Wolves News 24/7Writer: Akela 
Date:Monday December 12 2011
Time: 1:00PM
UK time is: 11:31:28
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'If It's Football, It's Vital'
McCarthy now looks to Stoke & Norwich games
After the defeat to Manchester United, Wolves attentions now turn to two crucial games at Molineux.
Wolves stand two points above the relegation zone following the defeat to Manchester United.
But the Premier League doesn't offer any respite and the next couple of games could prove crucial to our season.
A quick flick over to the Vital Wolves forum showed that most of us were happy to write off the Manchester United game.
But there were clear indications that the Stoke and Norwich fixtures were crucial to our points tally.
Mick McCarthy of course couldn't admit the same thing ahead of the trip to Old Trafford and instead said what any logical manager would say, that we hope to cause an upset etc.
But his comments post game were much more in line with many Wolves fans.
"Now we`ve got Stoke and Norwich at home which we know are two big games and probably have more significance to our season than Saturday." McCarthy told the Express & Star.
The Manchester United game was nothing more than a distraction. It's just a sad indication of the modern top flight, that instead of enjoying a trip to the champions instead you come back wondering, 'perhaps we should have rested a few', especially with the hindsight of knowing David Edwards and Steven Fletcher both picked up knocks in the game.
Edwards suffered a groin injury, while Fletcher had a tight calf.
There is no news yet on the extent of their injuries.
Vital Wolves Comment: This week, Mick McCarthy suggested that if someone asked the Wolves fans who still backed him as gaffer, then he would get a positive response from about 80% of the fan base.
So we thought we would put that theory to the test and have made it our front page poll.
Currently our Mick is virtually spot on with 82% backing him, 15% not in favour of him remaining as manager and 3% sitting on the fence.
To vote, please find the voting panel to the right of this article.
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Your Comments
4 points seem to be the general view over on the forum. Click the link in the article to join in!
akela
We need six points but, having watched Stoke beat Spurs, we will be lucky to get three.
southbank60
They are on a run of three wins but lost four in a row before that. 'Streaky' would seem to sum them up. They've also shipped a fair few goals, too. I doubt Bolton or Sunderland are going to stick 5 and 4 past many teams this season.Our narrowed pitch will play into their hands (pun intended) with regard to long throws into our box, but this has to fall into the category of winnable home games.I did notice that Stoke have a negative GD, as has every team below them, bar Sunderland. It's been raining goals this season, that's for sure.Let's hope Fletch can inflict some storm damage on them.
all4divisions
Could we widen the pitch for the Stoke match ... and hide the towels? Jarvis would approve of the greater width and, if he hits the ball with his usual force, it should land on the right spot!
southbank60
Stoke play a solid game but their play is foreseeble. 3 days later, entertaining end-to-end stuff, anyone's game, I go for a 2-2 draw. 4 points.
lovesW
Giving our own wingers less room to operate in would definitely have figured in MM's thinking when deciding to have the pitch cropped, I reckon,SB.He had to balance that with the threat of chasing shadows as the ball is passed around us by the better sides.We saw at OT what Jarvis can do with the extra space, but it would be disingenuous to suggest he's had no good games at the Mol since we were promoted, of course.We can never lenghten it now, due to the new build, but maybe if MM ever does have it widened, it would be indicative of his confidence in his team.The long-ball merchants of old- the likes of Taylor and Bassett- had their pitches small for their own reasons;MM's were different, I believe and based on a defensive ideal, rather than an attacking one.Considering the way his team had swept teams away during the championship campaign, i'm sure it grieved him more than a little to inhibit their capacity to do so.On balance though, there's not much arguing that he made the correct decision for the right reasons...pity it helps long throw-ins so much though, all the same.I'm with lovesW as far as predicting a result; score draw.
all4divisions
Could,nt we make it narrower still to help our back four!,if we make it narrow enough we could do away with full backs,now there's a thought.
Back to the real world and I still think Merlin needs to win both of these home games to give us any confidence going into the new year.
If you look at the misleading start we had at seasons beginning,Blackburn and Fulham have exactly set the world on fire and Villa are not the team they
were,what worries me is the promoted teams are not only going well but are scoring goals as well,lets be honest here I cant see us scoring four goals against anyone this year and Norwich did that against Newcastle!,Swansea beat Blackburn at home so what we did in those first couple of weeks in the summer has been put into perspective.
I notice the Merlin poll has dropped a few notches in his favour,I would
predict that two losses and it will be the completely the other way around.
I hope we can win both games but Merlins luck I fear is about to run out,
he has grinded out a result,just enough to take the pressure off when it mattered most,(Swansea and Sunderland games come to mind).
Stoke and Norwich are'nt exactly giants of the Premiership but they are
solid enough performers to not give away leads,so we cannot afford to give away early goals as we often do.
I have said all along I would back Merlin and Coco until xmas,that I fear will be as far as they will go,I predict two draws which will I fear not be enough
to stem the tide of unrest that will follow.
We have a massive four days coming up,two wins and we can go to
Arsenal and give it a go and maybe get a result at Bolton,but we will need to win those two home games first!.
I really hope I'm wrong and we can win them,the first game (Stoke)will be
critical,a win and we carry the momentum forward to Tuesday,a loss or
draw and we have to raise our confidence again to get a result.
It will also make a huge difference attracting players in January, if we are in
a mid table position it looks a lot more rosy,if we are down in those bottom three it may take a new manager !!!.UTW.
Crete Wolf
If we do not get a minimum of four points from the next two games, the 'dejected' MM at the top of the thread will surely lose the initial 'd'.
southbank60
I tell you what SB, four points will only give us 18 points,the same as last
year and I would'nt fancy our chances of escaping from that again.
Crete Wolf
Well, I think that we really need six points but I am trying not to be heavy handed. The promoted teams might implode- it has happened in the last two seasons - but we have to help that process by stuffing Norwich on Tuesday.
southbank60
Escape again we will and with more total points. But how long will this go on? How long CAN this go on? If it does go on, SM might have a re-think. At the present rate of an additional 2 points more than the previous season, it will take 10 years to break into to top 6. Will MM be around? What's more, will I?
lovesW
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