Will Wolves end their negative trend?

The myriad of catch-up games in the English Premier League are gradually coming to an end and the table has more meaning to offer again. This Thursday, there are no less than four catch-up games on the agenda. At the Molineux Stadium it comes to the duel between Wolverhampton and Watford.

The home side have squandered their very good starting position in the fight for Europe in recent days and are challenged after three defeats en suite. Not at all good is the starting position for the promoted team from London. Watford are currently in penultimate place in the table and are already four points behind the safety net.

Time is running out for the Hornets and points are urgently needed. In the catch-up match between Wolverhampton and Watford, double chance X2 betting odds of around 2.00 are on offer. The Wolves win is around 1.80.

Despite the three defeats, the role of favourite is absolutely justified. Moreover, the first leg is a good omen for Wolves, as Wolverhampton won for the first time on matchday four after three opening defeats. It is possible that history will repeat itself, with the match kicking off on Thursday at 20:30.

Wolverhampton – Statistics & current form

An extremely unlucky last-minute defeat against Arsenal, a bitter defeat against West Ham and a very weak performance against Crystal Palace. The most recent three Premier League matches for Bruno Lage’s team were all games against teams from the capital and ended in disappointment. Especially after the 0:2 against the Eagles, it was clear to see that the nerves were on edge. Bruno Lage was furious with Ki-Jana Hoever, whom he had to replace after 25 minutes due to a thigh injury, about the attitude of his young players. The 20-year-old Dutchman thus became a pawn to distract from a poor performance.

Still no PL point on Thursday

Despite their recent woes, international football in 2022/23 remains within the realms of possibility. The team owes this to a very good phase before these three defeats, namely in the process the Lage eleven had to cope with only three defeats in 13 games. The Wolves’ great strength is their defence, as only 23 goals conceded is an outstanding figure. In the last four games, however, goalkeeper Jose Sa has had to make six saves. This compares to just five goals conceded in twelve league games previously.

Thursday’s home game against Watford will be only Wolverhampton Wanderers’ fourth Premier League game this weekday. Memories of previous matches are far from positive, with all three games lost.

Goals have rarity value

In the top tips at the beginning, the prediction for the match between Wolverhampton and Watford is for goals from both teams and an over 2.5. An assessment that seems at least a little questionable, because with an average of 1.74 goals per league game, the Lage eleven offers very little spectacle. However, the Wolves’ recent weaker defensive performances certainly speak in favour of this tip. In terms of personnel, Bruno Lage will be able to draw almost from the full range, only Hoever, who has been heavily criticised recently, will definitely not be available.

Predicted line-up of Wolverhampton:
Sa – Marcal, Saiss, Kilman, Coady, Ait-Nouri – Hwang, Moutinho, Neves, Neto – Podence

Last matches played by Wolverhampton:

Premier League
03/05 2022 – Wolverhampton 0 – 2 Crystal Palace

02/27 2022 – West Ham 1 – 0 Wolverhampton

02/24 2022 – Arsenal London 2 – 1 Wolverhampton

02/20 2022 – Wolverhampton 2 – 1 Leicester

02/13 2022 – Tottenham 0 – 2 Wolverhampton

Watford – Statistics & current form

Defensive football and few goals conceded – a description that also fits the style of neo-Watford coach Roy Hodgson. The veteran coach was brought out of retirement to prevent the threat of direct relegation. A difficult task, as the momentum is by no means in favour of the 74-year-old coach’s team. Since taking over, Watford have played seven games and have only managed one win.

Away, the defence has stabilised

Between January 2020 and January 2022, Watford have played 17 Premier League away games in a row and have always conceded at least one goal. In that respect, at least, there is a clear upward trend, because in the four away games under Roy Hodgson so far, 38-year-old goalkeeper Ben Foster has kept his box clean three times. Only in the narrow 0:1 against Aston Villa did Watford miss the “nil”.

Nevertheless, the defence is still not solid, as last weekend’s derby against Arsenal showed. The fast Gunners offence put the Hornets in trouble several times. On the plus side, Watford scored twice in a 3-2 defeat. Goals will be imperative in the battle to stay in the league, and Hodson’s side will have to take more risks given their starting position.

An away game could be an advantage, as Watford have taken 12 of their 19 points (63 per cent) away from home. A win at the Molineux Stadium would be a big step in the direction of a safe haven. After losing 12 of 14 PL away games, there has been only one defeat in five games recently.

Predicted Watford line-up:
Foster – Kamara, Samir, Cathcart, Femenia – Sissoko, Louza, Cleverley – Joao Pedro, Dennis, Cucho Hernandez

Last matches played by Watford:

Premier League
03/06 2022 – Watford 2 – 3 Arsenal London

02/26 2022 – Manchester United 0 – 0 Watford

02/23 2022 – Watford 1 – 4 Crystal Palace

02/19 2022 – Aston Villa 0 – 1 Watford

02/12 2022 – Watford 0 – 2 Brighton

Wolverhampton – Watford Direct Comparison / H2H Record

The first leg was played on matchday four, with Wolverhampton Wanderers claiming a 2-0 away win at the promoted side at Vicarage Road thanks to two late goals. The Lage side now have the chance to complete a league double (two wins in one season) against Watford for only the third time in history. The chances of that happening are pretty good, as Wolverhampton have only lost three times out of 20 games against the Hornets at the Molineux Stadium.

Wolverhampton – Watford Tip

In essence, a draw would already be too little for both teams, as only a full success will keep the goal within reach. Although both head coaches cultivate old-fashioned football, which is very concerned with safety, the teams must therefore take more risks. The bare numbers do not speak for many goals, but due to the starting position, the odds for a high-scoring game at Wolverhampton against Watford are quite interesting.

Finally, the home side’s defence has lost stability recently and is always good for a lapse. Accordingly, it seems interesting to bet on goals from both teams in Wolverhampton vs Watford. Both teams will have to look for salvation in the offensive sooner or later, because only a win counts – for both the Wolves and the Hornets.