Post international fortnight, Wolves embark on a challenging 13 day mission to turn a good October into a great one.
Or sink like a stone.
I reckon the next four fixtures might just tell us everything we need to know about whether the class of 2015/16 possess the necessary minerals to stay the course.
Think about it.
Derby (a)
I had a 30th birthday to remember last year, crammed inside the Hogs Head pub watching Derby pummel us in front of the Sky cameras. We can’t do worse, surely? They’re beginning to look strong again after an indifferent start so anything taken from the iPro would feel significant.
The challenge: Standing up strong and showing resilience against fellow top six hopefuls.
Brentford (h)
On paper the easiest fixture of the four. Brentford aren’t the team they were last season and their drastically overhauled squad is experiencing serious teething issues. They’ve sacked their manager and lost their last three. If they don’t beat Rotherham this weekend they’ll arrive at Molineux in crisis.
The challenge: Handling the weight of expectation against a team most people would expect them to overcome, particularly at home.
Middlesbrough (h)
Already looking like the team to beat, Boro have carried on where they left off last term. They’ve spent big and have already beaten Wolves convincingly, albeit in the League Cup. Kenny reckoned we were doing well before their first goal went in, but we wilted afterwards.
The challenge: Convincing supporters (and themselves) that actually there isn’t a massive gulf in quality between the two sides.
Birmingham (a)
We shouldn’t have lost at St. Andrew’s in April, particularly having gone a goal up. The fixture looks more intimidating six months on with Blues high on confidence and perhaps even wondering if they themselves can sustain a promotion push?
The challenge: Overcoming the pressure of a local derby and getting a result from a difficult away fixture.
There you have it then.
Kenny so often reiterates that 10 games is usually enough to determine what a team’s aspirations should be for the season.
But I would suggest reflecting on these four skirmishes come the start of November will be far more illuminating.
All aboard.
Twelve easy points then!!
Clappy happers unite!
These international breaks are bollocks, in the olden days internationals were played midweek and no one ever got injured and the same eleven turned out week after week!!
My take is that others need to sit up and take notice of our recent form, and be afraid, be very afraid!
Wim Wolves ay we.
I couldn’t agree more about these being vital fixtures, especially the home match-up with Boro. We have to look at winning all our home games if we are to be in with a shout come seasons end. I think our style suits playing away really. If the home team pushes on a little, it gives room for Mac’s piercing through-balls and our pacy attack to do real damage. It’s at home, against the stronger teams, where we need to hold firm at the back and resist the temptation to go too gung-ho.
Certainly for the Derby game, I see no reason to change our current first 11. Hopefully, they can do the job and give us the confidence that they can continue the fruitful October we have enjoyed so far.
Me and Brompto will be at Derby to see the 2-0 win for Wolves.
On to Molineux me and Jen De Wolf will see us trounce Brentwoodfordshite a Clive (5-1)
That will pull 29000 to the Borrow game and we will skin em 2-1
Me an Jen De Wolf will be at Broom to see us hold possession like Wales did last night and come out Top of the table with a 3-0 win.
In between all that me and the Grandkids will be up the Mol to watch the fust team training as part of the young Wolves package. Then Fri 30th U21s play Blackburn at the Mol.
A very busy Month.
The only way is up, we don’t have to worry about him changing the team, EBL and Edwards have injuries that will stop Kenny tinkering with a winning formula.
COMB’s
Thomas.
Cracking picture, sets the scene for a nail biter.
Bring it on…
Nice one Thomas.
Is that a picture of Sean Connery or the next James Bond?
His mission, should he decide to accept, (I think I might be mixing my spy characters here) is to come away with the spoils from four operations that will go a long way to deciding the fate of the Western World.
Or the West Midland World at least.
And I don’t think that he’ll be getting much help from ‘M’ in the way of secret weapons.
But confidence is high and form is good so it’s a mission that we should all be looking forward to.
The A Team picks itself at the moment and me and my Miss Moneypenny will be at the Boro game to lend our support.
This message will self destruct in thirty seconds.
Let’s hope our season doesn’t in the next seventeen days.
Very nicely done Thomas. Mr. DOOGooder, are you nominating Clive as the next James Bond. LOL..
For the next four games, I’ll go for 2 wins against Derby and Brentford. Loss to Boro a draw with BHam. Seven points I’ll take but, always will take the full 12..
No Andrew, I see Clive more as a Pussy Galore.
I’ve just met a very, very interesting private equity banker at an event at my business premises. This person advised Sheikh Mansour in the successful Man City takeover. This same person also advised Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid in an attempted takeover of Liverpool. To say I was gobsmacked would be an understatement! I was quite tempted to mention Wolves! On the other hand I can’t rule out the possibility of asking for a commission first! Jez Moxey gets paid for services rendered, why shouldn’t I ?
Dances … if you can get Greasel fucked off … I’ll give you the commission myself .!!!!
Lovely thought. Bye bye Moxey?
I was in dreamland for a while but the event was company business and company products were the feature, rather than trying to sell a football club! I sat opposite the banker at dinner afterwards and developed a good working relationship. Would the Qatari and Dubai billionaires behind the bids for Man City and Liverpool be interested? If they were, Wolves could change beyond recognition, but would that be a good thing?
Great post Thomas … intriguing next four games for sure.
We’ve got some unfinished business at Derby on Sun and also at Blues.
I’ll take 7 points from the next 4 games and then dream about pussy galore ….
Are we meeting up on the 24th fellas and where …. I’m getting withdrawal symptoms …xx
24th meet up is on mate. Wolfstroker will confirm the watering hole I am sure. Will make a change from the Parkview. I will wait for him to confirm. Whatever is decided ………… I will be there.
Hey Brompto’, the Combemere was only a suggestion. I know it’s always got a nice pre-match ambience and real ale(which personally I’m partial to). And it’s close to the Ely.
But anywhere will do me. I just go with the flow (literally, I suppose).
Combemere sounds good to me. I don’t know any watering holes as I left Wolverhampton in 1969 and I was too young to drink at the age of 11. So, like you, I will go with the flow but ………….. someone make a decision lol.
Dont forget, fellow bloggers, I want an extra special cheer on the 24th coz the 25th is Clivemas!!
I keep thinking re the top six or even top two..(That bit Quite ridiculous..)
But we are capable of a play off place imo but it’s fixture runs like this Derby and Boro particularly.. Blues as difficult possibly.. that will tell us everything I agree….
My favourite..not to concede..and I’m bloody sure that if we claw ourselves into the top six it will be because we don’t let goals in….Im thinking that Martinez is also key ( Ikeme must be pissed at KJ .. )
The DB / Hause partner ship I reckon will dictate results..but that also means that Iorfa Kmac Henry and Afobe must do their bit too for us to prosper..
Derby stuffed us proper last time at theirs but remember we did beat them at Moleneux we also beat Boro and should of got a result at St Andrews so it’s all to play for..
Injuries could finish us with this squad and with KJ having currently only the youth to back us up then we are fragile…K macs back injury comes to mind ..
It truly is in the balance..I wonder what we will all be thinking 5 games to go?
Good form at the mo. Steve showcase Is right about Ikeme being pissed. Martinez is doing very well but I think Ikeme was back in form with Nigeria etc. I always think a loan keeper is a bad idea as he will go back to arsenal next year and we will be back at square one … With Carls confidence wrecked.
If any player thinks he has a god given right to be in the team, then he needs a kick up the arse.
The manager is constantly trying to improve the team, to get better results, to get promotion and beyond.
Competition for places is extremely healthy and should spur on everyone, if they want to better the team through bettering themselves.
Shit, I just read what I wrote and it reads like a communist rally poster from the fifties!!
Anyway, if our players push themselves they will be appreciated, not like O hara etc who played for a contract and then just stayed to see out his contract.
If players get pissed off with having to fight for their team place they should be pissed off…. out the door!!
Fighting talk Houston..
but if Arsenal demand him back or say stump up and buy him then ..(we are good at that particularly when we pay wages comparable to Window Salesmen)
– then I can’t see us keeping him..
Ikeme back then in the PL!
The bottom line is he’s really playing well and is commanding the defence too particularly against set plays one of our previously sieve type tactics of giving goals away…
All the matches have added interest at the moment as perhaps we are not quite sure which direction the team (and club) is going in. The consensus with the fans, just about, is that we have a very good manager with a not quite so good team. Having said that maybe up to 5 players are attracting interest from Premier league clubs which is unusual for a championship outfit.
I’ve just seen the footage of the Wolves ‘hard men’ on Football Fight Club.
What a bunch of pathetic plonkers.
I think we ought to get Brompton to sort them out some shirts with “I am a dickhead – please kick my stupid arse” printed on them.
Although, having said that, one of them in the background with the scarf round his head looked a bit familiar.
Doog
My sediments exactly, they are the dregs of society, the tag nuts on a Bulldogs Arse not worth a further thought. Where are these people, Iv’e been attending matches and just don’t see or hear them. Perhaps I’m over protected in my North bank spot.
To be honest if the knuckle draggers were to show up in the North Bank they would get a short sharp Doog style boot up the Jackie and sent packing.
What a load of W anchors they are, talk about looking for 3 minutes of fame.
Bring back National service and the birch.
Do you mean something like this:
And I must say, I need to change my disguise as you spotted me with that scarf on!!!
Nice one!
As a matter of interest, I still can’t upload pictures to the blog, still getting the ‘Error Page not found’ message – what’s the secret?
Don’t know mate. I did not do anything different than I usually do and no message came up, it just worked.
Based on these 4 fixtures…..
0 points = Disaster!
1 point = Shocking
2 points = Not good enough
3 points = Poor
4 pints = Disappointing
5 points = Could be worse
6 points = OK
7 points = Good return
8 points = Excellent
9 points = Fantastic
10 points = Bloomin marvelous!
12 points = Unbelievable!!! Get in there.
4 pints disappointing? How many do you normally drink? You’re not a cheap round.
12 polnts and top of the league. Kenny can have my wife.
He can have my ex-wife. Morgan wouldn’t approve though as she’s not under 24.
You forgot:
11points = Smokin’…..
If we did manage the impossible total of 11 points from 4 games someone would have to have been smoking something!!
For all you footy fans on the site with young kids, as Christmas is approaching here is a site you may like. It is a footy mad dad who was pissed off with being ripped off for kids football strips, so he has kits made in China, (so do all the major suppliers) and you can’t spot any difference.
We have seen examples at the Grandsons footy and we shall be ordering from this guy. Footy strips for £16-99, get in there.
Very limited European and English teams but the main one’s the kids want.
Cheapestfootyshirts.com.
Cheaper than 4 Pints even.
So which ones are £16.00 and which ones are £99.00?
Ouch.
Below the belt.
£99 ones must be Arsenal.
Nawww
That’s the price of the pies at Kidderminster FC
The one chap in the yam yam army stood in the subway looked a bit like the black knight off monty pythons holy grail. I imagine him shouting “come back you yellow bastards i’ll bite your legs off’ as he chases an albion fan up the stafford road…
I see that a couple of old FA Cup Final programmes are coming up for auction, including Wolves v Tottenham from 1921.
I didn’t know that Clive was getting rid of his collection.
The E&S website has got an old Pathe News film which shows some of the Spurs ‘Ultras’ in an angry mood.
Now they WERE hard men!
1921? They may well be Dead Hard now!!!!
International break, onlly one I would be interested in would in Dublin or may be Barcalona on the pist. Is it just me but I carnt get excited about England and woys bunch of over paid stars.
We never seen to benift from these breaks in fact more often than not we seen to suffer and that’s my concer espeailly as we seemed to have turned the corner but if Kenny sticks to the same line as in the last 2 games I think we may but this bogey to bed……….he said hoping..!
Gotta be looking for at least 8 points minimum from the 12 if we want to stay in touch with the top six,plus taking points off 3 teams above us.
Hope we’re not getting above our selves after two fine wins and international break.
UTW.
Derby 1pt
Brentford 3p
Boro 1pt
Blues 3pt
Can’t see more ..
Position 5th
Still haven’t heard re KMacs back injury…
Bring on the Boro, it’s beginning to feel a lot like Wanderers, everywhere around.
http://www.expressandstar.com/sport/wolverhampton-wanderers-fc/2015/10/16/molineux-offer-could-push-crowd-to-30000/
Dare to dream bloggers, dare to dream.
Will keep an eye out for you and Brompton (thought he said previously he wasn’t going??) at Derby – I’m in row H.
I wasn’t, but as Stu was going alone I am making sure he is being looked after. Call me when you get there mate and we can meet up. If you don’t have my mobile anymore, email me at stevelbiles@hotmail.com and I will give it to you again mate.
For me our downfall last season was an inability to take points off our closest rivals away from home – Watford being the sole exception. Improvement is a ‘must’, so the next 2 away games will give us an idea of how far we have progressed in this area.
4 games, 4 wins. 2-0 at Derby, 1-0 v Brentford, 2-1 v Boro and 2-0 at Blues. You heard it here first. Just look at how well I am doing in the Prediction League and you will all be rushing to put a bet on. Surely? Oh no StuWolf is Shirley, sorry I forgot for a mo’.
Currently lightening up a grey, wet and miserable day at work with clips of Peter Sellers as Inspector Clouseau – “does your dog bite?”
Clouseau: Now, this time *I’m* going to stand on *your* shoulders!
Cato: What good will that do?
Clouseau: Because I’m taller than you are, you fool!
Paddy gets his head chopped off in an accident at work, so the police take his head round in a basket for his wife to identify him.
The police officer takes the unfortunate Paddy’s head out of the basket and holds it up.
“Is this your husband” he asks Paddys wife,
“Oh no”, say’s Paddy’s wife, “he’s a lot taller than that”
My wife was helping me clear out our loft yesterday. Dirty, filthy, covered in cobwebs. But she’s good to the kids.
KJ reads this blog. He took inspiration from you Thomas, agreed with you about the importance of the next 4 games and got the E&S to print this morning’s story.
http://www.expressandstar.com/sport/wolverhampton-wanderers-fc/2015/10/16/kenny-jackett-four-big-games-could-shape-season/
If KJ steps down, it’s Thomas for Manager!
How do you castrate a WBA fan ? Kick his sister in the mouth….
going into a poor team, need some hard talking from MR Jackett
will end up in div 1 at this rate
the players need to fight a lot more