 Hello, welcome to Toffy TV, it is the match preview, Wolves vs Everton, the final game of 2023, another year you can put it in the bin. Yeah, 100% just put it in there. Mor e? Mor e weird, ye. Wach e very eventful, horrible. Ye, it's been. Shite is what many would call it. What's mad though is this season hasn't been shite in terms of having won five away games already, won eight games. We should have 26 points, well we have got 26 points and we should be 10. Just keep saying it. We have? The sign behind you tells you everything you need to know about. We have got 26 points, we've earned 26 points and we hope to meet more on Saturday. Another 26 will be shite. I don't know if we get 26 on Saturday. No, not on Saturday. Well we could if there was an appeal on Saturday morning if he gave us a back. I don't know. But this and it's a tough game, very tough game. Wolves haven't been a favourable opposition this in the last few years. But we've been there last season, we had a 90 plus nine equaliser by Jerry Mina. King Gerald. To put us in that buoyant mood ahead of that final game in the season. It basically kept us up the goal there. I know we had to be born with, but that goal meant that no matter what Leicester did, as long as we won, we stayed up. Same thing if you haven't scored, but don't worry about it. It was a key goal. It was a key goal. It was a key goal for just everyone's general mental health. It was a key goal. But we go up, we go to them obviously this season. The away form as you mentioned there is much better. We've obviously lost our last away game to Spares. But we came away with a victory in our hearts. Which it's not the place to win, I'll be honest with you. I've played the one on the table, if I'm honest. But no, with a little bit of credit. Don't take glory victories. Glory defeats. I mean take glory victories all day long. Do not take glory defeats. No. The away form has massively improved this season obviously. And we just hope to continue that on Saturday. It will be a tough game. They've won the last two, they've won three, the last five. They can feel very hard done by this season by VAR as well. I hope everyone's got their banners ready for Saturday. But wouldn't it be lovely to just round off 2023 with a win. Which would keep us above walls in that table of our hearts. I'm hoping for a bliped result of what we saw at the start of the season. When they were so fortunate. It was incredible. There should have been four or five banners in the game in the last couple of minutes. So I'd take that, they can do what they want and have a great day. But I've no luck and we just nick it in the last minute. Will be delightful. They've done a brilliant job to be fair. A lot of people didn't give them much chance. He went in very late, didn't he? Five days I think before the season. And he's done a brilliant job. He's done a really good job at Bourmouth and was shocked unfairly in my opinion. And he's gone in at Wolves and done a really good job. And they've had some terrible decisions against them this season as well. We have as well probably the most two affected teams by the seasons in the Premier League. I would suggest we know there's an agenda against us in the Premier League this season. Wolves could well feel there's one against them as well, given some of the horrific decisions they've had. But we've just got to put it out of our mind. We're playing against a team that are doing well. I think they've won four of the last five, which is as many as they've won in the previous 21 against them. So it's in their favour at the moment. But that all goes out the window the weekend. They've had a great win at Brentford last night to try on four-one, didn't they? But Wang Yi-Chan, there's a little bit of a doubt over him that he'd be massive for us if he was out. We've got a late decision on how to be like the Corry. That would be massive for Everton if he's passed fit. I don't know whether they will with it being a hamstring. But the man has just talked about risk and reward and you know what? It might be a risk worth taking for Everton because he's such a key member of our team. And away from home, I think, ironically, he's more important than he is at Goulders. And if that makes sense, but we've just got to go there and do what we've been doing away. Cos in general, we've been excellent away from home and we're far more comfortable, I think, away from Goulderson Park with the way we play than we are at home at the minute. Even Saturday against Spears, we started so poorly defensively in the opening 20 minutes by the end of the game. We should have won the game, let alone even get a draw in it and we ended up losing it. So if there's a little bit of karma or a little bit of good fortune, we're definitely doing it. I talked about Wolves when they come to Goulderson back in August. Everton were by far the better team. I think they should have had the game shown up and we didn't. I think it's been a great save and we missed it. They ended up nicking it later on and we haven't done that to anyone. So if there's a little bit of good fortune during our way in 2023 then let's hope it arrives at Mollingham on Saturday. Yeah, it would. Obviously it feels like longer but the last week or so has been, hasn't been great and has obviously tested the squad out massively and we know we're down to the bare bones. I mean, the fact that I'm on the go when I started a Premier League game for Everton is incredible. Let's be honest. We know there's not going to be any disagarn again. He's got a calf injury. Not actually a young guy. No young comon was obviously back on the bench last night to that, the boosters. There's not much room for... Obviously we can change the formation, we can go to three at the back if we need to and maybe that helps out. It might be something we can do a little bit different. He's not going to start with two up front so it's not really that. We're getting to stretching now, aren't we, for different things. Maybe if actually young had been available then maybe he would have played Jack Harrison off the striker but if actually young's not available then that's the problem. When you've got such a small squad and you're asking players to have multi-positions and they are not available and that kicks on then really we are left with basically playing three at the back or if we've got directs in the field then we'll have to play them. So it is tough at the moment and ironically when you get into January there's one Premier League game, it's nuts. All the work this fixture is just absolutely stupid. It pulls and I'm sure they do it on paper to try and get mad results so to keep it as interesting as they can. And as you said, January we've got there's a couple of FA Cup weekends and there's a winter break so there's only one Premier League game that's really for us at all. But it would be lovely to just break up these obviously back to back to feet and going out of the cup as well to full and be lovely to just go there and get something because obviously we are looking over our shoulder and we could quite possibly end up back in the bottom three which of course we don't deserve that we don't deserve to be in the bottom three certainly not by the way we've been playing obviously picking up 12 points in December has been huge as well but that's where we find ourselves that's the reality of the situation isn't it? We don't deserve it, we know we don't deserve it we're at both points wise we're at both walls we're in 10th place but as the manager keeps stressing we can't sit here thinking what could have been, what should have been or what maybe we get back the reality is we have 16 points and it would just be lovely to wrap up a crappy year by getting something at walls and just changing what's happened in the last couple of weeks Yeah and obviously if Everton was to win we'd be six points behind walls in the table as it is so you've got a bit of that in mind they were really well and playing well but we've got to try and put the distance we'll know at kickoff time whether in the bottom three cos obviously Luton played Chelsea at half 12 at the weekend but we're in a fight at the minute and we know that we are and we may end up getting some points back we might not so we've got to treat it as this is where we are right now but we've got to go up to Newcastle in 8th position that's one more game than Everton so that's what you've got to remember going into this one this is a team that as you've just rightly said we will be starting the game above at the weekend in a normal season so we have to remember that and we have to bear in mind that we are capable we've won five away games there's no reason why we can't go to walls from win they're playing well and at a good side but so will we we go there I think there's something like seven and beating it home at the moment so it will be tough there's no illusions about whether it'll be difficult or not but we should have got something at Spare Spare's are a better team than Wolff we led Man City into whatever it was fifty third minute and threw that away a little bit just because their quality's shone and we started getting tired but we were architects of our own downfall in that as well so we have to make sure that we have to make sure that we're perfect almost that the back don't give anything cheap away which we haven't really been doing up until the last two games the goals away a Tottenham were cheap really were and then against City there were goals that we haven't been letting in of later we've got to get back to the basics we know we're going to be in the scrap this will be a battle like you said before Gary O'Neill's done a great job there there are tough teams to play against they watch them against Chelsea they had a lot of opportunities in the first they have molds turned the heat up second half so we've got to be wary of that as well but we know there's strengths and weaknesses and O'Neill now hasn't we've just got a hope we can dig in the players are giving everything at the moment that's all we can ask for it's about getting through that first 20 minutes again isn't it it's something which it is a big factor in our games because we know what a game from being we've lost every game we've conceded the first goal I didn't want to put it that briefly but that's just a fact so we have to make sure we get through that first 20 minutes settle it down get into our rhythm of doing things and go from there because these will want to go fast they'll want to they'll have all the confidence on the last two games they'll want to go out the blocks quickly mulling you it's a great atmosphere and O'Neill O'Neill they'll be feeling very very positive and we've got to make sure we remember what we've done right this season they had five shots on target against Brentford and score four goals Brentford had 60% possessing had more shots than them and stuff so the clinical bit what they're doing at the moment and obviously you should be lost heechang gwan didn't he last night he come off with an injury at half time so let's hope there's a little bit of good fortune he's unavailable because he has been in well let's have a little look at the wall scene I played at Brentford they go three at the back don't they they have killmen there by now and they have golems there two wing backs from me though and nori and then they've got laminar and the wall is there and sy'r abiet in cunia off heechang gwan cunia's done really well this year he's not a big goal scur but he's done really well and scored goals this season so that's what Gary O'Neill's been able to do he's got the best out of heechang gwan I think he scored as many goals this season or more than he's scored in the last two or something like that but as you can see he's got 10 in 19 games next year 5.72 two assists and XA have just under two he's all over the place but do you think he's got massively overperforming his XT but this is a player who haven't wanted don't forget it just didn't quite work out do you think that haven't could maybe you know have decorate and back fit and I'm he will be but do you think it could be a case we do go and try and match them up and go three at the back ourselves it would make more sense you see it really it would make more sense because you have your shape the same and the problem is it would be perfect to do if it was a game that Gary was fit because he's not so therefore you're asking Andrei Golmes I imagine to play in a three which is fine because it doesn't mean he has to be the defensive one but he can go in there you then go with Patterson on one wing back and Dwight McNeill is the other wing back so what if you have Michael Enco's a wing back though and have actually Dwight McNeill coming in and tucking inside you see what I will I think I'd be tempted to have McNeill as the third midfielder and he's breaking and then I've Patterson so it would almost be Wolves' formation so you'd have three centre backs you'd have your two wing backs and then you'd have two and two off and I imagine it'll be Dominic Alvidlun who starts this one I think better I'll be sub so he could do it that way and then you've got Patterson and McNeill buzzing around and you've got Michael Enco and Patterson as the wing backs unless he throws sheyms back in so it gives him the opportunity it'd be something slightly different than what we're doing but I don't think we've got a perfect number, we haven't got a perfect split striker have we, he's not going to play no but I think with that two though that's where you get away with the split striker because it's two and two and I think we played that a villa didn't we we played that a villa away in the cup where it was McNeill and Patterson and it worked that night because they're coming inside the plane inside you know, forwards forwards and all that I think it worked that night because those two could get closer and we had the protection of going on our own on it and it worked and obviously Michael Enco can play that position and obviously he's a bit more defensive but actually Patterson has a wing backsuit on my thing it wouldn't surprise me I just don't think shoehorning in a player again especially when it's, you'd be asking Gomez to do it again I just don't see that happening and getting enough out of him to help us because obviously when the away game wins away because the court is so pivotal in that position works as that split striker he's hard to pick up and I just think that's the only other one I'd look at I just think I think we can play that three I think we've got the right players that Michael Keane can come in and do the job and it works I think it works for us I just think I just don't think we've got the plays to shoehorning I think the three works We haven't got a player really that can play the decor we've tried variations of it he's not just been brave enough to go with the two strikers because I just don't think he thinks we get enough bodies it's just fine he sees them every day so therefore you do have to come up with something a little bit different so obviously if the court is fit then it's a different question isn't it but it might just be better matting them up anyway and having the three and then going that way because at least you're almost picking up men for men the key thing if we do do that way will be parishing around Dom if it's Dom because Dom wins a lot of others can you then be running on and you're there for knockdowns that will be the key to doing it it's a winnable game they're a good side but they're not the Manchester City we'll have chances to score goals we've been scoring goals it'll be a tough game for us but it's therefore one we can win and it's not like what they got I just think for us I think it's a definitive just start the game well get through the first 20 minutes and don't there will be a lot there will be tiredness the fatigue it takes it takes its toll these plays have played some have played all month obviously not every minute but the likes of Dwight McNeill Jack Harrison playing a lot of football out there and there's not much coming to replace them and the two centre backs and obviously Branthwaite missed out a Bayley but they've played a lot O'n Arna looked like he went down with an injury against Man City but looked like he was basically y act to play on there was no question you've got to play on Gomez just coming back Jimmy Garn is playing a lot of games as well so it has taken it's toll, it will take it's toll of course it will so for me just about getting through that first 20 minutes let's have a little look at the team that did start against Manchester City you know obviously you've rotated with better front give them a little bit of a break but that mental fatigue will obviously those take it's toll and also the likes of James Garn the likes of O'n Arna they haven't played this amount of games you know James Garn have played in the championships we wouldn't have played a lot of games but at this level with this kind of what I mean every single week it is very very tough so next month some of them will need will need those breaks won't they and the manager actually spoke a bar I think he gave everyone Christmas day off things like that all the tricks to keep trying to keep that refresh keep everyone refreshed after the palace game I wouldn't you know I'd probably give them all the weekend weekend off and a few extra days off before you know the villa game following weekend all those little things and then it's the then sorry there is a break isn't it for the winter break and and then there's another FA court weekend who knows who knows what will happen but you just got to get your breaks when you can no I'm also played as well have you had in the way game of Brentford throw and that was the one the game which is great for them but it's tough game and you know it's it is crap at this time of the year they stretched the teams there's no reason for it this midweek game should never have been on they could have played a couple of games every day or a game a day or something and had live games on and done it like that so teams were massively stressed but it is what it is and obviously we are we're stretched at the minute but calming back in the squad well we'll have a late decision on the court that's the way it is this is the 8th consecutive season we've been a wife and good of some parker the last fixture of the year it is what it is Wolves have scored in 16 consecutive home games let's make sure that they end the year without scoring that would be nice wouldn't it like you said it'll be a tough game and we've got to go there and make sure we give everything with them I'm sure the players will and they have to give everything and that's why some of them look the way they do at the moment tough game but we've looked at tough games before and we've got something out of them so let us know your thoughts in the comments on this one do you fancy it or are you a little bit worried there's a few people out there who do look a little bit worried but at the halfway point if you give me 26 points add a ripped your arm off 26 points in the second half of the season I'll stand up and we threw games away in this pair we've absolutely threw games away this season and we should have so we do a few where we just nick wins we haven't nicked a win yet we haven't nicked a victory games we've won them we've had a lot of chances in games we've lost at home wolves at home so many opportunities we missed and full them at home looting at home all teams we should have beaten and we blew the game brighting at home we had chances they get a deflection we need that little bit of the rubber the green but the players are giving everything if you do that we'll have more videos daily live exclusive videos the link is in the description QR code is coming up now on the screen thanks for watching see you later