The chances are however, that despite our eighth defeat in 10 games, he’ll be reflecting on the positives after West Ham eventually brushed us aside 2-0.

West Ham moved up to 15th with victory

Hopefully, Mick’s other resolution is a couple of new signings as soon as is humanly possible, because however plucky our performance and however uplifting our win at Anfield, eight defeats in 10 away games is simply not good enough.

While we don’t appear a side consigned to our fate with displays like this, we equally don’t look a team capable of grabbing our season by the scruff of the neck.

A defeat at West Ham, featuring a man-of-the-match for Rob Green, could be interpreted as another sign of regression, seeing as we won there so comfortably in 2010.

Even the most ardent of optimists can’t deny that it underlines a complete incapability of stringing two results together. Again.

Is it bad luck? Or is it an indicator that every scant victory we’ve mustered takes too much out of our admirable players.

Does an Anfield performance sap too much speed from thought when we’re operating at our absolute optimum?

How else do you explain a defensive aberration for West Ham’s opener, and Zubar’s subsequent brainwave for the own goal?

If we were able to win by playing within ourselves once in a while, then there’d surely be far fewer bland platitudes following so many courageous defeats?

This result might be as equally damaging as our Liverpool win was encouraging.

It shows we again can’t string back to back results together, even when pitted against the worst team in the league with two measly home wins to their name.

It shows we are literally incapable of fighting back from a goal down away from home – Everton aside.

More worryingly, it bears all the hallmarks of a doomed side, who can count on a shock 1-0 win as exception to this season’s rule, instead of a springboard on which to build.

We were competitive, first to many balls and apart from a late rally in the first half, by far the better team.

But in typical Wolves style, we gave away a stupid opener when we peppered Rob Green with a great start to the second half.

After that, we didn’t muster a shot on target in anger, with an Ebanks-Blake header against the bar our only meaningful retort.

As Mick said after our defeat to Wigan: “We aren’t good enough or experienced enough to be able to fight back from the early setbacks we suffered.”

Well if that’s the case, what chance have we got with a cock-up halfway through the second half?

It might be a New Year, but within 17 hours of it beginning, it feels horribly like 2010 again already.

Having registered their first win and their first cleansheet away from Molineux, confidence should be high, so hopefully Mick and the boys can pull off another big result and perhaps even escape the bottom three in the process.

Wolves won convincingly last season

A visit to the Boleyn Ground always represents a tricky proposition, but the Hammers home record this season is far from intimidating. Of their 10 games to date, they’ve won just 2, drawn 4 and lost the same amount.

Of course, Wolves away record is even worse, despite picking up the maximum at Liverpool, so Avram Grant will rightly be looking at this fixture as an excellent opportunity to secure a much-needed win in front of an expectant home crowd.

You would imagine Mick will pick the same eleven that started on Wedneday night, but with three fixtures in a week, might he be tempted into one or two changes? Probably not unless neccessary, so my predicted line-up is:

Hennessy

Zubar
Berra
Stearman
Elokobi

Hunt
Milijas
Foley
Jarvis

Ward

SEB

There are options at Mick’s disposal, should he feel the need to freshen things up. Ward came off with a dead leg on Wednesday so maybe that could open the door for Fletcher? Edwards and Jones both represent decent options in midfield, but I can’t see who he’d drop. The back four will surely remain intact after a strong showing last time out.

Prediction League

Well done to Super Kev Doyle for boldly predicting a 1-0 win against Liverpool. He picks up an unlikely three points and moves to within touching distance of the top of the Prediction League table. That has to be right up there for the award of ‘Best Prediction of 2010′. Anyone else feel they deserve this accolade?

Ben also nicked a point with a cheeky 3-1 forecast, so congratulations to my esteemed colleague, although I can’t help but feel he was far from sincere when plumping for victory.

This is a tough match to predict. I’ve certainly got renewed confidence in the side after Wednesday but it would just be so typical of our season to date if we got stuffed.

My heart says Wolves win, my head says West Ham win so I’ll sit on the fence and say draw.

2-2.

If you’re going to Upton Park, have a great time and roar the lads home. A repeat of last season’s win will do just nicely.

Up The Wolves.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Two games against United, with a sprinkling of Arsenal, Chelsea and City to boot are enough to put you off your pint of Mild at the best of times, let alone after the abject second 45 minutes at Molineux today.

Wolves bossed the first half and were deservedly ahead

I don’t use that word lightly.

In the first half, at times, it was a thrill to see Fletcher, Doyle, Jarvis and Jones combine at pace, with movement and guile. It was reassuring to see Richard Stearman offer some pace at the back when he was called upon to replace the injured Jody Craddock at centre back early on. And it was satisfying to see almost any attempt from West Ham to get going after the first ten minutes fizzle out in to thin air, as we neatly kept shape and composure.

We worked our way in to some fantastic positions, turning the Hammers on their heels continually; and when the play did break down, we hassled and harried as a unit to get the ball back and start again.

So having gone one-nil up, with Jarvis volleying accurately in to goal when the ball dropped to him in the area, and having demonstrated such purpose, it was simply disappointing to see us surrender after the break.

Until TV cameras get allowed in to changing rooms, we’ll never have a true picture of what goes on in them at half time. But going on today’s evidence, there were a couple of pots of camomile tea awaiting the home team, with a 70’s Open University maths lecture on a TV in the corner and Mick giving a small talk about his favourite Barnsley brass bands.

In the second, we frustratingly lined up more conservatively – Fletcher looked deeper and adrift from Doyle – and, sensing blood, Parker, Boa Morte, Noble, Piquionne and Obinna exerted themselves as we looked utterly tired, rudderless and lethargic.

The calls around Molineux were, somewhat ironically given recent times, for a tackle – but there was little response offered. Foley was hard done by for the penalty when it came, but our heads dropped further after Noble buried it and the faithful saw little to encourage them to get behind the team.

The truth is that we lost the second half in midfield – Jones and Mancienne in particular didn’t seem capable of recouping things. McCarthy disappointingly withdrew Fletcher for Van Damme, supposedly to get a grip on things but his presence simply removed any remaining balance we had and underlined a lack of authority that was needed from the bench at that point.

Thrown on with barely five minutes to go, you had to feel for SEB when his boss caved in to the pressure from the South Bank for the number 9′s presence. What on earth was he meant to do, with the rest of his team looking so void of energy?

Ending on a positive note though – Jarvis was again the pick of the Wolves players. Crafty and gutsy throughout, we can only hope he inspires some more belief in his team mates. They are, on the first half’s form, undoubtedly capable of weathering the oncoming storm – but on the second half’s, only in fits and starts.

David Jones - set for a recall?

Despite being bottom, the Hammers are undefeated in their last four games (including a League Cup win over Sunderland) and having endured a tricky run of fixtures to date, they’ll be determined to push-on with a positive result on Saturday.

Summer signings Frédéric Piquionne and Victor Obinha seem to be coming good for Avram Grant’s side and their pace is sure to cause the Wolves defence problems. A more familiar threat comes in the shape of Scott Parker, who seems to only get better with age. Whoever is given the job of anchoring our midfield must ensure Parker’s influence is minimal or it could be a long afternoon for everyone in old gold.

Wolves can certainly take heart from West Ham’s woeful away record, the Hammers having not won away in the Premiership since that opening day victory at Molineux over a year ago. They’ll be looking to arrest that torrid run and will see this fixture as an excellent opportunity to do just that.

Mick McCarthy’s team selection will once again come under fierce scrutiny and with a number of key players out, his options are heavily restricted. Karl Henry serves the first of his three match ban, so David Jones and Nenad Milijas are both in contention for a recall to the starting eleven. Kevin Doyle limped out of Ireland’s defeat to Russia and if he fails to prove his fitness, SEB is waiting in the wings to take his place.

It’s a difficult task predicting the starting lineup this weekend, but my best guess is:

Hahnemann

Foley
Craddock
Berra
Ward

Jarvis
Mancienne
Jones
van Damme

Fletcher
SEB

The logic is that Mick will revert to the side that overcame Stoke on the opening day of the season, with Mancienne for Henry the only change from that eleven. I have a sneaky suspicion Doyle won’t make it (nothing has been said as I write this) so SEB will hopefully be granted the opportunity he deserves to get back amongst the goals. Stephen Hunt should also be in contention but I expect he’ll be named amongst the substitutes as he continues his return from injury.

Prediction League

Only Stourbridge Wolf picked up the maximum last time out correctly predicting a 2-0 defeat at Wigan, but Jed, Dazza in Brisbane, Mark Davies and Lawro all said we’d lose so it’s a point a piece for all of those clever chaps.

You’ll all be glad to know that I remain on top of the overall table (it never gets old saying that).

This weekend, I’m going for a 1-1 draw but hoping the footballing gods smile down and bless us with a victory to lift the dark cloud hanging overhead. It’s been a miserable month.

As always, if you want to join in with the Prediction League, simply leave your prediction for each game in the comment section of the official preview (such as this one).

If you’re going to Molineux this weekend, have a great time and get right behind the lads.

Up The Wolves.

What did you make of the matches between the two sides last season?

West Ham spoiled the party last year

Jake: The first match, from a West Ham fan’s perspective, was pretty tough. It was the first game of the season, away to a newly promoted side. No team wants that. We were pretty lucky to win that game actually. Wolves game close, hit the crossbar, and tested Green quite a lot throughout the game. Milijas in particular, stood out and looked the real deal that match. Overall it was a pretty decent game of football which neither of the two teams really deserved to lose. It should have been a draw, but the Hammers took their chances.

Simon: A tale of two matches! The first game of the season when we beat you gave us some hope for the season, by the time we played you again we had a slightly different perspective. You mullered us but I hope we get some revenge this Saturday.

Dean: Good battles, opening game of the season there is no form but thought we edged it and took our chances. The game at Upton Park I thought you deserved the win, Doyle was fantastic.

Michael: I’m assuming you mean the 2-0 victory at Molineux and not the drubbing at Upton Park. To win away at newly promoted Wolves last season was a great result. You never know what to expect from a newly promoted side during the first few games of the season as they play without the fear factor. However Noble produced one of our goals of the season and to keep a clean sheet was also another bonus. It was also, would you believe, the last time West Ham have won away in the league so a victory at Molineux again is exactly what we need.

How would you sum up West Ham’s start to the season?

Jake: Poor. Very poor in fact. To be quite honest, this is just typical West Ham all over. We’re the sort of team that would beat Man United one week, and then lose to Wigan the next. However, I fancied us strongly against Aston Villa on our first game of the season, until I saw our starting line-up! In our first 3 league games we’ve shipped in three goals. However, as it stands we’re on a four unbeaten run. Which will hopefully be extended after the Wolves game!

Simon: Not as bad as some would have you believe. We lost to the Champions and the runners up and were still finding our feet in the games against Villa and Bolton but we’ve got some good rhythm now and are un-beaten in four.

Dean: Expected, we are a confidence side with lots of players who do not perform without high confidence i.e Carlton Cole & Upson. I believe we have now turned the corner.

Michael: This season has not started off great, however the fixtures we faced in the opening 6 games where probably the hardest run of fixtures any team had this season. West Ham have turned things around with draws away at Stoke and a win against arch rivals Tottenham, and we are finally believing we can take points off the next coming fixtures.

Is Avram Grant the right man for the job?

Jake: Time will tell. I’ve always thought of Avram as a cup manager. What he done at Portsmouth last season was pretty special. Although they faced relegation, he got them to an FA Cup final. Who knows what would have happened if they’d hadn’t of received that points deduction. He doesn’t really show much emotion, truth be told, but hopefully we’ll give him a good amount of time to function. Hopefully he’ll add some decent players to the squad in January, and not eye-brow raising garbage like Tal Ben-Haim, and Piquionne who looks to be coming good. We are still in the League Cup though, so who knows what this season could bring?

Simon: I was happy with his appointment and he has done well so far

Dean: Yes he has made some good signings to key areas and is now making strong decisions i.e dropping Carlton, giving Da Costa a regular start at CB and leaving out the woeful Spector for Gabbidon at LB. I believe we have now turned the corner.

Michael: I was not sure about Avran Grants appointment or some of the signings he had made over the summer. However he has worked with pretty much an non existent budget this summer and has brought pace and width to the team which we so desperately needed. Summer signings such as Piquionne, Obinna and Jacobsen have settled well.

Which of your players should we be worried about on Saturday?

Jake: Robert Green. I was at the Villa, West Ham season opener, and the bitter crowd kept booing him when he got the ball for obvious reasons. He’s rock-bottom on confidence. However, people just suddenly dismiss him as if he’s a really poor keeper which he isn’t. He’s played something like 120 consecutive league games with us. But I can see the Wolves faithful giving him a bit of a hard time. Carlton Cole also. He’s being kept out of the team by Victor Obinna and Frederic Piquionne, and he certainly hasn’t lived up to this media England hype. He’s been really frustrating to watch, and if he does play, I can see him being kept out by Craddock.

Simon: Scott Parker is one of the best midfielders in the country for me at the moment. Watch out for Victor Obinna as well, the guy is tough and will give you some problems

Dean: Obinna is a real threat and has more consistency than Diamanti. Parker will rarely lose the ball and win it back many times.

Michael: On Saturday Wolves should worry about Piquionne. He has scored 3 in the last 3 games and is really hitting form. His partnership with Obinna is keeping Charlton Cole out of the team at present and is really making West Ham a real attacking force which we have not been for some time.

Which player or players do you see as being the main threat from Wolves?

Jake: If I’m being totally honest, Wolves haven’t got a Premiership quality squad. I mean, there’s only one or two players I’d probably welcome into the West Ham 11. They’re more of a hard working resiliant unit, than a fast flowing footballing side. Steven Fletcher and Kevin Doyle are both decent strikers. And if they do play, I can see them causing us problems. However, apart from decent strikers, they don’t seem to have a midfield player that could consistantly cause us problems. Hold on a minute – I forgot about Jarvis! Great player. He should be floating around the England squad in my opinion. Our RB could have a job on his hands against him!

Simon: Doyle is a decent player and anyone with Van-Damme in their name has to be watched carefully!

Dean: Not sure on current fitness but I really rate Jones and Doyle. Seems crazy that Jones is gonna be out of contract this summer.

Michael: West Ham will see Steven Fletcher as Wolves main threat. He has netted 3 times already this season and has an eye for goal. Hopefully Robert Green can continue his form from the Tottenham game and frustrate Steven Fletcher whenever he gets an opportunity.

What’s your opinion on Wolves being labeled ‘a dirty side’?

Jake: Wolves aren’t a dirty side. It’s just knee-jerk media trash. Nobody would even talk about this if it was in the summer. However, Karl Henry’s antics in the past few weeks or so have been pretty shameful. It’s a shame because he’s actually a pretty decent player, but all of a sudden, he’s been singled out as the ring leader of a dirty team. It’s pretty un-called for. Stoke and Blackburn are a lot worse.

Simon: Hmmm, how do I answer this without having the wrath of the Wolves fans on my site?! I just hope you are not as bad as Stoke! I think the sending off of Karl Henry might have given you a bit of a wake up call, eyes seem to be on you at the moment so I think it would be silly if you went OTT on Saturday. But our lads are not shy and will give as good as they get.

Dean: Disagree completely. I run a team and if we were playing someone in a similar vein to Arsenal I would absolutely send my players out to get in their faces and tackle hard from the start. It is the referees job to enforce the rules and the players job to get away with what they can without going too far and getting sent off, split second individuals decisions. Its a mans game and a contact sport. If Wolves or West Ham played Arsenal in a non contact game we would both lose heavily due to their superior passing game but they are not a big or strong side and can be out muscled, dominated physically and got at mentally. You have to play to your strengths.

Michael: I think its unfair to call Wolves ‘a dirty side’. Its put of the game of football where tackles are flying in to win the ball in such a competitive league. What I deem to be ‘dirty’ is when players dive to win free kicks or to get other plays sent off.

What’s your prediction for Saturday?

Jake: Heart says 2-1 West Ham. Head says draw. We’re due an away win sometime soon. Either way, I get personal compensation anyway due to betting on West Ham to lose every week, just in case. As if we do lose, I get money, whereas if we win it’s happy days. I’ll go for a 2-1 West Ham win though. Noble and Piquionne for us – Fletcher for them.

Simon: Tough game, but I think we can do it, so I will say 2-1 to the Hammers. But I hope you have a good season, I can certainly think of 3 teams I’d like to see get relegated more than Wolves!

Dean: 2-3 to West Ham

Michael: 2-1 to West Ham. Wolves to go 1-0 up in the first half and West Ham to come out a new team second half and take 3 points.

So there you have it. Some excellent points and four contrasting views tied together by the same prediction, that West Ham will beat Wolves on Saturday.

To quote a former Wolves legend who knows a bit about football: “All over the pitch, Wolves have been quicker, sharper and hungrier than West Ham.”

Zubar superbly smashed home the second

Andy Gray was underplaying it with his summary, as we completely took the piss out of West Ham from the first minute to the last.

Nobody could have predicted a 3-1 win at Upton Park, and a performance that had more poetry about it than a bunch of daffodils and William Wordsworth.

Poetic that porn baron David Sullivan had to suffer in silence in his utterly preposterous winter jacket.

Poetic that he could probably do with Steve Bruce or Alex McCleish right now after treating them so shabbily at Blues, while his current manager ‘rested’ Parker, Cole and co on Saturday as he lined up a home banker against Wolves – without the Premier League batting an eye-lid.

But enough of them lot. Well done Mick, well done lads, you’ve done us proud. And not for the first time.

Kevin Doyle led from the front again and deserved yet another man-of-the-match award, but could probably split it 11 ways as every single player looked in a different league.

How good were we?! This felt like more than a result and more than 3 points. It was a marker to the whole of the footballing world that we do posses Premier League class and can fit into all of those annoying clichés that are usually reserved for others.

Goals of Premier League quality, a Premier League performance, and an ability to seize on errors as only Premier League sides can.

You can hear it now: ‘Don’t give Wolves space or they’ll punish you.’ Hooray!

Elokobi, in at left back, looked every inch a Premier League left back, while Henry and Jones looked like they’d been bossing the Boleyn Ground all their lives. I needn’t have worried about Mancienne replacing Adlene either.

And what about the others? Craddock and Zubar made Cole about as effective as he was at Molineux all those seasons ago, while Zubar has gone from a French speaking squad player to one of the first names on the team-sheet.

Watching him leather in the second was the most jaw dropping TV moment since Keith Chegwin got his dick out on Channel 5.

I promptly got mine out when I saw the net bulge, and had barely tucked it away before Jarvis, our most improved and most potent player, made it 3.

The goals were simplicity and beauty personified, and strikes to make Wayne Rooney an extra few grand, if it was him who had scored them.

Hahnemann, with shiny bald pate offering more reassurance than Michael Winner, continued to guide and prompt his troops on the few occasions he was troubled.

“Calm down dear, it’s a through-ball that I’m going to smother. Calm down dear, it’s a dangerous cross that I’m going to eat.”

This result, more than any other in 2 years of Premier League experience, was the most complete and most enjoyable, saying more about our immediate future than I could have ever dreamt possible.

The last word goes to Mick, who surmised: “My teams always work hard. If they don’t, then they don’t get a shirt.

“It was significant, of course it was. If any other team can put a run together like we just have, then good luck to them.”

Spring has sprung, and so has my arsehole as the advent of this hope-laden period signals the real beginning of the football season.

Mick: Was under pressure last season

Most pundits say the league table doesn’t take shape until you’re 6 games in. Not according to my old man, who would give me a slap if he caught me playing with my Score League Ladders before March.

So now the lambs are skipping about, it’s safe to have a look. We’re 16th with 8 games left.

And with that in mind, it will be time for me to ramp up my perennial OCDs with immediate effect in an attempt to keep us in the league.

As our Championship winning campaign began to waver around February, my foibles became more prolific than SEB, as a load of inexplicable rituals came to the fore, two examples of many are below.

· As I shuffled along row Q to get to my seat against Watford, I accidentally kicked an empty balti pie dish with my left foot. Fearing that my bi-rhythms had been affected, I had to ferret on the floor for the piece of crumpled foil, just so I could kick it with the exact amount of force with my right foot, to even out any imbalance.

The impromptu pie dish hunt generated as much noise as I’ve ever heard in the Billy Wright Stand, as half of WV6 screamed ‘SIT DOWN YOU IDIOT.’ We won 3-1 so it was worth it.

· And then there was our 1-0 win at Sheffield Wednesday, when SEB scored after 5 minutes. For the remaining 85 minutes I sat crouched on my living room chair, clenching the radio aerial exactly as I first held it, for the remainder of the game.

One slip, one movement away from my near fetal position and we would have conceded. Fact. Despite my living room being 80 miles from Hillsbrough, and not entering the field of play at any point. Again, we won, so I felt I earned the beers that evening.

But just as I thought I could consign such stupidity to the dustbin this season, back came the behavior when we were hanging on for dear life at Turf Moor the other week.

As I paced the living room listening to WM (digital set, by now), Burnley’s attacks got more and more relentless. They’d have scored for sure if I had sat back down, or changed one single dynamic of my living room set-up.

It was at that point that my old University friend (who was visiting for the first time in years) decided to stand up alongside me in an attempt to share my burden.

The carpet barely found the balls of his feet before I threw him back onto the sofa with such force that his wife asked me what my problem was.

“I’ll tell you what my problem is. Robbie Blake hit the post at the precise moment that Chris stood up. He should know better.”

Don’t think we’ll be seeing them for a while. But as for my inexplicable OCDs…I think I’ll be seeing a lot more of them between now and May 9th. I apologise in advance!

THIS MATCH IS POSTPONED (IN CASE YOU HAVEN’T HEARD)

Upton Park will be a hostile arena come Sunday, when Wolves take to the field. Undoubtedly, this is a massive match, a classic six-pointer and could well prove pivotal come the end of the season.

West Ham will be absolutely desperate to get the win to boost them clear of the bottom three, but if we can leave with a positive result, it will make a bold statement of intent about our own survival ambitions.

Mick knows a win would boost Wolves up the table

But that begs the question, what represents a good result for Wolves?

As Mick McCarthy pointed out, if we’re good enough to beat Spurs at White Hart Lane, we’re definitely capable of taking three points off the Hammers on their home turf. We’re almost certain to go there and play 4-4-2, so I’d like to think that a win isn’t completely out of the question.

Personally though, I wouldn’t be too disappointed to leave East London with a draw. I believe four points from our next two games (the other match being Wigan at home) would represent a good return and judging by the results in our recent poll (see the right sidebar), the majority of Wolves fans agree.

I’m expecting to see our best players on display for this one, which means a team of:

Hahnemann

Stearman
Berra
Craddock
Ward

Foley
Henry
Milijas
Jarvis

Doyle
SEB

I wouldn’t like to see a side much different to this one if I’m being honest. Playing Mancienne in midfield alongside Henry would be overly negative, but it wouldn’t surprise me to see that. Zubar is another option at right-back, but I think McCarthy sees Stearman as a reliable choice for big matches. So in essence, I expect to see almost the exact same team that defeated Spurs and gave Liverpool a run for their money at Anfield.

One thing I wouldn’t expect from this fixture is for it to be as open and expansive as the match the two teams played out at Molineux on the opening day. I think West Ham came into that game thinking they would just play their own game and that would be enough to get the result, which it eventually was. But I don’t believe the Hammers have that luxury this weekend because Wolves are a more organised unit, so it should be much tighter.

Even though I’ve said that a draw would be a good result, I’m going to stick my neck out and forecast an away win. If we can nullify their attacking threat, I believe we’ll create chances at the other end and I’d back us to score at least once.

2-1 to Wolves and Doyle to score first.

If you’re heading ‘down sowf’ to watch the match, have a great time and get behind the lads.

Up The Wolves.

Namely, that the Premier League is as intensely tough and ruthless as it is downright cruel.

Enjoying time on the ball, plenty of possession and attacking the South Bank end, it felt like this Premier League lark wasn’t anything to be scared of after all.

But alas, like a slap in the face with a wet kipper, West Ham went and scored a beautiful goal through Noble – a 20 yard effort you could barely class as a chance, more of as a goal of the month contender.

Then all of a sudden, our earlier chances through a missed SEB header, a Jarvis skyer and a Keogh air shot were immediately elevated from ‘a touch wasteful’ to profligate.

Matt Jarvis - End product wasn't good enough

The fact that Robert Green was West Ham’s best player tells its own story.

Only George Michael in the back of his Range Rover could possibly stink of leather more than Green, such were the shots that were pounding in on him, start of the second half particularly.

I thought we were really encouraging in stages and the shape of the team was spot on.

So it was a shame Noble went and spoilt things, just when we were threatening to lay down an impressive marker.

There were loads of positives. Stephen Ward, assigned the task of shackling the incredibly quick Dyer, looked assured and impressive, and actually caused me to think that the left back slot need not be so problematic this season.

Henry and Milijas were a big plus, paticularly the Serb who looks like he could be a new cult hero in the making, particularly after we saw him winding up his left peg at the start of the second half.

Jarvis, faced against a pretty competent looking Faubert, also suggested that he could impress this season, so long as his final ball is better than it was today.

But as the second half continued, SEB looked more detached from Keogh, Jarvis or anyone else and I started feeling sorry for him as he ploughed a lone furrow in a formation that so obviously doesn’t suit him. He struggled.

And it was he who missed our most guilt edged chance after an hour or so, when we enjoyed a 10 minute purple patch.

After we’d conceded from a corner that Hennessey surely had to come and catch, we looked a bit ragged and stretched, which was to be expected, particularly when Sylvan hobbled off near the end.

Basically, if you weren’t at the game today and want more about how we played, then I reckon you should just close your eyes and think about how you thought it would be…You’ll get closer to it than reading my ramblings.

Loads of endeavour, loads of heart and a load of passion that fills you with pride. But predictably, there’s that niggling sense of regret that you’re watching a team that is not quite as prepared as you thought it would be.

Tom’s Player Ratings

Here’s Tom’s player-by-player rundown of Saturday’s performance:

Wayne Hennessy

7/10 – Made some good blocks and fielded and kicked well as usual. There’s still that question mark over whether he commands his area as well as he could and it looked like he could have come for the cross for that second goal.

Kevin Foley

8/10 – Mr. Reliable himself delivered the kind of performance you’d expect from him for 38 games in this campaign. Looked good on the ball and cleaned up most things that came his way. Although I’m sure greater tests await him this season, he passed this first one with flying colours.

Michael Mancienne

8/10 – A classy performance from a class act. He read the game perfectly throughout and covered well on a few occasions. He looked much stronger than I remember him being and it was disappointing to see him go off. Hopefully we’ll see a lot more of him this season, as I think we really need him.

Jody Craddock

6/10 – Competed well in the air with Cole and looked like he enjoyed playing alongside Mancienne. That being said, he did get caught out on a few occasions by West Ham’s pace and movement and he was certainly culpable for losing Upson from that corner for the second goal.

Stephen Ward

8/10 – Great performance from Ward who looked composed on the ball and dealt with Faubert’s marauding runs throughout. When he gets forward to support the midfield, he also looks like he can make something happen. His performance was a big plus for Wolves yesterday and he did a lot to silence his critics. That being said, he’ll be given far greater examinations defensively this season.

Greg Halford

8/10 – A really encouraging performance from one of the signings we all questioned. Smashed in one stinging shot that Green did well to palm away. His ability in the air and that huge throw-in will both come in very handy throughout the course of the season. I’ve always liked this guy as I think he leaves everything on the pitch and he isn’t afraid to get stuck-in. I can see him becoming a big favourite if he maintains the standard he set in this match.

Karl Henry

9/10 – Just pips Milijas to the Man-of-the-Match champagne in my opinion. He tracked back throughout and looked as good as anything West Ham had. His partnership with the Serbian international could be very successful if these early signs are anything to go by.

Nenad Milijas

9/10 – This guy really looks the business to me. Composed on the ball, competes well both in the air and on the ground and never seems flustered. Desperately unlucky not to get on the scoresheet with a few decent efforts and his passing was of the highest quality, culminating in that delicious through-ball for SEBs golden chance.

Matt Jarvis

6/10 – I can’t tell you how highly I rate Matty Jarvis but this just wasn’t his day. Time and time again we worked the ball out to him in space and he never once delivered a telling ball into the area. The frustrating thing was that he constantly had the beating of his full-back but always seem to rush his approach. That being said, his incisive running was once again a very useful tool to have and he was a great outlet down the left. His final ball must improve though if he’s too keep his place in the starting XI.

Andy Keogh

8/10 – The best I’ve seen him play for a long, long time. Enjoyed the space and time on the ball more than anyone else and constantly linked up the play. One ball dropped for him in the box and he typically miscued, but other than that, it was a tidy performance that was full of promise. If I was being cynical, maybe I’d say that if Doyle had been fit, we might have been more of a threat in and around the box, but that would be very unfair on the young striker.

SEB

7/10 – A hard day at the office for Wolves’ number 9. Tried his best to hold the ball up and work openings, but you have to say that Upson and Collins did a great job of shackling him. Had his moment with that one on one but couldn’t find a way passed the impenetrable Robert Green in the Hammers’ goal. We all hope his injury isn’t serious as we’re already lacking firepower. Much more to come from our top marksman.

Substitutes

Richard Stearman

7/10 – Came on for Mancienne and gave everything for the cause. I’d question whether he could have dealt better with the ball over the top, which resulted in him giving the corner away for the second goal. He has this problem with diving in when he doesn’t need to and must learn to stay on his feet more. If he can do that, there’s a top-class centre-half in there who could do very well in the Premiership.

Sam Vokes

7/10 – Came on when the game was turning in West Ham’s favour and when SEB limped off, he was left alone up front and given no chance. It would be completely unfair to judge him on this performance and I hope he gets a decent crack of the whip in future games to show what he can do.

Dave Edwards

7/10 – No time to make a real impact but as usual was full of running. Unfortunately, I’m not sure Big Dave has the quality on the ball to be first-choice this season but I hope he can prove me wrong. He’s certainly got a great engine and gets around the pitch, but at the moment, I’m sure he’ll only be used an impact sub when needed.

What are your player ratings? Leave a comment with yours below. I’m very interested to see if there are any significant differences.

It’s time to stop talking (for a few hours at least) and finally (FINALLY!) watch some football. There’s now nothing left to focus on other than our opponents – West Ham United.

SEB needs to find his feet quickly in the Premiership

When the fixtures were first announced I think we were all pretty happy with the Hammers first up at home, as it’s a game we have a decent chance of taking something from. But over the weeks, I’m sure like me you’ve started to think about them in more detail and the quality players they have at their disposal.

Take a look at the spine of their team: Robert Green in goal who was England’s number 1 last Wednesday against the Dutch. Matthew Upson in defence, England’s third choice centre half behind Terry and Ferdinand. Scott Parker running the midfield alongside the pace and attacking flair of Dyer (when he’s fit) and then Carlton Cole up front, a player we know quite well.

On top of all that, they’ve drafted in a very useful little player from Inter Milan called Jimenez, who big things are expected from. They can also call people like Dean Ashton off their bench should things not be going their way, which really underlines why they’ve become an established Premiership club.

Their backroom staff isn’t too shabby either with Zola’s vision and flair married to the undoubted coaching qualities of Steven Clarke, who Chelsea really didn’t want to let go. They took the Hammers from relegation-threatened to European-challengers in just a few months last time out, so who knows what they can achieve with a full campaign ahead of them.

All that aside though, do I think Wolves can get a result? You’re flippin’ right I do.

If Mick can get the balance of the team right on the day and all our players come out fighting, I really believe there’s every chance we can get the win or at the very least, a draw. I’m not suggesting for one moment that we’re a better team than West Ham, but on opening day at Molineux, we’ve got a real chance to get under their skin and make life incredibly difficult for them.

That being said, I think if we want to get a result we’ll have to score at least once, as I can’t see us keeping a clean sheet. But if everything clicks into place, I think we’ve got enough about us going forward to really work their defence and create a few openings. Then of course we’re relying heavily on SEB to do the business when the chances come his way. Do I have faith in him? What do you think?

My prediction: 2-1 Wolves and SEB to score the first goal.

Predictions and first goalscorer below please.

Enjoy the match.

Up The Wolves.