Twist
17-02-2009, 03:32 PM
This is a thread that allows people on the forum to review their team's performances this season, and predict where you think they will end up in the league tables in May. You can include your team's top scorers, best performers, ect. I'll start it off with Wolves (by the way, you can review for example Cardiff is someone else has already reviewed them).
Well, where can I start with Wolves? We got off to a goodISH start with an away point at Home Park against now struggling Plymouth, with youngster and substitute Sam Vokes grabbing a brace. That marked the start of an 8 game unbeaten run in the league. In the cup however we exited to League 2 strugglers Rotherham which, dispite it being the Carling Cup, I was still pissed off about. Anyway - with that 8 game unbeaten run (7 of which being victories), we were 3 points clear at the top by the end of September. A thumping by Reading lead to only 1 win in 4 games, leading to everyone thinking that our form was going to drop. However we once again went on an 8 game unbeaten streak in the league after that, which, again, included 7 victories. We were becoming the pace setters in the Championship - and it looked like we weren't going to stop. Ebanks-Blake and Iwelumo were becoming a fantastic partnership, with 25 league goals between them come the end of November (dispite Chris' harsh sending off against Preston). We entered December full of confidence - but we began with a tough 1-0 loss away to QPR (they are somewhat of a fortress at Loftus Road, so I wasn't all too suprised). But once again we showed what we were made of, coming back with 3 wins on the trot which included a nervy 1-0 victory away to Doncaster (one of the only games I've been to this season :P). But towards the end of December, that was when the wobble began. In the next 9 league games, which leads up to now, we only managed 1 victory which was a 3-1 triumph over relegation strugglers Watford. As we all know, every team hits a bad spell at one time or another during a season, and thankfully - Birmingham and Reading have hit theirs at the same time as us. Birmingham having only won once in their last 6 league games, whilst Reading have only got 3 points once in their last 4 league games. Dispite the dip in league form, we had a sniff of luck in the cup as we beat promotion & midlands rivals Birmingham 2-0 in the FA Cup 3rd Round, before cruely being knocked out in the 4th Round 2-1 by Premier League Middlesborough.
So that brings us to now - and dispite us still being top of the table with 13 games to go, I'm not all to confident. Birmingham and Reading both have games in hand over us, Birmingham with 1 and Reading with 2 - which means that if they both win their games in hand we could wind up in 3rd place (albeit if Birmingham win their game in hand by 10 goals). But Reading look set to take top spot from us, and with Cardiff having 4 games in hand over us - it's safe to say that alot of Wolves fans will be nervous. Especially with us still needing to play Cardiff on Sunday in the league and Birmingham on April 4th. However dispite these games, our remaining 11 games apart from those arn't too worrying as most are in the bottom half of the table (I am slightly worried about the visit of Doncaster on the final day of the season though). Dispite the fact that Chris Iwelumo hasn't hit the net in a number of games, the options in attack is probably going to be the thing that keeps us in contention for a Premier League spot next season. Infact, in the last 9 games where we have only won once - we have managed to score in every game apart from the 1-0 loss to Reading (kind of understandable :P). It's just the fact that the defence is extremely poor at the moment, with seemingly no confidence. Christophe Berra should be a big help with that though after signing in the January Transfer Window. Here's our 5 top scorers list for this season - something that helps me realise how strong our attacking options are.
Ebanks-Blake - 20
Iwelumo - 15
Kightly - 7
Vokes - 7
Keogh - 5
Even though Keogh & Vokes have only scored 12 between them, they are a great substitute for Chris & Sylvan.
VERDICT: Dispite our strongest season for a number of years, I'm still nervy about the coming games. With Cardiff, Reading and Birmingham all gaining on us, and fast - my prediction for this season for Wolves is a close 3rd/4th. In the Play-Offs, anything can happen - so I'm not prepared to predict on that just yet.
Your turn ;).
Well, where can I start with Wolves? We got off to a goodISH start with an away point at Home Park against now struggling Plymouth, with youngster and substitute Sam Vokes grabbing a brace. That marked the start of an 8 game unbeaten run in the league. In the cup however we exited to League 2 strugglers Rotherham which, dispite it being the Carling Cup, I was still pissed off about. Anyway - with that 8 game unbeaten run (7 of which being victories), we were 3 points clear at the top by the end of September. A thumping by Reading lead to only 1 win in 4 games, leading to everyone thinking that our form was going to drop. However we once again went on an 8 game unbeaten streak in the league after that, which, again, included 7 victories. We were becoming the pace setters in the Championship - and it looked like we weren't going to stop. Ebanks-Blake and Iwelumo were becoming a fantastic partnership, with 25 league goals between them come the end of November (dispite Chris' harsh sending off against Preston). We entered December full of confidence - but we began with a tough 1-0 loss away to QPR (they are somewhat of a fortress at Loftus Road, so I wasn't all too suprised). But once again we showed what we were made of, coming back with 3 wins on the trot which included a nervy 1-0 victory away to Doncaster (one of the only games I've been to this season :P). But towards the end of December, that was when the wobble began. In the next 9 league games, which leads up to now, we only managed 1 victory which was a 3-1 triumph over relegation strugglers Watford. As we all know, every team hits a bad spell at one time or another during a season, and thankfully - Birmingham and Reading have hit theirs at the same time as us. Birmingham having only won once in their last 6 league games, whilst Reading have only got 3 points once in their last 4 league games. Dispite the dip in league form, we had a sniff of luck in the cup as we beat promotion & midlands rivals Birmingham 2-0 in the FA Cup 3rd Round, before cruely being knocked out in the 4th Round 2-1 by Premier League Middlesborough.
So that brings us to now - and dispite us still being top of the table with 13 games to go, I'm not all to confident. Birmingham and Reading both have games in hand over us, Birmingham with 1 and Reading with 2 - which means that if they both win their games in hand we could wind up in 3rd place (albeit if Birmingham win their game in hand by 10 goals). But Reading look set to take top spot from us, and with Cardiff having 4 games in hand over us - it's safe to say that alot of Wolves fans will be nervous. Especially with us still needing to play Cardiff on Sunday in the league and Birmingham on April 4th. However dispite these games, our remaining 11 games apart from those arn't too worrying as most are in the bottom half of the table (I am slightly worried about the visit of Doncaster on the final day of the season though). Dispite the fact that Chris Iwelumo hasn't hit the net in a number of games, the options in attack is probably going to be the thing that keeps us in contention for a Premier League spot next season. Infact, in the last 9 games where we have only won once - we have managed to score in every game apart from the 1-0 loss to Reading (kind of understandable :P). It's just the fact that the defence is extremely poor at the moment, with seemingly no confidence. Christophe Berra should be a big help with that though after signing in the January Transfer Window. Here's our 5 top scorers list for this season - something that helps me realise how strong our attacking options are.
Ebanks-Blake - 20
Iwelumo - 15
Kightly - 7
Vokes - 7
Keogh - 5
Even though Keogh & Vokes have only scored 12 between them, they are a great substitute for Chris & Sylvan.
VERDICT: Dispite our strongest season for a number of years, I'm still nervy about the coming games. With Cardiff, Reading and Birmingham all gaining on us, and fast - my prediction for this season for Wolves is a close 3rd/4th. In the Play-Offs, anything can happen - so I'm not prepared to predict on that just yet.
Your turn ;).