When Spurs sauntered into Molineux back in September, they were struggling at the bottom after a tricky start and Wolves were riding high after snaring 7 points from 9.
However, the 2-0 victory Harry’s boys inflicted on us that sunny afternoon proved the catalyst they needed to go on a sensational winning streak, elevating them all the way up to third place in the table.
We did actually play well in that match and were more than a little unlucky to lose. However, things deteriorated from that game onwards so it would certainly be fitting if we were to kick-start our faltering season with a big result at White Hart Lane.
And although that seems highly unlikely, recent history at least suggests we shouldn’t give up all hope.
Two years ago we did the double over Spurs, tasting victory on their patch thanks to an early Kevin Doyle goal and the mother of all defensive performances.
We almost repeated the trick last year too, leading 1-0 with 20 minutes to go only to eventually lose out 3-1.
As I write this preview (ahead of their game against Everton this evening) they’ve currently played 9 games at home, won 7, drawn 1 and lost just the once.
Dauntingly, the only points they’ve dropped were against Man City and Chelsea. Gulp.
The Team
I’ve decided to abandon predicting Mick’s team selections from now on, in favour of listing the side I would personally pick.
I would also encourage you to do the same, just so it gives us all something else to kick around in the preview.
So, this is my XI:
I just think we need to retain possession better than we have been and with only Fletch really doing the business, 451 is the obvious choice for me.
Foley must play at right-back. He’s infinitely better on the ball than Stearman and brings balance to the side.
With Frimpong and Henry anchoring the midfield, I think giving Milijas freedom to wander around and find passes would be a wise move.
The most controversial inclusion is Kightly over Hammill and Hunt.
There’s certainly an element of favouritism in that choice, but neither Hunt or Hammill have done enough for me to suggest giving Kightly a start would be a mistake.
Prediction League
The home defeat to Chelsea seems a lifetime ago now.
Still, 19 people correctly predicted the loss and 6 of those got the scoreline spot-on.
Well done to Hamlet, Ade in China, gebb, Michigan Wolf, Ventura Highway and kinhaven for collecting the maximum 3 points on offer.
Call it foolish optimism if you will, but I just have a suspicion we’ll get something this weekend. We’ve been a bit of a bogey side for Spurs in recent years and I can see that continuing.
I’ll go the whole hog too – 2-1 Wolves.
If you’re heading to the Lane on Saturday, have a great time and get behind the lads as you always do.
Up The Wolves.
* Just a reminder that Wolves Blog are raising money for Acorns Children’s Hospice by taking part in the March to Molineux event. If you can spare a few pennies, I would be chuffed to get your support. You can donate by clicking here.
Spurs 2 Wolves 0
I think Edwards will start ahead of Milijas or Frimpong. Is Johnson fit? I think you got it spot on with Kightly starting. He looked decent against Blues but can he cope with the PL? I am not so sure and would start Hammill.
I think we will lose this game but I am not too downbeat about that to be honest. Spurs will beat most team atm and I hope that we will take 8 points from the following 4 games which I believe is certainly doable.
UTW!
We need Ned back in. Edwards runs and runs but lacks any real quality.
Totally agree. Just don’t think Mick sees that way, unfortunately. Edwards is another one of the Championship favorites who can walk straight into the team anytime.
Looking on the bright side, Edwards did play quite well against Chelsea which could justify giving him another start.
I don’t really think it matters what team Mick puts out, Spurs are frighteningly good at the moment. I’m off to the game so I hope we’ll put in a good performance but I’m also looking forward to seeing Spurs play.
I think a 2-0 loss would be a respectable result – they should have scored 4 or 5 against Everton last night.
I think part of the quality that Kightly has is that he is an unknown quantity in the Premiership, plus Assou-Ekotto is, in my opinion, not a good defensive left back – his strengths lie in attacking play.
I listened to a phone in on WM after Kightly had played one of the games he had at Wolves before he went to Watford and people were ringing in writing him off as a Premiership player. He has had about 11 starts in the Premiership and been injured for two years! (I know you didn’t write him off, you merely asked the question, so please don’t take that the wrong way – it’s just a point I have been dying to make in the public domain for a long time!) I watched the Birmingham game and thought Kightly was flying in the second half (particularly after Jarvo came on), and he was a lot more effective than Hunt who I think is having a terrible time at the moment. I would really like to see Kights play, and for an extended period to give him a proper chance in the Premiership.
As for Edwards, I think he does have quality but has never been able to show it in full due to the fact he seems to only ever be fit for a few weeks at a time. However when you’ve got Frimpong and Henry anchoring midfield, I think the need for Edwards is lessened and you can afford to give Milijas (or in the long run, once he’s recovered from his injury, O’Hara) a free role to which he’ll be much better suited.
I think the 4-4-1-1 would work really well for us as it will potentially stop us from getting overrun in midfield which I think has been a real issue this season when playing 4-4-2, even against what I would term mediocre midfields (e.g. QPR, Swansea).
Would probably take 7 from the next 4 (exluding Spurs) rather than 8, looking for wins at QPR and home to Albion, with a draw at home to Villa…although we could win that, so could be looking for 9 from the next 4. Liverpool is bound to be a tough game, especially considering the perfomance they put in against Man City mid-week.
As you may be able to tell, your comment has really got me thinking!! Up the Wolves!!
Loving the cut of your jib mate.
I find the response to Kightly baffling too.
People seem to be hailing Hammill as some sort of messiah. Don’t get me wrong, I like his all-action approach and he’s definitely got something, but he’s actually done very little in a Wolves shirt (with limited opportunities I’ll grant you).
By contrast, there seems to be major resentment towards Kightly, a player who has lit up Molineux on more occasions than I could possibly list. He hasn’t been fit for three years and people have written him off as useless based on a handful of scattered Premier League appearances when he wasn’t anywhere near up to speed.
Well, he’s back now and by all accounts he’s fit and flying. Forgive me for wanting to throw him straight in. I just think he’s a major talent and the fact he’s got so much to prove in the Prem only makes him a more enticing prospect.
Spurs 3-0 hopefully not worse
spurs 1 wolves 3
spurs playing everton tonight also no o’hara in your team? id love to see kightly score. fancy our chances lads keep believing we are wolves. spurs who? that team that will always live in the shadows of arsenal and chelsea.
O’Hara is still injured, unfortunately.
I’d happily anchor him behind the striker. He’s one of our best attacking players.
I’d go with your team Thomas, definitely.
Kightly made quite a difference at Watford and I would play him.
I’ve not been overly impressed by Hammill, but I believe that to be bad management rather than lack of potential.
Also feel Hunt is past his prime.
I’m optimistic, like you, Thomas and although would be happy with 1-1; am predicting we will unexpectedly win 2-1.
Kightly to score the first goal…..
As long as we don’t lose, yet again, because of ‘Mis-Management McCarthy’, I don’t really mind anymore.
I would play Hammill rather than Kightly who IMO has had his best days and is not good enough for this league, I’d like to be proven wrong on that but I doubt I will.
I doubt if Johnson or Fletch will start due to injuries but are likely to be on the bench and knowing McCarthy Frimpong will be on the bench as well.
Can’t see us keeping a clean sheet against Spurs and there’s little chance of us scoring.
Spurs 4-0 Wolves
Hopefully Spurs attcking threat will remove all memories of the tedium endured last weekend!
McCarthy’s time must surely be up and although the 2 main choices have been snapped up, there are still others out there to rescue us.
Spurs 4-1 Wolves. Fletch with a consolation goal.
Kightly starting, we’re doomed. Even I can’t defend this decision by Mick.
Hammill streets ahead in talent and fitness.
100% loss.
McDickwadhead will play Kightley, coz he’s a fave, along with Ward, Henry and Berra.
Frimpong needs to be at the club for 2 years before he’ll get a start, so why he’s on loan who knows.
Hammill has never been given a proper chance, so Hunt will play, and Fletcher’s ghost injury will flare up just before warming up time, and he won’t play.
Bale and Lennon will think it’s their birthday and christmas all rolled into one, the space and time they will have down our flanks, especially our left side.
Ward will leave the field before half time with a Fletcher like ghost injury, the real reason will be twisted blood, the kind Waggy used to regularly inflict on a certain Mr. John Kaye, right back for the shit many years ago.
Prediction?
Another pathetic attempt at a football match, thoroughly outclassed and out gunned and out thought ( that last one not too difficult, even for ‘Arry)
Spurms 5 Wolves 0
FOMM
I would legitimately be intrigued to hear what team you would pick Clive. Go on, make my day.
Hennessey, Foley Stearman, Johnson, Anyone, Pingpong, Hammill, O’Hara, Adelene, Ned and Fletcher.
This out of the bunch we have.
Preferably,
Hennessey, Cole, Vidic, Rooney, Drogba, etc, etc, etc !!!!
We have a bunch of underachievers and until we get a new manager, we are not going to see the best of any of them.
Doesnt matter who he picks, as long as it’s him picking, we will lose.
FOMM
Looks like you meant Ward at left back!
I’m also concerned whether you’ve actually seen Guedioura play – he is a liability.
I don’t understand why you’re saying you wouldn’t play Ward…he’s probably the leading contender for Player of the Season at this moment in time. He’s having an incredible season.
Kightly needs to be given a chance in the Premiership; he’s only had about 11 starts and has been injured for two years – you can’t just write players off. Hunt has been really labouring in the last few weeks and I have yet to see Hammill perform from the start of a game – his best performances come from the bench.
Along with Ward, Berra has been our most consistent defender this season. And you want to play Stearman ahead of Berra…Stearman is a liability and was at fault for both goals against Chelsea. He made a very good challenge for the corner on the first goal, but what it didn’t show on Match of the Day was that the only reason he had to make that tackle was because he’d given the ball away.
O’Hara is injured for the foreseeable future and unlikely to be available again until February after a double hernia operation.
Guedioura, like Hammill, struggles when he starts a game and is better as an impact sub.
If you don’t play Henry along with Frimpong we will undoubtedly be overrun in midfield.
The team you have picked would be relegated if picked every week.
I would also like to know who you would have instead on Mick McCarthy, because when I think about who could replace him who is out of a job I struggle to think of a better manager. If you want to pick someone from the Championship to takeover, it will be a huge risk as they would be unproven in the Premiership. No doubt you will respond by saying McCarthy has failed in the Premiership, but that is entirely untrue.
As I stated, doesn’t matter who he picks, they will underachieve, so the point is moot.
As to Ward, Player of the season?
Go back and count the goals he has directly cost us, due to his lack of pace, positional unawareness and total inability to tackle and close down anyone, then tell me he’s any good.
Player of the season, ………says not a lot for the rest of the hapless bunch, does it, if you reckon he’s the best.
You need to get out more, you appear to be leading a very sheltered life!!
As to different manager……..anyone. This clown we have is dragging us down without a wimper, so anyone else has a better chance of improving the players morale and performances.
FOMM
2-1 win? That ain’t foolish optimism…
3-1 Wolves win! 😛
Seriously though, I have a good feeling about this game as well – no idea why because I still think we’ll lose, but my feelings are different!
If McDickrash selected that team Thomas, i think we could put on a decent show and make a game of it. He won’t though will he so i can’t see anything other than another defeat. Spurs, in about second gear, 2-0.
Spurs 2.0 Wolves – Cant see us getting anything against this Spurs side
Need points and we need them badly.frimpong and Henry holding Jarvis left hammil right Doyle roaming behind Fletcher .simples.thought there centre backs when we played them at home looked slow so play it on the floor and turn them
Can’t see us getting any thing there,i’m going for a 3-1 spurs.i think he’ll play his favourites
as usual the one’s who put the shift in not the one’s who can play a bit if you get my drift.
but who knows he could surprise us.FOMM.
WHY Don’t we hijack villa and get ROBBIE KEAN Back to lift the fans and score a few goals for
us,Fat moxey said we tried last season why not NOW.
Who are Mick’s favourites though? I had the impression that Doyle was a Mick ‘favourite’…
Then again, Hunt hasn’t been doing too well!
If Henry, Kightly, Milijas or Edwards are considered as first choice, we are doomed.
We need a midfield playmaker (try David Davis!) and new signings like Liam Ridgewell (and Anthony Gardner?).
Are you watching Steve Morgan?!!!
David Davis has no chance! He wasnt signed from Ballingary!
Slating Karl Henry but making a case for Liam Ridgewell? Bloody hell.
With justification.
Karl Henry is struggling to have a positive impact. Defensively, he does not get near enough opponents to stop a forward pass, let alone make a tackle, and often does not track the runner. When in possession, he slows the tempo of our attacks, does not pass to players making forward runs and recently is getting caught in possession or giving the ball away. I would pick Frimpong, O’Hara (when fit) and David Davis ahead of him.
Liam Ridgewell is a more effective defensive full back than Steven Ward because he has better agility. He can turn, move with and stay between ball and opponent better than Wardy.
A club footed rhino would be a more effective full back than Ward, shit even my fridge would be quicker!!
FOMM
David Davis isn’r a playmaker, he’s more of a ball winner or box to box.
Would be happy with a competitive performance here, I fear a positive result is over optimistic. Spurs 1-0 Wolves. Agree 100% with your team selection Tom.
Foley will have Bale in his pocket. 2-1 upset to us. Nice article, totally agree with your selection – it’s a no-brainer to play 4-5-1 with pingpong and henry as the muscle and the wingers and miljas as the flair – but isn’t O’H back available for this one?
Cummon me babbies!!!!!
I like your selection, though I would probably bench Frimpong for Doyle and have Frimpong come on if Spurs scores. Kightly is pretty much the reason I became a wolves fan so ofc I want him in the team, but I’m not sure he will impress. He was great vs Birmingham, but to be fair they are awful compared to Tottenham so I’m afraid he will become rather anonymous. Wouldn’t mind being proven wrong, though.
They have shown they can play without Henry as well, but we need someone filling that boring holding midfielder position anyway and I feel he has improved this season. Hunt is what I really don’t wanna see, in addition to SEB which surely will start if Fletch is still semi-injured.
Anyway, prediction 1-1.
Spurs 3-1 Wolves, same team as Thomas’ just can’t see the same result as you though Thomas. One thing to hold on to though they’re the only top team not to suffer a shock over the festive period, maybe they’re due one?
Please please dont play Kightly or we will lose for certain. Sorry but he isn’t even remotely good enough at this level and Hammill is way better not to mention all the other options now available in midfield! We can’t afford to live on sentiment!
My team
Hennessy
Foley
Berra
Johnson if fit
Ward
Henry
Milijas
Jarvis
Hammill
Fletcher
Doyle
Hunt and Frimpong on for Milijas and Hammill at half time if its not working
After being positive with the Chelsea result at 2-2 (oh so nearly in the last move of the game!) I have a bad feeling about this and not only because I’m in with the Spurs fans (incognito)!!
4-1 to Spurs=Ouch!!
If I was manager…
GK – Hennessey
RB – Foley
CB – Berra
CB – Johnson
LB – Ward
RM – Hammill
CDM – Frimpong
CDM – Guedioura
CAM – O’Hara
LM – Jarvis
ST – Fletcher
That’s the team I’d like to see, with frimpong and guedioura youthful and full of energy in midfield to try and hold out the barrage of spurs attacks which are bound to happen and the odd chance of getting a goal on the break with pace and goals in Hammill, Jarvis, Fletcher, O’Hara. Henry is too much of a liability for this game, too many mistakes and to be honest Tottenham won’t let us off at all if we make mistakes.
The Team MICK will pick:
GK – Hennessey
RB – Stearman
CB – Berra
CB – Johnson
LB – Ward
RM – Forde
CM – Edwards
CM – Henry
CAM – Milijas
LM – Hunt
ST – Doyle
Did I miss anyone… -.-
I like that team mate.In fact, I would go along with every one of your selections, bar omission of Henry, as I do like him!
I still think Guedioura has a lot to offer, and just needs games – something Mick won’t give him. Sounds like he is off anyway, judging by the last couple of pars I read in an E & S story yesterday.
…and his performances when he did get a couple of games…
Were you at the millwall league cup game Louie? (cue they are championship crap retort?) one game out of position, the other (wigan?) admittedly crap.
Yet you’ll defend 3 years of hapless Ward performances?! Double standards methinks…
…and the silence i deafening!
Ben, Guedi isn’t the answer – a liability in possession.
Good against Milwall – enough said. No better than a Championship player.
I think we will lose this game unfortunately – Spurs are in imperious form, but I don’t expect a bad result, as we do seem to be playing better these days.
I’m going to go for a 2 – 1 loss to Spurs. I think we have more about us than Everton who have just lost there.
Not going to guess a team, cos Mick will no doubt choose a very random side that defies logic.
UTW!
PS> What does anyone think of Bassong from Spurs? He’s in the papers a lot, supposedly ‘wants a move.’ I always thought he looked a good player.
Playing better these days? Have i missed something . I thought we were pretty useless against a shaky Chelsea side even though we nearly got a point. And you’re obviously not counting the Birmingham game, total rubbish.
I like youur comments normally Ade but that one was more like Ade in Hong Kong.(I’ve been dying to get that one in somehow!)
Sorry to disappoint Martin! 😉
To be clear, ‘standard of play’ or not, I thought we had a decent December results-wise in comparison to disastrous prior months.
I agree, we’re far from good – but I wasn’t considering the Brum match as that wasn’t our first team. Frankly I thought we’d lose it!
A cup run would be nice, but on the other hand staying in the league would be nicer!
Slightly gutted that there’s no Prediction League points for guessing Blouse 0-0 Wolves!
Anyway, Spurs can smell the top of the table, and so this weekend I reckon we’re going to get well and truly stuffed out of sight.
Spurs 4-0 Wolves.
My preferred team, which of course MM would never pick in a million years, is:
Hennessey;
Foley/Johnson/Berra/Ward;
Hammill/Edwards/Frimpong/Guedioura/Jarvis;
Fletcher
Spurs 3-0
Hennessey
Stearman, Johnson, Berra, Ward
Hammill, Milijas, Frimpong, Jarvis
Doyle
Fletcher
Hey, Baltimore, are you going to the Ravens /Texans game this weekend?
IIf so, hope your lot win, I’m sick of the sight and sound of the “wonderful Texans” and their fantastic achievements this season, in winning one playoff game… in their entire history!!!
Whoop de fuckin’ do.
Hope the Ravens stuff the shit out of them, so the media will be full of something else for a change.
FOMM
Spurs are flying at the moment. But sooner rather than later, they will have a dip.
Like the Machester teams.
So why not against Wolves. 1-0 to Wolves. And then we go for Aston V , and
then we take (Berlin) Liverpool.
Dreamer.
Hallelujah!
Let’s all wear our famous blue raincoats and ceebrate down the pub til closing time.
well I am the one who loves
changing from nothing to one.
1 nil to us
Everybody knows that your in trouble
Everybody knows what your going thru
From the bloody cross of Mick McCarthy
To the fans on seats at Molineux!
Apologies to Leonard Cohen but he seems to have managed, surreptitiously, to get on this thread, maybe Clive, he’d be a better left back than Ward!
Leonard like Ward could play in various positions.
Ha! Ha!
Here, from Leonard’s upcoming album what Ward might say to McCarthy perhaps!?
http://soundcloud.com/leonardcohen/show-me
Spurs all the way for this one. We’d only stand a chance if they underestimated us and played the reserves and that’s not going to happen after the past two seasons. Spurs 2-0.
My preferred line up (if Johnson is injured) is:
Hennesey,
Foley, Stearman, Berra, Ward
Hammil, Frimpong, Milijas, Henry, Jarvis
Fletcher
Kightly to come on for Hammil or Milijas depending on how things are going.
I think we will get spanked 3-0. Spurs aren’t conceding, we are not scoring. Mind you, if the roles were reversed we’d be saying ‘Oh no, we are bound to lose.’
For that reason, I can understand your logic Thomas. Don’t think it will happen though!!
Spurs just look one of the most confident teams in the league atm. They have little pressure on them, less european commitments, they’ve kept the core of the squad together and added a few stars. Pace all over the pitch, the quality to pass it around and almost every player can finish or is at least willing to have a shot on goal. I really enjoy watching them and think they will pushing for the title.
All of this makes me think this is a lost cause. We aren’t confident enough to hold the ball and move it around, the long ball isn’t working as we never have enough players up the ptich to make use of the knock down and we aren’t hitting the target enough. 3-1 to spurs i think.
I was at the match a couple of years ago when doyle scored in the first 3 mins and then we defended for another 98 mins *the most painful time added on i can remember!* but unless every player ups their game and we play as a team I can’t see us getting anything.
I like the structure of that side and I think it should be our settled team for the rest of the season. The only change would be hammill for Kightly. I’d also consider playing Doyle wide right as well. Liverpool did something similar with Dirk Kuyt when he first came here and it became apparent he wasn’t the goalscorer he appeared to be. I think that Doyle still has the quality in the final third and could support Fletcher, but could also be relied upon to track back where needs be. Any thoughts?
Given that the biggest criticism of Mick (quite legitimately) made by fans over the last couple of seasons has been of his penchant for playing players out of position, it is funny to see you advocating this.
I actually agree that Kev could ‘do a job’ linking play up in that sort of position. His lack of pace would be a problem though. Stick Hammill wide right in my opinion.
Yeah – I just think that Doyle and Kuyt are quite similar, so it maybe worth a punt. Surely the biggest criticism of Mick is that he values ‘putting a shift in’ above all else, when it should be the bare minimum requierd. That and his love of Karl Henry
I think the criticism of Mick for the value he places on ‘putting a shift in’ is pretty ridiculous. Surely the only reason we beat Man U, Chelsea and City last season is becuase our exceptional work rate meant the sum of our parts exceeded that of the opposition’s, even if their individual parts were far superior to ours
So why can’t they do it every week, against ” inferior” competition?
That arguement is like our defence, full of holes.
FOMM
The reason why Mick was criticised is because he played people out of position who were shite anyway. Like Keogh and Stephen Elliot right wing, both awful wherever they played. Surely a player of Doyle’s quality it is at least worth a go. If it doesn’t work then so be it. Mick’s problem was that he persevered with Keogh and Elliot when it clearly wasnt working and then came out with gems like “we don’t need Adam Johnson on loan as we’ve got Stephen Elliot”. What a prick the guy is.
What I’m saying is that I expect them to put a shift in, it’s the absolute minimum. But when I see young progressive managers like Brendon Rogers playing the ball on the floor, retaining possession and looking like a proper team, I realise that MM needs to look beyond that if we are to progress. Wer need grafters, playes who will track back and puttheir foot in, butwhen they gain possession, they need to have players with real quality to give it top, who will keep th ball and open teams up. At the moment we try and pressure teams into submission, which simply isn’t going to work most of the time and is the reason we’ve only won 4 games this season.
At last someone who talks sense!
Sadly the spelling and grammar was that of a drunk 5 year old (I’m blaming my dodgy keyboard) – but cheers
I have only just realised that this is admitting that Clive doesn’t talk sense! 😛
Hehe, I know, I’m a bastard at times!
Who’s the bastid who accused me of talking sense?
I’ll get him!!
Never in the field of human conflict has so much bollocks been uttered by just one person….or something like that, thank you Winnie Churchill.
Was very glad to see Spurs beat Everton last night, as there’s no way they’ll lose two on the bounce at home this season. Having said that, I can’t see us winning but I don’t think a hard-fought and very welcome point is beyond us. Especially if the team picked by Thomas is the one that takes to the field on Saturday. It has a good balance to it and I agree that Foley must be picked to play opposite Bale. I dread the thought of Stearman being tasked with shackling him.
My prediction is 1-1. I’m off to WHL on Saturday – does anyone know if the view from the away section lower tier is as bad as at Everton? Having convinced some mates to accompany me and taken £31 off them for the privilege I thoroughly hope not.
I went a couple of seasons ago and thought it was a pretty good view and a great atmosphere. Just get there early. The trains to WHL get packed quickly!
Cheers Sam, gald to hear view is decent. Plan to get their in plenty of time to allow a few pints to be brought in near the ground beforehand.
I think Spurs have got too much quality for us, especially at White Hart Lane. I’ll go 2-0 to Spurs. On a different note, I had a dream last night that Mick and Terry Connor both got the boot.
Hennessey
Foley, Johnson, Berra, Ward
Hunt, Henry, Frimpong, Edwards, Jarvis
Fletcher
Though Hunt’s been disappointing of late, away from home I think he could be a more effective nuisance than Kightly who is unlikely to see much of the ball. I’d make a case for Edwards rather than Milijas as this is a game where we need runners and can’t afford to carry passengers.
Spurs 2-0 Wolves
Hennessey
Foley, Johnson, Berra, Ward
Henry, Frimpong, Jonsson
Hammill Fletcher Jarvis
🙂
On a bit of a different note, has anyone else seen this article on the Mail Online?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2085392/ITV-Wolves-v-Birmingham-replay.html
Cheeky f*ckers. Just because it isn’t Man Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool or Spurs on the TV, it is deemed an outrage that ITV1 would give coverage to a game like Wolves v Birmingham. They never seem to mention half of the sh*tty Champions League games I’ve sat and watched between Arsenal reserves and the champions of Malta or whoever.
Good points there – just because one game is dull doesn’t mean the next one will be as well! Mind you, it won’t be too hard to put on a better show…
I dunno, I feel like the first game is 90 minutes of my life I’ll never get back
No need to waste another 90 mins then – though I might be crazy enough to do so! 😛
Feels like we’re entering a different ‘phase’ of the season now. Don’t think the top three are in any mood to drop points. Spur, especially, smell blood – not just ours but the two Manc sides at the top. Hope we play well though.
3-0 Hotspur
We’re gonna get hammered lads, 3-0 at least, with Spurs coasting after going 2-0 up. Sorry to say it but we’re just not in their league, it’ll be like an exhibition match for them. Their confidence must be sky high. One glimmer of hope is that twitchy Redknapp puts out a 2nd 11 to save his stars for Man city a week later.
Wolves owner Steve Morgan has given his backing to manager Mick McCarthy despite the club being involved in another relegation battle.
This is hot off the Wolves sanitized site academy, The Express and Star!
Just falls short of the dreaded vote of confidence, as also pointed out in the same article, but not far short, methinks!!
There is hope at the end of the tunnel, perhaps!!
Come on Morgan, fuck him off!!!
A very dull flicker of light but still light – fingers crossed friend that this is his final weekend f**king up our team!
Just logged Clive you beat me to it about the morgan statement,its a bit retro-spective to me
all to late, because all of the decent managers are in gainful employment at the moment.i.e
O’Niell.Hughes.and he knows he should have sacked McIdiot a couple of seasons ago after
the manchestergate affair and i think he knows it.what ever remains of this season i hope he
sacks him anyway.FOMM.
At the risk of starting something up can we please drop the Manchestergate thing. Mick was right to rest the team. We won against Burnley the following weekend and guess what we stayed up they didn’t, we’re in the premier league two years later they are not. I don’t agree with everything Mick says or does but his aim that year was to retain Wolves premiership status, not to ensure we all had some fond memories of that night we almost beat United at Old Trafford.
You’ve said drop it.. and then defended it – so I’ll bite!
There’s no way you can possibly prove we beat Burnley because we played a weakened team against Man Utd.
Of course, we’ll equally never know whether picking our best team against Man Utd would have made a difference.
But – ‘and guess what’ – some Wolves fans just happen to have a quirky preference for picking our strongest team on the Tuesday as well as a full FIVE DAYS LATER on the Sunday too.
So no, I don’t accept McCarthy was proven right on that decision whatsoever.
I’m replying when I know I shouldn’t.
The fact is we stayed up Burnley didn’t that’s all that matters. MM has made worse decisions and said stupid things and used blatantly stupid tactics on a number of occasions which he deserves to be sacked for but that game against United isn’t one of them.
That day will forever be etched in my mind as the day the idiot finally lost the plot.
United were on, for them, a bad run, and we should have gone for their jugular……just like we should with every opponent every fuckin’ game!
Why send a team out to lose?
What does that do for morale at the club?
What message does that send to the fans?
That he doesn’t think we can win, so send out the reserves!
If that’s his thinking, he has no business being in the job.
Can you see any other manager doing that, and keeping his job?
No.
He should have been fired that evening, if Morgan had any balls.
It has notthing to do with Burnley, we should be confident of winning every match, otherwise, why bother turning up.
That arguement of yours is total bollocks.
FOMM
I traveled to that game and i will never forgive him for that.ok we did beat burnley
and he got lucky,but it did’nt stop me from thinking we could have got something imo,
we spent a lot of money that night to watch a second string of player’s lose. like i said he should mof sacked him then and still do.FOMM.
I went to the away game that and this year and got the same feeling. But I would keep getting thumped at Old Trafford if it means we stay up each year.
I’m just saying MM got it right that night, the chances of us getting a win at Old Trafford were slim whatever the team he played and the risk of getting players injured five days before such a crucial game at the weekend wasn’t worth it. It doesn’t bare thinking about not having Doyle or Jarvis for that game against Burnley.
MM has done enough wrong since then to deserve his P45. His lack of recruitment of pace at the back is diabolical. The inability of our team to string together six or seven passes without resorting to hoof and hope is appalling. But the decision to give ourselves the best chance of winning against one of our relegation rivals by sacrificing a game we had little chance in anyway, I personally won’t knock him for.
Enough said then its gone,i’ll agree to disagree.i do agree on the p45 though.
up the wolves..
In recent times dont think anyone knows what Wolves strongest side is anyway including MM – in resting a player he might bring in someone who does better !
No first string and second string really just 24 fringe players and Sir Karl Henry.
I’ll abandon my usual optimism and say 2-0 spurs. They’re the in form premier league side of the moment. I doubt we’ll harvest any points from them at all
I know the point of this blog is to choose your own team but I’ll have a go at picking Mick’s team. I think fitness permitting he’ll play: Hennessey; Foley-Johnson-Berra-Ward; Kightly, Henry, Frimpong, Edwards, Jarvis; Fletcher.
Think a heavy defeat will make Morgan act. The article in The E & S is a clear warning for MM.
Spurs 3-0-would like to see us get a result but can’t see it.
Really…It basically says that nothing will get him fired.
Groundhog day for me. Doesn`t matter if its Lennon or Bale running at our (as many would have it) much improved but lacking in the necessary pace and quality to play in the prem iership left back. I`m sure jarvis will be sitting deep protecting Ward, thereby nullifying our only attacking threat, again.
Spurs remind me of the Arsenal side of a few years ago, a sheer joy to watch, playing at pace with movement and passing to feet, a style alien to MM and his coaching staff, but one that is needed in the prem. We are light years away from that, but at least Kightly will come deep to receive the ball. How playing well at Watford, has anything to do with playing in the prem is a mystery only MM can fathom. As always I dream of a win, a rare breed this season and highly unlikely I suspect. I`ll go therefore for a 1-1 draw although I will be turning my mobile off for the afternoon.
One question I would ask in response to that comment regarding Kightly is this: Do you think Stephen Hunt would impress at Watford?
I think there’s quite a lot of our players that would be really underwhelming if they were loaned to the Championship at the moment.
The gulf isn’t that big as the teams/players who have come up this season have proved. I think we have to take his form at Watford – at the very least – as a good sign?
If you ever needed proof of just how must shite comes out of our club just take a look at the E&S today.
Morgan spouting on about the ground not being redeveloped due to rules on home grown players.
And as for investing in a top notch restaurant in the new stand – this is Wolverhampton NOT London, who gives a shit about a restaurant? Spend the £2million on a centre half to keep us up. Or you should have invested that money in paying Martin O’Neil’s salary for 18 months.
I really have lost interest in our club at the moment.
Morgans words –
“Of course, we want the team to do better than it is currently doing. But you don’t get long-term growth by chopping and changing all the time.”
McCarthy has been with Wolves for 5 bloody years, how is that chopping and changing all the time?
He never said it was…
Its always the same down the mol.saying we all want the best but when does the penny drop for Morgan,this team is going nowhere under this dinosaur so why prolong the agony for us
all and f..k him off now and give the job to Ancelotti with 20 mil to spend thats for the good of the club. and bring back the liquidator.FOMM.
I think the team will be very similar to the one you’ve put up there Thomas. O’Hara could be fit, if he is of course I’d stick him in, if not I’d go for the legs and movement of Edwards. I’d definitely put Kights in, he finally looked sharp and I reckon he’s ready to take the league by storm (ha)
Tottenham have been, in my opinion, the best team to watch this season. They’ve got some fantastic players, who terrify me but who knows with Wolves eh?
After an extra game midweek, I think Spurs will go ahead early and take the foot off the accelerator – Spurs 2 – Wolves 0
Thomas, your squad selection is spot on for me. If O Hara was fit i would pick him ahead of Milijas.
Unfortunately i am going for a 2-1 win for Spurs.
Come on Mick, give Kightly a chance.
UTW.
Having read the article in the times and the E & S is Morgan saying to MM “sort it,” or you are gone ?
I hope so but it creates a dilemma.
As a Wolves supporter I want to win yet, in the long term, we will win more if MM is gone.
So, this week end, one part of me wants a 2-1 victory with Thomas’s team.
Another part wants a team that has Elokobi at left back, Ward in midfield, Hunt on the wing, SEB as the lone striker and a 6-0 thumping so Morgan can get rid of McCarthy!
With that line up, we’d be 0-6 down by half time!!!
FOMM
This is one of the big problems with MM.
The fact that line up is as likely as Thomas’s!
hahahaha! Lol etc,…..
Just don’t see us getting the result we want.
Spurs 2
Wolves 1
Afraid we give up a late goal
I have to say I’m really excited about this match – not because I think Wolves stand any chance, but just to see a proper football team playing football properly for once rather than the turgid displays we see from a Wolves team week in week out.
I used to think that being a Stoke supporter must be terrible, watching the shite that they put out week in week out, in fact I would have preferred to stick pins in my eyes than watch them. Now however we play even worse football than Stoke ever have – what a f**king terrible position to be in.
McCarthy must go regardless of the score tomorrow. I don’t thin I have ever been this disallusioned or uninterested in Wolves – what a bloody shame. My kid asked me the other day “Dad why do you support the Wolves? They always lose.” What a bloody shame!
Ha, my Chinese wife asks me this all the time! I can’t explain…
Can’t see us getting anything from this game. Spurs on fire & Wolves are dire!
Spurs 4-1 Wolves (Fletcher)
I was talking to a mate about the recent tv show by Davbid Attenborough, filmed at Jellystone Park, where some wolves killed a bison.
Told him he better keep the recording, it’s the only time in recent history wolves have attacked, and won!!!
…….everybody giving Spurs deserved plaudits this week and bigging them up.In the Prem thats when the top teams get a knock back.As to the a actual score that has been revealed to me in a divine vision and i am not at liberty to say.
As to team selection just hope he goes with 4-5-1 for the rest of the season, we just havent cut it playing 4-4-2.
Long time since ive joined in but here goes! Went to my first ever away match v Blues last wkend. Great for the atmosphere but probably the worst game ive ever seen! Strong side out as well but nothing to show for it. Hoping we do something better this weekend. Not sure we will but blind faith is telling me we might get a point. Wolves 2-2 Spurs. (Fletch and Ward) Will be checking the scores whilst at work as usual! COTW!!
Fredrick PickyourNose – are you serious McCarthy a 33yr old – is this the best we can do? Apparently Happy Hammers are overjoyed at getting rid of this clown. We are a joke!
I thought he was quite good in his Pompey pomp, and when they went down I was secretly hoping we’d put in a bid for him. But admittedly I’ve lost track of his performances since he joined WHU.
On the Knees UP Mother Brown blog, it says:
“Just why Wolves manager Mick McCarthy sees the inept Piquionne (who has never scored more than once during a match for West Ham and has a strike rate of one in six) as the answer to his prayers is anyone’s guess.”
Well, allow me to guess: one goal every six games is still twice the rate of Kevin Doyle in his current form …
According to Tim Nash on Twitter, this isn’t actually true, so unless it appears on the official website there’s nothing to worry about really… hopefully!
This one looks grim from this side of the pond. Wolves still haven’t shown any consistency on attack, and as long as Mick keeps shuffling the line-ups I don’t see things changing. Maybe Morgan’s words this week might put some steel into the manager…
It’s going to be a long slog tomorrow. Our only hope is another superlative day between the posts from Hennessey, and somehow for Jarvis/Fletcher to find a seam to exploit. I’m predicting with my heart instead of my head though…
1 – 1 draw is how it will turn out. An early Wolves goal followed by 60 minutes of white-knuckle terror. That’s how I want to spend my Saturday morning!
You must be psychic. What about a lottery prediction
Heh – I’m a clock that’s right twice a day…;)
Great gutty performance. Can’t believe the ref gave a drop ball like that at the end, glad it didn’t come to anything. Frimpong needs some composure, but he and Henry looked great in the midfield. Definitely a well-earned point for the Wolves.
‘The once-capped French international has endured a dreadful season in the Championship so far, having managed to score just two goals in 20 appearances.’
Quote on Knees Up Mother Brown blog on their hapless Frederick Piquionne. Perfect signing therefore for McOnecell. No fee involved and no chance of dislodging any of his mates.
I can only hope this isn’t really true.
Short and not so sweet….
Yids 3 Wolves 1
I’d play Hammill over Kightly but other than that I really like that team.
I have a form of retardation, so I’m saying;
Spurs 3-3 Wolves
Based on Spurs form, I don’t expect us to get anything out of this game.
3-0 Spurs.
90th minute & drop ball in our penalty box. Where are the FA getting these refs from ?
I know. Hennessey had the ball in his grasp. FFS.
Still, a very good result. We had some luck with our goal (the corner which wasn’t) and their disallowed goal (the offside which looked onside), but we surely earned the point.
Top performances all round but especially from Henry, Frimpong, and Fletcher.
Thought Johnson was excellent.
Frimpong great addition.
Kightly looked much better.
Foley how we have missed him!
Well played, though my heart was in my mouth, when he brought on Elokobi!
If we had lost after that sub then everyone would be at MM’s throat at the Elokobi decision – rightly so, perhaps! Still, great performance today – dare I say it, but I think we could steer clear from the danger zone if we keep this up!
All we have to do is keep this up! 🙂
Good performance and great result still a bit annoyed how MM has chopped and changed the shape of the side possibly throwing some points away(eg Stoke,Bolton).