Sickening: Arsenal 1 Wolves 0

It's hard to take.

It's hard to take that it's the second time Mariner has sent off one of our players unfairly away to a top four team, hard to take that it should not have been five minutes of added time and most of all, hard to take that they scored so late on.

We defended brilliantly, for ninety four minutes but a lot of things in the build up cost us. Keogh trying the shot from the half way line, nobody trying to block the cross and a mix up between the defenders of marking Bendtner.

I can't deny they deserved the win, but what angered me is that at any other ground that would not have been a red. It was because it was Arsenal and the way they react to being tackled. Rosicky's theatrics were disgusting, and the way they all surrounded Henry was disgusting. They were more interested in what colour card Henry received than if Rosicky was ok, which he was.

The best player on the pitch for me was our loan man, Mancienne. He worked so hard, and it summed up his game when he ran the length of the pitch to block a shot after they had scored. The other star for me was Hahnemann. He made at least three great saves and Wenger even mentioned how good he was.

There are plenty of positives to take from this game. More than the negatives, which there were few. We must be proud that for ninety four minutes we matched the best footballing side in the world.

Hahnemann - 8

Zubar - 7
Craddock - 7
Berra - 7
Elokobi - 7

Foley - 7
Henry - 7
Mancienne  - 9
Jones - 7
Jarvis -7

Doyle - 7

Subs: Keogh - 6, Edwards - 6, Ward - 6

If we defend like that every week we won't be losing many games. Let's hope we can carry on our good form into the Stoke game, which could be massive.

Arsenal v Wolves preview with an Arsenal fan.

As part of the preview for the match against Arsenal tomorrow, I was fortunate enough to find Carl Eldridge from ArsenalInsider and he kindly answered some questions.

Being an Arsenal fan, you get to see some of the best football played in the world week in week out, but what do you think of Wolves this season?

They have matured as the season has gone on and now they are a credible top flight outfit. Wolves seem to have good spirit, good players and a good, sensible manager, all the ingredients needed to survive and then push on.

Arsene Wenger publicly criticised Wolves for fielding a weakened side. This seemed weird to me as Arsenal do this a lot in the league cup and even the champions league. How did you see the whole thing?

AW will not hold back on his views and when asked a question he will give his verdict. At the time he, like others, saw it as a leg-up for United who went on to win 3-0. But would Wolves have stood a chance with their strongest side? on the evidence of their recent run, possibly. No matter, it made sense for McCarthy and Wolves and surely he has to look out for you lot and not give a hoot what others think. And I hope Mick doesn't complain tomorrow when we play a weakened team because of all the injuries we have!  

If you could pick any, which Wolves player would you take to Arsenal?

Doyle, and I would be amazed if he doesn't leave in the summer -- that is no insult to Wolves I just think he is top four material

Many Wolves fans would agree with that. Arsenals haven’t won much in recent years, but are still in with a chance of champions league and premiership glory. How do you rate Arsenal’s chances in both of the competitions?

Well, it'll be a tall order to go to Barca on Tuesday and come away with a place in the semis, but after fighting back to 2-2 who knows. We should have been buried and Barca back on the plane to Spain after half an hour. As I said, be very tough because then we have probably Inter and if not them a team capable of beating them, CSKA, in the semis. As for the Prem, the draw at Brum could be crucial. I think we needed three points from every game left and the last-minute goal we gave them was a nightmare. Add that to the vital injuries we have and it might be asking too much of our squad to compete for the title in the latter stages of this season. Again, though, we are still in it.

Do you think Wolves will stay up?

No doubt whatsoever and I look forward to having a few pre-match beers in the Molineux pub next season.

And finally, what is your prediction for the game?

Wolves are in good shape and have confidence after a good run but I still fancy us. Doyle will score but we'll nick it 2-1...I hope!

Thanks Carl 

Arsenal slipped up last week and will look to bounce back against us. With Chelsea and Man United playing they could gain some points on one of them or even both. With an important game in three/four days time in Barcelona, Arsene Wenger will probably have to make a few changes too. Add that some injuries, this is probably the best time to be playing Arsenal. 

We have done pretty in London this season. Lost at Chelsea but beat Tottenham and West Ham away and let's hope we can carry on our good form and give them a proper game. We'll have to be very aware and if we can close them down into a similiar style that Barcelona did we could force them into some mistakes.

Likely team:

Hahnemann

Only 5 of last week's side played Arsenal in the 4-1 defeat

Zubar

Craddock

Berra

Elokobi

Foley

Henry

Mancienne

Jones

Jarvis

Doyle

I think I'll go for the same prediction as Carl, 2-1 but Jarvis with our goal.

Come on you Wolves!

Wenger's big dilemma

"We will have to compete with Manchester United over 37 games instead of 38,I believe it is a problem for the international credibility of the Premier League, but it is not my problem, it is a Premier League problem."

Are these the words that may come back to haunt Arsene Wenger?

Sandwiches between two tough ties with Barcelona in the champions league quarter finals, Arsenal face Wolves at the Emirates. Question is, will Arsenal be forced to rest their team in order to have a chance at the Nou Camp?

OK, he has to make three changes in Fabregas, Gallas and Arshavin who all got injured. But what about one of their best players this season in Song, and what about Vermaelan? Can he afford to risk injury, or tire them out before their biggest game of the season?

It will certainly be interesting to see what Mr.Wenger does. I think he has to make changes, their back up players may be good enough but what will he say after on Match of the Day?

There is only one possible reason he won't make wholesale changes to the side he played on Wednesday, and that is because it is Wolves. West Ham have already complained about Fulham making six changes, and if we get a point or three then they will be sure to make another complaint to the Premier League.

He has decide whether to play the likes of Song, Vermaelan, Nasri and Walcott with a game four days later or give some inexperienced youngsters a game in the Premier League. Wenger has given his youngsters lots of opportunities (in the league cup and also Champions League!). It's not like this game isn't important though, because with Man United playing Chelsea this weekend they could improve their chances in the title race. A draw puts them right back in it.


Prediction time: How many changes does he make? I'll go for 8. No Fabregas, Arshavin, Gallas, Nasri, Bendtner, Vermaelen, Sagna and Walcott/Song.

Three more goals to safety?

I believe we are three goals from safety.

Not from Wolves as a team, but from one player. Kevin Doyle.

When he has scored we have only been on the losing side twice. We have won four and drawn the other one when he has scored. If he gets to ten, I honestly think we will be safe. Look at the games he has scored in.


Fulham (H) 2-1 (3 points)
Sunderland (A) 2-5 (0 points)
Everton 1-1 (A) (1 point)
Tottenham 1-0 (A) (3 points)
Burnley 2-0 (H) (3 points)
Birminhgam 1-2 (A) (0 points)
West Ham 3-1 (A) (3 points)


Thirteen points we have got from when he has scored. He has only scored at the Molineux twice but away he has five. Forget the game coming up, we have five winnable games after and he has scored against two of them. His goals have come at important times and I think at home to Stoke he will score another important goal.

In the 2003/04 season Henri Camara was our top scorer in the league with seven, the amount Doyle has now. Whatever you say about him, he was our best player that year. His goals came very late on as he only had  one goal up until around ten games left but we were almost down by then.

Three more goals from Kevin.. and we stay up.

What do you think?

Wolves 0 Everton 0

This game had 'last on MOTD' written all over it. I don't care if we were, we are now four games unbeaten going into the Arsenal match (who have two Barcelona games around Saturday's game).

I thought we defended very well, mostly Jody Craddock. He made some life saving tackles and blocks and showed why he deserves his contract for next season.

Everton only had a couple of clear cut chances. Osman should have scored but Marcus made a great save, Dan Gosling was also halted by the American. Zubar had a decent effort after galloping forward. For every fifty-fifty decision, the ref seemed more inclined to give it Everton's way. There were some odd decisions by him.

A decent weekend, although Hull won. Burnley lost in a derby match (with what sounds like a controversial decision), Bolton getting thrashed put us above them and West Ham lost again. Wigan play Man City tomorrow night.

Hahnemann - 7

Zubar - 7
Craddock - 8
Berra - 7

Elokobi - 7

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

Doyle - 7

Subs: Iwelumo - 6, Ward - 6, Guedioura - 6

Will Arsene 'damage the integrity of football' next week when he has Barcelona three days before and after the Wolves game?