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With pre-season wins in all four of our games, against Valladolid, Wrexham, Chesterfield and Porto, I was beginning to feel really confident about the up-coming season. Scrolling down the newly announced fixture list, I marked five out of our first six games I was confident of taking points from, the only game I felt would cause us problems was the opener against Middlesbrough, the 6th place finishers who had spent nigh on £40 million over the summer on new players. I hadn't finished in the transfer market either, as I managed to complete three more acquisitions to the squad to all but complete my activities. The first player to join was a familiar face at Molineux, Charles N'Zogbia joining on loan for a full season after his briefly impressive cameo towards the end of last term. He was more than happy to come back, and he knew he would get his first team chances. Steve Finnan had fallen out of favour at Liverpool, and he became our 11th new signing of the summer, taking a £6,000 per week wage cut and also joining for a minimal fee of £275,000. I also secured a third singning from Newcastle, again a cut price deal, former England international Lee Bowyer joining the squad to provide cover on that right hand side that was so desperately needed. I had to pay just over half a million for his services but I was sure it would prove to be an excellent signing for the club. That was the last activity in the transfer market for the time being, and it left with money to spend in January should I need to strengthen the squad then. I was happy with how th squad looked, despite a total of 18 players (7 from the first team squad) leaving over the summer. Survival seemed a real possibility, in my eyes at least
...
Being a 200/1 shot to stay in the division, I was seriously tempted to have a fiver on us to do just that. In the end, I resisted that urge, and I just stuck the offending article on the dressing room wall with a little message to the team
'Lets go out there and show the bookies who the mugs are boys'
I was also scheduled for an appearance on Sky Sports' Soccer Saturday show the week before our opening game, something I was looking forward to. Many of the pundits had written us off already, and I was quite pleased to hear they would be there in the studio, so I got ready to give them a backlash if need be
...
"Simon, good to have you on the show. How are you feeling, knowing you are just 7 days away from the opening day of the Premiership season?"
"I must admit Jeff, I am quite nervous. Excited, but nervous. I can't wait to get started"
"I'm sure. So are you confident in your side's ability to avoid relegation?"
"Yes, absolutely. I know my players, and I know what they are capable of. We are the bookmakers favourites, aswell as many pundits tip for the drop, but I would love nothing better than proving them wrong. Prepare to be surprised this season boys"
"You sound extremely confident, just as the players must be. Having brought in twelve new players, are you worried about the players taking time to gel?"
"Not at all. Good players gel immediately, and I think that we have som very good players. I am 100% confident in my signings and the board are 100% behind me"
"Thats good to know, I'm sure you feel very good having the board's backing. Thankyou for your time Simon, and good luck for the season"
"Thanks a lot Jeff"
10-09-2007, 12:11 PM
I'm an English man, and damn proud of it...well, sometimes at least (BRC) Post #52
The week leading up to the start of the season seemed to go slowly, but eventually it arrived. Our first game saw us visit the Riverside stadium to take on a Middlesbrough side who had performed well above their expectations the previous season. I have to say, we did play well in the opening exchanges, Milan Baros and Cedric Van der Gun both missing chances, and we paid for this, as Mark Viduka put the home side in the lead, turning Joleon Lescott and firing low into the bottom corner past Matt Murray. Both sides picked their game up after this, with both Mark Schwarzer and Matt Murray being forced to make good saves before the half time interval, one in particular from Schwarzer to keep out a Craddock header which was unbelievable. The second half was much of the same, both sides creating chances, and it was us that got the breakthrough, Milan Baros capitalising on a defensive mistake and slotting past Schwarzer to give us the equaliser. After that, I was content to settle the point, especially away from home, and it looked just like we were going to get that, but we were dealt a cruel blow just seconds away from full time, Gaizka Mendieta's shot deflecting off Miel Mans and looping over Matt Murray to give the home side three points. It was a hard way to lose a game, especially seeing as how well we played, but I told the lads not to lose heart and if we played like that all season, we would be fine.
...
The press had circled around our defeat like vultures, saying it was just the sign of things to come and we could expect more of that throughout the season. Obviously, I was annoyed with those comments, as people who watched the game saw how well we played and we were unlucky not to come away with a point. I stuck the offending article on the dressing room wall, as I was planning to do with all of the articles which slated the boys. It certainly pumped up the boys, and they were well and truly ready for our first home game of the season against Blackburn, another side who had done reasonably well the previous season. They started much the better side too, Tugay giving his side the lead after just six minutes. We had to wait until twenty minutes into the second half to get back level, Baros sliding home past Friedel. Paul Dickov put the visitors ahead again after 76 minutes, but our last minute equaliser was very comical. Brad Friedel's poor clearance dropping at Kenny Miller's feet around about 40 yards out, and our Scottish striker duly lofted the ball straight back over his head an into the back of the net to give us our first Premiership point of the season
10-09-2007, 12:56 PM
I'm an English man, and damn proud of it...well, sometimes at least (BRC) Post #53
I had been delving into the transfer market for more possible signings, and I had tryed fervently to bring Ashley Young back to the club. Watford had obviously been as impressed as I was last season, and they were not letting Ashley go under any circumstances. I still had the squad capable of staying up, but new additions are always welcome. Our next game saw us visit the South Coast for an away trip to Southampton. If I'm completely honest, we got battered, and we played crap. We deserved a heavy defeat, but we got away with a point, and a clean sheet. The only contender for man of the match was Matt Murray, and not only did he save several shots from Southampton players, he saved a 73rd minute Kevin Phillips penalty to give us a point that we did not deserve, and anybody would admit it. Still, if we can get results we don't deserve then it bodes well for the rest of the season
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Crystal Palace provided us with our next opposition, and they avoided relegation on the final day of the season by one goal, so I was confident that we could pick up our first victory against them. Cedric Van der Gun, who had been mightily impressive so far, had picked up a slight knock in the previous days training so Mika Vayrynen started his first game in Wolves colours. It was our Finnish midfielder who set up the goal for Ioan Viorel Ganea too, sliding the ball through for the Romanian to round the 'keeper and calmly slot home. We should have scored more, both Baros and Ganea missing chances, with Vayrynen hitting the post in the second half too, but we were never threatened by the poor Crystal Palace attack and we claimed our first three points of the season, deservedly so, and I headed back home that night with a smile etched across my face.
10-09-2007, 12:59 PM
I'm an English man, and damn proud of it...well, sometimes at least (BRC) Post #54
The new signings were gelling in well, and quickly, which was always nice to see. Other than Westerveld, all of them had made appearances, and they had all done alright so far. We opened up September with an away game against Ottmar Hitzfeld's Fulham, who had been rejuvenated since the former Bayern man's arrival at the club, and I expected a real tough test. We had a fairly successful start to the season in August, so I was hopeful that September would continue in the same mould. We started the game in terrific fashion, and were in front before I had even sat down, Cedric Van der Gun volleying home from the edge of the box after just 37 seconds. We were pegged back after five minutes though, Collins John nipping in behind the defence and sliding underneath Matt Murray. We went into half time behind though thanks to Tomasz Radzinski's superb solo effort, beating three men before firing home. Again though, we battled through and earned a point, Ioan Ganea's goal just after half time earning us a well deserved point from the game.
...
The Carling Cup draw saw us handed what looked like a simple tie on paper, League Two side Scarborough our scheduled opponents, a game which should see us progress into the next round. I was also getting closer to Selina all the time, my personal life having a distinctly better feel than at many times in my life. I did have other worries than the football at the moment, namely Selina's birthday in a couple of weeks, but up until then I had another game to worry about. Leicester had been promoted with us, finishing second with 93 points, a total that would be enough to win the title in another season, and they had started quite well, winning two of their games. They never got into the match against us though, and once Ganea's third in as many games put us in front we were comfortable. The impressive Van der Gun doubled our lead, and Baros' five minute brace in the first few minutes of the second half saw us advance into a 4-0 lead. David Connolly's consolation goal, just after the hour, meant nothing, and we gained our most convincing win in the Premiership
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Selina's birthday came, and as a treat I took her out for a nice, romantic meal, I felt it was a good present. I bought her a set of diamond earrings for her other present, I thought they would suit her well. The best present was yet to come, at least in my opinion. We sat there, chatting and talking and having a few drinks, when I came out with it.
"Selina, move in with me"
"What? Are you serious?"
"Deadly. It sounds like you're a bit unsure"
"No, I'm just shocked. I wasn't expecting it thats all. You are serious aren't you?"
"Absolutely. We've been together ten months, we get on well, and I think it's the right time to take the next step"
"You know, I actually do think you're right. And to answer your question, yes I will move in with you. I think it's the right thing to do"
"Excellent. You don't have to rush if you don't want, but whenever you want to then that's fine"
Selina's birthday went without a hitch, she enjoyed her present, and the meal, and with her agreeing to move in with me I was a very happy man. Everything was going smoothly in my life at the moment, both on and off the pitch, and I couldn't have been happier than I am now. In fact, I don't think I ever have been happier than I am now, come to think of it
10-09-2007, 02:30 PM
I'm an English man, and damn proud of it...well, sometimes at least (BRC) Post #56
The League Cup threw up an away tie against Scarborough for us, and it was a game I expected to win comfortably. I made several changes to the team, David Healy, Mika Vayrynen, Sander Westerveld, Brede Paulsen Hangeland and Mark Clyde just a few of them. It was the Finnish international Vayrynen that put us in front, although we did have to wait until the 51st minute. The home side played relatively well in the first half, and had a couple of good chances too. Mika's goal was good, Witschge's cross being headed clear and he hit it on the half volley from 25 yards out. Once that went in, it was game over, Scarborough heads went down, and David Healy scored two goals in three minutes towards the end of the game to secure our passage into the third round of the competition
We had our first big test of the season to end the month with, as we travelled down to Highbury to face reigning Premiership champions Arsenal. They were not only undefeated this current campaign, but they had also won every game in the league. They were superb against us, playing some lovely football and passing us off the park. Patrick Vieira opened the scoring on 59 minutes, finishing off a brilliant move with a placed finish into the bottom corner. We equalised against the run of play not long afterwards, Milan rounding the 'keeper and slotting home. The home side had to wait until the final ten minutes to secure the win though, Vieira's second and Robin Van Persie giving them seven wins out of seven and keeping them on track for a third straight title
10-09-2007, 02:36 PM
I'm an English man, and damn proud of it...well, sometimes at least (BRC) Post #57
We had started the season off relatively well, and I was confident we could pick up a few more points in October. We started with a home game against another side that was promoted along with us, QPR. We dominated the game but we had to wait until the final three minutes of the game to score our goals. The opener came from Cedric Van der Gun, as he latched onto a loose ball and fired home underneath the onrushing 'keeper. Milan Baros secured the points with a header from Charles N'Zogbia's left wing cross. The visitors did get a goal back, Matthew Rose's shot deflected in by Richard Dunne, but it made no difference to the scoreline and we ran out easy winners in a match we dominated comfortably.
The second game of the month was an away trip to St. Andrews, to face a Birmingham side who had really established themselves as a Premiership side under Steve Bruce, and I knew we would be in for a difficult game. However, we started exceptionally well, and after 52 minutes we found ourselves 2-0 in front, goals from Ioan Viorel Ganea and Milan Baros either side of half time gibing us the lead. Birmingham got back into the game through Stephen Clemence curling a free-kick past Matt Murray's outstretched fingers. The next goal was also to come from a Birmingham player, but he put it through his own net, Muzzy Izzet tried to clear it but he only sliced it past Maik Taylor to all but guarantee us the points. Lee Wright did score with his first touch of the match to give the home side a glimmer of hope but it was never enough, and we secured yet another League win to keep up our good start
<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre"> PL W D L GD PTS1. Arsenal 9 8 1 0 +21 252. Man Utd. 9 7 1 1 +14 223. Chelsea 8 7 0 1 +17 214. Liverpool 9 6 1 2 +13 19--------------5. Newcastle 9 5 3 1 +10 186. Aston Villa 9 5 1 3 +4 167. Blackburn 8 4 3 1 +4 158. WOLVES 9 4 3 2 +3 15</pre>
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