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Writer: Crete Wolf 
Date:Monday April 18 2011
Time: 10:42AM
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Three from Five?
Enough now has been said about injuries, form, formations, lets face it the table never lies and at the moment we are the one of the worst teams in the Premier League.
I am afraid that time is not on our side, this weeks game against Fulham is decisive, if we don't get three points and results elsewhere go against us our time in the promised land will I fear, will be up.
So far this season, when the pressure has been on, Merlin has been able to conjure up a win when it was not expected, can he keep it up or will his luck run out?
Its now looking like 3 from 5; Blackburn, Wigan, Blackpool, West Ham and us.
Its not certain but I would be surprised if anyone else is involved, maybe Sunderland who are in freefall but I think they will get another win which will be enough, lets hope that win is not against us!
It could be a bad day for Lancashire with all three from there going! To be fair to West Ham they have spent and bought players in during the January window and that seems to have improved them, but will it be enough?
Looking at the fixtures left sometimes luck can help a little, Fulham look safe and mid table stability may just lean towards a touch of 'Easing up', Stoke away? Always a difficult place to go but will a FA Cup final be lingering in their thoughts? Even the baggies could well be safe by the time we entertain them on the 8th May!
Sunderland away could and will be a difficult game with both teams at that stage needing a win, Blackburn at home could well see both of us in trouble? One of us needing a win to stay up possibly?
The real six pointer is the one I've saved for last, Birmingham away on 1st May! What a May day it could be, it could mean Blues are safe or an away win could just be the one that saves us.
The Everton game hasn't finished us, but I think it was a very bad and damaging result, it has piled the pressure on us when we should be sitting in the table on 35 points instead of 32!
Finally I do think whatever happens, even if we do manage to stay up, a change in our coaching is a must, not the manager!, who I think will and should be given until at least the halfway point next year, but a new high profile coaching appointment to assist Merlin and perhaps take the players abilities up to a level required and expected of them.
3 points then is a must this week,even a draw I fear will not be enough, lets get 'operation survival' under way and make sure we are not one of the 'Three from Five'
UTW
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Your Comments
I don't get the coaches comment, Mick McCarthy should be the only person who selects who is part of his coaching team, if he doesn't think an addition or change is needed then that's good enough for me, you can't back the manager but not his coaching staff, they are a team just like the one on the pitch.
Akela
Happy Clappers have been quiet for a while... perhaps the ineptitude of our manager has finally sunk in.
That said, Ive been thinking about our Promotion push next year. Wayne,Doyle and Jarvo will certainly go, but I think with Hammil and Kightly on the wings, and hopefully Fletch and SEB up front, not to mention already have a championship quality back 4, we should be in very good stead to return automatically.
Mick then wont do anythign different upon said promotion, and until we get someone with big ideas at the helm, we will relieve the title of Yo Yo club from those b8sards down the road. It will be a long year no doubt, bu I have faith that Morgan will see sense and get some Oneill'esque chap to take us the the next level.
WE ARE WOLVES
Ad Mant
To me it seems as though the subtext to Crete Wolf's suggestion that we employ a helpmate for MM is exactly the same as Ad Mant's bald statement and Akela's polite observation!
Southbank60
Happy clappers been quiet? I'm still here Billy big *********, some of us try to cheer on the team rather than just moan when things don't go right.
Wolf Man
they are called observations... and they are pretty close to the mark. Stark contrast to your submission wolf man
Ad Mant
Yes, all of us should cheer our team on, and I did so last Saturday. I was not one of the many fans who booed either. However, with the best will in the world, I could not put a positive WW gloss on what occurred on the pitch. We had chances in the first 20 minutes and, had we scored, the outcome may have been different. But, we didn't find the net and then compounded our problems by giving away a soft goal in what was virtually Everton's first attack. Thereafter, the team fell apart and that's Henry's opinion, not just mine. I would love to say something nice about our performances in the last two games but we were awful. There's no reason why cannot regain our earlier form but the players have to be strong mentally, as well as skilled on the ball, while the management has to be tactically astute. Next Saturday's match will indicate one way or the other how resolute the team is. It's a must-win fixture.
Southbank60
I was refering to Terry Connor Akela, who I think is now on his 13th season under a number of different managers and his 4th as assistant to Merlin.
I just think its maybe time for a change and some fresh ideas.
Crete Wolf
Ray Wilkins ...... you know it makes sense
OLDGOLD
Now that elokobi is injured. It seems that MM has to reshuffle the backline
superwwfc
It seems as though Mancienne has played at LB and in spite of his lack of match practice, he surely cannot do a worse job. It's the same argument for and against Craddock in central defence. Stearman certainly expects to give way to him, as he is volunteering to fill the RB slot.
Southbank60
Blackburn, Blackpool and Wigan. All three of my calls for changes in the defence now look probable: Stearman at RB making way for Craddock and Mancienne at LB. The rest, as I would have it, is highly unlikely: Guedioura and Milijas in midfield; Seb, Fletch, Vokes and Jarvis up front.
lovesW
Your formation excludes O'Hara and that surely is a weakness. If we adopt a 4-5-1 system, we can include him in an advanced midfield position and make full use of his talents. Presumably, you prefer Guedioura, and he does provide a number of tangible benefits, and if we go down, we will rely upon him to an even greater extent. But, you are asking a lot of him at the moment (though you might argue that we are expecting Craddock and Mancienne to play as if they have never been away).
Southbank60
You are right about my expectations regarding both defenders. Another fancy of mine. O'Hara I cheeerfully omit, and 4-5-1 is out of the question for me. And...we are NOT going down.
lovesW
If only your certainty could reassure me.
Southbank60
Mancienne as LB ? I think we will see Ward on that position again....
PanFiluta
If even Terry Connor plays as left back on saturday and we win, I will be happy. But OMG, Mick and players, WIN IT ! I dont care how you do it, just do it. I want to get rid of this Wolves-caused nervousness, that I feel since Everton game...
PanFiluta
It's how I feel too, PanFiluta. We need to win on Saturday to settle my nerves, never mind those of the team. A win would restore the players' confidence and reinforce the advantage of the game in hand. Even so, we'll need to win at the Britannia Stadium the following Tuesday to convert it into points. Will the prospect of a Wembley visit help or hinder Stoke?
Southbank60
We looked at all the run ins five or six games ago and ours was not one to fear. We beat Blackpool and Villa and the Spurs game was something else but whilst we went into the Newcastle game on a high we have been beaten comfortably and true enough, the table does not lie and we are sat bottom of the league. The only comfort I take is that our fate is still in our own hands- always feels much better than having to rely on other results but with the game in hand not coming until next week we have to win on Saturday for it to keep meaning. Those directly above us all have difficult games, most of them away and the only side right there you would usually back are Sunderaland (at home to Wigan)- then again Wigan just won well and Sunderland are in free fall so who knows. Form, and the table regularly smack us in the face so we have to say one of them may well pick up points so we must take full advantage and make it three. A trip to Stoke is never one to look forward to, and whilst we have done well against them since we have been back in the Prem I think the manner of their win in the cup and having the final to look forward to will give them nothing but confidence and the belief they can go out and put us to the sword. To take anything at Stoke is a much taller task than a home game against Fulham- I say that without taking anything away from them because I have already said three times if we line up with a flat 4-4-2 we are playing in to the hands of a well organized side that much in the same manner as Everton can mop up the pressure and hit us on the break most likely exploited errors. Rest assured Ward will start at left back. I would have a lot more confidence with O'Hara in the advanced role behind a main man up front, Jarvis and Kightly on the wings Milijias pulling the strins in the middle. Henry is a starter week in week out and with that lot in front of him I would have more confidence in the fact he will see less of the ball, have fewer chances to give it away and will not be tempted to run with it. I am still irked by his moaning after the last two games because he was as bad as any of them. If he can see whats coming he breaks the game down well but as one of a two man midfield we have shown time and again we lose the middle of the park, the back line is frequently exposed and given enough pressure the cracks grow wider. We have been suitably punished seven times over these past two games so how any manager can miss these most basis of short comings is beyond me. There is not much talk aside from 'the spirit within' and the players enjoying each others company. Hope will not keep us up. Newcastle was a calamity, 25 minutes of hope against Everton was quikcly dashed. If we get hit with a sucker punch early on after this two week break you wonder what it will do to the confidence. I don't need to see us come flying out of the traps Saturday- we need organization, control and a win.
New York City Wolf
NYCW: you have read my mind. It's exactly my summing up of the situation and the reason why I now argue for a 4-5-1 formation. I am not sure that MM has seen the light though.
Southbank60
Ward again, and it is difficult to see Henry not playing. Everyone seems to be more realistic than I! I read Kightly fancies his chances of starting; still, for the sake of added striker power, I prefer Sylvan in that position. My forecast is 42 points, however MM elects to play the 6 remaining games. Only the results will give the certainty of that, of course,but by then what use is it? Now it is confidence that is needed. I have it. It costs nothing, helps to stave off the gloom I see here,and, realistically, there is nothing else that we can do. And if those results were to bring it to naught..I have prepared myself for that too. At least 4-6 weeks would have been spent in hope rather than in foreboding. Still a gain.
lovesW
LovesW: are you saying that you are not experiencing a sense of foreboding ... not even a teeny, teeny bit of one? I'll rename you Candide.
Southbank60
If you need cheering up go and look at West Ham and Blackburn fixtures,I still think we have a great chance and I think we can still get out of this,Scott parker is injured and Hammers always struggle without him,if we can get 3 points this week it will look a lot better.
Crete Wolf
Blackpool's last match?Old trafford,seem to remember a few years ago a team going there needing to win to stay up and they got it,cant remember who though!was it West Ham?
Crete Wolf
Southbank, since we are all friends, I will admit that, yes, that does cross my mind occasionally, very, very, ocassionally, but it it soon overwhelmed by visions(!) of cross after cross from Kights, Hunt, Jarvis, Hammill for Big Sam and Fletcher to head and shoot from all angles, and games finishing 4-0, 5-0, with the opposition not knowing what hit them until the final whistle goes. Do you know....Merlin and the other two M's must be the only ones who wax as positive as I do the more the crisis approaches. Approaches? Deepens is a better word, the better word. And I think I have the reason for that. Merlin (who else?) sent out invitations to all the soothsayers in the land to come forward and reveal to him whether they see Wolvehampton Wanderers in the Barclays Premier League in the month of August 2011. As there was disagreement in their replies, the eldest among them, a descendent of Molly New, related to her namesake from Flanders, proposed recourse to the Lady of the Lake, who, presto, disclosed the liberating answer. And it is good, very good, that Merlin keeps quiet about this. It keeps us all playing this game, a game of hope and gloom, tactics and numbers, I would do this, I would have that. A play about a game. Without all this, what would we do? After May 22nd, it will be a long 3-month wait, whether for the Premier League or for the Championship. Transfer rumours.....which brings a sobering thought. Better play on.
lovesW
Panfiluta, MM has just confirmed Ward at LB. You were right. Weeks ago he extolled his attacking qualities and was considering him as the replacement for Doyle. I joked at the time that that was just a ploy by MM: name him in the team as a forward, appeasing those of us calling for an attacking formation, but with strict instructions to cover up in midfield. How wrong can you be! We have not seen all that Merlin can do. It seems he is reserving his tricks for when it matters, and his magic, soon to follow, for when it really matters. The stratagem now- and what a gem! - is the complete reverse. Surely, no one has though of that!
lovesW
Cheers Banksy. W- I applaud your optimism. I do. I will say that if I read through all my articles over the course of the season a good 90% will have been left on a positive note even after a dismal defeat. I am worried right now, very worried, because as Crete detailed at mere beginnings the only thing that matters is the table. We may have a game in hand but the way things are I would rather have the points. People, Mick included are doubting others ability to pick up points. What makes us think we will reverse the tide of two comprehensive defeats? We appear to have learned absolutely NOTHING from two significant defeats. He has practically rubber stamped 4-4-2. If Billy Butter Fingers keeps dropping things you don't say well, you've dropped two plates already now go move the expensive antiques- give the chap a pair of gloves! We have reverted to the same drivel we had to listen to for months 'We have to cut out the errors.' We can't- simple as. The only hope if we are going to stick with the same formation is to change the personnel- despite all his shouting and clenched teeth I would not pick Karl Henry to lead a day trip round the zoo. For greater years, fewer mistakes, leadership and organization I hope Craddock gets the nod come Saturday.
New York City Wolf
For the record I would play Henry in a 5 man midfield or take any two from the rest if held at gun point and forced to play a free flowing, attacking 4-4-2 system.
New York City Wolf
'If held to gunpoint' you've been in NY to long!!!,or is it New Jersey?Sopranoland?.
You are right,I would prefer the points to the game in hand but we have to go with what we have.
We simply have to win this week,not getting into team selection because it does'nt matter,whatever eleven players in old gold are on that pitch are the ones that have to perform,this I feel really is the 'last chance saloon'.
A defeat and I fear thats it,a win and we have a chance,its as simple as that.
This Happy clapper thing is nonsense,to be honest we have struggled all season so people have a right to write about their disappointment,the same as if we were in 6th place people would be complimenting the team for their efforts.
What I have said before as well, is that if we do survive, what is going to happen next season?,what is going to be done differently?,Are we going to waste another shed load of money?,are players going to be vetted better?,someone has to take responsiblity for all the mistakes that have clearly been made.Also I would like to make the point that it is a welcome sign that so many new people are contributing to these blogs,I think thats the way it should be?you cant beat originality!.UTW.
Crete Wolf
For the moment I am going to refrain from making general accusations, though I will, if necessary, criticize the team's performances in the remaining matches. I want to think positively. Naturally, we'll all have our say, should we be relegated, but it might not happen ... and a win on Saturday would point us in the right direction.
Southbank60
Any why a defeat now and that's it, Crete? Are you so eager to give up? Most have done so already,true. I tell you, if we lose the next three games, making it five on the trot, those nine points will still be available. Not until it is mathematically impossible to stay up are we down. It is always one of two situations: either fighting not to go do, or down. There is no 'we are going down'. So away with all this 'last chance saloon' talk and all negativity. NYCW, you son of a gun! You applaud my optimism, and I will applaud yours if you do not start shaking now. Atta boy!
lovesW
Its just the disappontment with a lot of people I think,not kicking on from last year,nothing seems to have changed.Are we to be cursed with this every season?,one win and everyone sees a different picture only to be let down again the next game!.I'm not saying thats the case every game,but thats how it seems.All my happy memories from recent years come from promotion and that great never to be forgotten day out at Cardiff when we won the play off final.Somehow escaping relegation does'nt have the same effect!,I would however like to feel that effect on May 22nd!.UTW.
Crete Wolf
LovesW: if you are so confident, why were you intent on ignoring the tension of the run-in a while back ... until we tempted you to rejoin the action?
Southbank60
Misunderstood again. It was the time of 'who in for Doyle?' and I was all for doing away with a Doyle-less Doyle formation altogether; MM was busy evaluating the possible substitutes in order to be able to retain the formation. There was simply nothing for me to say further. But thanks to all here, and yourself in particular,I have been coaxed back. I do not regret it. So it was not the tension, for I am not tense even now. Excited, yes, and that's a whole lot different. Now some one or other is sure to misunderstand and growl back: don't you care if we are relegated? To which I will reply right away: I am the Shankly-in reverse. Not only is football not more important than life and death. When life and death themselves are not important, what to say of football?
lovesW
I'm bloody tense and getting more tense by the minute!
Southbank60
You all talk about vokes but he hasnt even been recalled yet(correct me if I'm wrong). I am starting to feel anger towards MM although this could change on saturday regardless of what team he plays. But if he lose with the same poor 442, not controlling the break feeling like we are goin to concede every time the opposition come forward I will be left to wonder how someone managing a premeirship side can not spot simple problems with simple solutions. I have thought long ago maybe about sam allardyce, because I for one would prefer to be securely i mid table playing average football than in the championship playing good football
superwwfc
Wait for the results , superwwwfc. Patience is another thing that is lacking here. As to Vokes, it was I who first suggested that he be recalled, and if MM or Jez has thought better of it, what can I do? Although Wolves have the right to recall him, it could well be that Norwich offered a sub-deal in view of their promotion push. And now is the time to be brave. Look at the players - bubbling with confidence, awaiting the challenge, not dreading the call. And put that knife away! In a few weeks time you would not consider even Jose Mourinho.
lovesW
lovesW has been on the moonshine again!lol,Jose Mourinho!,where did that come from?if we lose against Fulham they'll take postman Pat!.
After all said and done as I said in the original blog,what I would like to address is what happens if we do survive?everyone will be congratulating each other,this season been at the very least a disapointment and possibly a disaster.
Money has been wasted,and we have struggled all year so for me questions have to be answered!,having signed so many in the summer you'd think one of them would be good enough to command a regular place!.
What are we planning to do about it?have measures been put in place that this fiasco will not happen again?.
Also I still think MM should stay, but how long should this relegation dog fight continue?is it percieved as a victory just surviving?how long before its not considered good enough?Merlin's excuse at Sunderland was lack of money,that cannot be said this time,if he is not to be typecast as a 'championship' manager he has to deliver and soon,I would suggest by December he needs to get things right!.UTW.
Crete Wolf
No, I am not going to comment on 'what ifs' at the moment. All my psychic powers are focused on tomorrow's game ... and then the ones after that. Only at the end of the season will I comment on the events of the year. Suffice to say that at the moment I am not particularly happy, and anyone who is, must be living in a parallel universe.
Southbank60
Crete, superwwfc suggests Allardyce in his last comment. Well, if you read that, that is where Mourinho came from. And ....I stopped drinking four years ago. You mean, the after effects have still not worn off? Southbank, how could you? Never do as I do. Now that I have been banished to a parallel universe after having been accused of dodging the run-in, some one else will be needed to to keep spirits high here. In THOSE spirits I still revel. Beam me up the final League Table.
lovesW
But, lovesW, is there a discrepancy between your public utterances and what you actually think, that is, are you suffering from the same confucion so apparent in the words and actions of the team and management?
Southbank60
Well, if Confucius is confused, what hope is there for anyone else? He did say (in Chinese, of course), 'To see what is right and not to do it is want of courage. ... ' MM, you know what is right so have the courage to go 4-5-1 tomorrow!
Southbank60
I do not see any confucion in the team, but then, of course, you will make allowance for the fact that my universe in billions of light-years away. Nor am I aware of any between what I say and what I think - it may however arise in the minds of recipients of what I say (particularly of those suffering from acute anxiety) since only I can know that it tallies exactly with what I think. Or it could be the interfering dust clouds in either universe (in mine here, they are rosy) or some kind of distortion caused by supernovae or gamma ray bursters. Or....now I am far too down-to-earth to entertain outlandish thoughts myself, as you know, but some one could even think that aliens have been intercepting my comments, distorting them, then relaying them forward. Hence the apparent confusion. Well, that got my mind off Fulham for a while!! So convinced 4-5-1 is right? Conviction is a more bitter enemy of truth than falsehood is - for betwen a truth and a lie there is at least the relation of negation, a truth being the opposite of a lie, but a conviction is a totally...............wait, am I not convinced myself that Wolves will stay up? Hmm...still, THAT is a truth, not a conviction. Courage? to go 4-5-1? You may as well call Bertie Mee's boring Arsenal courageous in the days of flying wingers, midfield maestros and super bombers for strikers.I like the irony, still. Please keep on ...my excitement has risen slightly, ever so slightly, mind you, 16 and a half hours to go, not to the extent ....
lovesW
I think now after the performance against Fulham its definitly three from five,even with a game in hand cant see us making up five points on B'ham.
Crete Wolf
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