Whether it be Mum seeking out the finest turkey, Santa's helpers crafting a rocking horse despite all the kids really wanting an XBox or the Queen busy drafting her send-to-sleep-meaning-we-miss-all-the-good-TV speech, it's all go. But what gets me excited at this time of year is the relentless football calendar…
Things are looking a little merrier around Molineux and we go into the festive period with a new found confidence after our deserved three points against Birmingham last weekend. Our patched up eleven controlled the game by attacking at pace and flooding their box with rampaging runs from Hunt, Edwards and Ward. With Ebanks-Blake playing as well as I’ve seen him since our Championship winning season, our attacks were repeatedly penetrating and dangerous. More of the same is required as we approach the difficult Christmas period. The next couple of weeks could determine our fate this season, and as the old football cliché goes, no one wants to be bottom at Christmas.
This weekend we have the Tesco bags from down the road, West Brom. They’re sitting seven points above us and as hard as it is to say, rightly so. I hate them, don’t get me wrong, but they play with an attacking intent which risks a thrashing for the reward of an unexpected point or dare I say it three. But with my heart ruling my head, I can see us getting all three points on Sunday. The game will be fiery, tackles will fly, studs will mark, ankles will bruise, but if you’re to believe the tosh in the papers and coming from Danny Murphy’s foaming mouth this season, that’s what we’re good at right? Supposedly we’re the dirtiest team around! It’s not going to be pretty, but I think we can do it. My head and the league table say an Albion win or a well fought draw, but my heart says a 2-1 Wolves win, and at this heartfelt time of year I think that’s where we should put our faith.
Then we’ve got Wigan at home on Boxing Day. Wigan came to Molinuex last season in what was one of our worst performances I’d seen in a long time. Martinez’s men played like the home team with three very advanced forwards in Rodallega, N’Zogbia and some other chap who probably had a funny name. They rarely tracked back which resulted in McCarthy being outsmarted by his Spanish counterpart as we could never attack in numbers for fear of leaving such a pacey attack clear on goal. It was a dire match that lacked any spark from Wolves. I don’t think the same mistakes will be made by Wolves this time round though. I think Big Mick has now seen after the Birmingham win that we need to do the pressing, we need to have the opposition pinned in their own half, we’re the ones who need to attack, especially against opposition such as this. My head and my probable heart-burnt Christmas lunch heart both say a Wolves 2-1 win.
Liverpool away on the 29th depends upon which Liverpool turn up, but I think with our thin-on-the-ground squad and after the exertion of my two predicted wins, this might be a step too far even against an erratic Liverpool side. I hate to say it but I think this will be Liverpool’s night and unfortunately end the year on a downer. 2-0 to the scousers.
A new year, a new beginning. On New Years Day we’re at Upton Park to face West Ham, the scene of our best performance last season. I’m hoping our injured players will be returning, and after the jubilation of last seasons fabulous win, we should go into the game holding no fear. West Ham have been awful this season and even Toad from Wind in the Willows is struggling with a journey-man squad lacking quality. If Parker’s influence from midfield is nullified, they quickly run out of steam and ideas. I think East London could bring us our first win of 2011, I’m going for a 2-1 Wolves win.
My, my, that’s nine points, maybe there’s too much sherry readily available at this time of year, but it’s good to be positive and if people can still have faith in a red suited fat man getting around the world in one night, then surely my faith has some logic.
Happy Christmas, here’s hoping it’s a merry one at Molineux.