As their neighbours eye a place on English football’s biggest stage, boss Mick McCarthy is contemplating Wolves’ Cup final tonight.
And, while it might not be Wembley, Deepdale could be McCarthy’s Waterloo in the race for the Premiership.
Victory brings the top six into clear focus for the Molineux men but defeat against the in-form Lilywhites will leave Wolves with a huge mission to make up the five points that separate them from the top six.
McCarthy had better grow accustomed to the intense level of pressure that drove him to distraction at Molineux last week because his faltering team can ill afford to drop points from now until May.
Every game is important and, while the Wolves boss seemed relaxed enough at yesterday’s pre-match press conference, he knows exactly the size of task facing his side.
His anger after the Southampton game has subsided – for the good of his own health you suspect – but he knows just how important this game could prove to be.
After all it was at Deepdale last year that Wolves embarked on the winning run that eventually landed them in the top six and victory tonight would give them much-needed momentum ahead of another tough away trip on Saturday.
“I seem to remember us going up there last season when they were on a really good run and we won the game,” McCarthy said.
“All I really know is that Alan Irvine is doing a really good job.
“He could have stayed at Everton which is a really good club but he chose to go out on his own and I’m sure he’ll do a really good job at Preston.”
If Wolves do win they’ll be bucking an extraordinary trend that goes all the way back to February 20, 2001.
That was the last time Preston lost at home in the league on a Tuesday – an impressive record that has seen them notch up 30 unbeaten games.
The run includes wins against Stoke and Albion this campaign but McCarthy is refusing to be intimidated by the threat of Deepdale under lights.
“In fact, he may use the dreaded stat to motivate his side ahead of tonight’s clash.
“To tell the truth I’m delighted with that because generally we seem to go to places to face teams who haven’t won in so many games and things change,” he said.
“I’m thrilled they’ve won a couple, genuinely it doesn’t bother me because we’ve been in good form as well with seven points from three games.
“Despite all that hurt and annoyance that it should have been nine I’ll take another seven from the next three as well.
“We just keep going, we’ve had a couple of good away wins and Preston are in form as well.
“Someone’s told me that stat about them not having lost at home in midweek for how long – months? 100 years?
“Seriously I guess that means they’ll all turn up in upbeat mood and with expectation but that suits me fine.”
Meanwhile, McCarthy is happy to take a “wait and see” attitude to Michael Kightly returning before the end of the season.
The winger’s bone shaving operation went so well that Kightly is now eyeing a comeback before the campaign ends on May 4 – a welcome development for a Wolves side that have desperately missed the England under-21 winger.
And while McCarthy is happy to see his young midfielder striking an optimistic note on his return, he isn’t yet planning for Kightly’s comeback.
“I’m delighted he feels so positive about it and is optimistic about it,” he said.
“I never wanted to lose him and he’s been a real loss.
“The medical staff will deal with him now but I’m really pleased that for the first time in a lot of weeks he is confident about it and feels he can get back quicker than expected.
“If he does it would be great news for him and great news for all of us.”
Kightly begins his rehab this week after reporting excellent progress in his battle to be fit.
But McCarthy feels he must jump the “final hurdle” before he can anticipate a comeback.
“We’ll wait and see,” McCarthy said.
“These days at his age they seem to heal very quickly but I remember having operations and you can make great strides until that final one which is the biggest.
“That first tackle, or jump is when you really find out and I’m just pleased he’s feeling so positive.”
38 Comments
this is our Cup Final? lol.
i love it.
As their neighbours eye a place on English football’s biggest stage, boss Mick McCarthy is contemplating Wolves’ Cup final tonight.
DEEPDALE….. the home of ……. err… Preston.
Come on guys - you gotta smile…..
no ?
its a very funny article.
I think deepdale is about as good as we will get with Thick Mick at the helm.
I have a good feeling about this game we will win and give us wolves supporters something to be happy about for a change WOLVES FOR EVER
1# totally agree mate. if this is our cup final we should have played it at wembley, deepdale ain’t got the same ring to it has it.
seriously though, three points is vital so yes it is an important game.
come on you wolves.
happy.. yeah we did.. WHEN THEY BEAT YOU!!!
What does one expect? Reality is that this should be an easy game for us.
The major BUT is that MM probably will pick the wrong team, wrong tactics and be lucky with a draw. His comments indicate clearly that even if we get a draw he will get the band playing and look for the atta boy from the fans.
Bet the fans at Preston love the comment of their ground being a “Wembley”. I truly think MM has lost it. Certianly lost the plot.
Premiership bound teams dismiss the small fish as they know 100% sure they will probably get in four or five goals. MM is clutching at straws to appear to know what he is doing. Bring the camel(Preston) on and see what happens to the straw!
happy boggie how can you be so nasty getting jittery because we will be getting nearer to you in the league dont you think the tescos can cope now they are in the semi with pompey GOOD LUCK POMPEY I AM SURE YOU CAN WIN YOU ARE THE ONLY DECENT SIDE THEY HAVE PLAYED SO FAR WOLVES FOR EVER
come on you Wolverines, it is your cup final…. lose tonight and wave goodbye to any thought of the play offs,
Your a good club just like ourselves having gone thro turbulent times over the last few seasons, i can your away support tonight echoing your supporters of the past and start the shout for Mc’carthy’s head just like you did with Hoddle a couple of seasons ago…. enjoy ur night and the pies n Beer, see you next season…….:o)
6 - living the dream through another team again i see.
Derby / preston / maybe Pompy…. never YOU though eh ?
I have seen your results all season in the various competitions - and honestly mate - you have NOTHING to laugh about.
Good luck in the final - see - THATS been friendly !
2 very good.
It will be great day out for you, well deserved.
Its going to be a whole new experience for you, watching a football match in a full stadium !
Mm said recently he wants 7 from 9… well 7 from 9 equals 2 so i think he is pitching it about right.
Boing Boing !!
Comment 9, I have already waved it goodbye. But I will be there tonight.
MM OUT!
I hope we win tonight. I wonder why some people think we should walk this game and this league. You cant attract that kind of player to the Championship. Look at QPR. They have more money than Chelsea but becasue they are in the cahmpionship they will never romp this league.
A little bit of reality might temper some fans frustrsation.
12. Happy_baggie
that’s better, I was beginning to worry if the real ‘happy’ was tied up in a wardrobe somewhere and a ‘political Happy impostor’ was on the prowl!
Don’t know about Wolves getting new players, but the E&S should be looking into buying a new team of writers.
By the way happy!
Well done for Sunday evening. I thought you lot did a pretty professional job down there. It was an awful pitch and a lot of teams could easily have come unstuck!
I thought ‘watering’ the pitch died out years ago. Wolves did that before the great European games in the 50’s!
By the way, did I ever tell you what a great team Wolves were in the 50’s…………?
it makes me laugh when all these baggie fans come on to our site, at this moment all they have done is thro
throw the top 2 positions away and get to a semi final which they have no chance !
Wolves =
*useless manager
*useless team
*useless fans
*Midtable…going no-where!
Not much going for you rely???????
….and your local rivals are having a superb season!hahahahahaha!
anyway good look in yor final later on 2nite!
BOING BOING!!!WEMBLEY HERE WE COME…..PREMIERSHIP HERE WE COME…..EUROPE HERE WE COME!!!!!!
Abdon - you may have mentioned it… LOL
Cheers for the comments about sunday - it was a real banana skin but we dealt with it really well - we had to fight hard 1st half to earn the right to play in the second.
p.s - stop picturing me tied up in a wardrobe, its not good for you - but thanks for your support on the other thread !!
It’s no good telling him that Abdon, I’ve tried. I think he is deaf in one ear.
Nathan for goodness sake, calm down, you’ll have a heart attack.
eh ?
Come on you wolves fans mad Mick says this is Wembley, so come on cheer and clap,
Wembley here you come, sorry Mick its Preston, never mind you still have that World class player S Ward to come back, bet all the teams in the Prem will have there scouts out in force watching him on his return.
Have they built an Arch over the pitch at Deepdale?
I think Mick’s getting slightly carried away with euphoria of Barnsley’s cup win over Chelski!
Im a Wolves man through and through but you have to say West Brom have a much better team than us. Yes they have not played the teams Barnsley have but I could’nt see Wolves scoring 3 against Bristol………… Wolves fans should realise it if they dont already, and a lot of us do, we are going to finish mid table, so dont let all this rubbish “Cup Final” talk build up hopes, the rubbish we dish out, even when we win, is nowhere near good enough. The end of season table usually reflects this.
On a nother note I want Albion to stuff Portsmouth as my team is 5th in the Sun’s Dream Team overall and I want David James to take a tonking!!! lol
Forget Deepdale. Wolves are in Deep****. We had a real opportunity to compete this season and Mick
has messed it up.
Nathan - ’superb season’? So fourth in the table is superb by your standards then? Hmmm… I would argue that Bristol City and Stoke are having superb seasons - whilst Albion are doing pretty well I don’t think you have actually achieved anything yet so why not do as our friend Merlin Mick does and reserve judgement once the league table is complete after 46 games. If you get promotion and win the FA Cup then by all means a superb season it will have been for our blue-and-white-striped chums down the road..
True Greg
But how bad is your Season then.
Mad Micks Army
Win at deepdale ??
You couldn’t win at emmerdale.
28) 4th with games in hand . Fa cup semi final , Goals galore and attacking football
I think that qualifies as “HAVING” a superb season.
nevermind i am sure good things will come to you lot someday, just be happy that 1 club is representing the black country
31) Games in hand. One against us! Three of your last four away.
Yes you are quality up front but not so at the back.
You will lose against Pompey and then must focus on the top two as you don’t want to be in the play offs with your record.
Tough game tonight for us and likewise for you tomorrow, probably!
I keep thinking this too. There is a perception that Al***on are having a great season. The FA cup certainly qualifies as a great tournament acheivemnet this season even if they get knocked out in the semis.
But lets face facts here. WBA are on the same amount of games as us and are only 8 points better than is. It hardly constitutes an brilliant season when ours as been average.
I look forward to pipping boggis to the prem at Wembley 1-0.
It aint over yet boggie boys.
Most baggies fans dont want this season to end because of the football they are watching and the number of “goal of the season” candidates. Whereas wolves fans just want to be put out of their misery. Thats why its a superb season.
I think the Baggies are getting a bit carried away, we all know what happens when they get confident and a bit arrogant….they fall flat on their faces. Remember the play-off final anyone?
I wouldn’t brag quite yet, it could blow up in your face. As all Wolves fans know from a few seasons back.
We saw you crying at Wembley……AGAIN
If this is thick micks waterloo does it meen he will leave Wolves if we loose, come on preston lol.
Wolves Cup Final at Preston North End?
The man has totally lost it! We are lucky not to be down amongst the relegation fighters the dire teams this very average manager has produced, a different one every match.
There is a theory that Mick has been studying computer programming and has produced a random team selection program, that he hopes will make him a fortune!
I believe that we are in for a thumping tonight.
OUT OF DARKNESS COMETH PAUL INCE!
2-1 to Preston
Another pathetic game for McCarthy.
Time to get the Molineux negative forces working again. Why should we suffer this bilge water?
McCarthy OUT!