Wolves Vs Reading

By: Toby | January 26th, 2009

And so to the game which every Wolves fan has had his (or her, I’m all for the hers) eye secretly cast towards for the last month at least, thinking deep down that all our results somehow are all counting towards to this one, frantically fretting over Reading’s form and performance and results deep into the night…no? Just me then. But I’ll be honest here, every weekend I have been casting an eye, firstly to Reading’s results, then to Birmingham’s…then lastly to Huddersfield…because I quite like them. Why? Because more than once their results have helped make ours look better, let’s be honest here, when we’ve lost, and Reading have failed to win and take advantage, we’ve all breathed a sigh of relief because deep down, we’ve all wanted to keep a buffer of points between ourselves and them before we play them, and we’ve managed it, just, as we lie 5 points clear going into this game.

So why are we so worried? Because frankly last time we played them we were utterly tonked for three, and it should have been more. In our defence, we played them without our attacking options at full strength, but that’s by the by, because we were made to look very vulnerable, having previously been seemingly unbeatable. That defeat signalled a bit of a wobble, and were it not for us being able to rally back to seven consecutive wins our season could have been finished off before it’d really got going.

Will things be different this time? I would have to say yes, purely due to the fact of the inclusion of Messers Kightly, Jarvis and Blake, that already puts a different spin on our chances, last time we looked toothless against Reading, this time we’ve got a genuine chance of puncturing their defence, especially due to their loss of Rosenior in the back four, who’s being replaced (I’m reliably informed by Ben at the Reading Offside) by Julian Kelly. He’ll have to be on top of his game with Kightly and Jarvis at full fitness and raring to have a go, it might well be a baptism of fire for the young defender, or at the very least a stern test.

Time for a bit of statto. Reading at home recently have been pretty dominant, winning four of their last six, drawing one, but losing their most recent game against Swansea, (who Wolves know all too well to be a very decent side) so they’ll be looking not to slip up again. Wolves’ away form of late is looking solid yet unspectacular, winning three, drawing two and losing once, which was against Q.P.R, we’ve since won our last two away games.

Reading will be looking to win this, if not to challenge for first then to definitely cement second as Birmingham conspired to throw away their game in hand on the weekend, they’ll be looking, much like ourselves to create some breathing space in the automatic promotion spots.

What’s going to happen? I can’t decide if it’s going to be a tight one of if it’ll be wide open, but either way I think this game will have goals, as the league’s top scorers square off, there are bound to be goals, let’s just hope their either evenly distributed, or slightly in our favour? Either way both sets of players will surely be giving their all to the cause, trying for the team and playing their hearts out.

One such player who didn’t fancy much of that is Mark Davies, who’s buggered off to Bolton. Having spent two seasons out with injury, he decided to turn down a new contract and head to the glamorous glitz of the Premiership. His attitude frankly stinks, and if he’s done it to us, he’ll do it for them in a few years time. I’m sure he might play for England one day, but his departure leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. I’ve seen Lescott and Keane move on and wished them well, they gave the team as good as they had to give before moving on, they paid their dues, I cheered when I saw Lescott in an England shirt, he was our boy. Mark could have been a legend, he’ll have to make do with being that petulant kid who threw his toys out of the pram. He was angry with going on loan to prove his fitness before being offered a contract….did we see Murray react the same way, no, he welcomed the chance to get his career back on track. The difference between the two players is evident, while Davies might have all the talent in the world, there’s one thing you can’t learn, and that’s class.

Right, enough of that spot, best of luck to the lads, let’s get a result here and set ourselves up for Watford on Saturday.

Fingers crossed!

Tarra-a-bit!