The Vital Wolves Mauling: Chelsea

With the Premier League now under way, Vital Wolves will be bringing you a new feature we have entitled The Vital Wolves Mauling.

Basically it's a few questions with an editor from the Vital website of our next opponents (clever huh?)

So this week it's the turn of Vital Chelsea:

1. What do you make of Wolves, how do you think they have faired back in the Premier League?

Coming up from the Championship, into the Premier League, is always a difficult task. I guess it helps if, like Mick McCarthy, you`ve experienced life in the top flight before. Expectations are inevitably very high but you have to strike a delicate balance, spend too much cash and get relegated and you`ll suffer the consequences for years to come, spend too little and you get relegated and you live with the regrets for years. Wolves are a famous club; I can recall the likes of Mike Bailey and Derek Dougan adorning the pages of the football magazines when I was a lad, you`ve started well this season but you can`t afford to relax for a minute but I reckon you`ll still be there come next August.

2. Which Wolves player has caught your eye this season?

Kevin Doyle - it was a brave move by Mick McCarthy to splash the cash on the lad. After a great start in the Premier League, with Reading, the goals sort of dried up and everybody wondered if he was a one season wonder. However, there`s something about him that convinces me he`s a natural goal scorer and Wolves have had a few of them over the years, anyone care to recall the exploits of a certain Steve Bull?

3. Ultimately do you think Wolves will avoid the drop?

I do! It may be by the skin of your teeth but to stay up is the most important thing, consolidation in those first few years back is what it is all about, don`t become a yo-yo club.

4. What are your thoughts on how your season has gone so far?

We`re doing okay. Our Premier League and Champions League ambitions remain on course, we`ve had a few blips, most notably Wigan away but considering we`re on yet another manager I`d say we`re not doing too bad. Fingers crossed it continues that way!

5. What do you think will happen in your game against Wolves?

On paper it looks a nailed on certainty to be a home win but the international break has hit us hard. Casualties have started to pile up, Lampard, A.Cole, Ballack, Drogba, Terry, Bosingwa are all extremely doubtful. It could be a scratchy line-up that you face and you may well become the first team since Hull City, on the opening day of the season to score against us at Stamford Bridge but my money is still very firmly on a Chelsea win. Possibly 3-1!

6. Where will your side be come the end of the season?

Hopefully on top of the pile looking down at Sir Alex Ferguson, Tubby Benitez and Arsene Wenger bleating about the injustice of it all. I`d also like to see us stood in the Bernabou having turned over Real Madrid in the Champions League Final but whether it happens or not depends on so many things - luck, decent officials, the luck of the draw to name but three.

7. Will you be happy with that?

If we win either the Premier League of the Champions League I`d be ecstatic! I`ve still got memories of the bad times eating away at me, times when we, the proudest club in London, weren`t even in the top flight!

8. Who will win the Premier League?

I`ll go for us - something just feels right about the way we`re going about things this season. There`s a purpose about the club, an attitude and a desire to get back to where we were under Jose Mourinho!

9. Who will go down?

I`ll go for Hull City, Bolton Wanderers and West Ham United. Hull have been in relegation form since the turn of the year, Bolton looked dreadful against us twice in the space of a week and West Ham will be forced to sell their few decent players in January to keep the wolves from the door!

10. Final thoughts?

Look after Michael Mancienne for us but make sure you give him the kick up the backside he sometimes needs!

Thanks to the guys at Vital Chelsea for taking the time and making the effort to reply to our questions.

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