Red Fever

Tales of a virus spreading through the United team have been emanating from the Old Trafford dressing room all week. Neville, Brown, Fabio, Evra and O’Shea (anyone who ever turns out at football, basically) are all sufferers and now it seems that even the old war horse Sir Alex himself appears to have gone down with a bout of….Jarvophobia!!!

Fortunately, our Matthew is a level headed young man who, so far at least, appears unaffected by all this talk of an England call up. Here is his typically unassuming response to a few words of praise from old red face:

‘If Sir Alex was impressed by what he saw, that’s fantastic coming from a manager of such standing in the game. But I’ve got to stay focused and keep doing well and make sure my performances don’t drop’

The form of Jarvis aside, this has to be our best opportunity (and that’s not saying much) of coming away from the ‘theatre of dreams’ with anything but a spanking in many years. Indeed, local grammar school boy Mel Eves is the last Wolves player to score  a winner there, and that was more than thirty years ago. So, why the optimism?

Well, Rooney, Ferdinand and Nani are all out injured. Fletcher, Gibson and even Fergie are reportedly ‘under the weather’ and struggling to be fit. But the real reason for the growing confidence of this young Wolves side is the way they have been playing in recent weeks. And not just in last weekend’s win over City (fine though it was). They gave Peter Cech his busiest ever game at Stamford Bridge and scared the pants off League Cup holders United ten days ago with a very attractive passing game that is deservedly winning them plaudits from Ancelotti to MOTD’s Lee Dixon (‘keep playing like that and they’ll be zooming up the table’). It’s surely no coincidence that Nenad Milijas is playing such an integral part in the revival but who would have guessed that Dave Edwards would emerge in the just behind the striker role? Or that Richard Stearman, bringing the ball out from the back, would have such an effect on the style of football being played? Sir Mick needs to be congratulated on the confidence he has shown in these, often maligned, youngsters. Kevin Foley is playing he did in our promotion year (in his natural position) and Doyle and Jarvis are a handful for anyone. If a fully fit Stephen Hunt can begin to be the pest we all remember from his Reading days we can go into games knowing we can do some serious damage whoever we play.

Of course, that spanking is never out of the question away at Man U and Obertan (like Hernandez) is definitely not to be underestimated but something tells me that Mick and his boys might be on the verge of a major breakthrough. 

2-1 to Wolves! 

by Bob China