Stephen Ward targets home comforts
Wednesday 30th November 2011, 11:00AM GMT.
Wolves today kicked off the countdown to Sunday’s huge clash with Sunderland by targeting a maximum haul from their next three home games.
Mick McCarthy’s side host Sunderland, Stoke and Norwich and travel to Manchester United all in 16 days before Christmas.
And left back Stephen Ward revealed the three-win target to get their season back on track after eight defeats in 10.
“It’s a vital period for us because it could really shape the outcome of the second half of the season,” said Ward.
“We’ve pinpointed these four games – three home matches against Sunderland, Stoke and Norwich – and one away, and we feel we’re capable of winning all three at home.”
Black Cats boss Steve Bruce is said to have two games to save his job, but Ward insisted nothing would detract from Wolves’ priority – points over performances.
“We’re concerned about our own form, not anyone else, because we need the points desperately as well,” said Ward.
“Getting the right result is our main focus because we’re at the stage where the performance can be as good or as bad as anything.”
Wolves were accused of being negative in the defeats at Everton and Chelsea, but Ward insisted the approach against Sunderland would be positive.
“It will be all guns blazing against Sunderland – we will be at them right from the word ‘go’,” said the Ireland international.
“We always have the intention of putting teams under pressure but in the last two games, the performances haven’t been up to scratch.
“But come Sunday, we will be right in Sunderland’s faces right from the first whistle.”
Wolves have yet to drop into the bottom three but Ward is looking to drag other teams into trouble.
He added: “Outside the top eight or nine teams, anyone could find themselves in our position very quickly.
“Thankfully, we’re not in the bottom three but we’re in quite a dangerous position so we’re not far away from it.
“If we can get a win though that will be a big step away from it, especially as it’s against one of our rivals.”
Ward also expects Kevin Doyle (knee) and Richard Stearman (broken wrist) to join Jamie O’Hara and Stephen Hunt, the latter two available after suspension.
“All four will probably be available which will be massively important for us,” he said.
“Having everyone fit – or virtually everyone – is massive for us, especially because they’re big players for us.”
UK Sport
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Who will be first to slag him or the team off I wonder…..
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The usual babble out of the Wolves camp….wonder why it’s Ward and not Johnson or O’Hara with all the chat these days?!?!?
Let’s just hope this target is met. I somehow doubt it.
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Why Richard Stearman’s inclusion in a squad has become paramount i’ll never know. It’s very sad that he broke his hand but he is simply not a premier league right back.
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left back, right back,left midfield,centre forward and chief spokesperson, what next for stephen ward.
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Hi Folks….. just a heads up for all wulfie fans.
I see Man Utd are looking to sign the Dutch player Ricky van Wolfswinkel, and on behalf of all Albion fans I urge you to force Steve Morgan to sign him up asap.
I can only imagine the headlines if you had a Wolfswinkel in the team and I would be prepared to give at least a tenner towards the purchase if that helps.
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4-4-2 for the home-games:
WH
SW
CB
AJ
RZ
MJ
JO
KH
DE
KD
SF
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Re 4 – Manager…?
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Any more of this and they’ll be renaming the newspaper The Express And Steve.
On a more serious note, the news that a large number of footballers have approached Sporting Chance to get help for depression after the suicide of Gary Speed is, if not good news, then at least heartening. Always talk to people, always seek out help, because depression feeds on silence.
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No 1, ME
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Well said pete.
Not a bad idea from a PR point of view to have Ward as the mouth piece for a while as O’Hara and RJ were shooting themselves im the foot.
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Good luck lads. Winning our next three home games will be magnificent, a truly miraculous Christmas presents and only the manager and players can give us this, we supporters can only pray and hope!
But all players must realise we need the points MORE than Sunderland, Stoke or Norwich and we don’t want to be boottom three over Christmas and New Year.
All the best and let’s get all the nine points. Then we talk again.
Up the Wolves as ever!
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“We always have the intention of putting teams under pressure but in the last two games, the performances haven’t been up to scratch.”
Well that is news to me, only the last 2 games !
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What a depressing time to be a Wolves supporter,,I wouldnt even mind being in the Cannock Chase league,as long as we were playing half tidy football.and maybe scoring the odd goal,come Sunday we will be boring,toothless,and lucky to get anything out of Sunderland,,iff I didnt have a season ticket,I would take the advice of super micks turkeys and stay away.
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Nice 1 pete. If we get 7 points out of 9 for the home games we’d be doing well.
Lets just sing and shout the whole way through loose all these games and sad times are ahead. They won’t sack Mick, the best win win is Stourbridge in the 3rd round of the cup us to loose and Mick to walk.
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If we get maximum points from our next 3 home games it would tear a great big hole in reality and we will all fall into it!
Atleast thats one way we can lose the muppet with have as a manager!!
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We get this fighting talk before almost every match we play, then we play and er, we lose! Oh well, as long as the lads put a shift in, then thats all that matters i suppose. Three home wins in a row, please Santa!
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Why oh why does Ward come out with this? We have heard it all before and it is now predictable and boring! Those fans that do attend on Sunday will be only too aware of not paying too much attention to this gabble!.
Three points is what we need, will the team achieve them? Who knows, but I think it will be melt-down if we lose! Other teams are moving and scouting for players but what about Wolves?
Silence is all we hear from the owner and his Grimmer worm tongue-Moxey!
I’ll try and be open minded about Sunday and support them but i will not support a manager who should have been sacked a while ago!
Poor, disgraceful statistics,poor tactics, no ambition and out of his depth!
Time to go tele tubbies.
utw.
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Points please, not rhetoric.
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The amount of people that spell lose as “loose” is surreal. It`s ok folks, i`m just at a lose, sorry, loose, end today!
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Well said Ward, get out there and get those points. Make our christmas’ brilliant.
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have you been to kiss the blarney stone wardy?
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My predictions for Sunday.
1 – Fletcher will be dropped to the bench in favour of Doyle.
2 – Doyle will play ‘up front’ (?) on his own but will spend most of the match outside the box, closer to the side line than the goal line.
3 – The wingers will get the ball into dangerous area only for Doyle not to be there.
4 – Doyle will not score.
5 – Fletcher will be brought on with 10 minutes to go and will be dropped again for not doing his shift if he doesn’t score.
6 – Doyle will be praised for his contribution.
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Morgan and Moxey are as stubborn, arrogant and pigheaded as the manager. The only way to get rid of him is for real fans to stop going.
I have not been all season and will not return until he is gone.I know its damaging to the club in the short term but its the only way they are going to listen. At the moment all three have contempt for the views of the fans. Don’t go on Sunday – that’s a language they will understand
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Having returned from a picket line I needed something to make me smile – cheers Wardy, new spokesperson because he has played so well and alongside Hennesey our best player. However, Wardy is our best outfield player at present – nothing against the lad but that sums Wolves up at present. Not enough quality, no youth to excite the crowd, confidence lacking in some and no plan b after the ball has been passed back to Hennesey and he hoofs it up the field.
Plus..not enough confidence in the mercurial type players: fletcher, milijas and adlene.
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Won 3 all season, going to win the next three home games…. no hope…..unless we get a change of Manager before Sunday.
Anybody prepared to back Wolves to win the next 3 home games???
Next you’ll be telling me there IS a Father Christmas !!!
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it all stems from the press conference before the tottenham game . we were on a steady start to the season , then “muck”arthy gives his inspirational quote of “lets not carried away ” . players went onto the field with negative thoughts in their minds from the kick off !
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sunderland and wolves club , in lockdown sunderland sack steve bruce.maybe mick to get the sack ,strange though both clubs are in lockdown, and sunderland sack bruce ,or am i putting 2plus2 and making 5 ?
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“I would also like to thank our fans, who have endured a trying start to the season. Their support continues to be the driving force behind our club and is vital as we now look to the future.” THANKS MR MORGAN, WE APPRECIATE HOW MUCH YOU APPRECIATE US.
STEVE BRUCE FOR MANAGER, ANYBODY?
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Stephen Ward is not being interviewed everyday, it’s the same interview from yesterday, to make a story. It’s obvious with the fixture list that the 3 home games are the most likely for points but so was QPR and Swansea. Ward must be left back and we must not play Elokobi and Fletcher must play. We might have to have 3 central midfielders though as Henry is out and I doubt whether O’Hara, Guedioura, Edwards or Milijas can be trusted if called upon to be the defensive one?
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bruce new manager january another one from sunderland
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So the Sunderland management have the guts and ambition to sack their manager. Can’t see any way forward with Mick, 17th at the very best = NOT GOOD ENOUGH!! This period in the Prem has had some high points but mostly it’s been agonising, frustrating and embarrassing. We could and should of achieved so much more…SACK HIM NOW!!!
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Doors open for you now Steve, I’m talking Morgan here!!
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I see that Sunderland have sacked Steve Bruce today.
There you are Mr Morgan. As Mr Punch would say:-
“That’s the way to do it”
Try it you might get the supporters back with you especially if Mr Moxey goes also.
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Spelling not brillant for me but I do know the difference between lose and loose (the crunge) the amount of people don’t is amazing, I might be on lose women soon……
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29 FFS why do you also up Ward
are you his PR man,or Mad MM, this boy is just a average Div 1 player tops, this is one of the reasons we have made no progress in the last three years.
You tell me which other Prem club would buy him.
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How fickle is football.
Bruce sacked when his team play Wigan off the pitch and our man is in a job for life when we have had 2 shots on goal in the last 2 games and cant defend for toffee.
If we win the next 3 home games Santa will come down the chimney at xmas.
Please Mr Morgan give us fans some xmas cheer and get us a manager whose team can at least play some football.
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19 – how very clever of you to correct other people’s spelling – its certainly what I come on here for.
Oh, by the way, I think you mean it’s “unreal” – surreal is a different thing totally, but of course you already knew that.
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