Running on empty
December 22, 2011 By
If there’s one thing worse than buying pointless Christmas presents that nobody wants to open, then it’s the realisation that the MOT is overdue and the tax disc needs renewing.
Any festive spirit melted like piddle-ridden snow when I realised my treasured Ford Focus needed significant investment to maintain its roadworthy status.
Too many miles on the clock you see.
Clocking up the miles
Previously reliable filters and brake pads are packing up under the strain of the modern day commute.
A bit like Mick McCarthy’s Wolves team, which should really be no worse than it was in 2009/10 when the sum of its parts are assessed.
Unfortunately however, it is.
Take Kevin Doyle, the best lone centre forward I have had the pleasure of watching in a Wolves shirt, who has since been thrashed to the point of write-off.
For a third successive season, he has been running frantically to stand still, as have one or two others in a gold shirt.
Forget the misleading soundbites that we are just about better off than at this stage last season, because we are clearly not.
Comparing last season’s corresponding fixtures to this, we are four points worse off right now - and nine if you factor in this season’s two point total from the three promoted teams at home compared to a seven point haul from last season’s relegated outfits at Molineux.
In other words, we are like my Ford Focus, which used to fly through its MOT tests but no longer has the engine to replicate past performances.
Only Ronald Zubar, Stephen Fletcher and Matt Jarvis (and Hennessey of course) look anything like Premier League quality these days.
It is no coincidence, bearing in mind they have far more fuel in their tanks than so many of their team mates.
And thereby lies the tale for Mick McCarthy and his admirable – if not backfiring – team of workaholics.
Mark McGhee’s fatal flaw was his great big gob, Graham Taylor’s was an England skeleton in his closet while Colin Lee’s was a signing in the shape of Robert Taylor.
It is a measure of Mick McCarthy as a man that his fatal flaw is honest hard work.
Like my trusted Ford Focus, there have been some memorable journeys that I’ll always be indebted to, but three years of full throttle, 90 minute outings are evidently unsustainable.
Not without a hefty repair bill, or a sportier new model altogether.
Wolves sign Icelandic midfielder
December 21, 2011 By
First in and hopefully not last
So Wolves have already concluded their first piece of business of the January transfer window, by bringing Hearts midfielder Eggert Jonsson to Molineux for a (you guessed it) undisclosed fee.
However, the BBC are reporting that the amount paid is around the £200,000 mark, so perhaps the bigger bucks are being held-back for other areas of the squad.
Read the story on the official site here.
Does anyone know a single thing about this guy? I certainly don’t.
Naturally, we all need to give him a chance to show what he can do before passing judgement but after being linked with more established Premier League names, I can’t help but feel a little disappointed.
Perhaps more worrying is the fact that a lot of Hearts supporters don’t seem that bothered that he’s leaving.
Still, the likes of Guedioura and Hammill have come in over the last two seasons and made contributions, so whose to say Jonsson won’t be another?
I think we can all be in agreement that Wolves need to do serious business in January, so this really should be the first of a few signings.
Wolves 2 Norwich 2
December 21, 2011 By
If only we could have swapped the first 30 minutes of the Stoke game with this one, then we’d probably be sat in 14th place looking forward to Christmas.
Unfortunately for us all, we can’t get the opening stages of this fixture back, just like we can’t rewind the clock to rectify the wretched second half showing on Saturday.
In an often pulsating game with 23 shots on target, the one big paradox is that there’s nothing much to talk about on the pitch.
Not quite poor enough for the ‘Mick Out’ brigade to shout too loudly, and not quite good enough to get the three points.
Gercha! Thumping header from Zubar
Just stuck in 17th place for what feels like a lifetime and a tasteless crumb of comfort through that little word called ‘if.’
Despite the woeful Adam Hammill late header, the Fletcher offside decision and the hopeless performance of Roger Johnson, there is nothing much left to see here folks.
Everything that happens from now on is largely immaterial in comparison to the moving and shaking that simply has to happen in January.
We all know that the players are a stoic, committed bunch and we all know they will sweat blood for the cause.
What I know on last night’s showing is that with three quality additions in January, we will become a decent Premier League team.
Our second half performance was as progressive as I can remember and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute – until Norwich scored a thoroughly preventable goal that no other team in this league would ever get caught out with.
It was naive, soft, weak and it underlines why we will get relegated unless something is done in January.
If Nedem Onoura comes in to partner the quite brilliant Christophe Berra (and that was an understatement) we will shore up our defence immeasurably.
If Kenwyne Jones is signed to partner Steven Fletcher, then the goals will be scored far more freely.
And if the speed of Lewis McGugan replaces the one-paced Hunt and offsets the near-unplayable Matt Jarvis, then we will mount more attacks than ever.
The big if now is whether Steve Morgan will make these deals – or similar signings of this ilk – a reality come January 1.
If he doesn’t, then he doesn’t need me to tell him where we’ll end up.
Wolves Vs Norwich Preview
December 19, 2011 By
If our back-to-back pre-Christmas home games were indeed supposed to be an indicator of what the second half of the season has in store, then this match certainly falls under the category of ‘must-win’.
SEB got a hat-trick in a 3-3 draw the last time Norwich were in town
Losing to Stoke, particularly having lead, was a difficult pill to swallow, but should Wolves not register the three points in this one it will mean they’ve failed to overcome any of the three promoted teams at Molineux.
Now that’s galling.
Norwich represent an altogether different challenge to Stoke.
They won’t be as tight at the back, but equally they aren’t afraid to get it down and pass, which means the battle could be won and lost in midfield.
Nenad Milijas was superb for an hour on Saturday (in my opinion at least), but as his influence waned, so did the performance of the team.
For some reason we stopped looking for the simple passes and started surrendering possession cheaply, which ultimately played into Stoke’s hands.
The Team
We know that Edwards and O’Hara remain sidelined, so the question is will Mick shuffle the pack with the limited options he has available?
I would strongly consider dropping Doyle and playing an extra midfielder, but I don’t think he’ll do that. I reckon we’ll see the same eleven from Saturday:
Hennessey, Zubar, Johnson, Berra, Ward, Henry, Milijas, Hunt, Jarvis, Doyle, Fletcher
Even if we stick with 442, I think it would be worth giving SEB a run-out to see if he can get a couple of goals. I’m one of Doyle’s biggest fans but I think it would do him good to be taken out for a game or two.
Hammill and Guedioura would be the only other two players really knocking on the door for a start, but neither did much in their cameos on Saturday to enhance their chances.
Prediction League
Not many went for a Stoke win at the weekend, with only 7 people correctly guessing the outcome.
Ventura Highway was the only 1 of those 7 to get the 2-1 scoreline. Well done to him for getting the maximum 3 points. Everyone else takes a single point.
We need the win tomorrow and I think we’ll get it.
I’m expecting a fairly open game with both teams getting chances and scoring goals.
Lets go for a bold 3-2 to Wolves.
If you’re at Molineux tomorrow night, have a great time and get right behind the lads.
Up The Wolves.
Latest Comment
“We'd never afford his wages, and I doubt he'd drop down anyway. Wouldn't be surprised if he retires now. ”