Elokobi will let his feet do the talking

George Elokobi is determined to let his football do the talking in his quiet determination to prove himself in the Premier League.

The Wolves powerhouse defender takes centre stage tomorrow when he is expected to come across the man who has been one day tipped to take over Thierry Henry's mantle of King of the Emirates.

The arrival of Theo Walcott lit up and transformed Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final first leg against Barcelona as the 21-year-old scored the first goal then continued giving the Catalan defence the slip as the Gunners recovered a 2-0 deficit to draw 2-2.

Few would have backed Elokobi to be gracing these lofty stages again – even earlier this season, when the former Dulwich Hamlet player struggled for the Premier League form he had worked so hard to strive for in his year out injured.

While Elokobi is politely turning down all media requests to concentrate on his game in the build-up to his return to the capital, such is the esteem the 24-year-old is held in after battling back from career-threatening knee reconstruction that the management and team-mates were more than happy to speak up for him.

"He's been great," said boss Mick McCarthy.

"If ever there is a man who would respond to a challenge then George will be that one.

"George was playing for Colchester just over two years ago and he was out for virtually 12 months with a reconstruction of his knee ligaments.

"Perhaps he shouldn't be on the same pitch as him (Walcott) with all that's happened to him.

"But he is, and when Theo sees him stood there and tries to run him once and maybe gets a tackle in once . . . well, let's judge it after the game."

The way Walcott terrorised Barca's makeshift left back Maxwell was almost as transfixing as the Catalans' mesmorising football in the first half hour.

But in a typically forthright opinion, McCarthy believes Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola should have done his job better and put someone on to help Maxwell out.

"Theo came on for 20 minutes when their left-back had been rampaging forward for 70 minutes," said the Wolves boss.

"Perhaps when they were 2-0 up when Walcott came on, the best coaches in the world would have stuck someone in front of the full-back to double up, to make sure the full-back didn't get battered rather than it becoming fantasy football.

"Barcelona should have won - -they don't have to win 4-0, 5-0 or 6-0. Two-nil would have done me.

"If someone did that to my left-back, I might have asked Stephen Ward to get off the bench and stand in front of him and double-up.

"But Walcott was terrific. He's super-quick."

Returning to Elokobi, McCarthy admits the Cameroon-born left back did not look like a Premier League player earlier this season but says he has made massive strides.

"When George made his debut at Blackpool he didn't immediately look a Championship player - that tells you how good he's been for us," he said.

"He's been fabulous. When he got injured at Ipswich he was getting better and better and looked terrific.

"Now he's had these three games, after coming on at Villa at half- time.

"He made sure he was ready to play through his training and he's been able to come in and play."

Fellow Ronald Zubar has watched Elokobi develop his game on the training ground and has not seen such a determined player.

"George has kept going and has trained very hard, doing extra sessions with TC (assistant boss Terry Connor) or in the gym," he said.

"That shows everything about his mentality.

"George has got such a strong character – this man had a really big injury which kept him out for a long time.

"Then he played and was out of the team to Stephen Ward, who did brilliantly.

"But now George is back in the team, no one can complain because he has shown the gaffer he can do the job.

"It's a tough job for George, but he can do it. He'll be fine.

"He's very strong and very quick – people think twice if they're challenged by George.

"I'm sure when opposition players look at George Elokobi, they think 'what a man – look how strong he looks!'.

"I reckon they're all scared of George just from looking at him.

"He's already shown how well he can play widemen by doing well against Ashley Young when he came on at Villa, Alessandro Diamanti at West Ham and Steven Pienaar against Everton."

Fellow defender Christophe Berra also backed Elokobi to make life difficult for Walcott.

"We know he's got lightning pace which is his main attribute," he said.

"George has been working hard in training and now he's got his chance, he's taken it.

"That's what all the boys have to do in training, but it's a great opportunity for George and the rest of us to put in a performance and show the public what Wolves are about and what the players can do."