In his press conference yesterday Wolves Boss Gary O'Neil insisted that today's game at Bournemouth is "0%" about his return to the club which ruthlessly sacked him in the close season after keeping them in the Premiership last season.
Most reasonable football fans still feel for O'Neil after the way he was treated by his previous club and are keen to see him return and leave with 3 points for Wolves today as they plan for their first game in two weeks at the Vitality Stadium. Several pundits also think Wolves have shopn the improvement and team spirit in their last two games against Man City and Villa which should help raise them to a mid-table position away from the likes of Bournemouth who are struggling at the bottom.
New Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola has certainly not had the start to the new season that his bosses were hoping for, having only 3 points at this stage after three draws and no wins, despite being one of the bigger spending clubs during the summer transfer window.
Meanwhile Wolves home win against City and draw against Villa will no doubt encourage them that they are starting to gel as a team and that O'Neil is having an impact as coach, reverting to three centre backs and starting to establish a settled midfield. Hee Chan Hwang and Pedro Neto seem to be working well together up front and at least some goals are being scored, after constantly being labelled last season as the 'lowest scoring team in the League'. However the Wolves tream will start without two established players today: Mario Lemina is suspended for one game after two yellow cards v Villa, and Nelson Semedo also misses a game for accruing 5 yellow cards already this season. So we can only guess whether Jean-Ricner Bellegarde or Boubakar Traore will start in midfield whilst there is clearly a chance that the Doc will start at right back. O'Neil has however also hinted that a few other players are struggling with niggles following the international matches, so the starting Xl may not be as predictable as it has been.
Today's game is scheduled to kick off at 3pm and will not be televised before MotD. Our referee will be the increasingly experienced and reliable Paul Tierney with Andy Madley on VAR duties.
This board will endeavour to provide regular updates on the progress of the game subject to reasonable availability, and members and visitors are encouraged to post their own observations and join in the conversations before, during and after the game.
Two changes with Doc and Traore replacing Semedo and Lemina. Strangely though Bellegarde isn't in the squad, so wonder if he is one of the ones with post-international niggling injuries. Line-up:
Former Wolves target Alex Scott starts his first game for B’mouth today.
Brooks sidefoots a shot which Jose easily collects. Neto outs a great shot in which comes bar off the corner of the post & bar then Cunha’s shot is stopped
Pass from Toti frees Hwang but his cross finds no- one on the edge of the area. Cherries break and Billings soft shot goes in with a slick flick by Solanke.
Cherries 1 Wolves 0
Neto tries another curling shot as tgere’s no one else to pass to but it’s too high. Good defending by Dawson to stop Solanke. Zabaryn fouls Cunha on the touch line and gets the first yellow card
Another good defending header by Dawson to clear a free kick floated in, and another from the corner. Cunha breaks but Tavernier tracks back & concedes a corner which goes for another corner but it’s cleared. Cunha breaks and passes but fouls when he can’t get the return and gets a yellow card. 3 minutes to play.
Traore breaks well into the area passes to Cunha who doesn’t know what to do with it and loses the ball. He is so frustrating as a attacker as he doesn’t get any shots away.
Cheshire wolf Traore breaks well into the area passes to Cunha who doesn’t know what to do with it and loses the ball. He is so frustrating as an attacker as he doesn’t get any shots away.
Bitterly disappointing. Had chances but poor defending for the goal and since the goal it sounds like we’re disjointed and giving the ball away too easily
Half time whistle blown and a very disappointing display by Wolves so far, with some slack passing and lack of ideas up front. Billing was given far too much space in the area to control the ball and put it across for Solanke to flick into the goal for their lead. Neto has gone closest for Wolves hitting the bar with a super shot, and Hwang has worked hard down the left side, but I’m afraid Cunha is just goal shy and makes the wrong decision too often. Traore has attacked from midfield once or twice but otherwise it’s nearly all down to Neto.
Cherries 1 Wolves 0
Well…. it turns out Doyle came on possibly for Gomez, he fed Neto whose pass to Cunha was met delightfully and passed into the top right corner. We take it all back!!
Cherries 1 Wolves 1
Doc puts an excellent ball over but Cunha heads wide. Christie gets a game shot away which Jose stops easily. Good defensive play by Max to break up a Cherries break.
Another fine pass from Doyle to Cunha but it goes for our 9th corner. Wolves piling the pressure on when they can. Serabia prepared to come on. Cunha brings a save out of keeper Neto, Hwang follows up but balloons it. Serabia replaces Toti so RAN goes into back 3
Another 3 corners to Wolves but Cherries mange to clear them all. Solanke breaks but is stopped by Max. Superb play on left side between Cunha Hwang & RAN and the cross is put over by Neto. It would have been a great goal! Sasa replaces Cunha
Dawson gets a shot away but it’s weak. Cherries attack & put Wolves under pressure until a Billing shot is well collected by a Jose.
Poor clearance by Neto in goal concedes possession, ball played through to Sasa and he puts it away nicely
Cherries 1 Wolves 2
Final whistle goes and a very satisfactory afternoon for Gary O’Neil as Wolves run out 2-1 winners. After a poor first half Tommy Doyle came on and made a big difference, made better for us when Cook got himself sent off for a silky head butt on Hwang. Two well taken goals by Cunha and Sasa, and good performances by Neto, Doyle, Doc and Hwang to move us up the table nicely.
Bournemouth 1 Wolves 2
Two moments of Bournemouth defensive lunacy, but great scrappy win. Neto and Hwang were both a bit cautious after really good work, Cunha took his goal well and Kalajdzic must have more goals per minute played than anyone; hope he gets fit soon.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2023:10:21:18:09:25 by chicagowolf.
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