Wolves Vs Portsmouth Preview With a Pompey Fan
Posted by Thomas on 29th September , 2009There’s no doubt about it, this weekend’s match against Portsmouth is the first real six-pointer of the season for Wolves. Win it and we’ll be a massive ten points clear of the Premiership’s bottom club. Lose and it’s down to four points and back to looking anxiously over our shoulders.
So, just to ratchet up the excitement, build-up starts early this week with a guest post from Pompey fan Richard. He’s a friend of Ben’s and a top bloke. Here’s what he has to say:
First of all, a message from this Pompey fan to all Wolves supporters: You’re Welcome.
What for you ask? I’ll tell you. For doing everything we can to help ensure your return to the top flight is not a fleeting one. Our unbelievable and frankly ludicrous implosion both on and off the pitch in recent months means one of the relegations spots Wolves are desperately trying to avoid is all but taken. So as I said, you’re welcome.
European nights already seem a distant memory for the Premiership's bottom club
It’s difficult to know where to start when examining the mess we’re in. Just 18 months ago I saw my team, packed full of top class players, lift the FA Cup at Wembley. Less than a year ago I watched us outplay AC Milan in a competitive game at Fratton Park and left disappointed because we only managed a draw.
They were amazing times, but I’m not stupid. I knew we were punching above our weight and living beyond our means. I expected Satchel Face (Harry Redknapp to you) to walk out when a better offer came along. I expected great players like Diarra and Johnson to be sold, and I expected us to become an average at best team again.
What I didn’t expect was such a horrendous car crash of a summer. Our colossal and swift fall from grace has left us with the only penniless Arabian ‘billionaire’, a manager who failed at Rushden & Diamonds, Nottingham Forest and Barnsley, and a player as utterly appalling as Aaron Mokoena wearing the captains armband.
But where there’s life there’s hope and our trip to Molineux represents, in my opinion, a trip to last chance saloon in terms of turning around this living nightmare of a season. We’ve enjoyed draws in our last couple of visits to Wolves but all three points are required this weekend if we have any hope of staying up. But, despite our unenviable P7 W0 D0 L7 start to the season, we’re not without a few decent players. Jamie O’Hara and Aruna Dindane will cause problems for Wolves, and Michael Brown will break the legs of at least one of your players – so don’t think a home win is a foregone conclusion.
If we are to triumph, we’ll need something we haven’t had so far this year, and that’s a bit of luck. We should have drawn if not won against Everton last week, and have suffered defeats thanks to a deflection off Bobby Zamora’s arse and a dodgy 92nd minute penalty at St Andrews.
I’m hoping the fact that it’s my birthday this week means the gods will smile on Pompey and give me something to celebrate. But the way things are going, I wouldn’t bet against Ebanks-Blake finding his shooting boots, David James having one of his calamity afternoons and Wolves deciding not to serve beer in the away end.
One thing’s for sure, and that’s despite our pending relegation, I wouldn’t change the last 6/7 years as a Pompey fan for anything. If we’re paying now for our cup win and six hugely enjoyable years in the top flight, then so be it. I know Wolves fans would jump at the chance to experience half the success we’ve had since both teams were promoted at the end of the 2002/03 season.
But a word of advice, if you do stay up and progress in the league as Pompey did, try not to cock it up like we have.
Play Up Pompey.
Great post Richard. Always nice to hear the view from the other side.
Believe me when I tell you that no Wolves fan sees victory as a foregone conclusion this weekend. Far from it.
But if we’re going to make a serious attempt at staying up, we’ve got to be beating the teams around us at home, especially those that have lost 100% of their games so far.
I saw your match against Everton at the weekend and you were desperately unlucky not to pick up a win, let alone a point. There’s been signs that you’re beginning to get it together, which is worrying from our perspective.
Your fans and players will be massively fired up for this game, meaning the first goal will be monumentally important. If we get it, I think we can knock the wind out of your sails and win convincingly. If you get it, I fear for us as you’ll be defending as if your lives depended on it.
The decline at Pompey has been nothing short of ridiculous, comparable almost to the Leeds United debacle. I hope for your sake, things don’t collapse to that extent and you’re able to turn it around (as long as it’s not at our expense of course).
p.s. happy birthday for the weekend. Although I must add that I hope your wishes aren’t answered by the powers that be.
Nice post Rich, I definately think us Wolves fans would give anything to experience anything like the last 5/6 seasons you’ve had. I think any team trying to break into the premiership would. The way you went about your business for me was the right way, slowly building your team, adding better and more experienced premiership players along the way. It’s exactly the model i’d like us to follow if we survive this year (big if) and I think it is similar to what we are now seeing at Stoke.
As you say you were definately unlucky to have not got anything out of the game against Everton so perhaps you are starting to turn the corner. Just hope it doesn’t come saturday!!! Enjoy the game mate
Thanks for your comments guys.
For some reason, I’m actually really looking forward to the game on Saturday. I’m hoping our fans give another good account of themselves after giving the team a standing ovation last week, despite losing to Everton. That’s right, things are so bad at Fratton that we’ve started applauding narrow defeats!
In all seriousness, the players gave their all and deserved much more than another defeat. If we put in a similar performance we shouldn’t go home empty handed, but as Thomas says, the first goal is crucial. If we get it, it will put some serious pressure on Wolves (and I’m sure the home support will add to that!). If you get it, then it’s likely to knock the confidence of the visiting players and fans.
I have to say I like the way Wovles have gone about their busienss in recent years and think that you’ve got an incredibly hard working and organised team. While that may not be enough to get you past the top 7/8 sides in the league, it should see you beating many others.
Hopefully not us on Saturday!
PUP
Rich. Should be a good game then…You clap narrow defeats, we clap 5-2 defeats! I’m pretty worried about the game. I say this after seeing Pompey v Everton. I was very impressed. I also remember WBA going on something like a 12 game losing run. We played them and they got a 0-0 if memory serves. It’s this run that is bugging me.
Think Doyle is the key. It looks like Pompey are liable for one or two moments of madness at the back, so it will be down to him to capitalise.
If we score first then we should be able to seal a comfortable win, if we concede first I think we’ll get a 1 – 1 draw. Same team as played on Saturday, Doyle and (I can’t actually believe I’m saying this) Keogh must start and get at them early. SEB is way off the pace which is disappointing. I can also see us getting a clean sheet after as our defence will have had a rocket up their arse from MM after the debacle on Saturday!
2-0 wolves Doyle and Berra to score.
Glad to see the opposition fans writing again as I have enjoyed them.
I like Portsmouth, and although not one of my most favourite teams I think it is a great shame what has happened to them. My Grandad and Uncle both hold season tickets at Fratton Park and say it is a brilliant club (but they would wouldn’t they). And I cannot wait for us to play them away for a nice weekend at the seaside with my Uncle.
Fixtures like this have been a problem for Wolves in the past, teams at rock bottom and pointless would come to the Molineux and win. I have to say this is the most important and pivotal game so far and one I am certainly not looking forward to. Hopefully Ebanks could start alongside Doyle, though probably not, and the defense best be sorted out come Saturday.
Rich,
One of your better written pieces! To be fair – and ‘with all due respect’ – you’re taking Pompeys decent into a Newcastle-esque soap opera very philisophically. Whatever happens on Saturday I hope you can at least feel that your team has ‘put in a shift’ for you!
Mac
Ben – you’re spot on regarding a likely mistake at the back by Pompey – it’s how we’ve lost the majority of the games this season so far. Most teams in the prem are good enough to punish you for that one mistake (as Saha did for Everton last week) so I guess the question is will Wolves take the oppotunity when we put it on a plate for them – because we will do at some stage of the game!
Mac – I was going to reply to you and say that no club could possibly dream of being a quite as ‘soap opera’ as Newcastle, which is true because that club is pure comedy from top to bottom. However Pompey are tying their best – the lastest installment in the saga is that Gary McAllister has now snubbed the offer to become Paul Hart’s assistant. This comes less than a day after all reports said he had a agreed a deal.
So it looks like Hart will go it alone in the Molineux dug out. Mind you, he’s got Kev the kitman to turn to for tactical advice so it’s not all bad…
Richard. Don’t worry, Wolves are not good enough to punish you for one mistake.
Richard, hi bud, thanks for posting. Unfortunatley for me, I have to stay up until 1am to watch us live thanks to the idiots running Qld who don;t belive in daylight saving. Note, West Ham have only won one game, at our place…Hull are dire, but scraped a point at our place….so I reckon you will grab all 3 on Saturday. Why? our midfield is powder puff, we have too may passengers at thi slevel, and my new season optimsim is draining away. Score 1..we won’t score 2… and our defence, especially on the left side, is woeful. Elokobi is struggling, and we now consider the 75year old Craddock to be our Beckenbauer. We bought an 8ft beanpole that can’t win a header to save his life, and we have players who try their hearts out, alas, not good enough. The fixtur elist was very kind to us at the start of the season, and, I said we needed at least 15 points from the first 10 games…lose on Saturday, and we will be condemned to the bottom 3 by the end of November. Happy Birthday, and enjoy you gifted 3 points.
wow dazza cant belive we’ve only played a handful of games and your this despondent. are you so that way inclined you are missing the handful of positives we should take from the matches as well!?
shame on you
Dazza,
Are you sure your getting the right game down there?
From where I sit the team is learning all the time at this level and yes we will take a few heavy defeats on the way.
Pompey will pack the midfield, if we play Kights anfd Jarvis we should stretch them. I do think Wolves will show that they can cope with games like this.
Travelling up from West Sussex as usual on Saturday with my 2 sons but will be giving a Pompey fan a lift, we have promised him the delights of a couple of Bank’s before the game!
@Dazza – Although I don’t agree with your general negativity, you make some good points, particularly about The Hoff. He doesn’t seem to have any aerial ability, which is somewhat disappointing for a target man. In my opinion, the sooner we get Iwelumo back, the better in that respect. You’re definitely entitled to your opinion and it’s great when something sparks debate. That’s what a blog is all about after all.
@Sam2.0 – You’re right, there have been positives in nearly all the performances, Blackburn aside. We need to convert all these good things into points though and I’m hoping that starts against Pompey on Sat. I think we’re getting close to fielding our strongest team and if we can do that consistently, we’ll have enough to stay up.
@Dingal Dave – Do you go to all the games? How long does it take you to drive up? Make sure you only give the Pompey fan a lift home if we win.
my fear with the hoff is trying to use him as a target man too much – always the expectation from a tall forward. yes he’ll be good for crosses and corners but i dont see him as a target man, thats big chris’s area. I think the hoff looks like a player who wants it at his feet and quickly, give him balls to run on to or like i said crosses he can get his head on. I dont expect him to hold the ball up shielding 2 players off, its not his game.
Against utd he didnt play amazingly but his positioning was great, i could always see him peeling away from defenders and would have acres of space for about 5-10 seconds, we just never got the ball to him quickly or accurately enough!
Our strikers all have good qualities and should compliment each other.
SEB *eye for goal, point to prove in prem*
Big chris *target man, great sub, good touch*
keogh *does all the hard, almost unrewarding work for a striker*
doyle *added bit of class / skill, a bit more selfish infront of goal which i think we need occasionally*
The hoff *good impact sub, will cause problems with his heigh even if he cant jump*
@Thomas.
3 hours each way, ex season ticket holders, the price of fuel put an end to that!
Once or twice a month to a match and we get to most games in the south.
Believe me plenty of Pompey fans around here and they are not confident, out of interest Wolves support around this area is good and would expect to see many on the road Saturday on their way up.
We’ve got to get three points saturday if only to keep portsmouth on their losing run and make sure that they do fill one of those three dreaded spots at the bottom.
On a brighter note good to hear iwelumo is back playing reserve football, the sooner he’s back on the bench replacing the hoff the better.
Dingal Dave were you at the Sunderland game. I saw a guy with Dave the Dingle on the back of his shirt was this you? If it was, fair play for travelling from the south to the NE for a game on TV!
Dazza & Tim you both sound like bloody eeyore “Oh my everythings gloomy” Get your bloody heads up we are in the Premier League. Last week we were at Old Trafford soon we’ll be at Stamford Bridge and Anfield. Much better than Bramall Lane, The Hawthorns or any other of those dumps. It’s a given that we are one of the poorest teams in this league, therefore we will get turned over – SO WHAT! Give the players some credit, they have done well for a team of untested youngsters. They have competed well and the games have been extremely entertaining. If its just about staying in this league bugger off up the M^ and go and watch the shite that Stoke play – yes they will stay up but geez watching that defensive shit week in week out would make me swap to watching rugby and I HATE rugby. Stay positive, get behind the lads and for f**ks sake CHEER THE F**K UP!
Pompey have sold full allocation and Wolves expect a sell out.
Wolves fans will have to be up for this game, it should be a cracking atmosphere.
We should not talk ourselves down, we have a great chance of 3 points and I really believe it.
If they go for the 3 points from the start it will be the first time this season and that should play into our hands as I believe an early goal will kill them where as we can come back from an early disappointment as shown on Sunday.
I’m up for 3-0 Wolves.
i’m predicting 3-1 wolves
Good to hear the views of an opposing fan, cheers Richard. I think most of your points have already been responded to. Must be depressing going from watching Lassana Diarra and Jermaine Defoe week-in week-out to Michael Brown and Tommy Smith! Not that I mean to rub it in.
Looks like a few predictions coming in already. Disappointed to see some negativity at this stage in the season, but understandable I suppose. The way I try to look at is that we were always going to struggle this season more than last, so enjoy the Fulham-type games, and try and ignore the Sunderland/Blackburn ones.
Not going to bother venturing a prediction given my 100% inaccurate record so far this season…having said that, Portsmouth victory!
Sorry Jed…I had a bad day at the office. Yes, we are in teh PL, and I want us to do justice to it. I just can’t help referring back to 2003, and teh similarities. Yes, we will win on Saturday….I ‘ll go for 2-1, and Berra to score
anyone read the sport gossip pages today. apparently the pompey players haven’t been paid for a month and are pissed off. although that is a shambles and im sorry for the team and fans it could play in our favour if they aren’t 100% focused on the match
Yeah I read it Sam and I thought exactly what you thought. The end of the day this football is there job and I know I wouldn’t give 100% if I hadn’t been paid last month (not like I give 100% at work anyway but that’s not the point).
We need to take all three on sat though, and at win one of the next two, 13pts from the first 10 game would be a productive return because I am pretty sure there are very lean time ahead as the fixture fairy gave us the best start to a season of any of the relegation candidates.
Sam/Pete
I was just coming on to make the same point. Why is it every time I think things can’t get worse for Pompey – they do.
Apparently the non-payment to players isn’t as serious as the Sun is making out (surprise surprise!) and from what I understand it was clerical issue which affected some but not all of the players.
However, more worringly, our chief exec has come out today and said the money has totally dried up at the club. This won’t affect the wages owed which is being sorted, but unless our ‘Del Boy of Dubai’ comes up with the money he said he has secured – it’s administration for us.
I was actually feeling quite confident earlier in the week but the latest developments don’t bode well and Wolves should be licking their lips as it’s a great time to play us. We’re there for the taking.
Still, funnier things have happened in football than a team as low on confidence and in a much turmoil as Pompey picking up a surprise away win. Fingers crossed!
This is a vital game for us on saturday and while you never want to say ‘must win’ it pretty much is. It’s one of those games like Hull where molineux is expectant, we didn’t win that one.
Personally i think relegation is between 5 teams; ourselves, blues, burnley, hull and pompey. West Ham and Fulham are bound to improve and the likes of Bolton, Blackburn and Stoke should be ok. Crisis club welcome!
Also looking at the next lot of fixtures points are going to be difficult to come by.
3 points are a must for both teams.
Sorry Jed, I just calls ‘em as I sees ‘em.