There’s hardly been time to draw breathe after last Saturday’s amazing victory over Man United and here we go again with the visit of Liverpool!
The timing is unfortunate. Three massive league games on the trot with Arsenal the next visitors to the Molineux in the league in two and a half weeks time.
Still, we wanted to see the best come and play at the Molineux, so we’re getting our monies worth ;-)
Tonight we get to see three top players (Owen, Gerrard & Kewell) mixed in with some pretty ordinary defenders so there is a chance. Liverpool showed at Tottenham on Saturday that they are still struggling to find consistency. Injury to two of the three stars hasn’t helped their cause and you wonder just how fit Gerrard is. However, Houllier has been talking this up as a ‘big’ game if Liverpool are to make the Champions League position of fourth. Newcastle winning on Monday puts more pressure on the visitors to take all three points but we’ve just as big a need as they do for a maximum return.
The last time Liverpool visited us for a league fixture was way back in August 1983. A 1-1 season opening day draw. Such a result tonight wouldn’t be ideal for either team so I really can see both teams slugging it out for the extra two points on offer.
It remains to be seen what mental and physical impact Saturday’s victory will have on the likes of Ince, Irwin and Rae but I’m sure they’ll give it 110% like they always do. An unchanged team is the key to opening the fragile Reds defence but we’ll have to defend like the heroes we were to keep out the pace of Owen and marauding of Kewell.
Rae or Ince will have to prevent Gerrard from getting into the groove to use his immense passing ability to cut us apart.
We ourselves will need to compete all over the pitch to get all three points. Kennedy finally seemed to get going on Saturday and we’re going to need his defensive commitment as well as attacking flair.
Miller and Iversen are going to need to combine just as they did and take any rare chances that come our way.
It would be rather deflating to be beaten and would make the United victory an already soon forgotten victory. However, we're unbeaten in 10 home league games so we’ve shown our resilience.
The fans can and will make a difference tonight. We all sense just how vital three more points is. To be sitting on 21 points at 10pm tonight gives us a massive chance to get out of the relegation mire. To then have fixtures at Portsmouth and Leeds, when we’re breathing down the 17th placed teams necks gives us an extra spurt of adrenaline.
It’s going to be a fantastic night, I can already sense it. I’m off from work soon in Leeds for the game, it’s one I dare miss.
More spills, thrills and hopefully three more points tonight please boys!
Come on the Wolves!
E-mail me with any comments to
dave@wolves-mad.co.uk