Blackpool, Barton and the BBC...
It seems like an age since our last Premiership fixture, and I can’t wait until we’re back in action on Saturday against relegation rivals Blackpool.
Our trip to Molineux saw us leave the midlands with a hard earned point, probably a good result on reflection, although we had the chances to win it, we should count ourselves lucky that a rash challenge from James Perch didn’t give the home side the chance to extend their lead with the score at 1-0. Whilst many would probably have expected us to win following our destruction of Villa the previous weekend, a point should be seen as an excellent result. It was a tough place to go last season, and McCarthy’s men have started the season well with a win against Stoke and then an away draw at Everton. These are exactly the sort of places where we need to be getting a result if we want to stay up.
Joey Barton deserves much credit for the way he handled himself on the pitch as well. Whatever people think of what he has done in the past, he is clearly making an attempt to get his career back on track. He was kicked, battered and bruised for 90 minutes, but didn’t react. The Joey Barton of 12 months ago would have been down the tunnel before half time, but he got up, and got on with his game, Karl Henry in particular can count himself lucky to have stayed on the pitch.
Even hard nuts like mr.Henry get constipated from time to time...
Joey himself did pick up a booking for a crunching tackle, but after the kicking he got he was probably allowed to get a bit of revenge. You can’t blame Wolves though, for trying to provoke him into a reaction and giving them an advantage, but it wasn’t forthcoming, and Mr Barton deserves immense credit for his performance. The reaction of Lineker, Hansen and Shearer was what disappointed me in all honesty, as they procceded to giggle like schoolboys at every replay of Barton being kicked sky high. Disappointing indeed from the ‘neutral’ BBC...
On to Saturday then, and as the same fixture last season saw us record a comfortable 4-1 victory, only a win is acceptable again if we are to stay up this year. 3-0 would be my prediction, I can’t see Blackpool travelling well this year and hopefully we will be raring to go after the international break.
Black ‘n’ White army...
Submitted by Dave Brown
7/9/2010
