HarryfromBath assesses the mood in the opposition camp ahead of Saturday’s game by delving into their forums.
"In the Championship you cannot decide when it’s right to go up. You have to take the chance when it comes. Are we ready for the next level? Without doubt, no, but then no side is at this point”, "I think a degree of frustration at the moment is somewhat understandable.”
Wolves wobbled badly this week in their chase for a play-off place. After a four-game winning run which culminated in a dramatic last-gasp 4-3 win over Leeds on Easter Monday, successive 2-1 defeats at Birmingham last Saturday and Middlesbrough on Tuesday have left them three points behind us.
"We won’t bounce back to win all three remaining games having lost two big games on the bounce. We have left ourselves too much to do. Goal difference will go against us if we are level on points”, "Lose on Saturday and we can think about next season.” Fans feel that the odds are now against them.
"There is still hope for us but Saturday is the last-chance saloon. Irony has it that it could be Mick McCarthy who finishes us off”, "I doubt a McCarthy team will bottle it next weekend. He will go for the throat, turn Molineux and wipe out an outside threat for the play-offs.”
"We are good but not quite good enough. It’s still been a great season though, whatever happens”, "Let’s get real guys. Look where we were when Kenny took over. Let’s just enjoy the rest of the season”, "Thank you Kenny and the team. You’re a credit to the club whatever happens this season.”
The former Millwall boss has been criticised for tinkering with the starting XI and for a defensive inclination at times, but he is greatly admired and appreciated. "He has got us back together and we are pushing for a play-off place. Credit where it is due and recognition for a job well done.”
"I trust Kenny’s judgement, end of argument”, "He isn’t afraid of tough decisions and wastes no time in ditching people if they are not up to the required level”, "He has done a great job with long term planning and building a side, but his game to game management leaves much to be desired.”
"The boardroom is where the blame sits.” There is some lingering resentment towards the club’s management for their lack of investment on the playing side. "We can look forward to Jez Moxey [the chief executive] taking the balanced books on an open-top bus tour during the summer.”
"I’m sick of posts saying ‘whatever happens, it has been a great season’. Great season my arse. We are where we were in August - the Championship. We have failed.” For a minority the inability to achieve back-to-back promotions is seen as a failure for a club of their size and perceived status.
Others are quick to disagree. "Plenty of big teams have gone into League One and taken years to come back. Have a bit of respect for what Kenny did when the dressing room was falling apart”, "Nail firmly hit on head. No wonder some people think we have ideas of grandeur.”
"We are heavily reliant on pace rather than guile”, "We need to go forward when we have the upper hand. We aren’t good enough at the back to be complacent at any time”, "We aren’t the complete package”, "I would like to see us be a bit more aggressive as we can be too nice at times.”
Wolves played their usual attacking 4-4-2 formation [above] last Saturday at St Andrew’s. They have placed an emphasis on using strength and pace to unlock defences. Powerful left-winger Bakary Sako links with a strike partnership which fans believe to be one of the most potent in the division.
Attack is widely seen as the best form of defence. "We have got to utilise our strengths in Afobe, Dicko and Sako and throw caution to the wind. It’s win or bust all the way”, "I fear for the magic trio being broken up at the season’s end if we don’t get over the line.”
In central midfield, Jack Price is seen as a no-nonsense terrier with Kevin McDonald a more creative passing player. They have struggled against creative opponents such as Birmingham’s Diego Fabbrini and this has contributed to an increasingly error-prone defence being exposed in recent games.
The team’s youthfulness and lack of experience has also been regularly highlighted. "We will never do any good until we get an out-and-out leader on the pitch”, "When the going gets tough we make stupid decisions. We lack experience”, "This is a young team and they need a leader on the pitch.”
"You don’t give a side like Middlesbrough a two-goal start”, "Jesus wept - the defending for those two goals was atrocious”, "That first goal, good God”, "We lost because Boro battered us in the first half”, "We were so easy to play against I could have cried”, "Football makes me ill.”
Boro stormed into a two-goal lead in the first 12 minutes with goals from Jelle Vossen and Patrick Bamford, with Wolves replying through a Bakary Sako equaliser on 53 minutes. "We were beaten by a better side who wanted it on the night”, "It was a good fightback after a calamitous first half.”
Kenny Jackett made several changes after the Birmingham defeat (below), replacing Scott Golbourne with Kortney Hause, right-midfielder James Henry with Rajiv Van La Parra who is a more orthodox winger and he strengthened the midfield by resting Nouha Dicko and bringing in Dave Edwards.
While the goals could be blamed on defensive errors, the changes Jackett made were widely seen as not helping. Hause was given a torrid evening by Albert Adomah and was substituted at half-time, while Sako was rendered ineffective. The team lacked a focal point in attack with Benik Afobe operating slightly deeper.
"Hause was a rabbit in headlights, Edwards was ineffective and Van La Parra’s decision-making was dreadful”, "We seemed to be in control of the game in the second half but the poor first half cost us. We gave ourselves a mountain to climb”, "Wrong team, wrong tactics and sloppy defending.”
"Cup final, this one - three points are needed without doubt. We can score them, but we can ship them”, "We should have too much for Birmingham, but it’s a derby and results often go haywire in those.” Fans were apprehensive ahead of a game in which their team ended up being fairly beaten.
Despite taking the lead through Afobe after Nouha Dicko’s hard work, Wolves conceded a sloppy Rob Kiernan equaliser from a corner. The winner from Blues’ Demarai Gray typified Wolves’ display, coming from one of their own corners with Scott Golbourne making an uncharacteristic error in possession.
"What a frustrating afternoon”, "Take one shotgun, aim at your feet and pull the trigger”, "It was a very flat performance by Wolves with Birmingham mounting all the attacks. They looked like they were going to score a third and we couldn’t get any possession at all.”
"This was a game that had everything, goals, skill, passion in abundance, a bubbling cauldron of support spitting venom at the away team while wholeheartedly supporting their own”, "What an absolute heart-stopper”, "A game that covered every emotion I imagine you can experience.”
Having thrown away a 3-1 lead, Wolves snatched victory in their most recent home game with a late Edwards header. "Our usually reliable defence decided to drop clangers at inopportune moments”, "The best and worst of Wolves was on show today - should have won that at a canter.”
"The defence has imploded at just the wrong time”, "We are making it difficult for ourselves with so many poor individual errors from defenders at the moment”, "It is completely shot”, "There are times when they need to realise that thumping the ball out of play early is the right thing to do.”
"Carl Ikeme handles the ball really well when called on to do so”, "His handling is very safe.” The 23-year-old youth product "may be a safer pair of hands than Tomasz Kuszczak but his distribution is not as good. He keeps hoofing it long when there are options to play the ball out from the back.”
"Ikeme shouldn’t have rushed out like that for Boro’s first goal. I don’t know what he was doing”. "His distribution was terrible against Birmingham and a major part of why we looked bad. Every time he had the ball he delayed and allowed both teams to set themselves out before punting it long.”
"Dominic Iorfa is defensively strong and good going forward but he cannot cross a ball. He scuffs it or balloons it over everyone’s heads.” The 19-year-old right-back and youth product "has it all, pace, skill, heading and tackling ability, but most of all he’s a cool head on young shoulders”.
"Iorfa is a brilliant defender, but his final ball is poor at times”, "He will make better decisions when in attack with more experience”, "He was a massive liability against Boro, giving the ball away left, right and centre”, "He struggled with his position but was athletic enough to make up ground.”
Former Barnsley left-back Scott Golbourne was dropped for the Middlesbrough game. The 27-year old "looked scared of the ball after his error [for Birmingham’s winner] and was an accident waiting to happen”, "It’s not like him to make a mistake. He’s very consistent but then again he’s human.”
"Dropping our usually most consistent player showed Jackett’s naivety”, "He was back to his usual self, linking up well with Sako. He played one lovely cross in for Van La Parra and was solid enough defensively”, "He is normally Mr Reliable and is way better than Hause for me.”
Golbourne replaced 19-year-old former Wycombe man Kortney Hause at half-time at the Riverside. "It was too late. The horse had bolted”, "Hause was beaten early on by Adomah and it clearly shook him”, "He was targeted by Boro as a weak link and they exposed him time and time again.”
"Hause was skinned for Boro’s second”, "He had a little wander back to get the ball back like a terrier in the garden”, "Outclassed and looking like an amateur”, "He was not helped by Sako who made sure that he was left with two men to track and he was often caught between them.”
"Danny Batth may be our captain but the Championship is his level.” The 24-year-old centre-back and youth product "is the weak link for me. He’s slow on the turn. His distribution is terrible which hurts the system we play. We need someone more comfortable on the ball”.
"Batth’s natural touch isn’t there and he looks awkward on the ball so often. He would have been a great player in Mick’s Wolves”, "I like his no-nonsense approach”, "Reminds me of Roger Johnson, a limited player who put his body on the line, good in the air but slow and uncomfortable on the ball.”
"Stearman has stepped up well this season.” The former Ipswich loan player "brings the ball well out of defence and tries to drive forward. I would like to see him do more barnstorming runs”, "There is a lot to like about the way he plays out from the back. It has served us well this season.”
"He is pacier than Batth and better with the ball, and is by far our best defender”, "Some great blocks when at his imperious best.” He has been criticised for a lack of decisiveness. "Stearman gifted Leeds a goal with his indecision. He should be more experienced than that.”
"1-0 to Boro - Stears let it bounce. It was shocking defending again.” The 27-year-old centre-back "was all over the place against Boro in the first half and is clearly rattled with the recent screw-ups in defence. He needs to up his game if we’re going to make the play-offs. He has been shaky recently”.
"The central midfield has been our weakest point all season and that has been reflected in the lack of goals coming from that area”, "We lack a good captain and driving force. What I wouldn’t give for us to get a Roy Keane type”, "We move the ball too slowly allowing teams to get behind the ball.”
"Our central midfield looked sluggish and predictable against Boro’s fluidity”, "We weren’t getting players into the box quickly enough against Birmingham as the midfield wasn’t driving forward with the ball”, "The midfield was forced too deep protecting a back four who managed to look creaky.”
"As good as Edwards has been in grabbing vital goals, he will never be the man to help overrun the opposition midfield. He doesn’t win the ball back and doesn’t get involved enough in the build-up play”, "You wouldn’t have known he was on at Boro”, "Just runs around a lot pointing.”
"Edwards gives good options and keeps opponents occupied”, "Has the knack of being in the box at the right time. The 29-year-old ex-Luton attacking midfielder scored against Leeds, but his general play divides opinion. "He doesn’t protect the midfielders behind him or read the game well.”
"Jack Price is neat and tidy, tenacious in the tackle and he keeps things moving when he can.” The 22-year-old youth product "is a tidy gritty player who controls things in the middle”, "Great tackles, moves the ball well and keeps it simple”, "He’s a crucial player who ties everything together.”
"Price was calm and composed against Birmingham when he had time on the ball but misplaced passes when press and this put us under pressure”, "He couldn’t handle the runs and play of Fabbrini”, "He was City’s best player and Price couldn’t get close to him. He had no answer.”
"Teams stopping McDonald will stop Wolves. Pressing him higher up the field reduces his effectiveness going forward”, "We know McDonald and Price struggle when put under a lot of pressure”, "The Birmingham game was possibly his worst game in a Wolves shirt.”
The 26-year-old ex-Sheffield United man is regularly criticised for dwelling on the ball. "He loses the ball when he tries to hold on to it too long”, "He doesn’t seem to know when to release the ball”, "A tidy player and a lovely passer but he gets caught in possession too many times.”
"Middlesbrough did a number on him and they can only be commended for the job they did. The poor bloke couldn’t breathe”, "He is too shy and the tackle and not strong enough”, "We are still reliant on playing through McDonald and we play well when he is allowed to play.”
"Rajiv Van La Parra has lots of pace and trickery but his final ball really lets him down. His application needs to be more consistent if he’s going to fulfil that talent.” The 23-year-old Dutch right-winger started at the Riverside, but normally appears from the bench for James Henry after the break.
"VLP’s final ball is dreadful. If it wasn’t for his athleticism and footwork he’s be no better than a pub player”, "He missed a sitter against Boro”, "He does well in the role normally asked of him, namely stretching tired defences”, "He’s great at keeping possession high in the opponents half late on.”
"James Henry is a live wire who looks happy in his role on the right and is technically excellent.” The 25-year-old ex-Millwall man "is a good passer but he would be a real threat is he had pace”, "He has a lovely touch, links well with Iorfa and he has a desire to battle and get stuck in.”
"We certainly shouldn’t have taken Henry off against Birmingham. Jonathan Grounds [City’s left-back] couldn’t get anywhere near him and he created a few quality chances in the first half”, "He can end up running into traffic rather than picking spaces and he can be wasteful when shooting.”
"Sako was a class above anyone on the field against Leeds”, "My God is he good. I can’t remember anyone run with the ball so strongly through numerous opposition players. It’s a wonder to see. He is doing everything he can to get the team up”, "I’m gutted he will probably leave this summer.”
The 26-year-old Mali international and former St Etienne left-winger "is the most irritating player, sublime at times but can go missing too often”, "He was way too deep and too dreamy against the Blues in possession. He acted like we just had to turn up and they would hand us three points”.
"Sako gave Hause no help going walkabout against Boro”, "Causes teams no end of problems but does beat his man more times than necessary before the ball comes in”, "He would have been a Premier League player long ago if he could learn to release the ball at the right time.”
"We have goals aplenty in this team. Every time we go forward we look capable of scoring”, "We use pace up top to stretch teams and create space rather than intelligent movement and neat interplay to open teams up”, "I couldn’t tell you the last time Wolves had such an exceptional attack.”
"Afobe scored a simple chance against Birmingham but he cut a frustrating figure on the day. He was forced to drop too deep looking for the ball”, "His movement was a little static. Impressed with his work-rate but he often dropped too deep to pick things up”, "Didn’t get the ball in the right areas”,
"He is very much the player of the moment due to the impact he has made recently.” The 22-year-old joined from Arsenal in January. "I’d like to see him let fly from outside the box more often”, "He is good at keeping possession when surrounded by opponents”, "A constant threat with his pace.”
"He’s skilful on the ball, maybe a tad lazy when not in possession or losing the ball”, "The way he glides past players is a joy to behold.”, "He comes deep for the ball rather than playing off the last man”, "Every time he got the ball Boro got a tackle on him and didn’t let him run.”
"The sharpshooter with guns for hire”, "Bright and lively with a great work-rate”, "Dicko ran Sol Bamba ragged against Leeds. He created room for others as well as finishing”, "The loss of Dicko was the biggest factor when we went on our losing run before Christmas. We had no replacement of note.”
The 22-year-old ex-Strasbourg man and Mali international "was a real danger in the first half against Birmingham, doing wonderfully well to set up the goal, but he was marked out of the game after the break”, "He had his rubber boots on and the ball was bouncing off him left, right and centre.”
"Dicko please, Sir Kenneth.” He was badly missed at the Riverside, replacing Jack Price after an hour when Wolves finally switched to 4-4-2.”He changed the game with his strength and determination. He shouldn’t have been dropped and you could see how much it meant. At full-time he was furious.”
"I've said for months we'll finish above Ipswich and still think we will”, "If we can stop the silly mistakes that have cropped up recently, there's no reason it can't be a Wolves win. We have better players than Ipswich particularly in attack”, "Don't they have the league’s top scorer?”
Wolves are apprehensive going into the game, with only 54% forecasting a home win against 13% thinking that we will triumph. These percentages are conservative for a home game, especially one with so much riding on it. "Ipswich’s experience will see them get a result one way or another.”
"After the last two games I'm not sure this current Wolves side will have it in them to do a job on Ipswich. It feels like they've bottled it with two very limp performances so I don't expect them to suddenly regain their composure and pick off a McCarthy side built on spirit and work-rate.”
"I suspect we're a spent force now and I expect Mick's latest boys to administer the coup de grace - the situation and our form is just tailor-made for them to do so”, "It’s set up perfectly for Ipswich to frustrate, a hard-working side who all know their jobs. Lose the first goal and we are done for.”
"Mick is fully aware that Molineux can turn very quickly. His team talk has never been easier. Tight first 20 minutes, frustrate them and go from there”, "Mick knows the crowd and players will be edgy. This is the one match we don't really want”, "If they score first I can see us getting frustrated.”
Most fans expect Wolves to play 4-4-2 and anticipate that we won’t allow them to settle. "I wouldn't expect Ipswich to roll us over easily like Middlesbrough but they do get goals”, "They'll get after McDonald and pressure us high up the pitch. I can see a few more defensive howlers on the cards.”
"I can see Mick ending all our dreams. Berra to score an all-decisive goal”, "Don't mention Berra. The ****er will score from a corner despite never, ever looking like scoring for us. He's been prolific by his standards for Ipswich.” A late Christophe Berra set-piece goal is a recurring Wolves nightmare.
"I hope Berra, the octopus man who never scored for us in over 150 appearances, isn't the man who ends our season”, "I hope the referee keeps an eye on Berra and awards a penalty to us early on for him wrestling an attacker to the ground at a corner”, "Berra can't help being a rugby player.”
"It will be great to welcome Hunty back”, "While I'll always love him for his attitude and that goal [against Blackburn to help keep Wolves up], I still can't believe we spent nearly £5 million on Hunt.”
"Look at the length of this thread. Has Mick passed on, or is he just coming to Wolverhampton to watch his team play a game of soccer?” There has been much soul-searching over what reception should be given to our manager. "Some struggle to balance sentiment with the need of the hour.”
"Mick McCarthy divides opinions on this board probably more than anything else. He was a good manager for us and most fans appreciate what he did”, "We all crave success and he gave us a little after a fairly barren spell without”, "The best manager we've had in 30 years. Yes, let's boo him.”
"Applauding the opposition manager in a must-win game is beyond me”, "He left years ago. He's gone. Get over it”, "He isn't Steve Bull for God’s sake”, "Maybe history will eventually be kinder to him in due course, but all I want is for us to bloody murder his lot on Saturday.”
"This is no time for sentiment. Treat him with respect with staunch applause before kick-off and not an inch do we surrender after that”, "Let's face it, he won't be in any way sentimental. He will, rightly, want his team to win and win well. So we should want our team to win and win well.”
Some supporters are more forthright. "There is only one manager I will be applauding, and it isn’t Mick McBloody Carthy”, "The thought of seeing McCarthy on Match of the Day every week next season is just too horrible to think about.”
There are plenty of active Wolves message boards. The busiest and most informative is Molineux Mix and additional helpful and insightful comment can be found at WolvesForum.co.uk.