Wolves of the week (video)

Hey Wolves lovers! Thought I’d rather take everything in one article than making many. Saves time and internet space. 😆

When I looked at the team for the Reserves game against Arsenal and didn’t find Danny Batth in it I first suspected that he was to play against Sunderland in the absence of Berra and Craddock.

I didn’t think of that it was the last day for loans to the FL. Now Danny has gone out on-loan to the Blades (Sheffield United) and good for him. It’s a club with severe financial troubles – like their twin in the city – but it’s a big club.

And he will replace their captain Chris Morgan – who was injured some weeks ago – as central defender, . But he has to fight for a place with the second choice of the club. Good luck for Danny Batth!

The match he didn’t play – against Arsenal away – was played mostly with Development players, bar Mujangi Bia on the left wing and Zubar on the right back. They lost with two goals against one with a goal by Winnall, but that’s not the important thing.

The important thing is that the lads showed that they can measure up against a very good Arsenal team with Ramsey on the midfield – coming back from injury – and Miquel in the back line.

Perhaps the most important thing was the fact that Ron Zubar got a game – or at least a little more than an hour of play – and he came out good – free from his ankle injury and ready to play. My guess is that he will start on the bench against Sunderland tomorrow.

Wolves even pressured the Gunners in the final stages of the game – trying to get an equaliser in. Heck. Zele Ismail even came on the last quarter of an hour and scored a goal that was disallowed for a foul tackle on Miquel.

And Jake Cassidy had a couple of very close calls to score, as he has had for several games now. He will start banging the leather in very soon like he has on every level so far, I’m sure.

Talking about that. The Edward Elgar anthem ‘He Banged The Leather For Goal’ – that I have mentioned before – is catching on big time now. I’ve read an article about it from Iran and one from Hindustan.

Elgar – the famous composer of ‘Land Of Hope And Glory’ – composed the first footballing anthem over a hundred years ago (in the 1890’s) after riding the 40 miles (64 km) on his bicycle to Wolverhampton watching Wolves play Stoke.

He became so impressed with the striker Billy Malpass and fell so in love with the game and Wolves that he wrote an anthem in the honour of the player, the club and the game.

He Banged The Leather For Goal

I’ve tried hard to find a video or Mp3 of the anthem, but to no luck. All I found was this lousy t-shirt. 😆

It’s in tangerine (no refs to the seaside team) – because Wolves actually played in that color in the 1890’s – and has Elgar and the number 14 on it’s back. I required one at Philosopy football to honour Elgar and the Wolves history.

But back to the future. Not only Danny Batth got himself a loan deal before the window closed.

Ashley Hemmings prolonged his deal at Torquay and will now stay the season at the seaside club. A swim in May after the play-offs perhaps?

Torquay came from behind on Tuesday to win by 3-1 against Wycombe and the team and Hemmings played very well. Hemmings started and stayed on for 70 minutes and produced some good crosses.

Matt Hill has almost recovered from his injury now and has signed for another month with Barnsley and Scott Malone will stay until January at Burton as will Greg Halford in Portsmouth.

What else? Wolves have looked at a trialist – Mamadou Bagayoko, target player from Nice – for three days. He will be available for under a million in the January window.

McCarthy is alway on the look out for a target player, but he has made some bad decisions over the years regarding that role. But I believe we need one to through in. It can be very effective and we need the aerial presense.

Mamadou is 31 and has probably peaked. Not much playing lately and few goals. Will he be good enough for the pace of the Premier League? I have my doubts.

Here he is in action. Looks to be a technical player.