A national conspiracy against Wolves

Friday 29th October 2010, 9:10AM BST.

A national conspiracy against Wolves

Wolves blogger Tim Spiers frustrations with how his club are treated in the national media reached boiling point after the Manchester United game this week.

After nearly 20 years of following the Wolves, the lack of a national media spotlight on our illustrious club has become the norm.

But browsing through Fleet Street’s assessment of our second half ding-dong at Old Trafford this week yielded an astonishing level of ignorance, even by their lofty standards.

Sure, we got a line here or there hinting at how we had created numerous chances and given Manchester United’s kids a decent game.

But it was no surprise that the majority focused on Javier Hernandez’s match-winning contribution or United’s defensive frailties.

No, it was the near blanket ban on praise for one Matt Jarvis which riled me more than manager Mick McCarthy when being asked a patronising question by an inexperienced hack.

In eight national newspaper match reports I read, six elected not to mention so much as Jarvis’s name, while the other two deigned to refer to him only in passing as the provider for Stephen Hunt’s shot which hit the bar.

I’m well aware that editors have to cater for their demographic and Manchester United have many more millions of supporters than Wolves do.

That’s no excuse, though, for failing to mention how Jarvis repeatedly skinned Wes Brown and left him chasing shadows with a genuinely exciting performance.

It’s just irking how a young, honest, genuinely likeable chap like Jarvis, who’s worked his way up from humble beginnings at League One club Gillingham to become a potent and explosive winger in the Premier League, is ignored.

Let’s face it, if he was in Arsenal’s reserves Jarvis would be an England regular by now.

And the likes of Ryan Shawcross, Roger Johnson, Matthew Etherington, David Dunn, Lee Cattermole, Kevin Nolan would all have received call-ups.

Unless Karl Henry breaks someone’s fingernail or looks at Arsene Wenger the wrong way, we’ll have to accept that Wolves will not be regularly adorning the back pages this season.

Wayne Rooney’s groin, for one reason or another, fills more column inches than news involving all the West Midlands clubs combined.

Still, we might get a paragraph or two if we can beat Manchester City this weekend and after a couple of good performances that possibility suddenly doesn’t look out of the equation.

It’s often said that teams learn more in defeat than they do in victory.

Mind you, in that case our squad should be full of Albert Einsteins after all the games we’ve lost recently.

But, in all seriousness, it was heartening to see us have more possession than the reigning Premier League champions on their own patch and, apparently, force goalkeeper Petr Cech into more saves than in any match since he joined Chelsea in 2004.

There was a confidence and an assuredness about our midfield play, helped by the assertive presence of both Nenad Milijas and David Jones, our two best passers of the ball.

A word too on the full-backs, Kevin Foley and Stephen Ward, who coped admirably when facing the rampaging Jose Bosingwa, Ashley Cole, Florent Malouda and Nicolas Anelka.

Foley in particular has upped his game in recent weeks after a shaky start to the season.

His work at right-back may lack the buoyancy of Ronald Zubar but the Irishman, as we all know from 2008-09, is as unflappable as they come and a regular seven-out-of-10 man in the Denis Irwin mould.

It’s an often-used cliche but, if we can replicate that level of performance every week we’ll stay up, comfortably.

The only downside was the lack of cutting edge up front, where on too many occasions we found Cech’s arms rather than the top corner.

A shortage of goals is not what many of us anticipated after the summer signings of Hunt and Steven Fletcher and the early-season form of Sylvan Ebanks-Blake.

But, one year on from experiencing exactly the same drought, here we are again.

Kevin Doyle’s dip in form is a concern – time and again he looks frustrated with a lack of service and doesn’t seem to have the energy to heroically play the role of three strikers like he did last season.

Hopefully it’s just a confidence issue and one goal will set him on his way again.

The Manchester City fixture will be a different style of game altogether to last Saturday, with Roberto Mancini’s side one of the most physical in the league.

Chelsea seemed happy to sit back and let us play – I doubt City and their three defensive midfielders will do the same.

Here’s the line up I’d go with in goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann, Foley, Richard Stearman, Christophe Berra, George Elokobi, Hunt, Michael Mancienne, Karl Henry, Nenad Milijas, Jarvis, Doyle.

And, if the £26million man manages to get a game, it will be great to welcome back Joleon Lescott to Molineux.

I think I’m right in saying that Lescott still hasn’t faced us in opposition since he left in 2006 and I’m sure, as he did for Matt Murray’s send off against Villa, he will get a fantastic reception.

It’s sad to see such a great player warming the bench, but Lescott knew his place was never going to be guaranteed when he joined the world’s richest club.

Looking at things now it was probably a mistake, in football terms if not financial, for him to leave Everton but he has the ability to turn things around at City.

If not, a cheeky loan bid in January wouldn’t go amiss!


  1. 1
    The Wonderer

    If Kevin Doyle is looking frustrated this season, is it any wonder? After all, didn’t Mick take him on one side last year and tell him that he, Mick, would be signing some quality players to put alongside him this season.
    He’s probably wondering where they are.

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  2. 2
    Kendalwolf

    As I read the next day’s paper the same thought ocurred to me. If Doyle had scored the winner in the 90th minute would the pundits on Skye have been drooling?
    I wonder if this match had been covered by MoD , Jarvis would have received the same coverage given to Karl Henry’s badly timed tackle. However, I suppose such ignoring ( of lower teams) is inevitable when the 40,000+ gate at Old Trafford is described as such a poor turnout.

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  3. 3
    Kendalwolf

    Sorry the pundits on Skye are few!
    I meant SKY!

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  4. 4
    hindmarch

    While I agree with much of the blog Tim (great as always), the foray into national media ignorance is a bit shallow this time – purely because we keep losing!
    We are a team bottom of the league, putting a near full strength team out against Man Utd’s stiffs in the Carling Cup…and we lost.
    Losers don’t get column inches. Why should they?
    If Fleet Street did start eulogising over Matt Jarvis or the all round courage in our convictions in defeat, I’d probably be more upset, as it might sound patronising.
    Frankly, I hope they never mention us during this miserable season and we can concentrate on doing what we haven’t done in months. WINNING!

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  5. 5
    Daniel Heathcote

    I think you are going slightly over the top if you think that if Matt Jarvis played for a bigger team he would eb an England regular. I think it is slightly hypercritical to criticise national media for biased reporting and then you start making wild statements like these. He is a good player, a very good player for wolves, but I do think you are getting carried away. Also do you really think it is a lack of goals that is our problem and not the fact we cannot defend as unit and concede goals in every game? Classic views of a wolves fan who loves the build up play and clouds their judgement – how you can be as fragile as us at the back but consistently be told we are performing well is a total contradiction.

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  6. 6
    Cornish Wolf

    Tim, your frustration at the total lack of recognition for the simply outstanding performance by Matt Jarvis is echoed by not only me but I’m sure by every true football supporter, whether for the Wolves or not.
    Jarvis is on the top of his game, not only did he run Wes Brown and co. ragged but I felt he had the beating of the current England left back Ashley Cole who struggled to even get near him, not many do that!
    I have no worries for Wolves we will finish the season in mid table. No problem.
    Up The Wolves

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  7. 7
    Warrington Wolf

    Don’t let it get to you Tim, it’s been like this for years,the report I read even gave MOM to Hernandez-what a joke!!!

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  8. 8
    Harrow Wolf

    Come on you Wolves beat City and then we will be backpage news. Cant wait, Watching the game in my local on the big screen.

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  9. 9
    John De Wolf

    Jarvis deserves an England call up and that send out a positive message to prospective players about our club.

    However, there is a negative as the media also have a tendency to build players up so they can knock them back down. What I wouldn’t want to see is a player like Jarvis have his confidence destroyed – so staying out of the spotlight may be blessing in disguise.

    As for Saturday, I would also like to see Milijas reinstated and for us to include three midfielders in a 4-3-3/4-5-1 formation.

    I would also have Mouyokolo in for Stearman. Although he’s done well since deputising for Craddock, Mouyokolo has the potential to be our best defender and the sooner we get him in the team the better.

    I hope we get at least a draw!

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  10. 10
    FOREVER WOLVES

    There is no conspiracy.
    A good team selection for the match against city.
    No clean sheets so far this year, lets change that and build from there.
    Up the Wolves

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  11. 11
    BazL

    Totally agree. The clips on the BBC site show the Man U attacks with extremely rare glimpses of Wolves. Gave the impression that it was all Man U.
    The regular reports about ” Dirty Wolves” are unjustified and clearly influence the refs. There has never been one showing of Sidwell’s filthy leg breaking tackle on Guediera, but how many times have we seen the bad red card tackle of Henry’s and the clean tackle, when Zamora broke his leg. Let’s hope Henry can keep out of the ref’s eye tomorrow, but still play his normal hard but clean game
    The “conspiracy” ran over from last year’s change of team at Man U. no criticism of others who do the same.
    Still we have got to grin and bear it, keep playing good football and possibly the press will shut up!

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  12. 12
    Man at the Top

    Poor old Steve Morgan! Until a few weeks ago he must have thought that this business of being a Football Club Chairman was a doddle. After all, he bought a club with a great history for £10 and found he had a manager who kept his promise of getting promotion into the big-money league within three seasons.
    He may have been a bit worried when this manager bought a number of players who he didn’t play and then either transferred or loaned out at the end of the season but he did keep the team in the League and he had spent only £18M out of an income of over £30M.
    The next season the manager again only spent £18M so the club was doing well financially. So well, that Mr Morgan decided to rebuild and enlarge the ground, subject to the club staying in the Premiership.
    Then trouble! Matches which everyone thought would be won were drawn or lost and with some tough matches coming up things didn’t look as rosy as before.
    So, unless Mthe manager can produce some unexpected points from somewhere Steve may, in the next few weeks, have to make his first really tough decision or risk seeing all his plans disappear. Does he stick with Mick and give him more money to spend in January, bearing in mind that most of the players signed so far in the Premiership have not yet produced the expected form, or does he give someone else a chance to save the day?
    It’s tough at the top, Mr Morgan, eventually.

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  13. 13
    chris hoggard

    Silly headline,but a good article.As for Jo Lescott loved the guy when he was at Wolves,first saw him as a kid in the Youth team and it was obvious he was going to the top.BUT he has gone, and unless you are his Bank Manager ,treat him the same as any opposition player.Think back how stupid it was applauding Keane when he scored against us.Best of luck to Mick and the lads tomorrow.

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  14. 14
    Kiwiwolffffffff

    That’s what you get for Micks negative football.
    The quicker we get rid the better.
    Get Martin O’Neill in before its to late!!
    Or we are doomed….

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  15. 15
    Noisy

    Don’t feel too bad. There are only half a dozen teams that the Fleet street media are interested in. It’s not even a conspiracy, it’s just that papers have smaller revenue, employ fewer journalists and therefore reporting standards are falling rapidly. Even our local press relies on bloggers offering opinion rather than actually researching facts – have you noticed?

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  16. 16
    KentWolf

    Good blog. I agree with your comments about the media, except for ‘editors have to cater for their demographic’. I believe that newspapers should be fair and impartisl. The Daily Telegraph’s match report devoted 140 out of 866 words to Wolves contribution to an absorbing encounter. This is only 16%, which is unacceptable by anyone’s standard. The report also mentions that ‘Not one of Ferguson’s starting XI in the 2-1 victory at Stoke on Sunday was called upon to start this fixture’. If he had lost this game, would he have been fined in the same way that McCarthy was last season? It is understandable if the club and supporters are feeling victimised when the sycophantic media bloodhounds produce the sort of drivel they have recently.

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  17. 17
    PeteNuts

    I’d query two small points here. Firstly, the papers may not have been gushing about Jarvis but Radio 5 Live and Talksport both were, and I’d apportion a heck of a lot more weight to their opinions than I would to the hacks at the Mirror and the Star.

    And secondly, the early season form of Ebanks-Blake may well still be there – it’s difficult to tell as Mick inexplicably sees fit to hardly ever use him!

    Now then: anyone been in the Sportingbet box on matchday before? I’m wondering what the food will be like tomorrow…

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  18. 18
    Tomwolf

    Tim, i said a few weeks ago, we should look to take Joleon Lescott on loan, i think he just might come back,its better to be playing first team football when your an International,than warming a bench, in Fabio’s eyes? im sure Man City would be willing to pay 75& of his wages. He would do a great job for us thats for sure, as he’s class player and would be an ideal Captain too. Re-Press when was the last time the ‘press’ ever said anything ‘GOOD’ about our ‘TEAM or CLUB’ for that matter. They only suck up to the TOP 4-6 clubs. Everything our team/club get/do is got by hard work ,nothing is ever given to us by anyone. Just look at the way referee’s treat teams like us, compared to the top 4-6. Lets just hope we get the rub of the green tomorrow and nick a 1pt or dare i say it all 3pts?. UTW: GOOD LUCK TOMORROW LADS:

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  19. 19
    chris hoggard

    1Kent Wolf, I agree with you newspapers should be fair and impartial.But it begs the question,what are you doing reading the Daily Tory? In your defence I suppose we all have to read something to get a Wolves report.
    2 As for Jarvis,the less publicity the better,otherwise we might lose him.

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  20. 20
    Ex-North Banker

    I cannot understand Tim’s furore over Wolves team and players not receiving media recognition. What have we done this season to deserve any?
    Jarvis may well be playing out of his skin but have we been getting the results as a consequence? – and the answer is NO!
    Wolves may have a famous history but that’s where the interest for many ends and the modern day Wolves have won nothing for 30 years, nothing of note anyway. We all have to accept that Wolves will not be receiving any media plaudits from any source until they do win something!

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  21. 21
    Scirea

    I am encouraged by the positive thinking in the blog and the rest of the bloggers barr a few.

    I for one am a realist and although Jarvis was outstanding on Tuesday, we still failed to beat a rather weak side even though we had most of our best players on the pitch. Sadly I fear the worst this season as our team are low on confidence and our strikers cannot hit the proverbial barn door.

    Mad Mick is not helping matters by making bizzare substitutions at ridiculous times during a match.

    I SAY ITS TIME FOR CHANGE BEFORE TS TOO LATE.

    Living in hope.

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  22. 22
    Glenn

    Kev Doyle hasn’t dipped in form, but he can’t score whilst covering the rest of the pitch and providing crosses.

    Someone should be doing it for him, then he’ll score!

    Playing him up front on his own won’t get him or the team goals, and bringing on SEB with less than 10 minutes to go is frankly a waste of his sweat.

    We need to play 2 up front unless of course we’re going to get a wordl class striker, and even then he’d struggle on his own

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  23. 23
    LincolnWolf

    Ever since we’ve been in the Prem if you read our match reports in the NOTW (and other papers) I’ve notice that our ‘full page report’ actually tells you nothing about the match itself. The norm is to have a load of waffle about a particular player from the opposition, or something to do with that clubs off field activities, and then there will be 2 sentences about any goals which could have been written from watching Match of the day. Then there is also the farce that is the player ratings which never seems to bare any relation to the players that I have seen play.

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  24. 24
    JJ - The Original

    You only have to watch Sunday Supplement on Sky to see how arrogant the majority of the national press guys are.

    They slander whoever suits them.

    And support whoever suits them (then innevitably slander them).

    Stuff them – who cares as long as Mick and the lads do their job.

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  25. 25
    Poorthonns ONLY 22,000

    Totally agree with tim, but in a way I’m pleased. Jarvis is the only thing good about wolves at the moment, the only one who gives us something when he gets the ball. Do we want every team in the premiership knowing how good he is? Do we really want him on show for England showing what we already know how good he is? Wolves loss would be someone elses gain.
    We would never be able to replace Jarvis as noone with his quality now would come And sign for such a poor manager like Mick .
    Fletcher will.come good.
    Ward,jones,mancieene ,Edwards and Mick OUT.
    Van damme,millijas,Henry,fletcher up front and oneil is NOW

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  26. 26
    laughingwolf

    The press needed to label Wolves with something like every other side and according to them we are ‘over-physical’ along with Stoke, Blackburn and Bolton. Its a joke.

    The last 7 days have brought nothing but optimism. We were excellent at Chelsea and had the better chances and more of the ball in the first half. Hunt in a Wolves shirt, Jarvis skinning Ashley Cole and then doing the same to Wes Brown and Gary Neville, Milijas obvious quality once picked, Mouyokolo impressing and nearing match-fitness, Karl Henry to return tomorrow to give us more protection than Jones and Mancienne can offer and SEB starting to adapt to this level, I sincerely hope that he gets a run of games soon.

    If we can get a positive result V Man City tomorrow and the likes of Zubar, Hunt, Mouyokolo and Milijas start to make an impact and Fletcher gets a chance in a 4-4-2 after these difficult fixtures, we will climb the table as quickly as Blackpool, West Brom and Newcastle will start to come down it.

    The best club in the world, WE ARE WOLVES.

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  27. 27
    Wolves.Till.I.Die

    Thankyou for praising Stephen Ward for once! Thankyou! He never puts a foot wrong and gets so much stick its ridiculous!

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  28. 28
    Frank Rykard

    27- Thats because he is C**P and is bearly a championship player

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  29. 29
    wolfhedd

    laughingwolf – it is a promising prospect to have many high quality players coming back from injury or getting back to full fitness, hopefully these playrs coming back will give us the lift we need to climb the table. I have faith they will anyway.

    Wolves.Till.I.Die – Im sorry but Ward is responcible for more goals conceded than he is goals avoided. Dont get me wrong, i would never boo the lad, and appreciate the effort he puts in, but in the majority of matches i have seen him play in, he has invited players into our box for an easy cross or even pass. I think Elekobi is a much better option as he is much better defensively.

    Not too long ago, i would have pointed out his passing as one of his weaknesses but it seems as if hes been working on his passing of late, because against man utd, it seemd that he didnt make a single stray pass, and he had the confidence to make om cross field passes as well as some decent 1 touch passing.

    The only problem i have with Mick is the fact he says players will play on merrit, but Blake scored a few goals and got dropped from the team, whereas players like Ward who had a terrible run of games where he performed awefully, are almost guarneteed a place.

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  30. 30
    Albrightondek

    Leaving aside other aspects of the blog, I would not necessarily disagree with the team selection. Based on his performance in midweek I think Elokobi deserves another chance at left back, even though Ward has in general done little wrong.

    However, I not totally convinced that Milijas should be selected ahead of Jones. There is no doubting Milijas is a skillful player, but whenever I have seen him play, he tends to drift out of game and not go looking for the ball. Jones commits to 90 minutes.

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  31. 31
    tabloid trash

    most of these so called footbal reporters / journalists / pundits have no general interest in the game what so ever, its gotten so bad now that they seem to spend more time reporting off the field news rather than what has happened at the match they didnt go to.
    its even starting to filter into live commentry, the game is getting far to influence from poor reporting and the whole dirty side issue is a prime example of that. Its just not the game we all used to love anymore !!!! anyhoo i’ll shout my self horse again come saturday cause i’m a ‘ loyal supporter ‘ and always will be. Come on you Wolves !!!

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  32. 32
    Adelaide Wolves

    Don’t worry Tim. Wolves have been on the back page of the Adelaide Advertiser twice this week. Admittedly its as a result of us playing Chelsea and Man United, but at least they’ve acknowledged just how well the team has played, even highlighting Jarvis in the Man U game

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  33. 33
    Mollyknew

    Lets get one thing right here – Jarvis on this form for any top ten club would be selected for the current England squad.
    Secondly – DOYLE – great thogh he was last season he is a shadow of what he was last campaign. He needs ti stand up lterally, and be counted, seldom have I seen a player of his “quality” go down so much ans so EASILY as he did against West Ham. Doyle will never score 20 goals a season but he could have 20 or 30 ASSISTS if MM played someone up alongsude him.
    Is it just me or does David Jones take an age to control the ball then when he does run round in a very small circle and pass backwards?
    Is it me or was Mancienne a spectator at Old Trafford on Tuesday? Great running alongside players but surely he is there to defend and win the ball???

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  34. 34
    Alfred Camilleri

    You’re spot on Tim. The national media is addicted to the Big Four and now maybe the Big Six with Spurs and City thrown in with them.
    Wolves played another good passing match against United with Matt Jarvis outpacing Wes Brown and Gary Neville most of the time.
    But hold your breath their attention was all on Hernandez goal and only now and then they mentioned Wolves positives.
    And after the Chelsea match I asked a friend of mine who supports them what he thought abut the match. I told him Peter Cech had the busiest time in goal in a home match since he joined them.
    His answer was that Chelsea didn’t play and I told him it was because Wolves played better than them. For I don’t know any team who play badly because they didn’t want to.
    For me the difference between Wolves and Chelsea and United were the goals otherwise they gave as much as they got and also more.
    Wolves played like Barcelona but had no Messi up front to score the goals.
    But I have a feeling that one of the Big Boys will be bitten by a pack of Wolves in the near future.
    So come on Wolves let’s answer them with a win or at least a draw now that City have no Tevez tomorrow although they have to keep their eyes on Silva who is a fine dribbler and technical player.

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  35. 35
    simon

    i slightly disagree with Tim’s team selection. Hopefully (pray) Craddock is fit and replaces Stearman.
    The good news I hear is that Tevez is out but that only means Adebayor will play and he scored against us last season in the away game.
    I think tim is wrong on Man Citys tactics. I I was at the game last season and Bellamy and Tevez tore u apart on the break and they will play the same way, by allowing us possession which we had a lot of but got absolutely nowhere near their box and we created nothing.
    They will hit us hard on the break if we are sloppy with our passing with johnson, Silva, milner richards and boateng. All I can say is that our full backs will have to play really well. I really cant see us getting result if we dont score 2 goals, but I’d take a scoreless draw now.

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  36. 36
    brummierobwolves

    Most of the blog is good but after Mancienne’s performance on Tuesday alongside Jones – the two worst players – he will be lucky to get a shirt. The other point is that you alongwith many other Wolves whingers refer to the Man Utd team as kids? They had Carrick and Brown playing for starters and in terms of transfer fees well over £60m was spent on their team. What was the average age of the Wolves team? Secondly we spent about £20m on our team.
    As for tomorrow, Man City have scraped wins and if we can nullify Silva and Johnson, they are there for the taking!

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  37. 37
    annie

    The mistake made by the club was to let McCarthy field that poor side @ Utd in the league a year earlier, that was the day the press turned on the club in a big way, with every pundit across the spectrum outraged by his actions and most hoping the club to be relegated that season and now this. You build up respect and following over many years, then destroy your reputation overnight. The longer MM stays, the worse the media bias will be. MM’s had more than a fair crack of the whip, he should do the decent thing and resign before he sets the club back 20 years .

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  38. 38
    syd

    talk about spitting your dummy out get over it

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  39. 39
    Solentwolves

    Excellent blog. Your attack on the newspaper sports journalists is fully justified. One paper had two reporters covering the match – one praised Bebe, his colleague wrote that Bebe was out- muscled and out- thought by George Elokobi. These people should be ignored. In another paper we had Rob Edwards playing again for us, not David. I also read that Stephen Hunt had been injured whilst playing in an earlier Wolves’ game. And as for their player markings – they’re usually a joke. As was written earlier, Radio 5 and Talksport were generous. Savage made Jarvis man of the match and Durham thinks he deserves an England call-up. Not my most favourite pundits, so I’m happy to report that.

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  40. 40
    paperchase

    Quiet agree with the almost total lack of positive national press coverage we are getting. I actually e-mailed the Daily Mail in protest about the negative comments made about Wolves(and Blackburn Rovers)by Eduado the ex Arsenal striker. He jumped on the Danny Murphy bandwagon and singled us and Rovers out as the Two teams most likely to commit bad tackles due to being hyped up(or words to that effect)before stepping onto the pitch. I said that if I were in charge of either team I’d sue them (The Mail and Eduado) for libel, as there was no way Eduado could know whether or not either team was hyped up in those pre match team talks as he was not in the respective dressing rooms. I also pointed out that if Wolves and Rovers were as bad as he says then why didn’t he say so when he was playing for Arsenal?

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  41. 41
    BANGKOK WOLF

    please drop doyle and play seb and fletch tomorrow because doyle will never score in this leauge.

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  42. 42
    Andy

    So Jarvis may have skinned a young and inexperienced kid a few times and then taken on and beaten a 35-year old struggling to come back from injury. He may have beaten the current England left back a couple of times.

    Remind me how many goals we scored in these two games because of him? You could say his ball led to the shot that was deflected for the corner from which we scored the first at Man U – but that’s it.

    We scored the lowest number of goals in the Prem last season and only Wigan and West Ham have scored less than us this season – so he’s never going to be that high in the ratings on an assists count.

    His final ball still remains suspect but in fairness he has come on a load in the last couple of seasons. Potentially, if he can continue to improve he could well be one of the best wingers in the country and get into the England set-up. I think the fact that SWP gets into the team is the main reason everyone thinks that Jarvis should be in there.

    But Milner, Johnson and Young are a mile ahead at the moment – scoring more than Jarvis and having more assists whilst playing for better teams.

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  43. 43
    Andy

    Based on the official premier league statistics:

    Last season:

    Jarvis 3 goals. 5 assists
    Wright-Philips 4 goals. 8 assists
    Milner 7 goals. 12 assists
    Young 5 goals 10 assists
    Adam Johnson 1 goal. 9 assists
    Aaron Lennon 3 goals. 10 assists
    Matthew Etherington 5 goals. 9 assists

    This season, Jarvis has scored twice but is yet to get an assist. Chris Brunt has 6 assists! Etherington has 5 already and even Jerome Thomas has 3.

    Berra, Foley and Van Damme are ahead of Jarvis this season in assists.

    So much as I rate Jarvis, he ain’t good enough to play for England yet since he doesn’t have that much of an impact for us – statistically speaking

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  44. 44
    Bemused Wolf

    36 Agree about Mancienne and Jones on Tuesday but on the basis of dropping players after bad games this season who would still be available ??

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  45. 45
    mancbaggie

    34. The big six? You missed out Albion…. seriously though, the media will never report on any Midland club because they are focused on sales. That means the ‘Big Four’. I see as many Man U shirts as up here when I go back to the Midlands. And I see loads of kids up here in Chelsea tops. Its sadly the way it is.

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  46. 46
    Ginga Prince

    Would definitely try to get Lescott in january on loan also why not keane too?? I hear Charlie Adam might be available, he might be worth a punt.
    It’s gotta be 3 pts today!! Come on Wanderers!!

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  47. 47
    The Real Bully Hoo.

    36 BRW.
    I think you will find that their starting line up cost around £36 mill. Still a mighty sum but not by Man Ure standards. Not when you think that they sold Ronaldo for £80 mill and Bebatov alone cost £30 mill. That was probably the weakest team they’ve fielded for many a long year.

    Report abuse

  48. 48
    Mike Bowden

    Wayne Rooney’s groin, for one reason or another, fills more column inches than news involving all the West Midlands clubs combined

    couldnt agree any more!

    Report abuse

  49. 49
    bigclub2982blahblahblah

    Lets be honest? villa could win the league, Wolves the FA cup, Baggies the league cup and Blues could qualify for the champs league and the amount of coverage in the national media wouldnt fill the back of a fag packet especialy if Rooney was to break a finger nail or JT had been caught playing away again. Even when midlands clubs are covered by the national media they get so many facts wrong. They probably think Jarvis is a centre half!The idiot moose at talksport thinks he’s a keeper :) Get used to it cause it aint gonna change….rant over

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This time last week we were staring down the barrel, third from bottom with a worse record than at the same stage last year, writes Saddlers blogger Mark Jones.
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