Wolves (H) 2pm Sunday 17th December Live on Sky

ASLEFshrugged

Given Wolves financial situation I expected them to struggle this season but Gary O'Neil has done wonders. This time last season they were 18th and we were 16th but now were both comfortably mid table

In the last five games they've set up 3-4-3 against Burnley and Forest but 3-5-2 against Arsenal, Fulham and Spurs

Pedro Neto (10 apps, 1 goal, 8 assists) has missed the last 6 games with a hamstring and although he is close to recovery GO'N has confirmed that he doesn't expect him to be available for this one

That still leaves a front two of Matheus Cunha who made his loan deal permanent in the summer (£44m Atletico Madrid) and Hwang Hee-Chan who have scored 13 of Wolves 21 goals between them

Otherwise DM/CM Mario Lemina went off after an hour against Forest last weekend with a tight hamstring and is being assessed while LB/LM Rayan Ait-Nouri faces a late fitness test after missing the last three with ankle ligaments

In Ait-Nouti's absence Spanish U21 Hugo Bueno has been filling in and when Lemina has been unavailable he's been replaced by either Jean-Ricner Bellegarde who joined from Strasbourg on deadline day for £12.8m or 22yo Tommy Doyle, on loan from Man City with a £4.3m option to buy

Best guess

Sa
Killman (C) BIG CRAIG T Gomes
Semedo Traore Lemina??? J Gomes Bueno
Hwang Cuhna

MrsGrey

The Ballon d'Awson derby

Jorderz_Moyes_will_be_Moyes

Still miss Dawson. Most of the time a brick wall, occasionally a total calamity.

alderz

Jorderz_Moyes_will_be_Moyes said:

Still miss Dawson. Most of the time a brick wall, occasionally a total calamity.

I like my cult heroes to have a clanger in them, personally

buffybegood

alderz said:

Jorderz_Moyes_will_be_Moyes said:

Still miss Dawson. Most of the time a brick wall, occasionally a total calamity.

I like my cult heroes to have a clanger in them, personally

Dawson eats Clangers?😱😱😱

DJ Hammer

Is Dawson going to be presented with his Conference cup medal on Sunday. Anyone know?

buffybegood

Very little to take from Moyes in his presser today. Alvarez had a knock on his hip and "we need to see how he is".

Whitehorsehammer

buffybegood said:

Very little to take from Moyes in his presser today. Alvarez had a knock on his hip and "we need to see how he is".

I don't know why Moyes bothers doing pressers, he hardly ever says anything meaningful at them.

buffybegood

Whitehorsehammer said:

buffybegood said:

Very little to take from Moyes in his presser today. Alvarez had a knock on his hip and "we need to see how he is".

I don't know why Moyes bothers doing pressers, he hardly ever says anything meaningful at them.

I think he's kinda obligated to do them, but yeah, I get what you're saying.

It is tough when they're the lunchtime after an evening fixture the day before.

Whitehorsehammer

I'm sure he is obliged to do them, but uses them as a five minute coffee break. If he did have something to say about team selection he hardly going to give that to the opposition.

ASLEFshrugged

Craig Dawson is one reason why I think Moyes is the best manager we can get at present

I don't think anyone knew who Dawson was and most couldn't understand why we signed him on loan from relegated Watford but Moyes knew a good player when he saw one

As for his press conferences I like it that he doesn't give much away, I certainly wouldn't like to play poker with him

A riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma wearing a track suit

BubblesNeverDies

ASLEFshrugged said:

Craig Dawson is one reason why I think Moyes is the best manager we can get at present

I don't think anyone knew who Dawson was and most couldn't understand why we signed him on loan from relegated Watford but Moyes knew a good player when he saw one

As for his press conferences I like it that he doesn't give much away, I certainly wouldn't like to play poker with him

A riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma wearing a track suit

In other words, the canny Scot.

claretandbluesky

I wish he would find a striker at some point. Having said that Bowen and Kudus are as good as two strikers for us at present.

ASLEFshrugged

Moyes has previous of playing midfielders/wingers as strikers. Fellani, Arnautovic, Antonio and now Bowen

However strong rumours from Ex and Fabrizio Romano that Timo Werner will join on loan in January

buffybegood

Werner could also be an option for left wing/forward couldn't he, rather than just central. So a front 3 of, say:

Werner - Bowen - Kudus

I wouldn't say he's stuck me as particularly convincing when he's been played through the middle, but he would provide more balance if played on the left to give a fairly fluid and pacy front line. I'm not sure how much defensive cover he'd provide though, which would be expected from a wide forward under Moyes.

Deanscaleshammer

It seems to me that the definition of player positions has become much for fluid than 50 years ago when I went to my first West Ham game. Also players have become more flexible with the ability to adapt.

Its taken me longer than Moyes but I am now comfortable with the idea that we have goalscoring forwards rather than a "striker".

BubblesNeverDies

Deanscaleshammer said:

It seems to me that the definition of player positions has become much for fluid than 50 years ago when I went to my first West Ham game. Also players have become more flexible with the ability to adapt.

Its taken me longer than Moyes but I am now comfortable with the idea that we have goalscoring forwards rather than a "striker".

And yet he bought Ings, a non-goalscoring striker.

alderz

BubblesNeverDies said:

Deanscaleshammer said:

It seems to me that the definition of player positions has become much for fluid than 50 years ago when I went to my first West Ham game. Also players have become more flexible with the ability to adapt.

Its taken me longer than Moyes but I am now comfortable with the idea that we have goalscoring forwards rather than a "striker".

And yet he bought Ings, a non-goalscoring striker.

Non- goalscoring strikers are fine if they facilitate for others to score. That’s why I’m typically happy with Antonio, and don’t worry about his goal return particularly. That said, Ings doesn’t play like a facilitator he plays like a goalscorer that doesn’t score, which is a bit pointless.

Slacker

Whitehorsehammer said:

buffybegood said:

Very little to take from Moyes in his presser today. Alvarez had a knock on his hip and "we need to see how he is".

I don't know why Moyes bothers doing pressers, he hardly ever says anything meaningful at them.

Yeah, Moyes out obvs.😉

MrsGrey

Whitehorsehammer said:

buffybegood said:

Very little to take from Moyes in his presser today. Alvarez had a knock on his hip and "we need to see how he is".

I don't know why Moyes bothers doing pressers, he hardly ever says anything meaningful at them.

Would probably be better to save everybody's time, and instead he could just send an email to the opposition manager outlining our team line up in advance, plus info on potential niggles/fitness issues.

He could also give him a bullet point list of our tactics to exploit potential weaknesses of the opposition. But definitely NOT tell them about our corner strategies. That would be mad.

claretandbluesky

alderz said:

BubblesNeverDies said:

Deanscaleshammer said:

It seems to me that the definition of player positions has become much for fluid than 50 years ago when I went to my first West Ham game. Also players have become more flexible with the ability to adapt.

Its taken me longer than Moyes but I am now comfortable with the idea that we have goalscoring forwards rather than a "striker".

And yet he bought Ings, a non-goalscoring striker.

Non- goalscoring strikers are fine if they facilitate for others to score. That’s why I’m typically happy with Antonio, and don’t worry about his goal return particularly. That said, Ings doesn’t play like a facilitator he plays like a goalscorer that doesn’t score, which is a bit pointless.

I think the way Moyes plays we get goals through breaking, which is why Bowen and Kudus work for us as they are fast and have great control with the ball at their feet. Ings, Scamacca and Haller are more the strikers that you feed. But I agree there is no point to Ings in the team. I think Villa knew he wasn't their future and neither is he ours, but there is probably a Championship club he could do a very good job for. He won't get Premiership wages however which probably keeps him with us.

chicagohammer

MrsGrey said:

Whitehorsehammer said:

buffybegood said:

Very little to take from Moyes in his presser today. Alvarez had a knock on his hip and "we need to see how he is".

I don't know why Moyes bothers doing pressers, he hardly ever says anything meaningful at them.

Would probably be better to save everybody's time, and instead he could just send an email to the opposition manager outlining our team line up in advance, plus info on potential niggles/fitness issues.

He could also give him a bullet point list of our tactics to exploit potential weaknesses of the opposition. But definitely NOT tell them about our corner strategies. That would be mad.

Wait……………… we have corner strategies!!!

MrsGrey

Might do.

Who are you? An opposition manager?

👀

ASLEFshrugged

From GO'N's presser Neto definitely out, Ait-Nouri "should be back" and Lemina fully recovered from tight hamstring

Giant_Hammer

MrsGrey said:

Might do.

Who are you? An opposition manager?

👀

Is this the room for a 5 minute argument or 10?

thornburyiron

Zouma in for Dinos is only change

MrsGrey

Fab keeps his place, Areola on the bench.

Pengeman

No Cornet on the bench. Injured (hardly played) or sulking or out of favour?

ASLEFshrugged

Jose Sa missing, Daniel Bentley in goal (signed from Bristol City in January, 4 EPL apps)

Looks like 3-4-3 with Bellegarde in for Bueno at LM/LWB and Pablo Sarabia getting a 5th EPL start at RW with Boubacar Troare dropped to the bench

Bentley
Killman (C) Dawson T Gomes
Semedo Lemina J Gomes Bellegarde
Sarabia Hwang Couhno

ASLEFshrugged

Had a quick trip around the Wolves forums, no one seems to know why Sa is missing and a lot of musing that they could go with a back four (Semedo Killman Dawson T Gomes)

They don't seem too confident about that or about Bentley in goal either

ASLEFshrugged

Sa has a shoulder injury according to Wolverhampton Express and Star Twitter

Off to he pub

COYI