Collins "guilty" but Wolves still in the clear

He's been in the dock for many weeks now, and defendant Neill Collins seemingly has been convicted of all charges by Wolves' increasingly unhappy internet jury.

Even members of his own defence team appear to have stamped "case closed" on the file.

A desperate own goal and an indefensible red card provided a fresh tide of abuse for a player who has always done nothing but his absolute best for our team.

The argument is clearly whether his best is good enough. And Wolves' pursuit of Hearts' Christophe Berra may well answers that.

I was sickened by the farcical nature of his own goal, and disgusted by his dismissal.

But the bile being thrown at the young Scottish defender is, in my opinion, definitely out of proportion to his performances.

Collins is a victim of something resembling a baying mob, who certainly won't be turned by this article, even though that's not my aim.

Their verdict is a comprehensive anti-Collins stance.

I'm not even saying that position is totally wrong. At times Collins, particularly when the ball is at his feet, has struggled.

I just saying the level of abuse at one of our players is out of proportion to his fantastically honest endeavour - and depressingly sad.

But coupled with Collins is the notion that Wolves have started to "bottle it" and are destined for the lottery of the play-offs.

Come on lads, get a grip.

We are still two points clear of Reading, and four points clear of a Birmingham team that by common consent have been absolutely abject in recent weeks.

So Collins is officially guilty - although I still maintain that evidence will be provided by the defendant defender between now and May to overturn that decision at a re-trial - but please don't tell me Wolves are still not excellently placed to maintain a serious promotion challenge.

By all means tell me next Wednesday if we've picked up no points from back-to-back home games against Watford and Norwich.

But losing at Reading, by virtue of just one crazy moment in the very first minute, will fire Wolves up. Just you watch.

And in seven days' time, six more points in the bag remains, for me, completely realistic.

No academy awards for Wolves over Davies

For me, the Mark Davies issue is not about blaming the player or his manager.

It's about shining a light on Wolves' much-heralded academy, and asking if the conveyor belt of talent is really producing young footballers with a realistic chance of playing for a club that is definitely a strong Championship side, and potentially a battling Premier League outfit.

The Wolves team that slipped out of the FA Cup at the weekend was missing six current first team regulars.

The omission of rested quartet Kevin Foley, Michael Kightly, Sylvan Ebanks-Blake and Andy Keogh was coupled with the exclusion of the injured Stephen Ward and suspended Richard Stearman.

And that was all perfectly understandable with Tuesday's trip to Reading of far greater importance to Wolves' season.

But the team that Mick McCarthy put out against Middlesbrough contained only one home-grown player - goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey.

We had a former Shrewsbury Town youngster at right back, a current West Ham youngster on the wing, and a former Bournemouth youngster at centre forward.

And even our strongest possible team only has one player - the aforementioned Hennessey - who's emerged through the academy, and I think that's worrying.

In fairness, right back Mark Little and left-sided Daniel Jones have forced their way into the first team squad during the McCarthy era, but even if Little was fit, you couldn't expect him to oust the fantastic Foley from McCarthy's team.

Jones is clearly not part of McCarthy's Championship run-in plans, and neither are Lewis Gobern or Stephen Gleeson.

So will these young men ever be ready for the "big time"?

Apparently, if you believe Bolton's Gary Megson, Davies is, and it's clear he's been winning rave reviews at Leicester in League One.

Only two people really know why Davies is being considered for sale, and has put in a transfer request.

That's the 20-year-old midfielder himself, and his manager.

Plenty have passed comment on Davies, and maybe his style of attacking midfield play does not fit into McCarthy's system.

If Wolves were to lose a player of such undoubted potential, having nurtured his talents for 12 years, to an established Premier League club like we did with Joleon Lescott, most fans would say: "Fair enough."

But something has gone wrong here. If McCarthy doesn't want Davies in his squad any more, that's his right as manager.

But he's offered Davies a new contract, so presumably he does, although that may be a mechanism to strengthen Wolves' claims for compensation at any tribunal.

So Davies would appear to be deeply unhappy. How can a club that places such great store by its academy have allowed this position to develop?

Two games that may bring promotion turbo boost

Before Saturday, Mick McCarthy had set Wolves a 12-game victory target to ensure thousands of us have ringside seats in August to see Wolves trade punches with the Premier League heavyweights.

That figure has surely fallen to 11 now, despite failure to hold on to our two-goal lead at Ashton Gate, after Reading's and Blues' weekend travails.

So whatever your viewpoint on Saturday evening - and Wolves' recent form - there is no denying Wolves remain in a fantastic position.

Granted, not as fantastic as it could have been, but fantastic nonetheless.

Before kick-off on Saturday in Bristol, I'd have taken a point. Before kick-off in August I'd most definitely have taken a five point lead at the top after game 28 of a gruelling Championship season.

And that's the sense of perspective that surely needs to prevail around Molineux, and the internet messageboards, as we head into a crucial two-game spell that could conceivably give us a promotion turbo boost.

Lose to Middlesbrough and Reading, and I still think Wolves will win promotion.

But win on Saturday, and avoid defeat on Tuesday, and the confidence levels will rocket.

If McCarthy sees the benefit of going to Reading on the back of a Premier League scalp, he will surely pick our strongest possible team on Saturday.

And that will include Neill Collins and Andy Keogh.

Collins has to play, particularly with Richard Stearman suspended, and although he was a central figure in both Bristol City goals on Saturday, I'm very uncomfortable with the notion that he was solely to blame.

And how anyone could criticise Keogh over the last two games is beyond me? Some of his link-up play has shown real quality, and his selection stopped Wolves being what I sensed they had become at times in recent weeks - a one-dimensional team reliant on long balls to Chris Iwelumo, who then frequently fouled his marker.

Keogh is a very astute footballer, whose talents are not always appreciated. Play him down the middle as a foil for Sylvan Ebanks-Blake. Simple.

And I'm sensing that Matt Jarvis and Michael Kightly are starting to rediscover the form that justifies their star billing - particularly Kightly after excellent goal-creating passes against Blues and Bristol City.

There is an argument for saying Middlesbrough will be the underdogs on Saturday, but Wolves won't underestimate them.

After the shocking performance against Preston, I feared there wouldn't even be an FA Cup fourth round date for Wolves.

But that was my underestimation. I clearly underestimated the resilience of McCarthy's men - and despite what you may read elsewhere, nothing shakes me from the belief that that resilience will see us through.

Sluggish Wolves need some fresh impetus

When Mick McCarthy looks at his calendar in his Compton training ground office today, he'll see three remaining January weeks that could define the next four months.

Saturday's shocker against Preston was only the second home defeat in 14 games this season.

But you sense it had been coming. Not since Wolves dispatched Derby 3-0 on Tuesday December 9 can anyone honestly say that Wolves have been flying at the top of the table.

We're still four points clear, but the last five performances, culminating in Saturday's calamity, have hardly suggested promotion is a racing certainty.

Sluggish is a word that describes Wolves right now - and our next two Championship games take us to the cauldron that is Bristol City's Ashton Gate, and the home of our nearest challengers, Reading, for a game that defines the word massive.

Throw in the FA Cup battle at Blues, and a potential fourth round tie with Middlesbrough - and all this in the middle of the transfer window when so much is expected, perhaps demanded, of Messrs McCarthy, Moxey and Morgan.

Look at the Championship top scorers' table, and two of the three top places are occupied by Wolves strikers.

But Sylvan Ebanks-Blake and Chris Iwelumo, in particular, are living off their amazing Autumn exploits - and the service to them from the flanks is virtually non-existent.

Saturday's shambles saw only Stephen Ward and Neill Collins emerge with any credit - and they were part of a frail defensive unit that let Preston in three times.

Richard Stearman may have played many games for Leicester at right back, but he's a central defender, and a very good one at that.

He's certainly not a marauding full back, which is what Wolves' style of play demands, and his discomfort at Blackpool and against Preston sums up Wolves at the moment.

But the biggest concern to Wolves fans, and presumably to McCarthy and the player himself, is the form of Michael Kightly.

It's just not happening for him. Forget talk of multi-million pound offers from Newcastle and Bolton. There is a sensible and rational argument that suggests Kightly is currently not worthy of a place in the Wolves team.

He's not playing with any zip or confidence, and if Kightly doesn't click, Wolves can struggle.

Kightly has had a meteoric rise. Form is temporary and class is permanent, and Kightly is class. But I just want to see him back hugging the touchline as a left back's worst nightmare.

One obvious option available to McCarthy, before any potential new signings, is the immediate recall of David Jones in central midfield.

And what about the front two? Sylvan keeps the goal account ticking over, but frankly is doing little else.

And Iwelumo, who missed two fine chances on Saturday, is looking like a striker who enjoyed a fantastically hot streak earlier in the season, but is now struggling to offer anything more than a frustrating succession of foul challenges.

I still have absolute faith in McCarthy and a team that are determined to succeed. But they need help.

Losing Kevin Foley to a hamstring injury showed what a vital component to the team he is, and we could do with one of our two outstanding young goalkeepers really stamping their mark on the No 1 shirt - because Carl Ikeme was not without blame on Saturday, and Wayne Hennessey was at fault up at Blackpool.

When Wolves next play a league game at Molineux, against Watford on January 31, supporters will hope there are new faces in the team.

That's not to forget the absolutely outstanding effort that has got us to this point. It would just be an acknowledgment that this is a brilliant chance for Wolves to eclipse what we achieved in May 2003.

I don't think we'll blow it - for no other reason that the aforementioned McCarthy, Moxey and Morgan know we can't afford to.

McCarthy ready to unshackle Shackell

When the transfer window slammed shut at the end of August, million pound signing Jason Shackell would hardly have expected to wait until it next opened for a chance to properly launch his Wolves career.

Injury in the home win against Swansea, and then the stunning performances of on-loan Michael Mancienne, left Shackell not even able to land a place on the bench.

With Neill Collins earning the right to be "first reserve" behind Mancienne and Richard Stearman, Shackell has a Molineux career record of two starts and eight substitute appearances - including that cameo between the sticks at Preston.

But with Mancienne recalled to west London, and Mick McCarthy expected to shuffle his pack at Blues in the FA Cup, this could be an excellent chance for Shackell to muscle his way into the promotion push.

Stearman is obviously and deservedly McCarthy's first choice, so the battle is on for Collins and Shackell, with Jody Craddock also nearing fitness. And Shackell has the added benefit of being a left footed central defender.

I'm a massive fan of Collins' wholehearted approach to life in the Wolves team, but there is the occasional slip - like the bemusing way he booted the ball behind for a corner at Blackpool on Monday night when he wasn't under any obvious pressure.

So Shackell needs to step up to the plate, and show us why he was so well thought of at Carrow Road, and why he was worth £1m.

McCarthy won't reveal his team plans for tomorrow, but I expect Shackell, Sam Vokes and maybe Carl Ikeme to feature.

Super Mick, who's closing in on Rangers striker Alan Gow, could potentially even rest the outstanding Kevin Foley and goal king Sylvan, leaving Shackell alongside Collins with Stearman once again at right back.

If Wolves were languishing in mid table, tomorrow would be a massive game for me. But I have to admit, and I'm almost ashamed to say it, the FA Cup means little or nothing in the grand scheme of things.

Only one thing matters between now and May. It's a nine letter word that begins with P and ends in romotion.

But tomorrow could be a really big game for Shackell.