Middle of nowhere

February 6, 2012 By 37 Comments

Oh dear.

It’s so long to Frimpong then as the impressive Arsenal loanee limps back to London with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.

First of all, let me say that’s a great shame because he was talented and a definite improvement on the central midfielders we have at the club.

Furthermore, it was undeniably a good piece of business on Mick’s part to bring the youngster here in the first place and his premature exit is certainly nobody’s fault.

Don't worry, it's over now

That said, it does leave us in a bit of a pickle.

The immediate question that sprung to my mind was: can we get Guedioura back from Forrest?

But then of course the answer to that is ‘no’ as he wasn’t named in our squad list that was submitted to the Premier League last week.

A squad list that contained only 24 senior players, 1 short of the maximum number allowed.

I would like to know (if the E&S can be bothered with some actual journalism) if Guedioura could have been named – despite being loaned out – in order to cover a situation such as this?

Either way though, the Algerian shouldn’t have been allowed to leave in the first place.

If we can name 25 players, we should name 25. Surely?

Only then can we give ourselves the absolute best chance of survival as the manager has the maximum number of senior pros to choose from.

That’s common sense isn’t it?

And Guedioura, for all his shortcomings and inconsistency that I fully accept, has without doubt proven he can effect a game of Premier League football.

I look back to the end of last season and even though he was patchy at best, he made the goal in the home draw against Fulham and was central to our 3-1 win over Albion.

So like him or loathe him, if you’re telling me he couldn’t at the very least have made an impact from the bench as we clamber for survival, I’d like to hear your justification.

Here’s another question: Why did we buy Jonnson?

The line we were fed by Jez Moxey is that ‘he’s one for the future’.

Excuse me?

One for the future?

We need players who can be good immediately and save us from impending doom, not in a year’s time when we’re scrapping for a play-off place in the Championship.

I could stomach the nonsense though if the player in question had any qualities that made me believe he will aid our cause.

Yet the only argument I seem to hear in his favour is ‘he’s neat and tidy and does the simple things’.

We’ve got plenty of those already thanks, including David Davies, a player who has also proved his worth in Scotland and wouldn’t have cost us a penny.

Maybe we’ll make do against the Albion on Sunday and maybe Henry will return wiser, O’Hara will get fitter and the likes of Edwards and Milijas will prove their worth.

But it won’t change the fact that these decisions are inexplicable.

I just hope we don’t live to rue them.

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QPR 1 Wolves 2

February 4, 2012 By 66 Comments

Money doesn’t always buy happiness.

Just ask Mark Hughes.

On a day that his club’s open cheque book was supposed to see their stock rising, it was Wolves who cashed in to get out of the red.

Stupidity, in all its glory

In fact, the victory owed much to the implosion of their marquee investment, Djibril Cisse taking Johnson by the neck before hopping into an early bath.

It was a definite sending off – no arguments please.

As Karl Henry will testify, raising hands (or studs) off the ball simply isn’t tolerated.

Just don’t do it.

A man up but a goal down, the pressure was thrust onto Wolves and Mick McCarthy to grab hold of the lifejacket that was so charitably slung overboard.

Sink or swim.

Thankfully, they just about made it to the shore.

Kevin Doyle turned the tide, feeding Matt Jarvis for the equaliser before slotting home the winner in composed style.

He needed that.

Mick too should bank credit for swift action on a day his head threatened to roll. Removing Stearman and slotting Foley into the back four was certainly a wise move to make.

That said I wasn’t overly enamoured with his initial team selection. We were setup to defend from the off and with no Kightly or Hammill in the squad, I feared the consequences of conceding an early goal.

So when Zamora slotted home a well worked opener that saw the wall come crumbling down, things seemed decidedly bleak.

There’s no doubting players and manager needed the break that Cisse’s handbags provided. Without that moment of madness, I don’t believe for a second we would have won.

Not that we should care.

Restricted view (courtesy of Putney Wolf)

Self-destruction has been Wolves’ forte this season so if the stupidity of the opposition is the stroke of luck we need to get our heads above water, so be it.

Speaking of new signings, Sebastian Bassong was correctly given his debut and although Zamora outmuscled him to toe poke them into the lead, I thought the on-loan Spurs man acquitted himself well.

I’m a bigger fan of Berra than most but the pace off the ball and composure on it that Bassong brought to the back four were notable.

Still, his selection couldn’t prevent a late onslaught as Adel Taarabt threatened to cruelly snatch the game away from us.

Credit Wayne Hennessey for a wonderful fingertip save to keep the Moroccan at bay. If he might have done better for the goal, that more than made amends.

It was a result that made amends.

It also proved however bankrupt our prospects may seem, it would be premature to foreclose on this season just yet.

You might just pay the price.

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QPR Vs Wolves Preview

February 3, 2012 By 112 Comments

It’s mighty difficult to conclude which of our recent back-to-back home defeats was the more disheartening.

Villa, because Wolves promised so much but ultimately delivered nothing?

Or Liverpool, because the second half capitulation bore the unmistakable trademark of a team heading for the drop?

Handbags

Either way, the combination of the two – coupled with the fact we haven’t won a league match since the start of December – means we head to Loftus Road desperate for 3 points.

Given the contrasting atmosphere surrounding the clubs of late, it’s perhaps difficult to comprehend that a Wolves victory would actually draw them level with QPR.

But it would.

And while there’s no doubting that their change of manager and January spending has given them a timely boost, it would certainly be foolish to discount them from the relegation dust-up just yet.

We need only look back to West Ham this time last year to learn that splashing the cash at the bottom doesn’t necessarily guarantee an escape. For Cisse read Ba, for Zamora read Keane, for Onouha read Bridge.

As I say, no guarantees.

The Team

Wolves have their own new signing to boast tomorrow and I sincerely hope Sebastian Bassong is thrown straight in. Our chronic lack of pace and athleticism at the back was once again ruthlessly exposed by Bellamy on Tuesday night. We just can’t keep a clean sheet and something has to change.

I maintain that 451 remains the way forward and this is the team I would send out.

Hennessey, Foley, Johnson, Bassong, Ward, O'Hara, Frimpong, Edwards, Jarvis, Kightly, Fletcher

Berra is the defender to miss out, simply because his consistency has slipped in recent weeks whereas Johnson has improved of late (prior to Tuesday of course). Also, Bassong is left-sided so you get the correct balance.

I believe O’Hara is somewhere close to fit so he must start. With Henry suspended, Jonnson not good enough and Milijas too hit and miss, I think Mick has to throw Jamie straight back in. If he has to come off after an hour, so be it. I’d rather that, than throwing him on for the last 20 minutes when we’re losing.

Hammill must be on the bench at the very least. If Mick thinks swapping Kightly for an under-performing Hunt is a good idea when we’re chasing a game, then I’m sorry but we’re already doomed. We need impact players who can make something happen.

In that respect, I’m completely despondent that we sent Guedioura to Forrest, particularly when Mick only submitted a 24-man squad to the Premier League. Figure that one out!

Prediction League

17 people correctly predicted we’d get stuffed by Liverpool.

Only 2 of those went Hollywood and got the 3-0 scoreline too though, so well done to Jed and Ash K.

I don’t really know what to predict this weekend.

However, I do know that revenge would be sweet after the misery they inflicted on us at Molineux back in the sunny days of September.

Perhaps foolishly, I think we’ll get a response from Tuesday and a result.

2-2.

If you’re heading to London for this one, have a great day and I sincerely hope the lads turn it on for you.

Up The Wolves.

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Wolves Vs Liverpool Preview

January 30, 2012 By 79 Comments

Mick McCarthy has made his feelings perfectly clear about ‘heroic failures’, which is just as well because I think we’ve all had our fill.

Just win.

However you need to do it, whatever it takes – just win.

Not this time mate

I don’t care that we were thwarted by decisions against Stoke and Chelsea. I don’t care that we probably deserved more against Villa.

Whatever the excuse is, there seems to be just one consistency – Wolves losing.

And if we’re not losing, we certainly aren’t winning. Yes, there’s a lot to be said for grinding out valuable points, but we need to register a maximum sooner rather than later or we’ll be deep, deep in the brown stuff.

I don’t think you could ever describe a Liverpool visit to Molineux as a home-banker, but we’ve certainly been given every advantage possible to get the job done tomorrow night.

Best player ruled out – check.

Three games in a week – check.

Lost as many games as they’ve won away from Anfield – check.

The Team

If Mick McCarthy doesn’t go 4-5-1 in this game and we lose it, I think his head should be firmly on the chopping block.

We employed the shape perfectly against Villa and but for sloppy mistakes, wonder goals and silly behaviour, we probably would have taken a point at the very least.

Yes, Henry is suspended, but it should just be Milijas or Jonnson in and as you were.

So, that’s a team of:

Hennessey, Foley, Berra, Johnson, Ward, Milijas, Frimpong, Edwards, Kightly, Jarvis, Fletcher

If we go 442 and start slinging balls forward for strikers to chase, I might just lose the will to live.

I’m all for positivity, but after the signs of progress in that first half against Villa, I’d hate to see that immediately undone simply because Karl Henry got himself sent off.

Prediction League

8 people correctly predicted doom against our claret and blue neighbours last weekend, but none got the scoreline.

So it’s a single point each for josh, Jed, Haywood Wolf, robin, Clive from Houston, The Wanderer, garby and Stourbridge Wolf.

I think we’ll take 4 points from the next three matches against Liverpool, QPR and WBA.

So lets go for a defeat in this one, leaving me a draw and a win to play with in the other two.

2-1 Liverpool.

If you’re at Molineux tomorrow, get right behind the lads as you always do. It’s a special atmosphere under the floodlights so hopefully the team will respond.

Up The Wolves.

* An apology to Martin who also correctly predicted the outcome of the Villa match and was rudely overlooked as I totted up the scores. If you spot an error or see that I haven’t awarded you the points you deserve in the Prediction League, please do get in touch.

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Welcome back

January 25, 2012 By 57 Comments

Digest the following: if it weren’t for Michael Kightly, this very blog wouldn’t exist.

Summer 2009, in the halcyon aftermath of our triumphant promotion to the Premier League I happened upon this picture:

A picture that's worth 275,000 words (approx) and counting

So taken was I with this photograph centering on our flying winger that I immediately set about searching for an online Wolves publication, so that I could contact them to suggest they use the image in some capacity.

Upon finding that no such website existed, I decided to build one myself, more to test my burgeoning web design skills than create any sort of old gold magnum opus.

Still, pleased with my efforts, I posted a handful of articles, convinced a young scallywag by the name of Ben to join the force (he had his own site at the time) and the rest, as they say, is Wolves Blog history.

540 posts, 20,000 comments and 3 years later, I think it’s fair to say things have gone rather well.

How intolerably cruel then that the very man who set the blog wheels in motion has spent the duration of it’s lifetime clambering for escape from injury hell.

Indeed there were times when it appeared that the real Michael Kightly would never truly re-emerge.

End product, how we've missed you

Sure, he sporadically pulled on the shirt in between lengthy stints on the treatment table but never once did you get the impression he was operating anywhere near his best.

It was painful to watch.

Understandably then, despite returning from a successful stint at Watford this month, many around Molineux still questioned whether he could do it at the top table.

However, the dour 0-0 at St. Andrew’s a few weeks back was notable in my eyes for a singular reason – Michael Kightly.

By no means did he light up that abhorrently dull contest, but there was most definitely a spark, a spring in his step that hadn’t truly been seen since late 2008.

Buoyed by this I immediately called for his inclusion at Spurs in my preview, which Mick duly obliged with.

Another encouraging, if not spectacular performance at White Hart Lane had me believing there was more to come last Saturday against Villa.

I was not disappointed.

For 25 glorious minutes leading up to half-time, things were as they always should have been.

Gone (hopefully never to be seen again) was the flinching imposter who’d tarnished the reputation of one of our finest players in recent history.

It was all there.

Darting into space, running his defender on the diagonal, sliding incisive passes between the lines and deservedly capping it all with a beautifully finished goal.

It was a powerful and immediate reminder of just how good a player he has the capacity to be and the one quality he brings to our side that we desperately lack – end product.

Of course on this occasion it all proved to be in vain as the ruthless nature of the Premier League bit back in the second half and Wolves collapsed in every way imaginable.

Yet on the day that we finally dropped into the bottom three for the first time this season, the one chink of light I cling onto is that we may have rediscovered a player who can ultimately dig us out again.

Welcome back Kites.

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