The games keep coming! Probably just as well, as tonight, in the second of our three consecutive Claret and Blue premier league trilogy, Wolves travel up to Lancashire to play Burnley at Turf Moor with the opportunity to expunge some of the pain from Saturday evening. The match at Villa found us, largely as expected, wanting badly up front on a night when our squad depth and frailties were exposed. It wasn’t all gloom and doom, despite the result, and I wouldn’t wish to be too harsh on the team (including the youngsters) or manager. We played well in reasonable chunks of the contest, and I suspect many will wonder what might have been if Ait Nouri had found more composure for his glaring first half chance. We certainly kept the ball and retained it well but, in the end, attacking mobility, guile and ideas were often absent.
Onto Burnley this evening then, kick off 7.45pm and unfortunately not being screened on TV. What are our prospects? Do I need to mention the type of record we hold versus bottom 3 sides in years gone by?!! We did manage to beat Burnley at Molineux 1-0 in another rather forgettable midweek encounter in December. Hwang got the goal and other than a very good double save from Bentley, nothing much else happened – except we got the all important 3 points. Once again, for team selection tonight, it is a question of who is available. Reports from O’Neil strongly suggest Cunha will play some part in the match, whether as a starter or from the bench. This is great news as we are crying out for some creativity and pace. Reports hint a return for Dawson is more uncertain, a shame given the additional physical and verbal stability he provides. Other than that, will there be much change to the starting lineup? Given the squad, I doubt it, and to be fair, they performed well in stages last Saturday.
Expect a very tough match tonight. In their last three fixtures, Burnley have drawn away to West Ham (Hammers with a last gasp equaliser), beaten Brentford at home and then performed wonders at Stamford Bridge, coming from behind twice to earn a 2-2 draw when down to 10 men for over 50 minutes. This excellent point will surely buoy them for tonight in front of their own, knowing a couple of decent results will give renewed life to survival prospects. In that respect they will be dangerous. Added to that, they are unbeaten in their last six home league games versus us (winning 4, drawing 2) and we last won there in March 2010.
Conversely Burnley have only won 2 from their last 17 with just one clean sheet! Thus, we certainly have a chance and with that in mind, it will not have escaped Gary O’Neil’s attention that they have had 6 players sent off so far, the worst disciplinary record in the premier league so far this season. Let’s ruffle them up a bit! Ultimately, it’s all about finishing. Will we, can we, both create and score the opportunities when they come our way. Back in December, when (as mentioned) Hwang got what proved to be the winner, I don’t think anybody saw or expected a goal to come at all! I would definitely take something similar tonight, irrespective of performance and get us off 41 points to more firmly secure a top half berth! Here are highlights from that December night, to show that we can indeed beat tonight’s opposition https://www.skysports.com/football/video/16426/13023743/wolves-1-0-burnley-premier-league-highlights .
However you are able to follow the match, enjoy it and please provide your thoughts and comments in the thread below. Everything crossed for a good Wolves effort.
UTW!!
Match Thread: Burnley v Wolves 2.4.24 KO 7.45pm
Posted by: Wolves (IP Logged)
Date: 02/04/2024 15:06
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:04:25:07:26:20 by Cheshire wolf.
Not sure this BBC graphic has got the positions correct (that's normal), but this is the lineup - Chiwone gets another dtart, Cunha on the bench. The Doc and Hugo Bueno get the nod. No Dawson at all.
An interesting team choice bearing in mind the front three struggle to impact at all on Sat. I’m sure we will see Cunha at some point to prepare him for the weekend. Interesting also to see Doc replace Santi in the back three, and both Hugo Bueno and RAN getting a startt in midfield.
Chiwome plays a lovely ball up to Sarabia and chases up to take the return but Sarabias pass is not good enough. Chiwome would have been clean through there with a better ball
RAN weaves his way forward and after a great run is fouled in an advanced position in 48th minute.
Free kick clipped in from Sarabiaand there he is, RAN to head it home - stupid VAR review which takes a good while again but deemed onside, quite correctly.
1-1 HT - well done Wolves but locals are not happy!
Forgot we were playing so didn't enter any score in the prediction league. The pre match odds had Burnley as slight favourites I can see so guess a draw was on the cards between 2 sh1te teams
Sa has kept us in it, especially 2nd half. Good goal from Ait-Nouri, two players keeping him onside but good old VAR holding up play for another pointless couple of minutes. He should have had another in the 2nd half when through on their 'keeper. Lemina unlucky with the header that touched the post but have to say I thought Burnley just edged it. Pleased to see Cunha back on the pitch. No criticism of Chiwome, or Fraser before him, but at the moment they don't look ready to me. That's not to say they won't be and of course O'Neil has had little choice but to play them.
Many on the mix seem happy with a point but for a point of reference regarding the celebration of a point...Burnley's record this season is Won 4 Drawn 7 Lost 20. At home they have a record of Won 2 Drawn 2 Lost 11.
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