Everton supporter Richard has kindly sent in a late contribution for the preview. He makes some interesting points and I’m keen to hear what you all think.
Anyway, over to Richard:
So Wolves are back in the ‘big-time’ and ready for another shot at staying where the money men dictate who wins what.
I welcome the return of a traditional and well supported club back to England’s top tier, but doubt whether the stay will be long.
Mick McCarthy needs to learn from two of the promoted clubs last year to keep his job and keep Wolves in the Premiership.
Stoke City showed how to do it, while West Brom simply let themselves get relegated, resigned to their fate before Christmas.
That thought leads on to this weekend’s clash at Goodison Park and the probably return of Segundo Castillo, the Ecuador midfielder ‘enforcer’, to the ground where he was used primarily as a bench warmer.
Castillo was an enigma last season, while he scored a brilliant goal in the UEFA Cup and producing a solid performance in one of the FA Cup games against Liverpool, his main role was to make other players look better.
If Wolves want to remain in the Premiership they can’t rely on the likes of Castillo to play an integral part.
Apart from Karl Henry, Michael Kightly and Sylvain Ebanks-Blake, I can’t think of another Wolves’ player I would want in our squad; though I’m not sure any would get in the starting XI.
Home form is vital so any points you can nick away from home will only boost the chances of avoiding relegation.
This season has seen contrasting form for both sides. We started off poorly again, though without our best striker, midfielder and defender, and the Lescott saga, it wasn’t such a shock.
Imagine Liverpool without Torres, Gerrard and Carragher? Exactly, and that’s what we’ve had to cope with – no Yakubu, Arteta or Jagielka. All Evertonians will savour the moment we see the three of them in the starting XI.
The trio will again be absent again this weekend, with Yakubu probably appearing from the bench.
I’m only mentioning Lescott now because I feel he doesn’t deserve more than a quick line. As Pat Nevin said: “Lescott wasn’t even Everton’s best defender last season.”
To get £24m for him, pay £5m for Distin and also get Heitinga and Bilyaletdinov with money left over, now looks like a piece of genius from David Moyes.
Wolves have had a rollercoaster start to the season but need to settle down and concentrate on solid defending and nicking 1-0 wins, mainly at home.
Form suggests a 2-0 home win and I can’t think of anything other than that score. That said I hate predicting us for a ‘simple’ home win and may well live to regret it.
Finally, can someone explain why you insist on singing the Hi Ho Wolverhampton just before kick-off?
It doesn’t do the club or the fans justice, and is quite frankly one of the most cringeworthy things I’ve ever heard or seen at a football ground in 30 years of watching.
See you on Saturday. I’ll be the one with the Fellaini wig…
Cheers for doing the post Richard, it’s greatly appreciated.
I think you hit the nail on the head with Castillo when you said his job is ‘to make other players look better’. He’s fantastic at sitting in front of the back four, breaking up play and doing the simple thing. He’s not a superstar but he’s a useful player for us.
Moyes has spent the Lescott money well, as you’d expect. However, I think your bitterness at the way Joleon left your club has clouded your judgment of his ability. He’s a top player and a great loss to you, even if Jagielka was the star of last season.
As for Hi-Ho Wolverhampton, how can you say anything?
You still run out to the Z Cars Theme.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wL1HnDGTAK8
Now that is cringe.
Thomas, great point well made. And they get some minging old grandma to throw toffee into the crowd before kick off. No wonder all their fans have twisted, contorted faces.
You got there before me Thomas with the Z Cars theme.
As for the big Castillo debate, isn’t it a bit too early for us to be judging him as the be all and end all. I admit i like the look of him, against Fulham i don’t think he gave the ball away once and maybe he was the missing link against Pompey. But he’s only played a handful of games (didn’t everyone love Keogh after 3 games this season?) and was a bit part player for Everton.
Can i also just add my annoyance on hearing the news that Blues will be given 40 mil to spend in january as one of our relegation and local rivals. Lets just hope it goes all Mike Ashley ay?
The ‘Toffee Girl’ is a young woman, usually good looking, who hands out Toffee Mints to kids, and some adults. For some it’s the only ‘meal’ of the day ;~)
Lescott is indeed a good player but he upset the ‘team’ ethic of the squad and therefore his loss is not as unwelcome as it would appear.
He’s joined a bandwagon of mercenaries along with Barry and Santa Cruz. When the wheels eventually fall off it’ll be interesting to see what happens to them.
Since leaving us he’s now fourth best central defender at best for England, rather than third choice when he was with us.
The grass isn’t always greener.
Castillo got sent off for Ecuador in their World Cup Qualifier, apparently it was a waist high challenge, and in my opinion this is what Wolves need. Someone to really get stuck in and piss off the opposition.
Also Rich, I didn’t love Keogh after 3 games
Richard – Lescott is a quality defender but for £24 million i would have drove him to City myself. It’s a shame he forced himself out and will be seen in the same light as Barry, a money grabber.
And Hallam, not even after Wigan?!? What does he have to do to win your heart?
Players should have the same loyalty to teams as managers have to players.
It is a business and if a better player comes along or someone offers you a lot of money for a player, you take the deal.
Why should a player be any different?
I know it sounds cold hearted but that is the way it is.
I don’t understand why Everton fans got so upset about Lescott leaving. After all, it was Wolves who invested the time in money in developing him as a player. When Everton came in with a big money offer he moved on, and the same has happened when Man City came in with an even bigger money offer. He wasn’t a mercenary when he left Wolves, and he isn’t now. He’s just a player who wants to play where he has the greater chance of success (no offence to Everton).
P.S. Rich – I STILL love Andy Keogh
Everton have delusions of grandeur, and, I too can’t undestand their gripe about Lescott. everton typify the middle of the range club, harldy ever goingt o win anything, and no chance of relegation. Trouble is, the assessment of an easy win for them is probably spot on.They have far more class, guile and skill than we have. I’d love to be in a psoition where I could confidently dismiss the oppenents on the weekend. It’s a long way off.
Cmon guys, it’s less about the manager and more about the club and the fans. It’s because of how well he’s done for Everton that he’s playing for England. Man.City aren’t bigger than Everton, they are of about the same size, it’s just that city have found a rich arab and everton haven’t.
Are you telling me you’d happily wave off SEB, Kightly or Foley if they refused to play for our club cuz they wanted to go somewhere else? There’s a way of doing it, and Lescott did it the wrong way
Rich…did you happily wave off Camara then?
Dazza has it spot on for me. Everton (or at leat this one fan) is massivley deluded about his team. Man City and Spurs will easaly finnish above them. Not one of thier players would be taken by a top four side, indeed thier captain is a top four reject and looks more and more like Steptoe everytime I see him.
On the filp side though, we don’t have a player they would take into thier side. They have us out classed in every position on the park and have a real goal threat from at least 5 of thier players.
I predict a 2-0 defeat but will be roaring them on all the same.
Come on me Babies!!!!
Dazza – what i’m saying is once they want out you’re happy to be rid of them cuz they don’t want to be here anymore, but you’re not happy with them, you hate them, i.e camara
Lescott had signed a contract and if Everton didn’t want to sell him then tough luck
looks like we are taking the 4-4-2 approach with SEB and knightly on from the start if you believe the express and star.
http://www.expressandstar.com/2009/10/16/wolves-duo-set-to-be-unleashed/
with castillo probably only getting back from international duty today and MM saying unless he is suprisingly energetic and fit then he may not start who is going to join Henry in the middle? i think milijas wouldn’t work as he still likes to much time on the ball and everton are a hard working team. edwards again? our midfield and defence will have to defend as a really strong unit whilst the wingers and doyle / seb will have to make the ebst of their chances.
keogh and/or the hoff to come on in the last 20 to give SEB/kightly a rest.
i think i would have originally favoured 4-5-1 but i do admire the 4-4-2 policy. i just wonder if we can go toe to toe with many of the established prem teams and not get ‘slapped’, using Micks current favourite expression
The only thing I agree about with Richard is the Hi Ho Wolverhampton nonsense – it is indeed cringe worthy. We should campaign (again) to get the liquidator back as it was a sure thing to get the crowd worked up. I love Jeff Beck but Hi Ho was quite possibly his worst ever tune!
I’m still confident we’ll get something out of this game, we just need to close their players down quickly aka the Fulham game so they don’t get chance to dictate and with SEB Doyle and Kightly playing from the start we have a threat ourselves.
Forget the doom and gloom – its too easy to jump on that bandwagon – lets have some positve comments and lets get behind this team!
Well lets just hope that Richard gets everything he deserves tomorrow! I still can’t belive he was talking about Everton. There are games that can be written off before ko this season such as Old Trafford, Emirates and the Bridge but this is not one of them. Moyes is a good manager and they have a solid team but they are struggling to keep up with the pack chasing the top four and will do very well to make Europe. Following some of the performances this season we can go to Goodison aiming for a point and snatching all three would hardly be the shock of the season. If the team and fans all have the same pompous attitude as Richard tomorrow, then it may just happen. Bit like the Molineux Syndrome you could say….
Well Well
Perhaps Wolves will get a bit more respect now!
Note to the FA…. can we please now have a run of games where THE REF ACTUALLY GIVES US SOMETHING !!! Clear foul on Doyle on lead up to their goal, and how about Howard slapping Hoff on the back of the head? Robbed again, and totally out of our control.
We haven’t got any luck so far. Last three games there have been crucial decisions that have not gone our way. I was there, and the Everton crowd were silent. As the wolves end pointed out, ‘your supposed to be at home!’. Good performance. anyone know whats up with mancienne.
The guest blogger has a nerve to dismiss our Hi-Ho.,,, what on earth was that dross taht Everton ran out to in the second half.Embarrassing or what. If Everton are the yardstick for mid table, I’m confident we can stay up
Good performance by the boys. Can’t believe i was gutted with a point. I would’ve talen that before hand so got to be pleased
Hands up….who thinks the defence looked 100% better without Mancienne
Prior to the game, two guest previews / comments from Everton fans on blogs (including this one) slightly riled me. There was more than a hint of arrogance in each. We might have switched off at the end, but you’re not half as good as you think you are.
Dazza – i think central defense looked more solid with Craddock and Berra. But that doesn’t mean Mancienne couldn’t be slotted in at left back, although Elokobi had a decent game
Why is everyone knocking Mancienne? He’s a top top player and will play for Chelsea for a long time.
Congratulations for getting a point a Goodison. As I said, me predicting a win is usually recipe for disaster and but for a cool finish by ‘Billy’ it could have been much worse.
As for the claims of arrogance, it’s all about opinions. Just because I have a different opinion to you, doesn’t make it arrogant.
I gave an honest preview of the game and can’t understand why some fans viewed my words as pompous and delusions of grandeur.
I wish you all the best for the rest of the season and if we meet again at Goodison in the Premiership I look forward to welcoming you.