debut replacing Joao, who has been fouled several times, and Adama on for Hwang.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2023:01:14:16:32:23 by Cheshire wolf.

Sixteen minutes plus AT to play as Nunes leads the attack. Ruben thunders a shot against the post, then RAN also hits the post but he’s offside

Scamacca on for Fornals

Lamina already linking midfield up well with attack and freeing Ruben& Nunes up to move forward more.

Collins dawdles at the back and losses possession to Benrhama but his shot is well collected by Jose. End to end stuff at the moment.

Bowen’s centre just eludes Scamacca. West Ham still being given more free kicks than Wolves. Cresswell’s free kick met by Collins but he goes down injured, he’s OK though.

Into the last five minutes of normal time

Corner to be taken by Nunes but cleared. Corner to Hammers as Collins robs Scamacca cleared, but Adama penalised for a high boot, as we enter the final minute. Ball put into our area but headed wide. Six added minutes!!

Adama brought down but again no foul. Hammers attack and Rice shoots well wide. Adama breaks promisingly and is hacked down by Rice who gets a yellow card. Free kick is too long

Unusually Ruben breaks forward but his shot is dragged wide. Two minutes to go.

Raul breaks and scores nicely but he’s clearly offside - shame!

A well taken Jimenez goal which was level and not offside was ruled out. How many goals are needed to be scored these days for 1 to count. Imagine the rage of that was scored at 0-0

Quote:

Cheshire wolf
Raul breaks and scores nicely but he’s clearly offside - shame!

looked level to me but I await a replay

It was a close call! Adama brings a save out of Fabianski then the whistle goes and Wolves win a game for a long overdue change. A win which takes us out of the bottom three for the first time in months and puts us 16th on 17 points, whilst Hammers replace us. I thought it was a good game, particularly in the second half and the move which led to our goal was excellent. We defended well against a strong attack at times, and on balance deserved our win. Now we need to face Liverpool again then City!!!
Wolves 1 West Ham 0

The clinking sounds of construction tools can once again be faintly heard in a well known italian city

Many thanks for the MbM.

Not getting carried away, but it's a great result in the wider scheme of things.

Generally better performances, better effort, but most importantly some momentum is building, and I hope the belief and competitiveness continues to grow game on game.

As they say it's the hope that kills you, but even if the quality is still lacking, there is clearly more direction and positivity under JL.

Did manage to get a stream for the second half and it was a nervy watch. But confidence seems a be growing and we do now seem to have an idea of where the back of the net is which is heartening. All the players seemed to have put in a shift and are so obviously playing for the manager, so far removed from the lethargy shown under Lage. Substitutions were spot on and the celebrations by the players at the final whistle showed how important a result in this match was to them all.

Quote:

An angry wolf

Quote:

Cheshire wolf
Raul breaks and scores nicely but he’s clearly offside - shame!

looked level to me but I await a replay

When he received the ball I anticipated him being called offside Angry however it wasn’t until I saw the lines drawn that I saw just how close it was, and I thought he was level.

I see Liverpool have taken another hiding today at Brighton so I wonder how that will effect them for Tuesday’s game. Perhaps they won’t want to win and face another trip to the Amex stadium!! Everton also lost at home to Southampton - unbelievable really just how poor the6 have become. We need to score some goal now whilst winning games to address our very poor goal difference.

I've no idea what the offside rules are now as they change week to week. It used to be give the benefit of the doubt to the attacking player but clearly not now. What part of the body is deemed offside also changes as it used to be only a goal scoring part ie not the arm etc but who knows.

Fully deserved win and a massive 3 points which we desperately needed.
Nice to get out of the bottom 3 and let's hope we can stay out and kick on.
Shame rauls goal was ruled out, Var isn't our friend is it, he looked level to me, I gave up with var offsides long ago it just doesn't make any sense they just seem to make these rules to suit the big boys.
It wasn't perfect today by any means but the team look a lot better organised under julen and the players seem to be giving their all for him.
New players coming in can only help the cause.
Upwards on onwards......3 points at city would be nice.....we can dream can't we?🙏

Couldn't get a stream going today so many thanks for the updates.
Have seen the goal which was very well taken after a good move and a great effort from Neves which hit the crossbar.
Feels good to be out of the bottom three and although we may slip back in temporarily with it being so tight down there things seem to be moving the right way.
Pleased to have signed Lemina and another two could be on the way.

Regarding Raul's offside, I thought the last touch before the ball reached him was off a WHU player's head.

If so, isn't it the same situation as Salah's allowed 'offside' goal?

A very good and enjoyable day overall.

We won, beating a rival relegation candidate, out of the bottom three, deserved victory, the Lopetegui era of more effort and confidence continuing. To top it, I was there and so satisfying to witness an extremely good and vital 3 points. It certainly wasn’t the best match but by no means anywhere near the worst on a day where the win was everything ….. and celebrated as such at FT. Unfortunately Chesh, I was unable to offer any thoughts at HT, with 5G and full bars on my phone, I find it near impossible to receive or send messages at Molineux during the match!

Unfortunately, alas and again, we did not turn superiority of play into the goals we should have scored. In that respect it was frustrating, especially the first half which I think, despite a few West Ham forays, we absolutely dominated - yet Fabianski’s hands were pretty cold by the half time whistle. We were crying out for that little bit of invention and creativity to produce the outstanding chance and goal. Hammers really gave the impression they had come for a point or a smash and grab breakaway goal, pretty poor to be honest.

Second half, West Ham showed more in the immediate opening minutes than the whole of the first 45, the supreme beautiful irony being we broke away and scored …… and a great finish it was by Podence. I’ll be honest, I was getting annoyed with him in the first 45, too many of his flicks and tricks not coming off and poor passes, but it’s always good for a player to turn around and give us that brilliant moment to celebrate! And who can argue with his recent return, now scoring v Villa and Everton as well as yesterday since Christmas.

Obviously for those who watched or listened, our lack of goals generated more than an above average amount of nerves and sweat towards the end, I think I stood up for the majority of the last 5-6 minutes - anxiety induced, of course! During which time, I must mention the Jimenez ‘goal’ which evoked a massive sigh of relief only to be thwarted by the parallel lines of VAR. seen the MOTD replays, practically no time spent on it and I felt it was incredibly marginal. Anyway the good news is, Raul looked so much sharper during his cameo which is encouraging and the finish yesterday, despite being disallowed, was a moment of real class.

What about the players? A few thoughts.

Sa - did okay but this playing out from the back often does my head in and yet again Sa managed to send our pulses racing with a dangerous daft pass, gifting West Ham a great opportunity - fortunately squandered.

Collins - played really well, assured, some great interventions and positioning but provided that one error in the second half which could have been costly. Kilman was very solid, another improved game ably supported by Toti after he came on. Looked a decent central unit overall.

Semedo was more solid defensively but does infuriate me in attack, he has all the pace but so many times he comes inside / backwards rather that taking the last man on. Is it a confidence thing? Does he think he can’t beat them?

Bueno - what a real plus from this season. Very good defensively and a breath of fresh air going forward. He worried the Hammers and a couple of outstanding crosses. Nobody there of course!

In midfield Neves pulled all of the strings, as is the standard. He is wonderful. Moutinho contributed well though the trio (with Nunes) failed to unlock the doors. In fact, I thought Nunes was extremely inconsistent especially in the second half, passes often not reaching their destination. Very frustrating. Lemina offered a decent and robust appearance and contributed well to blocking the advancing Hammers late on.

Cunha looked lively at times, would love to see him link up with Jimenez in future matches. Does he go down a bit easy? I’m assessing that but there was much to be happy about yesterday, a positive player, I think. Hwang, not a bad effort, but like Podence, irked me with loss of possession and failure to advance when I felt he could.

The subs Lopetegui made definitely improved matters, early days, but our new manager seems to display that knack, with all of them getting involved relatively positively and, I believe, switching the balance back towards Wolves. There was just that little bit of lack of understanding up front.

I could go on! We left at 8am in the morning, pre-match drinks in Chapel Ash (The Combermere), nice pre and post match walk through the West Park, home at 9.40pm. Not even some terrible traffic out of Wolverhampton yesterday could dampen the spirits. Great day, fabulous win.

UTW!

Top post, Ivy. Really informative.