Date: 12th September 2015
Kick-off: 3:00pm
Venue: Macron Stadium
After a two week international break, Wolves are back in action with a trip to Lancashire to face winless Bolton Wanderers.
Over 1500 Wolves fans will be making the journey to the Macron Stadium, in the hope of seeing another victory after the late 2-1 win over Charlton back in August.
Despite the break in play, things haven’t been quiet a Molineux with several key incidents making for headline news in the Black Country.
Starting with the bad news, it has emerged that striker Nouha Dicko will be out for the rest of the season after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament during the win over Charlton. After forming a great partnership with Benik Afobe in the second half of last season, it’s hugely disappointing to be without Dicko, with currently only loanee Adam Le Fondre and 17-year-old Bright Enobakhare, the only suitable replacements.
The team has been left further hindered by the baffling decision to sell the ever present Richard Stearman to Fulham for a mere £1 million plus add-ons. With the sale cited as being for ‘footballing reasons’, the centre half position is now looking incredibly inexperienced with 24-year-old Danny Batth, currently out injured, by far the most veteran man in that position. There is much confidence among the talent of Kortney Hause, Ethan Ebanks-Landell and Dominic Iorfa, but their ability to keep it up throughout a 46 game season will surely be tested.
On the good news side of things, Kenny Jackett made a successful deadline day swoop for winger Nathan Byrne from Swindon. The former Tottenham academy graduate, Byrne, is a highly touted player in the football league and even bagged a hat trick on the opening day of the season against Bradford. Hopefully he will add the much needed width to side that has been lacking since the departure of Bakary Sako in the summer.
Fans will also be happy that Wolves kept away late interest for Afobe, with the fan favourite striker now firmly focused on performing for Wolves and not on a move to the Premier League.
With the transfer window now shut, Wolves can hopefully concentrate on improving on the season’s so far mediocre points tally with a win over Bolton.
Bolton are struggling without a win this season, and there seems to be no better time to be playing our fellow Wanderers. On paper, our new back four should not struggle too much against a side with only one goal in all competitions so far; however Bolton may come back from their poor start with experienced strikers Gary Madine and Emile Heskey expected to feature.
Wolves are without a win in their previous nine matches away at Bolton, although last season spectacular James Henry 95th minute equaliser will still be fresh in the memory.
Expected line-up
Ikeme, Doherty, Ebanks-Landell, Hause, Golbourne, Edwards, Coady, McDonald, Henry, Afobe, Le Fondre
Danger Men
Bolton
20-year-old Zach Clough scored two goals in his senior league debut against us in a 2-2 draw last January. Clough found good form in his opening season and was only halted by an injury that finished his season early. Now back although yet to score this season, he has the ability to turn Bolton’s poor start around, something manager Neil Lennon needs to happen sooner rather than later.
Wolves
With Nouha Dicko out injured for seemingly the rest of the season, this is a fantastic chance for loanee striker Adam Le Fondre to fill his boots and become a permanent fixture in the side alongside Afobe. Le Fondre has good movement off the ball and has strong pace similar to Dicko so hopefully making for an easy transition. He also had a very successful loan period at our opponents Bolton last season with their fans going as far as to start a collection fund to get the club to sign him permanently.
Match odds
Bolton 9/5
Draw 23/10
Wolves 6/4
First goalscorer
Emile Heskey 13/2
Gary Madine 13/2
Stephen Dobbie 13/2
Benik Afobe 9/2
Adam Le Fondre 6/1
David Edwards 8/1
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