Match Thread: Wolves vs Brighton & HA (FA Cup 5th Rd)
The Prize
By Wolves
February 28 2024
Wolves welcome Brighton and Hove Albion to Molineux for the second time this season, hoping for an infinitely better outcome than the first home game of ths season. This time it is in the 5th round of the FA Cup, and sees an opportunity for the club to chase some long overdue silverware.
After a successful couple of matches which have seen wins for Wolves raise them in to the top half of the Premier League, they now harbour an ambition to reach the quarter finals of the FA Cup for the first time since Nuno Espirito Santo took them to the semi finals in 2019. However they will face a strern test from Brighton who lie just above them in the League and are playing well. Wolves will most certainly have to perform better than they did in the second half of Sunday's game against Sheffield United when they seemed to lose confidence and direction.
Gary O'Neil has declared that he wants to put out as strong a team as possible, which may challenge the thinking that Santi Bueno and Hugo Bueno may get starting places in the team. Matheus Cunha is reportedly making good progress in rehabilitation following his hamstring injury, but he is still not fit to be in the squad.
Brighton Manager Roberto De Zerbi has stated that their dangerous winger Kaoru Mitoma and strikers Evan Ferguson and Joao Pedro will not be fit to play, whilst Danny Welbeck and Joel Veltman will require fitness checks. However they still remain a talented and pacey team.
The draw for the Quarter Finals of the competition will take place at 7pm prior to the kick off of Wolves game which is scheduled for 7:45pm. There will be extra time if needed and penalties to decide the outcome of the game as there will not be a replay. Wolves will definitely not want extra time as they are playing away at Newcastle on Saturday, so another quick turn-around for them after already having a short break after playing on Sunday!
The game can be watched via the red button on BBC iPlayer and our referee tonight will be Andy Madley with Anthony Taylor on VAR Duty.
this board will provide updates on the progress of the game for anyone who needs them, and members and visitors are encouraged to post their own observations and join in the conversation.
Please note for those involved in the Prediction League, the score after 90 minutes will be used.
Several changes to tonight's starting Xl and the most surprising is to see Pedro Neto on the bench!!
Santi Bueno and Doc start in defence with Mario Lemina, Joao Gomes and Tommy Doyle starting in midfield, with perhaps Jean-Ricard Bellegarde starting upfront alongside Hwang. Line-up:
Yellow card for Andy Fati for a foul on JRB but fee kick breaks up a good opportunity for Wolves. Now Mario down hurt after a collision but is OK. Good free kick by Doyle but Bueno can’t make the most of it.
JRB goes close after a poor back pass but Steele. Lears before Doc puts it across the area far too hard. BHA break but the defence cope despite a clash of heads between Doc & Toti but both OK
Peupion gets BHA’s first shot on target but it’s a very weak attempt which Jose easily collects. Mario challenged by Gross and it’s being looked at byVAR, but no further not even a yellow card after raking his Achilles.
4 added minutes to play
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:02:28:20:32:00 by Cheshire wolf.
BHA. living dangerously with some of their back passes and lucky not to be 3-0 down. Half time and Wolves lead from second minute after a well taken goal by Mario. BHA. Have been lively and frequently challenged our defence but only put in one very weak shot on target. Santiago Bueno has been solid in defence and JRB has made several good breaks up the left wing. Hwang has been innocuous in truth but Joao and Mario are making up the attacking line.
Half time: Wolves 1 Brighton 0
Hwang really is having another poor game. Neto & Pablo being prepared to come on. Hwang down hurt & needing treatment - seems to hurt his hamstring and will probably need to go off anyway.
Yellow card for Pablo for fairly quick fouls. Enciso in for Buononotte and he’s a real live wire. Dunk plays the ball forward but to no one. Fifteen minutes of normal time to go
Estupinan has to make a good challenge as Neto breaks. Into final five minutes of normal time. Now Neto earns a corner., which Max heads towards the corner but is collected by Steele. Corner at the other end, eventually cleared. Foul by Neto gets him a yellow card.
Ornery to BHA, Welbeck collects and Jose catches. Tommy Doyle gets a well earned MotM. Craig Dawson and Nelson Semedo ready to replace Joao Gomez who was feeling his hamstring and RAN.
Corner to BHA off CD, which Steele is up for and puts it wide. 5 & 1/2 minutes played. And the final whistle goes and we are through to the Quarter Finals and can look forward to a home tie with Coventry. Wolves defended superbly tonight against a constantly attacking Brighton and they attacked with good effect too. A very good performance from a tired team, let’s hope Hwang and Joao are OK as we don’t need any more injuries.
Final score Wolves 1 Brighton & Hove Albion 0
Sometimes you just have to grind out a result and we did that superbly well tonight. No poor performances each and every one of the lads really put in a shift.
The squad must be starting to feel the strain so l fully expect some of the youngsters to start to get some game time but luckily we have a decent points haul as a buffer. Well done lads.
Glad that's over. It's a good job Brighton were nowhere near full strength. I suppose we defended well, we certainly had to do enough of it, and Sa wasn't seriously threatened as, despite their possession, Brighton didn't create a lot. Then again, neither did we. The goal was down to the mess that their goalkeeper made and apart from that we didn't look like scoring. Feel very sorry for Hwang having to go off injured but to be honest, he hasn't been the same since he came back from the Asian Cup. Still, the result is all that matters and a repeat of the 1973 quarter-final against Coventry at Molineux will go down a treat.
Dare I say it, a professional performance to secure the quarter final spot! Lots to like about the defensive ability and organisation which pretty much snuffed out the Brighton attack who otherwise passed and kept the ball very well. They are a decent outfit but we know that!
Nevertheless in cup football it is about the result and with the early goal to protect, I felt we did really well, even though it was more gritty than polished and nervy rather than comfortable.
What an atmosphere in Molineux too ….. absolutely brilliant, a cauldron of raucous support 🤩
Real pluses from the whole team In general, particularly liked the efforts from S Bueno, Doc, Lemina Kilman, Doyle.
Slight negatives for Hwang (very sad to see him limp off, right before he was going to be subbed) and Bellegarde …… the latter regarding his overall play, absolutely no problem with his two decent runs and crosses.
Coventry City at home then! Couldn’t have asked for much more with the draw but I know GON certainly will not be complacent or resting on his laurels! Two great trio of GON fist pumps at the end. The (now becoming) the traditional South Bank celebration but with a bonus one for all those in the North Bank. Great stuff 👍
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