In August last year, Hee Chan Hwang was classed as the villain when he made a careless pass to Alain St Maximan who sent a rocket past Jose Sa and Wolves dropped two points at home to Newcastle United. This season Hwang is definitely one of the heroes in the Wolves team having already scored many of the team's goals, and having scored five in consecutive matches at Molineux!
Wolves once again welcome Newcastle United to Molineux for this weekend's Premier League game, in the knowledge that they are enjoying a superb start to the season and once again look good to finish in the top six. However they are struggling a little at the moment with a run of injuries, and the news that Italian midfielder Sandro Tonali will be banned from competitive games until August 2024 following gambling issues. Despite this they still have a very strong squad to choose from, and a Manager who knows how to make positive changes to his team.
Wolves have also been enjoying a good run of results recently, going four games undefeated, and with a home win over Man City and last weekend's win at Bournemouth lifting them to 12th place in the table. Coach Gary O'Neil clearly did himself no harm with his appearance on Sky's Monday Night Football, by showing that he has knowledge and planning behind his team selections and match strategies. He has declared today that midfielder Joe Hodge has undergone shoulder surgery and is likely to be in recovery for up to 12 weeks, whilst John-Ricard Belleguard is still getting over his injury and may not be fit again this week to be in the squad. However Tommy Doyle received praise from his boss and many fans for his performance after replacing Joao Gomez at half time at Bournemouth and may well be in for a starting place, in competition with the returning Mario Lemina. Nelson Semedo will also be available on his return from suspension.
The last two seasons have seen 1 - 1 draws between the two teams at Molineux, which might also be seen as a positive result for this game although Wolves will of course be looking for another three points.
The game is this week's late kick-off on a Saturday, starting at 5:30pm and will be screened live on Sky Main Event and Sky Football. Our referee will be the hugely experienced Anthony Taylor, with Aussie Jarred Gillet on VAR Duty.
This board will endeavour to offer regular updates on the progress of the match, whilst members and visitors are encouraged to join in the conversation and post their own observations.
It will be another tough day at the office but with the crowd behind us and a good team performance we may be able to squeeze something out of this fixture. Squad confidence must be high and if GON sets the team and tactics effectively who knows what may happen. Following wind, rub of the green and fingers crossed. Cmon lads.
..... didn't know that Lupy, thanks .... good enough for the bench though.
I'm keeping my fingers firmly crossed for this one, the feeling of doom every pre-match is certainly getting smaller and for good reason, we've been playing reasonably well and getting the all important points! Toon are by no means invincible but of course extremely dangerous, however perhaps the routine 1-1 is the best score to predict? I think a point would be acceptable.
Irrespective, here's hoping for a good match, a good performance and a decent 3 points.
I'm off down the pub, in fact I need to get going ......... UTW!
Under the cosh a bit at present. Corner cleared by Hwang. Ref calls play back for a Wolves free kick, then another for a foul on Dawson. Pedro Neto toppling the assists list!
VAR checked for a possible pen for Wolves for handball but nothing given as the whistle goes for half time. I missed much of the first half but it seems to have been a good game so far. A poor attempt to catch the ball by Jose Sa gave possession to Wilson who scored after an initial clearance by Toti. A good header by Lemina from a corner to level it up, but then a typically soft pen following an attempted clearance by Hwang gave Wilson a second goal.
All to play for in the second half
Wolves 1 Magpies 2
A half influenced by 2 awful decisions. The first from Sa, terrible goalkeeping, the next from the ref and the VAR. whilst I kind of understand the referee falling for the the Toon player falling over, I simply can’t understand VAR not overturning the decision.
Another poor attempted cross by Semedo instead of a hard shot. Foul by Trippier on Cunha & free kick to left of the area well put in by Doyle but no one can get on the end of it
Dan Burn fouls Neto off the ball and free kick given by the linesman. Burn gets a yellow card for showing sarcasm to him!! Semedo makes a daft challenge in Thea raw which losses us possession. Lance Lles pull Hwang down & gets a yellow card.
Yellow card for Trippier for a foul on Ait-Nouri, who then also gets a yellow card for a foul! Wolves under pressure, but Sa collects a Burn shot comfortably
Final whistle sounds and Wolves go five games without defeat, and get a hard earned draw against another high flying team. It has to be seen as a good result especially after conceding a soft penalty. Some very good performances by our players, and pleasing to see another goal from Hwang and a first for Lemina. We stay in 12th place below Chelsea only on goal difference. A challenge of a different sort next week when we travel t9 bottom Team Sheffield United.
Wolves 2 Newcastle United 2
Good performance from wolves especially as we were playing 12 men yet again!
Never a penalty, how var can't see that is beyond me but I gave up with var a long time ago.
Shame about neto it Didn't look good but let's hope the injury isn't as bad as it looked, he was running them ragged and I think maybe we would of gone on to win the game if he stays on the pitch, we just lost our way after he left the field.
Could of been 3 points but a draw is not so bad keeps our run going and we have had some tough games.
A very decent performance overall, certainly one where a draw at least was fair. Clearly the worst possible news to see Neto stretchered off, we can only hope that it’s not as bad as it looks, for him, and for us. Pretty much all of our good stuff, Pedro has a hand in.
5 unbeaten is not to be sniffed at, but for two key errors we’d have grabbed all 3 points. Sa’s mix up first off, however a great finish from Wilson after Traore valiantly cleared off the line. For a moment, I thought Sa had redeemed himself with the penalty, not to be.
As for the ‘penalty’, yet again we suffer at the hands of VAR. Even Shearer on MOTD said it wasn’t a penalty, Hwang clearly kicking the ground whilst Shar performed the dying swan act ….. successfully so. I still can understand the ref getting it wrong on the pitch, but them bloody muppets in the Stockley bunker have failed us again.
Thank goodness we showed a bit of character and came back well. Good for them and Gary O’Neil.
Blades up next, we can’t possibly lose to them …… can we?!
Yesterday he equalled King John’s record of scoring in 6 successive top flight matches at Molineux. Over the seasons, I’ve not always been the kindness towards Hwang Hee Chan, but that record is to be celebrated and he deserves congratulating. Wonderfully set up by Toti, and finished in a manner suggestive of a player in great form. Long may it continue! Hwang deserves all the praise he is getting. 👍👍⚽️
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