West Ham v Wolves Preview

Wolves head to Upton Park with a huge opportunity to open a gap between us and the bottom of the table. But, doesn't that just worry you?

Our record in these type of games isn't great and we don't always put in a good performance, as shown by the game at home to Wigan. We need to go there with a similar game plan as the one at Liverpool, and as we are away again I can see us doing that well.

West Ham's defence is pretty poor. In fact, it's worse than ours so it's got to be pretty bad. If we can get the ball toNenad Milijas in good positions he is more than capable of creating an opening. Against Tal Ben Haim or Danny Gabiddon, Matt Jarvis can give either the run around with his pace.

I expect one change from the team that beat Liverpool. While it would only be fair that the same eleven played, Stephen Hunt looked exhausted and could do with a rest. Dave Edwards can slot in easily at right midfield, where he was impressive against Birmingham. Stephen Ward also went off with a dead leg, so we could see Steven Fletcher make a start.

I think this could be the team:

Hennessey

Zubar
Stearman
Berra
Elokobi

Edwards
Foley
Milijas
Jarvis

Ward (Fletcher if he is injured)
Ebanks-Blake

I think this will be a tight game, with a similar result to the the game at Molineux when we last played them. 1-1 Ebanks-Blake.

Hopefully we can start 2011 with a positive result. Happy New Year everyone.

Liverpool 0 Wolves 1

To me, this was a game where I wasn't expecting a result, but a performance to at least make up for the previous game against Wigan. However, I did not foresee us playing Liverpool off the pitch at Anfield! And to me, that is exactly what we did.

We went there with a game plan, and it worked perfectly. We pressed them high up the pitch, never allowing them any space and despite what I thought was a lightweight midfield we won the battle in the middle. In Kevin Foley and Nenad Milijas, we have two excellent footballers with football brain who can also defend. For me, Milijas was the best player on the park. He outshone Steven Gerrard in the middle, producing breathtaking passes and crucial strong tackles.

Although I still believe we need to sign a centre back, both of our central defenders were excellent. They never once looked in trouble and Stearman in particular was one of the obvious choices for man of the match. There were no silly mistakes from him, and after Hennessey's save from Meireles he did superbly to follow it in and clear the ball.

And then, there were the forwards. It was fitting that Stephen Ward would get the winner after just over a year ago being harshly sent off at the same ground. I loved Mick's quote about Reina:

“The sending off last year was disgraceful – I didn’t think it was a particularly bad foul on Lucas,” said McCarthy.
“Pepe Reina ran 70-odd yards to get involved and get him sent off but he was going anyway so it wasn’t needed.
“If he recognised Wardy’s face bearing down on him and sticking the ball past him for the winner then I’m delighted.”

Ward put in a good all round performance, and after the first twenty minutes grew in confident. Alongside him, Sylvan Ebanks-Blake put in a as good a performance I've seen from a Wolves striker this season. He has learnt to hold it up brilliantly, and his tireless work is being rewarded. He's set up our last two winners and scored the third against Sunderland. 
Hennessey - 7

Zubar - 6
Stearman - 8
Berra - 7
Elokobi - 7

Jarvis - 7
Foley - 7
Milijas - 9
Hunt - 7

Ward - 8
Ebanks-Blake - 8

If we can go to West Ham and put in a similar performance, we could go into the Chelsea game on the back of two wins and who knows what could happen?

Who was your man of the match?

Wolves v Wigan Preview

This fixture just under a year ago proved to be one of the most miserable of the season. We simply can't afford that to happen again, otherwise we will see the gap we have fought to close will open once again.

Wigan have gone about their business quietly since their opening two games. They got their act together after two harsh beatings. They've picked up the odd point here and there but haven't won too many. Win, and we over take them.

After our impressive display against Birmingham, it would be no surprise to anyone if we went with the same eleven but I've got a feeling Mick will bring in our star man Matty Jarvis. He'll offer us a bit more more pace and creativity. It's hard to see who he would replace. I think the unlucky one to be dropped will be George Elokobi, with Stephen Ward moving back to left back.

This would mean this could be the team:

Jarvis could go straight back in

Hennessey

Zubar
Stearman
Berra
Ward

Hunt
Foley
Edwards
Milijas
Jarvis

Ebanks-Blake

If we are up for it, and attack Wigan from the off I see no reason why we can't win this game. 1-0 Wolves, Ebanks-Blake to get the winner.

If you are going, roar the lads on. Merry Christmas!

January Sales

We are getting nearer and nearer to that time of the season.

Panic buys on the last day, a certain team splashing out their millions and lots of silly rumours. I don't know why so many people hate it!

In the last month Wolves have been linked with a number of players, and if we bought them all there is no way we would fit them all in a 25 man squad, so I'm going to have a look at who I think we should buy, loan and sell.


Buy

 Gary O'Neil - Playing in a team struggling in the Championship, but I've always liked him and I think he would make a useful addition on the right. Reportedly being sold to balance out the books at Middlesbrough, I don't think it would take much to bring him here. We need a natural right sided midfielder, and he can also play in the middle.

Robbie Findley - We've been linked with him in the last couple of days, a pacy forward who would provide a good back up to the three strikers we have already. Mick likes to have a fourth, and as Bent is going back to Birmingham I can see this one happening. Would cost nothing. 

Michael Johnson - We are short on cover in the middle of midfield, and a fit Michael Johnson would be perfect for us. Shone in Sven's team for a season at Man City, but has been injured for over two years. A questionable character, but if he's fit and has the right attitude we could get him fopr a couple of million. He's not about to break into the City side, especially under Mancini. I'd 'love it' if we signed him.

Loan

You know you want to Joleon

Joleon Lescott - Sounds insane, but I think this could happen. Comfortable at centre back and left back, would walk straight into our team. Could we afford his wages? We've seen what has happened with Craig Bellamy and Cardiff, and I'm sure we could pay around half of it. A home-coming? Possibly.

Sell

Carl Ikeme - Is always going out on loan, and wasting space at our club. We have two very good goalkeepers ahead of him, and young Aaron McCarey has earned some rave reviews in the reserves.

Jones - Should we get money for him now?

Greg Halford - He worked his way into our squad, and looked like he might have earned a starting place but it's not happened and he's out on loan at Pompey. Another taking up space in the squad that we don't need.

David Jones - Has six months left on his contract, and for me this season has been a bit of a disappointment. I'll always remember him for that goal and his vital role in keeping us up last year. I don't see the point in keeping him because if we want to progress, he will be left behind.

Matt Hill - Nowhere near our side, and was just a panic buy back in 2008 when Elokobi got injured.Wasn't in our 25 man squad anyway.

Andy Keogh - I think it is now time for Andy to go. Was great for us at times but has been warming the Cardiff City bench for most of his loan spell there, so imagine where he would be for us.


Which could mean this, as our squad:

Hahnemann
Hennessey

Zubar
Elokobi
Craddock
Lescott
Berra
Ward
Mouyokolo
Stearman
Foley

Hunt
Jarvis
Henry
Johnson
O'Neil
Guedioura
Milijas
Mancienne
Edwards
Kightly

Fletcher
Doyle
Ebanks-Blake
Findley

You may have noticed I have two injured players on that list. Adlene Guedioura is back around March, and I would have him in because he's the kind of player who can make come in and make a instant difference. Michael Kightly, is well Michael Kightly. He has until January the 31st to prove his fitness and with a successful surgery on his knee behind him maybe, just maybe he can make it.

I have tried as hard as I can to keep it as realistic as I can. You can't blame me for believing Joleon will come home, can you? Tell me who you would sign, loan and sell below!

It's back. The Black Country derby preview

We all know how high the stakes are in this game.

The first Black Country derby in the Premier League and it's a huge one. Win, and we start to drag West Brom into a relegation fight. Lose, and they are clear of us and the drop zone.

At least Kevin Phillips won't be playing

Despite a tough start to the season, West Brom have been one of the teams of the season. Beating Arsenal at their own game, a dramatic comeback at Old Trafford and a four one win at Everton will live long in Albion fan's memories. They have a brilliant young manager who is always looking to improve and if he carries on at this rate, won't be at The Hawthorns for that long.

Our record against Albion, like against Birmingham, is terrible. We've beaten them once since I've watched Wolves, Jay Bothroyd's goal winning the match and giving us something to cheer about after losing to them four times that season.

Despite our horrible away record this season, I think we can go there and win. Even with the injury list, the team that beat Birmingham will be full of confidence. We have in Stephen Hunt, a player who is perfect for derby games. He will irritate them and will pop up in good positions. I think he will be key.

Another potential match winner is Sylvan Ebanks-Blake. He's likely to be the main striker on Sunday and I can see him putting in another star performance. If he can replicate the movement and work rate he produced last week, he will cause the two centre backs a lot of problems.

The only change in the side is probably going to be Christophe Berra. He is a huge doubt, and with Michael Mancienne back in full training I think he will play centre back. I wouldn't be surprised if George Elokobi moves into the middle and Stephen Ward goes to left back, which might bring Matty Jarvis back into the team.

Team:

Hennessey

Zubar
Stearman
Mancienne
Elokobi

Edwards
Foley
Milijas
Hunt

Ward
Ebanks-Blake

It's a tough game, and I would definitely take a draw. 2-2.

Premier League Prediction League

Wolves1992 is back! He extended his lead this week, scoring more than Bob China but closing in on the top two is Wolfie! The person with by far the most points this week is HilpertonionSwindon with 93 points, who has rapidly risen up the table in the past few weeks.

League Table:

Fixtures:

Sunderland v Bolton
Arsenal v Stoke
Birmingham v Newcastle
Blackburn v West Ham
Wigan v Aston Villa
Liverpool v Fulham
West Brom v Wolves
Blackpool v Tottenham
Chelsea v Man Utd
Man City v Everton

Good luck!

Wolves 1 Birmingham 0

Despite having a team of injuries, eleven brave soldiers took to the field and made every Wolves fan proud.

No Jarvis, No Doyle. Four youngsters on the bench. Birmingham fans must have thought the game was over before it started. But no, this young (average age 25) and hungry squad fought hard and outclassed a usually resilient Birmingham team

In the place of Kevin Doyle, Sylvan Ebanks-Blake took the role of the main centre forward role. He was everywhere. Hassling defenders, getting plenty of shots in and creating chances for others. He is so much sharper now and, to me, has proved he can play up front on his own.

There were many others top drawer displays. All of our defenders were solid, Dave Edwards put in a stirring performance down the right and Nenad Milijas was full of creativity but the standout performance came from Stephen Ward. A player so regularly criticised and never given any chance of being a Premier League football yet works so hard to please them was brilliant next to Sylvan. Winning balls in the air, linking midfield and attack, he did it all yesterday. It is so pleasing when you know that there is nothing they can say but accept that he put in a tremendous display.

It's been obvious for a while that Stephen Hunt is desperate to find form. His touch has been off and his passing sloppy until the last couple of weeks. Two goals in his last three games is sure to kick start his Wolves career.

We could have, and should have had so many more. Only Ben Foster and some wasted chances prevented it being a huge score which would have been fully deserved. We came out and attacked them straight from the start, which caught them out and never allowed them to settle. If we play like this next week, against a more open West Brom side we have a real chance of getting some precious away points.

Hennessey - 7

Zubar - 7
Stearman - 7
Berra - 8
Elokobi - 7

Edwards - 8
Foley - 7
Milijas - 7
Hunt - 8

Ward - 9
Ebanks-Blake - 9

It leaves us all so positive, we've closed the gap on Wigan and Fulham and have opened a small one on West Ham.

Wolves v Birmingham Preview

One of the last teams I want to play when we badly need a win is Birmingham.

Why?

Simply that I've never seen us beat Birmingham in the many times we have played them. McIndoe's late penalty miss, Bowyer's early goal and Phillip's double are all horrible moments against Birmingham.

Birmingham come to Molineux in positive mood with only one defeat in ten. Their rock solid defence is always hard to get past, and now they have some useful attackers. Nikola Zigic is now used to the Premier League and is starting to look worth every penny of the £6m spent on him. Cameron Jerome always plays well against us, we struggle to cope with his pace which is why we need someone like Stearman to handle him.

We've got even more injuries this week. Jarvis, Jones and Mancienne are all a doubt. Mouyokolo has more back problems and Steven Fletcher is still ill. David Davis is still suspended and Marcus Bent can't play. We are going to have quite a few youngsters on the bench, and I can see us playing 4-4-2. Against a side like Birmingham, I think we might be able to do that at home. If we do play two strikers, we mustn't do what we did against Bolton and just play hoofball. That's not what we are good at and getting the ball into Milijas must be our first priority. He can produce the piece of magic, and has been a key player for us since he has come into the side.

Mancienne is one of many doubts

Here's what the team might be:

Hennessey

Zubar
Stearman
Berra
Elokobi

Hunt
Foley
Milijas
Ward (Jarvis if he is fit)

Doyle
Ebanks-Blake

There are a lot of players missing there, and it's going to be a struggle. 0-0.

Prediction League: Chance to win a signed Wolves football

The top of the table is closing up. Bob China and Wolfie are getting nearer to wolves1992, who holds a 46 point lead.

HilpertonianSwindon and wolves_fc_4_ever have risen up the table in recent weeks to take up places in the top ten.

The full table is on the Prediction League page.


Here are the fixtures:



Aston Villa v West Brom
Everton v Wigan
Fulham v Sunderland
Stoke v Blackpool
West Ham v Man City
Newcastle v Liverpool
Bolton v Blackburn
Wolves v Birmingham
Tottenham v Chelsea
Man Utd v Arsenal

Good luck.

Thank god for Steve Morgan

Mike Ashley, what a numpty.

From the start it was obvious that he didn't want Chris Hughton but the way he has done this is a total disgrace. Eleventh in the league, despite a recent poor run of form and all the backing of his players. all of that is now gone and I think they have just joined us in a relegation battle. The players have already voiced their concern, and you can expect many of them heading out in January. It seems that it will be Alan Pardew aswell, Ashley's friend from a casino! Pardew isn't a big enough name to change their minds either, nor is he that good a manager.

Morgan has done a remarkable job at Wolves

Seeing what he is doing to Newcastle United makes me feel really glad to have Steve Morgan as our owner. He has always supported the manager, obviously cares about the football club and is a calm influence. He's not about to make any rash decision, he's thinking about the long term. Even if we go down I don't think he will have thought once about sacking Mick, as we have the supplies to bounce straight back up.

Everything at the club seems right. From the players, to the staff. There's a good atmosphere around and everyone seems to like each other. Gone are the days of overpaid run-down ex-Premier League players.

You have to give some credit to Mick for this. Where would we be if it wasn't for him? Possibly in the lower leagues. We had thirteen players and were relegation favourites when Mick came in and he turned it around. He's got us promoted and kept us there with a lot of young players. It's amazing to me that fans are calling for his head. There is no other manager, that would want to manage us, that could turn this bad run of form around.

So many people took offence to the 'numpties' comment. Why? Do you think he is calling all fans who do not go to games numpties. No. He's talking about the people who are constantly negative, and want him out. That is who he is trying to offend, and it's worked.

And if you do want 'Mick out', be careful what you wish for. We could get Alan Curbishley.

Olympic Old Gold

Here's an article by Steve Menary, about Wolves history in the Olympics that features in his new book 'GB United? British Olympic football and the end of the amateur dream'

Now that the 2018 World Cup finals will go to Russia, the football at the 2012 Olympic Games in London will be the next big international football tournament staged in England for the foreseeable future.

The Olympic football tournament has been staged in England twice before and one of the stars of the original tournament in 1908, which was also the first international football competition, was a Wolves legend, who is featured in a new book on the history of the Olympic football team.

To play in the Olympics, players had to be amateur and the Reverend Reginald Gunnery Hunt was certainly that. He was also a prodigious exponent of the shoulder charge and in 1908 one of the key members of the Wolves’ team that lifted that year’s FA Cup.

A teacher, Hunt was known as the Footballing Parson and scored in that 3-1 win over Newcastle United, which almost guaranteed a place in the England amateur team that represented Great Britain at the 1908 Olympic football tournament.

Amateurs playing in the professional top leagues were entirely uncommon, Vivian Woodward of Spurs, Harold Hardman of Everton and Leicester Fosse keeper Horace Bailey, also played with Hunt as England/GB romped through the tournament before beating Denmark 2-0 at the final in White City n London - now known as the Westfield shopping centre.

Hunt is top row, far left.
 (Credit to football association for picture)

Hunt did not miss a game and, though he missed the 1912 Olympics, he returned in his mid-thirties as England/GB returned after World War One to defend their title at the 1920 Olympics in Antwerp.

A weakened team were despatched 2-0 by Norway but that was not the last involvement by a Wolves’ player in the Olympic football tournament.

In 1952, a team comprised of 10 Englishmen and one Scotsman was humiliated 5-3 by Luxembourg at the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki. Captain that day was Bill Slater, then with Brentford but later to become a legendary captain of a Wolves team that dominated English football.

With the next Olympic tournament restricted to Under-23 players and following directly after Euro 2012, pressure on resources will be greater than ever. At present, the other Home Nations are not going to be involved and with promising young English players such as Jack Rodwell expected to go to the Ukraine and Poland with Fabio Capello, there may be a chance for another young Wolves‘ player to emulate the Footballing Parson in 2012.

Steve Menary is the author of 'GB United? British Olympic football and the end of the amateur dream', which is published by Pitch Publications.

To read the first chapter, go to: http://www.playthegame.org/knowledge-bank/articles/new-book-gb-united-british-olympic-football-and-the-end-of-the-amateur-dream-5035.html

The Wolves advent giveaway continues

Not for the first time, we've come away from Ewood Park licking our wounds after a horrendous defensive display.

Quite surprisingly, Stephen Mouyokolo came in as well as Berra taking away any continuity we needed from the win against Sunderland. Mouykolo, making only his second league start, just didn't look fit. And this is not a game you want to bring someone coming back from injury into.

If Ronald Zubar was our best player  against Sunderland, his performance yesterday was a complete opposite of his return last Saturday. Absolutely nothing went for him today. He was sloppy on the ball and defensively he was terrible. What on earth he is doing strolling back for the second goal I have no idea, I wouldn't be surprised if he was dropped solely for that.

So, what are Blackburn's strengths? Well, they are very good in the air so let's keep booting it up in the air all the time. The times we did get the ball down and play, we created something. We hit the bar three times and forced Paul Robinson into six or seven saves. When we didn't bypass him and got the ball to him, Nenad Milijas looked a class act. He's brilliant at linking up play and opening up defences which is why it is stupidity when we resort to lumping it up the field. Him and Kevin Doyle looked our only players capable of creating something, we have to sort that out.

Hennessey - 6

Zubar - 5
Mouyokolo - 5
Berra - 6
Elokobi - 6

Foley - 7
Ward - 6
Mancienne - 7
Milijas - 8
Jarvis - 6

Doyle - 8

Next week we have Birmingham, and when do we ever beat them? It's time to start then.

I don't know how they'll be training in the week, but I really hope they practice corners...

Blackburn v Wolves Preview

Wolves face a tough away trip at Ewood Park where we have had some horrible results.

On the opening day of the season in the 2003-2004, we were thrashed five one. Six years later, we went to Blackburn early on in the season and put in one of our worst performances of the season. Add our poor away record this season and the omens are not good.

Right?

We may not have won away this season, but I think an away win is not far away. We've been unlucky on our travels, and we face a Blackburn side who have just lost seven one.

Who knows how they will react, we've got to focus on our own performance. Keep silly mistakes to a minimum and we are in the game. Only once this season have we gone into the final ten minutes losing by two, away at Blackpool. We are always in the game.

David Jones is ruled out injured, which I presume means a return to the starting line up for Stephen Hunt. His goal will have given him a boost, he's still not at full tilt but hopefully we will start seeing the old (annoying) him.

Another player returning to the team should be Christophe Berra. I'd expect him to replace George Elokobi. Big George impressed last week but Mick likes to have a balanced pairing. It's also nice to have a player who can bring the ball out, and we have that in Richard Stearman.

I expect us to line up like this:

Sylvan rescued a point at the Molineux last May.

Hennessey

Zubar
Stearman
Berra
Ward

Hunt
Foley
Mancienne
Milijas
Jarvis

Doyle

Sam Allardyce has a knack of beating the teams around the bottom, and I'd definitely take a draw against a Blackburn team who will be desperate to play well in front of their fans.

Wolves boss wants nine wins

Here's an article by Will. Want to write an article on the blog? Contact me via the 'contact me' page!

Wolves boss Mick McCarthy has issued a rallying cry to his players and set them a new target to avoid Premier League relegation.

The Wolves manager knows his side face a battle to avoid the drop for the second successive season, and they currently sit in the Premier League bottom three.

McCarthy wants his side to win nine games over the rest of the season, and while that may not seem a massive target it has to be remembered they have won only 3 of their 15 games so far.

Last weekend's last-gasp win over Sunderland ensured they ended a run of five games without a win but they did not manage to climb out of the Premier League relegation places  and they will be looking to continue their recent resurgence in form when they face Blackburn this weekend, a match the Premier League tips suggest they can win.

Can this win change our season?

"We need two more wins to get out of the bottom three and our target has to be nine wins from our remaining games," stated McCarthy.

"Hopefully the Sunderland result will be a turning point."

The main problem for Wolves has been scoring goals, but they have not been too great at scoring either throughout the course of the season so far. Anyone looking to bet on Premier League action should remember this.

McCarthy wants his side to stop conceding so many goals, especially through their own mistakes, as he knows from experience that is one thing that can certainly spell Premier League relegation for any struggling team.

Prediction League: Chance to win signed Wolves football

No huge change in the league table of note, Bob China closed the gap to 80 points but only because wolves1992 didn't predict this week!

Anyone can get involved, here's how you can score points:

5 points for a correct result (e.g Wolves win)
10 points for a correct socre (e.g Wolves 3-0)
3 points for each correct scorer (e.g Karl Henry)

Here are the fixtures:

Arsenal v Fulham
Birmingham v Tottenham
Blackburn v Wolves
Chelsea v Everton
Man City v Bolton
Wigan v Stoke
Blackpool v Man Utd
West Brom v Newcastle
Sunderland v West Ham
Liverpool v Aston Villa

Good luck!