Watch Out, Wenger's About

Hopefully Mr Wenger will be reassured ahead of his visit to Molineux that the naughty Wolves players have been very well behaved in recent weeks.  In fact, with Arsenal sitting at the bottom of the disciplinary league, and with Koscielny picking up as many red cards to date as the delightful Mr Cattermole (official Premier League statistics), perhaps we should be the ones worrying that the barbarians are coming to take our children.  Of course I’m joking (mainly) before anyone complains, but good old Arsene does bring it on himself.

Arsenal are coming into the game at their lowest ebb for some time and the fans certainly aren’t happy about Sunday’s home defeat to Newcastle.  Conversely, despite a demoralising late defeat to Manchester United at the weekend, Wolves should go into the game confident in their ability, and seeing this as a genuine opportunity to pick up a point or three.  That’s not to say anything can be taken for granted, but it is to say the players should go into the game seeing it as a genuine opportunity.

That belief is exactly what will be required to get a result from this game.  There are only so many times you can blame luck for results.  It was desperately disappointing for the team to lose at Old Trafford having acquitted themselves so well for 90 minutes, but it’s not just a matter of misfortune to have conceeded six goals after the 85th minute this season (more if City hadn’t squandered their late chances).  This happened enough last season (memorably, sadly, at the Emirates last time round) to convince me it’s more than bad luck.  We seem to get scared, defend deep raise the tension levels. A likely resultant lapse of concentration tends to get punished in those circumstances.  This must be avoided on Wednesday at all costs.  McCarthy is quoted as saying that confidence is dented by the manner of the defeat, but let’s hope he can prevent it affecting the players on the field on Wednesday:

For all the good we did in playing so well at Old Trafford, to lose does damage in how we feel.  It just knocks the stuffing out of us at the end and saps the belief we have.

I imagine the Wolves team will remain unchanged, although we can always hope for a rethink at left back.  Stephen Ward is a top professional and does an excellent job on occasions, but his backing off is a weakness exploited by team after team.  I’ll assume as I don’t see him play every day that there is a reason not to play Van Damme in the position he was bought for, because he’s looked an asset to the team when he’s been on the pitch, but Elokobi at least, for all his faults, surely deserves a chance.  However, I expect we’ll see:

Hahnemann

Foley – Stearman – Berra – Ward

Jarvis – Edwards – Milijas – Henry – Hunt

Doyle

Arsenal may be a little despondent after Sunday’s result (on top of a Champions Leage defeat in the Ukraine), but will be coming to Molineux wanting to prove their critics wrong.  On the other hand, we’re in fine form, if only we could stop assuming every game must inevitably end in defending for our lives.  Therefore with the above line up, I’m going to predict a 2-2 final score, but hope for better.

Mick McCarthy with characteristically commendable honesty summed it up in his post match interview: “Arsenal have had all the chances; they’ve had all the play.  They’re better than us.  I’ve no problem with that, but losing like we did in the last minute is bitterly disappointing”.

At least Wenger, for once, didn’t have anything to complain about at the end of the match after Wolves skipper Karl Henry was harshly dismissed where a booking would have done, for a sliding tackle on Rossisky that did seem to get the ball.  Arsenal squandered several more chances and Wolves still hung on heroically and looked set to take a fine point from the Emirates when Zubar let Bentner get in front of him in the 94th minute to find the incisive finish Arsenal had been looking in vain for the previous 93 minutes.

Congratulations for Mancienne on a very strong game in midfield and to Hahnemann - although Arsenal missed the target more than they hit it, he still had plently of saves to make, and did it well.  Finally, a must-do-better to Keogh, a 70th-minute substitute, who didn’t look ready for this game and needs to sharpen up a bit again – perhaps not against Arsenal when we could take a point againt the odds, Mick?

Losses for the other of the bottom 7 teams in action softens the blow, and while this outcome is easier to take with Wolves remaining in 14th than if we’d been in 18th, this will rank among the many ‘might-have-beens’ of this season.

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.