Wolves 3 - 3 Tottenham Hotspur

Well, what a better way to give Dean Richards a big send-off than to see two of his former clubs pull off a Premier League classic?

Before the match began, an emotional special tribute was held to 'Deano', which began with the two teams entering the pitch followed by Bradford chairman Mark Lawn, ex-Southampton teammate Claus Lundekvam, former Spurs colleague Ledley King and Wolves' Matt Murray, holding their respective shirts aloft with Richards' name and shirt number of the back. The shirts will be auctioned off and the proceeds will go to St Gemma's Hospice in Leeds, where he was cared for and passed away. His widow Samantha and two children Rio and Jaden entered the pitch before former teammates Don Goodman and James Beattie and former managers Graham Taylor and Dave Jones joined the representatives and both teams and sets of fans in a minute's standing ovation. There were fewer dry eyes through it all.

Family, players, fans and ex-colleagues pay tribute to Dean Richards

The match got under way and it was us who looked dangerous and played the better football to begin with. Adam Hammill's diagonal ball into the box saw Nenad Milijas stretching but his header was always going wayward. But 20 minutes in, it was Milijas who supplied the first goal when he recieved the ball from a cleared corner, he whipped it in for Kevin Doyle to beat Huerelho Gomes to head in. But Spurs' attacking prowess, they were always going to threaten. Steven Pienaar just fired wide before Jermain Defoe found a bit of space and fired a curling effort from 20 yards after half an hour. Four minutes later, he repeated the trick from a much tougher position leaving Wayne Hennessey with no chance. And five minutes before half-time, a deflected Doyle shot saw it's way to Milijas from three yards and Alan Hutton pulled back the Serb, a red card for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity was certain but Mark Halsey only gave him a yellow. Doyle made no mistake in sending Gomes the wrong way to send the game all square at half time.

Richard Stearman heads in the goal that never was.

The second half was only three minutes old when Roman Pavlyuchenko - perhaps the most likely player to have been sacrificed had Hutton been sent off - slammed a powerful shot into the roof of the net. But kept on fighting we did and Matt Jarvis whipped in a ball from the left for Stephen Ward, who only got a flick and no direction on the ball. Milijas broke forward again and forced a save from Gomes to tip onto the post, and he was forced to stretch from a Kevin Doyle cross but he couldn't control it. Halfway through the second half and Harry Redknapp had intentions to finish us off on the break by bringing on Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon and they nearly did when Bale pounced on a miscommunication but was denied by Hennessey. Moments later, Milijas delivered a free-kick which Gomes and Richard Stearman raced for and 'Stears' beat the keeper to head home, only for Halsey to disallow for what is believed to be a foul on the keeper, goalkeepers are a protected breed so this is normal to be honest. More moments later Spurs had another chance to kill us off when the post denied Defoe of his hat-trick. It would've been harsh on us but we managed to get the equaliser three minutes from time when Jarvis' ball met the head of Fletcher who did well to direct it into the corner.

A good result but a win would've justified the performance, but you have to be happy with a point as it was a must after West Ham and West Brom picked up wins. Also, it's a great showing of resolve that we've come behind twice and equalised. We will not lay down and roll over!
LINE-UPS

Wolves (4-5-1): Hennessey; Foley, Stearman, Berra, Elokobi; Hammill (Fletcher, 74), Henry, Ward (Ebanks-Blake, 60), Milijas, Jarvis; Doyle. Subs Not Used: Hahnemann, Craddock, Mouyokolo, Griffiths, Doherty.

Spurs (4-4-2): Gomes; Hutton, Dawson, Gallas, Assou-Ekotto; Pienaar (Bale, 69), Jenas, Sandro, Modric (Kranjcar, 85); Defoe, Pavlyuchenko (Lennon, 74). Subs Not Used: Cudicini, Bassong, Palacios, Crouch. Booked: Hutton, Gallas, Dawson.


STATS (WOLVES - SPURS)

Shots on target (off): 4 (9) - 10 (5)      Corners: 7 - 4      Fouls: 10 - 11

Possession: 44% - 56%      Referee: Mark Halsey (Bolton)      Attendance: 28,669

Stats according to BBC Sport

Wolves 1 - 0 Birmingham City

Typical of Mick McCarthy. Just as he has his back to the wall once again, he delivers the goods, and how.


Our line-up almost consisted of our bare bones with four youth players on the bench and Kevin Doyle, Michael Mancienne, Steven Mouyokolo and Matt Jarvis absent. We started off the better team from start to finish with a flurry of chances started with Dave Edwards and Stephen Hunt forcing saves out of Ben Foster. Within our first half dominance Birmingham had a decent share of possession without offering any attacking threat or potency. Nicola Zigic waswinning headers to nowhere. On the half-hour mark, lone striker Sylvan Ebanks-Blake started to stomp his authority on the game with two shots on target - one on the turn just outside the box and another from a tight angle - which were dealt with by Foster. And on the stroe of half-time, he got the beating of Scott Dann and crossed from the right wing for Hunt to tap in at the near post to score at a perfect time.


Straight after the interval, Ward again put in another cross and Edwards' feint header was just wide. Hunt was everywhere today, whether he was terrorising defenders or tracking back to retain possession, and he almost contributed towards another goal when his corner found the head of Nenad Milijas, who was again denied by Foster. Birmingham stepped from first gear and brought on Craig Gardner and Jean Beausejour. Cometh the hour, cometh resident bogeyman Kevin Phillips for the last 15 minutes but he summed up the visitors' afternoon when he headed so wide Wayne Hennessey didn't have to move.


This was a much needed win to boost morale ahead of next weeks trip to Sandwell and a chance to get us out of the bottom three.

'Grobs'

Blackburn Rovers 3 - 0 Wolves

Same old, same old. Attacking line, great. Defence, shocking but here, it was tenfold.

Things started ever so well that we could and should have took the lead early on when Matt Jarvis pulled off a save from Paul Robinson and stand-in midielder Stephen Ward and Ronald Zubar both hit the woodwork within a minute. And we paid the price for not taking the lead shortly after when a Morten Gamst Pedersen corner was aimed towards the far post for Ryan Nelsen to flick back towards goal for David Dunn to head over the line with Wayne Hennessey nowhere to be seen. Rovers doubled their lead later when Steven Mouyokolo lost out in a tussle to Jason Roberts from a long ball and Roberts squared to Brett Emerton who tucked it away with ease. Our defence was once again a laughing stock.

Ten minutes into the second half, Pedersen whipped in another utterly threatening set-piece and it was converted into a third for the hosts and then not long after that, Robinson saved from George Elokobi and substitutes Stephen Hunt and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake made their presences felt with the former being denied by the former England keeper twice. Other than that, chances were few and far between.

You could say that we were unfortunate with the chances we had but that does not excuse the schoolboy defending and another performance in the next two games would be unforgiveable.

'Grobs'

Wolves 3 - 2 Sunderland

Winter had most definitely arrived and three points were due for an ever unlucky hard working Wolves side, and for once we did it! Wayne Hennessey finally got a chance in goal after some disappointing performances from Marcus Hahnemann and there was a first league start for Ronald Zubar at right back, with Kevin Foley being pushed up to the right wing in place of Stephen Hunt. Other changes were Nenad Milijas in for Karl Henry & Stephen Ward for Christophe Berra with George Elokobi playing centre back.

Few clear cut chances were created in the opening 45 minutes, the best being Kevin Doyle blasting over from 12 yards and a Kieron Richardson free-kick hitting the inside of the post. The big talking point was when Richard Stearman was given offside when scoring from a corner and I can say that from seeing replays at half time he certainly wasn't and couldn't be, but in the end it didn't matter.

Ex-Manchester United trainees David Jones and Phil Bardsley do battle

Five minutes in and Wolves took the lead after Craig Gordon parried a Matt Jarvis shot straight into the path of Foley, who smashed home with his left foot to make it 1-0. For some reason we decided to sit back and let Sunderland pile on the pressure & not long after a knock on from the substitute Asamoah Gyan fell onto Darren Bent to equalize. The game was back and forth from here until the end and next goal went to the visitors again with Danny Welbeck heading home with 13 minutes to go and quite a lot of the home fans leaving thinking 'here we go again'. Now I'm not that stupid and my patience was rewarded in the final 10 minutes, first off Hunt scored from another Gordon save off a Elokobi header then super-sub Sylvan Ebanks-Blake got the winner with a great strike from a Doyle knock on, sending the crowd home happy for once.

Our defence still looked shaky (missing the experience of Jody Craddock), Hennessey couldn't do anything about the two well taken goals and had a decent game, Zubar didn't look like he'd been out two months at all, man of the match for me. Milijas & Jarvis yet again were superb in midfield and Doyle played well on his own but the subs were the difference today.

With West Ham winning as well this was vital to keep us close to the pack above, surely its a sign of our luck changing?

'Geesus'

LINE-UPS

WOLVES (4-5-1): Hennessey; Zubar, Stearman, Elokobi, Ward; Foley (c), Mancienne (Ebanks-Blake 80), Jones (Hunt 63), Milijas, Jarvis; Doyle. Unused subs: Hahnemann, van Damme, Fletcher, Bent, Davis. Booked: Ward, Elokobi

SUNDERLAND (4-4-2): Gordon; Onuoha, Ferdinand, Mensah (Elmohamady 83), Bardsley; Richardson, Henderson (Malbranque 55), Cattermole (c), Zenden (Gyan 55); Bent, Welbeck. Unused subs: Mignolet, Angeleri, Da Silva, Riveros. Booked: Mensah, Richardson, Cattermole

STATS (courtesy of Daily Telegraph)

SHOTS ON TARGET (OFF TARGET): Wolves 7 (7) - (5) 6 Sunderland

CORNERS: Wolves 11 - 5 Sunderland

FOULS: Wolves 11- 10 Sunderland

POSSESSION: Wolves 54% - 46% Sunderland

REFEREE: Michael Jones



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Blackpool 2 - 1 Wolves

There is no point denying it any more, we are buried in deep feces and all through a game that we could've and should've won. And before we go on Wolves 24-7 can only base this match on the highlights on Match Of The Day have shown and the live text commentary on Sky Score Centre.

As the line-ups came out, most of us were at a loss as to why Nenad Milijas was dropped for David Jones. Maybe due to the latter's tenacity and graft being a reason for that decision but there should be no qualms about Michael Mancienne replacing Sylvan Ebanks-Blake as we were playing away from home. Blackpool took the lead in the third minute when Kevin Foley uncharacteristically got outsmarted by Luke Varney in our right-back position rasped a 30-yard volley into top corner past Marcus Hahnemann, who had no chance in hell of getting anywhere near the ball. Midway through the first half, we made a tactical substitution with Foley coming off for Milijas to put introduce some inagination into the midfield. But that wasn't working straight away and minutes before half-time the hosts doubled their lead. David Vaughan swung in a corner which Hahnemann couldn't get to due Varney holding him down and getting a touch for Marlon Harewood bundle in over the line. Although Mark Clattenburg should've given us a free-kick, Richard Stearman should not have given Harewood that much space to move. Wolves heckled off at half-time and rightfully so.

Luke Varney: A handful man in more ways than one gets his shot away.

Second half, Stephen Hunt made way for Ebanks-Blake and Milijas' influence was immediately evident when he won the ball in the middle of the park and struck a low shot which was tipped onto the post by Richard Kingson. Shortly after we had two penalty appeals within a minute, both turned down by Clattenburg who seems to take a dislike to us in recent games. But we battled on and battered them Tangerines and tested Kingson through Matt Jarvis and Ebanks-Blake but there was no way past the Ghanian international until the late stages of the game. With five minutes of normal time left, George Elokobi's cross was met by Kevin Doyle at the far post for his first Premiership goal this season but it was all too late. The goal was only scored because Ian Evatt - who had a really good game marking Doyle throughout - had to neglect his duty and walk an injury off on the touchline. Once again, a good second half performance, no points to show for it, nasty habit.

Mick McCarthy said before the game that this could well be definitive and he could be right, but we've been in this position before this time last year and got out with back-to-back victories. But it's Sunderland next and in their recent form, who would fancy dodging them?

'Grobs'

LINE-UPS

BLACKPOOL (4-3-3): Kingson, Eardley, Cathcart, Evatt, Crainey (Carney 89), Vaughan, Adam, Phillips (Taylor-Fletcher 65), Campbell, Varney, Harewood (Sylvestre 65). Unused Subs: Halstead, Ormerod, Grandin, Edwards.

WOLVES (4-5-1): Hahnemann, Foley (Milijas 29), Stearman, Berra, Elokobi, Henry (Fletcher 60), Mancienne, David Jones, Jarvis, Doyle, Hunt (Ebanks-Blake 46). Unused Subs: Hennessey, Ward, Bent, Mouyokolo. Booked: Henry, Berra

STATS (courtesy of Daily Telegraph)

SHOTS ON TARGET (OFF TARGET): Blackpool 4 (5) - 9 (9) Wolves

CORNERS: Blackpool 4 - 11 Wolves

POSSESSION: Blackpool 44% - 56% Wolves

REFEREE: Mark Clattenburg

Wolves 2 - 3 Bolton Wanderers

So, after a run against the top 4 teams it was time for some easier games, starting off with an in form 6th placed Bolton. Things weren;t looking good when Christophe Berra pulled up in the pre match warm up, meaning Mouyokolo would make his full league debut.

Surprisingly we went 4-4-2 for once but when you concede goals inside the 1st minute you're screwed. A Richard Stearman own goal from a cross meant we were on the back foot from the start but gradually worked our way back into it throughout the opening 45 mins. Jaaskelainen made 3 great saves, one identical to the goal Milijas scored in the corresponding fixture last season, with him this time pushing the ball round the post.

Matt Jarvis and Nenad Milijas (our 2 best players again) conjured up a couple of good quick set pieces, one being from a corner that Nenad clipped onto the bar but truth be told Wolves were not doing enough to break down Owen Coyle's impressive Bolton side. In the 62nd minute Kevin Foley kept the ball from going out of play but gave it straight away which led to a great individual goal from Johan Elmander, maybe the 3 players around him should have done better though. Then just 5 minutes later the game was all but over when Stuart Holden stroked the ball into the back of the net with ease, causing a mass exodus from the disgruntled home crowd (0-3). Just like the week before when at home to Spurs, Bolton decided to sit back when 3 up and it almost spelt disaster for them. Foley made up for his mistake with a great goal from a Jarvis pass a couple minutes later, then from a Jarvis corner, Steven Fletcher (on for Stephen Hunt) headed home making it 2-3 with over 10 mins to go. Mouyokolo should have made it all square in injury time but his header went inches wide meaning we lose at home again and the gap between us and 17th place grows.

A lesson to be learnt from this match is we can't handle playing 4-4-2 in this league, we need the extra man in midfield or we'll lose the battle in the middle all day long. Points are needed as soon as possible, beginning with the trip to Blackpool this weekend, where I can see there being goals galore, so I'll predict a 0-0.

'Geesus'

LINE-UPS
WOLVES (4-4-2): Hahnemann; Foley, Stearman, Mouyokolo, Elokobi; Hunt (Fletcher 66), Henry, Milijas, Jarvis; Doyle, Ebanks-Blake. Unused Subs: Hennessey, Van Damme, Ward, David Jones, Bent. Booked: Hunt

BOLTON (4-4-2): Jaaskelainen; Ricketts, Cahill, Knight, Robinson; Lee, Muamba, Holden, Taylor (Petrov 82); Kevin Davies, Elmander (Klasnic 74) Unused Subs: Bogdan, Mark Davies, Moreno, Blake, Alonso

STATS (courtesy of Daily Telegraph)

SHOTS ON TARGET (OFF TARGET): Wolves 5 (6) - 5 (7) Bolton

CORNERS: Wolves 12 - 3 Bolton

FOULS: Wolves 10 - 10 Bolton

POSSESSION: Wolves 54% - 46% Bolton

REFEREE: Peter Walton

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Wolves 0 - 2 Arsenal

Another top team and another case of us failing to convert our good play/chances in to goals. Michael Mancienne in for Stephen Hunt was our only change, quite surprised with this at the time but it didn't matter anyway.

Pretty much as soon as I sat down we were 1-0 down from a Maroune Chamakh header after 39 seconds, not the way to start against a team like Arsenal. Stephen Hunt came on soon after for Dave Edwards due to a thigh strain which set us up better on the wings, only problem being that Hunt likes to play on the left but Jarvis is miles better on that side than the right. Truth be told it should have been game over after 15 minutes but Marcus Hahnemann kept us in the match despite his poor form of late with a couple of decent saves. Gradually we got back into the game and stopped Arsenal from playing their style and came close with a Kevin Doyle header going just over from a set piece.

The second half was much more open with chances at either end. Straight from the kick off Wilshere lost the ball in his own box that led to a Jarvis cross of which Milijas connected to but was blocked brilliantly then Fabregas should have scored after a Henry mistake but stroked wide of the post. When Doyle gets a goal this season I'm pretty, pretty sure he'll get ten for the season, he came so close twice but for the outstanding Lukasz Fabianski and a shot that shaved the post after a great run, he failed yet again. Andrei Arshavin hit the post up the other end from 20 yards out as the match continued to go back and forth. Controversial point of the match came when Cesc Fabregas caught Stephen Ward after the ball had gone, Mark Halsey gave him a yellow card when it should have been a straight red. Again is this the big teams getting favours from referees like Gary Neville against Stoke a few weeks back? I don't know but the chants of "if that were us, you'd send him off" were more than likely correct. Back to the match, Steven Fletcher came on for the injured Ward & Sylvan Ebanks-Blake for Mancienne as we continued to pile on the pressure and go all out for an equalizer in the final few minutes. Just about at the end of the four mins of added time Berra's left footed shot was saved and we got done on the counter with Chamakh scoring again. We didn't deserve that at all.

Our man of the match goes to Nenad Milijas, he's getting better and better each match and he'll set up and score a few the way he's going. If only luck was on our side for once we'd of picked up at least 3 or 4 more points so far this season but got to be happy with 3 points from the top 4 teams when I didn't think of getting any at all. If we play like this against Bolton, Blackpool, Sunderland, Blackburn, Birmingham, West Brom and Wigan we'll start climbing up the table and everyone will be happy by Christmas time.

'Geesus'

LINE-UPS

WOLVES: Hahnemann; Foley, Stearman, Berra, Ward (Fletcher 88); Edwards (Hunt 8), Mancienne (Ebanks-Blake 79), Henry, Milijas, Jarvis; Doyle

ARSENAL: Fabianski; Sagna, Squillaci, Djourou, Clichy; Song, Wilshere (Denilson 67), Rosicky, Fabregas, Arshavin (Nasri 90); Chamakh (Bendtner 90)

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Manchester United 2 - 1 Wolves

Same old story. Late winner. Played well, got nothing. That's the story once again and it's beginning to become a very unwelcome habit.

First half, we played the ball around patiently and created chances. You could say we matched United that half. Nemanja Vidic deflected Nenad Milijas' shot just the wrong side of the post and Stephen Hunt failed to latch onto Matt Jarvis' telling inswinger and once again, we paid the price for near misses. Just before half time, a sublime pass from Darren Fletcher found Park Ji-Sung got away from Karl Henry with ease and slotted into the bottom corner.

But that harsh goal before the whistle didn't alter our mentality at the restart. But nothing much was happening in the game until the tale of two striking subsitiutions was told. Sylvan Ebanks-Blake instinctively took control of Nenad Milijas' tame shot and slotted the ball through Edwin Van Der Sar's legs to make it all all level and with ten minutes left, we squandered a chance. Steven Fletcher should've found the net when he was teed up by Michael Mancienne, some would feel that the latter should've took the chance himself. And Fletcher unoffically made himself scapegoat to some fans when he carelessly gave the ball away which saw Park cut inside Stephen Ward, who needlessly slid in in vain, and scuffed his shot into the bottom corner with a minute of stoppage time to spare. What's more annoying about the winner was that had he hit the shot full-on, maybe Marcus Hahnemann would've stood a chance of saving.

Another kick in the groin. Don't think I can be any more elborate than that.

'Grobs'

LINE-UPS

MAN UTD: Van der Sar; Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra; Obertan, Fletcher, Hargreaves (Bebe 10 (Macheda 74)), O'Shea (Scholes 74), Park; Hernandez.

WOLVES: Hahnemann; Foley, Stearman, Berra, Ward; Hunt (Ebanks-Blake 64). Edwards (Fletcher 65), Henry, Milijas (Mancienne 77), Jarvis; Doyle.

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Wolves 2 - 1 Manchester City

It was the Wolves as we knew them as we clinched our first win in eight games and at times, it wasn't as tricky as the scoreline suggested.

But the first 20 minutes belonged to City, who had squandered chances through Emmanuel Adebayor and Mario Balotelli, but shortly after, Richard Stearman needlessly slid in on David Silva near the byline to give a penalty to the visitors, which was coolly converted by Adebayor. After the restart we started playing playing through some fantastic wing play and the chances came flooding in. Dave Edwards was denied twice by Joe Hart then the crossbar within a minute. But the equaliser came when Matt Jarvis' cross was deflected into the path into the one man you would want the ball to fall to inside the 'D', Nenad Milijas, who volleyed low into the bottom corner despite Hart getting a hand to it. And we looked like the team most likely to score the next goal, and that showed when Vincent Kompany persistantly fouled the sublime Kevin Doyle without getting a booking.

Second half started like the first ended, City looked as though they were lacking cohesion by the minute and it was costly as a poor Kolo Toure clearance from Kevin Foley's cross fell to Doyle, whose shot was blocked by Hart and Edwards kept composed and slotted in to give us the lead. After that, City threw the kitchen sink, forcing our backs to the wall, bringing Jo and Adam Johnson, who terrorised our left side. Whilst the defence were lofting high and long balls, Silva dropped deep for the ball and tried to make things happen, all to no avail as nobody wanted to know. Adebayor was wasting more chances and Mario Balotelli being a petulant drama queen wasn't helping the team. Our unity was epitomised when Michael Mancienne put in a magnificant tackle on Johnson in stoppage time before being mobbed by the rest of the team.

It was a great performance which shows that you can't buy team spirit. Next stop: Old Trafford. Piece of cake, according to Super Mick McCarthy, and why not?

'Grobs'

LINE-UPS

WOLVES (4-5-1): Hahnemann, Foley, Stearman, Berra, Ward; Jarvis (Mouyokolo 88), Edwards, Henry, Milijas (Mancienne 83), Hunt (Elokobi 65); Doyle

MAN CITY (4-1-3-2): Hart; Richards (Jo 83), Kolo Toure , Kompany, Boateng; Yaya Toure; Milner, Barry (Johnson 68),  Silva; Adebayor (Zabeleta 77), Balotelli

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Chelsea 2 - 0 Wolves

Petr Cech described Saturday's game as his busiest game since he joined Chelsea. Now if you thought he'd be saying that before the game, you are much entitled to laugh at the suggestion.

First half, we gave Chelsea a run for their money, we created chances but the shots we had were so easy for Cech to grasp hold of. We didn't allow Chelsea to get out of first gear, although they were pressing but the very few chances they had was thwarted by Marcus Hahnemann. But they did take the lead when Yuri Zhirkov pulled the ball back for Florent Malouda to tap in. But even after the goal, we looked threatening and we went in at half-time encouraged.

Second half saw the debut of Stephen Hunt and straight away he made a difference, almost scoring with a diving header only to be cleared off the line by Michael Essien. There was a bit more to come from Hunt as he was pegging Chelsea more and more back and a equaliser was more than certainly on the cards but our chances of a great draw was dashed by a great triangle move started by Salomon Kalou, who passed to Didier Drogba for Michael Essien to tee up Kalou to make it 2-0.

This is a performance that should set a standard for the rest of the season and get the team to start believing.

'Grobs'

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Wolves 1 - 1 West Ham United

So apparently this was a must-win game to us fans, to the manager and the players I do not know.

David Jones for Karl Henry was our only change but after two minutes Jody Craddock went off injured down the tunnel and on came the fragile Richard Stearman. Apart from one save, Rob Green is one of the worst keepers I have seen down here for a long time and it was his mistake that led to the opening goal. He parried a cross from Stephen Ward straight into the path of Matty Jarvis who volleyed first time into the back of the net after ten minutes. We were on top throughout the first half but didn't convert the possession into chances and were made to pay for it in the second half.

Eight minutes in, Victor Obinna was took down by Kevin Foley and the useless Mark Clattenburg gave the Hammers a penalty (couldn't see whether it was or not from my view) that Mark Noble put away with ease. From then on for the last 40 minutes or so of the game West Ham were on top and really should have won with the chances created. We didn't have a clue what to do apart from give Jarvis the ball but we can't solely rely on him throughout the season. Kevin Doyle seems a completely different player to last season, he never gets in any scoring positions and gives the ball away too easily. I'm also afraid to say that me and a lot of the crowd think Mick McCarthy is starting to lose the plot. A 4-5-1 formation at one to the bottom teams is stupid and to take Steven Fletcher off with half an hour to go and replace him with a supposed left-back Van Damme (who doesn't even want to play for us) and play him on the right-wing is a joke. Sylvan Ebanks-Blake finally came on in the 88th minute but never had a chance to do anything. The match finished 1-1 and the fans vented their frustrations at the end with a chorus of boos.

Wolves, this is just not good enough and with our next four league fixtures of Chelsea (a), Manchester City (h), Manchester United (a) and Arsenal (h), we are in serious deep shit and are gonna be stuck down there for a good while. Is it time for a change?

Colin 'Geesus' Hodgkiss

LINE-UPS

WOLVES (4-4-2): Hahnemann; Foley, Craddock (Stearman 3), Berra, Ward; Edwards (Ebanks-Blake 88), Mancienne, Jones, Jarvis; Doyle, Fletcher (van Damme 66)

WEST HAM (4-4-2): Green; Jacobsen, da Costa, Ben Haim, Gabbidon; Dyer, Parker, Noble; Boa Morte; Obinna, Piquionne

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Wigan Athletic 2 - 0 Wolves

Where do I start? This is a game that we've known for a while we shouldn't lose. Wigan are one of the most inconsistent teams in the Premier League & have been for a couple of years. This year, they look like relegation fodder. Though they've gone and beat us 2-0, whilst playing worse than they did in the corresponding fixture last year - which we won 1-0 courtesy of an Andy Keogh header. Andy Keogh, a player we've sent out on loan, then brought in the fabulous Marcus Bent - whom we bring off the bench like he's our saviour. Personally, I'd prefer Keogh. Bent was ineffective, and probably always will be. Not that he wasn't a decent player at one point...but not now. But I'm rambling. Let's go back to the beginning of the match.

Wolves started brightly enough, Wigan looking suitably rattled as we got the game under way with some decent passing. Then, for an inexplicable reason, 11 minutes in Karl Henry - yes, the same Karl Henry, influential captain who has been under the cosh of late for his tough tackling displays - takes out Wigan's Jordi Gomez after the ball has gone. Why? The official explanation is that it was just a mis-timed tackle. Maybe it was, though as well as every fan of every other club in the Premiership, some Wolves fans are starting to question the motives of their captain. The tackle was not the worst in the world, but on another day it could have seen Gomez stretchered off with a broken ankle. Gomez experienced near flight on his way back down. We all know Karl likes to put himself about on the pitch - he's said so himself, and fair enough. Every club needs a tough tackling midfielder. But the problem from a Wolves point of view, is, with Henry's sending off, we had to play the majority of a match - one that we ought to have had a good chance of winning - with just 10 men. Our bright start went down the pan, and the match turned into a scrappy affair. It serves to show how bad Wigan are - they didn't take advantage of their extra man all first half.

Come the second half - Wigan came out all guns blazing. Still, thanks to Marcus Hahnemann's hard work in goal, it took an excellent free kick from - you guess it, Jordi Gomez, to break the deadlock. Wolves never looked like scoring - we didn't register even one shot on target all match - compared to Wigan's seventeen. A better team than Wigan would have hammered us. On 85 minutes, Hugo Rodallega scored to wrap it up for Wigan, as Christophe Berra's sliding attempted clearance came off him and ended up in the back of net.

This was one of the most inept performances from Wolves in recent times. People are right when they say something needs changing. Though things may have been different if Karl Henry had kept his composure.
 

Neil 'Nes' Hodgkiss

LINE-UPS

WIGAN (4-4-2): Al Habsi; Boyce, Gohouri, Alcaraz, Figueroa (Stam 60); McCarthy, Thomas (Diame 74), Gomez, N'Zogbia; Di Santo (Watson 85), Rodallega.

WOLVES (4-4-2): Hahnemann; Foley, Craddock, Berra, Ward (Ebanks-Blake 82); Edwards (Bent 82), Henry, Mancienne, Jarvis; Doyle, Fletcher (Elokobi 52). Sent off: Henry (11)

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Wolves 1 - 2 Aston Villa

They say a defeat in football can be a real kick in the teeth. To put it in cookery terms, this match contained half a tablespoon of Villa, half a tablespoon of Wolves, with a pinch of misjustice.

First half belonged to Villa with Marc Albrighton leading the onslaught, ripping Stephen Ward apart to the point where he had to come off after half an hour. But we had our chances through David Edwards, how I knew in my heart, would miss. Steven Fletcher and Kevin Doyle brought out good stops out of Brad Friedel. But just over halfway into the half, David Jones gave the ball away trying to ghost through two Villa men, the ball was sprayed wide to Albrighton who crossed to the far post for Stewart Downing to catch Kevin Foley napping and tap in from a measly few yards.

Second half, we started better and did so throughout the half. Elokobi came on for Wardy and neutralized Albrighton and managed to bring Matt Jarvis into the game a bit more and it paid off when Jarvo put in a striker's dream of a cross, only for nobody to get on the end of it and bamboozle Friedel to make it all square. Before that, Stephen Warnock looked like and should have recieved a second yellow card for a second reckless challenge on Doyle and as much as it's great to see Mark Halsey back officiating, he had a good game, but he got this decision wrong and it was costly as proved later on. Just as though the game was heading for a draw, Downing sucked Richard Stearman inside, leaving our right flank vulnerable for Warnock to whip in the ball for Heskey to head home. As good a header as it was, Christophe Berra should have done a lot better. And just as if that left a bitter taste in our mouths, Steve Sidwell made a nasty challenge on Adlene Guedioura which left him in a heap and had to be carried off to the touchline as we finished the game with 10 men.

It's all good saying we played well, but it's the points on the board that do the talking. This is our third defeat in a row with the weekend's results elsewhere and table reading negatively, and we go to the DW next on Saturday and a win is crucial just to stop the rot before we retire to the international break.

'Grobs'

LINE-UPS

　

WOLVES (4-4-2): Hahnemann; Foley (Stearman, 73), Craddock, Berra, Ward (Elokobi, 39); Edwards (Guedioura, 81), Henry, Jones, Jarvis; Fletcher, Doyle. Unused subs: Hennessey, Ebanks-Blake, Bent, Milijas.

VILLA (4-4-1-1): Friedel; Luke Young, Cuellar, Collins, Warnock; Albrighton (Agbonlahor, 67), Petrov (Sidwell, 85), Reo-Coker, Downing; Ashley Young; Heskey. Unused subs: Guzan, Ireland, Davies, Bannan, Lichaj.

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