New boss bounce could confound Wolves

On the face of it tomorrow's game between Wolves and Charlton looks like an easy three points for the home side. However, commentators in the Midlands fear 'a new boss bounce': New boss bounce

Pessimistic Charlton fans have already decided that Luzon will be thrown to the Wolves, writing him off as incompetent before he has had charge of a single game. Much the same was said about Riga when he took over from Chris Powell. Many fans hoped that Luzon would not get his work permit which was never going to happen given the political ramifications of such a decision.

Wolves are very much looking back up the table having ended their poor slump in form. The hosts have picked up 16 of the last 18 points available in the league, conceding just two goals in those six games to get their playoff challenge back on track. They now sit only one point adrift of the top six and, with two of the three teams directly above them in the table playing each other this weekend, Kenny Jackett's side will have a chance to close the gap.

Wolves are aiming for a fifth straight win in the second tier for the first time since 2008, and with three more teams currently in the bottom half to come in their immediate fixtures after this one, they will fancy their chances of extending that run even further.

Indeed, so high is confidence at Molineux that they think they could still win the title: We are going up

Wolves have won two of the last three meetings at Molineux, drawing the other. Charlton's last win there was a 4-0 triumph in the Premier League in August 2003.

I won't judge Luzon on the basis of one tough match, especially when he has had little time to prepare the team. I remain unenthusiastic about the appointment, but he is now the head coach and I want him to succeed. Come on you Reds!

One possible concern is that the banker from Billericay, Andy d'Urso, is referee. I don't think he has it in for Charlton, he is just a poor decision maker who will spoil the game. I will be surprised if there are 22 players on the pitch at the end of the match.

Odds are: Wolves 4/6, Draw 5/2, Charlton 9/2.

This is probably a forlorn hope, as I doubt whether he has strayed to SE7, but if anyone has seen Leamington's cardboard dog mascot Nimrod could they let me know as he is needed in the fight against relegation at Stockport County tomorrow: Where is Nimrod?

Charlton remain unbeaten

Charlton remained unbeaten in the league this season after their 1-1 draw at The Valley last night, but surrendered their 100 per cent home record. They remain 5th in the table. It should be borne in mind that a number of our games have been against teams challenging for promotion. The comments that we were rubbish fail to acknowledge that Wolves were good.

The visitors started with a patient passing game which was a little dull to watch. However, Henry started to be a tricky threat down the wing, the former Millwall player also doing his fair share of whingeing to the lino and referee.

Wolves looked as if they were getting on top, but midway through the half Bikey scored with a volley from a Cousins corner. At first it didn't looked as if it had gone in and not everyone got to their feet, but the celebrating players told us what we needed to know.

Tucudean then had a great chance to put the Addicks 2-0 ahead and effectively put the game beyond the reach of Wolves, but he failed to take it. Wolves then hit the post.

After the break, Wolves came out of the traps full of energy and the game was played at a high tempo. Eventually their pressure told and captain Danny Batth scored from a corner, Henderson failing to hold on to the ball.

One of the disappointments in this phase of the game was that we put in some good tackles, but then failed to hold on to the ball. Overall, however, a draw was a fair result.

The referee was serenaded as an Onanist by the Covered End at the end of the game. I don't know what they put in the water in Bedfordshire, but he wouldn't give us anything. He also let play go on when Vitokele was fouled and injured. The Angolan was pointing to his leg at the end of the game and I hope that he will be all right for Saturday. (It subsequently emerged that he had no feeling in his arm, but this is thought to be due to a cut: it is not broken). Admittedly, none of the referee's decisions were costly in a game changing sense, but they were still poor.

I was amused to see Wolves fans at the station swapping business cards and explaining which financial institution they were now working for.

Attendance at under 16,000 was disappointing given a strong Wolves contingent. It was a good, end-to-end game.

Player ratings

With our canine match analysts retired, the surplus supply of Silver Bones has been dispatched to Rick Everitt's elves for melting down in his workshop, but I don't think anyone really qualified last night. This suggests a poor performance, but I think we were still tired after our gruelling performance against Watford. Even so, we were able to grind out a result.

Stephen Henderson made more than one save that stopped the ball going in the net, including one that he tipped round the post with an outstretched arm. However, perhaps he should have been able to hold on to the ball when the goal was scored. Bikey-Amougou took his goal well and shows that he is not just a robust defender. However, he gave away fouls in dangerous positions and eventually got a yellow card. Ben Haim withstood the onslaught well. Gomez generally had a good game and he is clearly a great prospect. However, there was the occasional error which is to be expected. Wiggins was getting outsmarted by charm merchant Henry. Wiggins has never been as good as he was before his injury.

Wilson is perhaps better as an impact sub and it was his turn to be substituted last night. He tried to get forward, but he often had a torrid time. Buyens was not at his best, with a tame shot on goal, but then Jackson once again disappointed. He did have a chance to score after being given a perfect pass (I think from Igor), but he put it just wide. Steve from Petts Wood commented that two years ago he would have scored. There were flashes of excellence, but at times he disappeared from the game. Indeed, this was not a good game for the midfield. Cousins had his name omitted from the programme, but I thought that his corners were better than they were on Saturday, not least the one that led to the goal.

Tucudean is a worry. He missed two good chances to score and gets muscled off the ball too easily. Vetokele was tireless and even helped out in defence, but he needs better support from the midfield. Moussa huffs and puffs to no great effect. This was a game where I would have brought on Church. The appearance of Bulot was one of the highlights of the night for me. He looks very promising.

Glass Half Empty

Derek from Dymchurch writes: 'We were shown up last night. If it was not for the fact that ladies read this page, I would describe our performance using a four letter word. That Belgian geezer is being found out. We have now used up our supply of luck for the season. Mark my words, we'll be in a relegation scrap by Christmas.'

Playing Wolves

When I first started supporting Charlton, one of the most feared visits was that of Wolves. This was understandable because in 1953/4 they became champions for the first time and were then runners up the following year. This was the era of Billy Wright, their skipper and right half, who had clocked up 54 international appearances by 1953 and was the England captain. He joined Wolves straight from school and he was nearly turned down because he was so small.

It is common these days for footballers to have celebrity partners, but Wright pioneered this trend by marrying Joe Beverley of the Beverley Sisters. With their saccharine style, they were big in the 1950s.

I have the programme for their visit on 21st November 1953, a match which we lost 0-2. Wolves had three other internationals in their team, wing forward Hancocks scoring one of the goals.

The programme described Wolves 'as strong representatives from the Midlands whom we have always associated with all that is best in the game. Before World War II in the Major Buckley era, Wolves were prominent in big transfer deals, and at one period fielded the youngest team in the First Division. Between 1935 and 1939 Wolves received £110,658 in transfer fees - a colossal sum when it is considered that top prices of that period were nothing like as high as they are today.' According to the Bank of England inflation calculator, that would be £6,577,484 in today's prices.

I am looking forward to the game tonight which will be a big test of what Charlton can expect to achieve this season with Wolves one point and two places ahead of the Addicks. Away from home, they have won one, drawn one and lost one. Odds are 19/10 Charlton, draw 9/4, Wolves 6/4.

Solly is likely to be rested and Gudmundsson is likely to be unavailable. I would consider playing Joe Gomez at right back and having Lawrie Wilson further up field.

Yoni Buyens pays tribute to Bob Peeters as a coach here: Buyens

Intercede for us, say Wolves fans

Wolves fans in Warwickshire have been asking if I can to do anything to ensure that Charlton do not add to their relegation worries tomorrow. I have nothing against Wolves. When I started to watch Charlton, they were one of the sides whose visits I dreaded, as they always seemed to beat us. Indeed, in my first season as a Charlton supporter (1953/4) they won the title and the following year they came second, while Charlton started to fade. I have no wish to see them go down to League 1, but it is a fate that other former Premier League clubs have faced: Manchester City at one time and Coventry City more recently. Yeovil away is not where one wants to be.

Wolves have been through some very difficult times since then, but revived through the efforts and money of Jack Hayward. I had them as one of my promotion picks this season, which was probably quite lazy as the recent record of relegated sides going straight back up is not good, parachute payments notwithstanding. Wolves were arguably foolish to get rid of Mick McCarthy and even more foolish in subsequent appointments.

There is a crazy scenario in which we could still finish 22nd, but clearly we are motivated to finish as high up the league as we can. A Black Country perspective on the game is offered here, although I don't recognise the Charlton blogger quoted: Wolves

Manager Dean Saunders reflects here in a very interesting way about the pressures he is under and how he is coping: Saunders

This season Wolves have won more games away (seven) than Charlton have won at home (six). What Wolves don't usually do away is draw, only two all season, the lowest number in the division alongside 'Boro. At home they have won the same number of matches as us and drawn seven.

Results in the second tier since 1997 are: 1997/98 Charlton 1 Wolves 0; 1999/00 Charlton 2 Wolves 0; 2007/08 Charlton 2 Wolves 3; 2008/09 Charlton 1 Wolves 3

Odds (Coral) are: Charlton 13/10, Draw 12/5, Wolves 2/1

Wolves on the rampage

Wolves were one of my picks for promotion this year. The pundits were less certain with only The Football League Paper putting them in an automatic promotion position (2nd). Four Four Two predicted a 4th place finish and The Times had them outside the play off places at 7th. There was a feeling in some quarters that the club was unsettled after all the changes in personnel and the dismal end to last season.

But it's a new era under Norwegian manager Stale Solbakken. He has managed HamKam, FC Copenhagen (where he won five titles and drew with Barcelona in the Champions League) and Cologne. However, Solbakken admits that it will take time for his new systems to bed in: Solbakken .

They have been beset with injuries this season. Whilst there are no new ones, they remain without a host of players, having lost summer signings Slawomir Peszko and Razak Boukari on top of the loss of fellow wide man Stephen Hunt.

No.1 Iceland Addick Olafur Johansson said at the beginning of the season that one to watch was Icelandic whiz kid striker Bjorn Bergmann Siguardsson. In fact, it would be possible to have over a third of a team made up of his family as his half brothers Bjami, Thodur and ex-Wolves midfielder Joey have all played for the Icelandic national team. However, Siguardsson was left on the bench when Wolves went down 2-1 to Huddersfield last Saturday.

In fact Sylvan Ebanks-Blake probably has the better goal scoring instincts. Kevin Doyle supported him well against Huddersfield and linked up well with the midfield. It was Doyle who scored both goals against Bolton in the week. Bakary Sako was an imposing presence and created the one goal, but should have scored himself. He provided one of the assists against Bolton. Tongo Doumbia is a strong presence in midfield and is often used for free kicks.

Given that Wolves conceded two goals against Bolton, one naturally looks at the defence but reports indicate that keeper Carl Ikeme made some excellent saves. Against both Huddersfield and Bolton he faced unstoppable goals as can be the case for any keeper, but otherwise acquitted himself well.

One is left with the impression that Wolves are still a work in progress, but that it should all come good by the end of the season.

Iwelumo puts Wolves ahead

As expected, Phil Parkinson made only one change in the 4-4-1-1 lineup which worked well at Reading on Tuesday, writes Philippa Nicholson from Molineux this afternoon. With Wolves loanee Darren Ward unavailable, Matt Holland stepped into the vacant slot at centre back. Shelvey was on the bench. Former Addicks striker Chris Iwelumo was in the Wolves line up and, as always, there was the worry that he might score against his old club, even though he has not scored for 16 games.

Sting was a curious choice in the warm up period - there aren't many barley fields in Wolverhampton - but then we had the usual injunctions to the home crowd to get behind the team and the corny fanfare from Thus Spake Zarathrusta.

Wolves kicked off through Ebanks-Blake in the spring sunshine in a far from full stadium. Holland got his first touch, evidently playing on the right of centre. A nasty ankle high late challenge was made on Youga, but all that resulted was a free kick. McCarthy indicated to the referee that his player had got the ball which was nonsense.

Wolves made a dangerous attack, with the ball flashing across the six yard box, but Hudson headed clear well. Minutes later, Holland defended well. Charlton made a decent attack involving Soares, but the ball flashed across the six yard box with no one there to connect. Wolves counter attacked and won a corner. Elliot punched the ball clear well to Racon.

The referee spoke to Kightly for shoving Youga and kicking the ball away. Parkinson was very angry at the referee's failure to take action for the second time. The home crowd started to get a little impatient at the failure of their side to dominate. Zhneg Zhi made on attempt on goal, but it was way over the crossbar.

Zheng Zhi combined on the left flank with Kandol, but the ball went back to Youga. However, Charlton kept possession in the Wolves half well. Eventually Wolves won a throw in. Zheng Zhi went down under a late challenge, another example of the home side's physical play.

Charlton got a free kick directly in front of goal just about a yard behind the 'D'.
Eight Wolves players were in the wall and Bailey's shot hit it. The move ended in a free kick against Kandol.

Zheng Zhi was brought down again and Charlton got a free kick in the Wolves half. The move ended in an offside ruling which drew protests from Hudson. Butterfield and Zheng Zhi were playing well, while Holland was slotting in comfortably at the back where he was keeping an eye on Iwelumo.

Charlton came forward well, but the near post cross was cleared. The home crowd tried to lift their team. They thought the referee was favouring Charlton, but for once the officials seemed to be impartial. Zheng Zhi dribbled round the keeper and put the ball in the net, but the offside flag was raised.

Wolves won a corner as the half hour approached. The ball went in the net, but the flag went up for pushing and shoving on Elliot by Iwelumo and Ebanks-Blake. Soares was mowed down from behind and the Addicks got a free kick. Bailey was brought down on the edge of the area by a late challenge. Wolves organised a wall of five players. The shot beat the wall and dipped but Hennessey in the Wolves goal was able to make the save.

Hudson was brought down by a challenge and led to a free kick and more complaining by the home fans about the referee. Tempers began to fray as Youga and Kightly battled off the field. Kandol went down clutching his face and Parkinson indicated that he had been elbowed.

A hand ball was awarded against Wolves to the annoyance of the home support. A Wolves free kick was greeted by ironic cheers and the referee called Kandol over for a word after allegations of use of the elbow.

But then the inevitable happened and Iwelumo scored in the 36th minute at the near post, the Scot's first goal in seventeen games. Up to then Charlton had been holding Wolves well and a neutral would not know there was such a gap in the table between the two teams.

Wolves had a shout for a penalty with Iwelumo being held back. Kightly upended Youga for the third time and at last the referee got his yellow card out. A Wolves player went down, I think it was Berra, and Hennessey came out to complain to the referee that Soares had used the elbow.

Ebanks-Blake beat Hudson and won a corner, Matt Holland having intercepted the ball.
Elliot was barged over the line but kept the ball on the line. The goal seemed to have unsettled Charlton who were not playing with the same verve they had displayed earlier in the half.

Two minutes were added on. The lively Zheng Zhi tried to pick up a long ball from Elliot on the edge of the area, but the referee gave a free kick after a Wolves dive. Iwelumo complained that he was the victim of pushing and shoving, but the lino was having none of it. The rather scrappy half came to a close. Charlton had played quite well, but once again had gone behind.

Half time: Wolves 1, Addicks 0

Zheng Zhi equalised for Charlton on 51 minutes, making use of an assist from Bailey. and creating the space to operate from 25 yards out to put in a superb shot. He raced the bench to embrace the Charlton physio. I just wonder if we had had Zheng Zhi available for most of the season we would have been relegated.

Charlton's players were furious when Wolves were given a penalty for an alleged handball by Hudson on 70 minutes. Ebanks-Blake stepped up to the spot, but Elliot made the save by diving to the left. It's curious that such saves are always described as a 'miss' in commentaries. Surely one of the bright spots of the season is the emergence of Elliot, a Bexleyheath lad who is also Addickted. He will do a good job for us in League 1.

The home support were far from happy about their side's performance. Indeed, unless Wolves have a lot of money to invest, it is hard to see them doing a Hull in the Premiership (and even they have faded).

However, they got their three points on 79 minutes when Wolves won a corner. Charlton always look vulnerable at set pieces and the ball went over the line off the unfortunate Matt Holland. Iwelumo celebrated the strike and it was initially attributed to him, but Ebanks-Blake may have put the ball in off Holland. In the Premiership it would have been referred to the Dubious Goals Committee, but in any case it does matter, as it was possibly the final nail in the relegation coffin, even though the Addicks have not yet been officially relegated.

Supremo Phil Parkinson said afterwards, 'We have lost to two scrappy goals in a game we deserved something out of. We feel hard done by. We have played well here and need to carry on playing with a lot of pride, although our chances of staying in the Championship are slim. That Chris Iwelumo left for a nominal fee, about £400,000, I believe, hurts because we have needed a striker like him who can score scruffy goals.'

Wyn Grant comments: Iwelumo was, of course, constantly criticised by the Addickted when he was at The Valley. Presumably he went because (i) he was not scoring enough goals and (ii) his wages were quite high. However, the budget is going to be even more constrained next season.

Despite the calls by probably a majority of the Addickted (there is no accurate way of measuring opinion) for Parkinson to go sooner or later so that a new manager can bed himself in, my expectation is that the board will review the position in the early summer. I am far from convinced that they will replace Parkinson.

To those who say it's a 'results business', they might say the test will be League 1 results. I am agnostic about Parkinson. He inherited a demoralised and in many ways inadquate team and a 2-1 defeat away at Wolves is better than a 1-3 loss at home under Pardew. Some say they may boycott the club if he remains, but I have always supported the team rather than the manager. I was fan of Curbs, and I had doubts about Dowie, but I still kept coming.

I may, however, not make the trek down to London so often to see League 1 football, even though I will retain my season ticket. This will require some thinking about the form to be taken by Addick's League 1 diary. And I thought I was just parking the Premiership Diary for a while!

Jangling nerves at Molineux

Wolves seem surprisingly nervous about tomorrow's encounter with Charlton: Wolves

Of course, a well run team takes every encounter seriously rather than three easy points to be collected by turning up on the day. Given recent poor form at Molineux, if Wolves do not score quickly, or Charlton go ahead, the crowd will be on their back and the players will get even more nervous.

I had foolishly forgotten that Darren Ward will not be available. The options to replace him are Matt Holland and Kelly Youga and Mark Kinsella has hinted on Cafc TV that Holland is the most likely stand in. Much as I admire Matty for his dedication to the cause, he doesn't fill me with a lot of confidence as centre half - and, to be fair, it's expecting a lot of him.

In all honesty, I do not think we will get anything out of tomorrow's game and I am going for a 2-0 win for Wolves. Given the proximity of Wolves, I have often gone to away games there, despite a rather threatening atmosphere, but not tomorrow. However, Philippa Nicholson will be providing match day coverage.

In these difficult times, one consolation is to recall previous victories. On the occasion of my 53rd birthday, I saw us beat Wolves 3-2 at Molineux. It was our first win there for 47 years. We had last won in 1953 and victory gave us 53 points. I used to travel to The Valley on the 53 bus. Five goals were, of course, scored in aggregate, three by Charlton, again making the magic number 53.

We do have a milestone birthday for one of our children on Sunday, but I wouldn't want to read the result off from that because it would imply an even bigger drubbing than I have forecast.