Wolverhampton Wanderers V Ipswich Town 
Tuesday 16th August 2016 – 19:45
Molineux
Opening Thought – Jamma
While ‘Super Saturday’ may not have reached the same heights as London 2012 in Rio, I’m sure Town fans could come up with another adjective beginning with s to describe their team’s performance at Brentford… ‘Shocking’ is what you were thinking, right, Marko?
The one consolation coming away from Griffin Park this time last year, having seen Town snatch a draw from the jaws of victory, was the thought that at least any future visit wouldn’t produce such a level of disappointment. Being an Ipswich Town supporter, I should have known better! Of course, it’s hard to compare the two scenarios: on the one hand, entering stoppage time 2-0 up on the back of an impressive performance at the home of a potential promotion rival, only to throw away two points at the death. On the other, twelve months later, never really getting out of first gear and, following a decent first half, not looking like mounting a comeback after conceding two quick-fire goals. In many ways, it was the reverse of the previous week’s display against Barnsley, when the Blues had been slow to get going but, having earnt the right to play, turned the screw in the second 45. While we didn’t get ‘smashed’ by the Bees, as Luke Chambers had warned would happen with a repeat of the performance against Stevenage, it was worrying how quickly our collective confidence appeared to drop. Panic set in when we again conceded from a set piece, and it was no surprise when Bartosz Bialkowski was picking the ball out of the net for a second time in ten minutes after we failed to clear another corner. Brentford had not really had to do much, and yet they found themselves two goals up and coasting to a comfortable 3 points. When Town did get on the ball, they were seemingly content to pass it from side to side, providing no penetration. All too often, the final ball ended up finding a red and white shirt, or going out of play. In light of the promise that we would look to ‘play more football’ this season, Saturday hammered home just how much work there is to do.The mood amongst supporters has quickly shifted over the last week or so. We approached 2016/17 with a degree of apathy in the wake of some uninspiring pre-season results and a quiet summer of transfer activity. That all changed with the last-minute arrivals of Conor Grant and Grant Ward, and the latter’s stunning opening day hat-trick. But the limp cup exit to Stevenage, followed hot on the heels by our first league defeat at the weekend, has rapidly dampened any optimism that had started to creep in. As easy as it is to get swept up in the emotion, we would do well to remember a couple of popular football clichés, namely ‘Nothing is won in August’ and ‘The Championship is a marathon, not a sprint’. After all, I’m sure Newcastle fans – along with football supporters up and down the country – didn’t envisage their team being stuck on no points after two matches. The league will, as always, take a while to settle down, and Mick will be saying that we can’t afford to get too worked up about the defeats at this stage of the campaign, any more than we should be getting too carried away with the wins. Having said that, performances will clearly have to improve if we aren’t to be left playing catch-up. The Blues reacted well to last season’s setback at Brentford, winning five on the bounce in all competitions. This time around, we have an immediate chance to make amends with a midweek trip to Molineux, and a clash with a Wolves side in transition but which has started the season brightly.
The Opposition Wolverhampton Wanderers
The club was founded in 1877 as St. Luke's and later merged with local cricket and football club The Wanderers to form Wolverhampton Wanderers in August 1879.
Having become professional, the club were nominated to become one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888. They ended the inaugural season in third place, as well as reaching their first FA Cup final, losing to Preston North End. At the conclusion of the campaign, the club relocated to the Molineux.
Wolves lifted the FA Cup for the first time in 1893 and added a second triumph in 1908, two years after having dropped into the Second Division.
After struggling for many years to regain their place in the top division, the club suffered a further relegation in 1923, entering the Third Division (North), which they won at the first attempt.
Eight years later, Wolves regained their top-flight status after winning the Second Division title under Major Frank Buckley. With Buckley at the helm, the team became established as one of the leading club sides in England in the years leading up to the Second World War, as they finished runners-up in the league twice in succession, as well as reaching the last pre-war FA Cup final, in which they suffered a shock defeat to Portsmouth.
When league football resumed, Wolves suffered yet another final day failure in the First Division. Just as in 1938, victory in their last match would have won the title but a 1–2 loss to title rivals Liverpool gave them the championship instead.
In 1949, Stan Cullis's first season in charge, he led Wolves to a first major honour in 41 years as they beat Leicester to lift the FA Cup and, a year later, only goal average prevented Wolves from winning the league title.
The 1950s were by far the most successful period in the club's history. Wolves finally claimed the league championship for the first time in 1953–54. Two further titles were soon won in successive years (1957–58 and 1958–59), as Wolves cemented their position as the premier team in English football.
Although the decade opened with a fourth FA Cup victory and almost the first double of the twentieth century, the 1960s saw Wolves begin to decline. Cullis was sacked in September 1964, in a season that ended with relegation and the club's first spell outside the top division in more than thirty years. This exile would last only two seasons, though, as they were promoted in 1967 as runners-up.
The club's return to the English top flight heralded another period of relative success under Bill McGarry, with a fourth place in 1971 qualifying them for the newly-created UEFA Cup, in which they reached the final, losing to Tottenham on aggregate.
They lifted silverware, though, two years later, when they won the League Cup for the first time by beating Manchester City in the final. Despite relegation again in 1976, Wolves bounced back at the first attempt as Second Division champions and, under manager John Barnwell, the turn of the decade saw them finish in the top six and win the 1980 League Cup.
The multi-million-pound rebuilding of the Molineux Street Stand in 1979 was to be the catalyst for the club's near financial ruin during the following decade, as difficulties in repaying the loans taken out to fund it led to receivership and relegation in 1982. The club was "saved" from liquidation at the last minute when it was purchased by a consortium fronted by former player Derek Dougan. Initially, this takeover, financed by two Saudi brothers, Mahmud and Mohammad Bhatti of the company Allied Properties, brought immediate promotion back to the First Division under manager Graham Hawkins, but the Bhattis' failure to sufficiently invest in the club soon saw things unravel as the team suffered three consecutive relegations under different managers through the football divisions, as well as the almost constant threat of the club being wound up.
In 1986, with the club again in receivership, a deal saw Wolverhampton City Council purchase the club's stadium and surrounding land, while a local developer paid off the club's outstanding debts in return for planning permission to develop the land adjacent to the stadium. The new season saw Wolves' first ever campaign in the Fourth Division. The team reached the final of the inaugural play-offs but were denied promotion by Aldershot. However, the final two seasons of the decade saw the team achieve both the Fourth and Third Division championship, and also win the Football League Trophy at Wembley in 1988.
Lifelong fan Sir Jack Hayward purchased the club in 1990 and immediately funded the extensive redevelopment of the by now dilapidated Molineux into a modern all-seater stadium. With work completed in 1993, Hayward turned his investment into the club’s playing side in an attempt to win promotion to the newly-formed Premier League. Yet, despite this substantial spending, neither Graham Taylor nor Mark McGhee could fulfil this, both leading the team to play-off defeats at the semi-final stage (in 1995 and 1997 respectively).
It was not until 2003 that Wolves were promoted, when they defeated Sheffield United in the play-off final under Dave Jones to end a nineteen-year absence from the top level. Their stay proved short-lived, though, as they were immediately relegated back to the newly-retitled Championship.
After former England manager Glenn Hoddle failed to bring a swift return, the rebuilding of the squad by Mick McCarthy rejuvenated the club with an unexpected play-off finish. The club was bought by Steve Morgan in 2007, and two years later it returned to the Premier League as Championship champions. Wolves successfully battled relegation for two seasons before 2011–12 saw McCarthy's dismissal precipitate the drop under his assistant Terry Connor.
Following relegation, Norwegian Ståle Solbakken became the club's first overseas manager but his reign lasted only six months before a poor run of results saw him replaced by Dean Saunders in January 2013. Saunders failed to bring any upturn, culminating in both relegation to League One and his own dismissal.
Following this, Kenny Jackett was appointed in May 2013 in the retitled position of Head Coach, and led the team back to the Championship in his first season, setting a new club record points total of 103 in winning League One.
In 2014/15, Wolves almost made it to the play-offs, finishing on the same number of points as Town (78 points) but one place behind us in 7th due to goal difference.
Last season never looked like reaching the same heights, with Wolves finally finishing up in 14th place in the table.
On 21 July 2016, it was confirmed that Fosun International had bought the club from Steve Morgan, for an undisclosed amount, with Jez Moxey stepping down from his role as CEO. On 29 July 2016, Wolves announced that Kenny Jackett's contract with the club had been terminated. Former Italian international Walter Zenga was appointed the following day.
The Gaffer – Walter Zenga
Past Match - Video Highlights - Trev
There were plenty of goals when Wolves visited Portman Road last November…
https://youtu.be/2sQCJaypNcQ
Media Watch - K L Blue
Injury report:
http://www.twtd.co.uk/ipswich-town-news/30054/
Dalian Atkinson:
http://www.twtd.co.uk/ipswich-town-news/30053/
U23 squad v Sheff Utd:
http://www.twtd.co.uk/ipswich-town-news/30052/
Form Guide
Wolves Last 5 Matches – 6th place - 4 points
Northampton Town L 1-2 Away
Swansea City L 0-4 Home
Rotherham United D 2-2 Away
Crawley Town W 2-1 Home
Reading W 2-0 Home
Ipswich Last 5 Matches - 13th place - 3 points
Charlton D 0-0 Away
Royal Union Saint-Gilloise L 1-2 Home
Barnsley W 4-2 Home
Stevenage L 0-1 Home
Brentford L 0-2 Away
Midweek fixtures of Interest
Tuesday
Brentford v Nottingham Forest
Leeds United v Fulham
Norwich City v Bristol City
Wednesday
Newcastle United v Reading
Match Referee – Peter Bankes
Final Thought – Bluemike
We may only be two games into the new season and already the unrest among Town fans is rearing its ugly head. Talk of MM losing the dressing room after what was a really poor second half display at Brentford has even been suggested, would you believe. Personally, I find it all a little bit laughable if I am honest.
Let's get one thing straight though. We have issues to resolve and quickly. Our defending has been very suspect at best and, despite some strong words after the Stevenage game, little seems to have been resolved. Poor Adam Webster had a bit of a mare at Griffin Park and was caught wanting for both goals, but it certainly isn't only he that should take the flak. Others need to look at themselves too. We win as a team and we lose as a team so the whole defensive unit need to hold their hands up. Another issue for me is how quickly we can lose our way – bossing the game at HT and clearly on top to a team so devoid of ideas is indeed baffling. Did Brentford improve so much after the break? I don't think so. We made it easy for them.
Thankfully we have time to bring in a couple more new additions before the transfer window shuts and, following on from the Didsy news, I believe we will do exactly that. With Norwich looming large, it is important we get some confidence back into the team and, with that in mind, our trip to Wolverhampton takes on added importance. For me, a really good performance is just as important as a positive result, although clearly bringing home points would do wonders for everyone. I think we may see one or two changes to the line-up on Tuesday evening just to freshen it up and keep people on their toes. What we have to remember is that we have had a bad 45 minutes. It is no reason for everyone to implode. As long as we learn from it and act upon it, we should be fine. This is another tough game and, with Wolves under new ownership and with a new boss at the helm, they will be keen to add to Saturday’s win at home to Reading. As always, I will stay positive and fancy the boys to bring home a welcome point. Wolves 1-1 Town for me.
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS 1 IPSWICH TOWN 1
......Always have been positive and optimistic but not this season.....Just cant see Town up the right end of the table this season.
