Source: Daily_Mail
Liverpool 0 Wolves 1: Roy Hodgson's future looking bleak as Stephen Ward grabs winner
[LNB]It has taken six months for The Kop to chant Roy Hodgson's name. They failed to sing for him when he first stepped into the dug-out on a balmy August day when Arsenal visited, and there was not even a hint of recognition when Chelsea were swatted aside in November. [LNB]However, the most famous stand in football finally cleared its throat for Liverpool's manager but the tone of the chant they unleashed towards him was far removed from anything he would have hoped for. [LNB]As Wolves took full advantage of the latest contender for the worst performance Liverpool have produced since he succeeded Rafa Benitez on July 1, the Kop's withering chorus of 'Hodgson for England' was a blunt indication that they want a change of manager. [LNB]Rudderless crew: Ngog (left), Lucas, Torres and Gerrard are not amusedby Wolves' goal[LNB]Club legend Kenny Dalglish - at least in the interim - would be the popular appointment and the fact his name was sung on four separate occasions after Stephen Ward's decisive goal gave an idea of the weight of support behind him. This, you suspect, is not a fight that Hodgson can win. [LNB]'We have had to live with that for some time,' said the manager. 'Ever since I came here the famous Anfield support hasn't really been there. There was the problem with the owners and Kenny being so popular and the job going to me. I have had to live with that.' [LNB]Under pressure: Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson[LNB]How much longer he has to live with it is open to debate. In losing to Wolves, Hodgson's position has come under intolerable pressure and the aspect which will have hurt those on the Kop - and, in fairness, the manager - is that it was Liverpool, not Wolves, who looked the bottom-of-the-table side on the pitch.[LNB] 'I thought we were the better team and deserved it,' Wolves manager Mick McCarthy pointed out. 'Most people's perception of Wolves would be, "They are going down, they are bottom of the league", as we have just been beaten at home by Wigan.[LNB] 'They will have expected us to come here, sit back and get our a***s slapped and our bellies tickled and go home with nothing. But we decided we were not having any of that. We came here to have a real go and fortune favoured the brave.' [LNB]It certainly did. Though they had an early scare when Raul Meireles wastefully spurned a glorious chance following Fernando Torres's quick free-kick, the longer the game went on, the more they grew in confidence. [LNB]Emerging after the interval with McCarthy's enthusiastic words ringing in their ears, Wolves set about securing their first away win in the Premier League since they beat West Ham United on March 23 and they achieved their mission in some style. [LNB]When Martin Skrtel and Sotirios Kyrgiakos got in a tangle on 55 minutes, Sylvan Ebanks-Blake rolled a perfectly weighted ball into the path of Ward, who found himself in splendid isolation with only Pepe Reina to beat. He showed admirable cool as the Spaniard attempted to close him down, rolling his shot into the corner of the Anfield Road End net to spark scenes of unconfined joy in the away section and the visitors' dug-out. It was richly deserved.[LNB] 'Justice,' was McCarthy's way of describing the goal, as Ward was sent off in the corresponding fixture on Boxing Day 12 months ago for two bookable offences, but McCarthy was incensed then by how Reina had sprinted 70 yards from his goal to identify Ward after a foul on Lucas.[LNB] But for a terrific challenge from Glen Johnson on Kevin Foley, Wolves would have doubled their lead shortly after their opener, as Liverpool lost all sense of organisation and direction. All the while, Hodgson stood in his technical area, unable to comprehend the events which were unfolding before him. [LNB]Match-winner: Stephen Ward (left) celebrates netting the only goal of the game[LNB]'We were hoping for a great performance where we came out flying around the pitch but we did the exact opposite,' said Hodgson. 'It was as bad a team performance as we have given, certainly here at Anfield. And to compound the problem we ended up giving them a goal.[LNB] 'It was a sad way to end 2010 and a sad way to play the first game for a few weeks in front of our own supporters when we were anxious to show them we could climb the table.' [LNB]A depressing footnote for Hodgson is that Liverpool - who are attempting to wrap up a deal for Rennes winger Sylvain Marveaux when the transfer window opens - head into the new year on the back of the worst start to a season since 1953-54.[LNB] Liverpool ended that campaign being relegated and the fact they are just three points above the drop zone - and five off rock bottom - merely exacerbates the feeling of disillusionment sweeping around Anfield. [LNB]'We did have a good spell a while back but it seems a far and distant memory now,' Hodgson argued. Just like the days when Liverpool were English football's all-conquering force.[LNB] [LNB] Wolves back McCarthy by giving him cash to spend during transfer windowWatch out Ancelotti... 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