Bolton 1 Wolves 0

They really had to score, didn't they?

Knight was left on his own in the six yard box

45 minutes into the game, drawing nil nil away and playing ok, I was thinking we might get a decent result from this game. But yet again, we lost our concentration at the vital moment in the game. Adlene almost does enough to tackle Lee, Craddock just watches Knight for him to slide it through Doyle's legs.

Our main problem was, we took too long on the ball. Jones almost gave them a goal a couple of times but got away with it. Both the full backs were getting caught out on the break when we were losing the ball at these times. The game was crying out for someone like Milijas. Did we make any clear cut chances. No. Jarvis and Doyle combined in what was probably our best move of the game and Jarvis would have scored has Steinsson not fouled him. Yet no penalty.

When Foley took that shot I was cheering before it got anywhere near the goal. It looked like it was going straight in, not even off the post and in but straight in. Jones nearly got one too with a good freekick that again hit the inside of the post.

One thing that needs to stop is this knew freekick Jones and Henry have come up with. The flick up is dead annoying and gives them a chance to block it from three or four yards. With Nenad, we just whip it in but I feel they are trying to be a bit too clever.

We've got Man United next, and who knows what will happen. Maybe another shock win is on the cards?

Hahnemann -8

Zubar - 7
Craddock - 6
Berra - 6
Ward - 6

Foley - 7
Guedioura - 7
Henry - 7
Jones  - 6
Jarvis - 8

Doyle - 7

Bolton v Wolves Preview: 1 down, 2 to go

We now have two relegation places left, now Pompey are almost certain to be relegated.

This week we face a team below us. It's these sort of games we lose or draw. Like Pompey, Hull, Birmingham and the list goes on. But when we really had to win or our season looked almost over, we got that win. Against the team we face today in Bolton.

We had just lost in a terrible performance to rivals Birmingham, and we bounced back. We scored within three minutes. A freekick from Nenad Milijas (again) was flicked on by Christophe Berra (again) and Jody Craddock was there (again) to score. Then Milijas scored a fantastic game to put it out of Bolton's reach who got a consolation goal. We need another performance like that if we are going to win.

Since then though, Bolton have appointed a new manager. Owen Coyle has come in, expected to turn everything round and make it OK. Thing is, he hasn't. They haven't scored in five league games, they just got thrashed by Blackburn and they have one win in eight. Coyle came in with his passing style of play that doesn't suit Bolton's players. In a relegation fight this is not what they need.

If we can play like we have for the last few games I'm sure we can get a positive result. We finally seem to have a settled team and the players seem to like this formation.

I reckon Kevin Doyle is due another goal. If he does score, he equals what Henri Camara got last time (our top scorer last time too) and that's with quite a bit to go.

1-1/1-0 to us. Doyle to get the goal.

Hahnemann

Zubar
Craddock
Berra
Ward

Foley
Guedioura
Henry
Jones
Jarvis

Doyle

Come on you Wolves!

Wasteful: Wolves 0 Chelsea 2

That was a big chance to come away with three points against a very good team. We gave them that game. First goal is a nice move but the defending was just a bit too lazy, the second goal is a shambles. Berra is left on his own with the best striker in the world, he makes a mess of it and Hahnemann is caught out of position.

We did play well though, and it could have been so much different. Geudioura forced a great save from Cech and Foley almost squeezed it under him. Henry slipped with the goal completely open. I think we were the better team, and at both times when we really came on top they scored. The second one completely knocked the stuffing out of us.

If we perform like that more often we will get some wins. I feel quite confident about Bolton away.

Hahnemann - 6

Zubar - 7
Craddock - 6
Berra - 6
Ward - 6

Foley - 7
Jones -7
Henry -7
Geudioura - 8
Jarvis - 8

Doyle - 8

Jarvis was our biggest threat, and Adlene has a never say die attitude and bossed that midfield. And did Doyle put a foot wrong?

Wolves v Chelsea Preview

We all know what happened last time. We made a change of formation to test it out (3-5-2), and so weird player choices. Jarvis played up front and Surman came into the side. We lost four nil. Silly mistakes by players added to the fact that Essien was playing out of his skin didn't help us.

Chelsea had a lot of injury worries prior to that game, as they do this time though a little less. But at this time in the season it will be more of a problem for them. We are the only team Lampard hasn't played this season you know, he misses with illness. Both Coles injured, Deco too, it is looking not all too bad for Wolves.

Returning to their side is skipper John Terry. In his last match he obviously wasn't at it. Louis Saha gave him a terrible time, which I think Doyle can do.

We should be high on confidence, and it's crucial we don't lose that. We can't afford  a repeat of the game at Stamford Bridge.

The team has already been announced really, Mick said we will stick with the same side that beat Spurs (i;m not complaining)

Hahnemann

Zubar
Craddock
Berra
Ward

Foley
Jones
Henry
Guedioura
Jarvis

Doyle

One nil Chelsea, Malouda. I hope not though!

A disgrace

Exhibit A - Man Utd field a weakened side against West Ham on the last day of the season. Man Utd have already won the league but West Ham have to win to stay up. West Ham win one nil courtesy of Carlos Tevez's goal and Sheffield United are condemned to relegation. Tevez is also ineligible and West Ham are fined a five and a half million pounds. Nothing is said of it because of the Tevez scandal.

Exhibit B - Man Utd field another weakened side against Hull. With a champions league final in three days they rest all of their star players. This improved Hull's chances of winning, as they are on a last day relegation fight. Man Utd win thanks to a Darron Gibson winner but Hull stay up.

Richard Scudamore says:

"You can't alter the fact they've won the league and they've got the most significant game the following Wednesday against Barcelona," Scudamore told BBC Radio 5 Live.
"You have to be realistic: they've got a squad, and therefore you can't argue that they deploy the benefit of that squad in a game on Sunday."

Exhibit C - Three days after a shock away win at Tottenham, Wolves make ten changes to their side giving their players a rest with a big match at Burnley coming up. Wolves lose three nil comfortably and win their next match two nil.

The Premier League released this statement:

The Premier League Board has issued Wolverhampton Wanderers FC with a suspended £25,000 fine after deciding that the team fielded in their league fixture against Manchester United on 15 December 2009 was not full strength and therefore in breach of Rule E20. "The board also deemed that the club had failed to fulfil its obligations to the league and other clubs in the utmost good faith and was therefore in breach of Rule B13.
"The board considered submissions from Wolverhampton Wanderers FC and had sympathy for the explanation submitted by the club in relation to similar cases from previous seasons.
"However, the board ruled that this case could be differentiated from the other matches cited and that disciplinary action was warranted."

This is an absolute joke. The Premier League are making it clearer everyday now that it is one rule for the top four and another for the rest. Decisions constantly go against us and then given in the 'top four' sides favour.

This may be a good thing for the players, it will give something to fight for and to prove themselves. It's also a 'whole world against us' sort of thing.

Kevin Doyle is surprised to:

What do you think? Comment and tell me!

Let's Compare: 03/04 and 09/10

With not much to do I thought I would compare the two seasons we have been in the premier league.

In 03/04 after twenty five games we were bottom on goal difference. We had just lost four one to Leeds which put them above us. League Table

This time round it's quite a bit better. We are fifteenth and four points better and a goal difference better by six points. League Table

Obviously we are better off and here are some more comparisons.

Are attack was one goal better back in 2004. We had twenty two goals in twenty five games but the defence was much much worse. We had conceded fifty one goals which is nine goals worse than we had this season.

The team in fifteenth placed was Everton, who had twenty five points. One better than ours. The bottom three at that time was the bottom three who went down and in the right order.

There you go, hope that has given you something to read as it has given me something to do for fifteen or so minutes.

Seeing Double: Wolves 1 Tottenham 0

Our first ever double had to be against a team a lot of my mates support. I'll be gloating for years to come about this.

We all knew he was going to pick Guedioura, but the real question was how would he do? He did fantastic. His determination and aggression won us that midfield battle and then we he had the ball, he used it very well.

Hahnemann saved us when Kranjcar was through on goal and made another good reflex save. He takes a lot of pressure off when he comes and catches the cross.

Next to him, Karl Henry and match winner David Jones were superb. Doyle was as always brilliant and Foley was comfortable on the right. I think that's the best I've seen Jarvis play. Every time he got it he ran at the defender which was this time a debutant out of position. He used this situation and caused havoc for Younes Kaboul.

Our defence kept one of the best strikers in the league again out. Defoe didn't get a touch and Gudjohnsen seemed unfit. When Crouch was on he offered nothing at all.

Hahnemann - 8

Zubar -7
Craddock - 7
Berra - 7
Ward - 7

Foley - 7
Guedioura - 9
Henry - 7
Jones - 8
Jarvis - 9

Doyle - 8

A great full debut from Adlene, let's hope he carries on like that against Chelsea.

Wolves v Tottenham Preview

Little time to the kick off.

Remember our last result against Tottenham? Who wouldn't? By far our best win this season, and now we have the chance to do the double. It seems very unlikely, but stranger things have happened, like in December at White Hart Lane.

I think Guedioura will start today, and Mick will put Mancienne at centre back resting Jody Craddock.]

Hahnemann

Zubar
Mancienne
Berra
Ward

Foley
Guedioura
Henry
Jones
Jarvis

Doyle

0-0 please.

Birmingham 2 Wolves 1

That match left me feeling very depressed. I couldn't believe we had lost that game.

OK, we had rode our luck(only in first half) a little but after we had taken the lead we became the better side. Moments before the goal I didn't think they looked like scoring at all. To have equalised it could only have been Phillips, the pain in Wolverhampton Wanderer's arse.

When will he retire?!

Our defence, until we decided to hand them a couple of goals, were pretty solid across the back four. Craddock and Berra continue to battle away but a lack of pace is quite worrying. Zubar looked OK, although he needs to stop trying to give away penalties. Ward again was good. Many will blame him for allowing Carr to go all that way but who is supposed to mark the right back? The winger. He couldn't commit himself and had to try and jockey him.

If we do stay up, we will still struggle to keep the best player for years at Wolves. Doyle was magnificent again, he is simply too good for us.

Again, Nenad Milijas was excluded from the squad. What he has done wrong is beyond me, was it the performance against Palace. If so, drop everyone else too. We needed his kind of quality when we were one nil up to get a second but we had none.

Hahnemann - 6

Zubar - 6
Craddock - 6
Berra - 6
Ward - 6

Foley - 7
Henry - 8
Jones - 6
Mancienne - 7
Jarvis - 7

Doyle - 9

Subs: Guedioura -7, Ebanks-Blake - 6, Surman - 6

Doyle was our best player AGAIN. Keep it coming Super Kev!

Birmingham v Wolves Preview

Our last meeting with Birmingham brought the worst performance of the whole season so far. That performance was then matched with the abysmal showing at Selhurst Park last Tuesday in the cup.

Yet, I am still positive about the game on Sunday. I think we can carry our last two league games into this one. In both those games we showed some fighting spirit, the reason we lost neither of them.

Birmingham have had an unbelievable season so far. They have lost one game in seventeen, when was the last time a promoted side did that? Obviously the plaudits have gone to McLeish, and his almost unbeatable defence. Joe Hart, Roger Johnson and Scott Dann have all staked their claim for a place in the England squad and eight clean sheets this season gives a very good reason for them to be in it. We came so close to signing Dann, and we were definitely interested in Johnson.

I think the side will be the same as Hull, unless Mick decides on two upfront which I think will see Iwelumo, sadly, start. When we played them in November a lot of the game was about the two centre backs beating Doyle and Ebanks-Blake to every ball. Iwelumo, if started, will be in for that very reason.

Hahnemann

Zubar
Craddock
Berra
Ward

Foley
Mancienne
Henry
Jarvis

Milijas/Iwelumo
Doyle

If we get that all important first goal, we could get a win. I'm happy with a 0-0 draw.

If you are going, roar on the boys. Come on you Wolves!

Shocking

The performance was shocking, the result was shocking, Danny Butterfield's six minute perfect hat trick was shocking and even more shocking, Karl Henry scored!
From start to finish we didn't perform. Never looked like scoring, and didn't play the football I know we can play. The amount of defender's in our team says it all really. Why are we not scoring very much? We have centre backs playing full back, and full backs playing on the wing. The continuing exclusion of Greg Halford, a more natural right midfield, makes you think something behind the scenes isn't going all too well. Kevin Foley, as usual, was one of our better players. Calm on the ball, hard working and good defensively but it is unfair on Kevin and the right midfielders not playing. Another option at right midfield, who played in the league cup against Swindon, could have been Mendez-Laing. The perfect opportunity, yet Mick sticks with his more defensive eleven.

Give Crystal Palace some credit though, they really took the game to us. The right back who refused to talk to us on deadline day gave us problems with his menacing runs down the right hand flank. Alan Lee won everything and Ambrose showed why he is too good for the Championship. You could see how much it meant to them, and how little it seemed to matter to the Wolves players.

Not to get too down though, as we have much bigger things to focus on (the league and our battle to survive).I keep saying this side bounces back well, and they keep proving me right.

Hennessey - 6

Zubar - 5
Craddock -5
Berra - 5
Stearman - 5

Foley - 6
Henry - 7
Mancienne - 6
Milijas - 5
Mujangi -6

Vokes - 7

I thought Vokes did well, just had no-one to support him. A starting place on Sunday is a possibility.

This performance was strikingly similar to the one against Birmingham, who we play next. But, as I keep saying, this side is especially good at bouncing back and I hope they can continue to prove me right.

Crystal Palace v Wolves Preview

Back to the FA Cup. We were just five minutes away from being one of the shocks of the round, but Zubar's sublime overhead saved us from any embarassment.

Despite Palace's recent troubles off the field, they are in great form. They won again last Saturday and with the home crowd behind them, we could be in for a tough match. Minus Victor Moses though, we will see what they are like.

Bearing Sunday in mind, Mick will certainly make a lot of changes. It wouldn't surprise me if Mick made eleven changes but I think there won't be that many. Jarvis and Doyle are definitely not playing I hear, and why not rest Craddock, Ward and Berra. Give some others a chance to make sure they are match fit and some to prove themselves. Hennessey, like in the other cup games, should start and Vokes looks set for a starting role.

I think a big decision will be on Ebanks-Blake. He likes this ground, especially as he put us back on course here to win the league. His penalty decided it in the seventy fourth minute. I hope he starts, and more importantly that he get's a couple of goals.

I reckon:

Hennessey

Foley
Mancienne
Zubar
Elokobi

Mujangi Bia
Milijas
Jones
Surman

Ebanks-Blake
Vokes

We should beat them, but that's what I thought last time. One nil to the Wolves, a ninetieth minute Vokes goal.

Not good enough

If at the end of the season we look back and say, 'why did we go down?' we will all know the answer. Dropped points against the likes of Hull, Portsmouth, Wigan and Balckburn will cost us.

Our peformance wasn't terrible, but we didn't do enough to deserve all three points. Again, Jarvis and Doyle were left to try and get us something from the game which we can't afford to rely on. Even if we do not make any signings in the next half hour or so, Kightly, Edwards and Keogh will be like new signings to us.

Luckily, Hull were just as bad as we were. They defended all over the place, a shambles at the back and that is why we were able to score two, when we hadn't scored for quite a while (in the league).

Out on the right wing, despite his best efforts, Kevin Foley is not comfortable. He set up the second equalizer but I would much prefer him back at right back. I think Mick will do this against Birmingham because of Zubar giving away that stupid penalty. It was stupid what he did but penalty? I'm not so sure. As soon as Altidore felt him he went down like he had been shot. Of course, it was Hunt that had to take it and score.

The only positive thing in that game was the brilliant free kick at the end. When I saw Henry's signal, I knew what it meant after I saw it against Southampton last season. We did everything right, but Myhill made a great save form Mujangi Bia.

Also, why can't Milijas play more than an hour a week? He is an international footballer, if he doesn't play at Birmingham I will be furious, will he play v Palace, and would that hint at him not playing. He has done nothing wrong.

How many changes will Mick make for the Palace game, I wouldn't be surprised with eleven. It is not something to worry about, we just need to focus on sunday.

Hahnemann - 7

Zubar - 7
Berra - 6
Craddock - 6
Ward - 7

Foley - 7
Jones - 7
Mancienne - 7
Henry - 7
Jarvis - 8

Doyle - 8

He saved the day, so Jarvis gets my MOTM. He gave McShane a torrid time, he will be having nightmares about it.