Here is an article sent to me by Thomas, if you'd like to get involved feel free to use the contact me page.
It would have been a lonely Christmas for Wolves manager Mick McCarthy. After seeing his team commit, as he described it, “football suicide” in the 2-0 defeat at West ham, the manager could be forgiven for feeling a tad down.
A look at the league is unlikely to help the disposition of even the most committed fan wearing their Wolves football shirts either – eighteen points from twenty games, a hugely negative goal difference and recent losses against relegation rivals West Ham and Wigan does not indicate a successful season for the Midland’s club.
Time for Mick to fall on his sword and sacrifice himself for the good of the club? Those who have even the faintest indication of the hardened northerner know he is made of sterner stuff. This is the man who Wolves fan’s still feel is the right person to be in charge.
Despite what has gone already this season, Wolves do not see themselves as relegation strugglers, more a team struggling to find its feet while suffering with the dreaded “second season” syndrome.
Last year they were a revelation – roughing up clubs with an aggressive style while the guile and craft of Kevin Doyle provided a sharp edge to the blunt object used to bludgeon opponents to death.
Fast forward to this season and Doyle is missing and is one of an ever increasing injury list which continues to harm Wolves’ progress. McCarthy is right to bemoan his luck this season; his side’s performances have been far better than their results and luck has been against them for the most part of the season.
But amongst the gloom came a ray of light; a helping hand which looks to have lifted Wolves for the remainder of the season. On a wintry night McCarthy and Wolves shocked struggling giants Liverpool to pick up a precious away win.
While Liverpool are clearly struggling the magnitude of the victory must not be underestimated. At a time where rivals around them were picking up points around them Wolves came good with a performance which more than merited the 1-0 score line. It was reminiscent of the Wolves of old.
Pressuring their opponents on the ball and effective direct passing rendered Liverpool’s game plan obsolete as they took the much needed points - Stephen Ward’s goal offered some hope of salvation.
With a crucial game coming up against Chelsea tonight, Wolves must now use this win as a springboard to achieve much greater things and be only the second club to avoid the drop having been bottom at Christmas.
Wolves fans are right to think they have the right man for the job. McCarthy is oblivious to pressure and will fight as hard as anyone to protect the side he has built. Such is the nature of the bottom of the league this season that a win over the Blues could see them move out of the relegation zone. All is not lost for Mick McCarthy and Wolves, all is to play for.
No comments:
Post a Comment
What do you think? Comment!