Wolves 2 - 3 Bolton Wanderers

So, after a run against the top 4 teams it was time for some easier games, starting off with an in form 6th placed Bolton. Things weren;t looking good when Christophe Berra pulled up in the pre match warm up, meaning Mouyokolo would make his full league debut.

Surprisingly we went 4-4-2 for once but when you concede goals inside the 1st minute you're screwed. A Richard Stearman own goal from a cross meant we were on the back foot from the start but gradually worked our way back into it throughout the opening 45 mins. Jaaskelainen made 3 great saves, one identical to the goal Milijas scored in the corresponding fixture last season, with him this time pushing the ball round the post.

Matt Jarvis and Nenad Milijas (our 2 best players again) conjured up a couple of good quick set pieces, one being from a corner that Nenad clipped onto the bar but truth be told Wolves were not doing enough to break down Owen Coyle's impressive Bolton side. In the 62nd minute Kevin Foley kept the ball from going out of play but gave it straight away which led to a great individual goal from Johan Elmander, maybe the 3 players around him should have done better though. Then just 5 minutes later the game was all but over when Stuart Holden stroked the ball into the back of the net with ease, causing a mass exodus from the disgruntled home crowd (0-3). Just like the week before when at home to Spurs, Bolton decided to sit back when 3 up and it almost spelt disaster for them. Foley made up for his mistake with a great goal from a Jarvis pass a couple minutes later, then from a Jarvis corner, Steven Fletcher (on for Stephen Hunt) headed home making it 2-3 with over 10 mins to go. Mouyokolo should have made it all square in injury time but his header went inches wide meaning we lose at home again and the gap between us and 17th place grows.

A lesson to be learnt from this match is we can't handle playing 4-4-2 in this league, we need the extra man in midfield or we'll lose the battle in the middle all day long. Points are needed as soon as possible, beginning with the trip to Blackpool this weekend, where I can see there being goals galore, so I'll predict a 0-0.

'Geesus'

LINE-UPS
WOLVES (4-4-2): Hahnemann; Foley, Stearman, Mouyokolo, Elokobi; Hunt (Fletcher 66), Henry, Milijas, Jarvis; Doyle, Ebanks-Blake. Unused Subs: Hennessey, Van Damme, Ward, David Jones, Bent. Booked: Hunt

BOLTON (4-4-2): Jaaskelainen; Ricketts, Cahill, Knight, Robinson; Lee, Muamba, Holden, Taylor (Petrov 82); Kevin Davies, Elmander (Klasnic 74) Unused Subs: Bogdan, Mark Davies, Moreno, Blake, Alonso

STATS (courtesy of Daily Telegraph)

SHOTS ON TARGET (OFF TARGET): Wolves 5 (6) - 5 (7) Bolton

CORNERS: Wolves 12 - 3 Bolton

FOULS: Wolves 10 - 10 Bolton

POSSESSION: Wolves 54% - 46% Bolton

REFEREE: Peter Walton

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Wolves v Bolton Wanderers

Well, that's the hard ones out of the way, now bring on the easier games, starting with arguably the most improved side this season in Bolton.

After another valiant effort against a big side, will Mick McCarthy go for two up front or stick to what he knows is successful and keep a five man midfield against a good footballing side? All will depend on whether Kevin Doyle can play with a broken hand and Dave Edwards can shake off a tweak in his thigh. Stephen Ward is struggling to overcome a gash to the leg from a reckless challenge from Cesc Fabregas so George Elokobi will be most likely to step in.

You have got to be impressed with Bolton this season. Owen Coyle's inherited a squad full of good quality players that Gary Megson couldn't get the best out of and has them playing good attacking football. Topscorer Johan Elmander was a handful when he came off the bench last season and is starting to show his quality under Coyle so it's good news that he's fighting a virus. Gretar Steinsson is suspended after already picking up five bookings.

I'll have to predict a narrow win to us. Bolton have the last four away games on the bounce and we need to pick up the points now, and how!

'Grobs'

POSSIBLE LINE-UPS

WOLVES (4-5-1): Hahnemann; Foley, Stearman, Berra, Elokobi; Jarvis, Milijas, Henry, Edwards, Hunt; Doyle. Subs: Hennessey, van Damme, Ebanks-Blake, Fletcher, Jones, Mancienne, Mouyokolo

BOLTON (4-4-2): Jaaskelainen; Ricketts, Knight, Cahill, Robinson; Lee, Holden, Muamba, Petrov; Kevin Davies, Klasnic. Subs: Bogdan, Taylor, Mark Davies, Moreno, Blake, Cohen, Alonso

ODDS (with William Hill) (see more odds)

WIN: Wolves 7/5; Draw 11/5; Bolton 2/1

FIRST GOALSCORER: Wolves - Steven Fletcher 6/1, Doyle 6/1, Ebanks-Blake 15/2, Hunt 9/1, Jarvis 10/1, Milijas 14/1, Stearman 50/1; Bolton - Davies 13/2, Klasnic 15/2, Petrov 10/1, Taylor 12/1, Lee 14/1, Holden 16/1, Cahill 25/1

KEY PLAYER: Lee Chung-Yong (that right?). The Korean winger was a right handful at the Reebok last season and is looking like one of Bolton's standout players.

WEAKEST LINK: Paul Robinson. The former Sandwell man has a bit of a hardman reputation and is pretty card prone.

NOTABLE MUTUAL ALUMNI: Mark Davies, Mixu Paatelainen, Nathan Blake, Terry Wharton, Hugh Curran

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