Before
I was very disappointed with our last performance at Molineux in the final game of last season but I'm sure we can do better than a defeat and two red cards this time around. Losing Bramble and Turner for God knows how long has been a major blow but it looks like Mensah will return today, albeit not in top shape, and Ferdinand will have to up his game a bit to fill the gap. Da Silva's always there too and we may well see him subbing Mensah in the second-half. By the way my Ghanaian workmates tell me Mensah means 'third child'. It looks like Gyan will return too so we'll be faced with the same decision regarding whether to start with him and Bent upfront or to retain the in-form Welbeck. I'd start with Welbeck and bring Gyan on at some later point as the lad's recent form deserves nothing less. Wolves are on a bad run, having lost nine of their last eleven games, and have lots of injuries too particularly captain Karl Henry. They also haven't kept a clean sheet since April so I'm confident that we'll get at least a draw. I'm on the train up to Sunderland now and will be watching the game in some town centre hostelry. Match prediction: 2-1 to us.

After
I missed all but a few minutes of the first half as I was visiting my mam in hospital but when I got to the pub even though the score was a respectable 0-0, it was obvious from the rumblings of the faithful that we hadn't played well. In the first few minutes of the second-half Wolves were looking dangerous and it wasn't much of a surprise when they soon took the lead. Gordon did well to parry a shot but it fell to the unmarked Foley who placed it well to put them 1-0 up. Something needed to be done to buck us up and ten minutes in Steed and Gyan came on for Hendo and Bolo. We immediately picked up and started to put some real pressure on. Mid-way through the half Gyan should have centred instead of trying to shoot as two team-mates were unmarked in great positions but instead his shot ricocheted over to Welbeck who blasted it wide. Our disappointment soon turned to joy when a great headed pass found Bent and he scored a classic striker's goal as the goalie came out towards him. Ten minutes later we were in the lead when a great cross from the left by Bardo was headed in by Welbeck. Five minutes after that Gordon didn't do well to only parry a shot and it fell to Hunt who headed home from close range. Wolves were lucky that the build-up wasn't ruled out for offside but apparently they'd had a goal ruled out in the first-half and nobody around me knew why. (Incidentally the more you drink, the more that Swedish commentary starts to make sense.) I was beginning to settle for 2-2 but sadly it wasn't to be and more crummy defending was to blame. With only a minute or so on the clock a cross from the right found Ebanks-Blake completely unmarked and he smashed it home as groans and vitriol poured forth all round me.

So, a disappointing defeat and we need to do something about that central defence or we'll end up on another slippery slope. It's clearly no use scoring great goals at one end and then giving them away at the other. I see West Ham managed a decent win so let's hope they're not about to revive. See you there next Sunday.

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