Crunch time at Goodison Park

Well the international break has come and gone and now we return to the real business of the league.

Everton away isn’t one of those fixtures before the start of the season that you would have held out much hope for a maximum return.

However, given that Everton are just one place above us in the league as we kick-off, the playing field is a lot more even.

Everton’s last game at Ewood Park saw them put in a pretty ineffectual performance that saw them lose the game 2-1. Wolves battled back to get a 1-1 draw with Birmingham.

The hosts are suffering from loss to key players combined with a dip in form. However, this was the team that narrowly missed out on a UEFA cup spot at the end of last season. They still have a fair few players with quality. For instance Rooney we already know about. Add to this Radzinski’s frightening pace, McFadden’s wing trickery and they have the potential to turn most teams over on their day.
This season they’ve just not had many, if any at all.

As for ourselves well it seems unlikely that Cameron will return to the team. Iversen returns from a goal scoring return from Norway with question marks over his fitness. Miller was used as a substitute by Scotland so should be fit but is lacking sharpness. Blake too was used as a substitute in both Wales’ games against the Russians.

Therefore, we are likely to see the same starting eleven as employed against Birmingham two weeks ago.

Will this be enough to get something from the game?

I have my doubts. I think Everton will have to come good eventually and it’s more likely on home soil. Radzinski’s pace and Rooney’s power will be a big test for Butler and Craddock at the back.

The problem, as we all know, that we are unlikely to score more than one goal in any given game with a 4-5-1 formation. Containment has worked reasonably well when we put our run together but long term it’s going to drip points rather than bring three points on a regular basis. Leicester, who can score for fun, will always have a chance to get three points.

With Dave Jones having been quoted as wanting to sign a striker in the January transfer window he knows where the weaknesses lie. However, given today’s news that Lescott is out for the season then he may have to apportion some money for a new centre back given the disappointing progress of Okoronkwo and Luzhny.

New forwards don’t come cheap as they have the ability to change the course of a game.

Our best bet tomorrow is that we catch Everton on another off day. With Rae and Ince able to frustrate most teams creativity if we can get Camara and Kennedy involved then we may get the odd chance which we then must take maximum advantage of.

Fingers crossed!

Come on the Wolves!

E-mail me with any comments to dave@wolves-mad.co.uk