Toothless Wolves are looking more like Premier League pussy cats

By James Nursey

Published 07:59 11/11/09

• 

When Wolves romped to the Championship title last term in style they should have been in pole position among the promoted clubs to stay up, but I fear they have blown their chance.

Mick McCarthy's side finished top last term - seven points above second-placed Birmingham and 14 points above Burnley.

Yet both those clubs are looking down on Wolves in the Premier League right now.

And many of the Molineux locals, who have a reputation for being pessimistic at the best of times, are starting to get worried about relegation.

McCarthy is a shrewd, capable manager but he hasn't been handed the funds many expected this summer given owner Steve Morgan's huge personal wealth.

Some of the signings he has made like Michael Mancienne, Segundo Castillo, Greg Halford, Andrew Surman and Stefan Maierhofer have made little impact thus far and are struggling to get into the side.

And other existing Wolves stars expected to comfortably handle the step up from the Championship to the top-flight have simply not delivered.

Goal-machine Sylvan Ebanks-Blake and wing wizard Michael Kightly are yet to repeat their best form in the Premier League, while last term's Player of the Year Kevin Foley has been cruelly crocked.

Wanderers fans can take some encouragement from the displays of Wayne Hennessey, Karl Henry, Nenad Milijas and Kevin Doyle.

And perhaps when Ebanks-Blake, Kightly and Foley are all fully firing after injury lay-offs, the team will improve.

But unfortunately some players, like George Elokobi, are simply not up to the standard of the Premier League.

Muscular Elokobi is an impressive physical specimen as McCarthy has himself pointed out, but that is not enough for this level.

And despite Morgan's bold claims in the summer about the club making a mark in the top-flight, I really think Wanderers will do very well just to survive this season.

McCarthy took great satisfaction, until recently, in claiming no-one had given Wolves a good thumping this season.

But he cannot say that anymore following last weekend's 4-1 loss at home to Arsenal.

And the importance of Wolves' next home game against Birmingham cannot be understated.