Wolves v Hull: Promotion hopefuls to make their point

Andy Tongue
14 August 2015

Steve Bruce's Hull side look well equipped to grind out results in this season's Championship

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Two well-matched sides with hopes of pushing for a top six spot meet at Molineux in Sunday's live Championship game and Andy Tongue thinks the value lies in backing the draw...

"Bruce's Hull side look well equipped to grind out results but Jackett is another manager whose teams are always well organised and I expect the two sides will cancel each other out"

Back the draw at 3.412/5

Wolves v Hull
Sunday, 12:00
Live on Sky Sports 5

Wolves

After just missing out on the playoffs on goal difference last time round, Wolves are among the favourites for promotion this season. While certainly not disagreeing that they should be right up there in the battle for a top six spots, I'm not convinced they've strengthened enough over the summer to make the jump from seventh place to an automatic promotion spot - especially as Bakary Sako, who scored 15 times last season and was named in the PFA Championship Team of the Year, joined Crystal Palace after declining to sign a new contract at Molineux.

Kenny Jackett hasn't really been able to replace him so far, though he has made some useful looking additions in Jed Wallace and Conor Coady from Portsmouth and Huddersfield respectively. Another positive is the continuing potency of Benik Afobe, who netted 25 times last season and was on target again in the 2-1 victory at Blackburn on the first weekend of the season before adding a penalty in midweek in the Capital One Cup as they extended their current winning streak to four games.

Hull

A workmanlike win over a Huddersfield side who will finish in the bottom-half of the table was the ideal start to the new season for Steve Bruce's men and showed that his team look to have the right attitude for the grind of the Championship as they try to win promotion back to the Premier League at the first attempt. Midfielder Sam Clucas, a graduate of Glenn Hoddle's Spanish academy, was signed from Chesterfield after impressive spells for them in the lower divisions and scored against Huddersfield, while Chuba Akpom, on loan for the season from Arsenal, grabbed the other and looks likely to score plenty more over the coming weeks and months.

Nikica Jelavic should also be a cut above most in the second tier, should he remain after the transfer window closes, while Tom Huddlestone's class will I'm sure also make the difference in tight games for the Tigers. And with another striker Andre Gray looking likely to follow Moses Odubajo to The KC Stadium from Brentford, Bruce isn't going to be short of attacking options this season.

Match Odds

The market fancies the home side here at 2.6413/8 with City priced at 2.982/1 and the draw available to back at 3.412/5. Wanderers were a bit fortunate to come away from Ewood Park with all three points as Blackburn hit the woodwork twice and David Edwards' winning goal clearly went in off his hand but they are certainly a hard nut to crack at Molineux - unbeaten in their last nine, including seven wins.

I agree with my colleague Mike Norman in his Championship preview that Bruce's Hull side look well equipped to grind out results as the season progresses but Jackett is another manager whose teams are always well organised and I expect the two sides to cancel each other out here.

After opening day wins, I'm sure both managers would be more than happy with a point from this one and so would I as the draw always provide a nice return!

Correct Score

If this one goes as I think it might then the two sides could really nullify each other and we might see a goalless 90 minutes. Under Jackett, Wolves aren't necessarily at their best trying to break down sides who come to Molineux and get men behind the ball as I expect Hull will - the televised game at home to Birmingham last season springs to mind as one example. As a former defender I'm sure Bruce wouldn't have any problems taking that so a small play on the 0-0 correct score at 109/1 is the second recommended bet here.

Recommended Bets
Back the draw at 3.412/5
Back 0-0 correct score at 109/1