I Spy: (a rather ambitious) one point

Written by Wolfie on November 20th, 2009

I’m fed up already of predicting a loss, so here’s hoping  for a solid 4-5-1 from Wolves, a lot of good fortune and a spectacular goal for both teams from Drogba.  Although much has been made in the build up of the proportion of Wolves goals scored from set pieces and headers, and Chelsea’s relative vulnerability to these threats, in truth, we haven’t scored many and they haven’t conceeded many, so the odds of a goal for Wolves are low.  We’d be the first team to put one past them at home since Hull on the opening day of the season.  But these records are there to be broken. 

I was in attendance  last time around, and frankly going 2-1 up then was nearly as unexpected as it would be now (we’ll gloss over the 4 goals conceeded in the final 20 minutes), so here’s hoping.  I’ll be at the game tomorrow so watch out near the corner flag in the third row of the away end.

 

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Gary Neville proves himself even more of a twit than even I had previously thought

Written by Wolfie on November 16th, 2009

I talked a couple of weeks ago of the decision to relegate apparently poorly performing referee Mike Jones from the Premiership to a Championship match up instead. Gary Neville, it seems would support this decision wholeheartedly. If I may quote from his recent interview with The Times:

“The big matches should be refereed by the best referees. Italian referee Pierluigi Collina always used to get the big Champions League matches because he rarely made mistakes.

“They should make it like that in England and use a few elite officials in the big games instead of trying to give all referees experience.” 

Mr Neville, it seems, doesn’t want to say that Man Utd have been “hard done by this season because every team has their complaints, and I don’t want to jump on referees’ backs because they are under a lot of pressure [and] the game is so fast that you can’t eliminate all mistakes.” This doesn’t stop him from moaning that “I expect the big decisions in the big matches to be correct, which is not happening at the moment.” Personally, I expect all decisions in all matches to be correct, but they aren’t, and we all know that they never will be. It sucks when you’re on the wrong end of one of those decisions, but the degree to which it sucks doesn’t vary depending if you’re Man United at the top of the table or Wolves at the bottom.

Therefore, whether to even consider taking his comments seriously depends on how you think he is defining big games. Does he think a match up between Wolves and Portsmouth, which could be absolutely critical for both teams at the bottom of the table, is a ‘big game’? And what about Peterborough vs. Doncaster? His comment that “The best players play for the big clubs and the best commentators commentate on the big games. That’s how it should be with refs”, would suggest not. ‘Big games’ means ‘big teams’ like Man U and Liverpool fighting it out for third place, not lesser teams fighting for survival, where Mr Neville seems to completely miss the point that the stakes are as high if not higher for those involved.

So, for that he wins Wolfie’s newly inaugurated ‘Twit of the Week’ award.

 

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On the Life of a Wanderer

Written by Wolfie on November 15th, 2009
What’s it like supporting Wolves?  Sometimes a picture is all you need.  Thanks to the folks at Flume Gorge, NH for so neatly summing it up.
The life of a Wanderer

The life of a Wanderer

 

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On life at the (bottom of the) top

Written by Wolfie on November 9th, 2009

After Saturday’s defeat to Arsenal, Wolves find themselves in the bottom three for the first time in a while.  A good time, if not the most optimistic, to consider the very different experience of supporting your team in the Premier League to the Championship.

It’s never easy supporting Wolves (although I’m sure many a Luton Town supporter would argue that we have it easy) but who wants to go into a game knowing it will take a miracle to win it? Quite a few, I think.  How would we choose, offered two scenarios: lose to Arsenal or Liverpool or beat Norwich or Doncaster?  Personally I’d go for the first, even if it happened every week, because every week there’s the hope of something better, rather than the far more realistic fear of something worse.  And every once in a while, that magic something actually happens, and that makes it all worthwhile.

The grounds are bigger, the stakes higher (and the players and the tickets more expensive), but what it ultimately comes down to is will you take a slapping from Arsenal now and again for the chance to win a few, to stay in the top 17 and do the same again next year?  I say yes!

 

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One of them days: Wolves 1-4 Arsenal

Written by Wolfie on November 7th, 2009

Disappointingly, I have been proven right in my audacious prediction of an Arsenal victory.

Wolves started so promisingly and really took the game to Arsenal in the first 20 minutes, but in truth didn’t threaten the Arsenal goal seriously despite looking the better team. However after an unlucky own goal from Zubar, there was only one team in it.

The second was arguably another unfortunate own goal – this time from Craddock. Mick did say before the game that he wouldn’t mind if Craddock happened to get another two goals after the heroics at Stoke last week. With a consolation goal in the 86th minute, it seems that he did, if not in the desired manner.

I have made much in recent weeks of the impact Kightly and Ebanks-Blake will have once they’re back in the team.  We have seen very little evidence of this so far, although perhaps against Arsenal is not the best time to make these judgements.  In truth, no one impressed.  Milijas looked a threat on set plays, but too casual the rest of the time.  Doyle and Edwards perhaps stood out most, if only because they were the last to give up the fight.  Craddock put in another praiseworthy performance, but was always likely to be outclassed by arguably the best in the country at the moment.  Berra was fine except for the enormous lapse of leaving Craddock completely alone at the back for Arsenal’s second.  Wolves can take a few lessons from this game, not least that the tiniest lapse is likely to lead to a goal.

Chelsea at Stanford Bridge next.  Ho hum.

 

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I Spy: Nul Points

Written by Wolfie on November 7th, 2009

I can barely bring myself to say it, but I think the odds are that Arsenal will be too good for Wolves.  While I’m looking forward to seeing Ebanks-Blake, Kightly and Milijas all playing, let along the perhaps more surprisingly impressive Berra, Craddock and Henry, Arsenal are fresh from an outstanding performance in the Champions League mid week.  And let’s face it, they do have some decent players in the team. 

Nevertheless, I’m off to the pub with fingers crossed for a cheeky 1:1, and hopeful that even if we lose, we will have given the win a good shot.

 

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Mike Ashley Loses His Mind

Written by Wolfie on November 5th, 2009

Some would contest that this event (the mind-losing) happened some time ago, but my thoughts have been drawn to a particularly ludicrous decision – not Wolves-related, but worthy of comment.  Not content with an announcement that he is to auction off naming rights to Newcastle’s historic St James Park ground, Ashley has decided to make this 100% worse and highlight just how much comedy will ensue, by renaming the stadium early in honour of his own business empire: Step up the sportsdirect.com @ St James Park Stadium.  I won’t bother to deconstruct the many things wrong with the name – it’s not even as if it’s formulated in such a way as anyone except opposing fans could possibly use it in a conversation.

Makes me grateful Wolves haven’t yet trodden this particular path: The Mr Sizzle Molineux Palace, anyone?

 

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Fair Point: Stoke 2-2 Wolves

Written by Wolfie on November 1st, 2009

It’s beginning to look like the Hoddle days – all these draws.  Of course nothing could be further from the truth, because Hoddle was bumbling around with an over-priced, over-paid team in the Championship, and McCarthy has assembled a lean Premiership outfit, albeit one still nervously close to the drop zone, with far less resources that the majority of teams in the League.

A draw away against Stoke is a decent outcome for the team after going 2-0 down in a poor first half, although frustratingly a result that, like the last two games, could easily have been three points to the Wolves.

It was irritating to see an otherwise fine Christophe Berra with his arms wrapped around the opposition in the penalty area again – he’s going to give away more penalties if he carries on; but fantastic to see Milijas coming on at half time and having the impact that we’ve all been hoping, and even more fantastic to see Jody Craddock getting a couple of goals.  Craddock has been a fantastic professional for Wolves for many years now so I would never be surprised to see him giving his all, but I am both surprised and delighted to see him playing so darn well at this level.  Following on from two games playing full tilt with several stitches in his head, this man is rapidly becoming a Wolves legend.  I keep fearing he’s going to be found out in this league, but he hasn’t been so from now on I remain silent on the matter.

And the final word goes to Mick McCarthy, always great value in interviews, who professed himself not bothered how far offside Craddock’s first goal was: “We’ve had a few go against us this season and I’ve accepted them with good grace; it’s about time someone else had to.” And so say all of us.

 

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On the price of success

Written by Wolfie on October 30th, 2009

Many fans are likely to be getting justifiably aerated about tickets for the upcoming match at Stamform Bridge, costing £47 or £44 (assuming you can visit the ticket office in person and pay cash, else add an extra £1.25 to that).  This is too high, although not massively above the £40 Wolves choose the charge fans in some areas of the ground, but I’m more annoyed by a different ticketing announcement this week.

Wolves have unveiled this year’s half-season ticket prices.  We all know prices are high this year, but one ‘opportunity’ that particularly caught the eye was the ‘TPS 4′ scheme.  For the outlay of £60 I can then pay full price for every single game for the second half of the season.  Alternatively I could go online when tickets go on sale and choose my seat and only go to those games I am able to attend.  I’ve made my choice. 

Why do Wolves persist in dressing up these rip offs as opportunities for the fans?

 

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Meet the family

Written by Wolfie on October 29th, 2009

Just to let you know I’ve added profiles of my several Wolfie friends and associates on my new Meet the Wolfies page.  We’re all very special in our own ways, but some of us are really quite alarming…

Incidentally, please let me know if you ever hear of a Wolfie in need of a home.

 

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