Dugout Discussion

Johnstone absent for West Brom after positive Covid-19 test as Boly returns for Wolves

West Brom goalkeeper Sam Johnstone (£4.5m) misses the Baggies’ first DGW19 fixture following a positive Covid-19 test.

Ahead of the Black Country derby at Molineux, Sam Allardyce explained:

Covid has kept out Sam [Johnstone] and Matt Phillips for us, as well as one or two other Under-23s that would probably have been in the squad.

Grady [Diangana] pulled or tweaked a hamstring, so we had to make a change there.

Asked by BT Sport what he has been trying to fix in training, Allardyce responded:

I’ve tried to fix the fact that we’ve got to stop conceding goals that are avoidable. Our concentration levels sometimes lapse, in split seconds and moments. It only takes the opposition a few seconds to exploit that. That is the focus when we’re out of possession.

In possession, it’s really about trying to get more quality in the final third. Create more chances in open play, which has been extremely difficult for us.

Wolves boss Nuno, speaking in his pre-match press conference on Friday, said of his side’s recent leaky displays:

“We (have) made big mistakes, especially in defence. We must be compact and from there can grow positives. “We have to go back to our main foundation; a clean sheet.”

The Portuguese manager has duly reverted to a tried-and-tested back three. Nuno revealed in the embargoed section of his media offering that Willy Boly (£5.4m) would start for West Brom’s visit.

Boly is joined by Conor Coady (£4.9m) and Romain Saiss (£5.1m), while the Wolves teamsheet suggests that Pedro Neto (£6.0m) will operate at left wing-back.

The winger was a doubt for this afternoon’s kick-off, as was Adama Traoré (£6.1m). The latter also starts the match in a front two alongside Fabio Silva (£5.2m).

“Adama didn’t play the last game, he had a problem. He is better, so he is ready to go. Boly had an injury for some while and [now] he’s good.” – Nuno

Daniel Podence (£5.4m) remains sidelined, along with Jonny (£5.4m) and Marcal (£4.8m).

“Let’s see. We have Adama and Boly coming and joining (training). Let’s see how they are for tomorrow. We still have Daniel out. We have work to do. Jonny, Podence, Marcal are out.” – Nuno speaking on Friday

Wolves XI: Patricio; Saiss, Coady, Boly; Neto, Neves, Dendoncker, Semedo; Moutinho; Fabio Silva, A Traoré.

West Bromwich Albion XI: Button; Gibbs, Bartley, Ajayi, O’Shea; Snodgrass, Livermore, Sawyers; Grosicki, C Robinson, M Pereira.

1,347 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Brosstan
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Silva not English enough there

    1. Duke Silver ☑
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Pretty much. If it was Sterling it would've been 'play on'.

  2. Shark Team
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Clear penalty denied to Wolves

    1. ivantys
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Clear dive

      1. Shark Team
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Joking

    2. thegaffer82
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Haha, even Silva himself was openly embarrassed and sheepish with that dive when I just saw a close up of him after the incident

  3. Shatner's Bassoon
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Soucek playing deeper than usual today?

    1. BeWater
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      He's advanced enough when they get a free kick or corner! That will do me.

  4. Camzy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    I like that Oliver is bold enough to book for diving. He's the only English ref that really backs his own calls.

    1. Duke Silver ☑
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Easy to book an 18 year old Portuguese lad. Let's see him get Sterling for once.

      1. Party time
          3 years, 2 months ago

          This

        • Camzy
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          He did it to Buffon and got called for having a 'trash can for a heart'. He's already proven that he can make the big calls.

        • BenDavies
          • 11 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          thisss

          dont think he'd be so brave with a city/united player

        • Steve Chance
          • 6 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Or kane.

        • Pep bites Kun
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          or Wilson?

    2. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      So, Fulham, Burnley and Brighton bricking it because Allardyce going to save WBA from relegation?

    3. thegaffer82
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Not much quality on show in this game, but it's been entertaining that's for sure!

    4. Slurpy
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      By the way Chris Wood doesnt look like scoring in a month of sundays at the moment

      1. diesel001
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        He's due.

      2. Revival
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Coufal cleanie banked

      3. BenDavies
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        what about a saturday

      4. MagicMessi
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Terrible pick really why on earth get attacker from Burnley even if he scores still so limited cieling

        1. WVA
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Same thing with Wilson really

          1. MagicMessi
            • 11 Years
            3 years, 2 months ago

            Exactly them two never enters my team maybe Wilson when with cherries just for few weeks... I prefer Mcburnie /Benteke on them at anytime in the low budget territory

      5. Hooky
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Poor man's Kevin Davies

        1. Party time
            3 years, 2 months ago

            Davies is better

          • Twisted Saltergater
            • 14 Years
            3 years, 2 months ago

            We played Kevin Davies as a winger at Chesterfield. No wonder we slipped out the league.

      6. BenDavies
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        How did no-one know in this community know Meslier's uncle's sister's cousin and tell us the news? What are we paying everyone here for?

        1. Black Knights
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          There was a meslier rumour yesterday which got labelled as rubbish.

        2. Ajax Hamsterdam
          • 9 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          🙂

        3. Pep bites Kun
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          +1 I'm not paying and nether are you

      7. Make United Great Again
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        I have no idea why people own Chris Wood.

        1. Fudgy
          • 4 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          I own him

          1. Pep bites Kun
            • 7 Years
            3 years, 2 months ago

            +1 for honesty 🙂

        2. Flair
          • 3 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          DGW blindness

        3. Magic Zico
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          To deny LIV defence

        4. Heavy Data
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          High predicted points two weeks ago going forward.

        5. Pep bites Kun
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          DGW fever & cheap

        6. S.Kuqi
          • 11 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Was the only cheap option who had game in 18 and dgw19 before Wilson got dgw

      8. Cookie Kid
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Third season syndrome

      9. Wild Rover
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        @stevemadeley78

        From what I hear (although I'm sure Allardyce will confirm) Johnstone wasn't far away from being back today. Believe he has trained but obviously not quite over his bout. Hopeful for Tuesday, though. Not sure on Phillips. #WBA

      10. Ze_Austin
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        This result pushes Sheffield closer to a very early relegation

      11. ivantys
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Is this the first H-A (home lead at half time, away win) of the season?

      12. Ajax Hamsterdam
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Best Fulham defender to own?

        1. Heavy Data
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Not sure if this is a serious question.

          1. Ajax Hamsterdam
            • 9 Years
            3 years, 2 months ago

            Sure is my friend 🙂 Early planning Fulham dgw. Would stay on bench most games.

        2. Hooky
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Hangeland

          1. Ajax Hamsterdam
            • 9 Years
            3 years, 2 months ago

            Great punt ;(

        3. MagicMessi
          • 11 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Adarabyio

          1. MagicMessi
            • 11 Years
            3 years, 2 months ago

            100%

            1. Ajax Hamsterdam
              • 9 Years
              3 years, 2 months ago

              Thanks

        4. Yes Ndidi
          • 4 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Second best would be Robinson
          Best would be none at all.

          1. Ajax Hamsterdam
            • 9 Years
            3 years, 2 months ago

            Haha cheers 🙂

          2. MagicMessi
            • 11 Years
            3 years, 2 months ago

            Robinson too can cross nicely

            1. Ajax Hamsterdam
              • 9 Years
              3 years, 2 months ago

              Thanks

      13. Steve The Spud
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Hope i didn’t break souceck for everyone

        1. Sun Jihai
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Only delivers when one peoples benches

          1. Brosstan
            • 9 Years
            3 years, 2 months ago

            Thats why I benched him on BB.

            1. Sun Jihai
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 12 Years
              3 years, 2 months ago

              Good move 🙂

      14. El Presidente
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Time to go Nuno

        1. Steve Chance
          • 6 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          We'll keep him thanks.

          1. El Presidente
            • 4 Years
            3 years, 2 months ago

            Last 9 1W 2D 6L

            Good luck.

            1. Steve Chance
              • 6 Years
              3 years, 2 months ago

              Thanks.

      15. BenDavies
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Huge win for Big Sam

        1. Pep bites Kun
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Yep, HUGE! Still don't think they're a PL side though

      16. Steve Chance
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        We're lucky to even have football on, given the state of this plagued island. I can stomach the fpl carnage and even the shambolic Wolves performance, all things considered!

        1. Frozen Mukluks
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Indeed.

      17. Releasebreaks
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Glad of Neto on my bench

      18. thegaffer82
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Looking forward to watching Leeds again. They are sometimes wonderful, sometimes incredibly naive, sometimes just awful...

        but never boring

        1. Pep bites Kun
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Love a Leeds game!

      19. TRIPOS TOPPER
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        As a Mart / Meslier owner now expecting Villa game to be called off

        would actually probably held me as don't own KdB

        1. MagicMessi
          • 11 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Think positive

      20. Balls of Steel
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Really like the look of this Hammers line-up team today, looks to have a good balance to it, hopefully Antonio shines

      21. thegaffer82
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        New article up

      22. The Mighty One
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Sterling captain in 18 and then Sam on my BB to kick off 19. What a hilarious game we play.

      23. mezza
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Have Meslier as part of my BB but not too disappointed - was expecting 3 points max from him.

      24. Party time
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Who is the 1st choice set piece taker for the Hammers?

          Cresswell, Benrahma, Bowen??

        • MagicMessi
          • 11 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          1sr OR triple captained Kevin ...
          2nd Captained Mohamed
          The chips are everywhere in top 100 Will be exciting week this !

        • Paqueta Rice
          • 3 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Blast from the past, Trossard and pereira my 3rd and 4th mids for ages at the beginning

        • Paqueta Rice
          • 3 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Not doing Bamford to Antonio looks silly at the moment