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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Wolves v Arsenal

So this it. The last of the big cheeses in succession and even if we do lose, three points from the last three games isn't a bad return and another point would always be welcome in this last one.


Well, after such a good display at Old Trafford, you'd think there'd be no changes. You could be proven wrong tonight after Stephen Ward's bad form was capped off with a right stinker and should welcome a change a left-back. George Elokobi to step in maybe? Should Mick McCarthy opt for 4-4-2, it's no question that Sylvan Ebanks-Blake should be the striker to play alongside Kevin Doyle, but who'd you drop in midfield? Stephen Hunt would make a good case but he's trying to settle and gain more match fitness.

Arsenal will seek a backlash after their debacle against Newcastle on Sunday and they'll have to do it without the suspended Laurent Koscielny and possibly Samir Nasri and Arsene Wnger won't be rushing Robin van Persie. Andrei Arshavin will be expected to be called up after not starting in the last game and whilst Aaron Ramsey - the star in last season's fixture - might be out, but tonight could be a cue for Jack Wilshere. Personally, I would like to see what the fuss is about.

But then again, which will Arsenal turn up? The one that can play the free-flowing attacking football which has earned them acclaims or the lacklustre one with a defence as leaky as the stories about Wenger's affair and a slapstick goalkeeper? Both are entertaining for different reasons but whichever one turns up will decide what we finish the match with.

'Grobs'


POSSIBLE LINE-UPS


WOLVES: Hahnemann; Foley, Stearman, Berra, Elokobi; Jarvis, Milijas, Henry, Edwards, Hunt; Doyle

ARSENAL: Fabianski; Sagna, Squillaci, Djourou, Clichy; Arshavin, Fabregas, Song, Wilshere, Walcott; Chamakh

ODDS (with William Hill)

WIN: Wolves 5/1; Draw 11/4; Arsenal 4/7

FIRST GOALSCORER: Wolves - Steven Fletcher 8/1, Doyle 8/1, Ebanks-Blake 10/1, Jarvis 12/1, Hunt 14/1, Milijas 16/1, Stearman 33/1: Arsenal - Chamakh 4/1, Bendtner 5/1, van Persie 5/1, Fabregas 11/2, Walcott 6/1, Song 16/1.

KEY PLAYER: Cesc Fabregas. Vital. Without him, Arsenal are ordinary.

WEAKEST LINK: Lukasz Fabianski. Sums up Wenger's taste in goalkeepers. Test him with high balls and long-rangers and he'll be likely to fumble.

NOTABLE MUTUAL ALUMNI: Alan Sunderland, Oleg Luzhny, Bobby Gould, Vince Bartram, Jeremie Aliadiere

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Four Horsemen Of The (Premiership) Apocalypse

Eight games, six points and here come the Four Horsemen Of The Premiership Apocalypse and I'm not talking about Conquest, War, Famine and Death, but Ancelotti, Mancini, 'Taggart' and Wenger. To kept the results respectable or even withstand any chance of getting a measly point, we must set our stall out - 4-5-1, men behind the ball and get forward whenever possible - like we did in the latter half of last season. Let's take a quick close glance at what could be the top 4 come May.

Chelsea (a)

Even with the absense of Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba, they should win with no need to move to top gear. Way too much firepower with Nicolas Anelka, Salomon Kalou and Flourent Malouda still at large.

Manchester City (h)

Their away form has been rather unconvincing so far this season and should Carlos Tevez not be available for selection, then they could pay the price for their over-reliance on the Argentinian striker.

Manchester United (a)

They've not been the most convincing this season. However Old Trafford is quite a fortress and after West Brom grabbed a draw there, 'Taggart' will look to make sure more points aren't dropped at home to smaller sides.

Arsenal (h)

Like Manchester City, their away form hasn't been the best season. And with the absense of Robin van Persie and (potentially) Cesc Fabregas, Arsenal can be a ordinary side on a bad day. Play our cards right and test whichever keeper Arsene Wenger chooses to put out and we could get summat.

But all in all, points at this stage, points should be considered as a bonus as our priority is to finish these next four games with our pride and confidence intact, otherwise we might not turn up for the more winnable games after.

'Grobs'