Wolves needing a win as they face Leeds

Wolves go into Saturday’s game against Leeds at Molineux badly in need of a win to restore some faith in the supporters and not least to avoid slipping ever closer to the relegation trap door. A Wolves defeat on Saturday accompanied by a Barnsley win at Middlesbrough at the same time would put Wolves in the bottom three and then what seemed unthinkable will be staring them in the face as they go into the final third of the season.

It’s been two draws and six defeats for Wolves in the eight games since Xmas and the 1-0 home win against Birmingham two months ago is the only time Wolves have been successful at Molineux since September. New manager Dean Saunders is still looking for his first win as a Wolves manager after two draws and two defeats but there was plenty to be encouraged about the game at Leicester last week when the overall performance was worth at least a draw with two breakaway goals by the home team winning the day.

Leeds know all about falling from Premier League to lower levels of the league and about how difficult it is to get back. And they come to Molineux in inconsistent form and having won only one of their last ten away games. The sale of top scorer Becchio to Norwich in January has significantly reduced their attacking firepower and having been in or around the play off positions for most of the season they have now slipped to half way although a win on Saturday would see them climb a few places. Results between the teams have been very even over the last 30 or 40 years but with very few draws. The last 4 games between the teams have all ended 1-0 with Leeds win on the first day of this season breaking a run of 3 Wolves successes.

The defensive part of the Wolves team looks totally predictable for Saturdays game with Ikeme having Foley, Batth, Berra and Ward ahead of him with Roger Johnson serving the second of his 3 game suspension. The rest of the team will hinge on whether Saunders prefers to stick with a 4-4-2 formation or move to 4-2-3-1. A return to decent form of Doumbia last week may well lead to a preference for keeping him and Henry as a defensive midfield pairing with Doumbia given some licence to get forward. We would then see O’Hara in an attacking midfield role with Sako on the left and Ebanks Blake up front. That leaves a choice between Doyle, Sigurdarson and Peszko on the right of the attacking midfield trio.

What ever team is selected everyone at the club would take any kind of win tomorrow, although it seems that Saunders is coming to the conclusion that a more positive team playing the ball on the ground is the way to get the best out of the players he has. Its going to be a lively stadium with the best part of 3,000 Leeds fans in attendance and lets hope the atmosphere lifts the Wolves to get the home win they so badly need

Category: Team News