By Ivybridge Wolf
August 31 2024

Wolves travel up to the City Ground to face Nuno’s Forest following a good midweek win in the league cup, albeit against a surprisingly low-key Burnley side. Forest lost to Newcastle on penalties. The Wolves performance, with a host of changes, was full of chances with the Burnley keeper playing extremely well to limit the goal tally to just two. Two goals from Guedes as well, a player who has received plenty of criticism after some poor games in Old Gold, but credit where credit is due, he did a good job on Wednesday night. It'll be tougher today away at Forest who have provided some recent feisty encounters under both Cooper and Nuno.

The key question for Wolves, as always it seems, is what will our line up be and as important, what will the formation be?

Last Sunday afternoon v Chelsea we looked very good going forward in the first half and that in large part was because Larsen and Cunha were working well together and getting good support. It doesn’t take a genius to work out that operating with four at the back gave the side a more attacking edge. Equally, it doesn’t take a mastermind to see that four at the back left us completely exposed to attack and not just limited to the second half! As good as Ait-Nouri can be pushing up front, he was subjected to a torrid time with Palmer and Madueke combining with devastating effect. To be fair all the defenders struggled on occasions. So it’s up to Gary O’Neil to make the call and we’ll see where we go …. A 3/5 or a 4?

Semedo comes back into the selection picture as his 3-match ban is over. I expect he’ll get the nod at right back. Additionally, Lemina, Larsen and Cunha will be selected, so it’s a case of seeing if anybody has done enough to retain their places from Wednesday. Traore won’t be in the frame, he was injured v Burnley. On top of outfield options, could new signing Sam Johnstone be picked in goal, or will Sa carry on? Sa has been a decent keeper for us, but he can be a liability with the ball at his feet and distribution can be equally frustrating.

On the transfer front, as well as Johnstone, Andre, midfielder from Fluminese has arrived as has the Portuguese Forbs, a winger from Ajax. Chiquinho (season loan), Podence (sold) and Silva (season loan) are out the door. You have to wonder about Silva, yet another season loan to find his feet, this time to Las Palmas. When will he find a permanent deal? A year in Gran Canaria can’t be sniffed at I suppose.

We have a good record versus Forest, great omens if it wasn’t for the fact we are searching for our first premier league win this season. Forest have only beaten us once in the last 11 league encounters and we haven’t lost at the City Ground since 2012/2013. The Doc played for us that day. Having said all that, we’ve drawn the last three league fixtures and ‘Nuno the great’ has guided Forest to an unbeaten start to the season, drawing at home v Bournemouth and beating Southampton away. Good luck to him – but not today! Forest will surely be buoyed with the arrival of Ward-Prowse, a very good player, and also with Gibbs-White getting the England call up.

We all know our key stats – still in pursuit of a league win for the first time since 27^th April 2024 and we traditionally find it hard to win in August. No time like the present to change all that. Best of luck to the lads.

I’ll be doing my best to track the match, please add your comments to the thread in the usual way! Enjoy the match.

UTW!

Match Thread: Nottingham Forest v Wolves 31.08.24 KO 3pm

Discussion started by Wolves , 31/08/2024 11:58

Wolves
31/08/2024 11:58

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:10:06:00:43:27 by Ivybridge Wolf.

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Ivybridge Wolf
31/08/2024 13:56

Wolves XI: Johnstone, Semedo, Mosquera, Dawson, Toti, Ait-Nouri, J Gomes, Lemina, Bellegarde, Cunha, Strand-Larsen.

Johnstone starts!

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Andy Pandy
31/08/2024 14:11

Sa not even sub.

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Ivybridge Wolf
31/08/2024 14:12

Bench:

Bentley, S. Bueno, M. Doherty, . Doyle, Guedes, Rodrigo Gomes, Hwang, Sarabia, André

No Sa on the bench either

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Ivybridge Wolf
31/08/2024 14:13

Quote:

Andy Pandy
Sa not even sub.

You beat me to it!!

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Lupy
31/08/2024 14:31

No place for Sa suggests he may be on his way out I think.
Strong selection although would have preferred Doyle starting instead of Bellegarde but in GON we trust.
Cmon lads.

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Ivybridge Wolf
31/08/2024 15:03

RAN should have scored early on

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Ivybridge Wolf
31/08/2024 15:11

Ridiculous challenge from Bellegarde which he deservedly gets a yellow

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Ivybridge Wolf
31/08/2024 15:14

Chris Wood scores from a header. Poor defending and Johnstone lets his first goal in. He was put off by the attacker in front of him , who despite claims for him being offside - he wasn’t.

What a bad start

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Ivybridge Wolf
31/08/2024 15:16

Bellegarde!!!!!!!!!

What a goal from 20+ yard, top right hand corner. Absolutely brilliant goal/

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Ivybridge Wolf
31/08/2024 15:21

Another frantic match, keeping all fans on their toes. Forest taking the match to Wolves. We need to tighten up at the back

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Ivybridge Wolf
31/08/2024 15:28

Fabulous strike from Cunha but just dragged wide.

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Ivybridge Wolf
31/08/2024 15:31

Larsen chips a great little ball to Gomes who fluffs the volley. Decent move right up until that last poor touch

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Ivybridge Wolf
31/08/2024 15:35

Yellow to J Gomes, gives Forest a good free kick opportunity. MGW over the ball, Good shot, equally good save.

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Ivybridge Wolf
31/08/2024 15:46

Another good Wolves move, Cunha has an opportunity to shoot or pass, he shot and was his turn to fluff his lines. Well over

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Ivybridge Wolf
31/08/2024 15:48

Now Toti gets a yellow for shirt pulling. Silly booking

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Ivybridge Wolf
31/08/2024 15:52

HT

Good half, entertaining, this can go either way. Some decent football by Wolves though Forest have caused a number of problems

1-1

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Ivybridge Wolf
31/08/2024 16:06

Here we go.

No changes, 3 of our players on yellows, 1-1, COMB!

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Ivybridge Wolf
31/08/2024 16:12

J Gomes has gone down in a heap. Accidental clash with Hudson-Odoi, but looked a nasty crack on the shin. He’ll carry on

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Ivybridge Wolf
31/08/2024 16:14

Now Lemina gets himself a yellow for blocking a free kick.

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Ivybridge Wolf
31/08/2024 16:16

Cunha races through but miscontrols at the very last moment and gives the keeper the chance to save. Ref gives a foul

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Ivybridge Wolf
31/08/2024 16:18

Anderson so close to scoring for Forest, just gets a deflection to take the ball over the upright

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Ivybridge Wolf
31/08/2024 16:21

sustained Forest pressure leads to a second corner in quick succession. Comes to nothing.

Changes Doyle for J Gomes (still carrying that knock) and Hwang for RAN. RAN has been quiet this half

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Ivybridge Wolf
31/08/2024 16:26

Very good save from Johnstone from a close range header from Wood. Corner fails.

Wood thought he’d scored … not to be

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Ivybridge Wolf
31/08/2024 16:28

Nice move on the left, centred by Hwang and Doyle unleashed a great drive from 25 years, deflected over.

Corner shoots from the corner, blocked but on target but bounces to Cunha who shoots just wide.

Close to taking the lead there!!

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Ivybridge Wolf
31/08/2024 16:35

Doc on for Semedo who has a knock, Guedes comes on for Bellegarde

Guedes’s rehabillitaion in the side continues

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Ivybridge Wolf
31/08/2024 16:39

Woods puts his hand out in the box, hits the ball - no penalty - GON is incandescent with rage and gets a yellow.

Seen them given but VAR says no penalty

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Ivybridge Wolf
31/08/2024 16:41

10 minutes to go.

This match could still go either way!!Taking of which, good break from Forest, thankfully Nico Williams delays and blazes over … but only just

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Ivybridge Wolf
31/08/2024 16:43

Lemina goes down after clearing fro a corner. He was stretching and players from Forest and Wolves call immediately for the trainer to come on.

Replay shows his left leg got stuck int he turf. Hope he’s okay

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Ivybridge Wolf
31/08/2024 16:46

Thankfully he looks like he’ll be okay but Forest score from the corner.Woods again.

Hang on, the flag goes up - offside. VAR agree- phew

Lemina is on too

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Ivybridge Wolf
31/08/2024 16:47

With 4 minutes on the clock, Andre makes his debut replacing Larsen who has faded this half

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Ivybridge Wolf
31/08/2024 16:51

90 are up … a minimum of 10 minutes have been added😳

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Ivybridge Wolf
31/08/2024 16:55

Doyle shoots from 30 yards - it’s a lob but over!

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Ivybridge Wolf
31/08/2024 16:57

Pressure from Forest, some great defending including a brilliant block from the ever dependable Dawson.

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Ivybridge Wolf
31/08/2024 17:02

FT 1-1

Another good match. Some very good performances, Lemina and Dawson immediately spring to mind.

Many chances for both sides but I think a draw was a fair result.

That’s our first point on the board.

UTW!

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Billericay Wolf1
31/08/2024 17:12

Thanks for the commentary Ivybridge. I'll be relieved when we get our first 3 points.

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Andy Pandy
31/08/2024 17:36

Not a bad match and a fair result I thought. I also thought, according to the rules these days, we should have had a penalty when the ball hit Wood's hand but I may be wrong, I don't know what half the bl00dy rules are these days. Obviously a great goal by Bellegarde. Yet to be convinced by Strand-Larsen but still early days and I'm not knocking the fellow just not sure at the moment. Dawson was fantastic and surely remains our best defender.

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essington wolf
31/08/2024 17:43

Well earned hard fought point I thought.
Forest not an easy place to go to lately and a point stops the rot as they say.
Didn't think we really did enough 2nd half to warrant the 3 points if I'm honest so I think a draw was a fair result.
Thought we looked better in defence with Dawson playing today.
A fair few positives to come from the game today and we scored a great goal.

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