Joao did grate

By Ivybridge Wolf
May 20 2025

When the fixture list was generated last June, who’d have thought Wolves would be playing the FA Cup winners this evening? Very many congratulations to them for a fine and popular victory! I feel a bit sorry for Palace as the elation of their terrific cup success will be replaced with a return to league football, what on earth ever happened to the FA Cup final being the grand finale of the football season as it should be? Even so, their fans will be up for it for certain as too will our travelling fans, making the trip down to south London on a Tuesday night. I just hope that the incredible emotion of the Wembley win, both physical and mental, will have reduced the bite of the Eagles tonight.  

Wolves and Vitor Pereira will be preparing for this match in the usual way looking to get us as high in the league for the prize money alone, £24.9M for 13^th as oppose to £12.9M for 17^th (Premier League Prize money 24/25 ). It’s not just the prize money at stake, it’s the general standing of our club which in honesty looked doomed pre-Christmas, nevertheless the six match winning run has been followed by two defeats, including the home disappointment versus Brighton. Pereira has worked wonders for Wanderers and his efforts have now been nominated for Premier League manager of the season (see link here). Whilst he may not be favourite for the title, it is quite an honour to be recognised for what he’s done and worthy of congratulations.

Injuries in the FA Cup final have put pay to Guehi and Warton appearing tonight, whilst there are no new injury issues for Wolves and it may be that Strnad Larsen could make a return to the starting line up.

Like Brighton, Palace have become a bit of a modern day bogey team for Wanderers who have beaten us in six of our last eight league clashes. We last beat Palace in April 2023, our only post COVID success with our last victory at Selhurst Park even earlier in October 2018 when The Doc got the winner. Palace are having their best campaign in the premier league era, nonetheless, beating Spurs nine days ago was their first victory in five. Eze is on fire, as the nation saw on Saturday, and bags of skill and pace and he’s on a goal scoring run looking to score on his fourth consecutive league match.

Wolves fans will not forget we’ve now gone two games without scoring and stats show we have not kept a clean sheet in an away London fixture for 23 games, an amazing fact in itself. It’s not all gloom and doom and our away draw against the Eagles last November will definitely give our squad heart - Joao Gomes and Strand Larsen were our goal scorers that day.

The match is non-televised tonight, so however you are following, enjoy the game and good luck to our players. I keep changing my mind about how the result will end up, from positive to negative and visa versa, even so let’s hope we get the effort and passion!!

All the best, UTW!!

Match Thread: Crystal Palace v Wolves 8pm KO 20.05.25

Discussion started by Wolves , 20/05/2025 15:49

Wolves
20/05/2025 15:49

What do you think? You can have your say by posting below.
If you do not already have an account Click here to Register.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:06:12:21:08:47 by Ivybridge Wolf.

Reply Quote Report

Lupy
20/05/2025 17:01

Congratulations to Palace, a great effort put in to beat Man City which I hope will give us an advantage in regards to stamina.
Vitor will no doubt be going for the win and it will be interesting to see what team selection he makes, perhaps another appearance for young Mane.
Should be a good match and will be all the better if we can squeeze three points.

Reply Quote Report

Ivybridge Wolf
20/05/2025 18:53

Vitor rings the changes!!



Subs: King, Doherty, Bueno, Munetsi, J Gomes, Cunha, Hwang, Semedo, Lima

No Sa at all, Bentley in goal, Djiga in, no Joa, Rodrigo in, Larsen, Guedes and Sarabia up front!!!!

Reply Quote Report

Ivybridge Wolf
20/05/2025 19:45

Palace have also made six changes. David Webb is the ref, officiating in his 2nd premier league match.

We’re 2 minutes into the game.

Reply Quote Report

Ivybridge Wolf
20/05/2025 19:48

The Palace fans are up for this.

Agbadou fouls, Chillwell swings it in and Saar heads wide

Reply Quote Report

Ivybridge Wolf
20/05/2025 20:00

Nketia almost through the middle and thankfully cut out by an excellent Bentley clearance.

Big Palace chance, Chillwell shoots and Bentley makes a great save, cleared with help from the Wolves defence

Reply Quote Report

Ivybridge Wolf
20/05/2025 20:01

Actually that was a Bentley spill!! All good, still 0-0

Reply Quote Report

Ivybridge Wolf
20/05/2025 20:03

Wolves corner………. Tame effort from Sarabia

Reply Quote Report

Ivybridge Wolf
20/05/2025 20:09

Agbadou booked after a body check on Nkeitia. Agbadou was put in a bad situation after a poor Rodrigo throw in.

Another corner, headed back in and Agbadou heads in!!!! Palace 0-1 Wolves.

Goal line technology gave it!! Agbadou’s first Wolves goal and only our 4th goal from a corner this season

Reply Quote Report

Ivybridge Wolf
20/05/2025 20:11

Saar has a great chance to equalise but tamely heads to Bentley

Reply Quote Report

Ivybridge Wolf
20/05/2025 20:14

Bloody 1-1.

Poor defending in the left back position but very good attacking play from Esse (not Eze)

Nketiah is the scorer

Reply Quote Report

Ivybridge Wolf
20/05/2025 20:18

2-1 Nketiah. FFS

Reply Quote Report

Ivybridge Wolf
20/05/2025 20:29

Nketiah has a great opportunity to get a hattrick but fluffed his effort …… oh, offside anyway

Reply Quote Report

Ivybridge Wolf
20/05/2025 20:36

Two late consecutive corners at the end of the half followed by a very good Guedes effort which flashed just wide.

Wolves are definitely keeping going however overall Palace ahve looked like more assured in attacked. So disappointing to find ourselves behind after taking the lead.

Certainly Palace are showing no signs of a Saturday night hangover. I’d say they deserve the lead. One or two Wolves changes too many?

We’re still in it.

UTW

Reply Quote Report

Ivybridge Wolf
20/05/2025 20:49

Wolves out early, Vitor not very happy by any chance?

Subs, Joao and Semedo on for Andre and Djiga

Reply Quote Report

Ivybridge Wolf
20/05/2025 20:55

Good to hear the Wolves fans in fine voice.

Bellegarde fouls Esse 25 yards out, Chillwell shoots and deflected off the wall past the helpless Bentley. 3-1.

The wall did not stand up to that shot. Poor

Reply Quote Report

Ivybridge Wolf
20/05/2025 21:04

Decent move from wolves, ends with a good Sarabia cross which Bellegarde can’t get enough on.

This half we’ve had 70% possession. Don’t count for nothing does it?

Reply Quote Report

Ivybridge Wolf
20/05/2025 21:08

More good Wolves pressure, shot from Rodrigo , two corners follow, the second Larsen gets the nod on and it’s 3-2!!

Strand Larsen has hardly seen the ball tonight, but that is what he’s there for. 14th of the season.

63 minutes gone

Reply Quote Report

Ivybridge Wolf
20/05/2025 21:12

Cunha and Munetsi replace Sarabia and Strand Larsen, maybe Larsen is hobbling a bit.

Let’s see if those changes influence matters

Reply Quote Report

Ivybridge Wolf
20/05/2025 21:22

Great move and stinging Guedes volley very well saved from the Cup hero Henderson

Reply Quote Report

Ivybridge Wolf
20/05/2025 21:26

Munetsi, great shot, deflected agonising over. Corner.

Eze for Esse!

Hwang for R Gomes

The corner is taken and Cuhna heads over at the front post.

Reply Quote Report

Ivybridge Wolf
20/05/2025 21:31

Another corner, our 10th, it’s short and comes to nothing.

We’ve been the better side this half, no doubt.

85 minutes gone

B**gger.

We get caught out at the back, Eze cuts in, beats the the defence and the scuffed shot beats Bentley

Reply Quote Report

Ivybridge Wolf
20/05/2025 21:36

6 minutes added, but at 4-2 it’s forlorn now

Frustration for Wolves for the third match in a row

Reply Quote Report

Ivybridge Wolf
20/05/2025 21:45

Great save from Bentley from Meteta.

Credit to Wolves who keep trying to go forward but all for nothing. FT

Crystal Palace 4-2 Wolverhampton Wanderers.

We had our moments but a losing the lead in the first half proved too costly. We were okay in the second half but couldn’t do enough in front of goal.

I hope we can finish the season on a bit more of a high at Molineux on Sunday. I’ll be there.

UTW

Reply Quote Report

Billericay Wolf1
20/05/2025 22:05

I hope VP puts out a stronger team on Sunday and we finish the season on a high.

Reply Quote Report

essington wolf
21/05/2025 09:05

Really poor defending for the goals last night, felt like an O'Neil performance.
To many changes but I suppose vitor wanted to take a look at a few fringe players ro see if they are good enough, now he knows they are not.
Big rebuild in the summer with if you believe the rumours a fair few players will be leaving.

Reply Quote Report

Andy Pandy
21/05/2025 10:47

I'm still not sure about Munetsi. I know he does a lot of work off the ball and he keeps running but he doesn't do enough in attack for me. Would like to see him have a few matches in midfield before passing judgement. A bit disappointed with Rodrigo last night and I like him and Djiga will have to do more than he did in that first half if he is going to keep out Doherty and Mosquera next season.

Reply Quote Report

Goto: Forum List•Message List•Search• Log In

Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.

We record all IP addresses on the Sportnetwork message boards which may be required by the authorities in case of defamatory or abusive comment. We seek to monitor the Message Boards at regular intervals. We do not associate Sportnetwork with any of the comments and do not take responsibility for any statements or opinions expressed on the Message Boards. If you have any cause for concern over any material posted here please let us know as soon as possible by e-mailing abuse@sportnetwork.net