‘The trouble with Black Country supporters,’ grumbled a particularly downbeat West Brom manager Alan Buckley many years ago, ‘is that their highs are way too high and their lows are too low.’
I’ve always thought that the old slap head had a point, even if the reason for his eventual Hawthorns sacking was more to do with his own shortcomings than his supporters’.
Take the last few days as a Wolves fan.
No sooner had we all mulled over the feasibility of a top 12 finish on Friday than we were all watching QPR on Monday night with mingled fear and anxiety.
Not sure we fancy playing them lot at the weekend all of a sudden! Not when Superman has his cape at the ready for an injured Stephen Fletcher!
That’s the trouble you see…We didn’t strengthen our squad sufficiently when the transfer window was closing.
But there again, we didn’t have to with seven points on the board from three games did we?!
To thoroughly understand a Wolves fan’s mindset is a very complicated task, yet somehow straightforward when putting it in writing – such is the contradicting vagaries that caused Buckley to lose his hair.
We win therefore we evolve.
We lose and we sulk. And then look at the results of Norwich City, Swansea City and Blackburn Rovers within 1 minute as a new-found matter of ritual (if not necessity).
Those highs, soaring in the region of the North Bank second tier, coupled with lows in the vicinity of the front row of a stand that will look bloody stupid if we ever get relegated.
The twisted mental anguish isn’t helped by the great yawning chasms between fixtures which we never seemed to suffer when burping our way through the bubbles of Coca-Cola.
Not that we want to go back there any time soon. Never!
So if someone offered you a 17th placed finish on a plate right now, would you take it and lie in the same dark room you ran for on May 22, or would you politely decline the offer?
Either pragmatism is completely underrated or Alan Buckley was right all along, because if we finished 17th again – no matter the financial implications of doing so – I’d be pretty gutted at the prospect of 20 odd more defeats out of 38.
Your thoughts?
To answer your question directly Benny Boy – no I wouldn’t accept 17th.
I genuinely believe this team is capable of better.
I think we’ll bob up and down the table throughout the season, but finishing somewhere in the middle isn’t beyond the realms of possibility.
That said, getting relegated isn’t that unlikely either, such are the thin margins of success and failure in the Premiership.
Much will probably depend on the injury situation and whether or not we strengthen again in January.
Ive bored myself in repeating myself – Had we had 1/2 points on the board during the transfer window, we wouldve pushed the boat out on another signing, maybe a loan signing as well. The fact we had 7 points might come round to haunt us. Look, we are now taking our ‘left back’ Stephen Ward to play up front Saturday because we have injuries. What happens if Ward or Elokobi get injured?
Basically, we have one of the smallest squads in the Prem this season and I just hope it doesnt work against us. Up the Wolves
I personally would accept 17th and another glorious year of football first on a Saturday night and the premier league millions. I would prefer it not to go down to the last 15 minutes of the season though! I know that is pretty sad, but just look at Blues (and without sounding like a snob: the quality of football in the Championship is rubbish from what I have seen so far!)
My mate bumped into the Wolves squad in Birmingham airport preseason and was ear wigging O’Hara and Johnson having a conversation on how they thought the season would go. From what he heard they were commenting on how injuries and a bit of luck is all that turns a mid table finish into a relegation battle! So those are the fine margins even the players recognise!
I’d like to see another couple of loan signings in January with the option to buy next summer. (Bassong from Spurs would be one! Still think we also need a left back, combative midfielder and 4th striker to make our squad a mid table cert!!!).
I hate to say it but we have to look to copy the blue print set by Stoke in terms of their ongoing team strengthening.
I believe that the difference between ending up 17th and, say 12th, will be just a few points this season. Only Swansea and Norwich seem destined to go down and there are only three top teams this season (The Manchester teams and Chelsea) and five or six destined to fight for the rest of the European places.
So actually predicting us ending up at 12th or 17th spot could be like throwing a dice. Would I take 17th now if I could? Nope!
I voiced concerns on previous blogs that we were too thin at the front, especially given the previous injury woes of Fletcher at almost exactly the same time last season and an often fragile Doyle.
The real killer though is left back Ward done brilliant and well deserves his week in week out spot (like many I was wrong about him and I hold my hands up on that one). Trouble is that he isn’t a left back he’s a “utility player” which means that any injury upfront will see him vacate that spot and leave left back in real peril.
Now I like Mick and he has done a great job but he is a bl**dy stubborn guy as he has endangered a really good team by ignoring the almost universal calls for a spare striker and a solid (yes expensive) left back. That is the real tragedy in this with just that bit extra we could really have been real contenders this season. I fear we will now drift down the table over the next few weks and will be in real trouble when we hit the Man City, Man Utd level sides.
I dearly hope I am wrong and in just a bad place and come QPR on Saturday I’ll be back on the Wolves rollercoaster up again but the feeling of dread says otherwise.
A grumpy Wolves fan.
PS Please please do NOT play Kightly again until he has had at least 6 hours of cup/reserve games. He is at least 18 months behind the squad and still plays like we are in the Chamionship, which will be rewared with a return there if we keep playing him! His positioning on Saturday was a disgrace and I really don’t want to watch him run terrier like back and forwards between players with no impact other than leaving acres of space for opposition midfielders to stroll into we have better alternatives sitting on the bench!-No doubt I’ll have some comments on that one!!
Pretty much agree with all that mate.
Not negative comments mate – I hear and agree with you. You have my support.
Please play Milijas this week end…..
Yes please play him, pretty please Mick….
I would accept the 17th position for sure. No question asked. The whole team is still developing, financially and players wise. Its very important to stay in the premier league again and again financially. Plus the club tries to keep the same players. Tough I see kevin Doyle extending his contract bit dodgy. We have a problem in midfield. Henry is not up to standard. He rips his heart out but its not an imaginative player who can work out possible attacking solutions. O hara alone cant do much. There were bullard, Barton available. And free transfers. Why the heck board didnt interest itself in these players? MM is a good man trying to get the best out of the team. We still need to develop our ground. We need money and premier league status will guarantee that. Wolves till I die. Chris Zarb from sunny Malta
Whats the panic? 4 matches gone 7 points! QPR on saturday ok it won’t be easy – no match should be in this league, but come on, if we can’t beat qpr then we might has well pack in and go back to the championship, all of a sudden “fans” are liking them to real madrid, barca, manure, citea, bloody hell it’s qpr.
And how have we got a smaller squad? Mick has named 24 has opposed to others 25 that we are allowed.
We have got to get on with it, and we ain’t lost fletch yet? even if we do then others have got to step up to the plate, over the next 6 matches I am looking at 10/12 points can’t see we getting anything at pool or citea (but then again niether did I see us getting anything at pool last season) but the others are all winable even the s**t.
We are Wolves………………Onwards and upwards.
The answer has got to be to go 4-5-1 surely and leave Ward where he is doing well as opposed to putting him up front. Lets stick Milijas in there and him and O’Hara can pass them off the park.
Of course we should stick at 17! Another season guaranteed in the Prem… Who would want to gamble that one?
No deal.
I am a little concerned by the strength in depth issue, the flat match at Villa park and the way our competitive edge disappeared like a puff of smoke for the last half hour against spurs.
I still think that our squad has enough talent, experience and grit and finish 15th or higher.
Look at Ward and Stearman. In our first season you would have to have been feeling generous to name them as Premiership standard players. Ward is OPTA left back of the month, Stearman was MOTM against Spurs, with a goal line clearance that was worth the entrance fee alone. There are plenty of other players who may not attract the interest of the big clubs, but who will cause them plenty of problems with their graft and determination.
There will no doubt be a few wobbles in the coming months, some abject performances against teams we should be dispatching with consummate ease, and also hopefully some memorable scraps with the big boys which might even get us written about in some of the national papers! (anyone else notice our involvement in the Spurs write up basically extended as far as the venue?) All of which will see us comfortably finish mid table with a few meaningless games at the end of the season, while we smugly watch the death throes of other teams who can’t match our graft!
COMB!
Meaningless games at the end of the season sounds great to me!!!!
45 points is a minimum target. If that means we finish 17th, fine! But, although last season the final day was eventually joyous, 40 points was not a big enough improvement on 38 when viewed in the cold light of off-season. If we are developing, we should be adding 5 points per season. We should have had 43 points last season, and not had the final-match anxiety. But that is now spilt milk. A year ago I would have wanted 48 points for this season, but I will now settle for 45 points. I will not settle for less than a five-point improvement for the second season running. For me, if we end up with less than 45, it will be time for Mick to move on. We are Wolves, onwards and upwards, preferably with Mick!
i expect us to finish above 17th i think 10th to 17th will be tight with points but i firmly believe we have enought to be 12th-14th. Our first 11 is fine with a couple of decent subs and yes we could come a cropper if there a lot of injurys but i think this runs true for a lot of teams Albion, Bolton, Everton to name a few. We have what we have and just have to get on with it. If Fletcher is out this weekend id go 4-5-1 and stick Milijas in have him spraying passes like no ones business and we will see what QPR new boys make of playing at a noisy Molineux
Reading the comments, “would you settle for” is ambiguous, isn’t it? Does it mean, “Will you be satisfied with Mick if we finish 17th?” The answer to that is no! If it was a real deal, the answer has to be yes. Of course, Wibbly is right if an actual deal was on the table–we would have to guarantee our Premier League survival. However, it would not be acceptable in our overall plan for progress.
I for one would be happy with 17th and another season in the premiership, but I believe that that this season there are more worse teams than last year i.e. Norwich, Swansea (although they are not getting hammered every week), i think they will struggle to score enough goals to stay up. Along with the above 2 i’ve already mentioned QPR will struggle, even though they strengthened in the transfer window with notable acquasitions such as Barton & Wright-Phillips, i did not think much of their other signings (A Ferdinand, L Young, A Traore). Also you have to look at at least another 5 sides that I think will all be fighting to avoid relegation with, Blackburn, Fulham, West Brom, Wigan and even Bolton – these are the sides that Wolves have to beat at home and hope not to lose away. As we are all well aware this was not what happened last year, hence why we were in a relegation dog fight. We have already beat Blackburn & Fulham at home which bodes well for the season.
I agree with most post comments with regards to the back four, we have looked far more a solid unit than last year, mainly I believe to be from the good organisation and leadership that Roger Johnson has bought to the club. Berra seems a totally different player, i for one was critical of him last year, no pace and positionally inept, and along with Wardy & Stears starting the season off well I hope that this continues.
I do not want to see Ward up front, Elokobi is an accident waiting to happen. Yes he’s committed as they come, but this does not get you through the game alone, especially in the prem.
I think henry had a poor game on Saturday, but up till then he has performed with credibility, he is the perfect partner for O’Hara at the moment, as we have no-one else in the squad who is disciplined enough to play the role. If someone can think of anyone else to play that role I would like to hear their comments.
Doyle & Fletcher were quiet last week, mainly due to the service from our 2 wide men, but also the fact that they came accross 2 excellent centre halfs in King & Kaboul. Doyle showed glimpses of what he can do, getting the ball down and keeping possession well, but seemed to lack support for most of the game.
As for transfer targets, I would like to see another striker on board, Vokes is not the answer, neither is Ebanks Blake when he returns. It’s just finding the right striker for the right money (including wages).
There have been rumours of McFadden, who I think could be a wild card, it’s just the fitness that obviously concerns most fans. Although you only have to look at Woodgate this year, to see that sometimes a gamble is worth the risk.
Onwards and upwards for the wolves.
East Park Wolfie.
I would stick on 17th. I think we’ll finish higher but what does a slightly higher finish actualy achieve? Has our 15th place finish proved any better than our 17th? What difference did it make? I would suggest only a few extra quid from prize money, a broader smile on our faces and possibly looking a more atractive proposition to new signings. Apart from that the downside of relegaion isn’t worh consiering so i would take 17th.
“What difference did it make? I would suggest only a few extra quid from prize money, a broader smile on our faces and possibly looking a more attractive proposition to new signings.”
Yes Kwolf, I think this is right, BUT I also think that all three of those differences deserve more weight than you apparently give to them … especially the last one.
So I would reject the offer of 17th place. Improvement begets improvement. Or something like that.
Good thought-provoking blog, BTW.
WOW ! You are all so easily pleased. No wonder McMuppet will be our manager for the next 500 years.
WE FAILED MISREABLY IN THE TRANSFE AS WE DIDNT SORT OUT THE DEFENCE…. when will you lot see the light…
FFS!!!!!!
Ok AD MANT! So where do you see us finishing this year? Top 4, maybe even challenging for the title. Get real – we have not got the cash to compete with the so called BIG 6 as it is now, yes I would be over the moon for a top half finish come the end of the season, as would the 23,000 season ticket holders we currently have, along with the numerous thousand other supporters.
We have to be realistic and another season in the premier league, whether we finish 17th, 14th, 10th or even better (obviously more money involved the higher you finish) can only be good for the club. Financially we are sound, the development of the Mol & the training ground shows that we are already moving in the right direction.. I would not like McMuppet as you call him to spend millions on players wages just to benefit the club for perhaps 1 season, the mercenaries will get fed up and leave and then we will be left with a hefty deficit and end up like Hull, Southampton, Leeds who all suffered by paying over the odds for so called world beaters, hoping then to cash in from a new owner to start rebuilding for the next 5-10 years.
Hear hear. Ad Mant is the Muppet. I only ever hear negative stuff from him. Does he follow Albion!!!
@Ad Mant at last someone removes their head from their arse! I agree completely fella. In real terms we signed one player in the transfer window and while he is a cracker, he cannot do it alone. Ward in NOT a left back, we have an extreme shortage of strikers and we really need a replacement for Henry.
Come xmas time expect us to be in the relegation pack.
This clubs biggest problem, aside from the stubborness of McCarthy is big fat greasy Jez Moxey – he alone is responsible for holding this club back in the transfer market!
Totally agree jed,just take a look at stoke since TBFB moved here.
We need all three points saturday because Liverpool up next and can’t see
us getting anything there.Transfers i think we’ve been so short sighted.
I also think most wolves fans felt sure that before long the inevitable would
happen players getting injured and not enough quality in the locker to
suffice…back to the question yes i would take 17th place,who wants to play
in the championshittt….
can i just point out that qpr has never been an easy place to go . i watched that newcastle game and thought the toon were awful . and yes the new look qpr did look good . but will they look like that away from home …. i doubt it
And I thought I was a minority.
I agree 100% with Ad Mant.
We beat 2 poor sides in Blackburn and Fulham, look where they both are now, we were inept against Villa, who’s manager got his tactics wrong against us, otherwise we would have been stuffed ( Is it any coincidence that MM and McLeish are buddies, maybe they went to the same school of non tactics ) and we were found wanting against Spurms.
I disagree that King is a good center back, only average, and our attack could not even overcome him.
We have the same squad, plus Johnson, who cannot play in every position, as last season, and we struggled mightily then.
This season, another year older, but no better.
The problem positions have been identified over and over again, so why can’t our beloved Muppet do something about them?
And talking of the fat bastard controller, he looked pissed as a fart and totally disinterested on Saturday.
I agree, come Christmas, we’ll be in deep shit unless we strengthen.
FOMM
Problem positions? You mean like left back, for example? 😉
Oooh Clive, you should try rolling out the other side of the bed to see if that brings you any positivity!
We’re doing alright so far, there’s no need to panic!
Blackburn look like a good team this year – they should have beaten Everton and Fulham, I think we did well to beat them away! Fulham have looked pretty naff but we still managed to win – meaning we already have 2 points more from them compared to last year. Our defense was sound against Villa and they didn’t look like scoring. So we must be doing something right! We aren’t expected to get anything off Spurs, home or away.
At the moment we’re beating the teams we should be, had a great point at Villa and lost to a top 6 club. If we carry on like this all season we will be comfortable mid table.
Enjoy us being in the top half of the table, if it all goes tits up then start moaning!
SSMSSMSSMSMM!
Maybe this ‘lowest of lows’ thing hasn’t affected a fairly new fan like myself yet.
What I really hate about the negativity of some Wolves fans is that they played down our victories (see Clive above) and embellish our defeats (against a strong Tottenham side which we were able to match for parts of the game)
If we beat QPR, these same people will say ‘of course we beat them, they’re gonna be struggling’ and if we draw or lose then they’ll be convinced that we’ll be relegated!
I have to admit though, the QPR game makes me nervous – if we do lose then my optimism is gonna deflate some…
Unfortunately Hamlet you will realise that supporting Wolves = Negativity mainly because we get held back by the board – look at 2003 and the lack of investment that cost us, look at the current squad and see how many of our players were playing Premiership football 3 years ago – not many if any!
After last season, and seeing who was promoted, we have a real opportunity to push on and establish ourselves, but as usual the board snaps shut the purse strings and we fail to strengthen, other than by one player.
Now I believe we have competed well so far, but I know we will get found out when injuries and suspensions occur and after 2 seasons of desperately clinging onto life in the Premiership, I crave for the safety of mid-table mediocrity!
Again Jed got to agree totally,Get ready for the flak or flack what ever way
you spell it…spot on.
Okay, I’ll take those points… I guess if we’re to be found out, it might as well be early on so we can do something about it in the next transfer window!
I really don’t think my nerves could stand another 17th place photo finish.
The facts are that we have made an excellent start, we are in a weaker league than last season and we have a years more experience, so the outcome should be more rosy. The problem is that it will need to be, because we are so vulnerable if we pick up long term injuries, a fact that is already apparent.
Great blog Ben, It’s all in the………..timing.
Some great opinions, some very obvious. I’d take survival this year.
Can I take 17 and being 10 points clear of 18th thus providing us with some decent wins on the way?!!
Cheers mate. The comments have kind of backed up Mr Buckley haven’t they?! Great to read everyone’s thoughts.
Yes, I would take your scenario too!!!
Up the Wolves!!