Team News
Reds boss Keith Hill has, what can only be described as an injury crisis going into this clash with recently relegated Wolves. The team have eight players sidelined with Hill claiming to the media that he has only 14 available players. Luke Steele, Rob Edwards, Toni Silva, Jim O'Brien, Jimmy McNulty, Paul Digby and Mido all missed the opening day victory over Middlesbrough whilst midfielder Matty Done departed it after just 17 minutes.
Add to the mix the fact goalkeeper Ben Alnwick sits out the second of a three match suspension and Hill really is down to the bare bones. The 43 year old gaffer has been boosted by the signing of defender Martin Cranie and he will be thrust straight in for his debut at Molineux.
Kelvin Etuhu is set to start in place of Done after impressing as his replacement on Saturday.
Last time out:
David Gonzalez
John Stones
Stephen Foster
Scott Wiseman
Scott Golbourne
Matty Done
David Perkins
Jacob Mellis
Tomasz Cywka
Marlon Harewood
Craig Davies
Head To Head
Last Six Wolves v Barnsley Results:
25/4/09 Barnsley 1-1 Wolves (Championship)
13/12/08 Wolves 2-0 Barnsley (Championship)
4/12/07 Barnsley 1-0 Wolves (Championship)
10/11/07 Wolves 1-0 Barnsley (Championship)
1/1/07 Wolves 2-0 Barnsley (Championship)
16/9/06 Barnsley 1-0 Wolves (Championship)
Overall Record:
Wolves Wins: 31
Barnsley Wins: 28
Draws: 18
Wolves Goals: 77
Barnsley Goals: 46
At Molineux:
Wolves Wins: 23
Barnsley Wins: 7
Draws: 8
Wolves Goals:82
Barnsley Goals: 34
Last Season/This Season
Last six 2011-2012/2012-2013 results:
Wolves:
18/8/12 Leeds 1–0 Wolves (Championship)
11/8/12 Wolves 1-1 Aldershot (League Cup)
13/5/12 Wigan 3-2 Wolves (Premier League)
6/5/12 Wolves 0-0 Everton (Premier League)
28/4/12 Swansea 4-4 Wolves (Premier League)
22/4/12 Wolves 0-2 Manchester City (Premier League)
W: 0 D: 3 L: 3 F: 7 A: 11 GD: -4 Points: 2 (one draw was in cup)
Barnsley:
18/8/12 Barnsley 1–0 Middlesbrough (Championship)
11/8/12 Rochdale 3-4 Barnsley (League Cup)
28/4/12 Barnsley 0-0 Brighton (Championship)
21/4/12 Bristol City 2-0 Barnsley (Championship)
17/4/12 Hull 3–1 Barnsley (Championship)
14/4/12 Barnsley 0-1 Cardiff (Championship)
W: 2 D: 1 L: 3 F: 6 A: 9 GD: -3 Points: 4 (one win in cup)
Interesting Stats:
Both these sides go into the game on poor form. Barnsley’s 1-0 victory over Middlesbrough at the weekend gave them their first league victory in eight whilst relegated Wolves have not tasted the joy of a three point haul since the 4th February- a run of 15 matches which have included 11 defeats.
Wolves only solace in that time was a Capital One Cup tie success against League Two Aldershot, but even that was only achieved via a penalty shootout.
Wolves defeat to Leeds on Saturday was the first time they had lost on the opening day since 2009, whilst Barnsley’s success over Middlesbrough was their first win in the curtain raiser since 2005.
Wolves have not lost their opening two league matches of a season since 2003 whilst Barnsley have not won their opening two since the promotion season of 1996-1997 and have not won their first away match since 2006.
It is 21 years since Barnsley last tasted victory at Molineux when they secured a 2-1 success in October 1991. Remarkably that had followed a 5-0 success at the ground for The Reds the previous season. Since then though The Reds have made the trip to the Black Country 12 times, drawing five and losing seven, including each of the last six.
Indeed Barnsley have failed to even score at Molineux in any of their last four visits.
The record at Oakwell is rather different however and Barnsley are undefeated in their last four meetings with Wolves at home stretching back to 2000.
The Reds have won three of the last four Oakwell encounters 1-0, but the one slight blemish- the 1-1 draw in 2009 was the game Wolves sealed the Championship title.
Interestingly the two sides have never met each other outside this division. All 77 meetings, including one FA Cup tie have taken place whilst both teams have been in the second tier of English football.
On This Day
Wolves:
Played: 11, Won 2, Drawn 8, Lost 1, Scored 13, Conceded 10.
Barnsley:
Played: 14, Won: 6, Drawn 5, Lost 3, Scored 18, Conceded 16.
Mad Sites:
www.wolverhamptonwanderers-mad.co.uk
www.barnsley-mad.co.uk
Official Sites
www.wolves.co.uk
www.barnsleyfc.co.uk
Other Fixtures
Tuesday 21st August 2012:
7:45pm:
Brighton v Cardiff
Bristol City v Crystal Palace
Charlton v Leicester
Huddersfield v Nottingham Forest
Middlesbrough v Burnley
Peterborough v Millwall
Sheffield Wednesday v Birmingham
Watford v Ipswich
8pm:
Blackpool v Leeds
Bolton v Derby