It seems a long time ago in my memory that 5-1 thrashing at Ewood Park back in August.
However, tonight couldn’t be a better time to permanently erase that memory and gain another vital home win in the battle to avoid relegation.
With Blackburn just seven points ahead of us before tonight’s game, and with Wolves holding a game in hand, it’s another proverbial 6-pointer.
Forget the performance at Kidderminster, remember the second half against Leeds when we put them to the sword. Remember that we’ve not been beaten at home since September. Think that Blackburn have had a poor season and were soundly beaten at Birmingham on Saturday. There are many positive indicators.
With a tough trip to Charlton on Saturday followed by the visit to the Molineux by the reiging Premiership holders and this represents our best chance of gaining a victory in these three fixtures.
We already knew that it would be home form that might/might not keep us in this division so tonight needs to be win number four on home soil.
The tightness throughout the Premiership, after the first three places, has been illustrated by Villa climbing to an astonishing sixth place on the back of last nights win against Portsmouth. Pompey themselves are on a slide and will be looking over their shoulders at our result tonight.
We know that Blackburn do have the ability to turn on the style but they’re not the same force since the summer departures of Duff and Dunn. With Souness constantly filling the backpages, he seems to have upset the team morale and direction this season.
As for us, well Ince and Butler seem set to return. As to whether new signing Ganea will start remains to be seen. I would also like to see a completely inept Kennedy return to the bench at a minimum with the Camara and Newton wide-man partnership returning to taunt the Blackburn defence.
Get our lucky talisman, Kachloul, ready for a winning five minute run out as well. I’d like to see Hassan given an extended stay as I reckon he could do a job for us on the left especially as Cooper is now out on loan at Sunderland.
This game sees the start of a hectic spell of games that are going to be a major indicator as to where we are likely to finish come May. Home form has to tell, all other teams in similar situations are just as poor on the road.
It’s a game I feel we can win. However, Blackburn will be smarting from the cup defeat and are capable of turning in something special.
But tonight, I hope, will be our night and we will climb off the bottom, to be replaced by Leeds. Give me something to smile about as I currently work right in the heart of the Yorkshire city ;-)
Come on the Wolves!
E-mail me with any comments to
dave@wolves-mad.co.uk