Like a mighty oak tree succumbing to the rigours of Mother Nature, the Big Man has been felled.
No sooner had we kicked off our pre season than my hero, Big Chris Iwelumo, had broken a bone in his foot. Not the best footing to start your tour of Australia on.
It’s a shame we have lost the bear-sized brute. I honestly thought he would be a dark horse this season, giving us a welcome option at the start of the campaign. Can’t think of the likes of Micah Richards, Matthew Upson and co coming up against a proposition quite like the Scotsman.
So it’s typical that the Aussies are smashing us to bits over in Cardiff for the Ashes, while simultaneously mutilating our terrace hero on the football pitch. Another reason to hate the convict colony!
But we have strength in depth, so I am hoping he will not be missed too much. The injury brings back memories of other unlucky players…Some inducing more pain in my heart than others.
Crocks like Tony Daley, Geoff Thomas, Steve Froggatt, Dean Richards and John de Wolf really bloody hurt. Not to mention Chris Marsden, Adie Williams and Matty Murray (to name but few)
It was always one of life’s mysteries why players such as Darren Ferguson, Mark Rankine and more latterly Neill Collins never spent time on the treatment table. Sod’s law.
The good news is that we won 1-0. The old adage of not caring about the result certainly has some validity, but it is always nice to win.
The 1-0 reversal at Wrexham’s Racecourse Ground had some fans reaching for the Prozac last year before a proper ball had been kicked. And judging by our phenomenal start to the season, there was really no cause to panic.
I recall a pre-season game against Southampton back in the days of old, when le Tissier and, if memory serves, Shearer, lined up for the Saints.
We beat them 2-0 in what I remembered was one of the easiest processions ever seen at Molineux. So imagine a young boy skipping away from the family enclosure, rejoicing at what had to be an immediate promotion to the Promised Land.
My logic followed that if we beat a top flight team 2-0, who had beaten champions Liverpool the previous season, then technically we were the best team in England.
Shame we finished 13th, or somewhere near that obscure part of the table. For the first and by no means last time, my naivety was exposed!
The best we can hope from this pre-season is that the rest of the players remain injury free and raring to go come West Ham, with some victories to breed more confidence.
Maybe even a signing or two between now and then? To quote George Michael…”Heal the Pain!”
“Can’t think of the likes of Micah Richards, Matthew Upson and co coming up against a proposition quite like the Scotsman.”
Peter Crouch, Kanu, Adebyor…I think they’re all taller than him, but you’re right, he’d have been useful to throw into the mix, but if anything it clears the way for the Doyle/Blake starting line up that everyone is lusting after.
No real plan B though. Which is worrying. Other than Keogh…and I’m iffy on that as being our Premiership plan B.
I think Vokes could make an impact in the air if we’re looking for something different or a focal point for our attack.
That being said, Ben is right about Iwelumo. He really does offer something different. Although I see what Toby is saying about Crouch, Adebayor and the like, for me Iwelumo is another proposition altogether. He has his own very distinctive style. At his best he’s like a battering ram, which makes him very handy against teams that are difficult to breakdown.
We love the Big Man at Wolves Blog!