Wolves v Chelsea Matchday Thread

[abbobrom]

Just back from the game, and what a game. I thought Molineux was going to erupt when we scored the second goal.

Chelsea look a very good side, they made passing look easy and at one point it looked as if they could score at anytime. They had a bit of luck with their goal, but credit to Wolves they dug in and started to make a game of it. Vinagre and Jota both had dangerous runs before our keeper pulled of another world class save to tip a drive over the bar. Chelsea still looked in total control, causing their supporters to start the chant of "Are you West Brom in disguise".


The referee was getting under the home supporters skin with several strange decisions, while several of the Chelsea players went down far to easily.. Is the Premiership becoming a non contact sport? After the strange decision to leave Bennett out at Cardiff, he proved his worth with a goal saving challenge on Willlian who was clean through. I think Bennett has been reading the Tony Pulis book on long throws as he launched several into the visitors penalty area. This could be a very useful weapon in the coming weeks.


As so often this season our second half performance has been better than the first, and today was no exception. We suddenly managed to get a foot in the game, the crowd woke up and Morgan Gibbs-White lit the fuse with an exquisite pass to Jimenez who finished with aplomb. Chelsea were rocking, their supporters went quiet and a few minutes later the hard working Jota scored his first Premier League goal. The chant went up from the South Bank " Are you Fulham in Disguise", classic.

Saiss, despite picking up a booking was doing well in midfield while Moutinio was having the game of his life. He never gave their talented players time on the ball and also picked up a booking. The referee was still making some strange decisions causing the home crowd to chant "are you in blue". Gibbs-White left the field to loud applause, as Nuno looked to shore up the defence with Dendoncker getting his first start and Costa and Caviliero joining the fray.



Finger nails were starting to get nibbled as five minutes of extra time was announced, but the lads held firm for three much needed points. Can we play a so called top team every week? Once again Cody and Boly were immense, with Docherty always looking to get forward. Both Jota and Jimenez worked really hard up front and one could argue that we can play better, after our performance against Huddersfield it was a massive step in the right direction.


We must not let the standard slip against Newcastle on Sunday

[MichiganWolf]

Funny game. After looking like we didn’t belong on the same pitch as Cardiff and Huddersfield, we beat Chelsea

[WOODLANDSWOLF]

Funny game. After looking like we didn’t belong on the same pitch as Cardiff and Huddersfield, we beat Chelsea

You're not wrong, I have played and followed the game for 60 plus years and oh $hit is it a funny game.

[abbobrom]

I think we played the better football at Cardiff and were unlucky to not come away with at least a point. The shot for the winning goal could have gone anywhere, but finished up as goal of the month for November.

[abbobrom]

Spent a considerable amount of time this pm reading over 500 posts on a Chelski forum, They were very cocky prior to the game about three points, but then spent most of the game slamming the manager, virtually all of their players, and accused us of dirty tactics. Well if you had have been at the game last night you would have thought their prima donna players were made of sugar, the way they kept falling over. Oh and they should have had a penalty when Boly made that superb tackle in our area.

Two said we played well and one of their members even mentioned how good Morgan Gibbs-White was. Personally I thought some of their passing was very slick, but with little end product. As I stated on my report some of the referees decisions were baffling to say the least. On one occasion Bennett made a superb tackle in the centre circle only for the ref to blow for a foul. Wolves protested and the result was not a free kick for Chelski, but the Chelsea man was allowed to kick the ball through to our keeper,


Vinagre, in the second half chased back and made a superb sliding tackle cleanly taking the ball. The linesman flagged for a foul and Vinagre, to his amazement and to most of the 30,000 crowd, received a yellow card. I know it is a difficult job, but sometimes I feel that referees are being conned by players

[nortonwolf]

Spent a considerable amount of time this pm reading over 500 posts on a Chelski forum, They were very cocky prior to the game about three points, but then spent most of the game slamming the manager, virtually all of their players, and accused us of dirty tactics. Well if you had have been at the game last night you would have thought their prima donna players were made of sugar, the way they kept falling over. Oh and they should have had a penalty when Boly made that superb tackle in our area.

Two said we played well and one of their members even mentioned how good Morgan Gibbs-White was. Personally I thought some of their passing was very slick, but with little end product. As I stated on my report some of the referees decisions were baffling to say the least. On one occasion Bennett made a superb tackle in the centre circle only for the ref to blow for a foul. Wolves protested and the result was not a free kick for Chelski, but the Chelsea man was allowed to kick the ball through to our keeper,


Vinagre, in the second half chased back and made a superb sliding tackle cleanly taking the ball. The linesman flagged for a foul and Vinagre, to his amazement and to most of the 30,000 crowd, received a yellow card. I know it is a difficult job, but sometimes I feel that referees are being conned by players

I picked up on this... basically if you are dispossessed of the ball go down like you're injured and in pain, if you stay down long enough the referee will blow up to check if you're OK and restart with a drop ball, all advantage gone from the side in possession. Coady appeared to complain about the various incidents when it happened and got booked... there was a lovely irony when Boly did it late in the game to time waste.

I haven't seen a replay but Vinagre looked like he went in two footed off the ground and therefore out of control... foul and yellow card all day under current legislation even if he won the ball.

[Greavseywolf]

Great victory! My tactic of not watching the game seemed to work in terms of luck, but what the feck do I do now, not watch anymore games?

19 points now, pretty much half way to safety.

Greavesywolf, you appear to have turned into a grumpy old git.

not true woody..just telling it as i see it..
mibbe some folks don't like reading negative things about our team..
truth is we were panelled in the first half and the 0-1 scoreline flattered us.
2nd half was one hell of a turn around...got to be up there with the wins at

bristol, muddlesborough and cardiff last season.

[wolves71]

Nuno and his players answered a lot of questions last night with the performance and win. As i and others have stated Wolves seem to do and play better against the likes of Arsenal, Man.City and Spurs. For Wolves to come back from a goal down against Chelsea after the run we have been on is something that should be praised. Nuno got his tactics spot on for me.

I have to admit after going a goal down i thought the floodgates would open, but a credit to Wolves for keeping at it. That second half showing will live long in my memory. Chelsea had players on the pitch that other sides can only dream of, but for the free-kick that Patricio tipped over from Willian in the first half, he was barely put under pressure.

There were so many positives to take out of the second half, Gibbs-White's energy, the through ball for Jiminez that led to equaliser and the youngster's all round display. Our counter-attacking was spot on and Jota caused no end of problems and it was good to see him cap it off with what proved to be the winner.

Ryan Bennett's place in the side has often been questioned, but not only does he put in last ditch challenges, ie the one to deny Willian, but we now have our very own long throw specialist, it offers something different. I think the balance was just about right in the second half and at least players were at least breaking forward when we attacked, something that has been missing in the last few games.

An enjoyed night, a great comeback and only a point short of twenty for the season so far. I would have taken that before the start of the season if it was offered!

[nortonwolf]

After that amazing second half come back, something of a dilemna for Nuno on Sunday, I think it's going to be hard for him to drop anyone after that performance? Saiss isn't getting the plaudits like Mogan Gibbs-White but he had a solid game and his distribution at times showed the quality he has got. Dendoncker's brief introduction shows he has some quality too, he was at one point in possession with several Chelsea players looming, kept a cool head and threaded a square ball out to the left to take the pressure off, a lesser player would have hoofed it over the top.

Ruben Neves bench warming... who'd have thought that might be a possibility a few weeks ago, but our squad appears reassuringly to have hidden depth.

[abbobrom]

I have to agree, it would be difficult to drop any of the starting line up from Wednesday. After Huddersfield I called for Saiss to be recalled, but did not expect it at the expense of Bennett. It was good to see Dendonker get a start, he impressed me in his Carabo Cup game, and will have a big part to play before the season ends.