Like most Wolves fans, I’m sick to my back teeth of hearing about Mick McCarthy’s team selection on Tuesday. Our fans and our fans only have the right to be annoyed, upset, angry or completely unfazed by what our manager does or doesn’t do. As far as I’m concerned, everyone else, including the Premier League itself, can sling their hook.
It’s now time to move forward and end the week on a massive high by beating Burnley at Molineux on Sunday.
Surman - first Molineux start?
That in itself will be a big challenge. Owen Coyle’s side have enjoyed a great start to the season, picking up points and admirers along the way with their fearless spirit and attractive style of play. They’ll travel south on Sunday looking for their first away win and believe they have every chance of getting it.
And why shouldn’t they?
Wolves have a poor home record this season and the amount of negative coverage we’ve received this week has almost certainly turned up the heat on our young side. Conversely, Burnley come into the match on the back of a brilliant performance against Arsenal, a match by all accounts, they should have taken three points from. Confidence should be high in their camp and they probably don’t have the same pressure to deal with, which gives them a slight advantage.
It’s imperative that Wolves come out of the blocks quickly. We need to get on the front foot, dictate the play and get that oh-so important first goal. We don’t want to give Burnley the impetus or something to hang onto because I don’t think we’re particularly good at chasing a game.
The lineup should be identical to the Spurs match, apart from the one enforced change due to Dave Edwards injury. I expect this team:
Hahnemann
Stearman
Craddock
Berra
Ward
Surman
Henry
Milijas
Jarvis
Doyle
SEB
I think it’s a toss-up between Surman and Foley to play in the midfield, so it will be interesting to see what Mick does there. Surman probably gives us more going forward, but Foley is more of a like-for-like swap with Edwards.
Winning this match will shoot us up a few places in the table and what a tonic that would be after looking like a side consigned to the bottom three, following the loss to Blues. I think it’s funny how everyone seems to be saying Burnley have done great (which they have) but Wolves have been poor, yet three points would almost certainly take us above them on goal difference. Stupid really.
I’m being optimistic this week and going for a 3-1 home win.
I’m backing Wolves, I’m backing Mick McCarthy and I’m backing Molineux to erupt on Sunday to help the team get the result we all want.
If you’re going to the match, have a great time and roar the lads on. The support has been phenomenal this season and I don’t expect this match to be any different, despite the events of the last three or four days.
Up The Wolves.
* One little thing. Can I encourage you all to subscribe to the Wolves Blog email alert. It’s in the sidebar at the top right of the page. A few of you have already done so and it’s a great way for me to let you all know when new posts have been added to the blog. Thanks again for your continued support.
Have subscribed mate. I have a really bad feeling about this match, it could go either way but I’ll go for one nil with SEB to score the winner. It would be typcial Wolves to lose to the team who haven’t won away!
We have a great record of breaking teams loosing streaks, we did it for Pompey earlier this year.
I’m with Louie, really nervous about the result, I would swap foley in for Edwards as the only change to the team from WHL.
Enough of the talk about Tuesday now, it’s time to stand up and be counted.
Come on me babies!!!!
Yeah I reckon it will be Foley. Surman is ok but rather Foley or even Halford (if he doesn’t play like on tuesday)
OK, this is my very last post about this, but I just read and I thought it summed up the way I feel better than anything I have written on here so far.
Please take the time to read and if you haven’t already please let me know your view and if you have made you view s clear a retorte would be very welcome also.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/robborobson/2009/12/taking_the_mick.html
I think it is quite disrespectful to the fans and our players but why does everybody else have to go on about it. Are Burnley bothered? No. Pulis and Brown have defended him too. And Wenger, what a hypocryte. The man who made the Carling Cup a nothing cup, fielded ten teenagers in the CL so his side will be fit, dares to say Mick has damaged the credibility of the EPL!
I don’t think it was the right decision but who cares if we win?
Damaged the international credibility of the Premier League, No.
For the love of god, can we please just talk about the match.
Tuesday has been and gone.
It’s doing my swede in.
Ok, Mancienne in!
I reckon we might score in the first ten minutes, their defence is awful. worse than ours! If we want to aim anywhere in particular, it’s the left back. He was responsible for atleast 3 of the goals when they lost 5-3 and scores more own goals than Zubar.
I feel fantastic about this game, nervy… yes, but fantastic nonetheless. I hope Milijas will fire yet again, and dare I say it I think it might be time for the long awaited first goal from SEB!!! (penalties dont count in my books). I think we’ll dominate on the wings as well, Jarvis will get a few decent crosses in and cause a few problems for burnley.
Heres to a corker of a game, and an even better result!!!!
Tom, I don’t think the issues of Tuesday have been fully discussed yet, let’s go over the arguments again…
For Sunday, Surman in for Edwards the only change from the Spurs game (more of an attacking option than Foley). Also, the pressure will be on the players after everything this week, so it’s important the fans get behind them and don’t turn negative if we go one down.
Pete – the problem with BBC “columnists” is too few issues and too large word counts. They create issues where there are none, the only people the Wolves team should matter to is Wolves fans. End of.
id put foley in for edwards. he’s reliable, hard worker and will want to do anything he can to prove that he’s up to the job in the prem.
as other people have said we have a good record of helping people break their ducks and with all the controversy theres a bit of pressure on us. i really hope we win, and if we dont the press will have another field day so for the sanity of most wolves supporters please go out and destroy them. that or a cheeky 1-0 will do.
*p.s. im glad a few managers and pundits have come out to support mick, shows the real character of the man and how other influential ppl percieve him and what he’s trying to do for us!*
Three points would be great on Sunday – a real boost to move above one of the teams we all expected to finish below Wolves at the start of the season.
I too feel very nervous about the game – after all, we have been let down at home against the ‘must win’ teams in our mini league – Blues, West Ham, Portsmouth and Hull. Still at least we made up three of those points against Spurs!
Sent my ticket back for this one after the Blues game – even after two win looking at the weather for Sunday I think my living room is going to be more enjoyable than the John Island stand with a hangover! Wimp – I know!
Come on me baabbiieess!
Tough one to call, one team mediocre at home – one awful away, one team fired up due to all the comments this week – one fired up as a result of the actions of the other this week.
So who will it be, well I think we have the quality to break them down and score, however we also have the capability of imploding at home.
I am certain both teams will score, I am hopeful we can score more therefore 3-1 Wolves.
I think Surman should play in place of Edwards and having seen BCI and the Hoff play at Man Ure then it’s got to be SEB and Doyle up front.
Anybody else think we have bought the Hoff for the comedy factor? Because as sure as shit is shit he ain’t a footballer!
I get it now, The Hof is the new boo boy! When things go badly we look to have a go at one innocent player. He’s an international football for gods sake! He’s twice as good as BCI, sorry to tell you that..
Louie, I applaud you as every time you stand up for our players, you are a credit! The Hoff, however, is quite clearly one of the worst footballers I’ve seen play. I was really excited when we signed him as I believed the hype – now I’ve seen him play well he’s like a galloping giraffe with less skill! Entertaining to watch though just for the comedic effect!
However (and this is for you Louie) if he plays I’ll be cheering him on with the best, if I can stop myself laughing long enough!
Jed were you watching the match? He almost set up a goal and was involved in soem good moves.
He can’t be bad if he has played in the Europa League, for his country and in the best league in the world!
And I suppose you think Iwelumo is our best striker too.
Louie, easy mate.
I still think it’s a bit early to judge The Hoff fairly, given that he’s only had two starts, both at Man Utd.
That being said, my initial thoughts on him are that he’s mental and completely erratic.
To his credit, he did do one or two decent things at Old Trafford on Tuesday, but he also nearly scored an own goal with a terrible sliced clearance.
He came on against Bolton and did a great job of defending. But at the other end he failed miserably to control a delicious through ball from Milijas and sent a cross into the box with nobody in there, when we were frantically trying to run down the clock.
For me personally, if you’re saying The Hoff is better than Iwelumo after only seeing him play once or twice from the bench, you’re mental.
He might come good and be a decent signing, but he’s still yet to be given a chance and he’s still yet to do anything.
Too early.
I just did a post, it came up and then left. No idea why?
Anyway, I guess it is because I saw how well he did when Villa played Vienna. He was confident, won it in the air and could really play. Maybe he needs time to adjust?
I found this great picture of the Hoff at the training ground, you can see why he’s known as ‘The Neck’!!!!!!
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_5DaeWixK21E/SHmcr7upWII/AAAAAAAACU0/W1mjN93WUVo/70270.jpg
20-0. Hoff to get the lot.
his neck is amazing, that’s the difference between him and Crouch
I even got a non-football friend to engage in a debate about the Hoff. The man is magic, I think for his effect on the squad, even if he doesn’t play. I agre with the statement that he is mental.
First goal is vital on sunday as it has been for all our home matches, no early conceding please otherwise we’re in for a struggle.
I’m hopeful we’ll pick up the three points though and climb up the table a few places.
P.S. Is anyone facncying our chances at Anfield on boxing day now? I certainly am, providing our first team plays…
Oh and i’d play Foley rather than Surman because i think he deserves it and he can offer an attacking threat. According to the e&s he was our best player against united
Haven’t seen the last few games. I think both Hoff and Milijas are failures and should be sent packing in January.
you’re joking ain’t you tim, that’s milijas who inspired wins over Bolton and Spurs?
But he was a “reserve” player last month and therefore shouldn’t be allowed to play, according to Wenger.
Good sarcasm Tim. Rich I think we might just knock Pool off. Low on confidence, not looking like bouncing back. Guaranteed point at least (;))
woohoo. great game by the lads. really worked hard. yeah we had a bit of luck but in general we looked like we deserved the win. looking forward to the review from whoever was there!
Great stuff, Doyle and Jarvo superb. SEB did everything but score. Dizzy heights of 12th!!
In the second half, the ref gave Burnley everything and nothing to us. SEB played really well, his hold up play was superb. Doyle played with real confidence aswell.
If wigan and Burnley draw, we are 12th at christmas. Perfect present for me!