Glasgow Greetings Max!
By Ivybridge Wolf December 2 2023
Wolves visit top of the table Arsenal today to register their second match in the capital in a week. The less said about the first visit at Fulham, the better ….. but I will, just a bit. Which ever way you calculate, whether through incompetence or design, we are at least 7 (maybe 9) points down on what we should be. The Fulham match caps it all with 4 clear decisions driving pretty much every Wolves fan utterly mad, two penalties, one non second yellow and a head butt (see picture). Add these to a litany of the previous rubbish – the Old Trafford Onana assault, the Luton ‘handball’ and the almost identical Newcastle and Bramall Lane ‘penalty’ decisions ….. it’s no joke.
Gary O’Neil has conducted himself impeccably (unlike our opponents manager today), although Matt Hobbs is in hot water see here and there is a reported Wolves fan anti-VAR protest due at the Forest match see here . It’s a totally unsavoury and perplexing situation which is failing to be addressed. Will it ever?
Such injustices surely cannot happen to Wolves again today? I mean, we are only away at Arsenal, no prone to bias there? Never before have I listed the officials for at Wolves match, but I’ll make an exception here, they deserve a mention given they are likely to influence the result as much as any player in Old Gold and swing the 3 points in yet another moment of madness.
Referee: Peter Bankes. Assistant Referee: Edward Smart. Assistant Referee: Nick Greenhalgh. Fourth Official: Thomas Bramall. Video Assistant Referee: John Brooks. Additional Video Assistant Referee: Neil Davies.
All the Wolves players can do is stick to their task as best they can, and Gary O’Neil supply the continued spirit that this squad appears to be reacting to so positively.
Putting supporter angst to one side, it’ll be monumentally difficult at Ashburton Grove / Emirates this afternoon. An Arsenal side who are riding high, albeit only 2 points covering the 4 teams at the top. With Manchester City, Liverpool and Villa (yes, them!) all in hot pursuit, the incentive will be there for the Gunners to deliver a victory in front of their fans. Whilst the omens aren’t great for Wolves, in football, as was witnessed in our fine Man City victory, anything is possible. Nonetheless Arsenal, off the back of a 6-0 European mauling midweek triumph, have won the last 4 against us and we have a knack of persistently failing to keep a clean sheet versus them - apparently the last time we kept them out was in 1979 and I’ve been to a few since then! Their home record this year adding to the notion that if we won, it would be a considerable upset. Mind you, we have scored in all of our last 12 premier league matches, so hope springs eternal. Fancy a bet? Well, today could be your lucky day, we are 10/1 for the win and 5/1 for the draw. A nice little earner with the wind in the right direction. Any why not?!!
Another consequence of the Fulham fixture is that O’Neil has no option but to make changes to the side, as Gomes and Lemina are suspended, and Ait-Nouri hobbled off and is not fit. The good news is that Dawson will be back and likely to go straight back in. Signs are that Neto is recovering but will not be considered today, though this match provides opportunities for Hugo Bueno, the Doc, Boubacar Traore and Doyle all to make the starting line up, maybe even Sarabia?
Enjoy the match, it’s a traditional 3pm kick off, maybe come 5pm we’ll have a surprise on our hands? Alas, I will have little access to the internet this afternoon and Cheshire may struggle, so please feel free to add your thoughts, observations and comments during the match, if at all possible.
All the best, as ever, UTW!!
Match Thread: Arsenal v Wolves 2.12.2023 KO 3pm
Posted by: Wolves (IP Logged)
Date: 02/12/2023 09:22
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2023:12:26:00:17:25 by Ivybridge Wolf.
One hell of a challenge ahead of us this afternoon and good to hear from O’Neil that the players are looking forward to it as they should. We have sprung surprise results there before so we just have to hope for another extraordinary result. I’m doubtful whether Hugo Bueno is sufficiently recovered from his injury to replace Ait-Nouri so we may see Doc on the left again as Jonny doesn’t seem be in the plans at all at the moment.
I’m in a small hotel in France on the edge of Lake Geneva at the moment anticipating snow this afternoon, but hopeful that they will be able to put the game on for me, in which case I will endeavour to contribute updates.
Four changes for today’s team, three of which are enforced. Dawson returns in place of Santi Bueno, Hugo Bueno comes in for the injured it-Nouri, and Boubakar Traore and Tommy Doyle step in for Lemina and Gomes. Line-up:
Sa
Dawson, Kilman, Toti
Semedo, Doyle, Traore, Belleguarde, Bueno
Hwang, Cunha
Arsenal are indeed good to watch and always threatening. Superb play across our box and Martinelli finds Oodegard for him to slot home far too easily
Arsenal 2 Wolves 0
Looks like Jose has hurtt his back. Wolves start to attack but then Semedo just starts a reverse move!! Martineeli & Oodegard have shots blocked before Semedo fouls Martinelli on the edge of our area. Rice shoots but deflected for a corner.
Poor pass by Max gifts Jesus with a chance byput Dan stops it. Excellent break into the area by Cunha until stopped by Gabriel. Cunha looks for a pen but nothing doing.
Raya just manages to get to a losse ball before Hwang can get control. Cunha fouled outside their area but free kick comes to nothing as the half time whistle goes.
A very difficult first half and indeed first 15 minutes for Wolves. I thought the first goal showed a fear of giving a pen away in the failure to tackle effective on the efgeof our area, and Saka took advantage superbly. 5he second was goid play down our right side by the excellent Martinelli and Oodegard made no mistake with his shot - he likes scoring against us! Wolves have had moments but no shots on target to my knowledge, although they have looked threatening at time. Cunha shows real possibility when he attacks but it frequently then breaks down.
Arsenal 2 Wolves 0
Tommy Doyle has given asay too many passes so far. Cunha makes a great break into the area and brings a save out of Raya before conceding a soft free kick on Saka
Trossard shoots from outside tge area but too high. JRB, Hugo and Cunha have ben good attacking outlets for us but Hwang has been pretty ineffective today
Saliba gets the first booking for fouling Hwang but we can’t make anything of thr free kick. Semedo does well to stop another attack through Martinelli
Into the final minute of normal time as Wolves clearva corner and break. Great ball into the area from Semedo but blocked & cleared. Kiwior & Jorghinho replace Saka & Oodegard, and Sasa replaces Doyle
Pablo’s ball intonthe area collected by Raya, the Sasa fouls and time is wasted.8 added minutes played, and the whistle goes. A shame about the first 15 minutes as Wolves settled after going 2-0 down and played quite well against a superb Arsenal team, and their victory takes thdm top by 4 points. Our star olayers in my view were JRB, Bueno and Cunha and his goal gives us hope for future games. Today wasca step tii far,but hopefully thry can recover eel, and get a win against Burnley at the Mol on Tuesday.
Arsenal 2 Wolves 1
Likely outplayed by Arsenal (hitting the post x2, some swift and dangerous play etc) though but for some defensive lapses early on who knows, we may have sneaked a draw. Compare to the 5-0 drubbing last season …. Progress maybe. Difficult from highlights but Cuhna looked a lively chap and what a beautiful goal. Alas too little, too late.
Onto Burnley after their great 5-0 demolition of Blades yesterday, albeit v 10 men for the majority of the match. I wonder if Sa will be fit enough? The good news is that Lemina and Gomes will be up for selection. The other good news, I’ll be there, somewhere in the lower section of ‘the new stand’ so I’ll give you all a wave on the box, if you’re watching. I’m expecting to be freezing my rollocks off!!
UTW
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2023:12:03:18:17:06 by Ivybridge Wolf.
An angry wolf Jesus is normally good on crosses, normally nailed on when a cross comes in
Afternoon Angry
Afternoon Cheshire, when was the last time we won away at Arsenal?
Sorry Angry I missed this on Saturday. The answer is 29th November 2020 when we completed the double over them with goals from Neto and Podence. It was also of course the game in which Raul Jimenez was taken out by David Luiz with such serious consequences.
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