Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Stoke City Match Preview
Wolves management is denying that they are trying to off-load striker David Jones. Wolves have announced that Jones has yet to agree to terms and this has fueled speculation that the club is making known that Jones is available for purchase. Wolves’ management, however, claim to be hoping to sign Jones to a new contract. Time will tell.
Meanwhile manager Mick McCarthy has turned down the opportunity to buy Michael Mancienne from Chelsea. That doesn’t mean McCarthy doesn’t want him, it only means he doesn’t want to buy him. Mancienne spent all of last season on loan to Wolves and McCarthy wants that deal again.
The arrival of Irish international Stephen Hunt will certainly bolster Wolves punch as the little winger can be a handful. With Hunt playing alongside strikers Doyle, Ebanks-Blake or Fletcher, Wolves may have more bite in their attack than they did last season.
Stoke have signed Trinidad & Tobago striker Kenwyne Jones from Sunderland on a four year, £8 million deal, their most expensive ever. Potters’ manager Tony Pulis expressed delight at the transfer and has hopes that Jones’ qualities will engender a constructive competition among the club’s strikers, thereby raising the overall level of his club’s attack.
The Potters, who finished 11th in the league last season, were probably expecting to lose the services of Republic of Ireland international Liam Lawrence to Celtic, who had come a-courting. But the Glasgow giant’s wooing of Lawrence took too long and now the midfielder says he’s committing himself to the Potters and the EPL.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Stoke City Match Report
A David Jones free kick gave Wolves the lead in the 37th minute and their lead was doubled two minutes later when Steven Fletcher forced a deflection into the Stoke City net.
Stoke grabbed one back in the second half through a goal by Abdoulaye Faye in the 55th but that was the best the Potters could do in a spirited match at Molineux.
It was a deserved win for Wolves who played with style despite Kevin Doyle’s absence due to injury.
Stoke missed the services of new signing Kenwyne Jones, who exited the match in the 14th minute with an apparent ankle injury. The Potters never rolled over, however, and their physical presence made sure that the home side knew they were in a competitive game.
Wolves 2-1 Stoke
