Wolves (A): Predicted line-ups, pre-match thoughts & team news

Olly Hawkins

Another tough game for Newcastle United this weekend, with the bookmakers at uni-bonus-code.co.uk are tipping Wolves for a win at our expense. It’s also another chance for Steve Bruce to try and prove his doubters wrong.

I must admit, I am very much in the camp that’s questioned his approach (or lack of it!) so far this season, feeling any excuses no longer wash now he’s got a team more than capable of threatening the top 10 this season.

After the late collapse and passive performance against a Man Utd side we should’ve jumped all over last weekend, we now face a Wolves side who are looking to make it three wins on the bounce in the Premier League.

They’ve only scored three goals in their last four league games, but they don’t give much away at the back, are strong in midfield and have the pace and quality to hurt us in attack.

We’ll have to be at it in all areas of the pitch to come away with a good result come 6pm Sunday.

Team news

Jonjo Shelvey has been ruled out with an ongoing groin injury, with it emerging on Saturday night that he looks set for a few weeks on the sidelines.

Steve Bruce has also confirmed that Karl Darlow and Isaac Hayden will face late fitness tests after picking up knocks last weekend, meaning we could well see Mark Gillespie make his Premier League debut if the former misses out.

Sean Longstaff is available after overcoming tonsillitis, Paul Dummett and Ciaran Clark could return to the squad after featuring for the U-23’s on Monday, but the game will come too soon for Matty Longstaff – who played in the second string’s 1-0 defeat to West Brom on Friday.

Elsewhere, Martin Dubravka, Matt Ritchie and Dwight Gayle are long-term absentees and remain out.

Predicted line up

Predicted NUFC XI (4-4-1-1): Darlow – Manquillo, Lascelles, Fernandez, Lewis – Fraser, Hendrick, Hayden, Saint-Maximin – Almiron – Wilson.

Darlow has been described as ’50/50′ by Steve Bruce for this one, but because it’s bruising and not a muscle injury, I can see him declaring himself fit to play.

At the back, Lascelles and Fernandez should continue as our first-choice pairing in the middle, with Lewis down the left, but I can see Manquillo coming back in.

It wouldn’t be a surprise if Bruce stuck with Krafth, but the Swede struggled badly against Man Utd. Manquillo is quicker and better equipped to deal with Wolves’ pace, not to mention the fact he’s established himself as our best right-back over the past 18 months.

Hayden was forced off last Saturday, but the fact it was cramp and not a strain means he’s likely to join Darlow in passing a late test.

If he makes it, he won’t be partnered by Jonjo Shelvey, however, with the midfielder ruled out with a groin injury, meaning Hendrick seems likely to keep his place – unless Sean Longstaff is recalled after overcoming tonsillitis.

Then to the interesting bit and the one area of the pitch Steve Bruce is under pressure to get right this weekend – the front four.

I’m quite certain Almiron will receive a recall and start, and think it’s about time Bruce also threw a fit-again Fraser into his side, meaning both Joelinton and Hendrick could drop out.

So, Almiron in the No 10 role, with Saint-Maximin down one side, Fraser on the other and Callum Wilson up top. For me, that’s probably our best attack when everyone’s fit, but will Bruce be brave enough to finally go with it? Let’s hope so!

The opposition

Here’s a few ones to watch in Nuno Esparito Santo’s side:

Raul Jimenez – The Mexican is Wolves’ talisman and the man they’ve turned to for goals over the past few years. He’s pretty elusive, surprisingly mobile for his size and a brilliant all round striker who’ll get the better of Lascelles or Fernandez if they have an off day!

Max Kilman – The young English centre-back has enjoyed a brilliant rise through the ranks and has grabbed his chance in their side with both hands, helping them to clean sheets in each of his two starts this season. Let’s hope he doesn’t make it three in a row on Sunday!

Adama Traore – Portuguese playmaker Podence has taken his place in their attack at times this season, however I can see Nuno bringing Traore back into his side for this one – and he’ll have a point to prove if so. Jamal Lewis could have his hands full, with the Spaniard possessing an incredible blend of pace, power and destructive dribbling. It could be some battle down that side of the pitch if both Traore and ASM start!

Predicted Wolves XI: (3-4-3): Patricio – Boly, Coady, Kilman – Semedo, Moutinho, Neves, Saiss – Traore, Jimenez, Neto.

Prediction

Wolves haven’t looked particularly potent in attack whenever I’ve watched them this season – scoring 3 in their last 4 – however they don’t give you much at the other end.

I think we’ll score, especially if we start the exciting front four I’m backing Bruce to finally go with, however we’re conceding too many shots and looking anything but solid defensively these days, so the challenge will be finding that balance against a side who often have exactly that.

The last time we came up against a 3-4-3 system (0-3 vs Brighton) Steve Bruce got it horribly wrong and we were overran in all areas. I don’t see this one being a massacre and expect a tight game, but think they’ll get the better of us, sadly.

Prediction: Wolves 2-1 Newcastle

HWTL!

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About Olly Hawkins

As a Junior Magpie since birth and season ticket holder, I eat, sleep and breathe all things NUFC! Here at the blog, I aim to bring you news, views, match reports and transfer exclusives as and when I get them.

View all posts by Olly Hawkins →

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58 thoughts on “Wolves (A): Predicted line-ups, pre-match thoughts & team news”

  1. watching Man U/Chelsea. Commentator was saying how well Man U bounced back against NUFC after their terrible start to the season. Said OGS was delighted (copyright Steve Bruce) that Man U had 29 shots with 14 on target after only having 28 shots in their opening 3 games combined.

    It shows you how Bruce sets us up. Our eyes are not deceiving us. He is timid, we are timid, we run scared from the big teams. And then he moans about the fans and how we are too hard on him.

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  2. OK. Watching Liverpool and finally realised that Mike Dean runs like a schoolgirl. He lifts his heels up too high to be a man. Trotting around like a bald Pogba schoolgirl.

    I have nothing against women athletes, just finally noticed that Mike Dean runs like an unco-ordinated 12 year old girl.

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  3. Fantastic from Jordan Henderson when asked how it was with all of the fixture congestion. He said – it is great, I just like to play football. I was stuck in the house a couple of months ago and it is great to play football again.

    Breath of fresh air. Even from a Mackem.

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  4. That’s the team we should be starting with the exception of Hendricks, would rather Longstaff .

    So Jonjo has been playing with an ongoing groin injury then 🙄 why am i not surprised.

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  6. I have zero expectations for today. I expect us to have about 25% possession, create less than 3 clear chances and concede chance after chance to Wolves.

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  8. I’m not sure Darlow is fit either. He looked knackered at the end of the Man U game – he was either being overly dramatic or had a biblical recovery.

    I have doubts over Hayden’s fitness as well.

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  10. Well, I dont think I could have predicted that line up.

    Schar and Hendrick in centre mid.

    Murphy starting.

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  11. I’m not sure what formation that is to be honest. Is Murphy right wing back with Hendrick and Schar central with Almiron, ASM and Fraser behind Wilson?

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  13. Can’t see Murphy as a wing back unless his defensive capabilities have improved over when I last saw him play. Surely Manquillo should be there. There’s a chance Bruce may prove me wrong but I find his selections puzzling. Does he know what he’s doing? Or is he going to throw defence out of the window so that if we get thrashed he can say that he did what fans asked and went all out to attack.

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  15. So there’s 2 full backs on the bench & 6 wingers in the pitch. Well if nowt else it should be interesting

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  20. Well it’s basically how we thought. How can we still be so negative and utterly boring with so many attacking players on the pitch? I swear if we had Messi he’d play him at Left back.

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  22. I had a dream about going to the dentist last night.

    I think that was probably preferable to the 1st 13 mins of this match.

    Wolves really could have had 3.

    But, chin up.

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  32. Stuart79:
    How do you get rid of this stupid ****ing screen in the bottom right of the page!

    Leave the site I guess… it’s fu.king annoying isn’t it? Gets on my nerves too! As do all the ads… about as annoying as watching our team play at the moment!

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  49. You could see St Max wasnt fully fit as well.

    But I dont mind that Bruce played him as long as he didnt get injured.

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  55. It will be interesting to see the match report on here. We didnt touch the ball for like 70 minutes of the game but also didnt look in that much trouble.

    We had 3 attackers playing like defenders – Murphy, Fraser, Miggy.

    Very strange game.

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  56. Well done Murphy, he saved the cabbaged faced one again… I’ll take the draw but that was rubbish in the extreme, considering that was meant to be an attacking side! ???. We will never be a good attacking side with Brucie and the fat one in charge….

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  57. Pleased to say I was totally wrong about Murphy. He defended well today. Bloody awful game. To think I normally pay (am still paying in fact) to watch this rubbish.

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