Dinner with the Villa

Match 10 of Wolves return to the top flight sees the West Midlands top team visit the Molineux for a 12:45 lunch time game to be screened by Sky. The local rivalry that has always been there with Albion and ha s grown with Blues does not at the moment  carry through to the derby game with Villa, probably due to the fact the team from north Brum have been playing at a higher level than Wolves for most of the last 25 years. But if Wolves can do as they wish this season and re-establish themselves as the 2nd best team in the West Midlands then the rivalry will doubtless return to the level it used to be at in the previous generation.

Villa come on the back of an impressive success over Chelsea but Wolves will themselves have been boosted by outplaying Everton at Goodison Park last week and coming so close to gaining 3 points. It wouldn’t be a great surprise if it was the same team that were asked to take on the Villa this week. But in midfield there is the possibility of change. Kightly and Henry will doubtless start but Edwards and Halford will be competing with Castillo and Jarvis for a starting place. Castillo would probably have started last week had he not been returning from World Cup duty with Ecuador. And maybe Jarvis will be given the nod if McCarthy looks for a more positive team to represent us at home.

Defensively there will surely be a starting place for Hennessey, Zubar, Craddock and Berra. Zubar made a good impression on his debut and the Molineux faithful  will be keen to get their first look at him, apart from the Carling Cup game against Swindon. The only question mark in the defense is whether Elokobi will continue at left back. McCarthy has been supportive of him in the local press and his general game was good at Goodison although he did lose his man for the late equaliser. Mancienne was left out last week after coming back from England U21 duty with flu and may now return but at full back.

The optimism that Wolves can get something from the game will be largely borne from this being the first Molineux game that the Ebanks Blake and Doyle strike force will be seen together. There was plenty of promise at Everton last week that they can be the exciting pairing that fans were anticipating after Doyle’s signing and if Wolves can get a decent supply to them the goals will surely come. It has been the case since the end of August that Maierhofer has been brought off the bench to offer something different in the closing stages. His sending off last week means that option is ruled out by suspension, but that absence will be offset by a return to the fold of Chris Iwelumo. His timely return from injury will be a boost to the squad especially if he can show the form of the first half of last season.

There will be those that will go to the game thinking a draw will be fine, especially those that remember the 4 goal thumping Wolves received the last time Villa paid a visit. But most Wolves fans have a distinct lack of an inferiority complex for any team coming to Molineux, especially local rivals, and they will be looking for 3 points this weekend and a return of Wolves to their rightful place as the Midlands top club in the not too distant future.

Category: Team News

Tags: Team News

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