Liverpool V Wolves
Wednesday, 29th December – 20:00 (GMT)
Neither Liverpool nor Wolves are on course to meet the targets set for them, which are contrasting to say the least, and so while the hosts, Liverpool, are expected to win a shade cosily this evening, there’s no doubt whatsoever that the Merseyside outfit are under just as much strain as their opponent’s, arguably a great deal more.
After spending the second half of last season in the UEFA Europa League, everyone involved with Liverpool knew an entire season in Europe’s second tier competition would be tortuous, but that it would also provide motivation to avoid having to go through the same arduous task of competing against lesser clubs in a tournament which even if you win, a club like Liverpool could never truly boast about their success – Personally, and this coming from a Reds supporter, I find it embarrassing that we’re even associated with the blooming thing.
So frustration all round to see Liverpool heading into 2011 so far off the pace of the top-four that it’s frightening, not only because we’re on course to qualify for the Europa League for the second successive season, but that others are beginning to get a foothold at the top of the Premier League pecking order. At the same time, Liverpool are dwindling away into the background and before long will be another Juventus or an Ajax, where the club’s prestigious reputation is all that is keeping them from being mourned as a former giant of the game.
Roy Hodgson has declared the need for winter reinforcements but has also requested some realism from supporters, with the majority so eager to see what is a pretty average squad boosted significantly, and not just in numbers. Players like Paul Koncheskey and Christian Poulsen are not welcome, but it’s that sort of calibre which is likely to embrace Anfield in the New Year, meaning a return to the Champions League could be an impossible dream as far as this season is concerned, with the club in need of a couple of superstars in order to really change the team’s fortunes and overhaul the current 11 point gap in front of them.
At the opposite end of the spectrum are Wolves, a club who would kill for the sort of dilemma Liverpool find themselves in. Year after year the Midlands club find themselves planted slap bang in the middle of a fight for survival, and they avoided what seemed an inevitable drop before the season even began last term, but making haste of that familar ‘Second Season Syndrome’ which has plagued so many previously is proving a lot harder than anticipated, certainly for Mick McCarthy.
If Roy Hodgson is a man under the pressure then Mick McCarthy must be on the brink of despair. While the Englishman’s job as Wolves manager isn’t under any immediate threat, McCarthy has overseen a 2010/2011 league season which has brought about half-a-dozen impressive displays, most of those against incredibly strong sides, but reap very little rewards. The plaudits have been there, but without the points to show for their industrious efforts Mick McCarthy isn’t interested in momentary limelight, he rightly wants his side to grab the headlines week in, week out but for all the right reasons.
At Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge, against Manchester United and Chelsea respectively, Wolves were nothing short of outstanding. However, against Chelsea they were superb but still couldn’t find the goal, while against United, a weakened United team it must be said, they found that elusive goal but also found bad luck right at the death – It has just been one of those seasons I’m afraid, where whatever they do, try all they might, nothing seems to land for them.
Anfield is a formidable venue for everyone, that despite Liverpool’s recent decline from an elite team to one of a mediocre standard, and Wolves more than anyone else can back this up. In fourteen previous visits to Liverpool’s historic arena, Wolves have suffered thirteen defeats, and need to cast their minds back to 1984 for their last victory over Liverpool on Merseyside. And this is just where the bad omens and sickening statistics start if you’re a Wolves fan, so look away now if you’re of a nervous disposition.
The task in front of Mick McCarthy’s charges is huge; a Liverpool side who have overcome their humbling at the hands of Blackpool back in October by storming to four successive home wins at Anfield, an impressive but also much needed turn around in form which is accompanied by an even more encouraging aggregate goal difference of 10-1. Of course, their opponent’s have all been frightening on paper, with Chelsea (2-0) the one exception, but the likes of Blackburn Rovers (2-1), West Ham United (3-0) and Aston Villa (3-0) are all arguably a more accomplished outfit than Wolves, so in this instance Liverpool’s home form is intimidating for Wolves, although anything would be considering how poor they’ve been so far this season on their travels.
Any team that can register crucial points away from home is always going to be in with a shot of avoiding the drop, so to hear that Wolves have collected just one point from their eight away league encounters thus far isn’t the sort of promising statistic supporters would like to hear, nor the fact their team has hardly been a model of consistency at home, either. And furthermore, Wolves’ tally of five goals scorer on the road for the term is the joint-lowest in the top-flight, the entire football league in fact.
As we drop a few more statistical beauties into our Liverpool to Win with a Clean Sheet ingredients bowl; Wolves having not scored against the Reds in their previous three Premier League contests, failing to score on Merseyside against Liverpool in nine of their last eleven visits; eleven away matches with a win as well as the leakiest defence in the entire division, we thought we would also mention the current state of affairs off the pitch and in the treatment room, just for that sucker-punch effect.
For Liverpool, their talisman, skipper, goal creator and goal-getter, Steven Gerrard, returns from a hamstring injury which has kept him out of action since the start of November, and recent postponements with Fulham and Blackpool either side of Christmas will only have developed his fitness levels further, with now only a run-out in a competitive match required for Liverpool’s most inspiration individual.
Meanwhile Wolves are without defenders Michael Mancienne and Jody Craddock, midfielders Karl Henry, Adlene Guedioura and Michael Kightly, as well as a forward who would have worked tirelessly up top on Wednesday in Kevin Doyle.
There is literally nothing working in Wolves’ favour other than on their most recent visit to Merseyside they came away with a point, but that was against Everton who have been well below par and gifting points to mediocre sides all season long. Liverpool won’t be as generous as their local counterparts, in fact the Reds are as stingy as they come. A Jamie Carragher own goal was the last goal scored at Anfield against Liverpool, with clean sheets against Chelsea, West Ham and Aston Villa contributing largely to a run which has seen Roy Hodgson’s men go over six hours without conceding at home in the league. Combine that with the fact that even their village idiots have been scoring at Anfield of late – the Ryan Babel’s, the David N’Gog’s, heck even that useless Argentine Maxi Rodriguez has a couple – and it really does look a mammoth task for Wolves, and, dare I say it, a formality for Liverpool, not that they’ve heard of such a word for so long.
Matt’s Selection(s):
Liverpool to WIN to NIL (Without Conceding) – 2.10 VictorChandler
Liverpool: -1.5 (Asian Handicap) – 1.95 Bet365
Value Bets:
