Wolves v Newcastle – Premier League match preview

"Welcome" to Molineux
Newcastle head to the Midlands on Saturday afternoon where they will take on Mick the Mackems Wolves at a redeveloping Molineux Stadium.

The fact that the Wolves ground is being redeveloped has partly contributed to a meagre away allocation of just 1,200 seats for the travelling contingent which has, unsurprisingly, sold out.

Mind you, I was there last season and the allocation wasn’t much bigger in fairness although I suspected, and was subsequently proved right, that this was down to our rather rotund owner not wishing to shell out money for tickets that he might not be able to shift resulting in our club only taking tickets for away grounds on a sale or return basis.

Anyway I’m sailing dangerously close to ripping apart the NUFC ticketing policy which, as you can probably guess by the title, is not the actual point of the article so it’s back to the match for now.

The last time Newcastle secured a top-flight win at Wolves The Kalin Twins were number one in the music charts with their song called ‘When’ while Elvis Presley sat at the top of the album chart with his album ‘King Creole’. Not familiar with such ditties? No, neither am I really but then again it was back in September 1958!

Since then we’ve tried 15 times to come out on top against the Wolves and have failed on each and every occasion. However such records are there to be broken and with Newcastle on a great run of form and having dispelled the recent hoodoo’s against Aston Villa and Blackburn Alan Pardew and Co must surely be confident of ending another results jinx?

Wolves

Richard Stearman is likely to miss the match after injuring his toe against Liverpool last week. Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, Ronald Zubar, Kevin Foley and Jody Craddock are all out of action for Mick McCarthy’s side however Steven Fletcher returns to action and will partner Kevin Doyle up front as Mick Mac has promised to resort to a more conventional 4-4-2 formation for the visit of Newcastle.

In terms of form it’s a case of must do better for Wolves. The season started off well with wins away at Blackburn and at home against Fulham. However they are winless in the league since then having drawn with Aston Villa before going down to Queens Park Rangers, Tottenham and Liverpool.

Their last game was a 2-1 defeat at Anfield where they lined up with a team of:

Wayne Hennessey, Richard Stearman, Stephen Ward, Roger Johnson, Cristophe Berra, David Edwards, Karl Henry, Stephen Hunt, Matt Jarvis, Jamie O’Hara, Kevin Doyle

Newcastle

Alan Pardew has no fresh injury concerns for the trip to Molineux and only has Mike Williamson, Alan Smith and Haris Vuckic ruled out through injury although the latter is so close to returning from a hand injury that he has been called up by his national team.

Rob Elliot is likely to take a space on the bench as Steve Harper goes missing again. Don’t shoot the messenger, but I have heard that he has shown an unwillingness to travel to away matches just to sit on the bench. Maybe his knees are worse than first feared? On the plus side Davide Santon is included in a matchday squad for the first time since his arrival from Inter Milan.

In terms of the starting XI it’s unlikely to be changed from the team that beat Blackburn 3-1 last weekend. That means that we’ll line up looking a bit like this:

Tim Krul, Danny Simpson, Steven Taylor, Fabricio Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Gabriel Obertan, Cheik Tiote, Yohan Cabaye, Jonas Gutierrez, Leon Best, Demba Ba

Facts and stats

The meeting between these two sides last season saw referee Stuart Attwell produce the yellow card no less that 12 times. That was a Premier League record high for bookings in one game last season, and most of them would have been for tackles on Joey Barton.

Kelvin Henry is a bellend. Fact.

Newcastle are unbeaten in nine league games.

Steven Fletcher has scored 7 goals in his last 11 games.

Leon Best is now Newcastle’s most aerially dominant player winning 63% of his headers in his 4 starts and 1 substitute appearance in the Premier League. Best also has more shots per game than any other NUFC player, notching up 2.4 per game. Ryan Taylor is a close 2nd with 2.3 followed by Jonas with 2.2 shots per game.

Wolves have won four and drawn two of the last six home matches between the two sides in all competitions. However three of the last four Premier League meetings have ended all square at 1-1 with the exception being the 4-1 victory for Newcastle at St James’ Park back in April.

Wrapping up

In terms of a result, I think we should be aiming to extend out fine run of form with a win although I recognise that Molineux is not an easy place to go to. In all honesty I’d be happy with a point which would more than likely be enough to secure a 4th placed spot heading into the international break. It may not last forever, but there is nowt wrong with wanting to prolong our occupation of a Champions League place.

For those travelling to the game, from experience I can tell you that you will be able to get a beer in Walkabout on Queen Street in the City Centre. It’s about a five minute walk from the train station and about ten minutes from the ground. Be on guard though as there is a minority of Wolves fans who appear to be stuck in the 1970’s with their knuckle dragging behaviour. My sheer silver tongue’d smoothness managed to get me, Marktoon and Jay Jay out of trouble after a group of blokes decided to have a pop at us for some reason after the game last season.

In short, stay safe, enjoy, and sing your hearts out for the lads!

Howay the lads!

Date: Saturday, 1st October, 2011

Time: 3:00pm UK time

Venue: Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton

About toonsy

A lifelong Newcastle fan and current webmaster of this very 'blog who has the sole aim of creating a place by Newcastle United fans, for Newcastle United fans.

171 thoughts on “Wolves v Newcastle – Premier League match preview

  1. I’d take a point too, hope for more but could lose just as easily. They’re a good hard working team at home too. Was at the match last year and i think they had some special family day which may have resulted in a less intimidating atmosphere and I believe they’re doing the same again this year, not positive though

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  2. MM, notice this?
    ‘apparently played very well against Blackburn on Saturday, so I’m told.’

    Hopefully he hasnt done too much scouting and doesn’t know what to expect

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  3. Dubtoon…makkem Mick still has a Betamax video….he naas nowt man. That’s why the new sleak mean toon machine are gonna cuff the Wolves at the weekend.. 😎

    2-3 to the toon…you heard it here first….

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  4. Batty@3…I voted for the Mags – unwashed of course…though when I peeked earlier today the Spuds Arsenal derby was way out in front…

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  5. I’M A BELIEVER….Bayer Leberkäse are traditionally good at picking up south american signings…there could be something behind this…

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  6. Cabaye to score tomorrow. If I keep betting on it, it will happen eventually.
    2-1 or 3-1 to us, my only concern is Henry goes out of his way to cripple someone.

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  7. I’m hopeful. Wolves will likely be playing 442, so should give tiote and cabaye a good shot at controlling the game. Roger Johnson add to their defence but can still see them leaking goals. Important match-up their strikers vs colo and saylor. Doyle will drift wide and support wingers in an area that has to be the biggest worry for me with jarvis and hunt. Defence play well and it has 2-0 written all over it.

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  8. Right with ya dubtoon. Wolves’ wingers are their biggest threats, while fullbacks are our biggest weakness.

    I don’t think Hunt will be able to exploit Raylor too much though. He doesn’t have that blistering pace that can embarrass our stand-in left back.

    Simpson and Raylor need to pressure them on out wide, while our midfield will be getting back to help defend.

    Cabaye could be hugely vital for this game in helping to transition to a productive attack

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  9. If we can score early I can see controlling the whole game but then it’s about not getting complacent and getting another goal.

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  10. will be happy to come out of this one injury free, bunch of cloggers this lot

    TOONSY how much you pay for FIFA, 25 quid at tesco i see batty doing copys at 15quid like 😉

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  11. I’m going 2-2 the morra. I reckon we’ll dominate for long periods but can see Jarvis and hunt causing us problems. Got a feeling we aren’t gonna get much luck. HWTL!!

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  12. Ice – £28 at Sainsbury’s if you spend £30 on shopping. Job done 🙂

    On the match, as I said in the article, a draw would do for me. It would more than likely keep us 4th providing Liverpool don’t beat Everton by 4 goals. Don’t get me wrong, us in 4th won’t last, but why shouldn’t we aim to stick there as long as possible?

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  13. TOONSY so you lost out to the tune of 3quid,i dont know these money folk just throwing money all owr enough to give richie a bad turn 😀

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  14. Ice – 😆

    To be honest it was the best deal. To get at my Tesco for £25 I had to buy something else which would have made it about £50 quid. At least the way i did I nailed most of my grocery aswell haha

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  15. Just bought FIFA from sainsburys (NEARLY £40!!!!) didn’t have the cash to spend £30 on shopping. 😥 Haven’t played it yet, waiting for my brother to come back from Stirling Uni.

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  16. All we need is for Batty to give us his prediction and I hope he says we will get hammered.
    Ice hows you young fella 😉
    Toonsy its great getting the wee ones back again 😆

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  17. DAVE ime good trooper 😉
    just hopeing tiote puts henrys bate up on sat,injury free and i am happy chappie against the cloggers

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  18. I’m a little concerned about how many people seem to think it’s going to be pretty easy tomorrow. I just can’t see it 😕

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  19. A disappointing draw could definitely happen tomorrow.

    Although this game could turn out to be a bit like the ressies recently in that we’ll just score more than them

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  20. AndrewT
    September 30, 2011 at 20:38

    “A disappointing draw could definitely happen tomorrow.”

    I wouldn’t even be disappointed with that in fairness.

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  21. Batty@34…waddaya make of that comment at 8.27 ower there ? 😯 😕 ❓ ❓ ❓ 😆 🙄 😯 🙄 😆 😆 😆 ….thank goodness for the smileys…

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  22. Neither would i. We can win but we could just as easily lose. Adraw would do me nicely. Stay unbeaten into the international break again

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  23. Any away draw in the Prem is a decent result, could be our toughest game so far tomorrow.

    Batty….you’re on probation 😉

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  24. I reckon henry will be looking to smash cabaye early doors. I hope AP has briefed the new lads.We can’t afford anyone reacting badly and getting sent off. Or worse still dropping their **** after a couple strong challenges.

    I reckon we need an early goal. If we start playing football, McMackem will have them try kick us off the park. I’d take a draw and no injuries now.

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  25. Munich…re the last thread. Yep, legs slapped for bullying poor old AndyMac. Despite the fact the ***** abusives anyone who has a different view to him. He’s an online bully who is unable to have a rational argument with anyone so abuses them as his defensive mechanism & he had my comments coming & I stand by them…he’s a **** & a thick one at that. I’ll no longer be frequenting that site. 😛

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  26. Killymag…Henry has no chance trying to rough up Tiote. Mr T will fettle him no problem.
    Fancy a fast and furious hard fought game tomorrow, and we’ll come home with a point, and hopefully no new injuries.

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  27. Batty on probation im sure you will be a good boy 😆 Did you thank him for giving you another chance 😆
    MM maybe drinking, smoking, magic mushrooms or glue 😆
    Witters he has always been the same mate plus he lies aswell, well he did when he said I got banned for abusing other bloggers, because that was not and is still not my style

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  28. Witters…I know what you mean mate, the bloke you mentioned is exactly as you mention him. I was ganged up on .org a few months back by him plus a couple of other blokes who posted over there. Not one of them had a decent footballing argument, but became really abusive when I correctly proved my point. The really sad thing was that they all had a laugh about it, became really abusive, and the bloke running the blog just stood idly by and let it happen.

    Difference of opinion is one thing, abuse is something else.

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  29. Richietoon…big D and Batty have wangled their way back on .org…. 😆 😆
    You wouldn’t catch me going over there… 🙄 🙄

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  30. MM I dont see any comment from me 😆
    MM @ 54 I seen it happen to you often mate, thats what annoys me He watched that going on and done nowt, but because I wouldn’t back down in an argument with him he banned me and the reason he gave was that I was abusing other bloggers, have you ever seen me abusing other bloggers ?

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  31. Munich mag

    Hopefully mate, altho tiote isn’t who I’m worried about!

    Fingers crossed tho. I hope I’m miles off and we smash them 3 nowt! ****** have it lads!!

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  32. well i think dave is one of the fair guys on the blog,hes sees others point of view but wont be bullyed from his views,good on him 😀

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  33. Troy the only bad thing is its hard to use the wee faces when im on my phone as I have to come out of the keyboard thing to click on a face then back on the keyboard, so I normally only put a face at the end of a comment 😉

    Ice everyone is entitiled to an opinion, even my lass has an opinion when I tell her what it is 😆

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  34. Munich…I’m gonna leave the fcukers to it! I did deliberately try to wind him up but when he actually wanted Barton to score against us & us lose the game to boost his propanga machine it was the straw.

    Anyway rant over…but on the off chance he’s reading this…****!!

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  35. Self imposed Dave…then again I haven’t tried to log in since last night. I doubt I’m banned just subject of a ticking off re my conduct.

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  36. Witters aye I just seen it there mate, he is blind to some’s abuse because they have the same belief as himsel, I can remember some of the abuse andymac used to dish out and get away with, and if im not mistaken he came on here and tried it.

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