An Exciting Repeat – But Still No Happy Ending

Saturday, February 7: No shortage of goals again in a Wolves v Chelsea game that wasn’t too dissimilar to the Carabao Cup meeting of these clubs at the same venue in the autumn. Wolves were once more 3-0 down at half-time before producing a much stronger second half, alas, on the day of Pedro Neto’s latest return, without anything to show in the points column.

Tuesday, February 10: An early disclosure of Fulham’s intention to release Raul Jimenez in the summer rather than offer him a new contract. The former Wolves striker is now 35 but still in good form with a goal tally for club and country this season heading into double figures. He will have been at Craven Cottage for three seasons come the World Cup finals, having earlier netted 57 times in his five years at Molineux.

Wednesday, February 18: What price would we have been quoted on Wolves putting the ball in the net five times in Premier League games against Arsenal this season? Ok, two of those were sadly own goals at the Emirates Stadium in mid-December but, on top of Tolu Arokodare’s late equaliser in North London, there were two strikes at the right end tonight in an ultimately thrilling 2-2 draw against the top-flight pacesetters. The fact that one of them came from debutant Tom Edozie, who was thrown on as a substitute with only six minutes left, made the night even more special and had Molineux jumping at full-time.

Tuesday, February 24: Unbelievable to think that Wolves will have two home night games against Liverpool in the same week early next month – in the Premier League on the Tuesday and in the fifth round of the FA Cup on the Friday. That has surely never happened before despite the many cases of the club facing the same opponents on a Saturday and then in a midweek (or vice versa) – often in knockout football.

Friday, February 27: This must be a first, too…..Wolves had four players of the same surname on the pitch together in tonight’s terrific win against Villa – Joao Gomes, Toti Gomes, Rodrigo Gomes and Angel Gomes, the last two going on as substitutes. A bumper collection of retired Wolves favourites were present to witness the drama, with Tom Bennett among them after visiting Wolverhampton to appear on the Mutchy & Denno podcast with Johnny Phillips. 

Sunday, March 1: Interesting to see that Terry Connor was reinstated to the Walsall coaching team a day or two before they ended their win-less seven-game slump with a 2-1 derby victory way to Shrewsbury yesterday. Mick McCarthy’s long-time assistant spent the middle third of the season as stand-in with the Saddlers while Gary Waddock recuperated following an ankle operation and has now returned following the ex-QPR midfielder’s departure to become manager of National League club Wealdstone.

Monday, March 2: Sad to hear that 1980s Wolves physio Denis Conyerd has died after several years of health problems. We have happy memories of him, notably when we wrote this feature Astonishing Memories Of Loyal Backroom Man – Wolves Heroes two or three years ago. Our deepest condolences go to his family and close friends.