[Archived] Preview of Wolves vs. Rovers; 22 May 2011.

[m1st]

After last week’s wonderful preview of the Manure game, I’m afraid we go from the sublime to the gorblimey as it’s welcome to another of m1st’s verbose previews, telling you loads of stuff you never needed to know [including the name which is their equivalent of a “Blackburner”!]; this time about Wolves and us. Hope it helps to put things in perspective as we approach the last game of a really unpredictable season. Which of us in the crowd for the home game against Everton would have thought the season would turn out like this?

HISTORY.

The history books show that we are two clubs with quite a lot in common, including an infamous [for us] F.A. Cup Final.

They are only a couple of years younger than us [coincidentally, of course, they were the opposition at Ewood in 2000 when we celebrated our 125th anniversary on the day Brad Friedel made his debut for us]. Like us, they have been playing at the same ground since the 1880s and were founder-members of the Football League. Their real glory days were from the very late 1930s to the early 1960s. Since when, they’ve been on an even bigger roller-coaster ride than we have, getting to a UEFA Cup Final, before almost going out of business having been bought by entrepreneurs who, apparently, had no previous connection with English football and seemed to have no feel for the English game and its culture. That episode led to three consecutive relegations and a spell in Division 4 [no links with us there!], before a locally-born multi-millionaire began investing in them.

As I implied above, Rovers’ fans of my generation, whose footballing memories begin in the 1950s, first remember Wolves as one of the “big” teams in the League. They were founded as St Luke’s [named after a school in the town] in 1877. Two years later they merged with another local team called The Wanderers [no; of course not them as were the first winners of the F.A. Cup!] and changed their name to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Football League.

Both Wolves and we are founder-members of the Football League in 1888, although they first suffered relegation from Division 1 in 1906, some 30 seasons before we did. Between the wars, they were relegated again; and had to play the 1923/24 season in the old Division 3 [North]. After 1 season down there, they won promotion back to Division 2, having beaten Rochdale to the title, and eventually returned to Division 1 in 1932. 4 years later, they hammered one of the bigger nails in our 1935/36 relegation coffin by beating us 8-1 at Molyneux, which meant that the 1936/37 season was the first time that they had played at a higher level than us.

That was the start of their real purple patch. They nearly won the League in the 1937/38 season but lost the last match of the season at Sunderland, handing the title to Arsenal. They were also runners-up the following season, which also saw them lose the F.A. Cup Final to Leicester City by 4-1. They continued their unlucky run in the League in the first post-World War 2 season when losing the last match of the season 2-1 to Liverpool, which meant that the Scousers pipped them to the League title. In 1950, the “so near yet so far” story went on as they finished up as League runners-up on goal average.

As noted above, however, though; Wolves’ real glory days began in the mid-1950s. Under the management of Stan Cullis and captaincy of Billy Wright, they finally won the League for the first time in 1954. The early 1950s were days before European club competitions; but Wolves played a number of high-profile friendly games against teams such as Real Madrid, Spartak Moscow and Honved, the Budapest team which provided many of the players of the Hungarian team which beat England 6-3 and 7-1 in 1953 and 1954.

Wolves became the second English team to compete in the European Cup, having been League Champions in 1958 and 1959. They failed to win a hat-trick of Championships in 1960, finishing one point below the team from Turf Moor [my computer’s programmed not to spell that name!], but compensated for that by winning the F.A. Cup against a plucky, valiant team which had its preparation rocked when its centre-forward [see below] lodged a transfer request on the morning of the Cup Final and was then reduced to 10 men by a serious injury to one of its full backs in the era before substitutes were allowed.

In the early 1960s, Wolves declined from their peak and they were relegated to Division 2 at the end of the 1964/65 season. We followed them a season later but they returned to Division 1 at the end of the 1966/67 season, our first season back in Division 2.

The 1970s were an up-and-down decade for Wolves; in 1970/71, they became the first winners of the Texaco Cup, a competition for clubs from England, Scotland and Ireland that had not qualified for European competitions. The following year they qualified for the UEFA Cup and got through to the Final which they lost 3-2 on aggregate to Tottenham Hotspur. A couple of seasons later, they won the League Cup for the first time when they beat Manchester City 2-1. Although they were relegated at the end of the 1975/76 season, they bounced back to Division 1 at the first attempt as champions, then went on to beat Nottingham Forest, holders of both the European Cup and the Football League Cup, in the 1979/80 League Cup Final.

However, really dark days were round the corner. Wolves were relegated from Division 1 at the end of the 1981/82 season and were on the brink of going out of business. They were sold to a consortium which was [to quote from the club’s history on their official website], “headed by the infamous Bhatti brothers”, although the public face of the deal was that centre-forward who had put in a transfer request on Cup Final Day 1960.

As it happens, we visited Molyneux for the first match of that season and I remember wanting to throw up as Dougan walked round the pitch before the kick-off, milking the applause of the crowd – you’d have thought he was the Messiah; when really, he was a very naughty boy.

Although Wolves regained Division 1 status in 1983 they were only there for one season. An article printed in The Observer some years ago [written by a University lecturer who’s also a Wolves’ fan] makes it clear that the Bhatti brothers had sucked the club dry.

“On 12 May 1984, their last game in Division One produced a 4-0 thumping by Stoke. This was just the beginning. Three consecutive relegations dumped them, bankrupt, in Division Four. The Bhattis disappeared back to Saudi Arabia, leaving the club hanging by a thread and three sides of the decaying stadium condemned.”

Wolves remained in Division 4 for a couple of seasons in the late 1980s. At least, unlike the team from Turf Moor, they were never within 90 minutes of going out of the league!

From there, the only way was up. Wolves began to turn the corner late in 1986, when they appointed Graham Turner as manager and he bought Steve Bull from West Bromwich Albion. Bull, the club’s record goal-scorer, and Andy Mutch became an excellent goal-scoring partnership and their goals helped Wolves to a couple of promotions in the late-1980s, as well as the Sherpa Van Trophy in 1988 with a 5-2 defeat of the team from Turf Moor [Ah, bless!].

Another parallel with us is that in 1990, Sir Jack Hayward became what we might call the “Jack Walker of Wolverhampton”. Despite his investment in the club, it took Wolves a lot longer than us to get back to the top tier of English football; although Wolves were one of the teams to beat us [and at home, too!] in that run of 6 consecutive defeats in late March/early April 1992, which left many of us thinking we weren’t going to be founder members of the Premier League. Thank goodness for the Play-offs!

They remained in what I always call Division 2-really, despite the various names it’s had since 1992 until they finally won promotion to the Premier League in 2003. As noted in the “Head to head” section below, they got walloped 5-1 in their “Welcome to the Premier League” game and went back to Division 2-really at the end of that one season. They had 5 more seasons in the Championship before returning to the Premier League at the start of last season.

Head to head.

I’ve not included anything in this section about Cup meetings; 51 years on, it’s still too painful!

This is the 43rd season in which we’ve played Wolves at various levels of the League; 34 of those seasons have been at the top level [the original League, Division 1 or the Premier League] but only 3 of them have been in the Premier League. In which, Wolves have never beaten us – long may that continue!

Wolves’ first-ever game in the Premier League was at Ewood at the start of the 2003/04 season; Brett had a stormer of a debut as we won 5-1. They returned to the Championship at the end of that season and remained there until 2009, when they won promotion back to the Premier League. We won at home 3-1 last season and, of course, had a 3-0 win in December. While it has to be said that we don’t have a brilliant away record over the years at the top level, both the Premier League games at Molyneux have been draws –that could well be the only result to mean that NOBODY in the ground is satisfied when the final whistle’s blown on Sunday.

A couple of curiosities about Wolves.

They were the first team to “score” a League goal. I’ve put that in inverted commas because it was actually an own goal, scored by one of the Aston Villa full backs in the very first Football League match in 1888. Even in those days, games kicked off at different times and, although a Preston North End player scored nearer the start of their 5-2 drubbing of the team from Turf Moor, that match didn’t kick off until after the Wolves game against Villa.

In the summer of 1967, they were one of 12 European and South American teams imported to play in the United Soccer Association, a one-season wonder in the USA. They played as “Los Angeles Wolves” and won the USA Western Division. In the Championship decider, they beat the “Washington Whips” [aka Aberdeen!] after “overtime” [aka extra time!].

COMMON LINKS.

Two of our current favourites began their careers at Molyneux. Jason Roberts never played for their first team but the other went on to be Wolves’ youngest-ever captain and was later brought to Ewood by the only man to play for them and manage us. However, if I were to say that, after an injury-hit season, Keith Andrews may not feature on Sunday, that’d probably a “pointer” [ ] to him being selected for Sunday’s game!

In addition to them, the following players have played for both teams in recent [to me; and fans of my generation, anyway!] years. Alan Ainscow, Mark Atkins, Nathan Blake, Jay Bothroyd, Paul Bradshaw, Derek Dougan, Michael Gray, Darren Peacock and Robbie Slater went on to play for Wolves at a later stage in their careers; while Norman Bell and Tim Flowers both joined us after having been on the books at Molyneux. Doubtless there are others; so I look forward to being reminded of any whom I’ve forgotten.

At least three of our former players have gone on to work in the managerial and coaching set-up at Molyneux. “Older supporters may remember” [as someone who doesn’t feel as old as he is, I hate that phrase!] Graham Hawkins playing at centre-half for us in the mid-1970s. His playing career began at Wolves, whom he left for North End, before joining us for 4 seasons. He went on to manage Wolves during the early part of the Bhatti brothers’ ownership. Another of our players from the same era was Mike Hickman, a bustling forward who played for us, then went on to work in the backroom staff of Mark McGhee when the Scot managed Wolves in the late-1990s. A third man to play for us and then be on the coaching staff at Wolves, before, in his case, coming “home” to join our backroom team, is Bobby Mimms. The one person to play for Wolves before occupying our manager’s office was recently sacked as manager of Notts County!

OPPONENT’S OPINION.

I have a former colleague who’s a Wulfrunian [ah; so that’s what people from Wolverhampton are called! Apparently, it’s after Wulfruna, a Saxon noble-woman to whom, in 985 AD, King Ethelred gave some land which forms the basis of today’s city]. Having been at the 2003 game, he missed last season’s game but joined me in the Darwen End for their game at Ewood in December.

I asked him various questions and his replies have revealed a hitherto-unexpected satirical streak. Honestly, when you first worked with someone 25 years ago, you’d think you’d know them; wouldn’t you?

So now the season is nearly over, has it gone the way you expected/feared?

Yes and no. I expected that we would be in a relegation battle but feared [especially after our game at Ewood in December] we may already be down by the time of our last game of the season. Also, although I expected us to struggle, I never, in a month of [super] Sundays expected us to record wins against Man Utd., Chelsea, Man City and Liverpool [away].

Who have been your best players, in the sense of exceeding expectations, this season?

In my view our most improved player this season has been Matt Jarvis whose good form was rewarded with his first England cap last month.

I also think our goalie; Wayne Hennessey has exceeded expectations since he replaced Marcus Hahnemann early in the season.

Steven Fletcher, who we bought in the close season from that team that plays at Turf Moor [i didn’t want to print their name as I assume your Inbox will be set to reject my email], has also done really well over the last few weeks, covering for the injured Doyle and Ebanks-Blake.

And your worst under-performers?

Matt Jarvis …… since his good form was rewarded with his first England cap last month.

What changes would you like to see in your team for next season?

None, apart from strengthening the midfield with Lionel Messi [but, of course, he’d have to fight for his place like everyone else].

If you go down, do you think that McCarthy will stay at Molyneux?

I really hope so. I think he’s been great at getting the most out of every player and making them believe they are capable of beating the very best [which they have]. Anyway, who would we get to replace him? Oh, whaddyaknow, that’s your next question!If he were to go, who would you like to replace him?

Well … how about someone who’s available, someone with masses of managerial experience, someone born within a stone’s throw from Molyneux, someone you may have heard of [can you guess who it is yet?] …. First name Big, second name Sam, you’ll have to guess his third name [again, didn’t want to print his full name, not knowing how sensitive your Inbox filter might be!]

PS: I’d be curious to know if you’d answer the same if that caretaker if yours [sorry, can’t remember his name] were to go.What do you think about the way this season has gone for Rovers?

Must admit that I never thought you’d be in the position you are now when I was “enjoying” the reverse fixture in the Darwen End with you in December. I expected you to be comfortable mid table … at least. Still can’t understand why you got rid of a fellow Wulfrunian and replaced him with someone with the same amount of managerial experience as myself.

What line up can we expect from Wolves?

Sorry but Mick has asked me not to leak too many details in the interests of Wulfrunian security. Expect an attacking line up, though, with Doyle and Ebanks-Blake back from injury as well as the afore-mentioned, in form, Fletcher.

Are there any Rovers players you are worried about (lol)?

This was your hardest question. Don’t want to sound disrespectful … so can I pass on this one, Magnus?

Score prediction?

As your impressive preview illustrates, a Wolves win against Rovers is well overdue [especially in the top flight]. I’m going to go with 2-1 to the Wanderers.

SUNDAY’S GAME.

Well; although much of this preview has been several weeks in the preparation, obviously I couldn’t really prepare this section until all the teams around us had played game 37. All together, now; “And now; the end is near and so we face the final curtain, . . .”

We all now know what’s needed from Sunday’s game. Wigan’s win over WHam @ the DW and Fulham’s win at St Andrew’s [Good old Sparky!] mean that, as at 4.00 next Sunday, apart from WHam, all the teams below us can overtake us; Birmingham [playing at White Hart Line], Blackpool [playing at Old Trafford], Wigan [playing at Stoke] and Wolves. We daren’t rely on Man. United to take their foot off the pedal ahead of the Champions’ League Final, for ‘Arry to use his injury problems to field an inexperienced team [they need to go for it so as to be sure of clinching the Europa league place], or Stoke to celebrate having been at Wembley.

So, for positively the last time this season, we’re faced with a “must not lose” game!

Although the Form table is a bit less worrying than it was a few weeks ago when I began preparing this, it’s still not helpful. Even though recent “positive results” [© SK] have lifted us from next to bottom, we’re still below Wolves in the table based on the last 6 results. And a closer examination shows that their home record [10 pts. from their last 6 home games] is much better than our away record [2 pts. out of the last 18].

In fact, overall this season, Wolves have the best home record of any of the threatened teams. With 8 wins at Molyneux, they’ve got 28 points at home. Perhaps surprisingly, three of those wins have been against Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City, while the home game against Spurs ended 3-3. On the other hand, their home record against teams near the bottom of the table isn’t brilliant – while Birmingham City and Blackpool have both lost at Molyneux [1-0 a fortnight before Christmas and 4-0 at the end of February respectively], West Ham drew 1-1 last October and Wigan won 2-1 at Molyneux on Boxing Day.

Finally, what team to put out? At the time of preparing this, I’m not sure how the injury situation is so how about the following to start the discussion off?

Robinson;

Emerton, Samba, P. Jones, Givet;

Pedersen, J. Jones, Nzonzi, Olsson;

Benjani, Hoilett;

Subs: Bunn; Hanley, Andrews, Nzonzi, Kalinic, Roberts, Rochina.

[den]

Just posted on the Steve Kean thread, that we'll find an awful lot more about him on Sunday. Has he got what it takes, to take a team there in such an important game and win?

[Tom]

Nice preview, is it me or does 4pm Sunday feel like a long long looooong way away?

[cn174]

Nice preview

Nervous already!!

[neophox]

Well I hope we can manage a draw at least in this game, I think it can be quite open and that Wolves will do all they can to win and with right tactics this could suit us perfect.

At the moment :

Wigan has to beat Stoke away.....a lot of nerves....Stoke is one of the best team at home.

Blackpool has to beat Manchester United away........I can't see them doing that, United will field a strong side even if they rest some players. Ok they beat Bolton 4-3 but the Blackpool defence is crap.

Birmingham have to beat Spurs away..................Well this could happen but If you can't beat Fulham at home, you're done and dusted. And Birmingham were really poor.

So thats the scenario and also Wolverhampton have to beat us to move above us, rembember that so they have the pressure.

BUT....if all win and we lose, then its Rovers and Wigan who joins West Ham in Championship so we have it in our own hands.

[AggyBlue]

Nice preview

Nervous already!!

I'm only nervous about walking back to the car after we've sent them down

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

1-1 We dodge the Championship bullet but only just.

What an end to an awful season...and good riddance to it!

[DannyBRFC]

Nice preview, is it me or does 4pm Sunday feel like a long long looooong way away?

It's going to be a long week!

I'm very pessimistic [to say the least] about Steve Kean's managerial capabilities and our away form this season, but Wolves are there for the taking - they're only capable of scoring from set-pieces and defensive blunders, and *touch wood* we have looked fairly solid at the back recently (here's hoping Samba will be fit). I watched Wolves beat West Brom a couple of weeks ago and the 3-1 scoreline was very flattering as defensively they look worse than Blackpool. Doyle can be a handful and Fletcher is on form, but Hoilett and Olsson are capable of tearing their defence apart so I expect a high scoring game with Roberts bundling in a couple off his shin.

I'm going for a sneaky 3-2 away win, Blackpool and Birmingham to lose and Wigan to stay up with a point at the Britannia.

[Plastic Head]

Actually, this is a must win game not must not lose as the topic description suggests.

Can we win it?

Very very unlikely.

The die was cast in December as i've said before.

The club is disastrously managed at all levels now and the outcome is inevitable.

[Mercer]

Good preview - all are brave who take on.

It's going to be long old week until kick-off.

I think we are going to need the footballing Gods to be kind to us on the day.

Much will depend on our manager to get his thinking right, the fitness of Samba and Hoilett (who hasn't been the same since he came back) and also the referee whoever that may be!

[Nelsta]

Fan"bloody"tastic an ex turf moor player!

This week is going to be a long nervous week!

I just want to crawl in a hole and hide from this one.

2-0 wolves...turf moor reject to send us down!

[sijoco]

3-1 to Wolves

Wigan to beat Stoke

Big Club to be beaten by Spuds

Blackpool to get a draw with Man U 3rd team

Rovers to stay up on goal difference. Someone pass me the beta-blockers

[Presty On Tour]

Will El Hadji Diouf be available for us as the Scotish League has finished?

[Mercer]

Fan"bloody"tastic an ex turf moor player!

This week is going to be a long nervous week!

I just want to crawl in a hole and hide from this one.

2-0 wolves...turf moor reject to send us down! - this is the recurring nightmare, he isn't a reject and is a very decent player on his day as recent form shows.

We desperately need Samba & Hoilett to be fit but hamstrings don't mend in a week. Would almost certainly mean Givet to C.B., Olsson to left back which would leave us short of pace on the flanks going forward with no Hoilett.

[BuckyRover]

Samba had a groin strain. The media reports are incorrect

[Gogger]

This week is going to be so bad. Only one thing on my mind, and its not studying (I have two exams this week).. Will probably just walk around at work like a zombie (big change...) too. Oh why didnt you hit the net with your header Olsson?

[Paul]

I'd like 0 - 0. Why? I was in pieces after we scored on Saturday, just so nervous at the prospect of winning, then after Utd scored the opposite situation but the same feelings. So 0-0 will be good for my heart!!!

I can't see any sensible option other than to beat Wolves. We aren't good enough to play for a draw and have to go for a win. There have been better performances in the last 2-3 games, whether this is because Kean has worked things out or the team have become motivated to save themselves I don't know. The records show Kean is not good at winning matches so I feel very nervous.

Many people seem to think we are better than Wolves when the truth is we are equally bad. At any other stage of the season I'd shrug my shoulders and expect to lose this match. It's only blue and white vision which says we will win or draw.

To those who think Birmingham, Blackpool and Wigan winning can't happen you are simply wrong, it can and may very well do so. What odds could you have got on Blackpool 4 Bolton 3 on cup final day? These things happen and I won't be at all surprised if we see another set of bizarre results next week. A Blackpool draw and Wigan loss were reasonable expectations this weekend. An unlikely point against Utd would have left us safe. Just another example of what can happen but does / doesn't.

The ONLY solution is WINNING at Wolves. Are we good enough? I don't know. Are we better than Wolves? No. It will all come down to nerves and desire.

The sooner this terrible season is over the better.

[joey_big_nose]

Actually, this is a must win game not must not lose as the topic description suggests.

Can we win it?

Very very unlikely.

The die was cast in December as i've said before.

The club is disastrously managed at all levels now and the outcome is inevitable.

I think this is an overly negative outlook. We have been playing well for a long time now, including against United. We can certainly win this if everyone is fit.

It's going to be an absolute cracker of a game.

[Ralfinho]

Will El Hadji Diouf be available for us as the Scotish League has finished?

That is a very good point. Would be good if he was and can keep hold of the ball in the last third to run down time if we are winning

I can see it now.........Dioufy scoring the winner that keeps us up. What a guy.

[RibbleValleyRover]

I think Wolves will beat us as they are the home side, in some decent form and their best striker who is perfect for their system will very likely be back. Like Paul said there isn't much between us when you look at both squads, I would say they have more goals in their side as shown with their last two results.

2-0 Wolves win and Rovers only just staying up after relying on other results. It's going to be a very nervous afternoon if that indeed is the case.

Hopefully after we secure another season in the Premier League we bin Kean or demote him shortly after survival, not on the game day like West Ham but pretty early into pre-season to get a proper manager in.

[3rdpillar]

Could be very tasty outside Molineux if we send them down.

[Tom]

I think this is an overly negative outlook. We have been playing well for a long time now, including against United. We can certainly win this if everyone is fit.

It's going to be an absolute cracker of a game.

What did you expect from the guy who posted one of the worst comments I've ever seen on this messageboard after a draw with the champions on Saturday?

I've always thought I was overly negative but I'm sunshine and rainbows compared to some on here.

[Glenn]

Well, I couldn't justify the train prices, but felt the whether we stayed up or not, a drink would be appropriate. So I'm staying over on Sunday night (£19 in the travelodge) if anyone else is around.

[Ralfinho]

Well, I couldn't justify the train prices, but felt the whether we stayed up or not, a drink would be appropriate. So I'm staying over on Sunday night (£19 in the travelodge) if anyone else is around.

Ive got a couple of spare seats going on my coach from golden cup glenn if you dont wanna stay down there

[Majiball]

Does anyone know if Samba will be fit?